Get Microsoft Word Viewer 2003
 Concord Trinity Podcast Feed (Podcast Instructions)

Thankfully, God Never Said, “Enough!”

Thankfully, God Never Said, “Enough!”

December 24, 2007

Text: Luke 2:1-20

Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

NRSV

From an earlier sermon, some of you might remember who this is:

This is our dog, Jessie.

I love this dog.

From the first day we got her from the Humane Society, she had a knack for digging through the kitchen trash to find buried treasure. So, we have to keep the cupboard shut. She’ll get food off the table if we’re not careful. She knows it’s wrong, but does it anyway. The latest things she ate were two gingerbread houses the kids made.

I love this dog.

She has this habit of following you wherever you go—she can’t stand to be away from you. I once turned around and tripped over her. The dog was OK, but I wrenched my back. So, I have to watch where I go, in my own house.

I love this dog.

When it’s 5 degrees outside and I go with her into the back yard for her potty break, she doesn’t just go out, do what she’s supposed to do, and come back. No, it takes fifteen minutes of her sniffing around before things are just right. So, since she can’t be left alone, I stand out there freezing.

I love this dog.

Sometimes I just feel like saying, “Enough! Enough! From the Humane Society thou camest, and to the Humane Society thou goest!”

Of course that will never happen, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling this way.

There’s a show on TV called, “The Dog Whisperer.” This expert visits homes where there’s a troubled relationship between dog and owner. He tries to work things out. I believe his theory is that the problem doesn’t lie with the dog, but with the people owning the dog.

“The problem isn’t with the dog, but with the owner.”

Right. The Dog Whisperer obviously hasn’t met Jessie.

Of course, the Dog Whisperer does have a point. The owners have to relate to the dog differently. Jessie is going to remain Jessie. It’s up to me—who’s at the mercy of the dog—to adapt and change in such a way as to communicate positively with the canine. Behavior changes that way.

Can I do it? The verdict’s out.

The challenge of building constructive, enriching relationships lies in being able to adapt the way you communicate. You can’t expect people to relate to you on your terms—you have to relate to people on theirs.

This truth always comes home to me when I pick up Cameron from youth group on Sunday nights.

I’ll look into the gym, and see 40 youth, counselors, and Pastor Mark playing dodgeball. They’re laughing, screaming, shouting, running, throwing. I see Mark relating to them easily, comfortably. He knows their language, knows what’s important to them, understands their culture and the way they see things.

If I were to say, “Hey Mark, let me be youth pastor for a while,” you know how I’d feel trying to do that?

The second I’d set foot in the gym, I’d feel like this…

… a lumbering Brontosaurus.

I’d feel slow, clumsy, out of touch…EXTINCT!

To communicate, you have to be able to feel what another person’s feeling, see what another person’s seeing. You have to be able to talk in terms the other person understands. If you’re able to do that, you get the other person’s attention, and they will listen.

I wonder if God ever felt like a lumbering Brontosaurus.

I wonder if God ever felt the frustration of standing with Jessie for fifteen minutes when it’s 5 degrees out, saying, “GO!”

I wonder if God ever felt out of touch, confused as to how to relate?

Think God ever felt that frustration and helplessness?

Yes. And the most amazing thing is, God chose to do something about it. God could have said, “I don’t HAVE to relate to Jessie—I don’t have a wife and two kids guarding the dog—I can send her back!” God could have said, “I don’t HAVE to relate to a younger generation—I have my own generation, my own angels to keep me company! I have my own…SON.”

God could have said this—but instead, God looked at you, at me, and said, “I’m not going to turn my back. I’m not going to say, ‘ENOUGH!’’

While [Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem,] the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

God comes to us on our turf, wearing our skin, speaking our language, feeling our feelings.

You can say all you want, “You need to help the poor and less fortunate,” but when God comes as one poor and less fortunate in a manger, people will listen.

You can say all you want, “You need to show compassion to one another,” and people will yawn. But if they see you sharing your food with a crowd…If they see you crying with the grieving…If they see you talking with and giving a healing touch to people when you’re dead tired—if they see all this, they’ll listen.

You can say, “You need to forgive those who mistreat you” and people will say, “Yeah, right.” But if they see you being nailed to the cross and hear, “Father forgive them”—if they witness that, they’ll listen.

You can say, “You need to love one another as I love you,” and they’ll discuss what you mean, and get lost in the words. But if they see you bursting the chains of death on Easter morning so you can be with them when they would meet their crosses—they witness that, they’ll listen.

And when they listen—when WE listen—then we can let the Father shape us.

He has taken the first step.

It’s up to us to respond.

It’s up to us, as we take communion tonight, to say, “Child of the manger—of the Father’s love begotten—you’ve gotten my attention. I will listen. I will follow.”

Meister Eckhardt, a German theologian who lived almost 800 years ago, said it best. As he reflected on Mary giving birth to Jesus, he said this:

We are all meant to be mothers of God. What good is it to me if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly, but does not take place within myself? And, what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace if I am not also full of grace? What good is it to me for the Creator to give birth to his Son if I do not also give birth to him in my time and culture? This, then, is the fullness of time: when the Son of God is begotten in us. --Meister Eckhart, "When I Give Birth to Christ"

Or, as the carol goes, “…BE BORN IN US, TODAY!”