power and light in love

Luke 2:1-14 (in anticipation of the Christ Mass on Wednesday)

"Love came down at Christmas."
God reached into the world, into our lives and touched us, giving us hope in despair and light in the darkness of oppression, corruption and longsuffering.

It was not without scandal.
They were engaged and not married, but with child.
They were not wealthy enough to bribe an innkeeper.

But God reached into common lives.
The shepherds were the lowest roughnecks, LIVING in the fields nights with the sheep.
They were not the owners.  An angel came to them!  God's glory shown around them!
The announcement was made to them!

Thus, the Son of God, all power and majesty, was born of commoners.
The Son of God, all glory and light, was born in a barn, not a palace or temple, in the darkness.
The Son of God, all purity and holiness, was born in blood and pain and tears, and in filth.
The Son of God, all wonder and awe, was covered with strips of cloth and not a robe.

To common people.
For common people.
Not kings or religious leaders, not the elite of society or landowners.
A lowly maiden with no status or power or wealth.
A common laborer with not enough means to bribe someone to get a room.
The night shift of shepherds.
The world that had suffered despair, oppression and corruption for so long.

This new hope was Word made Flesh, indeed.
He would bring the Good News of Great Joy for ALL the people, indeed was that Good News!
And for any who would follow, it would mean life, life abundant and life forever.
Life according to a new set of rules in Agape Love and Grace that would counter the established
     corruptions of empire based on wealth, power and status.
Life lived in Kingdom of God values that lift all up, rather than tearing down the many for the
     sake of the few.
Life fulfilled as people live within the Will of God that brings Shalom to themselves and
     everyone around them in the world.

In humility, lowliness, scandal and filth, was born the Son of God who would identify with
     common humanity.
God reaches into our lives powerfully, lovingly and intimately to bring us Good News.

All Power expressed in powerlessness.
Great Worth shared in poverty.
Highest Status found in humility.

This Good News of Great Joy is born to turn things around - to show us a different, better and
    faithful way to live with God and one another - God's Way.
So that we may live in Light, in Love.

That's a God with whom I can (and do) identify!

Pastor Jamie