I believe in the power of story. For many years, I led worship on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I focused on telling the Biblical story of the birth of the Christ Child. I memorized large portions of that story. i wrote scripts for pageants to tell that story. I planned worship services that were filled with symbol and ritual centered around that story. A few years before I retired, the department of worship at the church I was serving in Rapid City, South Dakota, had a planning conversation about Christmas Eve worship. Members of the group told about their experiences with Christmas Eve worship and we made a list of the elements of those services that were most meaningful. Interesting to me out of that process was a request that I preach a Christmas Eve sermon. Our Christmas Eve services were already full, but we carefully crafted a service that retained the elements of pageant, candle lighting, and prayer while also allowing for a brief 5 to 7 minute sermon.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking through my sermon for that year. I considered simply telling another Christmas story - a story of love made present in the lives of everyday people. I had been telling Christmas stories at the late service on Christmas Even for many years. But I wanted to honor the request for a sermon - a reflection on the scripture that connected the ancient story with the lives of the people who came to worship. That year I read a number of Christmas sermons that had been preached by other pastors. I also looked at Christmas addresses delivered by world leaders. There is a tradition of the pope delivering an annual Christmas message. The Queen of England honored tradition with a Christmas message. Presidents sometimes issue special Christmas messages.

I don’t remember the sermon I delivered that year. I can remember several Christmas sermons, but I don’t know which was the one I gave in response to the request to deliver a Christmas sermon. I do remember that I honored that request for the remainder of my active career. My last Christmas sermon was Christmas 2019. I was so deeply grateful that Christmas after having gone through a health scare with my wife that fall that I preached about the gift of gratitude. Even though I have returned to working for a church since retiring, I have not returned to regular preaching. Now I listen to sermons. I attended two worship services last night and I’ll attend another one today, so I’ll get to hear a few Christmas sermons.

I’ve also checked out a few Christmas messages delivered by famous people. King Charles of the United Kingdom, pre-recorded his Christmas Message to the kingdom. He included a tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away this year. He also reflected on his views of the importance of faith and the importance of interfaith relationships.

Pope Francis lamented the damage caused by war in his address to worshippers at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. “How many words we have seen!” he said, adding that war’s victims are “the weak and the vulnerable.” “I think above all of the children devoured by war, poverty and injustice,” he added. He condemned human “hunger for wealth and power,” rebuking those who are ravenous for those elements despite the suffering caused to others.

Ukrainian President Zelensky delivered a defiant Christmas message, urging his people to persevere as Russian attacks have left millions without power this Christmas.

I suppose that all of these messages are important, and it is probably a good idea to consider the messages delivered by others, but I suspect that I might issued a simpler message, were I to preach this Christmas. In the midst of a world torn by war, in a country divided by political extremism with radically different interpretations of the events of the past couple of years, in a time of pandemic where suffering from illness continues to rise and health care workers continue to struggle with increasing hospitalizations and severe illness, I think I might focus on the simple message of incarnation.

The prologue to the Gospel of John, one of the texts I memorized for Christmas worship, uses poetic language for the message. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” At Christmas we celebrate that the creator of the universe is so passionate about relationship with humans that God came to us as a human infant to remind us that God is present in every human life. The Christmas miracle is as simple an holy as holding a baby because every child is a holy child.

The Christmas message is that God is not distant or far away or strange or unknown. God is close and present and part of every day. It doesn’t require a complex theology or the power of an eloquent speaker for the Christmas message to be heard. I remember one worship service, years ago, when a young mother brought her child to worship. I walked into the congregation and held the baby - mothers and fathers have been incredibly generous in allowing me to hold their precious little ones over the years. I held up that baby for the congregation to see and said, “This is what Christmas is all about.”

If I could deliver a Christmas sermon this season, I would remind the congregation of a truth they already know. God is here and now in the midst of everyday life. Every child is a holy child. Every person is an opportunity to witness the power of the Creator.

This is a season of incredibly complex emotions. Our memories of celebrations past and of losses present combine to challenge us to cry of joy or of grief and of both combined. In all of this the loss, the wars, the storms, the challenges, the divisions, the lust for power and wealth, and the suffering of innocents, God is present in this world. That indeed is good news. And it is enough sermon for this day and for many Christmases yet to come.