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Preaching Mission for the 2nd Week of Christmas (January 5-11, 2024)

(A Bible Study group meets in Hopedale, Labrador)

God Comes Close
by the Rt. Rev. Chris Giesler

Assigned Texts:

  • Jeremiah 31:7-14
  • Ephesians 1:3-14
  • John 1: 1-18

We live in extraordinary times.  While I am not about to claim that it has never been worse, we do live in a time when political, societal, and class differences are causing emotional pain to all of us. Families are being torn apart as the boundaries that divide us grow wider and wider.

But even as we work through these divisions, our texts today remind us of God’s proximity to us no matter our circumstances.

In our text from Jeremiah, the prophet is calling God’s people home from their exile.  Here Jeremiah says: “See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations, I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

Where there has been separation from God, a reunion will happen.  God has always been with them, but now they will be back home.  Our divisive times have produced more than a few exiles, and we can’t see the end of it.  But do not worry; God is with us now, and we will taste a better future.  Again, listen to Jeremiah: “Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.”

From his letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds us that we are more than just a number or another soul in the sea of many; we have been brought into God’s family.  Through Jesus, we are God’s children according to God’s good pleasure.  As Paul says: “In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.” These are truly words of hope for our day and time.  While we might be separated from others, we are chosen to be in God’s family.

The Gospel lesson from John reminds us what Christmas truly means.  While John does not give us a birth narrative, these poetic words give us the meaning.  In John’s words: “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

Did you catch the theme of being children again?  WE BELONG!  WE ARE INCLUDED! These are words that need to be spoken into the darkness of the world today.  We have a mission of being a church and a people who are called to include others despite society’s divisions.

In 2020 and again in 2021, the Board of World Mission extended $200 grants to congregations here in North America to purchase Zoom memberships and hardware upgrades to broadcast their worship services.  Four years ago, most of our congregations would have never considered putting their worship services online, but now they do!  Even now, as congregations are again worshiping in person, most are still maintaining their online presence because they can include more and more people.  In one congregation, a long-time member found she needed to move nearer to her grown children.  While this was a happy reunion, it was more than a thousand miles away from the congregation she had called home for years. But now, she can join the congregation each Sunday morning to join in worship and check in with all her friends.    SHE BELONGS!

The love of God that comes to us in the miracle of Christmas means that we all belong, are all home, and are all part of God’s family.