What if it's really true?

Children, did you know that you’re amazing? You’re amazing at all sorts of things - but you are particularly amazing at asking questions. Do you know, if you’re under 10 you probably ask between 250-350 questions every day. Parents of 4 years olds - you’re not looking very surprised!

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Adults, I’m afraid we’re rubbish at it. We might manage 20 questions a day if we’re really good at it. And even then, our questions tend to be ‘closed’ ones that are actually telling someone something - like ‘have you done your homework?', rather than the beautiful open ended, searching, seeking questions that children are so good at.

But the questions children ask aren’t always as polite and well honed as we would like them to be. Here are a few embarrassing ones sent in to the website Huffpost….

Said in front of Granny to Mum, ’Mum, why do you hate grandma so much?’ 

Said by a son to his Dad, “Dad, when I’m a Dad, will I be shouty like you?” 

Said by a daughter to her Dad ‘Why did you throw the sieve away?’

‘Because sometimes things get old and they break’ 

Oh, so will you go in the bin, because you’re old and broken too?’” 

Said in front of Jane,″’I don’t think Jane is boring, Mummy. Why do you think she is?’” 

And I’ve got what might be a rude question for you today.

Why are you here? Why have you bothered to leave the turkey and the tree behind, to delay opening the presents, or some of the presents. Or tidying up after the presents - or whatever you’ve left behind, to be here? Why are you here?

For some of you, it’s what you do on Christmas Day. It’s part of the tradition, part of the joy of celebrating Christmas with others. To come to church, to sing carols, to join in, to be part of this…

For some maybe, it just feels right. You couldn’t put it into words, but you know you’re just meant to be in church on Christmas Day.

Maybe some of you have been dragged here, and now you’re having to listen to me banging on…..

Some of you might be here for the shot of cherry brandy you’re going to get at the end.

For lots of you, I know, it’s because Christmas is all about Jesus and the glory of his birth.

And maybe you’ve your own very personal reason. Maybe you don’t really know why you’re here, but here you are. 

Whatever the reason you’re here, let me ask you one more question. 

What if it’s really true?

What if it’s really true that 2000 years ago, a baby was born in Palestine, to a teenage mother and a confused father, and what if that child wasn’t just part of a nice story, but was the very Son of God, the one sent to change the world forever?

What if it’s really true that this child loves you - loves you - with a love that’s gently tender and fiercely strong? And what if that love is there for you whether you think of yourself as ‘religious’ or not; whether you go to church often, or not, whether you even believe in God, or not. What if he just loves you? 

What if there’s nothing you can do to stop him loving you. Nothing.

And what if he comes offering forgiveness for that thing you once did, which you are still ashamed of all those years later. 

Or if he comes to sit with you in your grief and to stand alongside you in your struggle to find peace.

Or if he wants to bring you hope, or healing or a new start.

What if it’s true? What if it’s really true?

What if Jesus is God’s answer to a broken and suffering world?

What if you’re here because God wants you to join his revolution of love and mercy.

What if it’s all really true?

Not, ‘sort of true’, not ‘true in a nice a story’ kind of way, but really true. What if Jesus really was born for you?

Happy Christmas

Amen