The Best of All
Rev. Mark Schaefer
Kay Spiritual Life Center
December 14, 2008
Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

I.  BEGINNING

What is the best thing about Christmastime?  

Is it the music?   The Christmas carols that are sung and played?   I know the choir feels that way.   And everyone has their favorites.   Sacred and secular.   The music adds to the joy of the season.

Is it the lights?   The way those tiny points of white, blue, green, and red pierce the gloom of winter?   The way that the nighttime seems alive with wonder and hope in the darkest of seasons?

Is it the decorations?   The way the green sprigs of pine and holly add life in the midst of a gray season?   Is it the bright red bows that shine out so vibrantly in contrast to the gray sky and white snow?

Is it the food?   The chocolates, the candy canes, the Christmas dinner, the cookies, the cheeses, the eggnog and the cider?   Christmas is full of such wonderful food.

Is it the church services?   The presents? The television specials?   The break from classes?   The time spent with friends and family?

What is the best thing about Christmas?   I suspect that we all have our preferences.

II.  The Text: Immanuel

As I reflect on the passage from Matthew we just read--the third of our Lessons tonight, I cannot help but thinking about John Wesley's last words.   On his deathbed he said, "Best of all, God is with us."

"God is with us."

That is exactly what Immanuel means.   God is with us.  

And it is a fitting reminder for us, because that is truly what Christmas is about.   We can become wrapped up in all the holiday craziness that we can lose sight of that.

We can focus on all the shopping we have to do before the day arrives. Especially, if you're like me and wait until December 22 to start. We can get lost in the preparations around the house, all the decorations that need to be hung.   We can get distracted by the parties and the food and the celebration.  

We can get stressed out by the pressure of visiting relatives. Or whatever family drama awaits us as we return home.   We can spend a lot of the holiday worrying.

We can get focused too much on the details.   Or we can take umbrage at people wishing us "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".

We can even get focused on the sentimental aspects of the holiday: the sweet little baby in a manger. As one of my seminary professors said, "Christmas is not about a baby in a manger: it is about the Incarnation of the divine Word of God."

And he is exactly right.

Christmas isn't really about any of that stuff.   It's not about the presents.   It's not about the celebrations, sacred and secular.   It's not about the decorations, or the food, or the get-togethers, or even what we call the holiday.  

Christmas is about declaring that God is with us.   Immanuel.

III.  END

That God should enter our world not in majesty, but in humility, born into a working-class family, is part of the mystery of the Incarnation.   It is a mystery that is fully made manifest when this selfsame God should share in our death upon the cross of Calvary.

It is a remarkable statement of God's solidarity with us poor mortal, finite human beings.   That the Word of God should be made flesh and dwell among us.   That in Christ, God is with us.

And it is a reminder that God is with us not simply 2,000 years ago in a backwater province of a mighty superpower.   God is with us even today.

Our lives are at times difficult, at times easy.   But in all of those times, God is with us.

Sometimes we are full, sometimes empty.   But in all of those times, God is with us.

Sometimes we are joyful, sometimes sorrowful.   But in all of those times, God is with us.

Sometimes we feel God near, sometimes God seems far. But in all those times, God is with us.

There are many reasons to celebrate Christmas.   Many things to enjoy--and they should be enjoyed.   But the shopping will get stressful (or expensive).   The food will get stale or pack on too many calories.   The lights will eventually get drowned out by the longer daylight of the coming spring.   We'll get tired of listening to the music.   But there is one aspect of Christmas that endures, and that is the best part of all.

The best of all is, God is with us.