Sermon - 2019-12-24 - Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!  Tonight we gather together and some of you willingly came to church to be united in prayer, song, and to worship God.  Our focus is on a special song about the first Christmas. Tonight we are celebrating Silent Night. Yes, that song that we will sing at the very end of the service.  The one that we light candles to and the one that we all cherish. It would have been nice if Jesus had heard it when he was here on earth.

However, Silent Night was first performed in Ardenorfs in Austria.  It was Christmas Eve in 1818. Yes, 201 years ago, Father Joseph Mohr, a catholic priest, was getting ready for the biggest night of the year only to discover that the organ was not working.  Now keep in mind it was very similar to our own experience. Families brought their extended families together to fill the pews and everyone in the community would be present for the worship service.  

Without an organ to sing the songs, Father Joseph got out his guitar and played so that the people could still be united in song.  A calm and peaceful song that reminded the people in a contemplative way of what it was like that first Christmas Eve. Many that were there that night probably did not realize what gift they truly experienced that night.  

That song spread within the area.  However, it was not made famous until it was performed by the Strass Family.  They were glove makers and as a means of gaining people’s attention, they had their children sing songs and when people heard this song sung by the children, they would stop and listen. It was here in the market place that people truly began taking notice of the song, to hear it over and over again.  The children were asked to perform in front of the King and Queen, who loved it so much that they wanted all of the churches to perform this song.  

This gave rise to the popularity and the song spread was translated and shared into our own modern time in which the song itself has united people from a variety of nations, languages, and welcomed them home into God’s presence on Christmas Eve. The lighting of candles is a reminder that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and each and every one of us bears that light within our lives. 

Tonight is the night that we have been preparing for well over a month.  We have been hearing the Christmas music playing on radio stations and some of us are already looking forward to things getting back to normal after tonight. However, tonight is not about celebrating a small event.  It is celebrating a life-changing event that would not cause us to return back to the normal routine. After such an event, our whole life would be changed from the time that we wake up in the morning, to the way we treat one another, and also live out our lives.  

Tonight, may you experience the warmth of God’s love, may you celebrate with family and friends, but above all, may your heart and mind be open to the possibilities that when the organ breaks down, you can still find hope.  When sorrow strikes you, you may still find Christ’s peace. When you see someone in need, you may bear witness and share the love Christ has given to you. May you celebrate the good news of great joy that has been given to us tonight, in the story, in song, and in love.  Merry Christmas!