2025 Merry Christmas
The main characters of the Gospel of Luke’s Christmas Story (see full text below) speak volumes about God’s character and nature. The figures that comprise our nativity sets tell their own story. Mary was a young teenager with no pedigree, money, or status – an ordinary “everybody.” Joseph was likely a day laborer who didn’t have much to his name, either – another ordinary “everybody.” The shepherds working the late shift that night around Bethlehem were more everybodies among a whole class of everyday people who weren’t anything special as far as the world was considered. The space that served as a labor and delivery ward was as humble as one can get – who would choose the floor of small livestock barn with all of its filth to bring this child into the world?
All of these characters were completely ordinary, which is what makes the story so extraordinary. Jesus came from very ordinary and humble beginnings. The Spirit of God was fully willing to partner with these everybodies. Luke’s Christmas Story is a declaration to everyone everywhere that the Spirit of God is with the nobodies and the everybodies – not just those who the world at large celebrates as worthy. The story declares that everyday everybodies like you and I, just like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, are equally valued by God. The Spirit of God isn’t just for those whose outward appearances, pedigree, wealth, power, or fame would suggest God’s blessing. The blessing, the love, and the presence of God is for all.
This is not a rags to riches story, though. As far as we can tell, Jesus never achieved the American dream. He died as poor as he started. He didn’t hold a good job. He didn’t hang out with the rich and powerful. Until he started traveling around his region teaching and healing, he was completely overlooked. The big shots in Jerusalem ridiculed him for being a country bumpkin. Would he be esteemed today? Probably not by industry titans. Certainly not the current president of the United States. No country clubs would have him as a member – he couldn’t afford it and he didn’t look the part.
Guess what the content of his teaching was about? His Good News was that God loves everybody – all everybodies – inherently, completely, and unconditionally. God’s love is like gravity, or oxygen, or light. Present even when we aren’t aware of it. Yet when we are aware of it, what a difference it makes! What appreciation!
Guess who were the primary recipients of the Good News he was sharing? Everybodies, everywhere! Why? Because they were the least likely to receive such news in their time and ours – perhaps they needed it most and first.
Guess what the earliest Jesus followers taught about? Guess who they shared their message with most and first? The same as Jesus.
The vision of Christmas is that people would realize – like Mary and Joseph and the shepherds, that they were deeply loved by God, which means they would know their intrinsic value. This changes how we think about ourselves, of course. None is better than another at their core, which is incredibly empowering and humbling. This Good News is meant to be the beginning of viewing and treating others – all others – with the dignity and respect they deserve because of their inherent worth. That’s why, at its best, the Christmas Story has the power to transform the world for the betterment of all, one life, one family, one community at a time. Never forced or coerced but won with love.
Christmas Story Examples. Guess what? It works! People do crazy things when they are transformed by the love of God. One morning a week for the last several weeks, Rev. Dr. Angie Barker-Jackson has stood with other clergy members in her clerical garb in front of San Francisco’s ICE office building to protest the injustice and inhumanity taking place with immigrants right now. High School student, Presley, spent two days handwriting personalized Christmas cards to each resident of the retirement facility where she works part time on the weekends. Karie and Linda lead CrossWalk’s Food Pantry, preparing food for those who the system misses, and resourcing the pantries of people moving off the streets into a home. Financial donors rose to the occasion to help CrossWalk keep the lights on and make big improvement to insure we will be here for the long haul. One CrossWalker said that because he has been attending here for a long time, he is definitely “Nicer than I was before.” Volunteers have spent hours helping us with maintenance. Several people have given up their own worship service experience to assist teaching our children. Musicianshave left it all out on the stage week after week. Our large Finance Team spends hours each month making sure our funds are accurately and safely counted, recorded, and used for what it is budgeted for. All of these examples are expressions of the Christmas Story’s vision come to life.
On this Christmas Eve, may you hear for the first time or be reminded that you are one of the countless everybodies who are included in the gift of God’s love. May you, like the shepherds, return home rejoicing for all that tonight means for who you are, who you really are as one who is forever loved.
And may you, like Mary, commit this Good News to memory and consider how such love might translate into acts of love, grace, justice, patience, and more as you move through tonight into tomorrow and all the other tomorrows after that. May you embody the Christmas Story’s vision, being joy and bringing joy where you go.
The Christmas Story (Luke 2:1-20 CEB)
In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.
Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.
The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”
When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.