Hope Is Born This Night!
There were some shepherds near Bethlehem who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. Imagine the picture of that quiet peaceful night out in the stars and the beauty of God’s creation. We imagine the Christmas card scene, but life for shepherds was anything but beautiful. In the time of Abraham, shepherds were wealthy and respected. In the time of the birth of Jesus, shepherds were on the bottom of the social rung. They were on the bottom with the despised tax collectors. Their work was often lonely and dangerous from threat of thieves, yet the wealthy and people of higher status disrespected and distrusted shepherds.
I think about the people we look at with disrespect, the people we look down upon and those we roll out eyes at. I wonder if the shepherds felt much hope in their lives at all. Suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years. On the average there are 121 suicides per day. With stress and loss in our lives so many struggle with feelings of worthlessness, despair and hopelessness.
The shepherds were out watching sheep and looking for sheep. I wonder if they might have also been looking for hope. Hope is what so many are searching for in their lives. Even though we are faith-filled Christians we canmiss the message of this night in the fields near Bethlehem. There is a television show called “Supernatural” which is about two brothers who hunt the demons and bad things that are killing and destroying people. I was watching it a couple weeks ago when the oldest brother Dean after experiencing the loss of their mother, things all amuck in the world and everything uncertain and just going wrong Dean who is filled with despair says to his brother Sam, “I just need a little break, a little hope.” As the shows begins the following week, an angel shows up. Dean’s little bit of hope shows up.
So, here were the shepherds sitting around watching the sheep. Can you imagine trying to count sheep in the dark of the night, literally and making sure that all the sheep were kept safe? Loneliness has set in. Dampness has set in. Tiredness has set in. Then,an angel of the Lord appeared to them. There was a light greater than a mega candle. It was the glory of the Lord and it shone everywhere. They were scared to death, but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! Go and you will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger.” Suddenly a gazillion of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and peace on earth to everyone.”
Wow, everyone? The lowly, disrespected, nobody shepherds? A baby? God’s son? The savior was born and God was inviting them to the party? Can you feel their spirits soaring? They would never be let in to the symphony but they just heard their personal concert of God’s angels singing Handel’s Messiah for them! The angels said, “You will find a baby, the long-awaited Messiah in Bethlehem.” They were good at finding sheep, would they really be able to find this baby and be welcomed in to the manger?” Hope was born this night!
Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem. Mary gave birth to her son and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. Hope was born for the world. Hope is born this night for each us.
A Sunday School was putting on a Christmas pageant. One boy wanted so very much to be Joseph, but when the parts were handed out, a boy he didn’t like was given that part. He got the part of the inn-keeper instead. He was pretty upset about it. During the practices he thought what he could do the night of performance to get even with his rival who got to be Joseph. The night of the performance, Mary and Joseph came walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn, and the inn-keeper opened the door and asked them what they wanted. Joseph answered, "We’d like to have a room for the night." Suddenly the inn-keeper threw the door open wide and said, "Great, come on in and I’ll give you the best room in the house!" For a few seconds poor little Joseph didn’t know what to do. Then Joseph looked inside the door past the inn-keeper then said, "No wife of mine is going to stay in dump like this. Come on, Mary, let’s go to the barn." And once again the play was back on track!
We come tonight to get back on track, to stay on track, to move forward in our lives. We come to celebrate that hope is born. The shepherds found the baby just as the angels had said. As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God for all the things they had heard and seen. Hope was born this night and lives in our world through our words and actions.
Hope can be people doing the wave at a football game. I know some of you are thinking, “Really?” And you want to be rolling your eyes. The children's hospital in Iowa practically hangs over the University of Iowa's Kinnick Stadium. Before the season kicked off, a nurse at the hospital, Krista Young had an idea. They should hold a 'wave to the kids' minute during every game. The Facebook post went viral and hope was born on Sept. 2, when the Hawkeyes' football team hosted the Wyoming Cowboys, 68,000-plus fans rose, turned to the hospital and offered a long, sustained wave to sick children — some of whom haven't left in months — gathered near the windows to watch the game. Hope was born in the lives of the children as the now-regular waves connect kids to the outside world. Krista said, "Anytime we can make them feel normal and a part of something, it's very meaningful."
Hope was born 6 years ago when a UCC church in Colorado began the 'Sock It ToEm Campaign'. They had a desire to help their homeless neighbors stay warm. Susan Elizabeth Lee says, "We use a grassroots effort in that anyone who collects socks is called a Sock Ambassador.” Susan said that their youngest Sock Ambassador is Bryce, a 3 year old. He didn’t want to be outdone by his older sister Jayla who’s in 5th grade so he collects socks to give hope to others.”
Tonight the Bethlehem star is shining and the angel’s splendor is filling the air. Jesus Christ, wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace, Lord of love comes to us tonight. God comes to us in a manger to meet us where we are and to touch our lives. There in the manger hope is born. As Jesus makes his first sounds and opens his eyes he shines with hope. That hope is born in the person looking for a job, the ones experiencing loss, the person all alone, the ones struggling with addictions, the ones confused about decisions, the person struggling with a relationship, and whatever is drawing us to hopelessness. Jesus is the hope that keeps us going, leads us to keep loving and living life to its fullness. Jesus is the hope that helps us to overcome the unexpected troubles that come with life. Hope is born into the world this night and his name is Jesus. Tonight we throw open the door and welcome the baby, the hope of the world into our lives. Like the shepherd so scared we announce and declare that hope is born this night. Glory to God in the highest, Peace on Earth, good will to all men. Let all of the world sing the chorus of joy, because hope was born this night.