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The Christmas season has unfolded around us for many weeks. Red and green color schemes in advertising campaigns and store decorations have been evident since October. Parties, family events, office and school and neighborhood events have all come and gone. In these closing hours until Christmas day, so much may yet need to be done. Anticipation has had opportunity to take root and grow to overwhelming proportions. At the center of it all is the baby in the manger on that first Christmas day. On Christmas Eve we focus our attention on Jesus who is Immanuel.

Ten minutes. 

I hope our service tonight has helped you celebrate the birth of Jesus and the entire gospel story surrounding his birth.  In all my years of being a follower of Jesus, I’ve found the account we’ve reviewed from the Bible and through song is both compelling and historically accurate.  I place my trust in it and I hope you do as well. 

We built our service tonight on a model that was first used at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England.  It was 1918 when the then-new dean of the chapel decided to try something outside the normal liturgy for Christmas Eve.  He took scripture and song, used a variety of readers and let all of these elements build the progressive story of Jesus’ birth from the prophets to the manger.  That service was called “Lessons and Carols.”

Ten minutes.

As we planned all the aspects of our worship for tonight, it didn’t allow much time for a message.  When all was said and done it appeared that the preaching of the word, always a requirement in worship, would be done in ten minutes.  “Pat, are you sure you are okay with this?”  “Sure.  Singing, reading the Word of God and all the rest are important.  So, whatever time you can give me is fine.”  “But, Pat, our messages are normally around twenty-three minutes.  Can you do this in ten minutes?”  “Yes, of course.”

And we are down to eight and a half minutes.

I’d like to read once again a portion of Matthew’s gospel right now.  It’s at the end of Matthew chapter one, starting at verse twenty-two.  This is God’s holy Word: 

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Then Joseph took care of everything according to all we’ve heard about tonight.  When the baby was born “he gave him the name Jesus” just as the angel had instructed.

Eight minutes.

Two names:  Immanuel and Jesus. 

As is customary, I was given my two names shortly after my birth.  As the family story goes my eleven year old brother and eight year old sister were each given the opportunity to give me one of my names.  To this day they won’t fess up as to who chose which name.  In fact, one of them denies any knowledge of this bit of family lore.  But, I think it’s quite true.  The name I go by, Pat or Patrick, is my middle name and it means “nobleman.”  My other name is my first, the mysterious first initial “R”.  That name is “Roger” and it means “warrior”.  So, I am “warrior nobleman.”  But, you can just call me “Pat”.  I’m absolutely confident that neither of my siblings had a clue as to the root meaning of these names.  They just liked them and forever labeled me as Roger Patrick.

Seven minutes.

When Mike and Nancy Smith named me, it was significant to me and my family.  When God names someone, it is significant to everyone.  God doesn’t choose a name haphazardly or spontaneously.  God names with direct and lasting purpose.  Immanuel and Jesus.  The two names given to the baby in the manger whose birth we celebrate tonight.  In these names is deep meaning.  These names invite us to look beyond gifts and lights, trees and food, family and friends, loneliness and togetherness, traditions and serendipities.  These names invite us into the very heart of God for every one of us.  I mean it.  Every single one of us.

Six minutes.

Immanuel.  To get the sense of this name we only really have to know two of its letters:  “e” and “l”.  El.  It is one of the names of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the one true, living God.  If you turn to the names of Bible characters and check out the “el” names, you’ll see what I mean:  Othniel is “God is power”.  “Jemuel” is “God is light”.  Daniel is “God is my judge.”  Joel is interesting in that it both begins and ends with one of God’s names, “Jo” and “El” and means “God is God”.  So, when we see “el” in a name it means the creator God of the universe.  Immanuel means “God with us”.  Let me repeat that:  God with us.  God with us.  God with us.  And the very idea of such a moment in time will either move us to run away cowering or place us utterly speechless and prostrate on the floor.  Anything else is the worst kind of indifference of all.  If God really was here with us, our response would say it all.  “God is with us” is the baby in the manger.

Jesus.  It is the common vernacular, trade language Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua.  It also contains one of the names of God, the “Jo” sound.  So, if we look for the names in Scripture that begin with “jo” we would find among others:  “Joab”, “God is father”, “Jonathan”, “God is given”, and Joram, “God is high”.  “Joshua” (or Jesus) means “God is salvation”.  And you are either in need of salvation tonight or you already have it.  Wait a minute.  We were doing this name game thing and now I’m setting before you something about salvation?  That’s a pretty tricky slight of hand kind of thing here on Christmas Eve you might think.  “Come on, warrior nobleman, I mean Pat; don’t mess with my evening of friends, family, tradition, fun and church experience.  I mean after all this is Christmas.  Why are you talking about salvation?”

Four minutes.

I’m talking about salvation because the manger is all over it.  The baby in the manger calls out to us as forthrightly as . . . well as if God himself came and stood among us.  “Immanuel”.  “God with us.”  “Jesus”.  “God is salvation.”  God is the baby in the manger and this baby is salvation.  The word salvation denotes a deliverance from danger or difficulty; a preservation from destruction or failure.  Extend a hand to someone who is drowning and that person will gladly receive the hand of the rescuer.  Come upon a lost hiker and that person will joyously accept help to get back home.  Speak a word of salvation to someone who knows desperately the need of it and the response is immediate.  In danger, we rush to safety; desperate, we abandon ourselves to relief.

Three minutes and counting.

You and I are in one of two places as we join the celebration of the birth of “God with us, God is salvation.”  We are either already rescued and delivered or we are in need of rescue and deliverance.  In which position are you?  One of Jesus’ first followers was once jailed and then brought before the high court in his home country and charged with believing in Jesus.  He seized the opportunity to boldly state, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.” 

If you have recognized your need for deliverance from sin and death and surrendered your life into the life of Jesus, you are here to celebrate your savior who is God with us.  We who fit that description can worship God all through this night, thankful for the salvation that is ours in Jesus.  If you have not committed your life to Jesus, admitting you are in deep trouble in the life you have made for yourself, the life for which you have settled, you can take hold of the invitation of God himself for your salvation even tonight.  This can come with words as simple as, “God, I don’t know you.  But, tonight I want to.  I’m not yours, but tonight I am ready to be yours.  Forgive me.  Use me.  I am ready to live the way of Jesus, God with us and my salvation.”

Tonight we have journeyed to the manger.  You’ve been invited to consider your journey to God.  I’m glad you’ve taken this journey.  Listen for the prompting of God in your feelings, your thoughts and in the deepest part of you beyond all feeling and thought.  Step into the presence of Jesus, the baby in the manger.

One minute.  In the quiet of this night, I offer you the opportunity to listen and respond to Jesus, God with us, our salvation.