The Christmas Sweater - A Sermon for Christmas Eve 2022

The Holy Gospel According to St. Luke the 2nd Chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

December is a time that

our lives seem to revolve around gifts.

Buying the perfect gift for the ones we love;

making wish lists with the gifts

we want under our tree.

Here at Advent,

we talked about a different kind of wish list:

an Advent List,

a list of those things in our lives

that we want Jesus to take from us.

The season before Christmas reminds us:

Jesus is coming like a thief in the night.

So we ask Jesus to steal from us:

our negative self image,

the way we think about that person,

illness, 

addiction,

or maybe we do just have too much stuff.

We ask Jesus to take from us what needs to be taken

so we might live abundantly.

That’s what Christmas is about:

God is not finished with humanity,

God is with us,

God is moving us to love,

to peace,

to good news.

God continues to pour out God’s good gifts on us

and move us,

change us,

liberate us

for abundant life.

Christ continues to be that gift today.

The gifts of God will never fade.

Speaking of gifts,

I remember one particular gift I received

over 20 years ago.

I thought it was a gift straight from God;

It was a glorious,

handsome,

warm,

dressy sweater.

I thought it looked really sharp

over a collared dress shirt.

It certainly had a winter feel to it,

so I wore the sweater to a Christmas party

that my parents-in-law host every year;

you know, the kind of party that

everyone is invited to.

We had a great time like every year,

catching up with old friends

and the aunts, uncles and cousins

we hadn’t seen in some time.

I remember wearing that sweater and thinking

I looked gooooood.

Anyhow, One day, not long after Christmas,

I found that sweater that I loved

in an unexpected place:

the goodwill donation pile!

It turns out my wife hated that sweater.

I don’t know how she could hate it,

but she did.

That sweater gave me confidence and warmth

and apparently it gave my wife a headache.

Speaking of sweaters,

I am fascinated by the ugly-Christmas-sweater

phenomenon.

December is that one month a year that

you can take out those tacky,

colourful,

and sometimes ugly Christmas Sweaters

and be a superstar in them.

Office Christmas parties are sometimes

Ugly Christmas Sweater parties now,

You can decorate

Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies,

Half the stores in the mall

have these sweaters on sale.

I even received a free Ugly Christmas Sweater

when I bought a bottle of rum!

So why are the Ugly Christmas Sweaters so popular?

Is it because they’re fun,

or because we like to laugh at ourselves

or because we love to get involved in

the flavour of the month?

Maybe.

But here’s what I think the real reason is:

Nostalgia.

Like me thinking back on that winter sweater I was given

- which to be very clear

was NOT an UGLY Christmas Sweater!!!!

Our emotions are easily taken over by nostalgia.

That’s a big reason why we are all here for worship

on Christmas Eve.

We are nostalgic about candlelight services

from years gone past,

remembering loved ones

who can’t be with us anymore,

remembering that one rendition of Silent Night,

remembering when we were children

and the utter joy and anticipation

of the gifts waiting for us on Christmas Day.

We want to participate in it again,

singing in candlelight,

wearing that tacky sweater,

drinking egg nog

and gingerbread lattes.

We look back with nostalgia

and want to make new memories today,

so one day we can look back and say

“remember that silly party we had?”

Or that wild Christmas sweater I wore?

or how lovely that Christmas Eve service was?

Nostalgia is a lot like a childlike faith

- and we are called to a child-like faith.

Christmas nostalgia says that, somehow,

Santa will come,

that it'll snow on Christmas Eve,

that Christmas Day will be

a fun day with our families.

We long for that childlike faith that says

God simply is,

that Jesus loves me, this I know

for the bible tells me so.

We are nostalgic for the good ole days,

when life seemed simpler,

when our lives were filled with love

and warmth

and laughter,

and not those things we would like

Jesus to take from us,

like a thief in the night.

Here’s the thing about nostalgia:

it need not be just a thing of the past.

Nostalgia might just be God’s way of pointing us,

reorienting us

toward’s God’s future:

a future of warmth,

of hope,

of love,

of laughter.

God’s future is waiting …

and God’s future is now.

Christmas changed the world,

and Christmas still changes the world.

God coming to us in the flesh of a little baby

is not just some phenomenon from 2000 years ago,

for today the Christ-child is born for you.

Christ is with you, today.

Jesus is the gift for everyone.

Jesus is not just some nostalgic concept.

Jesus is no mere Tacky Christmas Sweater

nor simple holiday cheer.

Christ alone fills that hole in our hearts.

In Christ alone can we find meaning

and purpose for our lives that is lasting.

The gifts we give and receive at Christmas

are good and fun and memorable … for a time,

but they fade.

The gifts of God never fade.

In Christ alone can those memories of what is good

come to fruition right here and now.

Like a Christmas gift waiting for you under the tree,

Jesus is yours;

whether you take that wrapping paper

and bow off the gift or not,

Christ belongs to you

and you belong to Christ.

So like those Christmas Sweaters,

you can put on Christ with confidence,

and not just in December.

Some people might not like the way that

Jesus looks on you,

but putting on Christ is life giving,

for you and for those around you.

Jesus looks more than good on you,

You can wear Christ with confidence,

For today, Christ is born in you!

May we open that gift of nostalgic, childlike faith

and put it on:

put on the faith that says God is,

faith that says Jesus loves you,

this I know,

for my bible,

my pastor,

my parents,

  and my grandparents tell me so.

May we put on Christ and be the gift,

For Christ in you is the gift the world needs.

My family in Christ,

Christ, your Saviour is born!

Christmas says:

God is not finished with humanity,

God is with us,

God is moving us to love,

to peace,

to good news.

God continues to pour out God’s gifts on us

Christ continues to be your gift today,

and the gifts of God will never fade.

Thanks be to God. Amen.