24th December 2024 at 11.30pm – Christmas Midnight Eucharist

The Readings

Hebrews 1.1-12

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son;
today I have begotten you’?
Or again,
‘I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son’?
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’
Of the angels he says,
‘He makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of fire.’
But of the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever,
and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’
And,
‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like clothing;
like a cloak you will roll them up,
and like clothing they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will never end.’

John 1.1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 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.

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By the Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.

Of all the stories that are told about Jesus of Nazareth – the hillside sermons, the healings, the last supper, the crucifixion, the rising again – of all the stories, it is surely this one, the birth, that seems to move us the most. We even leave our warm homes and come to church on a December night.

So why does the celebration of the baby at Bethlehem have such power to move us? I think part of the answer is this.

We no longer live in an age of faith. Faith is not something you take in with your mother’s milk. These days there has to be more of a conscious decision or act of will. So we look around, wondering where God is, wanting some sort of sign of his presence.

We do, of course, have signs of God, all the time – though our more hectic and urban world tends to put many out of reach. Take the sign of silence.

I once went camping on the Yorkshire moors, miles from anywhere. It is awesome to stand at night, under the stars, in total darkness, in complete silence. Silence, stillness, peace can be a sign of God. We can become aware of his presence.

But even silence may not be enough. We need more than the sense of God’s presence. We want him to break the silence. We want to know something of his nature, his mind, his purpose. What is God like? This takes us to the sign of the baby in the manger.

Some time ago, at a civic service, I met a journalist from the Sunday Times. She spends her working life writing stories about famous people. She had very clear ideas about the character of various well-known women and men. ‘How do you know what these people are really like,’ I asked. ‘Do you go on what they tell you?’ ‘Good heavens, no,’ she said. ‘I read their body language. That tells me everything.’

Body language. Whatever people say about themselves, their body language gives them away.

This woman says she likes children, but we are not convinced because we see how she reacts when a child comes near. He says he loves his wife, and we believe him, because we see the way he looks at her from across the room.

Body language. The real truth about us is embodied truth, truth made flesh.

And this is the great Christian claim of Christmas: that the truth of God is this night embodied, made flesh. Jesus is a sign of God, because he is, if you like, God’s body language.

Other religions put words before us and tell us to listen. The holy Quran of Islam is said to be God’s words, which Mohammed hears and has written down. Similarly, the prophets and rabbis, the gurus and teachers of all the faiths have plenty of words to put our way. But Christianity invites us to do something different: to read the body language, to see the baby of Bethlehem as the embodied sign of God.

So the Christmas sign of God isn’t words. We are not celebrating tonight the appearance of a book or a creed. Nor have we come here to be harangued, or even preached at!

We are not being told what to do or to think. Like the shepherds and the wise men before us, we approach a manger turned into a crib, and see heavenly love made flesh. How we respond to that is then up to us. We can ignore what we find and go on our way; or we can be spiritually renewed.

Though notice this. If all that was on offer tonight were words, if God had simply preached at us, we might easily have closed ourselves up and become defensive. But God as a baby, coming among us in total vulnerability and with no trappings of wealth or power or position – no threat to us, no power over us - that opens us up, to adore, to love.

The things that normally close us up and stand in the way of our being opened – our selfishness, our snobbery, our posturing, our bullying, our ridiculous self-importance – all that disfiguring nonsense just falls away at the manger. It seems too silly for words.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. The Christmas sign of God is the child in the manger. This is God’s body language. Here, tonight, is the truth about God made flesh.

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath B.

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Father, in this holy night your Son our Saviour
was born in human flesh.
Renew your Church as the Body of Christ.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night there was no room for your Son in the inn.
Protect with your love those who have no home
and all who live in poverty.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night Mary, in the pain of labour,
brought your Son to birth.
Hold in your hand all who are in pain or distress.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night your Christ came as a light shining in the darkness.
Bring comfort to all who suffer in the sadness of our world.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night the angels sang, ‘Peace to God’s people on earth.’
Strengthen those who work for peace and justice
in all the world.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night shepherds in the field heard good tidings of joy.
Give us grace to preach the gospel of Christ’s redemption.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night strangers found the Holy Family,
and saw the baby lying in the manger.
Bless our homes and all whom we love.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night heaven is come down to earth,
and earth is raised to heaven.
Hold in your hand all those who have passed through death
in the hope of your coming kingdom.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

In this holy night Christians the world over celebrate Christ’s birth.
Open our hearts that he may be born in us today.
Holy God
hear our prayer.

Father,
in this holy night angels and shepherds worshipped at
the manger throne.
Receive the worship we offer in fellowship with Mary,
Joseph and the saints
through him who is your Word made flesh,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

24th December 2024 at 11.30pm – Christmas Midnight Eucharist