We live in a dangerous world today - you and I. But if we know history, we know the world has always been a dangerous place. Back in that fabled garden, according to the story, when Cain killed Abel, one quarter of the world’s population was annihilated. Nothing like that has happened since.

If we move quickly across the pages of history from that Garden of Eden to our own time and place, we still see a world torn by war, oppressed by greed, and enslaved tyranny.

In our kind of world, what does it mean to believe in Christmas?

The three great world religions: Judaism. founded by Abraham. Christianity, founded by the followers of Jesus; and Islam, founded by the followers of Mohammed, have borrowed from one another and all have borrowed from traditions and histories outside their scope.

These three great religions are a blend of our culture, our faith, and our zeal. Judaism celebrates with Hanukkah. Christianity celebrates with Christmas; and Islam celebrates with Rhamadan. All of these celebrations point to the goodness and glory of God.

But for us who name the name of Christ, our religion is special to us. For us, it has meaning that transcends even itself;

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” That is the message of all great religions. But for the Christian, we find it in the birth of a child.

Everywhere we hear the message: in shopping malls, grocery stories, busy streets, city sidewalks, and quite living rooms. The message is about shepherds, angels, kings, cattle, a star, a manger, a mother, and a baby.

To believe in Christmas is to get caught up again in all these images. To believe in Christmas is to have hope for a better world. To believe in Christmas is to believe in the future. To believe in Christmas is to believe in ourselves.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given. So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin; where meek souls will receive him still. The Christ Child enters in.

Walter Russell Bowie put it in these words called A Christmas Creed

I believe in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel that began in Bethlehem.

I believe in him whose spirit glorified a little town; of whose coming only shepherds saw the sign,
but for whom the crowded inn could find no room.

I believe in him whom the kings of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand; whose paths were among the common people; whose welcome came from men of hungry hearts.

I believe in him who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible;

Whose cradle was a mother’s arms
Whose home in Nazareth has love for its only wealth,
Who looked at men and made them see what his love saw in them;
Who by his love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God.

I confess our everlasting need of God’

The need of forgiveness for greed and selfishness.
The need of life for empty souls,
The need of love for hearts grown cold.

I acknowledge the glory of all that is like Christ:

The steadfastness of friends,
The blessedness of homes,
The beauty of compassion
The courage of those who resist all passion, hate, and war.

I acknowledge in Christ a faith that sees beyond the partial fact,

A trust in life redeemed that looks beyond the present evil,
And I pray that this redemption may begin in us.

Let us Pray: