God’s Great Grace

Christmas Eve Service St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Church

 

Prayer:

In a book called "The Rabbi's Gift" there is the story of a once great monastery that had fallen on hard times. Once it was filled to capacity with hundreds of dedicated monks. But, for various reasons, the monastery's population had dwindled to the extent that only the abbot and four monks remained.

 And all five were in their seventies. Clearly, it looked like a great order would soon no longer exist. In the woods nearby, there was a small hut which a wise old rabbi used as a hermitage. The abbot decided to visit the rabbi to see what advice he could offer that might restore the monastery to its former glory. After the rabbi had listened to the abbot's presentation, he said, "I know how it is. The spirit has gone out of the people.

Almost no one comes to the synagogue any more." After much conversation, the abbot prepared to leave. "It has been wonderful being with you," he said, "but I have failed in my purpose for coming. Have you no piece of advice that might save the monastery?" "No, I am sorry," the rabbi said. "I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you." Say what? You heard me abbot, the Messiah is one of you.

The abbot returned to the monastery and told the others what the rabbi had said, they were filled with wonder: "The Messiah is one of us? One of us, here, at the monastery? Do you suppose he meant the abbot? Of course -- it must be the abbot, the one who has been our leader for so long.

On the other hand, he might be Brother Thomas, who certainly is a holy man. Certainly he could be Brother Elrod, who is so crotchety, but then Elrod is always right, often very right. Surely could he be Brother Philip? – Though he's too passive. Then, magically, he's always there when you need him.

Of course he didn't mean me -- yet supposing he did? O God, not me!"

With their thoughts concentrated way on what the rabbi had said, they began to treat each other with greater and greater respect.

After all, any one of them might be the Messiah! And when the townspeople, as was their custom, walked along the ancient monastery paths or picnicked on the edge of the woods, they began to sense and feel a whole new spirit permeating the area.

They could literally feel the aura of extraordinary respect with which the five monks treated one another. Consequently, the people began to come more frequently! They began bringing friends. And their friends brought others.

Young men from the town began to talk more and more with the old monks. And soon many of the young men began to enroll in the order as novices. And within a few years, the monastery had once again come alive as a community of faith and light and hope and love for all to see.

Now this brings me to this old bird cage sitting on the altar, it is not the most beautiful thing for the eye to behold. But has a unique Christmas story I would like to share with you. There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town.

One Easter Sunday morning he came to Church carrying a rusty, old bird cage, and set on the altar. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak... "I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage.

On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there, son?" "Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you gonna do with them?" I asked. “Take them home and have fun with them," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'them and pull out their feathers to make 'them fight. I'm gonna have a real good time." “But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later.

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take them to them."

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?" "Huh? Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!" "How much?" The pastor asked again. The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out ten dollars. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot.

Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the altar, and then the pastor began to tell this story.

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got them all!" "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm going to have fun! I'm going to teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke pot and curse. I'm going to teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. Oh! I'm really going to have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked. “Oh, I'll kill them," Satan smiled proudly. "How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked. "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you.

They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!" "How much? Jesus asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life." Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage. He opened the door and he walked out.

On this Christmas day, when there is so much division in the world, this is a wonderful little story to think about. At the first Christmas, in a little town just down the hill from Jerusalem, This hidden God became man.

The very center of all that is, all that was, and all that will be, became one with human history, with your history and mine. At the first Christmas, the story of the universe became Love Story.

On this Christmas Day, may that same Love Story fill our hearts with peace, and joy. And when the day is over and we're ready for bed, we can rest assured that the Love Story has a happy ending. We can rest assured that God keeps His promises!

Christmas reaffirms the mystery of human community. Christmas tells us that God loves us so much he has stooped low to make himself present in all of human life. He is waiting there to be discovered. He is out hiding.

But until we have discovered Him in a spouse, in a child, in a parent, in a friend, in a stranger, in an enemy, we have not really discovered his Presence in the world. Christmas is not a promise of continuous entertainment; Christmas is an invitation to discovery who we are. As God meant it to be.

Amen.

December 24, 2002