I invite you into the way I celebrate Christmas. It may be different to the way you celebrate and think about Christmas, but I ask you to join me as I bring you into what I think can be a joyful way of celebration in the 21st Century. One of the biblical scholars has helped me crystallise what I find difficult about the traditional presentations of Christmas. Greg Jenks, in his book ‘Jesus then and Jesus now’ has asked the question, “Has the Jesus tradition become a giant fairy-tale for children, and little more than an annual exercise of ‘let’s pretend’ for grown-ups?” (Page 123) That is the question which plagues me every Christmas.

So how might my celebration of Christmas different? It may be different because it has no angels, no virgin birth, no star hovering over the house where Jesus lay, no coming of Jesus to earth from heaven for a brief ‘visit’ of 33 years, before he returns there, the place from whence he came. These are appropriate images/pictures for the 1st century but they are unhelpful for me today.

So I ask you to join me in this celebration through singing some of my Christmas songs. I think you will know the melodies but the words are different.

The first is a carol that was written for children. The traditional words of ‘Away in the Manger’ give emphasis to an ‘away’ Jesus who ‘looks down from the sky’ and who is requested to ‘fit us for heaven to live with him there’. I celebrate at Christmas, Jesus as an ever present influence, one who is always with me, giving challenge, guidance, and above all, the assurance of his love.

I will be with you always.
Tune Cradle Song VU 69

1. A baby called Jesus was born long ago;
Delight of his parents was boundless, we know;
The birth of a baby can bring special joy;
The stars dance with gladness for each girl and boy.

2. The stable, the manger, the cattle nearby
Are parts of the picture we see, if we try;
And Jesus is smiling; we look at him there;
In praise we all offer a thanksgiving prayer.

3. Yes. Jesus is with me. He promised to stay
With all this world’s children to love us each day;
He always is loving and his tender care
Will follow us closely and always be there.

The birth of Jesus is an expression of the common but awesome miracle of human birth. So another thing I celebrate at Christmas is ‘New Life’. For me, every new born baby symbolises the presence of God in the world in which we live. ‘The Word, then, was with God at the beginning and through him all things came to be. All that came to be was alive with his life.’ And every new born baby has the potential to become another Nelson Mandela, a Martin Luther King, a Mother Teresa, a Gandhi, a Florence Nightingale. ‘God is love. Those who dwell in love are dwelling in God and God in them.’ So I celebrate new life; not only the new physical life with its innocence but also the new life that is found in Christ, new life that is found in love.

Come nearby
Tune Stille Nacht VU 67

1.  Come nearby; glorify; Jesus born; love is nigh;
Outcast shepherds bring their praise; All are welcome; now, always; Come and sing of new life; come and sing of new life.

2.  Come nearby; glorify; Jesus born; love is nigh; Wise men bring their treasures rare; We would join in praise and prayer; Let us sing of new life; let us sing of new life.

3. Come nearby; glorify; Jesus born; love is nigh; Mary’s joy and Joseph’s pride; Jesus grows to be our guide; Now we sing of new life; now we sing of new life.

Some of our Christmas songs have a great deal to say about the activities of the angels – the heavenly hosts. It is more important to ground our Christmas in singing about our humanity. With every new human birth a new light shines from afar! In every new birth the presence of God is revealed. The creative God is to be seen and experienced everywhere and at all times, but is present in a special way in human life if we but give permission. If we give this permission, ‘Emmanuel’- God with us, is especially evident in those who love and is particularly present and shines in Jesus.

The Birth of Jesus
Tune Carol VU 44

1. The birth of Jesus long ago can bring us hope and joy;
This simple story of new birth – a bouncing baby boy.
So common yet profound event – this miracle of birth;
We softly sing our praise for all new life upon the earth.

2. The wise men and the shepherds tell of joy beyond compare;
This comes with every healthy birth – a joy that we must share.
With Joseph and with Mary then their baby had his star;
The same for every new born babe – new light shines from afar.

3. The Gospel News, ‘Emmanuel’, God with us’ everywhere;
This Gospel tells us God is found in every deed of care;
May we all then rejoice to show this God who dwells within;
Resolve to love with Jesus’ love each day as we begin.

4. The baby Jesus is for us a sign of boundless grace;
God from within this human life shines brightly in his face.
We too can share this wondrous love to help direct our ways;
We will not let a Christmas pass without a song of praise.

I love birthdays! In our family we always have a great celebration for each member on their special day. It is a good excuse for the whole family to gather. Not that we need an excuse, but birthdays have a real significance for us as a family. We had one such celebration recently for one of our grandchildren. Jasmine turned 14 on the 8th of December. It was great. Celebrating birthdays is important because we have an opportunity to celebrate the person, remember their whole life and sometimes recall significant events in their life. So with Jesus, at his birth we remember his whole life, his love, his death and his living presence with us today.

Searching for the Christmas Spirit
Tune Regent Square VU 36

1. Searching for the Christmas spirit – Is it heard when angels sing? Is it found in deeds of merit? Is it heard when church bells ring?
Come and treasure,
Come and treasure Jesus and his memory.

2. As we sing of joy and mystery, As we sing of Jesus’ birth, Overwhelmed with myth and history, We rejoice with all the earth.
Come and treasure, Come and treasure Jesus and his memory.

3. Let us look beyond the manger To the man of truth and light; He who loved both foe and stranger; Always struggled for the right.
Come and treasure, Come and treasure Jesus and his memory.

4. Let us look beyond the story To his cross and empty tomb; Then our hearts will find the glory Of the fruit of Mary’s womb.
Come and treasure, Come and treasure Jesus and his memory
May you have a happy and holy time this Christmas.

Grace and Peace,

George Stuart December 2014