Christmas Eve Service Homily

Homily

Pastor Alexander

“No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow- Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as-the curse is found.”

The mall is postmillennial.  Secular businesses are postmillennial, caught up in the triumph of God’s incarnation in Christ without even realizing it.  How?  Because they play “Joy to the World! the Lord Is Come.”  The hymn says; “let earth receive her king, the Savior reigns, He rules the world with truth and grace,” and (above).  One day, the courthouse will ring with this truth in the middle of summer.

Sins and sorrows do grow.  Thorns continue to infest the ground.  They draw blood and we curse them spitting and grumbling.  We kick those people or objects that happened to be in our way because we’re angry at the fall. 

We forget, we deserve them.  The rocks, hills and plains want to repeat the sounding joy but they are angry with us, because we have cursed them in our sin.  And so waters sometimes flood us and the lions roar at us, because we cursed them.

But… we are not to live in defeatism.  Christ has come!  Therefore, you are free from passivity and retreat.  Hope is alive.  No more let laziness sleep.  “Wake, Awake, for night is flying!”

In the name of Jesus the Christ people of God, our mission is clear:  Beat back the sins and sorrows of your life because of the triumph of Grace.  Subdue the thorns.  Dominate over the dysfunction around you and in the name of Christ fashion truth, goodness and beauty instead.

Away with pettiness!  Away with bitterness!  Away with the accusatory finger!  Give the Scrooge in your heart a kick down the stairs.  Away with all victim mentalities.

He comes to make His blessings flow!  Let them flow through you first.  Then, beat back the sins, sorrows, and thorns like warriors.  Make blessings flow to others far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found.

Amen.