Galatians 4:4-7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul too." There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Our new car came with a three month subscription to satellite radio … who knew there were so many radio channels out there! For the holiday season at least four stations were dedicated to playing Christmas music. I happened to be listening to one of those stations the day after Christmas when in the middle of a song it simply disappeared … no more Christmas. For many, that is the way it is … the break in routine is over, it is time to put away the decorations, turn off the Christmas songs, and get back to whatever functions as normal … the hush and mystery of Silent Night by candlelight is gone. But we have come back, knowing there is something more to this mystery of God born into the world. The liturgical calendar tells us we need more than one night to absorb this mystery by giving us the season of Christmas … the twelve days of Christmas. Orthodox Christianity has been much more intentional about maintaining the season of Christmas with their big celebrations being reserved for the ending of the Christmas season, rather than the beginning that we celebrate. The season of Christmas reminds us that the birth is not a simply moment in time that causes us to pause for a moment, but is God breaking into our world to proclaim as we are reminded in our communion liturgy: "the time has come when you would save your people." As we continue to celebrate the season of Christmas this is what we celebrate, a celebration that sends us out to do what one of my favorite writers, Howard Thurman, calls The Work of Christmas. In a poem by that title he writes:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among [brothers,]
To make music in the heart.

Both of the texts we read this morning begin in a similar way: Galatians tells us – in the fullness of time; Luke – when the time had come. The two people we read about in Luke's gospel experience the reality of this fullness of time. Simeon and Anna have both lived their lives in anticipation of the redemption of Israel … they expected it to happen. And so, when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple forty days after his birth as required by custom, both Simeon and Anna are able to see the Christ child for who he is because they have lived their lives in anticipation of this event. We have Simeon's words recorded: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Both Simeon and Anna know the birth of God into the world, the coming of the Christ child in the fullness of time, marks the beginning of God's work in the world. This is not just a moment in time … it is the fullness of time … and it requires of those who hear the news a choice: Will we simply celebrate the moment of Christmas … or will Christmas become the season of our lives as we are sent out to do the work of Christmas?

The work of Christmas is not easy work … Simeon's words also disturb as he says: "This child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul too." These words are a reminder of how disturbing God's birth is. Into the dangerous first century world of politics and evil, God is born as a fragile child in a dirty stable, to a family of ordinary means. Into all the competing claims of emperors as gods, God is born … with the announcement that God is the God of love and justice. It is an announcement that will make all the difference – that power and control are not the way of God … but love and justice is. This will not be good news to all … it was not good news for Herod then, and it is not good news for many now.

But my hope for us is this: Simeon and Anna had peered into many faces over the years, searching for the one that was to come. Finally, they saw their hope in this child and knew that God had brought about redemption for all. We looked into the eyes of the Christ child on Christmas – it is hard to be unmoved in the soft candlelight as Silent Night is sung. But it doesn't end there. Open many a hymnal in many a church to the hymn Silent Night … and you will find that many are marked by wax drippings from years of being sung to candlelight at Christmas Eve services. May we too have been marked by that moment in time … the celebration of Christmas so that we can go to do the work of Christmas. Know that each time you greet a stranger, each time you offer a comforting hug, each tiny gesture you make in offering hospitality is an extension of God's hospitality. The work of Christmas is begun … ..