Jack McKinney

Pullen Memorial Baptist Church

December 24, 2006 – Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Meditation

Have you ever heard someone say, “I want to tell you a story, but before I tell you the story I must first tell you this story.” It’s a set-up line, a way of telling us the central narrative will be understood only if we first understand the background story. It’s also a way of building anticipation as we try to hold the attention of our listener.

Tonight, as we do on every Christmas Eve, we have been telling the story of Jesus’ birth. But instead of telling that story through eyes of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, we have been looking at this famous event through the eyes of some of the characters on the fringes of the story: the innkeeper, the shepherds in the field, and the animals in the stable. To get the full effect of the main story, the birth of Jesus, it helps to get the side stories as well. It adds flavor, it provides insights we might miss otherwise, and it simply makes a good tale even better.

But I want to take this one step further. I want to suggest to you that not only is the main story more interesting and complete if we know the side stories; I want to propose that there is no main story without the side stories. In other words, the characters on the fringes are not just bit players, but are central to the whole drama. The birth of Jesus isn’t just accentuated by the innkeeper, shepherds, and animals, in a strange way it is made possible by them. I’ll tell you how in a minute, but before I tell you that story, let me first tell you this story.

Our lives are strengthened and sustained by a never-ending stream of people who extend grace to us. They might seem like fringe characters in the drama that is our life, but when we stop to think about it we realize we couldn’t make it without them. I was reminded of that this summer when I went to Zimbabwe with some young adults from our church. We had been in Africa two weeks of our three-week trip when news reached us via email that former Pullen pastor, Bill Finlator, had died. Now for the sake of our guests tonight who may not know who Bill Finlator was, let me pause here for a moment and tell you that Rev. Finlator was a great man who fought for racial equality when that was not popular among whites in the south; he protested against the Vietnam War when that was not popular either; and he stood up for the underdogs in our society so frequently that to this day I can go almost anywhere in North Carolina, and if I mention that I am the pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, people without power and privilege will smile and say, “W.W. Finlator,” and people with power and privilege will frown and say, “W.W. Finlator.”

So, we received word in Africa one night that Rev. Finlator had died, and I quickly decided it was important to me to try and be here for the funeral. And I was able to make it back for the service, much to the surprise of many people, and I have heard from many of you who thanked me for making that long journey back on such short notice. But there is far more to that story than meets the eye.

When we got word that Bill Finlator had died it quickly became apparent that the only way I could make it back for the funeral was to catch a flight leaving first thing in the morning. We were staying four hours from the airport at a Baptist conference center in rural Zimbabwe, and it didn’t seem likely that I could make it. But Bonnie Dixon helped me for several hours to try and get a seat on that plane, and when we finally got a reservation, it was already close to midnight. John Dixon volunteered to help drive me through the night to the airport if we could find someone else to go. So, at 1:00 A.M., we awakened Samson, a short man who worked at the conference center, and he volunteered to drive me so that John could sleep in the van and then John could drive back so Samson could sleep. And that’s just what happened. Samson drove through the Zimbabwean countryside, I rode shotgun and talked to him to make sure he stayed awake, and John slept. And because of the kindness and generosity of those people, I made it back for Bill’s funeral.

I tell you that story because I just learned that Samson died a few days ago. I don’t know the circumstances of his passing; I just know that in my hour of need he extended grace to me and I will be forever grateful.

Our lives are strengthened and sustained by a never-ending stream of people who extend grace to us. In the Christmas story we see examples of this. The innkeeper demonstrates compassion for Mary and Joseph by not just throwing them out when there is no room, but by making accommodations when he had none to make. And who among us has not been sustained by the compassion of others? The shepherds demonstrate great enthusiasm and affirmation when they become the first witnesses to the holy birth. And who among us has not been strengthened by the affirmation of others? Finally, the animals in the stall make space for the baby Jesus and his parents. And who among us has not been saved when someone made a space for us when we were in need? The birth of Jesus is not just made more interesting by these characters on the fringes; the compassion, affirmation, and generosity they demonstrate make the birth possible.

The greatest lie we tell in our society is that we are each the masters of our own fate, charting a course dictated only by our determination and will power. The truth is all of us are dependent on the compassion, affirmation, and generosity of others. Maybe the loved one who is sitting next to you tonight has been the source of such gifts to you. Or maybe people in your past who strengthened, sustained, and saved you are running through your mind right now. Whichever is the case, there is only one appropriate response when we realize our lives are made possible by the gifts we receive from others: give thanks. Right now, lean over and give thanks to that person or utter a prayer of gratitude in your heart. Because our lives are strengthened and sustained by a never-ending stream of people who extend grace to us. And that’s the story behind the Christmas story.