Words for Worship

Ministry Today

Text:  Luke 1.8-17

 

 

I well remember

that during one

of the terrorist bombing campaigns

we suffered in the 80’s ,

the Naval high command

stuck up warning notices

in all our establishments.

 

Each was headlined –

be alert.

 

It was one day

that I was passing

one such edict

that I noticed

that a graffiti artist

had been at work.

 

Because now notice read –

be alert –

the Navy needs lerts!

 

Well, today

we enter that

in-between season of advent;

a season

that leaves behind

thoughts of

national remembrance

and moves towards

the greatest event

in human history.

 

The birth of Jesus Christ –

the one headlined –

God with us.  

 

A season that commands us

to wait, watch

and indeed be alert.

 

For if you like –

Jesus needs lerts.

 

Yet you could say –

come on

I am too busy for this!

 

What exactly must I

be on the watch for?

 

In fact, in what way

I am to be alert?

 

Well, certainly,

I can understand

when you say

you’re too busy.

 

After all,

there are Christmas cards

to be got out,

presents to be bought

and food to be stored away.

 

Yet there is my point.

 

For each year

we say

we are not going

to be distracted

by the circus of yuletide

and have a real Christmas –

we say I am going

to get the true Christmas spirit instead of

a whacking great

credit card bill.

 

We even say

I just want

to have some of that

old childhood Christmas magic rather than

the hash dash

of the adult one.

 

Here then

is the first thing

to be alert too.

 

The slipping by

of the Christmas season.

 

For often

we do not stop and listen

to the carol sung –

maybe out of tune –

yet with all the enthusiasm

we once had

for this time of year.

 

Similarly, we rarely ponder

on the nativity scene

in the shop window.

 

It may be no more

than plastic novelties

yet they depict

the most amazing thing

you have ever heard of.

 

 And that is the shocker

of a God

so vulnerable

that his creation’s hands

have to nurse him,

cuddle him

and love him.

 

The net result then

is we push past

the Christmas magic.

 

We tune out

the Christmas magic.  

 

We switch off

the Christmas magic

and in the darkness

we ndon’t find it

for another year.

 

Better to follow

the advice

at the end of the poem –

twas the day after Christmas

by Ken Goodrich:

 

 

Take hold of the light that will never go out,

And carry it high and spread it about

Throw the holly and ivy out if you will

But the star is before you: follow it still.

 

The wonder of Christmas, of God coming here

Cannot be confined to the end of the year,

For the light of the manger, which is now packed away

Continues to shine and grows brighter each day

As the people of God respond to his call

And take this, the true meaning of Christmas, to all.

 

 

 

 

 

But there is worse

than failing to pick up

the Christmas magic.

 

For, we are so busy

with objects

that we don’t look

at the people around.  

 

We fail to see

the small child

clutching pocket money running to buy

mummy a present.

 

We fail to see

the young couple

arm in arm

with no eyes

but for each other.

 

In all honesty

we miss

the big issue seller,

the Buckfast drinker

and the well dressed woman able to buy anything

but no one to give it to.

 

Not only that,

we miss someone else.

 

Because in our busy-ness

we miss Christ’s presence

in those same streets

decked out tinsel

babbles and coloured lights.

 

For, too regularly,

he has fleetingly passed us

and looked at us

and we have not looked back.

 

Therefore, over this season

let us pray –

Lord shows us you face –

and then

be alert

by looking for it!

 

And the level

of alertness necessary

comes out

in a story by Kathleen Sullivan in her book –

Light out of darkness

 

One evening

she had gone into

a fish & chip shop.

 

The space was limited

and it was a bitterly cold night.

 

So the queue

was pretty soulless

as they waited

to get their food

and rush home.

 

Suddenly, the door opened

a traveller of the road entered.

 

The customers instinctively pulled closer

leaving him room.  

 

He seemed to dominate

the scene.

 

An authoritative figure

now appeared

and very politely

asked what he wanted –

his needs were simple –

a cup of coffee –

he had money for that.

 

There he stood

his cup in one hand

his entire possessions

in the other.

 

As Kathleen left

their eyes met –

she saw

a flicker of surprise

then a half smile of amusement.

 

It was then

things changed radically

for her.

 

Because she admits

the eyes looking at her

were the same

as those that looked at Peter

on the night of his arrest.

 

In confusion,

she just managed

to close the door.

 

 

 

Bill one day

sat on a hillside

as puffy white clouds rolled by.

 

Soon, he began to think

about God.

 

 

"God? Are you really there?"  he asked out loud.

 

 

To his astonishment

a voice came from the clouds.

 

"Yes, I am –

What can I do for you?"

 

 

Seizing the opportunity,

Bill asked,

"God? What is a million years like to you?"

 

God responded

in a manner to which Bill

could relate.

"A million years to me,

is like a minute."

 

 

"Oh," said Bill. "

Well, then,

what's a million dollars

like to you?" "

 

A million dollars to me,

is like a penny."

 

 

"Wow!" remarked Bill,

getting an idea.

 

"Well, you're so generous...

can I have

one of your pennies?"

 

God replied, "Sure thing, Bill!

 

Just a minute."

 

 

 

Well Bill

certainly didn’t expect

that reply!  

 

But didn’t be too hard

on that man.

 

For many things about God

are unexpected.

 

Not least that

he would come to earth

in a child.

 

Not least indeed,

he will enter our lives

any moment

we choose

to let him.

 

And so there

is little point

in being alert

to the wonderful magic

of Christmas

and absolutely no point

in being alert

to Jesus near us

if we don’t open

the door to him.

 

Well, what better time

to being open

than this season

which talks of little else

than bolts out of the blue;

the bolt out of the blue

that Jesus came

to change a world

that was in need of it.

 

The bolt out of the blue

that he is still around

and still changing

this messy and mixed up planet.

 

A world that

over the last week

contains terrorist atrocities

in India,

credit crunches

which means job losses

and despair for thousands

and tribal violence

murdering the innocent

in the Congo.

 

But, maybe

more significantly for you,

Jesus can also be

a personal bolt out of the blue.

 

The bolt out of the blue

that he is going

to change your own world

and all the problems

you have with it.

 

And that

surely

is worth being

on the watch for –

surely that is worth

checking

that we are keeping

a open door for –

surely that is worth l

iving each day n

ot just in its hope

but in its certainty.

 

Because when

your golden bolt strikes home – just like Zachariah

becoming father –

it will undoubtedly

be the biggest Christmas present

of this or any season.

 

 

While on a South Pole expedition,

British explorer

Sir Ernest Shackleton

left a few men

on Elephant Island,

promising that he would return.

 

 

Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way.

 

But suddenly,

as if by a miracle,

an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton

was able to get through.

 

His men,

ready and waiting,

quickly scrambled aboard.

 

No sooner had the ship

cleared the island

than the ice crashed together behind them.

 

Contemplating their narrow escape,

the explorer said to his men,

"It was fortunate

you were all packed

and ready to go!"

 

 

They replied,

"We never gave up hope.

 

Whenever the sea was clear

of ice,

we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other,

'He may come today.'"

 

Well if we want

to rediscover

the real Christmas

in the hectic circus

that surrounds us,

let us be ready

for Christ’s coming.

 

Let us be open again

to the magic

of this season’s wonder.

 

Let us look for Jesus

in the highways,

byways and allay ways

in case we miss

his recognition.

 

And let us be alert

to his changing the world

and us in it.

 

For, you know,

he did it once before.

 

He has done it

for others

every year since;

so why not this year

for you

and yours.

 

Amen

 

 

 

Be Alert