December 1998 Issue

Truth can be expressed in a variety of ways.

But if that truth be Christmas, well, the more ways the merrier.

How does the truth of Christmas,

impress itself upon our senses?

How comes it near,

how do we hear,

a truth,

that of our life becomes a part,

and touches one's most hidden heart?

How does it come alive,

and live,

in you and me?

Truth can be expressed in many ways,

but if the truth be Christmas, well...

the more ways the merrier.

St. Luke a story once did tell,

a story known and loved so well,

a story told once, and told again—

and again

countless times

these past few weeks,

these past 2,000 years.

How impoverished we would be,

had Luke not told,

this story,

for us to hold,

tightly in our hearts.

How blessed we are by the story of a child,

and of angels who,

like midwives,

attended his birth.

St. Luke told well how Joseph took his wife,

wondrously with child,

into the midst of history,

when Augustus was emperor,

and Quirinius was governor.

A simple story to us comes down,

of simple folks in David's town.

Born in a manger,

No room in the inn.

Wrapped in cloth in the middle of the night.

"for to you is born this day in the city of David, a savior...who is the Messiah, the Lord."

"and this will be the sign,

you will the baby find,

lying in a manger."

Luke tells a story.

We know it well. Within our hearts it comes to dwell,

each Christmas.

And,

if we be fortunate,

to linger through the year.

Truth can be expressed in a variety of ways.

And if the truth be told, and if that truth be Christmas, well,

the more ways the merrier.

So welcome John, and let him sing,

another song of heaven's king.

No angels

no mangers

no flocks by night

no heavenly light,

no Mary mild,

and no little child.

Yet John, too, tells of Christmas.

We find Christmas in the words,

of one who tells us of the WORD.

Call it a poem,

call it a song,

call it theology passed along.

Call these words of John what you will.

It is the word of Christmas still.

"In the beginning"—a familiar word,

in Genesis it first was heard.

"In the beginning"—familiar words,

in John we hear them echo.

In the beginning...

In the beginning God...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...

But what has all of this to do with Christmas?

Plenty!

In the beginning...

In the beginning was...

In the beginning was the Word.

The Word.

Active in creation with the Father from all eternity.

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 were made through him,

and without him was not anything made that was made.

"From heaven above to earth I come..." Friend Luther once wrote long ago.

He sings John's song.

He sings of Jesus, who did not

begin in Mary's womb,

who did not,

spring to existence in a manger,

who did not,

take origin from human flesh,

but in and from eternity.

The Word became flesh,

became flesh, mind you.

Became flesh,

and dwelt among us.

He who from all eternity is God,

who planted the trees

and laid the sod,

who sent out the breeze on the

very first day

who watered the earth

did not begin by a human birth.

!-- Generation of PM publication page 7 -->

But with the Father had a hand,

in making this delightsome land.

Who with the Spirit reigned on high,

before he made the first bird fly.

That God, begotten from the Father before all worlds,

God from God, light from light,

true God from true God,

through whom all things were made—

that God,

for us and for our salvation

came down from heaven,

and was made man.

He comes as the light in our darkness.

He comes full of grace and truth.

He comes to show us the glory of the Father.

He comes to show us the face of God.

And from his fullness have we all received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses.

Grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

Grace and truth.

Christmas truth.

This is the truth of Christmas—that no one had seen God.

Until the Word became flesh.

The Word—Jesus—the Son only in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.

In Jesus we know and see God.

In the beginning...

In the beginning God...

In the beginning God created...

In the beginning...

In the beginning was the Word...

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the

Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Truth can be expressed in a variety of ways,

but oh if the truth be told, and if that truth be Christmas, the

more ways the merrier.

Luke tells a story.

John unfolds its glory

And the truth takes form

in your life and mine.

But not the least among the ways,

to experience Christmas all our days,

is a meal.

Bread and wine.

Bands of cloth, if you will,

wrapping up the child still,

wrapping up a holy sign,

which once the shepherds went to find.

Bread and wine—here we meet,

the giver of new life complete.

Here we meet the one

who came to meet us,

Christ the Lord.

In bands of cloth, a savior.

With bands of cloth, a savior.

Under bands of cloth, a savior.

In the bread and wine, a savior.

With the bread and wine, a savior.

Under the bread and wine, a savior.

Truly present.

As truly present here today as when he slept upon the hay.

As truly present here today,

as in heaven on creation's day.

As truly present,

as in Mary's womb when angel spoke,

as in Bethlehem when morning broke,

as in Joseph's arms that held him safe,

when to Egypt they did make escape.

As truly present in our bread,

as on the cross that made him dead,

pierced with a Roman spear.

nailed with Roman nails.

Victim of sin and Roman injustice

object of the crowd's derision.

Present in this bread and wine,

to be the Savior—yours and mine.

All our sins to take away,

to reconcile us today,

to God and to each other.

Present—

truly present here

His body broken

life blood spilled

the Father's righteous anger stilled

to bring us life

to set us free,

from death's dead sting, eternally.

Truth can be expressed in a variety of ways.

But, oh, if the truth be told, and if that truth be Christmas,

the more ways the merrier.

Give thanks for Luke who wrote the story.

It is the church's Christmas glory.

Give thanks for John whom God has sent,

to help us know what Christmas meant.

Give thanks to God for all the ways

the Savior still invades our days.

But not least cause for celebration

give thanks for Jesus' invitation,

to come and eat.

Take into your hand today,

the very God to whom we pray.

And know that he has come among us,

to heal you,

to empower you,

to forgive you,

to lift up your praise,

to call forth your thanks,

to help your remembrance,

and to give you a foretaste of the feast to come.

Come, taste, and see that the Lord is good,

and know that this, too, is Christmas truth.

The truth can come in many ways,

and when that truth be Christmas, well,

the more ways the merrier.

Amen.

Rodney A. Juell