To us a Savior is Born! On the Wrong side of the Tracks?

As a young child growing up in Augusta, GA my family and I had a nice home and a good life. There was just one problem – we lived on the wrong side of the railroad tracks. We lived on the more impoverished and lower class side of the city, and believe me -those railroad tracks were a very real and invincible barrier or (invisible wall). My father’s job, our schools and church were all located on the other side of the tracks (the politically and socially right side). Everyday we crossed over those railroad tracks as we went about our daily routine. When we told folks where we lived I remember (vividly) the slight pause followed by a drawled out southern – “Oh, I see. Over there.” That invisible barrier was something that haunted me, and at times even caused shame. It was hurtful to be looked at as “one of those people who lived over there.”

Walls and barriers are hurtful and they are a complete contradiction to the divine nature of God. Many of you may have read about, or be familiar with the Israeli construction of a 25’ concrete wall around the city of Bethlehem. Because of very real fear and threat of suicide bombers, the Israeli government has taken extreme measures to protect itself and her people. While I certainly understand the need to protect and preserve our safety, unfortunately there are many innocent people who now suffer due to this wall.

Can you imagine the hardship that this wall has created for the people who live in Bethlehem – on the wrong side of the wall? They have to go through intense screening in order to pass through to the other side just to get to work or visit family. This wall has virtually sealed off the people of Bethlehem, and destroyed the cities economy. (Yet) that’s what walls tend to do that don’t they? That is their nature; they cut us off; they confine us and narrow our views; they separate us from the world, and all too often cast some kind of negative label on those who happen to live on the wrong side.

Walls are not a part of God’s nature; instead they are part of the nature of sin. The very nature of sin is to divide, and cut us off from God. This is why God decided that enough was enough. God decided that he had been cut off from his people long enough. God didn’t build these walls, we (humanity) built them, and whether we realized it or not – suddenly found ourselves trapped on the wrong side. Rather than allow a barrier to separate us, God sent his only son to be born into this world; and guess what? He was born on the wrong side of the tracks (or wall).

In Jesus’ day, Bethlehem was still a small, out of the way and forgotten town. It certainly wasn’t as magnificent as the city of Rome, nor did it have the appeal and attention of the city of Jerusalem. Bethlehem was an impoverished area that was basically on the wrong side of the tracks. But note, God doesn’t allow barriers to interfere with his judgment and desire for community. Why? Well just look at this evenings Gospel reading from Luke - Who did God send the angels to visit? It wasn’t the powerful and rich; it wasn’t to the mighty and powerful Rome; nor was it to the thriving towns and villages surrounding Jerusalem. Instead, God sent his angels to Bethlehem – in other words - “Over there.” They then proclaimed their good news and tidings of joy to the poorest of the poor – the shepherds. Shepherds – these were the despised people of the night. They were virtually unknown to the world that slept during the darkness. By the light of day the shepherds went unnoticed, and ignored – seen as nothing but despised beggars or unclean pests.

The shepherds are important to God’s Incarnation; they are important because they represent all of the lowly who live in this world. They represent all those who are despised, unnoticed and living on the wrong side of the tracks or wall. But the shepherds remind us that we are all (every single one of us, no matter where we find ourselves in life) under God’s heavenly protection and divine love.

(You see) Christ came into this world to smash the walls that separate us from God, and to pull up the divisive tracks that sin has laid down. This is the whole purpose of the Incarnation – God became flesh and humbly dwelt among us to liberate you and me from the walls, chains and tracks created by sin.

In the Nativity story in Luke's Gospel (a story that I have read a million times- at least!) I discovered something new; a word seen in a new light. The Gospel doesn’t simply say that “Christ was born;” Luke writes. “But to you he is born.” The Angel of the Lord doesn’t simply tell the lowly shepherds tending their field under the shroud of darkness, “ I bring glad tidings.” The Angel of the Lord proclaims to the shepherds, “But to you I bring glad tidings of great joy!” The key word is “you.” Luke is telling us that Christ came into this world for the sake of - “you” (and of course me too). This joy would spread outward from Christ across all barriers (invisible or not) to be for all people. Christ in the manger levels the playing field. Christ in the nativity transcends the walls erected by humanity; Christ in his simple yet glorious birth strikes a spear of brilliant light and hope into a dark, dismal and broken world. And when the tip of that spear penetrates sin's barriers and prejudices, a transcendent love of great magnitude is born; a penetrating light that is of God; a radical and healing light that transforms every single life it touches!

Tonight is a night of Good News for "you!" For tonight Christ doesn’t just become an icon of hope; Christ becomes our actual living hope; a hope that is personal to you; a living hope that abolishes all worldly barriers that separates you and me from the love of God. Tonight the angels bring us great news and joyful tidings of God’s redeeming and reconciling love. So rejoice! The birth of Christ crumbled the spiritual walls that cut us off from God. The birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior has renewed our connection to God and absolutely nothing (not even the divisive tracks) can ever separate us again.