Is.9:2-4,6-7
Ps.96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-20

Christmas. Eve
HE 2B 10 pm

THE SHEPHERDS CAME FIRST

Credit: The Living Church 12/20/87 p.lO
Previous: 87,97,02,05

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"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us," St.John tells us, "and we have beheld his glory"

The shepherds came first to the manger. We often think of them as adults, but in fact they were probably children, and in the Holy Land today, shepherds are still children. I have seen them myself. They came first, racing down the hillsides in the dark of night, out of breath and laughing, bursting into the stable down here, underneath the travelers' hotel, the inn on the outskirts of the village. They are children, ragamuffins, the daughters and sons of the poorest peasant families.

Yet tonight they came first. To them, angels sang their glorious song. Under their bare feet even new they feel the fresh straw on the stable floor. With an excitement they can't even begin to understand, they watch the new-born Baby as He is rocked and nursed in the arms of His young Mother.

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have beheld His glory."

Later came the magi, the Wise Men from the East, who on camel back have followed the mysterious star over mountains and plains, across wide deserts and through great cities to find this place. It is a curious scene as these exotic strangers - men of a different race, speaking a foreign language - as they sweep into the stable with all their oriental robes and royal finery. It is not hard to imagine the wide-eyed, open-mouthed amazement of the shepherd children as these tall figures kneel down before Mother and Child to offer precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Strange and exciting - surely this is a moment like no other. "The Word became flesh, and we have beheld his glory."

But others are in the picture too. I'll let you give them names. And you can think of still others who might be in this picture. But here are brother and sister home from school for two weeks. They really didn't want to come tonight, but this Christmas Eve thing seems so important to Mother; no point in upsetting her - she seems so fragile since Father died. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." And there is a husband who has come alone this evening. Not that his wife hadn't thought about coming, but as usual she had too much to drink, and is sleeping it off. Tonight he finds it hard to listen to the Christmas story and the carols. He just keeps getting swept up by feelings of self-pity and anger and frustration and sadness. "Things just can't go on this way for ever," he thinks. "They just can't." "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Then not far from that man is an old lady who will turn 90 in February, and she hasn't been at all well this past year. As she was making her way painfully to her seat, she was suddenly struck with a thought: "This may be my last Christmas." Her eyes grew moist as she thought of her mother and father, and Christmases gone by, and she quietly reaches for her handkerchief. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Here also tonight are a young couple who rushed over quickly as soon as the sitter arrived. If he seems a bit distracted~,it's probably because he is trying to figure out how to put that tricycle together by tomorrow morning, without that package of bolts and nuts that was supposed to be included. Or maybe he's thinking about the balances due on his January credit card bills.

And here is a girl who has just been accepted in college. And there is a man whose home was finally sold after a year on the market. And there is a woman who split with her husband last year, and now is in the midst of a painful divorce, and is spending her first Christmas alone. Here are Alice and Philip, Mark and Margaret and John. And here you and, and here I am.

From the hillsides we have come, and from the distant, mystic East, from city, town and country - near and far - Kings and the poor, wise men and shepherds, doctors and lawyers, cooks and construction workers, teachers, homemakers, students ... rich and poor, saints and sinners and criminals, people of every race and language, women and men, old and young.
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

We followed a mysterious star, we heard the angels sing, or we felt nostalgic and wanted to do something traditional with the family this holiday season; somehow we heard a call, felt a need that we aren't really sure we can explain. But here we are.

The stable is small. But even with shepherd children and wise men and donkeys and camels and all the rest, there is still plenty of room for us.

As the Mother moves to set the sleeping Infant down in His manger bed, we catch a glimpse of His face ... and then all else seems to fade into the distant background - all the concerns and hurts and longings that have led us and have come with us to this special place and hour. We see the sleeping Child, and-our hearts begin to beat a little faster. We can't explain this anymore than those shepherd' children could, but we know somehow, that this is why we have come - to see Him, to welcome Him to our world, to embrace Him as He enters our lives and our hearts. For the Word has become flesh and now dwells among us. And we are beholding His glory. O come, let us adore Him.