Love Came Down at Christmas

Love Came Down at Christmas

1 John 3:1-3

Most of us know John 3:16 by heart—but just to remind you:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

Many Christmas carols speak about God’s love.  It’s easy to sing those carols.  It’s easy to quote Scripture.  It’s easy to do all the surface stuff that makes us look good, that makes us look like we’re “religious” (whatever that means)—easy to do the things that make other people respond positively to us.  But how deep does our belief really go?  Beauty may be only skin deep, but it’s possible for religion to be even shallower.

            When we talk about love coming down at Christmas, what do we mean?  What kind of love are we talking about?  What does that love do for us?  What does that love do to us?  Does it make a difference in our lives?  If so, how does Christmas love change us?

            I think Paul’s place in Christian history would have been secured if he had done nothing more than written 1 Corinthian 13—the “Love Chapter.”  Often used at weddings, where it can have real significance for a couple about to pledge their lives to each other, these verses accurately describe Christmas love.  Paul says:

            Love is patient and kind;

            Love does not envy or boast;

            Love is not arrogant or rude;

            Love does not insist on its own way;

            Love is not irritable or resentful;

            Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth;

            Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

            Paul wrote these words to a congregation that was tearing itself apart.  The members of the First Church of Corinth were squabbling over nit-picky little things—much like our congregations today.  Paul wanted them to stop fighting over nonessentials and love each other, just as God had loved all of them enough to sacrifice God’s Son for them. This is the difference Christmas love should make in our lives.

            Jesus Christ was born so that by his life, death and resurrection he might save the world.  Those of us tasked with spreading this good news don’t seem to be doing a very effective job of getting Jesus’ message across to the world.  Why haven’t we made a difference with the gospel?

 We haven’t made a difference because we’re too busy arguing over who has the right doctrines, and who says the right words in prayer, and who has the right formula for successful worship.  Just like that Corinthian congregation in the first century, we get so hung up on nonessentials that we lose sight of the objective of Christmas love. 

Look again at Paul’s “love list.”  When we speak about our faith, are we patient and kind with others?  Do we boast that we know the true Christian way?  Are we arrogant or rude in how we spread the gospel?  Do we insist that our interpretation is the right one and all those others are false?  Are we irritable about the way other churches worship or believe differently from us, or resentful that they seem to draw bigger crowds than we do?

“Love came down at Christmas,” the hymn says; “Love all lovely, love divine.”  Another Advent hymn begins, “Love divine, all loves excelling, joy from heaven to earth come down.”

What difference is this love making in our lives?  How has being in touch with Christmas love changed us?  How do we stack up against Paul’s list of love’s characteristics?  Christmas is getting close.  We’d better start loving.