Christmas Eve sermons are complex and difficult for a variety of reasons. Primarily a preacher on Christmas Eve has to be aware that the congregation will bring such a contrasting dichotomy of emotions related to the event and if the sermon goes overboard with good cheer and joy, it will be difficult for people who are having a hard time. They will be made to feel worse because they will have the feeling of being excluded by what is said and will feel guilty for not experiencing the joy that is expected and in evidence by others.
If the sermon dwells on the dark side of Christmas in an effort to address it directly it could offend the people who are working hard to express the joy and happiness of Christmas.
I will be preaching two sermons on Christmas Eve this year;
The Five and Severn O' clock services will look at the path to Bethlehem. The sermon title for those two worship hours is "Back Road To Bethlehem". I am suggesting there are two ways to get to Bethlehem. The first way is the way Mary and Joseph took. A woman pregnant and about to have a baby would want to get there and get home as soon as possible. The Boulevard to Bethlehem would be the fastest trip. It calls for "getting it over with" and many of us have experience the harried and hurried push of Christmas. We want to get it over with and the tragedy is, we may miss it.
The other road to Bethlehem is the back road; the road the shepherds took. They went the scenic route. They weren't in a hurry and they enjoyed the sights along the way. They even heard voices and saw visions and the were filled with wonder at the sight they found. Some of us are caught up in the sentimentality and beauty of Christmas. We are apt to get so involved in the beauty and artistry of Christmas that we will miss the deep meaning of "incarnation" that lies at the center of it all.
What path do you think you will take? The fastest way to Bethlehem or the scenic route? Either way, there is an opportunity to be there and understand it or to miss it altogether.
The Nine O'clock Christmas Eve sermon will take a different direction. I am going to look at the road out of Bethlehem and the Magi. What Matthew tells us is the Wisemen were told, in a dream, not to talk to Herod and not to tell him where the Christ Child is and they went back home another way.
They were "On The Road To Now Here". We don't really know where they came from and we don't know where home was. This worship service I want to think with you about what the Magi got after they gave their gifts and what they took back home.
Christmas happens in place and time. It happens "now" and it happens "here" and the measure of it is always in terms of what we have been able to give and not what we have received.
This is where the two sermons are for me on Monday morning as I am beginning to process what I want to do. When you have multiple sermons to preach at the same day/night it is helpful to look at the sermons as a continuous thread. So I am thinking about 1. The road to Bethlehem and 2. The road from Bethlehem.
If you have thoughts about this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the 'comments' box below.
If you would like a copy of either or both sermon is the very rough draft form they are in currently let me know and I will be happy to email them to you.
Either way I look forward to hearing from you.
May you have a Merry Christmas.
Charles Schuster
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment