Message preached at Grace Church, Molokai Christmas Eve 2008

Merry Christmas! The theme for this year is "A simple Christmas." As we prepared for the Christmas season this year, it seemed that more and more people were more and more stressed out, often with good reason. As far back as October I heard trepidation and concern about what Christmas would bring. Schedules were already stretched. The economic downturn was already bad. There was tremendous strain about the elections. And the words, "bail out" usually meant what you did to your kayak when it was filling with water.

Before I go on, I want to make it clear that the simple message of that first Christmas is valid tonight, over 2000 years later. "Do not be afraid. God is with you." One of the names for Jesus is Emmanuel. It means, "God is with us."

As we looked towards Christmas, 2 trends stood out. One trend was to always be bigger, better, stronger, and shinier than we were last year. Whether it's with lights or presents, or even with church, it's easy to get caught up in the temptation to go overboard. When asked in October what he wanted for Christmas Eve, one un-named person in our church who plays guitar and sings with a headset microphone said he wanted tumbling elves. And he was serious!

The other tendency that I noticed was this, "Let's do Christmas the same way we've always done it." For many people Christmas is a time filled with many memories and traditions, some warm and fuzzy. This tendency works best when everybody has the same pleasant traditions and memories and when things haven't changed.

But in the past year, the world, the economy and even the price of gas has changed. And in our small church we've seen families move away, and those close to us have suffered and some have died. We have lost loved jobs, friends, and seen favorite hang-outs close. We have had life-changing events that can make the old memories seem dim, painful, or insignificant. We can all probably relate to our first Christmas after someone we love has died.

And we weren't kidding on Sunday when we gave thanks to the Lord for the Schaefer family being able to put up a Christmas tree without fighting for the first time in 31 years.

It became clear to me that this year we needed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in a different and simple way. And as I read the story of His arrival I heard this message with a fresh heart. "Do not be afraid. God is with you." God was doing something new, but not in a bigger and louder way. What is more new than entering into our world as a newborn baby? And what is more humble and lowly than being crowded out of a warm room and being born in a lowly manger? And yet the message from God is "Fear not. I am with you."

Joseph and Mary heard that message as they desperately looked for anything that was safe and dry. Mary was probably having labor pains as they tried to find a place for Jesus to be born. They didn't let their circumstances stop them. They trusted the Lord and continued on.

The shepherds heard that message when the sky lit up and the voice of an angel thundered. They didn't stay cowering in fear in the middle of the fields. Instead, they trusted the Lord and got up from the pasture and continued on to where Jesus lay.

The wise men heard that same message when Herod wanted to kill baby Jesus out of jealousy. It wasn't a good thing to disobey a king, especially if you were a sightseer, a mere tourist in the area. But they didn't let their fear of retribution stop them. They trusted God and outwitted Herod by going home by a different route.

We can think of many reasons to fear. The automakers are failing. We have loved ones who are sick and dying. We have relationships in our families that are falling apart. And each of us has skeletons, some recent and some old, which could come out of the closet at any moment and we're afraid they could really hurt us.

So what does this message mean for us today? Don't be afraid. God is with us. The Word of God has put skin on and has come to live among us so that we might discover abundant life. Don't let fear stop you. Take a step out and trust that God will never leave you.

Here is simple message number 2. God is not angry with you. He isn't the big judge who is watching carefully to see if you to fail. He is not waiting with a celestial broomstick waiting to give us a whack if we step out of line. According to the Bible, all of us are out of line already. The dam is burst and we are slowly drowning.

Last night I saw something on the news that pictures this perfectly. A 5½-foot water main broke in Washington and created a raging and deadly river on a roadway, trapping 7 or 8 cars. People were pinned in their vehicles, and if they tried to escape they would be swept away and killed by the raging floodwaters. Rescuers risked their own lives to come and save these stranded people as the water rose higher and flooded their autos. The only way to be rescued was to trust the rescuers and hang on tightly.

Sounds like the story of Jesus. The current wants to sweep us away. You've felt it, haven't you? Jesus risked everything to bring us to save us. Because our Father loves us, He has thrown us a lifeline to help us to safety. That lifeline has a name… Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. Too often we blame the rescuer and not the current for our troubles. But if God was angry and wanting to punish us, He would not have sacrificed His only Son in His attempt to save us.

Do not be afraid. Grab on to Jesus and hold on for dear life.

Here is simple message number 3. Quit striving. Be still and know that He is God. One of the challenges that rescuers face when faced with strong currents is that swimmers and people engulfed in fear often flail and struggle against the ones who have come to help them. Sometimes they even try to pull the rescuer down. It can cost them both their lives. But rescuers are trained and skilled to pull people to safety, even when they're kicking and fighting.

It is easy to forget when twinkling lights and cookies surround us that this kind of struggle cost Jesus His life. And in the humbleness of His birth, we can easily miss the glory and honor that should have been given to Him. Tonight, take a moment and turn off the lights, turn away from the tree and be still before the Lord. Just stop. And if your mind can't handle quietness before the Lord and you have to say or do something… then say, "Thank You, Lord for loving me and sending Your Son."

You may think, I don't really have anything to give to Jesus. I'm just one person on a small island. I'm just a tiny fish in a huge pond.

But God loves to do great things by using small things. He took a small baby, in the back part of a tiny town and made Him Savior of the world. He used a handful of fish and bread and fed thousands of people. He took 3 tiny pieces of metal and used those nails to begin the process of defeating sin and evil. He took a few un-schooled men from a tiny province, filled them with the Holy Spirit, and turned the Roman Empire and the world upside down.

The wise men followed a special star and found the place where Jesus was. When they got there they emptied their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh at the feet of Jesus.

We might not have gold or sweet herbs. But we can give Him something that is even more precious that stones or perfumes. We can take our hearts and lay them at the feet of Jesus. And He can take the simple gift of our hearts, and change the world.

Simple messages… Don't be afraid because God is with us. God is not angry with you. Be still and know that He is God. He is in control. And this Christmas, give it all to Jesus. AMEN

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