Let’s leave the debate about fact vs. fiction aside for a moment, 

say Borg and Crossan.

Perhaps there’s a third way of looking at the story:

As a parable and an overture.

Christmas Eve A 2019  

Wherever you are on the journey, you are welcome here. 

Here, yes here, you are welcome: 

In this place where community gathers. Where we take pause. 

In this place where life is born among us and for us. 

In this place where God gathers us in to make all things new.

And it all begins with a baby....

“Let’s talk about sex” is great click-bait for a sermon blog!

This repentance that John proclaimed, and Jesus fine tuned, writes Westerhoff. “Is as much to lament our sins or be sorry for what we've done or left undone; as it is to have faith, to perceive life and our lives in a new way.”

Christ is the image of God.

We can’t see God (because God is invisible) 

but we can see Jesus…he’s a lot closer…

he was a man who walked, talked, ate, 

slept, suffered, just like us.

Let us pray.

Creating God,

We walk by faith and not by sight trusting in your steadfast love along the journey.  Small steps are faithful steps. Help us to keep putting one foot in front of the other and when your spirit leads, set us free to run with the wind. For it is in you, we live and move and have our being. Amen

 

Introduction

...

What would happen if we acknowledge that in some ways, from a global perspective, we the global 1%, are symbolically represented by the judge of this parable?

God thinks we are all so precious 

that it’s worth throwing a heavenly party for.

In some ways the mind-boggling theology of the Trinity, 

is as beyond human comprehension 

as the violence and destruction that causes people to flee and seek refuge in foreign countries.

And today, you get to speak for yourselves: 

to affirm your baptismal vows in front of the congregation;

that you want to be active Christians, participating in the life of the church, serving, and helping, and sharing your faith with others in word and deed.