Christmas Eve Sermon

“They Said, “Yes!” To Jesus”

Luke 2:1-20

They all said, “Yes!” to Jesus! Every one of the characters represented in the beautiful Christmas manger scene is there because they said, “Yes!”

There is Mary who said, “Yes!” to the awesome and fearful responsibility of bearing in her own body a Child whose presence would bring her great shame and public rejection. And there is Joseph, the young man who had to swallow his pride and re-commit himself to loving Mary and raising her Child even though it was not his own. There are the shepherds who were out in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night. What do you say to angels singing in the night sky, calling you to leave the fields to come and see? They said, “Yes!” to Jesus.

There are the Wise Men coming from the East after spotting a bright star in the sky. It seemed to be inviting them to come and meet the One born King of the Jews. And so they came from afar. There are the innkeeper and his family who, though there was no room in the inn, cleaned out the barn and in so doing said, “Yes!” to Jesus.

And there are the cattle lowing, and the sheep and goats bleating, all of them having to give up their spot at the manger where their meal of hay was waiting in order to provide a bed for the newborn Child. Oh yes, even the animals said, “Yes!” to Jesus!

That’s the wonderful thing about Christmas. It really doesn’t require anything more than a willingness. There are no year-long service agreements. No long-term contracts. Not even a requirement to buy three more CD’s in the coming year.

All you have to do to receive the miraculous gift of Christmas is to say, “Yes!” to Jesus.

I think we sometimes overcomplicate, over religious-cize, and over-theologize our faith. I can remember a religious scholar once delivering a lecture entitled, “Understanding The Semitic Literary Strands in the Q Document Sayings of Jesus”. And all of a sudden, I wasn’t so sure I even wanted to be a Christian if it depended on me understanding the semitic literary strands of the Q document sayings of Jesus. Or even being mildly interested in them.

No, if you are like me, you’re probably looking for a faith much simpler than that. A faith that speaks plainly to the issues you face in your daily life.

Like how to break free from the guilt of past mistakes. Like how to deal with people you can’t stand. Like how to get enough energy to keep up with your kids. Like how to mend fences with people you don’t get along with. Like how to find hope and strength when you’re dealing with things that take all your hope and strength away. Like how to move from addiction to true recovery. Like how to overcome the character flaws that limit your life. Like how to help people in need and make the world a better place. Like how to face up to your own death, and see not an ending, but a future!

These are the things life is made of. These are the things Christmas is for.

Now, I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to suggest that I understand everything that’s going on in your life these days. Life is full of challenges and complications, many of which I know nothing about. But I do want to be bold enough to say to you that, in my own experience, the beginning of every true healing, the start of every life-changing and life-giving endeavor, the jumping off point for every high achievement that has resulted in the lifting up of both myself and others, has come as a result of saying, “Yes!” to Jesus!

Yes, to his love. Yes, to his forgiveness. Yes, to his mercy. Yes, to his compassion for the lost sheep of life. Yes, to his new way of living. Yes, to his new beginnings. Yes, to his presence and friendship every day. Yes, to the Kingdom of justice and peace that he is building. Yes, to life beyond death.

The beautiful gifts you and I seek after in life become possible when we say, “Yes!” to Jesus.

And this wondrous Christmas Eve – with its candlelit beauty and majesty – comes to us as a gift from those who long ago did an amazing thing.

They said, “Yes!” to Jesus.

What will you say to Jesus tonight?