I am so excited to be celebrating Christmas for the first time in The Upper Culm Valley Mission Community. You will be very welcome to join me at 9am for a short communion service in our beautiful tiny chapel at Culm Davy, or at 10am for a Family Communion at St Mary’s in Hemyock.

I have learned something new this year, and it’s the Hebrew word for stable. I don’t speak or read any Hebrew, I barely know a handful of words in New Testament Greek, which is somewhat shocking having spent a year studying it at Theological College. Sometimes though, a gifted Biblical linguist shares a nugget of knowledge which makes my ears and heart stand to attention.

Thanks to Dave Adamson (aussiedave on instagram), this year’s Christmas sermon has a whole new depth to it (do give him a follow in appreciation).

There are many fascinating theologians who dive deep into the original text and culture to reveal more of the Christmas story which has grown in tradition, folklore, and artistic interpretation. Although our Christmas cards and nativity scenes still feature a stable, we now know that Jesus wasn’t born in a stable as we know it. Joseph and Mary, both being of the line of David, had family, living in Bethlehem. They didn’t book ahead because they didn’t need to, Jewish hospitality has always made room for one more.

When Mary and Joseph turn up with their imminent +1 room is made for one more. The home is crowded with extended family, and the only quiet place Mary can find is the one where the animals are usually kept (it is still part of the home, but not usually a guest room), hence Jesus being laid in a manger.

Somehow the word ‘Stable’ has become part of our retelling of the Christmas story, and perhaps this is why. Perhaps the gospel writers weren’t writing about the literal place in which Mary gave birth, but the status Jesus took in taking in being humanly born.

Jesus, the divine creator of the universe, sinks down to a world that is breaking; a world that no longer has room for him, a world where he will be mistaken for the illegitimate son of a lowly carpenter (actually a proper translation would be ‘odd job man’), a mad man, a criminal, a blasphemer…

As we look around us we know that this world is broken once more. Our world leaders, our religious leaders (some of them) are corrupt and manipulative. our health care system is at breaking point (and we are the fortunate ones), and once more we need a miracle.

And Jesus takes pity on us and says ‘Here I am’. Emmanuel. God with us.

Can we respond to Jesus, ‘Here I am’ and allow him into our hearts and homes? Allow him to expand our knowledge, our compassion and understanding, giving us the wisdom and courage to follow him, even when the world rejects him?