Christmas is such a special time that we use some very special words to describe the experience. Around our Advent wreath are candles representing the words “Hope”, “Peace”, “Joy” and “Love.” Those are good words for describing Christmas. And there are others, too. There is the wonderful word “Gloria”, and we sing “Alleluia” which means, “Praise the Lord!”, and then there is “Noel” which means “birth.”

But I think the word that best describes Christmas is a word we never use to describe Christmas! You’ll not find this word in any Christmas carol, or on any Christmas card, or even in the scriptures.

It is the word, “SURPRISE!”

When my children were small, one of the truly delightful experiences my wife and I had at Christmas was when they jumped into our bed in the pre-dawn hours of Christmas morning. Okay, it wasn’t ALL that delightful being rudely awakened so early after working the late shift at church on Christmas Eve! But the expression of wonder and surprise on the faces of the children were well worth waking up to see.

“He’s been here! Santa came! He ate the cookies! And drank the milk! And left presents!”

And so we would roll out of bed and go downstairs, and I would plug in the Christmas tree, and the brightly colored lights would illumine the living room and reflect off the faces of our children. And their eyes would be wide, and their smiles would be huge, and if there was a word that described the moment, I think it would be “SURPRISE!”

Christmas is full of surprises!

Mary was surprised to find out she was having a baby! All the more surprised was she when the angel Gabriel came to tell her that her baby would be the Messiah!

Joseph was surprised! And he wasn’t sure what to do until an angel came and explained it to him!

The shepherds were surprised as they watched over their flocks by night, and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them…and they were “sore afraid.” Wouldn’t YOU be surprised if that happened to you some night when you were out walking the dog?

The magi were surprised, too, surprised at the new star they saw in the sky announcing the birth of a King! And the star led them to leave their own country and journey all the way to Bethlehem of Judea! Who could have imagined that anything good could come out of Judea!

SURPRISE!

In many ways, Christmas is the biggest surprise party ever planned, and it’s God who planned it!

So for any of you who think God just sits around all day praying to himself, all I can say is, “SURPRISE!”

I wonder if this year at Christmas you and I will let God surprise US, too!

You see, the Christmas surprise comes to more than just Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and some wise men from the East! The birth of Jesus surprises the world! In every time and place, and in just about every religion that looks for the coming of a Messiah to straighten things out and make things right, the Messiah we expect is strong and mighty. The hoped for Messiah is a King who comes riding on a stallion with guns blazing, or a Judge who is a hundred times more stern and scary than Judge Judy, or a Warrior who beats up all the bad guys and sends them all to hell.

And whenever we think of Messiah’s coming this way, the words we want to share with those around us are, “LOOK OUT!”

Or, in the Christmas spirit, “You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, “I’m tellin’ you why…Santa Claus is comin’ to town!”

But while the whole world thinks this way, God surprises us all.

SURPRISE!

Here in Bethlehem’s manger is not found a Mighty King, a Judge Judy, a relentless Warrior, or even a list-making Santa.

Here in the manger lies a baby.

Shhhh!!!

A baby! (whispered)

Surprise! (whispered)

And if you are willing to let down your guard tonight, and ask yourself why God sent a baby and not a ninja, perhaps you can receive the Christmas surprise.

Do you know that babies do not know sin? Let me say that again. Babies do not know sin.

A number of years ago, my colleague co-pastor and I divided up the list of families we knew who were going through hard times and needed the support of the church. We had some baskets of food, and wrapped presents for the kids, and even a little bit of money to help them out at the holidays. One of the families I visited that year wasn’t much of a family. It was just a young girl who lived with her on-again, off-again drug-addicted boyfriend. She had a drug problem too. The apartment she lived in was a mess, and in a terribly run down neighborhood. Everything about the circumstances said, “SIN” in capital letters.

But as I sat on a torn sofa that was missing the middle cushion, visiting with this forlorn little girl, something miraculous happened.

A baby started crying.

She excused herself, got up and went into a bedroom, and a few minutes later, came out holding her little months-old baby girl. She fixed the child a bottle and then came back and sat down across from me.

I felt so sad. The house was a mess. There were dirty dishes in the sink. There was the smell of cat urine, and other aromas that were just plain vile. Outside, a police siren could be heard in the neighborhood. Everything was just so awful. And there was this little girl in a tattered bathrobe, with unkempt hair, feeding her child…

…and the baby was looking up at her mother with adoring eyes!

What I saw in that place was not what the baby saw.

Because babies do not know sin.

What do you suppose it means that God came into our world as a baby?

What does the Christ Child see when he looks up at his teenage mother, his confused step-father, and those smelly shepherds from the fields? What does the Christ Child see when the magi come from distant places and a different religion altogether?

And tonight, what does the Christ Child see when he looks at YOU?

Have you ever caught the eye of a small child while standing in the checkout lane at Wal-Mart, or enjoying dinner at a restaurant? That “peek-a-boo” thing works really well even with a little one that’s getting cranky. The child may not like his wet diaper, or the fact that mom and dad won’t let him have that 4-lb Hershey Bar.

But by golly, he likes YOU!

And while you and he are playing the “peek-a-boo” game, I hope you realize something wonderful about the experience.

He does not see your sin.

He knows nothing about the stupid thing you did yesterday, or the awful thing you’re planning to do tomorrow.

He is not aware of the commandments you’ve broken, or the crimes you’ve committed, or the mistakes you’ve made.

All he knows is your goodness!

And when his mother and father carry him out the door, he looks back at you with a little smile, and maybe even blows you a kiss.

And you feel SO GOOD – like maybe you’re really WORTH SOMETHING!

What does the Christ Child see when he looks at YOU?

And your neighbor?

And all humanity?

Well, in a moment, we’re going to darken the Sanctuary, light our candles, and we’re going to sing, “Silent Night, Holy Night.” When we get to the third verse of that beautiful song, I want you to pay particular attention to that question: “What does the Christ Child see when he looks at you, and me, and all of us?”

And as you consider that question, drink in the words that describe the baby:

“ …love’s pure light radiant beams from Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace…”

And you – if you’re here tonight bearing the weight of the mistakes you’ve made, the sins you’ve committed, the flaws of your existence, the weakness of your humanity, and the sad certainty that God is out to get you with a big dose of pay-back – please, please just let yourself look into this the face of this baby.

This baby adores you.

SURPRISE!