Sitting in prison, John the Baptizer heard all about Jesus’ ministry. He sent some of his followers to Jesus to ask a question: “Are you the One we have been expecting – or should we look for somebody else?”
 
John had heard about all the wonderful things that Jesus was doing. And he knew that those miracles were evidence that Jesus really had come from God. But here’s what John couldn’t understand: “If Jesus is the One we’ve been waiting for – why am I still in prison?”
 
It’s a good question – and one that deserves an answer.
 
When John’s followers show up, Jesus points to all that He is doing – and He says, “Go tell John what’s happening here. Go tell John what you see. Go tell John.”
 
It’s one thing to believe that Jesus is the One who has come from God.  It is another thing altogether to figure out what that means for us here and now.
 
But let’s remember that this Lord is Lord of everything – He is even Lord of the things in our own lives that we don’t understand.
 
In light of that, our task – especially at Christmas – is to keep our focus in the right place. Our task – especially at Christmas – is to keep our focus – not on our confused and troubled lives – but on this One named Jesus.
 
It had been a delightful children’s Christmas program. The candles had been lit, the songs had been sung, and the shepherds had come to peek at the Baby. The wise men had brought their gifts and the angels had sung their praise. Now that the program was over, the entire cast of the Christmas story began to leave – wise men, shepherds, and angels.
 
Only Mary, Joseph, and the Child remain. Then, Joseph turns to go. Mary begins to follow – but, then, glances back.  She stops, turns around, and walks back to the manger. She snatches up the baby doll by the foot, clutches it under her arm, and walks out.
 
And that final scene says so much: The little girl who has played Mary almost forgets to take the Baby. She almost forgets – but remembers at the last moment.
 
Today – especially today – let’s keep our focus on that Baby in the manger.
​

 
Kneel before the manger with wonder.
Speak no word this holy night.
God has acted to redeem us,
He has sent the Light of lights.
Holiness revealed in Bethlehem.
Kneel before the Child, our King.
 
 
Watch the silent Mary and Joseph.
Watch them turn their eyes to the sky.
God has blessed them with His presence.
God has blessed us too, this night.
Holiness revealed this silent night.
Watch with wonder God’s great plan.
 
 
Stand beside the shepherds in worship.
Call to mind the promise of old.
Could it be that He has remembered?
Could this be what prophets foretold?
Holiness revealed in stable bare.
Stand before the Child, our Lord.
 
​
Walk across the desert with wise men.
Watch the heav’n with passion deep.
Wonder if the journey has meaning;
Hope that God His promise will keep.
Holiness revealed in God’s own time.
Walk into His presence with hope.
 
 
Kneel before the manger with wonder.
Speak no word this holy night.
God has acted to redeem us,
He has sent the Light of lights.
Holiness revealed in Bethlehem.
Kneel before the Child, our King.

“Hallelujah Chorus”
 
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
 
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
 
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah!
 
                                                            George Frideric Handel, 1741
 
His father tried to keep him away from his musical interests. Instead, he wanted his son to enter the legal profession. But it was the organ, harpsichord, and violin that captured the heart of young George Frideric Handel. Once, he accompanied his father to the court of the Duke.  George wandered into the chapel, found the organ, and started improvising. The startled Duke exclaimed, “Who is this remarkable child?”
 
This “remarkable child” soon began composing. By his twenties, he was a star. But, over time, the glory faded and he became “yesterday’s news.” Ultimately, he found himself bankrupt and depressed. He saw himself as a failure.
 
One day, Handel received a manuscript from a friend. It was a word-for-word collection of various biblical texts about Christ. The opening words were from Isaiah 40: “Comfort ye, comfort my people. . .” And Handel was deeply moved.
 
On August 22, 1741, he shut the door of his London home and started composing music for the words. Twenty-three days later, the world had Messiah. “Whether I was in the body or out of the body when I wrote it, I know not,” Handel said later (evoking similar words spoken once by the Apostle Paul).  Messiah opened to enormous crowds on March 23, 1743, with Handel leading from his harpsichord. King George II, who was present that night, surprised everyone by leaping to his feet during the “Hallelujah Chorus.” No one really knows why. But, from that day to this, listeners continue to stand during these stirring words: “Hallelujah! For He shall reign forever and ever.”

“Eternal Father, Strong to Save”
 
Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid’st the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
for those in peril on the sea!
 
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
and hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
for those in peril on the sea!
 
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
for those in peril on the sea!
 
O Trinity of love and power!
Our fam’ly shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
 protect us wheresoev’r we go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
 
                                                                        William Whiting, 1860
 
 
Several years ago, a movie version of the Christmas story was released. It was called The Nativity – and it beautifully told the story of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. To me, the most poignant part of the movie focused on Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. Until I saw the movie, I’m not sure that I ever realized how difficult and dangerous that journey was.
 
The hymn that is quoted here is a hymn celebrating God’s protection of travelers. I know that Mary and Joseph did not travel on the sea – but I still love this hymn as a great reminder of God’s care for those who travel. What courage it must have taken for Mary and Joseph to take this dangerous journey! And how marvelous of God to take care of them every step of the way!
 
This hymn is sometimes called “the Navy Hymn” because of its close connection with the Naval Academy in Annapolis. It was said to be Franklin Roosevelt’s favorite hymn – and it was sung at his funeral. Many of us, perhaps, still remember the strains of this hymn accompanying the casket of John F. Kennedy as it was carried up the steps of the United States Capitol to lie in state.
 
The tune is called MELITA – a variation of the name “Malta,” where the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked in Acts 27. Even in a rather dramatic shipwreck, God found a way to protect His messenger Paul. And hundreds of years later, a hymn celebrating God’s care of travelers was written with that shipwreck in mind.
 
We take so much for granted as we travel from place to place. This hymn reminds us of how desperate we are for God’s care. Sometimes called “the traveler’s psalm,” Psalm 121 echoes this same theme: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore!”

​
If I were to be in a confessing mood, I would tell you that I am an impatient person.  I’m not especially good at waiting. If something is going to happen anyway, I would just as soon have it happen right now.
 
What that means is that I’m not always going to be comfortable with the way that God works.
 
God’s promises always come true – but, sometimes, His promises don’t come true quickly. At times, God promised His people rescue. They knew that He would be faithful – but they also knew that they would be required to wait. At other times, God promised that He would grant healing. And His promise was as good as done – but His people knew that they would be required to wait. God even promised that He would send a Savior. And that promise (though repeated often) was followed by generations of waiting.
 
In our reading today, Zechariah receives a message from God. It is a very detailed message with very specific information. The news, in fact, is so startling that Zechariah has trouble believing it. And the price for his disbelief is silence until the promise is fulfilled.
 
That’s the heart of the story – but notice the angel’s final word to Zechariah. Gabriel says, “My words will come true . . . at their proper time” (Luke 1:20). Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of that verse is beautiful: “Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time – God’s time.”
 
Despite my impatience, I am actually willing to wait when I am certain that the outcome is sure.  Certain that the outcome is sure – that’s a good way to respond every time God makes a promise.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who, from our mothers’ arms, hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is our today.
 
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills in this world and the next.
 
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
 
                                                                        Martin Rinkart, 1636
 
 
I wonder if it is only coincidence that Thanksgiving and Christmas are so close together. In fact, some years we may object to how quickly we move from one to the next. The holiday called Thanksgiving is hardly finished – and we gather for worship only to discover that it is already the First Sunday of Advent.
 
On the other hand, what could be a better entry point for Advent? A thankful heart is perfect preparation for this season when we celebrate God’s most wonderful gift. Gratitude will surely be our response at the end of the season – but gratitude is a great way to begin the season as well.
 
I’m told that there are at least 138 specific Bible passages that deal with the giving of thanks.  Some of them are boldly worded. “In EVERYTHING give thanks!” Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
 
And Pastor Martin Rinkart took Paul at his word.
 
The hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” was written by Pastor Martin in 1636. He was a Lutheran pastor in a small town in Saxony. He began his ministry at the very beginning of the Thirty Years’ War.  It was a desperate time – a time of plague, famine, fear, and death. 
 
Hundreds of homes were destroyed and lives were shattered. Eventually, the pastors themselves became ill and died – and Pastor Martin was the only minister left in the entire town. It is said that some days he conducted as many as fifty funerals. Imagine that: fifty funerals in a single day!
 
Over time, the suffering lessened – and Pastor Martin wrote this hymn, a hymn of thanksgiving.  Today, this hymn is especially loved in Europe and is sung with the same affection that we might sing the “Doxology.” It is clearly a Thanksgiving hymn – and it is a perfect attitude for Christmas!
 
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, in Whom this world rejoices!

Mary is one of those remarkable people who gets it right! She is called by God to take a central role in the story. And though her part is very costly, she is a shining example of obedience, faithfulness, and cooperation. “May it be to me,” she answers, “as you have said!” Mary gets it right.
 
Once in a while, perhaps, we get it right too. But only once in a while. Often, when it’s our turn to come onto stage, we can’t remember our lines or we forget where to stand. Even then, God is patient – but it’s so much more fun when we get it right.
 
When Julie and I were first married, we wanted very much to please one another. As our first Christmas together approached, we wanted it to be special and wonderful. Actually, we wanted it to be perfect. We didn’t have a lot, but we still worked hard to find ways to make our first Christmas memorable. For me, that meant paying careful attention to everything that Julie said as Christmas grew closer. I wisely assumed that, if I listened closely, I could figure out what she wanted for Christmas.
 
Sure enough, we were walking through a store one day when she saw something that she obviously loved. It was a pottery butter churn. She made over it, and even talked about it more when we got home. I decided right then that I’d find the money to buy that butter church. I knew that it would be a great surprise – and would probably win me Julie’s favor for decades.
 
Over the next few weeks, I scraped together enough money to buy the butter church. I secretly bought it and wrapped it and hid it. And I couldn’t wait for Christmas morning.
 
Late on Christmas Eve, we were talking right before we went to sleep. We were talking about Christmas and gifts and things we liked – we were talking about all kinds of things.  And that’s when Julie, out of the blue, said, “You know, like that butter churn I saw in the store that day a few months ago. I really, really liked it then – but, now, I’ve decided that it wasn’t really that nice. I’m so glad that we didn’t buy it.”
 
Let’s just say that we had a hilarious Christmas morning – and Julie and I still laugh about that butter churn to this day. As it turns out, she was thrilled that I cared enough to try so hard – even though I didn’t get it exactly right.
 
I think God feels the same way about us. He loves it when we say the right thing and do the right thing – when we follow Mary’s example.
 
But He also loves it when we try – even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly.
 
This Christmas, give it your best shot. And be certain that God loves you . . . no matter how it turns out!
​

Dwight L. Moody was a well-known preacher of another generation. During the early days of his ministry, he was visiting some churches in England when he met a young and rather eager preacher name Henry Moorhouse. Moody, being very polite but completely insincere, invited Moorhouse to visit him some time. (You know how we say those things!) “If you should ever come to Chicago,” Moody said, “you can come and preach in my church.” He didn’t mean it, of course – and he never imagined that this young preacher would show up.
 
But not long after returning home, Moody received a telegram from Moorhouse: “I’ve just arrived in New York,” it said. “I’ll be in Chicago on Sunday.”
 
Moody was embarrassed.  And, to make matters worse, he was scheduled to be out of town that Sunday.  But since he had offered the invitation, he had to do something.
 
So he gathered together his church leaders and explained the situation.  He said, “I’ll be out of town – but let this young Moorhouse preach one time. If he does a good job and the people like him, let him preach another time.”
 
Well, a week later, Moody returned from his trip.  He asked his wife how the young Moorhouse had done. “Oh, he was wonderful,” she said. “He’s even better than you are! And, Dwight, he said that God loves sinners!”
 
“But that’s wrong,” Moody complained. “God doesn’t love sinners.”
 
“Well, you better go tell him yourself,” she said. “Because he is convinced that God loves sinners.”
 
“You mean he’s still here?” Moody asked.
 
“Yes,” she answered. “He’s been preaching every night since you left.”
 
That evening, Moody went to the meeting in his own church and heard Moorhouse preach on “The Unconditional Love of God.” It was his sixth consecutive night in Moody’s pulpit, and all six sermons were based on the same phrase from John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world.”
 
Moody was spellbound.  He had been a preacher for years – but for the first time in his life, he was confronted with the enormity of God’s grace, the openness of God’s love. For the first time in his life, this preacher came to understand that God loves sinners! And Moody’s life and his ministry were never the same again. From this point on, Moody preached about God’s love for sinners.
 
Fifty years later, songwriter Frederick Lehman was moved by that same truth. He found this phrase in Scripture: “I have loved you with an everlasting love. . .”  And he read and reread that phrase – and then he wrote these words:
 
The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can tell,
It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell.
O love of God, rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall for evermore endure the saints and angel’s song.
 
Interestingly, Lehman’s hymn has a verse that was written by somebody else – a man named Ben Isaac Nahorai. This little-known man had suffered from depression for years and was finally admitted to a mental health facility. And it was there that he discovered the immense love of God.  After he died, these words (that later became part of Lehman’s hymn) were found written on the wall of his room:
 
Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, tho’ stretched from sky to sky.
​

 
With all the noise – with all the commotion – with all the activity – with all the busyness – it would be easy to miss Jesus at Christmas.
 
When Jesus was born, most people didn’t even notice. And when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple as a baby according to custom, most people didn’t notice. But Simeon noticed.  And Anna noticed. They were paying attention to the activity of God – and so they were able to see Jesus when He showed up.
 
I’m reminded of a scene from the “Charlie Brown Christmas Special.”  The show is cute and sweet – but the defining moment comes when Charlie Brown screams out in frustration and despair: “Can’t anyone tell me what the true meaning of Christmas is?”
 
With a peaceful and calm voice, Charlie Brown’s friend Linus answers. In the silence of the moment, he walks to the center of the stage, says, “Lights, please,” and begins to recite, “And there were in the same country shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night . . .”
 
This is a busy, chaotic time.  Let’s be careful not to miss Jesus.
​

 
In the day of deep separation,
God revealed His gracious will;
He would send the Blessed Messiah,
One with pow’r to save and to heal.
Trust, God’s people, now,
the promises He made.
Trust Him to fulfill His word.
 
 
Year by year the darkness deepened.
Would God ever send His Light?
Should His people hope for rescue?
Or despair, and live in night?
Trust, God’s people, now,
the promises He made.
Trust Him to fulfill His word.
 
 
Then God sent His chosen Messiah,
Jesus Christ, His only Son.
He was God’s anointed Redeemer,
Called to be the Blessed One.
Trust, God’s people, now,
the promises He made.
Trust Him to fulfill His word.
 
Praise, O praise, the Blessed Messiah,
Praise the One who gives us life.
He delivers us from chaos,
Frees us from the pain of strife.
Trust, God’s people, now,
the promises He made.
Trust Him to fulfill His word.