I Have Come To The Lakeshore: Christmas for Everyone

John 1:1-14
A video to promote a program to fight malaria
in Africa doesn't feel like a traditional
Christmas eve service thing to do does it?
Perhaps it should.
Miracles surround his entire life. He was born
of a virgin. An Army of angels announced his
birth to a group of shepherds. Jesus grew and
did wonderful things. He turned water to wine,
He healed people both in person and from a
distance, he cast demons out of people, he
caused a large catch of fish, he raised the dead,
the calmed the sea, he healed more people, he
fed 5000, he walked on water, fed 4000, healed
and cured many more people, withered a tree
that produced no fruit, and the ultimate miracle
he defeated death af
So what does that have to do with Africans
dieing of Malaria?
What does Christmas trees, Santa clause, and
Christmas carols have to do with the suffering
of the world? Everything.
“The true light that shines on all people was
coming into the world. The Light was in the
world, and the world cam into being through
the light, but the world didn't recognize the
light.”
Christ existed before Jesus was born. I am not
saying they are separate. The people;e knew of
the word of God. And they knew that God's
Messiah would come to rescue them one day.
The whole world was created. The whole
world was created by the very word of God.
The foundations of creation are infused with
the creative energy of God Himself. This
creative force is the
piano and see wood and fabric and cables and
nails, but in those elements we find their origin
in the very Word of God. The very essence of
everything that we see in the created world is
infused with the word of God. It is all around
us. This is a gift for humanity. We were put
here in this place to be stewards of this Godinfused
garden. God surrounds us. God is in
everything that we see and touch and feel and
hear. Nothing that was created came into being
without him. The Word of God is the structure
in which we live. Scripture says that the Word
of God became flesh.
Is it any wonder that he could calm a storm?
is it any wonder that he could multiply loaves
and fishes?
Is it any wonder that he could turn water to
wine?
His very nature is in the
fact. Jesus came because we forgot that God
gave us all this. Jesus came to remind us of the
reality that we constantly swim in.
He came because we lost our way and went
down the wrong path. And he came to teach.
He came to sacrifice. He showed us our
brokenness. He showed us that that brokenness
is contrary to his nature and his order and his
creation.
He wants that brokenness to be healed. Jesus is
stronger than any human brokenness. He
sacrificed himself to that brokenness and then
he defeated death and now lives forever. So it is
in him that we have power
some who can recognize and convey a piece of
truth, but Jesus was full of grace and truth.
So back to the Malaria question. What does the
eternal God made flesh, and the celebration his
birth have to do with fighting Malaria in
Africa?
The light of God is everywhere. The light of
God shines in Africa, as well as here in West
Michigan. The thing is, not everybody
recognized the light. The light is there but they
are too busy caring for their children who are
dieing of Malaria to look for it. They have so
much money trying to treat it that the poverty
they live in blocks a bit of that light and it is
hard to see sometimes, let alone recognize it for
what it is.
Why doesn't Jesus just work another miracle
and fix the whole thing? We have already said
that he is capable right? Remember when the
crowd was gathering and the dis
they can go to the surrounding countryside and
villages and buy something to eat for
themselves.”? What did Jesus say?
Did he say “You are right. Its not our
problem.”? Did he tell them to do nothing that
he would take care of it and Poof!Made food
appear?
No he said, “You give them something to eat.”
God doesn't expect us to have it all figured out
but he does expect us to take a step toward
solving the problem.
We have this strange way of talking about
Jesus. We understand that he was born over
2000 years ago in a specific place under
specific circumstances. But we also anticipate
is birth every year. Not just a celebration of his
birth but Jesus being born anew every year.
That is because the Word of God, the creative
fore of God is ever-flowing, ever-sustaining us.
And we are constantly being invited into that
ongoing process of creation with Go
invited to point attention to the light that has
come into the world. Christmas is for
everybody. We want the light to shine whether
you are in Juba Sudan or Ludington Michigan.
So, how is it with you this Holy Night? You
who have welcomed Jesus into your life, who
have believed in is name, you have become
children of God and are continually being made
into something new.. If you have not done that,
may Christ be born into your life this Christmas
and may he transform you with all the blessings
he desires for you.