Christmastide is the season when we celebrate God with Us: Emanuel. Celebrations of Christmas are rarely confined to the church building. They flow out into the streets and public spaces and into people’s homes. One of my favorite images of spreading the good news of God in Christ if from tonight’s first reading from Isaiah. “Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent.” The message of God’s salvation proclaimed beyond the walls of the city to those outside. I think as Christians we are called to do this.
One might ask how: I have found that a great way to broaden my own vocabulary as a Christian is to read the Bible: The apostles who encountered Jesus wrote about it in ways that have continued to have great meaning for Christians.
Many of the basic images and most of the vocabulary of the church comes from the writings of the New Testament. A great example of that can be found in tonight’s reading when Paul speaks of the church as the Body of Christ. There are many others.
Our Prayer Book also uses the vocabulary of the Bible. Many of the prayers, and responses are either taken directly from the Bible or rephrased in a way that resonates with Scripture. A great way to learn the how to speak about Jesus to others is through the daily and weekly prayer of the church. Praying and hearing about Jesus makes it easier to begin to speak about Jesus in the same way.
Another great way to learn how to speak about Jesus is by reading through the Bible. I lead a Bible Study most Wednesday nights – we will resume on January 9, 2008. We have been, and will continue to read the letters of Saint Paul, author of our second reading tonight.
This Christmastide, I hope our voices, will not be silent. I hope they will imitate the seasons decorations and spread beyond the walls of the church to those outside as we each proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
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