Christmas Eve Message 2012, St PetriChristmas 2012

After viewing a media reflection: “We all have reasons to build a wall between the manger and ourselves” (Sermon spice)   

VIEW HERE  [wpvideo Lzb9aDPv]

I AM

• Self-righteous

• Faking it

• Playing church games

• Lonely this Christmas

• Putting up the usual walls of doubt, cynicism

• Scared of what is happening to me

• Judged, feeling like an outsider

• Too bad for God

• Too dark for church

What would Christmas look and feel like if for a minute I removed the walls between me and that manger?

Friends, there is no need for walls this Christmas.

Jesus is jumping over them to help you hear that they are not high enough, strong enough or deep enough to stop his hope, peace and love from penetrating the hardest or darkest heart.

We need to remind ourselves of what this baby boy in a feeding trough is all about.

• His palace? Mary’s womb.

• His substance? Flesh and bone so fragile just like mine and yours.

• His power? Human weakness that defeats all of our darkness and fear.

How the world was won

(Sung by Pr A – Music and words © 2001 Robin Mann, used by permission)

1. Let’s remind each other how the world was won

not with mighty army, nor with soldier’s gun;

his unlikely palace: Mother Mary’s womb.

‘Operation Jesus’, from a borrowed room.

2. Flesh and bone so fragile, his strategic way:

with a broken body Jesus won the day.

Cluster bombs and rifles he had none of these.

They were never needed for his victory.

3. Though this child was helpless, Satan’s kingdom fell.

Weakness was the weapon that defeated hell.

Feeble flesh, so human, just like mine and yours,

brought the world to safety, opened heaven’s door.

4. May I lie beside you in your manger bed,

will I know or care what danger lies ahead?

If I feel your breath upon my face I know

heaven’s power is with me everywhere I go.

© 2001 Robin Mann

LicenSing 211879 210564

Can the usual walls that keep out the manger be let go tonight?

That child king in the manger says, I AM

• Life

• Truth

• Way

• Good shepherd

• Door to life

• Food for the journey

• Resurrection from it all

Can the usual walls that keep out the manger be let go tonight?

We hope so.

The great I AM has come to our life – in all our humanity.

There is love in that manger beyond all loves.

There is peace in that manger beyond any human peace.

There is life in the manger – beyond what we currently experience – even beyond death.

There is hope in that manger – not a children’s story, a wishful thought or a maybe kind of thing – real hope. Hope for meaning and purpose in your life.

Hope for life lived to the full with the One who created you and is with you now in self-sacrificing love – God’s love.

We all have our reasons.

 We all have the invitation to approach and adore this child-king and Saviour.

He will change us. he will stir us.

He will love us.

Amen