Sermons

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Christmas Eve December 24, 2001
5pm Family Worship 
Pastor Dan Baumgartner

Tonight, I'd like to read you a story. I may have shared one small piece of it some time ago, but tonight I'd like you to really hear it. The story is called "Christmas Baptism," by Michael Lindvall. I want to give you just a little bit of background before I read.

The story is told by a pastor of a small church in Minnesota (how convenient!).

In the church there in Minnesota was a rather crotchety and long-time member of the church who was also an elder. His name was Angus MacDowell. Angus had a brand-new grandson who was born in Spokane, WA. Despite the pastor's discomfort, Angus had successfully lobbied the elders for permission to have his namesake baptized there in Minnesota. You see, as with us, the normal practice was to encourage baptisms to be done within the child's own community of faith.

That baptism finally took place on Thanksgiving morning. As was the custom in that church, the pastor asked the question "Who stands with this child?" and proud grandpa elder Angus MacDowell and an entire row of family members proudly stood up in support.

(begin reading in "Christmas Baptism"by Michael Lindvall)

It's a great story. And in a funny way, it brings home to us again the surprising circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. Everything was not neat and clean and tidy. NOT the stable, not the gossip of the neighbors, not the shepherds. And yet, willingly, into this messy world, God came in Jesus Christ.

"And in Him was life,
and the life was the light of ALL people.
The light shines in the darkness,
And the darkness has not overcome it."