TITLE: Let us shine with adoration to God

TEXT: Luke 2.1-20

Imagine you are the shepherds out that night of Jesus birth. Here you are out in the field, when everyone else is comfortable in their homes. You are one of the despised and neglected people because you live with sheep not your family, and yet God is described as a shepherd in the Old Testament. But it is no longer an important job. To protect the sheep you are surrounded by them, with some of your work mates. In your bed roll some of your mates are awake -some asleep, all alone in the paddock, the unsavoury smell of sheep, the rocky ground and rough food. Into this comes the bright shining and amazing sight of the brightness and resplendent glory of God’s presence in the angels.

They announce the wonder of God being born on earth in Jesus. So being a typical bunch of blokes you question. What was that? One says; ‘a load of rubbish’, one; ‘pretty amazing rubbish should we go and see for ourselves’, another says; ‘I remember that the Messiah is supposed to be born in Bethlehem could it be now, another reminds us; we have to stay and care for the sheep, finally one says; we have been given the chance to see this amazing gift from God we must go, surely the angels will look after the sheep. So off they go.

And what they see amazes them. They have seen the vision of angels, singing the praises of God and this Son born, and they are also amazed when they see the sight. They were looking forward to seeing a Saviour, The Messiah and the Lord and when they did see him, he was born just as they were among the animals, nothing special about the place, they felt at home, God has truly come to us they thought. Despite the ordinariness of the event they kneel to pray and adore God entering their life. The incredible was real, God cares for them, becoming like them, that they can completely enter the glory, peace and wonder of God’s life, of which they had seen a glimpse in the angels.

The shepherds were amazed, they had seen briefly the wonder and glory God has for us all. And yet it is so different from the exotic expectations of the Messiah. We are given a subtle intimation of a greater reality in this humble beginning. The reality that takes us journeying with Jesus to the cross and the resurrection. From the birth “wrapped …in bands of cloth, and laid … in a manger, because there was no place”. To where he is also at the end of St Luke’s Gospel “wrapped .. in a linen cloth, and laid .. in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.”

So right from the very beginning God is opening for us the way to new life, the way to new hope, the way to Glory. But importantly this does not all depend on us. Like Mary, Joseph and the shepherds hearing and responding to the invitation God offers. It is the same for us. In Jesus the gift is offered, God breaks into the ordinary to transform our life. And this is a human desire we know we are trapped in the mundaneness of life, we wish to be freed. You only have to look at non-Christian countries that are taking on the feast of Christmas, not that they may become Christians but so that they can share in the life of the Prince of Peace, that the world may have peace. We aim for this, we desire this, but on our own is so far away. But responding to God’s act it is possible.

The young Australian of this year Vanessa Amorose wrote a song this year titled “SHINE”. If you saw the video clip you can understand the importance of allowing God to speak to us and change our life around. Not firstly by our actions but by our willingness to see life in a new way, a way that allows the light of God to change us, that we then can shine with his light. It is within us that God speaks and from there that we can radiate God’s life to ourselves and others. It is not in our own right or on our own, or in our way that we can shine. St Luke starts by pointing out that it was in the reign of Emperor Augustus. He was the great Emperor of Rome, who brought peace from civil war and external war, he was known by some as the ‘saviour of the whole world’. Luke is pointing out that compared to Jesus Augustus pails into insignificance. The Prince of Peace was not born in Rome, but Bethlehem. The Earthly ruler is replaced by the divine ruler. This happens not by doing it on our own, but working with God and His design for us all.

And as we reflect on the angels hymn of praise to God “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” It is the same way we start our worship Sunday by Sunday. With those same words of hope, praise and glory given to God. So we join the angels joy as we approach the altar of God, as did the disciples like the angels later in the Gospel (19.38). The constant theme throughout is that the stable is bare and humble, yet the glory of God floods the story.

During the Depression, many families could scarcely afford the bare essentials, much less purchase presents at Christmas. This story comes from that time. “But, I’ll tell you what we can do,” said the father to his six-year-old son, Pete. “We can use our imaginations and make pictures of the presents we would like to give each other.”

For the next few days, each member of the family worked secretly, but with joy. On Christmas morning, huddled around a scraggly tree decorated with pitifully few decorations, the family gathered to exchange the presents they had created. And what gifts they were!

Daddy got a shiny black limousine and a red motor boat. Mom received a diamond bracelet and a new hat. Little Pete had fun opening his gifts, a drawing of a swimming pool and pictures of toys cut from magazines.

Then it was Pete’s turn to give his present to his parents. With great delight, he handed them a brightly colored crayon drawing of three people-a man, woman, and little boy. They had their arms around one another and under the picture was one word: US. Even though other Christmases were far more prosperous for this family, no Christmas in the family’s memory stands out as more precious! We must never loose that ability to shine and radiate the love God has for us all. The shepherds heard and responded the to call of God through the angels. So may we shine to bring ‘peace on earth’, bring the joy and happiness that comes from the fact that Jesus is born among us to lift us, to raise us to glory, new life, new hope beyond the present.

As St Chrysostom a bishop in the early church said “Glory to God in the Highest, on earth peace, good will towards people/men.” (Luke ii. 14.) If you desire to learn something from Cherubim or Seraphim, you shall hear the mystic song of His Holiness, and that “heaven and earth are full of His glory.” (Isa. vi. 3.) If you enquire of the higher powers, you shall but find that their one work is the praise of God. “Praise Him,” said David, “all His hosts.” So on this feast day let us join the angels, archangels, cherubim and seraphim and all the hosts of heaven to sing the praises of God and allow Him to shine in our lives that all may see the glory of the God of Love.

Father may we allow the joy of this feast to build our appreciation and adoration for all you have given us. Amen

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