Christmas Day Sermon

It is said that the children of the great composer Johan Sebastian Bach found that the easiest way to awaken their father was to play or sing a few lines of music and leave off the last note. The composer would get up immediately, go to the piano and strike the final chord. One Christmas, a father decided to try the same approach on his slugabed household. Up before everyone else, Dad went to the piano in the living room downstairs and played "Silent Night" - purposely leaving off the last note. Then he walked to the bottom of the staircase and listened. The quiet from the children's bedrooms soon gave way to a rumble of activity. The eight-year-old son could be heard trying to find the last note on his harmonica. The teenage daughter was trying to conquer "morning voice" to sing the last note. Finally his wife hustled downstairs. After banging out the last note of the carol on the piano, she eyed her husband, "Donald, did you do that on purpose?" [From Escape the Coming Night by David Jeremiah.]

The last note left off…I love that story. And it fits with our Christmas celebrations, for the last note, God purposely leaves off for us to sing…

Let me tell you a story – The Singing Shepherd by Angela Elwell Hunt
We all are called to give the last note of Christmas, whether we sing it or play it – to make it our own, for no matter who we are, Christmas is for you and for me. For today there is good news of great joy for us all: born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, our Lord. Amen.