He is Risen Indeed!

John 1:1-14

May we know the joy that is our because of Christ’s Birth, Death, Resurrection and Ascension as we look forward to His coming again

† IHS †

Pastor Parker Parable;  Christmas is like Opening the batteries first.

It’s time for another Pastor Parker Parable!

Christmas is like opening the batteries first on Christmas Eve.

Obviously, I need to explain.  Back when I was a child, it seemed to happen every year,  Not sure whether by design or simply a coincidence, I would always get the package with the batteries in it among my first packages – right up there with the life-saver books and the socks.

You knew something special was coming, but what it is…. You had no clue.

As I think about it – it must have been by design, for whatever the batteries went to, was the last present you opened that year.  One year that I remember, it was cassette recorder, another year, walkie-talkies, one year, it was a battery operated trainset.

But you had to wait, but the batteries were as sign of something even more awesome to come.

Christmas is like that…

It’s a glorious sign that there is more to come…

We look at we know something more is coming…

I always have a slight chuckle when I hear that Christmas is someone’s favorite holiday.  Usually because I know that when I ask why, the answers might not have anything to do with Jesus, or at best they will be what I call the “fringe benefits” of Christmas.  The gift giving, the family – all at peace for once, the decorations and bright lights.  The music, the movies,  the traditions.

Comparing that to my favorite Christian holiday seems bleak, because I like to celebrate Good Friday!  It is my favorite, it is special because even as we do it, I am reminded that my sin was nailed to that rough old cross. That my brokenness is overwhelmed by God’s desire to fix what is broken, whether it is the relationship with one of my brother or my cousins, (usually because of their breaking my Christmas presents!)

It does seem a bit odd to like the holiday where Christ was crucified more than the one celebrating His birth, until we look at Christmas happening so Christ could be crucified, and then those words we love to hear – Alleluia!  He has risen!

But what the present is, the glory that we are invited to share with Christ, that is the present, the reason for His coming, the point at which we find out how deep His love, and the Father’s love is for us.

Christmas – it’s what causes us to look forward to Good Friday and Easter, the greatest presents of all, as we find ourselves united to Christ, and sharing in His glory!  AMEN?

Christmas is like the batteries, but the present is seen at the cross, when His love for us is made manifest.

We beheld His glory… not at His birth, but at His death and Resurrection.

In our gospel this morning, we heard of it all, we hear of the creation, of Jesus prior to birth, but then we hear this, the reason that Christmas is Christmas,

¹⁰  He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. ¹¹  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. ¹²  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. ¹³  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:10-13 (NLT)

John will go on to say – and we beheld His glory….the glory of God’s only begotten son, the son who came to us, that we could be His sons and daughters, the glory of the one who not only died to make that so, but is risen.

So know this – this one we worship – who is pictured here in this manger, Alleluia, He is Risen… and Alleluia He is with us. AMEN!