Prepare for Jesus

Sermon by: Rev. Dr. Mary Alice Mulligan

4th Sunday in Advent - Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Aren’t we all eager to get to the nativity scene and Christmas carols? Advent waiting is so tedious. And today’s scripture teases us, “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” Matthew shows us the scene around the decision for Joseph and Mary to be a family. But we still don’t get to the manger until next Saturday. Still today’s part of the story is crucial for understanding how God can be present around us, especially as we think about Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. Let’s stop here and read Matthew 1:18-25.

Joseph was working it out. Mary had gotten herself pregnant, but maybe, rather than cause a stink, he should just quietly break their betrothal, slip away, and let God handle the situation. Then the dream happens. Just a dream, we might say. Joseph dreams God speaks to him. In the dream God directs him to complete the marriage and raise the child as his own. And shockingly, Joseph does. As God instructs, he names the child Jesus, which means “God saves.” But still, the scripture we hear today does not get us to the manger. We don’t yet get to see the baby, bathed in holy light. We don’t get a peek at the one who is suspected to be God, in flesh. So we keep waiting, because we yearn for him. We need him.

We need Jesus to arrive.  Humans have a tremendous list of needs. Ask Abraham Maslow. We need food and shelter and a sense of safety and human contact and purpose. But in the huge mix of our needs, especially in December each year, we also feel the need to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child. Of course, if we get honest, we need God all year. There are plenty of circumstances that are beyond our human abilities to fulfill. Like when the family get-together ends with one person saying to another, “I will never speak to you again.” Then within a few days, each of them is thinking, “Even though what the other did is unforgiveable, what have I done? I know I can’t fix it on my own” Or when all our life we’ve worked and saved and finally have the big house and the comfortable IRA, and then we look around and realize life feels empty.

Probably each of us has known those moments of sensing we need something bigger, more powerful, better, than what our human efforts can give. Those are times we need something holy. Everyone probably knows the story of the child, already tucked into bed, who calls out that she is lonely and needs a parent to come into the bedroom as she falls asleep. The parent calls back, “You aren’t alone. God is with you.” The child responds, “But I need someone with a face.” I once heard the story told, with the child saying, “But I need someone with skin on.” I sort of like that telling. True, we all need someone we can touch and who can touch us. We need to hear an audible voice. And we need people with real bodies who can be present with us. We need people in the flesh. So, no surprise when we think about God, we need God to arrive in the flesh.

So, we keep welcoming the Christ. We get excited, every year, as Christmas draws closer. At least we hope to feel the excitement, the joy of the birth of Jesus. Lots of people apparently feel something. All over our community, yards are jammed with inflatable Santas and that Frozen guy and dogs with antlers. But the more powerful yard scenes are the ones with just the quiet silhouette of barn and a manger, with a single light shining on it. There’s the power, the joy, life. We know, it’s not Santa who changes our world. God changes the world. We believe that in Jesus, God has chosen to be among us, in the flesh, actually one of us, to touch and love us. With skin on.

Of course we know, Jesus does not come to us in the flesh today. But remembering and marking his birth each year can energize his followers to more compassion, generosity, and peacemaking, which changes the world. The adult Jesus taught that whatever we do to others, especially the more vulnerable, it is as if we are doing it to him. So, we welcome Jesus by receiving the people around us who most need to be welcomed. We’ve heard many times: “What you do to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you do to me.”

We saw what Jesus meant just weeks ago, when churches opened their doors in communities where hurricanes destroyed mobile homes, and people found welcome, and a safe place to sleep, and a hot meal.

But closer, to home, part of St. Andrew’s preparation for the birth of Christ was gathering Christmas gifts for seniors, who had written down something they needed. As difficult as it might be to believe in our community, some people said they needed a blanket or shoes, which St. Andrew provided. St. Andrew also provided gifts for incarcerated adults to give to their children. Clearly, we were someone with skin on, for some of our neighbors. But we also discovered, when we bought gifts and put them under the tree in the Gathering Area, we sensed a holy presence. The Spirit of Christ was there in our midst once again. As we honor the approach of the Babe of Bethlehem, we find we have life and joy and peace. So of course, every year, we welcome the birth of Jesus.