The message was loud and clear! The shepherds were not confused about the message. “For unto you is born in the city of
Guess what this means (tap out this Morris Code)
*--- * *** **- ***! Answer? Jesus!
Loud and Clear!!
In 1838, Samuel Morse could send 10 words per minute on what we know as Morris Code. Reginald Fessenden was was the eldest son of an Anglican minister. One hundred and one years ago in 1906 on Christmas Eve from his workshop in
We have expanded our communication abilities in the last one hundred years from the telegraph to the telephone to the answering machine and email and cell phones. If anything we have more messages being sent to us and bombarding us all the time. Messages are loud and messages are many! And maybe the Christmas message has been changed and the advertising has confused us about what the meaning of Christmas is all about.
“A woman was doing her last-minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall. She was tired of fighting the crowds. She was tired of standing in lines. She was tired of fighting her way down long aisles looking for a gift that had sold out days before. Her arms were full of bulky packages when the elevator door opened. It was full. The occupants of the elevator grudgingly tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load. As the doors closed she blurted out, “Whoever is responsible for this whole Christmas thing ought to be arrested, strung up, and shot!” A few others nodded their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from somewhere in the back of the elevator came a single voice that said, “Don’t worry. They already crucified him.”[2]
This is the Christmas message the angels the night of the birth of Jesus was loud and clear! The angel is the ANNOUNCER, saying, “Fear not, I am bringing you good news of great job for all the people… a child will be born…a savior for all people.”
The recipients of this message were the shepherds! They are the garbage men of the day! They’re just trying to earn their keep working with in the fields smelling like the stinking garbage like sheep. To YOU is born this day…”
The message is given to all of us who have the smell of the stink of life upon them. I heard the message of the angels this morning as I sat eating breakfast! The sound of a garbage truck bringing good news! I chased down the garbage truck this morning! I heard him and ran three doors down and the last house on the street toward Broadway I’m pulling my garbage can. He dumped the last of three cans and I stood there. I forgot, do you mind? Sure! His only words! Sure! Then I looked at the neighbors.
The message is sent to us this night again. We who may feel like life stinks; that life isn’t worth living; that Christmas is too hard when you miss a loved one who isn’t with us for the first time at Christmas. You feel like junk and you don’t know how you the message will touch you again.
But you hope for reclamation. I discovered this fall that 1-800-GOT-JUNK! The
That even stuff that might not be considered worth anything is valued and treasured. Even when things are hectic and crazy, these words come directly to the shepherds and to us in our fields of working. The message was not whispered to just one but to many and to us it is communicated clearly, “For unto us is born this day in the city of
Let us pray: Gracious God, the message is loud and clear, Jesus is born to set us free from the power of sin and receives our junk and places it on the cross. Cause us to hear the message loud and clear.
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