December 24th, 2024 - Christmas Eve: " 'Twas the Night" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Matt Nelson: Welcome to the Sermon podcast from First United Methodist

Church in downtown Bentonville.

If you have questions related to what you hear today or just want to find

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Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris: Amen.

What a blessing already to be in worship.

And to celebrate the birth of Christ in our lives.

We are turning to the Christmas story for this day.

We've spent Advent in different stories, and I'll talk more

about that in just a minute.

But I want to get us started.

I'm going to read a little bit of Luke 2.

We'll finish it up in just a bit.

But I'm going to take us through the first eight verses now.

And it came to pass in those days that there went out a

decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

And this taxing was first made when Serenius was governor of Syria.

And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into

Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was

of the house and lineage of David.

To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished

that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

This is the word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Let us pray.

Lord, open our hearts, our minds, and our eyes, that we might see and know

the word you have for us this day.

In your holy name we pray.

Amen.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature

was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St.

Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of

sugar plums danced in their heads.

And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled our

brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the

bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the

shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow gave the luster

of midday to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature

sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St.

Nick.

More rapid than eagles as coursers they came, and he whistled and

shouted and called them by name.

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on

Donner and Blitzen, to the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, now

dash away, dash away, dash away all.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet

with an obstacle, mount to the sky, so up to coursers they flew,

with a sleigh full of toys and St.

Nicholas too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the prancing and

pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St.

Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were

all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back and he looked like

a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes, how they twinkled.

His dimples, how merry.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow and the beard of

his chin was as wide as the snow.

The stump of a pipe healed tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it

encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he

laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when

I saw him in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to

know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work.

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk, And laying his

finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all

flew, like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas

to all, and to all a good night.

For those of you that have joined us over the past few weeks, you know

this, but I'm going to fill in those that are just perhaps with us today.

We have spent the season of Advent looking at well known or classic children's

Christmas stories and finding within them Uh, uh, matched story in the biblical

witness, we looked at the Grinch and saw how it compared to Saul's conversion.

We heard the story of the pokey little puppies first Christmas and how his

bringing gifts mirrored that of when the wise ones brought gifts to Jesus.

We looked at the elves and the shoemaker and the miracle that

they had that matched up with the miracle of Elijah and the widow.

And last week we looked at Polar Express and Doubting Thomas to see how much

doubt and faith actually have in common.

So as I was preparing this series, I thought it's gonna

be easy to find a match.

To the Bible from the most famous and well known Christmas story,

which is this visit from St.

Nicholas, often referred to as Twas the Night Before Christmas.

After all, this poem is how we conceive so much of Christmas today.

The image of St.

Nicholas that is painted in this poem was picked up by Coca Cola and then made

into images of Santa that are with us.

This is how we understand this Christmas Eve night.

But as I tried to figure out what this Christmas story had to do with

the Christmas story in the Bible, or really anything in the Bible

at all, I found myself struggling.

I mean, it was easy to recognize that St.

Nicholas is a man from Christian history.

He was an early bishop of a town in Turkey.

He is the patron saint of children and gift giving and toy makers and sailors.

merchants, archers, repentant thieves, brewers, pawnbrokers,

unmarried people, and students.

He was known for helping the poor, presumably saved three innocent soldiers

from execution, may have chopped down a tree possessed by a demon, and also

may have punched a heretic in the face.

That is St.

Nicholas.

And that's the figure from Christian history, but not from the Bible.

So maybe there are flying reindeer in the Bible.

Nope.

There are deer.

There are deer that pant for the water as my soul longs for God.

There is a talking donkey.

There is a bear who attacks some kids who make fun of a guy for being bald.

And of course, many of you know from a few years ago, there is a Christmas dragon.

But there's no flying reindeer This is a general story about generosity

and certainly generosity is key to our faith, but that's That's about

it for what I can find this story has in common with the biblical story.

And that's an important reminder for us that there is both a pop culture

reality of Christmas and then there is our faith reality of Christmas.

And that Sometimes something that may lay claim to our faith really has little to

do with the actual stories of our faith.

But as we have seen over the past few weeks, it is also a good reminder

that sometimes those things that claim no relation to our faith, or

just a subsidiary relation to our faith, may teach us about it anyway.

This sacred secular divide is a false one.

What we ought to do is just center down in the story.

Let the story lead us.

Whether it leads us into places of pop culture or leads us into the

biblical story, let the story lead us.

I will say that like these other stories that we looked at in December,

there is actually a pop culture story that does a wonderful job

of telling the story of Christmas.

Charlie Brown, frustrated by the teasing he has received for buying the small

tree, just proclaims, Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus says, Sure, Charlie Brown.

I can tell you what Christmas is all about.

Lights, please.

And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them.

And the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

But the angel said, Fear not.

I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be for all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,

which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you.

You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly with the angel, there was a multitude of the heavenly

host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and

on earth, peace, goodwill to men.

That's what Christmas is all about...

Charlie Brown.

Matt Nelson: Thanks for listening

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Grace and peace.