Text     Matthew 2:13-23; Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18

     Theme     The Most Expensive Gift

     Subject     Flight of The Holy Family & Martyrdom of The Holy Innocents

   Occasion     Christmas 1 – 12/30/07 – Zion – Iowa City

 

These days of Christmas at Zion we’ve been singing the last verse of “In the Bleak Midwinter” as our offerings are brought forward.

As a warm up and because I’ll be exploring the theme The Most Expensive Gift, let’s sing that verse now (It’s on page 4 of your worship folder)

What can I give him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.

If I were a wise man, I would do my part.

Yet, what can I give him?  Give my heart.

 

Grace to you and peace from our living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Today, this 1st Sunday of Christmas, is also the 6th day of the 12 days of Christmas

       12 days to celebrate the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ

That God would do this,

become one of us in Jesus Christ,

is The Most Extraordinary Gift

Such a great gift has led us to give gifts at Christmas

       And now, during these 12 days, we enjoy the gifts we have received:

·      play with new toys or tools

·      listen to new music or read new stories

·      wear new clothes or rearrange furniture

·      tell Christmas memories or imagine new ones

The season of Christmas is a great time for celebration

Psalm 148 appointed for today summons

       everyone and everything to Praise the LORD! (Ps 148:1)

              Young and old, married and single

Sun, moon, stars, fire, snow, rain, hills, trees, sea monsters

       Everything

       Why?

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven (13b)

 

Of course we sing God praises

       Isaiah prophesied it would be this way

              He calls what God does praiseworthy acts (63:7b)

       Always God’s gifts are worthy of our praise

Yet Christians have from the beginning known and told the whole story

       We heard it in the 2nd reading

It was fitting that God … in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Heb. 2:10)

      

The gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is The Most Expensive Gift

It cost Jesus his breath and blood

(Christ) humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:8)   

- - - - - - -

The calendar for the Christian Church embraces this reality for many

       The Most Expensive Gift could require of us

              our most expensive gift

The day after Christmas is set aside to recall St. Stephen, deacon and martyr

He died because he told the gospel story of Jesus – he was stoned to death

Stephen gave His Most Expensive Gift – his life

The next day is set apart for St. John, apostle and evangelist

He endured all sorts of torture until finally he was exiled to an island

       John gave His Most Expensive Gift – his life

       Ordinarily the 3rd day after Christmas The Holy Innocents come to mind

              Today’s reading from Matthew tells their story

                      Little boys, under 2 years old, in the vicinity of Bethlehem

                             All killed

              I held my nearly-2 yr old grandson, Alex, on my lap

Couldn’t help but wonder about this text

              Yes, the babies gave Their Most Expensive Gift – their lives

                      But is this not also such an expensive gift for

 mothers & fathers, sisters & brothers

 

Lives are spent intentionally for all sorts of causes

       But especially freedom

              People can get confused by desperation or devotion

                     Palestinian suicide bombers give their lives for freedom

                      Japanese kamikaze pilots gave their lives for The Emperor

       Benazir Bhutto's assassination this past week in Pakistan is layered with expense

              A suicide assassin committed to his people and point-of-view

              A leader committed to her people and point-of-view

Lives are gone; voices are silent

              And again we learn violence begets violence

Stability in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Pakistan doesn’t seem within reach by way of people spending their lives – Their Most Expensive Gift

This was a mystery to me

God’s Most Expensive Gift, worked eternal salvation for all creation through Jesus’ death and resurrection

       Yet, when people offer up their lives for the sake of freedom,

              one death leads to more deaths

Then suddenly we remember:

       Oh yes, St. Stephen, St. John, The Holy Innocents

No more mystery

       Freedom, this side of the grave or beyond, costs lives

There is, however, no mystery about killing in Jesus’ name

       We cannot

              We can only be killed for bearing Jesus’ name

                      This is the path Jesus showed us

 

This all could lead to such a very serious discussion

       I had imagined earlier that we would gather in groups of 5 or 6 and discuss

              What is The Most Expensive Gift?

                      But I learned last night that’s not something we do very easily

                             Perhaps at home before the year is spent

       Further, it is very important for us to understand what faithful living means:

What it is to live by grace

What it is to not bind conscience

What it is to live in a world when our only choices are sin

       You see, we have much to discuss

 

As I wrestled with all of this

       I ached because Christmas is supposed to be a happy, joyful time

              After all, “Joy to the World! The Lord is come”

                      I am not Ebenezer Scrooge but I get so serious

                             Christmas is so expensive:

God became one of us to die for us

 

Finally one must make peace with this paradox

       The Joy of receiving God’s Most Expensive Gift (Jesus)

 will require of us a very expensive gift (our selves)

       This is not the law – not a “have to”

       This is good news – what Dietrich Bonhoeffer termed “costly grace”

       We who have received The Most Expensive Gift

              recognize that it is not “cheap grace”

              Jesus came to die for us to live eternally

- - - - - - -
The joy of Christmas is more vivid for me this year than any time in my memory

       I better understand the paradox

             

Let’s begin doing some thinking about our gift giving for next year

       Start with

God gave us The Most Expensive Gift: Jesus

                      Jesus is free, no strings

                             So next year we’ll give with no expectations

                      God knew our eternal need (a savior) and that’s what God gave: Jesus

                             So next year we’ll give what we know people need

                      God gave only one way The Most Expensive Gift

                             no gift certificates

no cash

no exchanges

no rebates

no gift receipts

no returns

God gave just what we needed

    By faith, just what we wanted

 

       Let’s do our homework

              The people we give to need to be in our thoughts and prayers all year

                      What do they need that we can give?

                             Once we know,

                                    why wait?

 

Come to the meal this morning

       Receive what God has chosen for you

              Just what you needed

                      God’s son, God’s only son

- - - - - - -

The most expensive gift?

Give your heart