There I was sitting in the chair at the desk of my study at Trinity Parish in Millstadt, Illinois. It’s early in the morning, and I’m alone in the building. I want you to keep in mind that I’m sitting quietly at my desk, thinking through the tasks for the week. I am deep in thought and definitely occupied. A homeless man that I have seen on the street a couple of different times walks into the church and knocks on my study door. He says, “Pastor, come here, come here, I need to show you something.” I’m not really sure what I said next, but I do remember being a little agitated. I was thinking to myself, can’t he just bring it here? Why do I have to go out there and see it? And he wanted me to go outside. It was cold outside. Why would I need to go outside?

When there is so much excitement, when there is a build up of anticipation we want to know what it is – even if we don’t really want to go up stairs or go outside on a really cold, cold winter morning.

In John’s first letter, the forth chapter, the Lord wants to show us something. But instead of telling us that we have to come, He brings it to us. The message of a birth was “brought” to Mary when the angel visited her and told her that she was with child. The Lord brought word to Joseph to take care of Mary because she would bare a son – the Son of God. The Lord brought word to those shepherds tending their flock by night. And then after the shepherd’s heard this message from the singing angels, they brought the good news to the nations by telling that The King of Kings is born in Bethlehem.

And today, this Christmas, the Lord has brought a special gift to us. He brought to us a child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. He brought to us the light of the world. The Lord brought to us the Savior of the world.

St. John says in the text for today, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” His son was a gift, sent from God – brought by God’s servant Mary – to Bethlehem. God and His servants brought us the first Christmas gift. The gift that goes far beyond any gift that you will receive later on tonight or tomorrow morning under the Christmas tree. You received the gift of life on Christmas and that valuable gift is a gift that keeps on giving. This gift that we talk about this evening doesn’t break, it doesn’t go out of style, and it doesn’t stop working as good as it use to. It’s the gift that keeps on giving each and every year. It’s the gift that never quits.

Each Christmas we have the opportunity to look forward to singing Christmas hymns, eggnog, mistletoe, and the gathering of friends. Not all Christmases look alike. But Christmas does become a part of us in one way or the other no matter how celebrations look. But this year, whatever your Christmas celebration looks like – even if it doesn’t look like much at all – take these words from 1 John 4:7-10 with you. Take these Christmas words with you and read them, ponder them in the light of the celebration of the birth of the Savior. They call us to mind of the reason we celebrate Christmas. They call us to mind that love is at the center of Christmas. “Let us love one another, for love comes from God.” Where does love come from? It’s simple. It comes down from heaven to you and me.

“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” When God’s love is a part of our lives – we see God put into action and we are sent froth from God and we know who God is through this gift of love that God gives to us. And we know that God sent His beloved Son because He loves us so much. And that in and of itself is reason enough to be here this evening.

“This is love,” says John, “not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” When it comes to gifts – they are free – no strings attached. It’s not a gift that depends on how good you have been for Santa – whether you have been naughty or nice. It’s a free gift. Our love of God does not make the gift a gift. God’s love for us makes it what it is – the forgiveness of sins – our hope in heaven – a child given to us who would die on the cross for us and rise to show us we have a new life. What we look at today is the beginning of great things. These things have already happened. And that is a reason to celebrate – because God loves us even when we don’t show Him the kind of love He deserves.

So, today and tomorrow I want you to keep John’s Christmas message close to your heart. It’s His message of love that brought to us. And that’s exactly what I wanted…from that homeless man who kept on saying, “Pastor, come out here – come outside – I have something to show you.” Of course this man was dressed in layers of old raggedy coats. He had on a stocking cap and an un-kept beard. His gloves had holes in them and so did his shoes. But that didn’t stop him from being excited. He kept on telling me, because I was too slow of foot I suppose, “common, come here – I have something to show you.”

After I had gotten my jacket on and went outside to meet him near the door I saw an old bike that he had been peddling around town and bags on both sides filled with what looked to me like junk.

“Here, Pastor, come here. I have to show you something.” I was still thinking, why couldn’t he just bring it to me, why do I need to be outside? But then I realized why. He had this little manger scene with all the figures deep in one of the big plastic bags that hung from his bicycle. He took them out just to show me. They looked like they were made from wood, but the wood was decayed and very messy. He didn’t want to bring them in because he didn’t want to loose them, get the church dirty, our break his very valuable figurines. He then told me how much they meant to him – and that he just needed to show me that.

We proceeded to go downstairs in the church basement and I was able to get him a can of soup and there was also a bag of chips. He didn’t stay long but I was very happy he took to time to show me his little treasure. I was happy that I went outside with the raggedy old homeless man.

Our Lord came outside – brought outside to us – in a manger. Choirs of angels announced this coming. Shepherd’s left their flocks to see the newborn King. And just as quickly as our Lord was brought to us in Bethlehem, He was brought to the people through the message of hope – through people like Shepherd’s who spread the word throughout the countryside.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” We live through God today in who we are, and tomorrow in what God has made us to be – citizens of heaven. We love because Jesus gave His Son. Come, “come all you who are weary and heavy laden I will give you rest,” says the Lord. Come, Lord Jesus. Come, be our guest. Come and join us for we celebrate together today your precious birth. Thank you for coming to us. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.