JOHN 1:1-18

[1:1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[2] He was in the beginning with God.

[3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

[4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

[5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

[7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

[8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.            

[9] The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

[10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

[11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

[12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

[13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.            

[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

[15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

[16] And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

[17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

[18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Is nothing sacred?  That’s a question that needs to be asked these days.  It’s a question that needs to be asked when the stores are open on Sunday.  It’s a question that needs to be asked when you hear the Lord’s Name taken in vain on television.  That used to be a “no no” but unfortunately times have changed!  You realize that nothing’s really sacred when you hear people say “Happy holidays” instead of Merry Christmas. Sad to say, but we also don’t have Christmas trees anymore.  If you want to be politically correct you’re supposed to call them holiday trees.

If that’s what they are then  here’s a thought.  Why don’t we change the words to “O Christmas Tree” to “O Holiday Tree” and sing these words instead:

O holiday tree, O holiday tree

Your lights are good for profits.

Your presents make cash registers sing.

And fill our days with lots of bling.

O holiday tree, O holiday tree

Your lights are good for profits.

O holiday tree, O holiday tree

No Christ allowed in Christmas.

You bring us back to pagan days.

And show the error of our ways.

O holiday tree, O holiday tree.

No Christ allowed in Christmas.

Unfortunately, nothing these days is sacred.  I saw that some time ago when I read about a company that is doing something that, in my mind, is downright sacrilegious.  The company is called LifeGem and for a mere $4,000 it will take the ashes of someone you love and turn them into a beautiful quarter karat diamond.  If you go to the company’s website you’ll see that the company’s mission is offer “Comfort and support when and where you need it.”  Apparently when and where is in  materialistic ring on your finger. (www.lifegem.com)  Can you believe it? A grieving widow shows you her new diamond and says, “My husband always did have a twinkle in his eye.”  Talk about recycling!

This trend away from the sacred is why I like the birth story that you find in John’s Gospel.   That birth story is very, very different from the more familiar birth story that you find in Luke’s Gospel.   In John’s Gospel there are no shepherds…No angels singing in the heavens…No magi…No quaint little stable…No tiny baby asleep in the hay.  What you have instead is a theologically profound pronouncement that goes like this:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

  He was in the beginning with God…

  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth, and we have     

  beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.”

Luke’s birth story focuses on the earthly Jesus who was human.  John’s birth story focuses on the heavenly Christ who is divine.   Luke’s birth story focuses on the cute and cuddly baby.  John’s birth story focuses on the Christ who is high and holy; the Christ who reveals to us a God who is awesome and amazing; a God whose glory cannot be fully grasped; a God who is full of majesty and shrouded in mystery.

Is nothing sacred?  John’s answer to that question is a resounding yes.  The Word is sacred.  God is sacred.  God’s truth is sacred and God’s grace is sacred!  So, why is that we’re moving more and more away from that sacred God to that secular society?              I have a theory.   It has to do with entitlement. Think about it.  When nothing is sacred it means that you don’t have a God  that you have to listen to and obey.  What you have instead is a God who is only there to love you.  What you have instead is a God who is only there to help you solve your problems. So, you’re free to do as you please because no matter what you do God is always going to be there to love you.  Now I don’t know about you but that doesn’t sound like a sacred kind of love to me.  That sounds like a sweet and sentimental and sappy kind of love to me.

All of this is why the birth story in John’s Gospel is so important.  

“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 full of grace and truth and we have seen his glory. Glory as of the only Son from the Father.”  (RSV)

What we need to do then is to put God back on the throne.  It is said that when Louis IXV of France died the priest who conducted

 his funeral did something that surprised everyone.   The cathedral was full of people who had come to pay their tribute to the great Sun King.  On the altar there was a single candle that was there to symbolize the greatness of the Sun King.  When the time came for the eulogy the priest walked over to that candle and snuffed it out.   Then in the darkness of the cathedral came the words, “Only God is great.”

So, how do we stop the march toward that increasingly secular society?   How do we bring people back to the sacred God who came to dwell among us full of grace and truth? Well, you won’t do it by shaming and blaming those who have succumbed to temptations of secularism.  You do it by helping people see what they’re missing.  You do it by helping people see the joy and the peace and the love that is waiting for them when they follow the Word who was God and is God and came to bring us back to God.

You do it by showing people that they can be just like the woman who had a dream one night. In the dream the woman and the Lord were walking along a beach.  In the sand the woman saw that the Lord's footprints were steady and consistent. Her footprints, on the other hand, were all over the place. Zigs and zags, starts and stops and turnaround circles. After a while though, the woman’s footprints fell into line with the Lord’s. That’s the way it went for many miles. Then something strange happened.  Suddenly, the women’s smaller footprints were inside the Lord’s footprints. After a while the smaller footprints started to grow.   They grew and grew until they disappeared entirely. Now there was only one step of footprints and the woman was filled with joy. Then something terrible happened. The second set of footprints reappeared, and this time both sets of footprints were all over the place. Once again there were zigs and zags, starts and stops, turnaround circles and deep gashes in the sand…a veritable mess of prints.  The woman was deeply troubled by what she saw. “Lord,” she said, ‘I understand the first scene with all the chaotic footprints. I was lost and confused. You walked beside me patiently until I learned to walk with you. “That is correct,” the Lord said.  “Yes,” the woman replied, “and then when the smaller footprints were inside yours, I was trying to follow you very closely.”  “Very good,” the Lord said.  “You have understood everything so far.”  “Yes,” the woman said, “and then when the smaller footprints grew and became one with yours  I was becoming more and more like you.” “Precisely,” the Lord said.  At that point there was a pause.  The woman bowed her head and said, “But then there were two sets of footprints again and it was even worse than it was in the beginning. What happened? Did I regress?  Did I do something wrong? Did I fail you?” The Lord smiled and said, “My precious child, don’t you remember? That was when we danced.”

You won’t find that kind of life in the secular world.  Right now the WORD is calling us to spread the Word that there is peace and joy and love waiting for follow the WORD to the sacred God who is high and holy, the sacred God who is awesome and amazing, the sacred God who is full of majesty and shrouded in mystery..  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

January 2, 2011