1 Corinthians 11: 23-25

I visited The Sacred Made Real exhibition at the National Gallery last week.

In 17th-century Spain, a new kind of realism in art emerged. In order to revitalise the Catholic Church, painters and sculptors worked together in an attempt to make the sacred as realistic and accessible as possible.

Venerating/praying to painted statues is not really my religious cup of tea, but I could see something of the potential power of them. After all, is one not, in a communion service, attempting also to make the sacred real and accessible?

I don't mean in the sense of transubstantiation (for that's not my cup of tea - or bread and wine - either), or even in the attempting to remind folk of the actions of Christ in lifting a chalice, or breaking bread - although that is partly what I have in mind.

I'm not making myself clear, even to myself. A sacred mystery here which I'm only clouding. And that's not what I want to do, for Christ is present, in and through and with his people, perhaps especially real and remembered when we share together in bread and wine.

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

I took a Covenant Service yesterday (the first I've led since retiring early due to ill-health, as they are normally taken by the minister of the church). Methodists traditionally have an annual Covenant Service at the start of the year, to renew their commitment to God and his people.

Although I hope that by this time next year I may be well enough to at least be working part-time in a church, nevertheless the words Your will, not mine, be done in all things, wherever you may place me, in all that I do and in all that I may endure; when there is work for me and when there is none; had particular resonance for me.

The entire covenant promise:

I am no longer my own but yours.
Your will, not mine, be done in all things,
wherever you may place me,
in all that I do and in all that I may endure;
when there is work for me and when there is none;
when I am troubled and when I am at peace.
Your will be done
when I am valued and when I am disregarded;
when I find fulfilment and when it is lacking;
when I have all things, and when I have nothing.
I willingly offer all I have and am
to serve you, as and where you choose.

Hebrews 1: 1-4

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews, writing to Jewish Christians who were facing tough times, reminds them at the start that God has spoken to his people in various ways and at various times.

God spoke through his prophets, through angels, through circumstances and through miraculous events.

But now, with the birth of Jesus Christ, God has spoken to us through His Son.

That first Christmas God spoke to various people - an expectant Mum, an anxious father, lowly shepherds and learned magi.

Christmas is a time when we may hear from people we’ve forgotten about. Their Christmas card, or the annual letter, will bring us up to date with their news, but sometimes the busyness of preparing for Christmas means that we haven't properly read them.

We haven't taken in what someone else was saying to us.

Christmas is a time of knowing that God has spoken. We have the heart of His message in His Son Jesus Christ. But have we taken the time to hear all that God has to say to us?

God has spoken. We need to listen.

Luke 1: 51-53

And so we celebrate Christmas.

We give each other presents, decorate our houses and Christmas trees, go to parties and sing carols.

For many, it’s the only day in the year when they go to church.

If you put Christmas in the perspective of what Jesus taught, such celebration falls far short of what he expects.

Christmas is about everything.

It’s about the realisation of God's reign in this world.

Christmas is a step on the way to the new world, where we will all be together, in God's and each other's company.

Christmas is about justice and peace and a new world order, human rights and real equality of opportunity for all; it’s about the eradication of hunger, thirst, discrimination and violence, and renewed respect for our human environment.

To many it might seem odd to raise these issues during a Christmas celebration.

And yet, they are the very issues that prompted Mary to agree to begin the first ever Christmas preparations.

Luke tells us she said: ‘He has shown the might of his arm, he has routed the proud and all their schemes; he has brought down monarchs from their thrones, and raised on high the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.’