The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ Christmas Day—Year B Isaiah 62:6-7, 10-12, Luke 2:1-20 December 25, 2005 The Rev. J. Brian Ponder Church of the Resurrection, Starkville, Mississippi In the Name of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel. Amen. [The children’s book, The Shine Man: A Christmas Story, was introduced and read here.] Today with so many others, we celebrate the Incarnation of God into this world in human flesh as one of us … this troubled, messed up, rumble-tumble, bumble-stumble, unfair, not-even-close-to-being-perfect world of ours … this world so very far from what God must have intended at the Creation … this world full of sadness and longing, strife and hardship, weather-ravage, war and disparity of wealth, disease and addiction and prejudices and want and need and famine and, yes, a true hunger, and yearning for the awaited one. And, if only for a moment, in song and scripture and community this day, we glimpse the world as it could be … reconciled, as it has been, as it is, as it can be, as it will be. Our Good News is that we are of a God who comes to us, seeking us out again and again, piercing the darkness of our lives and world, telling us that we are never alone, that we are beloved. On this day, let us fling wide open the doors of our hearts to welcome this Savior in our very midst. Today, let us receive the One who came in all lowliness to upset the world order as it was known—and again welcome into our lives God’s love so that we may share it with the world around us. On this day, let us know and proclaim that the unexpected visitor is no stranger at all but someone for whom we have been waiting! Let us offer in new and unexpected ways to the One who profoundly comes to us our thanksgiving for loving us just that much. Amen. Quattlebaum, Mary. The Shine Man: A Christmas story. Illustrated by Tim Ladwig. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2001. ISBN: 0-8028-5181-9.