12252016 CHRISTmas Day - "A Partridge in a Pear Tree"

December 25, 2016
“A Partridge in a Pear Tree”

This morning we gather here in the church on the mountain top one could say of one of the two most important celebrations for the church.  Christmas is the opportunity for the church to firmly and faithfully declare the entrance of Jesus Christ with our celebration of His Birth.  It is a day that many families hold as sacred for gathering together to share a meal and enjoy one anothers company.  And clearly it is the pinnacle of the 12 Days of Christmas Song.

For today is in fact, the First Day of Christmas.  Hence, why today we end our series with “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”.  We have throughout the season of Advent learned of the connection with the Apostle’s Creed, the faithful disciples, the law given by Moses, the fruits of the Spirit, the blessed teachings of Jesus, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and our personal connection with the days of creation.  We have heard of the history of man’s fall from grace, God’s answer in the Gospels, the virtues of the Christian life and how the two testaments trace the history of the promise of a Savior.  And today we are not only at the foot of the Christmas Tree, but the pinnacle.  Today we hear and sing about Jesus Who is “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”.

Unlike most of the birds to be sung about during the next 12 Days of Christmas, “A Partridge in a Pear Tree” not only is about Jesus Christ, but specifically how Jesus Christ was willing to be hung from a tree.  This reference to “A Partridge in a Pear Tree” is of Jesus willingness to walk to the Cross of Calvary for me and for you.  Yet, today since we heard and sung about Jesus appearance in the manger, why do we jump 30+ years to Jesus death, by referencing the Cross.

There is a simple explanation, because today is the one day we need to understand that this Baby Who was foretold in sacred story, Who lies in the manger on the hay that was to feed the livestock.  This Child wrapped in swaddling clothes that came into this world in a stable because there was no room in the inn.  This Child “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”.  He is the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  He is the sacrificial lamb that comes in order that we might have eternal life.

Today we gather to celebrate the Greatest Gift of love, Jesus Christ, “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”.  Jesus Christ came to offer Himself out of His great love for each and every one of us.  For it is Jesus Christ Who gives of Himself willingly in order that we might have eternal life.  Hence why we have the greatest opportunity to remember for the next 12 Days the gifts God gives unto us, especially of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May our celebration today not stop with our stockings hung by the chimney with care, nor on our porches for the goodies left by friends, nor even in our mailboxes as we exchange Christmas greetings.  May our celebration not end with the gifts under the tree, but may each and every one of our hearts find true celebration that represents the real reason for the season, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”.  AMEN.

Check out Pastor on the Prairie (ProtP)
Subscribe to ProtP

Speak Your Mind

12252013 Christmas Day Service

Sermon Audio

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.  AMEN.

Let us pray, Jesus Christ, thank you for coming in the manger.  As we celebrate Your birth, enable us to point to You and celebrate Your entrance into the world for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Christmas morning. AMEN.

When Jesus Christ was born in the manger in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, it was the fulfillment of the prophecies of old and yet in reality just another birth.  But for us who gather here at Emmanuel this morning, we are intimately connected to this event.

Paul Harvey the radio legend loved to use the catch phrase, here’s ‘the rest of the story’ in his radio program.  And many like myself would wonder and anticipate what the connection was for each story he told.  So to this morning the rest of the story of Jesus birth is just as important and we are connected to it.

Our connection is not by some mysterious story or person, our connection is simply by our being here, believing in Jesus Christ and being baptized into His life, death and resurrection.  With Jesus entrance in the manger, this was the beginning of His ministry here on earth.  We believe that not only was this a fact of reality, but it has an impact upon us today and we are here because of that fact.  Not only our presence this morning is a confession of our belief, but it points to the reality that we who gather and are baptized not only lay claim to Him, but also are claimed by Him and connected to Him each and every day of our lives and especially today Christmas Morning with our celebration of His Birth.

The rest of the story is yet to be written if we look from the perspective of the manger, but when we look from our perspective today we are part of the story of salvation with our belief, baptism and being here on Christmas Day.  For the story of salvation that we celebrate in the manger finds its completion on the Cross of Calvary where Jesus Christ died for you and for me.  Our baptism into Jesus Christ, grafts us not only into His work of salvation but also our inclusion in the book of life.  We are now partakers not only of the heavenly food we receive from His altar, but also life eternal offered to all of mankind.

This morning the rest of the story is yet to be written from our perspective.  We have the opportunity to not only share it with our families as we do so around the tables with all our relatives and friends, but also in our work here in Goodland for the Kingdom of God of the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  May we continue to write the rest of the story which clearly points not only to the manger, but especially to the Cross of Jesus Christ.  For the rest of the story is yet to be written of our spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ for all mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Christmas morning!  AMEN.

Sermon 12252012 Christmas Day

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.  AMEN.

Let us pray!  Almighty God, You make Yourself known unto us through Your Son Jesus Christ born in a stable.  Enable us to come on bended knee and with the shepherds make it known to all people.  For Your coming was for all of mankind, especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Christmas morning.  AMEN.

In the Nativity Story when Joseph and Mary are headed to Bethlehem for the census, they encounter an old Shepherd watching over his flock.  Rough around the edges though he is, he invites Mary to warm up by the fire he has to keep warm.  After warming up during their long journey, Mary and Joseph continue to Bethlehem.  What is extraordinary is what occurs later that night.  The angels appear to the shepherds watching over their sheep, including this one who was so warm and caring to Mary and delivers the greatest message to them. 

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  ¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

This message from the angels to the shepherds inspired them to leave their flocks and go in search of the Christ Child laying in a manger.  Our business people of today would claim it was not good business practice leaving their sheep alone out in the field and not protecting them better, but when inspired by faith and encountering God’s angels delivering such a powerful message of the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, the city of David, the shepherds were divinely inspired to go and see this Child.

Just as the shepherds were moved to go see Christ the Lord, they have made it known to and for us today what they found.  The Nativity Story is a perfect example of the continuing message of the coming of the Savior and as we gather here this morning in celebration of His birth, we remember this great event as well.  We come, not because we have to, but because God draws us to Himself.  Last night we heard the birth narrative and this morning we hear John’s response of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.  We are drawn to Jesus Christ because of the greatest gift He gives us, His life on the Cross of Calvary and sacrifice in order to take away our sins.  In, through and by His precious Body and Blood offered to and for us we receive not only life and salvation, but also the forgiveness of sins.

The shepherds had no idea what the implications would be, but we today having heard the same message from the last 2000 years the narrative of the Birth of the Babe in Bethlehem have a clearer picture of the divine implications of the events that the shepherds witnessed.  We look not with eyes of witness like the shepherds, but with eyes of faith given to us in our baptism and fulfilled by Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.  We have been baptized into not only the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also His birth in the manger.  Our connection is clear, because of Jesus Christ coming to set us free from sin, death and the devil.  We are connected clearly with His birth in the stable in Bethlehem and by the witness of the shepherds who heard the angels and saw the Child and today again tell of the great mystery made known to us today in His precious Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.  May this message and witness of the shepherds inspire us to spread the message of Jesus Birth to the ends of the earth, since it is the greatest gift given to us on Christmas.  For this is the gift offered at the altar and offered for all of mankind including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Christmas morning.  AMEN.

Sermon 12252011 Christmas Day

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Lord Jesus Christ, we have celebrated Your Holy birth.  For St. John was inspired to proclaim, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”.  In Your birth, the plan of salvation was put into action and we now receive this morning, not only Your precious Body and Blood but now share in eternal life brought to us in a lowly manger for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Christmas morning.  AMEN.

Can you name the song where the following lyrics come from?

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Ascribed as the most popular Christmas hymn due to it being translated into over 125 languages, “O Come, All Ye Faithful” still to this day inspires us.

On Christmas Day 1914, a peace settled over most of the fronts of Europe as men, who not days before were sworn enemies joined together to share the Christmas message.  The following is a fictional story based upon eyewitness accounts, by Aaron Shepard entitled, “A Christmas Truce” of a letter written from a soldier on the Eastern Front to his sister, but gives new meaning to the hymns we sing and take for granted.

Just yesterday morning—Christmas Eve Day—we had our first good freeze. Cold as we were, we welcomed it, because at least the mud froze solid. Everything was tinged white with frost, while a bright sun shone over all. Perfect Christmas weather.

During the day, there was little shelling or rifle fire from either side. And as darkness fell on our Christmas Eve, the shooting stopped entirely. Our first complete silence in months! We hoped it might promise a peaceful holiday, but we didn’t count on it. We’d been told the Germans might attack and try to catch us off guard.

I went to the dugout to rest, and lying on my cot, I must have drifted asleep. All at once my friend John was shaking me awake, saying, “Come and see! See what the Germans are doing!” I grabbed my rifle, stumbled out into the trench, and stuck my head cautiously above the sandbags.

I never hope to see a stranger and more lovely sight. Clusters of tiny lights were shining all along the German line, left and right as far as the eye could see.

“What is it?” I asked in bewilderment, and John answered, “Christmas trees!”

And so it was. The Germans had placed Christmas trees in front of their trenches, lit by candle or lantern like beacons of good will.

And then we heard their voices raised in song.

Stille nacht, heilige nacht . . . .

This carol may not yet be familiar to us in Britain, but John knew it and translated: “Silent night, holy night.” I’ve never heard one lovelier—or more meaningful, in that quiet, clear night, its dark softened by a first-quarter moon.

When the song finished, the men in our trenches applauded. Yes, British soldiers applauding Germans! Then one of our own men started singing, and we all joined in.

The first Noel, the angel did say . . . .

In truth, we sounded not nearly as good as the Germans, with their fine harmonies. But they responded with enthusiastic applause of their own and then began another.

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum . . . .

Then we replied.

O come all ye faithful . . . .

But this time they joined in, singing the same words in Latin.

Adeste fideles . . . .

British and German harmonizing across No Man’s Land!

Our reality we live with and celebrate today like the troops did on the Cold Eastern Front in 1914 is that the Word has become Flesh and dwelt among us!  We have beheld His Glory and this morning as we celebrate in song we also partake of His precious Body and Blood broken and shed for us and for all of mankind.  May we be fed, enriched and energized by God’s gift in the manger and from the altar where we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on this Christmas morning.  AMEN!