A Heart of Light
John 1:1-5, 14-18
Christmas Eve 2008, 5, 8, 11 p.m.

May the Lord be with you! (And also with you!) May the peace, hope, joy, and love of Christ be with you! And also with you!) Tonight we continue to reflect upon the theme: “Discover the Heart of Christmas.” During our services this past month, I have suggested that to have a “heart of Christmas” is to have a heart of peace, and a heart of hope, and a heart of joy, and a heart of love. Tonight, on Christmas Eve, another “heart of Christmas” quality I would like for us to consider is “light.” LIGHT AND DARKNESS ARE POWERFUL SYMBOLS IN OUR LIVES—AND WE OFTEN USE THE SYMBOLS IN WORSHIP SERVICES.

While preparing for a Christmas pageant, the Children’s Minister came up with a brilliant idea to highlight the splendor of the newborn Savior, baby Jesus. The program was at night, so she rigged a bright, electric light bulb under the manger. The children were all excited about her plan! They presented the pageant perfectly and the big moment came when Jesus’ birth was announced! All of the lights in the sanctuary were turned off. The people sat in great darkness—and the children waited for the Great Light to illumine the manger—which was supposed to happen in a few seconds. And they waited…and waited…and waited. Unfortunately, in the complete darkness, the person running the lights couldn’t locate the switch to turn on the light under the manger. The children became a little nervous—things were getting kind of tense. That is, until one of the little angels said in a whisper that was loud enough for everybody to hear—”Hey, you turned off Jesus!”

When I served on the staff at First Christian Church in Arlington, Texas, Dr. Arthur Digby always ended the Christmas Eve services in dramatic fashion. At the close of each service, all of the sanctuary lights would be turned off. The only light that was shining was the light of the Christ candle. He would pick up the Christ candle and hold it under his chin so that his face was illuminated. Art would offer a meaningful meditation; then the light from that one candle would be passed on to light everyone’s candles. One year he was quoting the words we have heard from John’s Gospel. And Art was a good ol’ Georgia boy—who often over-pronounced his “P’s.” He said: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not put it out!” But when he said “PUT,” it did! Hopefully, nothing like that will happen tonight!

SPEAKING OF JOHN’S GOSPEL, THE FIRST 18 VERSES HAVE BEEN TREASURED BY CHRISTIANS FOR ALMOST 2000 YEARS. The exalted and exuberant prologue to John has been recognized since the Church’s earliest beginnings. The words ring and resonate with poetic power! Apparently at one time, the strength of these statements was felt so deeply that some Christians began to wear amulets. The amulets contained a tiny copy of the prologue. Some believed that wearing the amulet could protect them from all pain and problems. Many scholars suggest that these words are best understood as an early Christian hymn—possibly a regular part of the worship services. We can hear the lyric qualities of the text, the message that echoes with increasing intensity—“The Word was in the beginning, the Word was with God, the Word was God!” In the Gospel of John, light and life are intimately entwined. Through the redeeming knowledge of God’s gift of Life, we see the Light of the World in Jesus. Having a “heart of Light” transforms us and empowers us to live as “children of God.” This life-affirming message has given disciples of Christ a sense of identity and purpose for centuries—to become “children of Light.” In the midst of dark and difficult days, Christians have often turned to this joyous hymn to provide a spark of faith—a ray of hope!

WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE THIS EVENING? What motivated you to leave the warmth and comfort of your home to come to this place of worship? Tradition? The music? The glow of candlelight? Maybe you are a member or friend of the church family—and this is one of your favorite services of the year? Are you here because of an invitation? Maybe somebody said, “Yes! You WILL go!” Or perhaps a friend or family member asked you to come along?

I know Jimmie Burrice was thrilled to invite his new caregivers, Natasha and Samuel, to come this evening—he sent me a wonderful letter that expressed his gratitude for their willingness to “have a heart of Christmas” and adjust their schedules so they all could be here together. Or maybe you are here because of a God-given nudge? Maybe you feel like you’ve wandered away and need to come home? Could it be that you’re looking for a little more light in your life?

A few of you know that my father-in-law, Edward Holmes, worked for a number of years as an actor, a regular on a soap-opera. One of the stories from that time happened during a subway strike in New York. Because the subway wasn’t running, the producers of the soap opera provided a bus to get the cast members to the studio. At one of the stops on the bus’ schedule, one of the expected stars was nowhere to be seen. The bus driver noticed a man standing on the corner. The driver walked up to the man and said, “Are you looking for ‘The Guiding Light?’ The man backed away and got a little angry. He said: “Hey! I got no time for you religious fanatics!”

George Matheson has written a penetrating insight about the paths that lead us to the manger, to this star-lit stable in Bethlehem. He believes there are those who find Christ, and those whom Christ finds. “There are some whose experience is that of the wise men of the East; they search for the star and discover it after many days.” “There are others like the keepers of the flock of Bethlehem; they are engaged in their own work, and the star comes to them.” “The magi are people of talent; they plan, and they succeed.” “But the keepers of the flock are illuminated in a moment; in the midst of their daily toil, there is suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host singing ‘Glory.’”

What brought you here this evening? Are you a seeker, a saint, a wanderer, someone in need of a “religious” high, someone looking for community, someone searching for love, someone searching for God? Have you been looking for the Light? Have you grown weary of the darkness? What do I mean by “darkness?” I think you have a good idea—it is a world that’s broken, out of balance. Poverty is darkness; injustice is darkness; oppression is darkness. Preventable disease is darkness; hunger is darkness; war is darkness. And sometimes the darkness is not “out there,” but “in here.”

One of the carols we sing at Christmas proclaims: “Let every heart prepare him room.” But sometimes there is no room in the inn that is our hearts. An unholy host of other tenants has taken up residence… Pride, self-righteousness, a thirst for power and prestige. The ghosts of guilt or past failure or sin unforgiven. Bigotry, bitterness, greed…these tenants have all kinds of baggage. Or maybe your darkness is just a part of your daily struggle… Family harmony is shattered by a shouting match. The final exam has an “F” on it instead of an “A.” A dream of success is diminished and downsized. A desire for companionship is drained by another lonely night. The medical tests and scans indicate some serious problems. What brought you here this evening?

WE MAY HAVE COME FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT WE HAVE MUCH IN COMMON. We are all very human, very real, very fragile, very vulnerable human beings. We mess up, we make mistakes, we mismanage our lives. We fall short, we wander away from God, we stumble in the darkness. And not just the worst of us—even the best of us. Much was made of Mother Teresa’s letters this past year. TIME Magazine named the unveiling of her poignant confessions as the number one religious story of the year. There were those who tried to poke holes in the Christian faith. “If one of your so-called saints struggles with doubt and darkness and despair, what does that have to say about your precious religion?”

For me, that question just points us to the most important thing we have in common. God SO loves all of us. And God SO loved the world, that God sent Jesus… Not to condemn us, not to threaten us into submission, not to establish a relationship based in fear… God SO loved all of us that God sent the Light of the World to meet us in the darkness. All of us desperately need God’s gift of Love and Grace. Even when we stand in the midst of unspeakable despair, when we wrestle with the forces of darkness, we can unload any of our doubts or questions or confessions—and know that God still loves us. As Rev. Mary Beth Guy used to remind us, “God has broad shoulders.”

Friends, this is the Good News—for the best of us, and the rest of us—for all of us! The Light shines in the darkness—and the darkness DID not, DOES not, and WILL not overcome it! Let every heart…prepare him room! Clean out those old dusty, dingy corners. Toss out all of those old bags and burdens. Stop making decisions to turn off Jesus or put out the Light. Throw back the curtains, pull up the blinds—let the warmth of God’s Light shine within you and through you! BE God’s Light in this world! And live out this blessing and prayer, which just happens to have been written by one of the best of us—for the rest of us—a woman who had a “heart of light.” (Mother Teresa)

“May today there be peace within.”
“May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.”
“May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.”
“May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.”
“May you be content knowing you are a child of God.”
“Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.”
“It is there for each and every one of us.”
May the Light of Christ be with you! (And also with you.) Amen.