The Good News of Christmas Continues | Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (ELCA) Manchester MO

Pastor:

Pr. John Gerike

Sermon: The Good News of Christmas Continues

December 26 and 27, 2009

1^st after Christmas

Colossians 3:12-17

Well, Christmas is over.

Most radio stations are done

playing Christmas music.

You may have started returning gifts.

Shopping after-Christmas sales.

Or perhaps just collapsing

after all the activity of Christmas

--the cooking

--and cleaning

--buying gifts

--making gifts

--wrapping gifts

--giving gifts

--opening gifts

--family

--friends.

--Christmas cards and letters

(we’re actually hoping to get to that

in the next week or so).

So, Christmas is over.

But maybe not.

In the church,

we’re reminded that the Christmas celebration is just beginning.

With the church calendar,

when does the Christmas season end?

January 6.

We are now in the 12 days of Christmas.

You realize there is some disagreement

about which 12 days are the 12 days of Christmas.

Did you know that?

Some folks start counting on Christmas Day—

--and January 5 is the 12^th day.

--January 6^th is Epiphany.

Other folks start counting on December 26,

with January 6, Epiphany,

counting as the 12^th day.

So, I don’t know whether I should be giving

turtle doves or French hens today.

One way or another,

we are definitely in the Christmas season—

--no debate about that.

And what might that mean for us?

To have 12 days of Christmas

(starting either Friday or Saturday this year).

Someone suggested,

and I like the suggestion,

that now that the rush is over,

perhaps we can use these 12 days to take time.

Not a letdown,

but a slow down—

--to revel in the Christmas season.

--to take time to make connection

with the giver of all good gifts

--to take time for Christmas.

When Ruth and I got married,

we experienced Christmas with each other’s families.

In our family,

I have one brother.

And when we opened Christmas presents—

--usually on Christmas Eve—

--we’d take turns.

Someone would choose a gift to give,

give it to the person receiving it.

We’d all watch them open it—

--ooh and aah.

And then the next person would take their turn.

When we’re with my Mom and our boys,

we still do it this way.

Ruth said, even this year,

after being married 29 years—

--that she had to work at being patient

with the never-ending process.

In Ruth’s family,

there are 6 children.

Opening presents is a frenzy of activity.

Everyone opening at once.

With great excitement for a moment.

Paper flying everywhere.

Mayhem.

And then it’s all over.

We still do it pretty much that way with Ruth’s family.

And for me, even this year,

after being married for 29 years—

--it seems so out of control.

--I didn’t even know until the next day

what some of the presents were.

--I’d come across a gift

and say, “Where did this come from?”

And Ruth said,

“Oh, you missed that?”

Now, I’m not saying that my family’s way is better—

--but perhaps Ruth’s family tradition

is more like the way Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

might feel.

--and my family’s tradition

is more like this season,

the 12 days.

Not a letdown,

but a slowdown.

A time to take time.

And as we take time,

I would like to take a little time

with the reading from Colossians 3.

This is a reading that I often hear at weddings,

but it has also been chosen for the Christmas season.

It starts out like this:

“As God’s chosen ones,

holy and beloved…”

In just a moment,

it’s going to tell us how to live.

But first,

we need to be reminded who we are.

Because how we live

flows from who we are.

It doesn’t start with our actions,

it starts with the baby in the manger.

With God, who loved us so much

that God came as a baby.

We are God’s chosen ones.

We are holy.

We are beloved.

Do you remember what “HOLY” means?

It means set apart.

We are set apart by God

and for God.

God has chosen you.

God has set you apart.

Because God loves you.

And our lives are lived

in response to that love.

And what does that look like?

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness,

humility,

meekness,

and patience.”

When Jesus’ came for you and me,

he didn’t come with power and force.

He came with

Compassion

Kindness

Humility

Meekness

And patience.

And so,

as he comes to us,

that’s how we live for one another—

--as a reflection of God’s love.

What are those 5 things again?

Compassion

Kindness

Humility

Meekness

Patience.

Some day,

that clothing of compassion, kindness and all the rest,

fit really well.

And there are other days,

when compassion feels a little tight around the middle,

and I’m short of patience,

and kindness isn’t fitting well at all.

What do you do at those times?

My tendency is to tell myself

that I can do it.

I can make myself more kind and humble and patient.

But I usually can’t.

I think there might be a better response

on those days when those clothes don’t fit.

And that is to go back to who we are—

--and whose we are.

The next verse reminds us of that.

Bear with one another and,

if anyone has a complaint against another,

forgive each other;

just as the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive.

Why do we forgive?

Because God has forgiven us.

Why has God forgiven us?

Because God is compassionate,

Kind,

Humble,

Meek,

And patient.

Every once in a while,

Ruth goes out and buys a gift for someone

we want to remember.

And I’m always thankful to be giving a gift,

but sometimes I think—

--did we have to spend so much?

Usually,

the feeling passes

before anything comes out of my mouth.

That’s usually better.

Because she’s the one that’s living

the way I hope to live.

She’s the one reflecting God’s love

in generosity.

And you know what really gets me then?

If, right about that same time that I’m feeling so stingy,

someone else is really generous with me.

But, you want to know the good news?

As time goes by,

I can remember the generous gifts given—

--and respond with love and generosity to others.

It doesn’t mean I get it right every time.

But God is at work in me.

And in you.

Working in us,

so that we might reflect the love

we have first received.

Verse 14:

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love,

which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

That’s the bottom line.

How did Jesus summarize how we are to live?

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart and mind and soul and strength.

And love your neighbor as yourself.

That’s a lifetime challenge

and a lifetime joy for us.

Because we keep falling short.

But we keep getting more chances to grow in love.

And why do we love?

Because God first loved us.

Oswald Golter served in China in the 1930’s

until the Communists began taking over

and put him under house arrest.

Finally he was freed in the 1940’s following World War II,

and he made his way to India .

At that time, there were a lot of Jewish people

who were allowed onto boats,

but not allowed off.

But at one coastal town in India ,

a boat was allowed to dock

and a sort-of tent city was built up.

It was Christmas time.

And Oswald saw what was happening

and said to the people:

“What would you like for Christmas?”

They said:

“We’re Jewish.”

He said:

“That’s okay.

What would you like for Christmas.”

Eventually they said that they would like

some German pastries.

So he wandered around town

until he found a place to buy German pastries,

and he used some of his funds intended to get him home,

and he bought a whole bunch of German pastries,

and delivered them to the people.

They said:

“Mr. Golter, why did you do that?

We’re not even Christian.”

He said:

“I know.

But I am.”

I suppose that story’s been sticking with me this week,

because it’s not so much about figuring out

who’s out and who’s in—where to draw the lines.

It’s really about serving all of God’s people,

wherever and whoever they are.

Verse 17 of the Colossians reading:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

As we were choosing songs and carols to sing today,

there’s one I knew you wouldn’t choose—

--because it’s not in either hymnbook.

It’s in the new red hymnals,

which we’ll introduce here in 2 weeks.

But we’ve already sung it here at Good Shepherd a few times—

--and the 3^rd verse goes like this:

Love has come and never will leave us!

Love is life everlasting and free.

Love is Jesus within and among us.

Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.

Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas.

Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!

Love has come to us at Christmas.

Whatever is happening in your life right now,

I pray that these 12 days of Christmas

might be—not a letdown—

--but a slowdown.

A time to appreciate God’s love.

A time to realize that we are God’s chosen,

holy and beloved.

A time to reflect God’s love.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Colossians 3:12-17

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. ¹³Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.^* ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Love has come and never will leave us!

Love is life everlasting and free.

Love is Jesus within and among us.

Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.

Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas.

Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!