LUKE 2:1-7 | DAY ONE: IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

DAY ONE: IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

LUKE 2:1-7

DECEMBER 25, 2016

ONE OF THE PRESENTS OUR GRANDDAUGHTER RILEY WILL BE OPENING FROM US THIS MORNING IS A PLASTIC BIRTHDAY CAKE.

WHAT SHE WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR WAS A TOY KITCHEN – HER PARENTS GOT HER THAT.

TO GO ALONG WITH IT, GRANDPA AND KK GOT RILEY A BIG ASSORTMENT OF PLASTIC FOODS AND KITCHEN UTENSILS, A GIANT MINNIE MOUSE TEA SET, AND A PLASTIC BIRTHDAY CAKE.

(SHE ALSO WANTED SOME DRESS UP CLOTHES, SO SHE GOT A FULL LINE OF DISNEY PRINCESS COSTUMES FROM US.)

BUT BACK TO THE BIRTHDAY CAKE – IT’S PLASTIC, AS I SAID; IT HAS VARIOUS DECORATIONS YOU CAN PUT ON THE CAKE, AND LETTERS FOR WORDS; THE SLICES ARE HELD TOGETHER WITH VELCRO SO SHE CAN “SLICE” THE PIECES, AND, OF COURSE, IT HAS PRETEND BIRTHDAY CANDLES TO PLACE ON TOP OF IT.

AS LONG AS I’VE BEEN ALIVE, AND YOU’VE BEEN ALIVE, AND WELL BEFORE THAT, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING BIRTHDAY CANDLES ON CAKES…

ONE FOR EACH YEAR THE PERSON HAS BEEN ALIVE; AND AS WE KNOW, THE BIRTHDAY BOY OR GIRL IS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A WISH, AND BLOW OUT THE CANDLES.

BIRTHDAY CAKES HAVE BEEN A TRADITION SINCE THE ANCIENT ROMANS WERE AROUND, AND CELEBRATING SOMEONE’S BIRTH WITH A DELICIOUS PASTRY SEEMS PRETTY LOGICAL.

BUT HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHO THE FIRST PYROMANIAC WAS TO LIGHT A CAKE ON FIRE?

THERE ARE A FEW THEORIES ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF BIRTHDAY CANDLES.

SOME BELIEVE THE TRADITION OF BIRTHDAY CANDLES BEGAN IN ANCIENT GREECE, WHEN PEOPLE BROUGHT CAKES ADORNED WITH CANDLES TO THE TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS, GODDESS OF THE HUNT.

THE CANDLES WERE LIT TO MAKE THEM GLOW LIKE THE MOON, A POPULAR SYMBOL ASSOCIATED WITH ARTEMIS.

MANY ANCIENT CULTURES BELIEVED THAT SMOKE CARRIED THEIR PRAYERS TO THE HEAVENS, SO TODAY’S TRADITION OF MAKING A WISH, AND BLOWING OUT THE CANDLES, MAY HAVE BEGUN AS, SAYING A PRAYER, AND BLOWING OUT THE CANDLES.

OTHERS BELIEVE THAT THE TRADITION OF BIRTHDAY CANDLES STARTED WITH THE GERMANS.

IN 1746, COUNT LUDWIG VON ZINZENDORF CELEBRATED HIS BIRTHDAY WITH AN EXTRAVAGANT FESTIVAL.  SOMEONE ATTENDING WROTE:

“THERE WAS A CAKE AS LARGE AS ANY OVEN COULD BE FOUND TO BAKE IT, AND HOLES MADE IN THE CAKE ACCORDING TO THE YEARS OF HIS AGE, EVERY HOLE HAVING A CANDLE STUCK IN IT, AND ONE IN THE MIDDLE.”

THE GERMANS ALSO CELEBRATED BIRTHDAYS WITH BIRTHDAY CANDLES DURING KINDER FEST, A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR CHILDREN IN THE 1700’S.  A SINGLE CANDLE WAS LIT AND PLACED ON THE CAKE TO SYMBOLIZE THE “LIGHT OF LIFE.”

SO, WHILE NO ONE IS QUITE SURE HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED, THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY GOOD THEORIES, AND IT’S LASTED UNTIL TODAY.

OTHERS HAVE GIVEN ADDITIONAL MEANING TO THIS RITUAL.

SOME SUGGEST THAT THE CANDLES REPRESENTING OUR YEARS ARE BLOWN OUT – REMINDING US OF THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE, AND THAT IT CAN BE SNUFFED OUT IN AN INSTANT.

NOW THERE’S A HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOUGHT!

SOME HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE EXTINGUISHING OF THE YEARS OF CANDLES IS MEANT TO SYMBOLIZE THE END OF THOSE YEARS, AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR.

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT IF THAT’S THE CASE, I’M LEAVING AT LEAST ONE CANDLE LIT, THE NEXT TIME I BLOW!

AS I SAY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT ALL THE MEANINGS ARE, OR WHERE THEY CAME FROM, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE WE’VE ALREADY OVERTHOUGHT THIS THING FOR THIS MORNING.

SUFFICE IT TO SAY – TODAY IS JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, AND AS I SAID TO THE CHILDREN, RATHER THAN JESUS GETTING ALL THE ATTENTION, THE PRESENTS, HIS FAVORITE MEAL, A CAKE, AND GETTING TO BLOW OUT HIS CANDLES;

IT’S JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, AND WE GET ALL THE ATTENTION! THE GIFTS!  OUR FAVORITE MEAL!  WE GET THE PIES AND CAKES AND COOKIES AND SWEETS!

KNOWING JESUS AS WE DO, HE’S PROBABLY OKAY WITH THAT;

AS LONG AS WE DON’T FORGET THE WELL-WISHES FOR OTHERS; THE PRAYERS; THE ACTS OF KINDNESS AND CHARITY TOWARDS THEM;

ALL OF WHICH, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN GIVING AGAIN THIS YEAR.

SO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR CHRISTMAS TO BE JESUS’ BIRTHDAY; DAY ONE OF HIS LIFE; AND IN A SENSE, DAY ONE, OF OUR OWN NEW LIVES IN HIM?

WELL, LIKE ANY BABY WHO COMES INTO OUR LIVES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR WORLD, IT NOW MEANS THAT CHRIST IS WITH US.

IT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN SAYING AND SINGING ABOUT FOR A MONTH OR SO NOW: EMMANUEL – GOD WITH US!

MICHAEL FROST, IN HIS BOOK SEEING GOD IN THE ORDINARY: A THEOLOGY OF THE EVERYDAY, TELLS ABOUT A CHURCH WHERE AN UNUSUAL EVENT OCCURRED AT THE CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE ONE YEAR.

A WOMAN IN THE CONGREGATION HAD BEEN ASKED TO SING A SOLO, AND SHE CHOSE FOR THE OCCASION, SOMEWHAT IMPROBABLY, BETTE MIDLER’S POP HIT, FROM A DISTANCE.

AFTER EACH VERSE, THE SOLOIST SANG THE CHORUS, WHICH SAYS, “FROM A DISTANCE GOD IS WATCHING US, WATCHING US FROM A DISTANCE.”

THE BASIC IDEA OF THE SONG IS THAT WHILE THE WORLD MAY BE A PRETTY MESSED-UP PLACE, IF YOU MOVE BACK FAR ENOUGH AND TAKE A GOD’S-EYE VIEW OF THINGS, IT LOOKS BETTER.

AFTER SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THIS CHORUS, A WOMAN IN THE FRONT ROW HAD HAD ALL SHE COULD TAKE.

SHE SUDDENLY JUMPED UP AND BEGAN SINGING, TO THE SAME TUNE, “GOD CAME NEAR TO US, GOD CAME NEAR TO US, GOD CAME NEAR TO US, AT CHRISTMAS!”

OUR FAITH RESTS ON THE TRUTH THAT GOD CAME NEAR TO US IN JESUS CHRIST, AND SPOKE TO US.

THE PASSING ON OF FAITH DEPENDS ON PEOPLE WHO, IN JESUS’ NAME, COME CLOSE, AND SPEAK TO OTHERS.

“IT’S HIS BIRTHDAY.  IT’S HIS BIRTHDAY.  HAPPY HIS-BIRTHDAY TO YOU!”

ANOTHER THING IT MEANS FOR CHRISTMAS TO BE JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, WHILE WE ARE DOING ALL THE CELEBRATING AND FEASTING, ALL THE GIVING AND GETTING, ALL THE WISHING AND HOPING, IS THAT JESUS WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

IF HIS BIRTH, HIS LIFE, GIVES RISE TO JOY AND HAPPINESS, TO FEASTING AND CELEBRATION, TO ACTS OF KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY TOWARDS OTHERS – THEN SO BE IT!

THE ONE WHO SAID OF HIMSELF: “THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE;” WOULDN’T HAVE US DO IT ANY OTHER WAY!

AND AFTER ALL, WHAT ARE GOLD, FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH TO A BABY?

I CAN PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE YOU THAT BABY JESUS MUCH PREFERS FOOD AND CLOTHING AND SHELTER AND CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN NEED, TO WHATEVER IT IS WE MIGHT GIVE TO HIM; OTHER THAN OUR HEARTS, MAYBE.

AS THE CHRISTMAS POEM, LATER TURNED SPIRITUAL, SINGS:

“WHAT CAN I GIVE HIM, POOR AS I AM?
IF I WERE A SHEPHERD I WOULD BRING A LAMB,
IF I WERE A WISE MAN I WOULD DO MY PART.
YET WHAT CAN I GIVE HIM?
GIVE HIM MY HEART.”

BUT ALONG WITH OUR HEARTS, JESUS IS CLEAR ABOUT OUR GIVING TO OTHERS IN NEED, AND “THAT AS WE DO IT UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE, SO WE DO IT UNTO HIM.”

GIVE IT TO CHRIST, GIVE IT IN CHRIST’S NAME – WHATEVER IT IS – BUT GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT!

AGAIN, JUST AS YOU HAVE DONE, SO GENEROUSLY THIS YEAR.

FINALLY, LIKE ALL BIRTHS; LIKE ALL BIRTHDAYS; THEY ARE MEANT TO BE MOMENTS OF HOPE; HOPE FOR THE PRESENT; HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

TOM LONG TELLS A STORY ABOUT A RABBI, HUGO GRYNN, WHO WAS SENT TO AUSCHWITZ AS A LITTLE BOY.

IN THE MIDST OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMP, IN THE MIDST OF DEATH AND HORROR ALL AROUND THEM, MANY JEWS HELD ON TO WHATEVER SHREDS OF THEIR RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES THEY COULD, WITHOUT DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF THE GUARDS.

ONE COLD WINTER’S EVENING, HUGO’S FATHER GATHERED THE FAMILY IN THE BARRACKS.  IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT OF HANUKKAH, JUST AS LAST NIGHT WAS, THE JEWISH FEAST OF LIGHTS.

THE YOUNG CHILD WATCHED IN HORROR AS HIS FATHER TOOK THE FAMILY’S LAST STICK OF BUTTER AND MADE A MAKESHIFT CANDLE, USING A STRING FROM HIS RAGGED CLOTHES.  HE THEN TOOK A MATCH AND LIT THE CANDLE.

“FATHER, NO!” HUGO CRIED.  “THAT BUTTER IS THE LAST BIT OF FOOD WE HAVE!  HOW WILL WE SURVIVE?”

“WE CAN LIVE FOR MANY DAYS WITHOUT FOOD,” HIS FATHER SAID.

“WE CANNOT LIVE A SINGLE MOMENT WITHOUT HOPE.  THIS IS THE FIRE OF OUR HOPE.  NEVER LET IT GO OUT.  NOT HERE!  NOT ANYWHERE!”

SO, WHETHER IT’S THE CANDLES OF THE ADVENT WREATH; OUR WEEKLY ACOLYTE CANDLES; THOSE WE BURN AT HOME, THOSE ON CHRIST’S CAKE, OR OUR OWN;

LET US NEVER LET THE LIGHT OF HOPE GO OUT.

IT’S TEMPTING, ESPECIALLY NOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD AS IT IS TODAY, TO LET THE LIGHT OF OUR HOPE GO OUT.

WE CANNOT!  WE MUST NOT!

AND THE NEXT TIME YOU BLOW OUT A CANDLE – WHATEVER CANDLE, WHEREVER YOU ARE, TAKE A MOMENT, SAY A PRAYER, AND ALLOW THE SMOKE TO CARRY IT HEAVENWARD.

BUT IN SO DOING, REMEMBER, GOD IS NOT ONLY AT A DISTANCE – BUT NEAR TO US!

YEA, WITHIN US!

AND IN EACH AND EVERYONE WITH WHOM WE COME IN CONTACT.

LET THIS BE OUR HOPE, OUR PRAYER, OUR SERVICE, OUR LIFE, TOGETHER!