(Isaiah 9:2, 3, 6, 7; Luke 2:1-20) J G White

6:00 pm, Xmas Eve, Dec 24, 2024, FBC Amherst

We have been hearing Christmas and winter songs for weeks now. You probably have a few favourites, like I do. And some you get tired of really quickly! (Last Christmas, I gave you my heart; the very next day...)

Anyway, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ is one of my favourites. Like other Christmas carols it is so old event the experts are not sure where the words and the music came from. We know they were together 270 years ago when John Francis Wade published them in France, in the Latin Language.

We get called way back to Bethlehem, in the Middle East, by this song. Did you get there? Tonight? Get there with the shepherds and angels? And Who do we find? Jesus, a newborn. What did we sing about Him? He is...

True God of True God, Light of Light Eternal,

Our lowly nature He hath not abhorred...

For a couple thousand years many people have discovered Jesus is a real person, and completely Divine. The distance that is so natural to feel, between ourselves and whatever is perfect and supreme, that distance is broken down. We find out we can be close, totally close to what we call God. Whatever is true about God, Jesus is that. Whatever is real about human life, Jesus is that. Whatever is bright and good in the world, Jesus is that: Light, shining into darkness.

When all the bright lights of Christmastime shine, it’s wonderful. But all the joy and light and generosity that jumps out does make clearer all the things that are not great. It is to all our pains and problems that this Jesus comes. This connection of holiness and humbleness opens a door for our lives.

You and I are fearfully and wonderfully made, to quote a Psalm in the Bible. And, we are what we are, who we are. Tonight, we remember that our lowly nature is not hated or despised by God. We are loved by God; loved enough for God to join us, as one of us, on what we call Christmas night.

O come, let us adore Him; Christ, the Lord!