Wilmot First Presbyterian Church

Scripture: Luke 3:23-38

Gospel of Luke

   Luke is certainly the better known of the Christmas stories. Unlike Matthew, Luke is a gospel for the non-Jews. Unlike Mark, Luke pauses to frame Jesus’s ministry in a geographical and historical situation. Matthew and Luke are both carefully introduced, properly presented and include a genealogy. Whereas Matthew traces Jesus to Abraham, however, Luke traces him all the way back to Seth and Adam.

    We like to know where people come from. It allows us to find some common tie or possible connection that can make us more than acquaintances. We might be kin. Your clan might be mine. Your story might be mine.  When you can trace someone back to Adam, as Luke has done, then there is no doubt.  Mary and Joseph aren’t special strangers, they are our family. That’s my family story on that “No-Vacancy” night.  That is your family.  We belong to Christmas and Christmas belongs to us.  The shepherds weren’t visiting as strangers, they were family.

    Where and who you come from is important.  It’s not destiny, but it is of value.  Your family probably had rituals and traditions which helped remind them of where they came from as well as traditions which helped them prepare for Christmas.  There can be a lot of meaning in that.  Stories and tradition can tell us about who we are, and Luke reminds us we are all connected.  If we could trace our family back far enough, we would find that genetic connection but God also promises a different kind of connection in Jesus’ incarnation.  In Christ we have a family connection that also goes forward and not as 2^nd, 5^th or 3^rd cousins once, twice or 10 times removed but as brothers and sisters; children of God.  That’s a pretty good bond.  We may have some distant genetic connections but we all have an immediate spiritual one through God’s Holy Spirit.  When Christ returns we shall truly be family.

Prayer: Creator God we are some brood of squabbling children.  Still, we know that your love is infinite and ask that we might be better able to see one another as family and love more completely. We thank you for where we have come from, but more so where we are going. Thank you for our room with our family in your house. In Jesus name, Amen.

Activity: how was Christmas celebrated in your family traditions?