Always Christmas and never winter

Global warming has been trying its hardest this Christmas, and where we are, the worst of that has been unseasonable warmth, compared to last year's snow, but my heart breaks for all the people affected by flooding, worldwide and in the north of England. What a mess. 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1)

These words have stood out to me this Christmas: The Word became flesh and lived among us, put on flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood, made his dwelling among us. All these things, but the original Greek apparently says, 'the Word put on flesh and Tabernacled among us.' Jesus, the Living Word, who spoke creation into being in the beginning, and has let us know him through the love letters he's sent us over thousands of years, now comes, in person to show his love and let us see his face. We see not just the letters but the Lover.

Christmas is not the first time God has tabernacled with his people. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God told the people to build a tent, a tabernacle for his presence, the place where his glory dwelt, the place where people could come and meet with him, hear from him. Moses would go in to the holy place to get direction from God, then leave again. Only Joshua would stay and hang out with God, to enjoy his presence. (Check out Exodus 33, it's a beautiful chapter.)

                                                (Isaac 'tabernacling' in his Christmas tent)

After the Israelites left the Promised Land they celebrated every year the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’, or Sukkot, where the people would build tents or temporary shelters to move into, and remember how they lived in the wilderness and had to rely on God’s provision. It is a time of celebration and harvest – God provides, God is good, God is with us. A time of restored fellowship with God, God’s presence dwelling among his restored people.

For the Jews reading this passage they would get all this subtext.

Jesus comes, and we celebrate all the Lord has done for us, but also discover it on a deeper level, as not in the past for a season, but here and now and forever.

Jesus comes as the meeting place for us to encounter God.

Jesus comes as the place of encounter.

Jesus comes so we can see what God looks like.

Jesus comes as the place where we find provision, shelter and direction.

Jesus comes to restore our fellowship with God.

Jesus comes to restore his people and dwell among them.

That’s what it means for ‘the Word to become flesh and dwell among them’.

Finishing the Sabbath year I was a bit worried about what was coming next. Because in the wilderness, their shoes and clothes never wore out for 40 whole years! They had food and water provided for them all the time. God was clear in his direction, and present with his presence. When they move on to the Promised Land, they have to work the land. If the rains fail, they don’t eat. They have enemies to face. It becomes easier to forget their dependence on God. They start to do things in their own strength and forget to listen to the voice of the Lord. Tabernacles reminds the people to celebrate that provision still comes from the hands of the Lord, that is presence is near and vital.

I wrote earlier in the year about what a Sabbath Christmas looks like. This Christmas we’ve been working out the part of the rhythm that looks like hard work. Rest without work to counter-balance it is not rest, it’s laziness. It’s always a challenge to work out how much is too much, are we working too much or too little, are we pushing too hard, or just making the most of the bountiful opportunities that Christmas opens up? We've been blessed by amazing generosity this past month. Thousands of pounds coming through the door, unsolicited, overwhelming numbers of people wanting to volunteer their time, and an abundance of woolies and smellies. We've spent days in a local primary school, sharing about the meaning of Christmas, and been blessed by so many opportunities to share with people why Jesus came, and is HERE. We've felt energised by having had a year off collecting last year, and our people have been SO enthusiastic in signing up for all kinds of carolling and collecting opportunities. It really is the most wonderful time of the year. The land is more fruitful after it lies fallow for a year.

The Promised Land looks different to the wilderness. But the good news is that JESUS IS HERE. We’ve seen his glory, not in clouds and fire, but in rest and in work, in busyness and in quiet, in candles and in chaos. The Word becoming flesh and Tabernacling among us means that this Christmas, just as much as last, peace reigns, the kingdom is coming. Jesus is here. In the floods, the political turmoil and the chaos of our world, Jesus Christ is here.