Micah 5:2-5a; Matt. 1:18-25  “What Does Jesus Want for Christmas”

INTRODUCTION

This is Jesus’ birthday, but is anyone asking him what he wants for Christmas?  Television specials, the yearly Christmas movies, and commercials tell us all about the “true meaning of Christmas.”  The true meaning of Christmas varies: it is a vague warm fuzzy feeling, time spent with people you love, or getting or giving the perfect gift.  Conveniently Christmas is situated near the end of the year, so last minute contributions to charities can decrease our taxable income, while allowing us to engage the “true meaning of Christmas.”

But at the risk of jeopardizing our Gross National Product since, Christmas has become a huge commercial enterprise; I ask again, “What does Jesus want for Christmas?”  Knowing Jesus a little as I do, I think he wants three things.  He wants his birthday back.  He wants justice and peace in the world.  And he wants you and me.

Matthew’s Version of Jesus’ Birth

What Jesus wants is evident in the scriptures.  By far the more popular and most familiar recounting of Jesus’ birth is found in Luke’s gospel, and that is the story you will hear tonight if you return for the Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  Matthew focused on Joseph, unlike Luke who pays much more attention to Mary.  Matthew’s version is short and centers on the legal aspects, beginning with Joseph’s ancestors which are traced back to David and then all the way back to Father Abraham. Matthew’s audience was the Jewish community, and his desire was to convince his readers that Jesus was the Messiah and fulfilled several messianic birth prophecies recorded in Hebrew scripture. The Messiah must be born of the line of David. According to Matthew, Joseph must become Jesus' legal father in order for him to be able to lay claim to a Davidic heritage.
            When Mary becomes pregnant out of wedlock, Joseph’s name and reputation are on the line.  Joseph and Mary are betrothed.  In our culture today, we do not experience betrothals which are much more involved than engagements.  Betrothal is a legal state, probably arranged by the parents.  Contracts are signed and dowries exchanged.  While not a legal marriage until the husband takes the wife to his home and consummates the union, a betrothal is nevertheless legally binding.  Bound by the Jewish codes, a betrothal was broken by a divorce, and Mary would have faced punishment afforded one who committed adultery. (Deuteronomy 22:22-24).

But Joseph is a righteous man, and he doesn’t want to publicly disgrace Mary.  Yet if he is to be obedient to the law, he must insist on having nothing more to do with Mary.  She is to be sent away.  The marriage cannot occur.  He has two choices.  He can publicly denounce Mary or he can quietly bring two witnesses with him as he formally confronts Mary with the charge of adultery.  Joseph decides for this latter course of action.

           Having made his decision, Joseph sleeps on the matter.  In a dream an angel of the Lord appears to him and tells him the usual angel line, “Don’t be afraid.  Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”  The angel further reveals that this baby boy is to be named Jesus because “he will save his people from their sins.” This dream turns out to be the first of three divinely inspired dreams Joseph will have.
          Though the message of the angel counters the legal requirements of the law, Joseph obeys God’s directive.  From his conception, Jesus’ is a challenge to the legalism that characterized much of the religious culture of the time.  Without hesitation, Joseph takes Mary for his wife.

The Prophet Micah

          One of the prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures that had to do with the Messiah is found in the passage we read during the Advent Candle lighting.  The prophet Micah anticipated a reversal in fortune for the people of Israel. God’s judgment against their devotion to self-interest, material gain, and oppression of the weak members of their society would result in their enemies laying siege against them. This prophecy precedes the passage we read today which heralds the coming of a new ruler who would follow the difficult times.  God offered hope in a new king who would break the old patterns and turn everything upside down.
            So did anyone here hang their Christmas tree from the ceiling this year?  I myself have not witnessed this practice, but I read in The New Yorker[1] that there is a small but growing trend to hang the tree upside down from the ceiling.

Retailers like Hammacher Schlemmer and Target are actually manufacturing trees just for this purpose — ranging in price from $300 to $600.  Upside down Christmas trees have the advantage of offering more space for packages beneath them, and if you are cramped for floor space, an upside down tree might be just the thing. Upside-down Christmas trees date all the way back to 12th-century Europe.  They didn’t develop into a lasting tradition then, and somehow, I think they probably won’t now. But if you decide to be the first on your block to hang your tree from the ceiling, I suggest an artificial tree, since keeping a fresh tree hanging from the ceiling watered might be a challenge.
           Joseph and Mary offered themselves to God who was turning the world upside down.  Luke records Mary singing of the lowly being lifted, the proud scattered, and the hungry filled with good things.  Joseph broke with convention to become the earthly father of Jesus, the Savior-King, God-with-us.  Micah reminds us that Jesus comes as the Shepherd-King, humble, compassionate.  Jesus comes to save people from sin, to secure his people, to be the one of peace.
          Most people were thinking very concretely about a Messiah who would eliminate Israel’s enemies, who would wield a sword rather than carry a Shepherd’s crook.  They imagined that peace would come when the enemies were eliminated.  At that time in history the enemy was Rome.  Jesus came, turning expectations upside down.  He preached a gospel of love instead of vengeance.  He hung out with social outcasts and told them of God’s love.  Though a great teacher, he stooped to wash the feet of his disciples.  Reversing all the expected categories: rich and poor, in and out, great and humble, even life and death, Jesus wants so much more than the glitzy commercialized birthday celebration we have allowed to develop.
 The True Meaning of Christmas

The true meaning of Christmas is not a warm, fuzzy feeling.  It’s about cooperating with God’s agenda, just like Joseph did. The true meaning of Christmas is not about spending time with the people you love.  It’s about loving all people. The true meaning of Christmas is not getting or giving the perfect gift.  The perfect gift has already been given.  It’s the baby lying in the manger, God’s gift to the world. 

Making Room

Many years ago before anti-discrimination laws were in effect, Mrs. Rosenberg was stranded late one night at a fashionable resort on Cape Cod — one that did not admit Jews.
The desk clerk looked down at his book and said, “Sorry, no room. The hotel is full.”
The lady said, “But your sign says that you have vacancies.”
The desk clerk stammered and then said curtly, “You know that we do not admit Jews. Please try the other side of town.”
Mrs. Rosenberg stiffened noticeably and said, “I’ll have you know, I have converted to your religion.”
The desk clerk said, “Oh, yeah, let me give you a little test. How was Jesus born?”
“He was born to a virgin named Mary in a little town called Bethlehem,” she replied.
“Very good,” replied the clerk. “Tell me more.”
“He was born in a manger.”
“That’s right,” said the hotel clerk. “And why was he born in a manger?”
Mrs. Rosenberg said loudly, “Because some idiot behind a hotel desk wouldn’t give a Jewish lady a room for the night! Any more questions?”
“No.”
“Didn’t think so.”[2]

We sing the carol, Away in the Manger, “The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes, the little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.”  Of course he cried.  All babies cry.  And when he grew up he cried out for justice, for mercy, for compassion, and for a completely new order of life in God’s kingdom. This baby lying in the manger is the one who turns the whole world upside down.

What Jesus wants for Christmas is his birthday back.  He wants us to recognize that he is the true meaning of Christmas.  He wants us to cooperate with him in bringing the reign of justice and peace.  Most of all he wants you.  He wants me.  He wants us to make room for him in our hearts.

What Jesus wants for Christmas is for us to make room for him and then we can join the angels in singing, “Glory to God in the Highest,” he comes to redeem creation.  He comes to save us.  Hosanna!”