The Christmas story begins in darkness. There was the darkness of
oppression, for God's people were a conquered people. They were a beaten and a
defeated people. There was the darkness of persecution. Indeed, it was a despised
universal taxation that brought the participants in the story together on that
fateful night. There was the darkness of disillusionment. There was an
ever-increasing number who felt that violence, not faith, was the most
effective path. Yes, on that first Christmas, the mood was one of despair and
resignation.
And thus, it was then and thus it is now. We too live in a world
of darkness. There are wars and rumours of wars, hunger and unemployment,
racism, loneliness, and a sense of emptiness. I don't have to tell any of you
about the darkness, because in one form or another, at one time or another, it
has touched the life of each person here. We all know about darkness. We might
think the Bible would reassure us. But it confirms there is darkness and will
be darkness at times in our lives.
But it also tells us that there is a light at the end of the
tunnel. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “people who walk in darkness have seen a
great light.” John’s Gospel records: The light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it. So we come together to sing again the
words: Yet, in thy dark street shineth the everlasting light.
O little town of Bethlehem
was written in 1868 by the Rector of Holy Trinity Church Philadelphia Phillips
Brooks. He was inspired to write it following a visit to the Holy Land three
years earlier, when, on Christmas Eve he had stood on the traditional spot of
the shepherds’ fields and looked out over Bethlehem. Afterwards he’d joined in
a five-hour church service and had been captivated by the powerful singing.
He wrote:
“I stood in the old church
close to the spot where Jesus was born. The whole church was ringing hour after
hour with splendid hymns of praise to God. It seemed as if I could hear voices,
I knew well telling each other of the wonderful night of the Saviour’s birth.”
The words of the carol
capture the Christian truth that Bethlehem became a meeting place for all human
longings (“the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”)
And God’s response to human concerns is through giving us Jesus (“the
wondrous gift”). And yet Earth remains silent and unaware of the enormity
of what is happening. It seems that only the stars in the night sky and the
angels know what is going on (“O morning stars together proclaim the holy
birth”; “we hear the Christmas angels”).
The carol breathes silence
and stillness. It asks to be sung in hushed reverential tones. After all we are
told most people are sleeping and the streets are silent. But the arrival of
God on earth in the person of his son Jesus causes the silent stars to break
into song. Jesus, the holy child, the dear Christ – that is our saviour, is the
wondrous gift. He is Emmanuel which means God with us.
“O little town of Bethlehem”
tries to capture the mystery and meaning of what was happening on that first
Christmas. The first Christmas begins in a specific geographical location – Bethlehem.
But it ends in a spiritual place – our hearts. “So God imparts to human
hearts the blessings of his heaven”.
But were Phillips Brooks to
visit Bethlehem this year he would find it a very different place. For the
Christmas celebrations this year will be muted. There will be no Christmas
lights in Bethlehem this year. I’m not sure the old church he spoke of will be
ringing hour after hour with splendid hymns of praise to God.
A few weeks ago the Catholic
newspaper The Tablet reported that:
“The main
churches in Bethlehem have agreed to cancel all non-religious Christmas
celebrations this year in protest at the violence in Gaza, where deaths have
reportedly passed 11,000.
The town,
which lies six miles from Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, will only host
religious ceremonies, with the annual nativity scene and Christmas tree deemed
“inappropriate”.
The Patriarchs
and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem called upon the faithful to forgo any
“unnecessarily festive activities” during the Christmas season this year and to
“stand strong” with those facing the afflictions of war.”
Inevitably
some have seen this as supporting Hamas. But I think that is wrong. The church
leaders in Jerusalem have made it quite clear they are calling for peace. And
calling for peace should not be seen as taking sides. The atrocities committed
by Hamas in October were horrific. But whatever the right and wrongs of what
the Israelis are doing in Gaza, undoubtedly innocent people are being injured
and killed.
To remember all those who have died in
the Israel/Palestine conflict, Methodist churches across the country were
called upon to leave their second Advent candle unlit this year.
The call not to light the candle, which
represents peace, on the second Sunday in Advent (10 December) and on
subsequent Sundays, follows the news that celebrations to mark Christmas in the
Holy Land will be subdued this year.
The Revd David Hardman,
Methodist Liaison Officer, Jerusalem, is currently fulfilling his
role from the UK and remains in touch with those living in the Middle
East. David explained, “Our Christian colleagues in Bethlehem tell us
that this Advent and Christmas the lights that normally adorn the birth place
of Jesus will remain unlit in memory of those who have been killed in the
current conflict. We are inviting Methodist churches in Britain to leave the
second candle of Advent unlit to serve as a reminder that we stand in
solidarity with all who are suffering in the Holy Land.”
I had my misgivings about this. I understood fully the need
to stand in solidarity. But to me our message is about Christ the Light of the
World coming into the darkness.
The good news of Christmas is that in the midst of a deep darkness
there came a light, and the darkness was not able to overcome that light. It
was not just a temporary flicker. It was an eternal flame. “Yet in the dark
street shineth and everlasting light” We need to remember that. There are
times, in the events of the world and in the events of our own personal lives,
that we feel that the light will be snuffed out. But the Christmas story
affirms that whatever happens, the light still shines.
We need to hear these words this Christmas as the families of war-torn
Israel both Jewish and Palestinian are overwhelmed with grief. We need to hear
these words as the families of Ukraine and Russia are suffering this season.
The darkness is real. But because of Christmas, it will never get so dark that
you can't see the light. Into the darkness God sent an eternal light.
As you walk outside this evening, notice that the darkness does
not intrude upon the light. On the contrary, it is the light that intrudes upon
the darkness. Light is always stronger than darkness. And the forces of light
are stronger than the forces of darkness.
The greatest need in our mixed up and confused world this day is
to let people know that there is hope. That life is worth living no matter
what. We should not be discouraged to the point of despair. In Jesus Christ we
shall cling to the hope that life overcomes death, that love conquers hate, and
that truth will prevail over falsehood. We are the people of light, and we must
share that light in a dark and a dreary land.
Why do you think that God chose to use a star to guide the Wisemen
to Bethlehem? I am convinced that it was not by accident. It was an eternal
reminder to them and to us that in a sea of darkness, it is the light that
keeps us going forward. It is the light of hope and the light of Christ that
leads the way and dispels the gloom. It is my prayer that the light of
Christmas will shine and enlighten the dark corners of your life and that you,
too, will discover the pathway to Bethlehem.
