GOSPEL LUKE 2:1-20)
1In those days a decree
went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This
was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph 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. 5He went to be registered
with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
HYMN: O LITTLE TOWN OF
BETHLEHEM #44
6While they were there, the
time came for her to deliver her child. 7And 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.
HYMN: AWAY IN A MANGER
24/25
8In that region there were
shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then
an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid;
for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you
is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.” 13And 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!”
HYMN: Hark the Herald
Angels Sing #31
15When 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.” 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the
child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been
told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in
her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they
had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
In the comfort of Christmas, in the comfort of care, we find Christ.
I would have thought we
would get more than one sentence about the birth of our Lord. I would have
thought there would be beautiful description of Mary, of Joseph, of Jesus. When
we hear stories of children children being born, we get the weight, the height,
the exact time, we get the day right, and the season for sure. We get stories
of how long it took, and where the water broke, and if there was much crying,
or sleeping. We hear who was there, and who was waiting in the other room. We
hear the stories and they are more than one line. With Jesus we get one line.
“She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and
laid him in a manger.” That is our one line.
I would have thought the
shepherds would have been given a greater sign. I would have thought, they
might have at least gotten a star like the wise men. I would have thought,
there would be something like fireworks over the manger, maybe a
strobe light to follow, maybe
an amazing song, or even a decadent smell. Something to follow, something to
lead them to the nativity. I would have thought they would have been given a
greater sign. The angels are the ones who give it, no less, and the direction
are one line. They are told simply, “You
will find a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, wrapped in bands of cloth,
lying in a manger.” That’s it. That is their one direction.
I would have thought there
would have been more to see, and more to say, when the shepherds found Jesus. I
would have thought they would have described Jesus’ face. Was he born with
hair? Did he open his eyes? What color were they? Did he look at them? Did they
get to hold him? Did he squirm or sleep? What was Jesus like? We don’t get
much, They found the child lying in the manger.
Thats all we get of Jesus.
Perhaps, its all we need. If so, what is it about being wrapped in bands of
cloth, being swaddled, and lying in a manger? What does it tell us about our
Lord? Newborn babies are swaddled, wrapped tightly as in a womb. They are not
used to this unbound world. They long for the comfort and security they have
left. Can you imagine Jesus, this heavenly child, coming into this earthly
world. Can you imagine what he left behind? Can you imagine the fear of the
world he has come into? Can you imagine how much he needed to be swaddled?
It is amazing that is the
piece we hear. By Mary’s swaddling Jesus she connects the time before Jesus was
born, to the time after. By Mary’s swaddling she connects the heavenly world to
this world, making a transition for Jesus. In Mary wrapping Jesus in bands of
cloth, she provides comfort and security to Jesus, like he knew before. Perhaps
this small piece, this single sentence is all we need. Perhaps all we need to
know of Jesus is that he was swaddled. Perhaps thats all we need to learn. That
when someone is wrapped tight, when someone is given comfort, when someone is
made to feel secure, the separation between heaven and earth, is made smaller.
That in our acts of love, in holding one another with care, we connect heaven
and earth.
Perhaps sitting in this
room together this night, warming this space, tightly packed side by side, we
are wrapping one another in bands of cloth. Perhaps, this night we swaddle one
another with love and care, with comfort and security. Perhaps by our presence
together this night we are closing in the space between heaven and earth. Perhaps
this is enough.
