Quick Summary:

Tonight is a night of surprises. First and foremost the stunning surprise that in this world which worships prestige, success, and raw power, the Creator of the Universe comes to us as a baby: vulnerable, defenseless, and needy. This is how God chooses to reveal Godself: A naked infant wrapped in birthing blankets, tucked away in a stable, in a one-horse town called Bethlehem. He comes so subtly that we might not even notice. Only a handful of dubious old sheepherders become witnesses. And they are given a deceptively simple sign: YOU WILL FIND A CHILD WRAPPED IN BANDS OF CLOTH AND LYING IN A MANGER.

When we look at the world, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the signs of breakdown:
? Ebola
? Marysville
? Ferguson
? Pakistan
Each name has become, in recent months, another entry into the lexicon of unfathomable pain, sorrow, and loss. Each name reminds us of how truly vulnerable we and those we love are in this world. When the prophet Isaiah speaks of the boots of warriors and of garments rolled in blood, it’s all too easy for us to locate the graphics for what he’s talking about, senseless violence unfolding in places of conflict both across the world and close to home.

But tonight something new is taking place. Not a repeat of the old patterns, but instead something radically fresh, and totally unexpected.