The World Spins, Jesus Remains

A Sermon for Christmas Day

December 25, 2024

The Rev. Robin Teasley

 

Our family gathers for a simple dinner at the end of Christmas Day, and there is always a German Christmas pyramid in the center of our table. It was a gift from my mother early on in our marriage, and it came from the Lillian Vernon catalog before there was such a thing as online shopping. There are three levels filled with angels, shepherds, magi, sheep and camels, and in the center, the Holy Family. When the candles at its base are lit, the warmth from the candlelight rises up and when it reaches the blades at the top, the pyramid begins to spin, a beautiful Christmas merry go round. 

 

Over the years, the scientists in our household have experimented to determine the best height of the candles, how many candles should be lit at one time, and the perfect degree of slant for the adjustable blades to make the pyramid rotate at just the right speed. Some years my boys delighted in changing the slant of the blades to make the whole thing spin backwards! Too much change in any of these variables can mean the pyramid does not spin at all, or produces messy melting wax, or spins so fast that the tiny figures race around in an undistinguishable blur. Through all of these trials and chaos, however, Jesus, in the center, has remained unscathed.

 

Over the years a few bits and pieces of our pyramid have fallen off, been glued back on, or have been lost in the packing away for the next year. But this treasure has been a constant at our Christmas table, even as our children have grown, or moved far away and cannot always be with us, and as loved ones have finished their time with us in this life. This small, fiery, spinning centerpiece reminds us of the Christmas story, and of love shared through the years, no matter what else was going on in the world around us. It pulls us away from all the other trappings of Christmas, gathers us around the table, and provides us with a moment of quiet and stillness in the ever changing and challenging landscape of life. It reminds us of the constancy of God’s love even as our journey continues. In that moment, God enfolds us in the warmth and light of peace, and in the assurance of Jesus.

For many of us Christmas Day brings a similar feeling. We find ourselves here this morning after the rush and anticipation and joy of Christmas Eve and there is a sense that something has been accomplished, completed. Here in the clear, quiet light we hear the ancient story once more, the story that grounds us even as it reminds us of all the people, places, and events in our past. These unchanging holy words remind us that God has always been with us. These unchanging holy words assure us that God is with us now and will be always. That is what Immanuel means – God with us – God in Jesus coming to live among us.

 

The Gospel tells the beautiful, timeless story of Mary and Joseph on their journey; caught up in life circumstances not of their own making. Worried about how they would care for their child, oppressed by the heavy rule of the empire that forced them to travel, not knowing where they would find shelter, they were weary and in need of a resting place, in need of some hopefulness and reassurance. 

Meanwhile, the shepherds were in the fields, working late into the night in challenging conditions, sleepless from the cold and their constant vigilance for predators. They were also waiting for something, longing for an end to the hardships of life, and in need of rest.

 

As we near the end of the year and move beyond all the excitement and joy of preparation for Christmas, we may find ourselves in need of a moment of quiet and stillness. The world has been spinning too fast, metaphorically melting us, and blurring our sense of normalcy. Many of us could tell a story of how challenging our year has been, even as we hope for an end to the spinning chaos and for things to be restored. All of us need reassurance that Jesus remains. 

 

Like the Holy Family and the shepherds, we may be fearful or exhausted. We pray for healing in this world, healing for those whom we love, and in our own hearts. We want to believe that everything is going to be alright; that the hopes and fears of all the years will be met in the miracle of Incarnation. 

And this is what God gives us for Christmas - a moment in time when we can stop the frantic spinning of this world, a moment when all is calm, all is bright. Even when nothing else seems right, on this day we can focus on Emmanuel, God with us, and know that Jesus remains.

 

The light of Christ spins gently within us, stirring our memories, consoling our sorrows, and warming our hearts. As we hear the story of God who loves us so much, who came to be among us and remain with us always, may we believe, on this day and always, that no matter how fast the world spins, Jesus remains.