Super Bloom. A Christmas message

Luke 2:1-20

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Last spring, part of the California wilderness sprang to life in what was called an unexpected super-bloom.  Over the course of a few weeks, suddenly, wide square miles of the dry desert came to life and were carpeted with lilies, poppies, primroses and vibrant green plants.  It was a display so colorful and astounding it could be seen from space.  The dry and dusty California desert doesn’t take out her party clothes very often, but when she does, she is all color, life and joy.

Psalm 98 (which is the basis for the beloved hymn “Joy to the world,”) sings:

Shout for joy to the Lord,

all the earth, burst into jubilant song…

Let the rivers clap their hands,

let the mountains sing together for joy.

Our Christmas story is chalk full of joy.  The angel promises Zechariah that he will have “joy and gladness. ”When Mary greets her cousin, Elizabeth, the baby “leaped for joy” and Mary exclaims “My spirit rejoices in God!” The angels exclaim, to the shepherds “we bring you good news of great Joy!”  Later when Simeon meets Jesus in the temple, he is infused with a profound joy  and says that the Lord can now let him depart in peace. All throughout Luke’s telling of Jesus’ birth there is a steady stream of joy, some of it pondered in the quiet of hearts, some of it exalted to the highest heavens. 

The presence of Joy is all over one of our most beloved stories and holidays in our Christian tradition.  And yet, we don’t hit on joy a lot in our Christian faith.  We talk about discipleship, and hard times, and hospitality, and sin, and doubt and a lot of other things…but joy?  It doesn’t seem to be at the top of the list of what it means to be people of faith.  Christians are known for a lot of things these days—some of them good, and some of them kind of terrible—and I don’t know if I’d say that any of the top things we’re known for is joy. In fact, except for the time or two we sing about joy in church, we can even be critical of joy. 

Think of all the conversation and critique around the humble exclamation point particularly in email communications. Lest we be perceived as too friendly or enthusiastic or too concerned with tone, we’re told to leave our exclamation points at the door.  Designer, Ingrid Fetell Lee has a popular Ted talk where she suggests that “adults who exhibit genuine joy are seen as childish or too feminine or unserious or self-indulgent, and so we hold ourselves back from joy.”  We hold ourselves back from joy... 

You know, the California wilderness has had a rough go of it the last few years—the last decade.  Why have we had these super blooms now, this last spring? Why this unexpected explosion of color in the dry California desert?  Yes, as I said, we’ve had some volatile climate related weather in the last years, but with it, we’ve actually had wildfires that have burned out invasive plants across the mountains.  Then, Southern California had an unusually rainy fall in 2018 followed by a chilly winter that locked the moisture into the ground, and boom.  (Or Bloom.)  As it turns out, harsh and unfavorable climate conditions paved the way for wildflower seeds that were dormant for many seasons to collectively wake up and blanket the mountains with beauty.  It was like, one starry night last spring? in the midst of the pain of climate change, and the earth groaning, God spoke promise into pain and the mountains clapped their hands in joy and erupted in a joyful super bloom.

Our Christmas story tonight is set in a place where so much seems to be lost and hurting. An ancient nation living under Roman occupation, a baby born out of wedlock, no room at the inn, a family in an urgent situation that finds shelter in a barn.  And in those most expected places, people erupt in great joy! Because God is always in that business, right?  Coming into places where life just isn’t quite perfect and reminding us that we’re not alone.

So what is this joy that we sing about?

There are a lot of thoughts on that, but one for you is that the Greek words for grace and joy share a common root.  We could even say that Joy may be the feeling of grace.  As Karoline Lewis says, maybe “joy is that indescribable feeling you have when you find yourself experiencing abundant grace. Think about it: Could it be? That the unexpected moment of grace in our lives actually bring in the feeling of joy?

An impossible situation of a baby born in the most difficult situations and God enters in with pure grace—joy to the world!

Humble and poor shepherds in the fields, some of the poorest of the land, and God fills the night sky with angels and says fear not. I am here with you. I have not forgotten you. I am with you. The Grace of God. And they respond with joy.

An unexpected and tasty meal brought to the family who needs some extra support? The Grace of God. Joy to the world!

In the midst of grief of losing a loved one, sitting around the kitchen table and remembering a life well lived— The Grace of God —joy to the world!

A well for the draught stricken village in Milawi— The Grace of God —joy to the world!

The young adult who comes out as gay and is enveloped in love by their community? The Grace of God —joy to the world!

Singing silent night in a worship service and knowing deep in our bones that we’re not alone— The Grace of God —joy to the world!

Unexpected and extravagant Kindness on a particularly difficult day— The Grace of God —joy to the world!

The weary deserts in California exploding in a super bloom? The Grace of God —joy to the world!

My family sitting around the kitchen table with me and talking out this sermon a few hours ago? The Grace of God —joy to the world!

Where do you find unexpected grace in your life?

Where do you hear God speaking promise into pain?

I can’t say exactly what is going on your world this Christmas evening.  Maybe you’re at the top of the world. Things are great! Exclamations points abound.  And then, maybe, things are not quite as you hoped they would be. Regardless of where you are, know this: God loves us so fiercely that God couldn’t wait to bring us Jesus.  God couldn’t wait to remind us that light triumphs over dark.  God couldn’t wait and won’t wait to show us that God Immanuel is with all of us.

So, Luther Memorial, how are we blessing the world with grace? How are we sowing seed of joy around us?  Where are you called are we called to bless life with grace upon grace?  Where are you called to usher in joy?  Because that, dear ones, is the work of Christmas.