As far back as I remember, the Christmas story has not changed. A mash-up of Luke and Matthew’s accounts is etched into my mind: Mary and Joseph are both greeted by the angel Gabriel, wise men traversing a far, shepherds keeping their flocks by night, no room in the inn, and the manger. Oh yeah, and sweet baby Jesus. I could tell you the story and leave out one or two parts, and you wouldn’t miss a beat. Everyone knows this story.

Every year, regardless of national or global events – during war and peacetime; before a pandemic and during; as a child, adult, or slightly older adult – the story is read, “pageanted” and preached around the world. We did this last year and the year before, albeit online, we are doing it tonight, and if I did the math correctly, we will do this again in 365 days.

So, what is it about the story of the birth of the Messiah that brings us back year after year?

We know this story so well that we can recite it from memory. You know the story, and yet, like all great stories, without the details of the story, without mining the words of the gospels, Jesus’ birth can come across as not very noteworthy. But it is the details that take an inconspicuous family in a one-donkey town and places them – the town and the family – front and center on the world stage for generations to come.

The Good News of the story is in the details we so often overlook or forget.

The holy family traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, Bethlehem. The glory days of ancient Israel were during the reign of the giant-slaying, shepherd-king who hailed from downtown Bethlehem. Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, a descendent of David, was headed to his ancestorial home to be counted. The occupying Roman Emperor ordered a census be conducted for the purposes of collecting taxes. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to her son, and the angels hailed him as “savior” and “Lord.” Titles reserved for the Roman Emperor and not a baby born in a one-donkey, backwoods town to a no-name family and laid in a feeding trough.

Pay attention to the details.

Mary grows a child without the help of a man

Joseph gets upset because he doesn’t understand

Angel comes to Joseph in a powerful dream

Says “God did this and you’re part of his scheme”

Joseph comes to Mary with his hat in his hand

Says “forgive me I guess really didn’t get the plan”

She says “you’ll didn’t trust me, but that’s okay 

and guess what I felt the baby kick today”

Like a stone on the surface of a still river

Driving the ripples on forever

Redemption rips through the surface of time

In the cry of a tiny babe

Pageant directors take a creative license at this point because the gospels make no mention of cattle lowing. The only mention of animals is connected to the shepherds, “keeping their sheep at night.” But the shepherds said to each other, “Let us go right now to Bethlehem.” No mention of the flock tagging along for the holy field trip. No animals are mentioned as being present manger side, and yet, the temptation to romanticize is still present. For not of Christmas sentimentality, the Nativity scenes on our mantles along with the Hallmark Channel’s December lineup would be bare.

The Christ-child was not laid in a crib, wrapped in a quilt sewn by the kind people of the local synagogue. Jesus was laid in a manger. The bread of God, which has come down from heaven and gives life to the world, the very bread of life, first rested in a feeding trough.

Mary and Joseph were first-time parents and on the road. Mary and Joseph were experiencing the pangs and joy of welcoming a child into the world without the help of family, aunts, grandmothers, uncles, and cousins, not unlike many today because of scandal, shame, or the continuing pandemic.

There is one last detail I want us to explore, and it is the detail that could keep us here all night: finding ourselves in the story. You know the story. You could probably preach this sermon better than most preachers. So where are you in the story? There is something in this story that convinced you to be here tonight. Something in this story convinced you to put on your Christmas best and head to church.  The story is so convincing we find ourselves drawn to the narrative. Our role or location can change at any given point in our lives.

We could be the innkeeper, unaware of what was about the occur in the rented guestroom.

[Image 8 – Shepherd] Or maybe a shepherd hearing the glorious, good news of Christ’s birth proclaimed in a church or experienced when the church acted as Christ’s body in the world—being so convinced of what you just heard that you would leave your livelihood behind to go and see what has happened for yourself.

Are you arriving later in the story, a wise man? You are curious about what has occurred and are compelled to travel afar (or short) distance to see for yourself. The birth of the Messiah, good news for those in Israel along with all of creation.

Pay attention to the details.

The child is born in the fullness of time

Three wise astrologers take note of the signs

Come to pay their respects to the fragile little king

Get pretty close to wrecking everything

‘Cause the governing body of the Holy Land

Is that of Herod, a paranoid man

Who when he hears there’s a baby born King of the Jews

Sends death squads to kill all male children under two

But that same bright angel warns the parents in a dream

And they head out for the border and get away clean

Like a stone on the surface of a still river

Driving the ripples on forever

Redemption rips through the surface of time

In the cry of a tiny babe

Perhaps a combination of these locations or a bystander who overheard the shepherds, “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.”

The details, along with our location, make this story one we cannot forget and one we need to hear time and time again. This story is not just a good fireside read. The story of Christ’s birth gives life to the church and has redeemed all of creation.

[Image 10 - José y Maria] Christmas is not the anniversary of Christ’s birth. What we do here tonight is more than a birthday party with a great band/choir providing entertainment. Tonight, we remember, proclaim, and celebrate. Remember, proclaim, and celebrate that through the incarnation God has entered the mess of the world. And when the mess of the world tries to stomp out the Good News of the incarnation on a cross, the Grace of God says “no,” with the empty grave and burial clothes left behind.

Tonight is an active remembrance of what God accomplished through the details of a story that everyone knows.

Tonight, we proclaim the birth of Christ and the birth of a new creation, the salvific work of God, for all creation, for all people, spanning time and geography.

Tonight, we celebrate the incomprehensible inbreaking of the holy God getting physical with creation. As present then as he is now when we gather around his table of grace.

Tonight, we proclaim the birth of Christ and the birth of a new creation, the salvific work of God, for all creation, for all people, spanning time and geography.

Tonight, we celebrate the incomprehensible inbreaking of the holy God getting physical with creation. As present then as he is now when we gather around his table of grace.

A mystery, to be sure, but with the details to draw us in, our only response is to join the shepherds by singing our thanks and praise.

There are others who know about this miracle birth

The humblest of people catch a glimpse of their worth

For it isn’t to the palace that the Christ child comes

But to shepherds and street people, grifters and bums

And the message is clear if you’ve got ears to hear

That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear

It’s a Christmas gift you don’t have to buy

There’s a future shining in a baby’s eyes

Like a stone on the surface of a still river

Driving the ripples on forever

Redemption rips through the surface of time

In the cry of a tiny babe