"Family Reunion"
a condensed version of the story sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Christmas Eve, 2007 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "Family Reunion"

Joe thumbed through the stack of the day’s mail.

"Bill, bill, junk mail, sweepstakes offer, bill, Hmmm – "Carving tools catalog." That looks interesting. Bill . . . . What’s this – an invitation? It looks official.

"To Joseph Helison: Your presence is requested in the city of your ancestors for a family reunion. All who come from the line of David must journey to Bethlehem for this important – and required – family gathering."

"Family reunion? It sounds more like a rounding up of everyone to be sure the tax rolls are accurate. Why do this now? I’ve got so much work to do here – orders to fill. And then there’s the wedding – Is that going to delay our wedding? Mary’s about to have a baby – and people have really been talking. I’m sure the news has spread to most, if not all of our relatives. How are we supposed to explain all of this? Everyone’s going to be so rude. They may even act as if we don’t exist!"

Mary came into the room, holding her back and walking with labored steps.

"What is it, Joe? Who will act as if we don’t exist?"

"We have to go to Bethlehem for a ‘family reunion.’"

"We? Why do I have to go? I can’t travel in my condition!"

"Mary – you know how it goes – we’re going to be married – so you’re already considered to be part of my family. And the baby is going to be brought up as our son – just like the angels told us. I don’t know why everything is happening this way – but I think we have to keep trusting God."

"I know, Joe. I just wish things were easier. (Sighs) Let’s get ready to go. Hopefully we’ll be able to find a place to stay."

So a weary Joe and a very pregnant Mary started off on a few days journey to Bethlehem for the family reunion. The trip wasn’t easy, but they made it. When they arrived, hungry and tired, they started to look for places to stay. It was so crowded.

At the door of one of Joe’s relatives – after all, it was a family reunion; Joe asked "Can we stay with you, cousin?"

"Not here – we’re already too crowded. Besides – you brought HER with you. I can’t believe you two didn’t just try to disappear instead."

"How dare you even come up to our door – it’s disgraceful what you’ve been up to. Absolutely disgraceful!"

It was the same at every family home they went to. Nobody in the family would let them stay.

"Don’t worry, Mary," said Joe, "we’ll find a place at the inn. They have to have at least one spare bed left."

Joe and Mary, tired as ever, trudged along to the inn.

"Please, innkeeper, we are very tired and you can see Mary here is expecting a child. Could you spare a room?"

"I’m sorry – we’re so full we don’t even have space in the halls! There’s no place left for people to sleep! I hate family reunion time!"

"You have nothing – nothing at all?" asked Joe.

"Well, it’s not for people, but we do have the stable. It’s warm and secluded from everyone else. You could . . . "

"I’ll take it! Thank you!

And so, Joe and Mary did their best set up places to sleep in a stable. It wasn’t much – but at least they had a place to be warm and safe.

When they’d finally gotten settled, Mary was the first to speak. "Uh, Joe?"

"Yes, Mary?"

"Do you want to hear something . . . funny?"

"Sure."

"I think I’m about to have a baby."

"I know that. Your stomach is out to . . . . Wait – you’re kidding, right? Do you mean now?"

"Yes – now."

"All right – you stay calm. I’ll panic. I mean, uh, we need a midwife. We need some place for the baby. We need . . . How are we going to do this?"

"Relax, Joe. Everything will be all right. Just go get the women that were in the front of the inn. They’ll come and help. And don’t forget some strips of cloth and why don’t you take that manger and put some more hay in it – that can be where the baby sleeps."

The next hours were filled with excitement, pain, crying, resting, screaming . . . and then . . . the sounds of a newborn baby crying. Mary wrapped the baby in the strips of cloth and placed him in the manger.

"Joe – do you remember what we’re going to name him?"

"Jesus."

"Jesus."

Out in the fields there were shepherds watching over their flocks. There was a gentle breeze and things were really getting quiet for the night. One shepherd was tossing a staff in the air and then catching it. Another was seeing how long he could hold his breath.

All of a sudden things got really bright. The staff the shepherd was tossing fell to the ground. The one holding his breath spat out his breath.

"(Sound of breath exhaling quickly.) What is going on? He asked fearfully, "Who’s that shiny person floating in the sky? Why is it so bright? Are we all going to die?"

The shepherds were terrified. They were about to scatter and run away, but then the shiny person floating in the sky – an angel, spoke to them.

"Don't be afraid!" I’ve got good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

And then the one shiny floating person was joined by many others. They sang loudly and beautifully:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

And then they were gone. The shepherds – still a little shocked by what had happened, knew what they wanted – needed – to do.

"Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that’s happened."

They took they staffs, the animals – everything with them and they ran to the village. Animals were racing up and down the village streets. The shepherds were frantic – noisy – excited.

And then they saw it.

At the end of a small alleyway – back behind the village inn, they saw a man and a woman and a little baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth. Right next to them was a manger filled with hay. They crept up quietly – greeting Joe and Mary. They smiled at the newborn Jesus. They knew that they had just seen something extraordinary. They left quietly and then they started telling everyone.

"The Messiah is born! The Messiah is born! The Messiah is born!"

Tonight those words are ours, too. Jesus, the Messiah, was born to be the savior of the world. But he came from humble and even difficult beginnings. The angels and the shepherds celebrated, but the road behind and ahead was hard for Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Why didn’t God choose someone who was at least married? Why didn’t God choose a more established family?

I think that God's wisdom is way beyond ours. I think that God chose humble and even controversial beginnings for Jesus so Jesus would know humanity. God did it so that Jesus would live through problems and persecution and understand how humans think and feel.

I believe that God sent Jesus into the world to save it. And that God gives us faith to believe in that salvation. And God has promised never to leave us. God has promised us that we can have life -- to the fullest.

Tonight we celebrate as Jesus the Messiah – Jesus the Christ touches us with the miracle of rebirth. May the coming days continue to be a time of hope and may we continue to seek for peace, for healing and for the life that God gives. May we know that in the coming of the Christ child, God has not forgotten us, and never will.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

© 2007 Union Congregational Church, All Rights Reserved