A writer on a television variety show wanted to do an old fashioned Christmas. Everyone thought he was nuts. This was Hollywood. There is no snow? No Christmas trees? Then they begin to question whether Christmas is even realistic anymore? Jesus wasn’t even born on December 25? Finally one asked the central question: Where is God anyway?
The financial crisis may be easing somewhat but times are hard for so many. Where is God for them?
Some are going through crisis: divorce, grief, illness. Where is God for them?
Nearly all of us are feeling more personal pressure now than ever before. Where is God for us?
If the truth be told. God doesn’t seem that close to many of us anymore or your church would be full.
If the truth be told, are people attending your church to celebrate the God who gave them the precious gift of salvation or are they merely coming out of habit?
If the truth be told, are we still excited about the God who called us into ministry or are we preparing our professionally organized message with all the right words but none of the passion?
Where is God for us?
If this were a sermon, I would start giving you Scripture and answers because that is what we as preachers do. I can do that and it might help you but I’ve got a better idea.
You know the story. You’ve studied the Scripture. Now answer the question for those who are sitting in the pew looking for something besides the habit of coming on Sunday morning.
Where is God for you? Where is God for our community? For our world? Most of all, where is God for them?
Help me to believe again? Help me understand why Christmas is more than opening a few presents, eating a lot of food and attending a few parties.
Deep down, you know the answer because you were called by God. God chose you to give that answer to your congregation and to inspire your congregation to go out into the community.
God chose you to remind others with all the passion you can summon that God is here. God is everywhere. Merry Christmas! Our Savior is born.
Remember the writer at the variety show? Well, they decided to celebrate Christmas after all.
At the end of the show, they brought in a trumpet player from New Orleans who almost died during Hurricane Katrina. He lost his home and all of his possessions. More than anyone, he had the right to ask: Where is God?
But in the midst of tragedy he found God. First, in the outpouring of help from friends and neighbors. Then, a church from another state sent people, not once but many times to rebuild his home. But more than rebuild his home, they witnessed to him their love for Jesus Christ.
By the time, the church group left, they had built more than a home. They had restored this musician’s faith.
In the midst of his tragedy, he rediscovered his passion and love for God!
So at the end of the show, the stage grew quiet while a single spotlight focused on this grateful musician as he gave thanks the only way he knew how.
He told his story…
Then he put his trumpet to his lips and played his own version of, “O Come All Ye Faithful”
At first, all you could hear was medley but there was something special about the way that musician played. As the camera panned the audience you could see people at first mouthing the words quietly but gradually they began to sing louder.
O come all ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant.
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
O come let us adore him.
O come let us adore him.
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
As the audience sang the final words you could see the transformation. The once passive audience now looked animated and involved. Nearly all of them were smiling.
The show ended in silence, spotlight first on the audience, then on the transformed musician, while the screen simply flashed the words: Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Where is God?
O come all ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant.
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
O come let us adore him.
O come let us adore him.
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
You know more than anyone. You were called to bring your story to us.
Merry Christmas.
I will be praying for you but more importantly, I will pray that God’s Holy Spirit guides and directs you.
Merry Christmas.
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