How much did it cost?

(Phil. 25-11)

So how much does Christmas cost?

Well, In our first sketch we were reminded how a typical modern Christmas can cost a great deal. Think about how much money, ...time, ...and effort goes into preparing for just one day.

And is it worth it?

(Pause)

A recent survey showed that half the people in Britain don't want religion in their Christmas.

They want 'Christmas' (show card), ...but without 'Christ'.

Perhaps that's why the word 'Xmas' has become so popular (show card).

Perhaps it's being promoted by people who don't like 'Christmas' very much, and who are determined to make it sound like a skin disease!

But why stop at Xmas?

Surely Ymas would be an equally good name? (show card)

After all, that's what you hear from behind the bathroom door, as the cook tries to defrost the turkey under the shower before the guests arrive. "Why, why, why?"!

Or what about Zmas? (show card)

For that's what you hear from the armchair after over-indulged relatives try to sleep it all off. "Zzzzz"!

Is 'Christmas' without 'Christ' really worth the time, money and effort that goes into it?

I'm sure Mary and Joseph would have thought not.

Now we might think that Christmas is costly, ...but it was nothing compared with what it cost them.

Our second sketch reminded us about the price that they had to pay.

Imagine how Mary must have felt, telling her family that she was expecting a baby before she was married. (Our society is quite tolerant of such things today, but it wasn't in her day).

And then to make things worse, she also had to admit that Joseph wasn't the child's father. I wonder who believed her when she said that 'God' was the father?

Humiliation is a big price to pay, ...but it didn't stop there. There was that long journey to Bethlehem when she was heavily pregnant, ...and then the dirty conditions in which her child was born, ...there wasn't even a cot to put the baby in, (they had to use an animals feeding trough!). ...They were miles from home, in a strange town...

It was costly alright, but Mary would say that it was certainly worth it, ...or rather I should say, Jesus was worth it. That baby made all the difference!

Mary knew that she was holding the most precious gift this world has ever received. ...God's own dear Son.

The fact that Jesus was with them made all the difference. And Jesus can make all the difference to our Christmas too.

Although we can't see him, Jesus is with us here in Church this afternoon. So why not ask him to come and spend Christmas with you?

Perhaps tomorrow morning, just before you open your presents, you could sing Happy Birthday to him.

Perhaps tomorrow lunch time, just before you eat your dinner, you could light a candle, and have a moment's quiet, to remember that Jesus said he was the light of the world.

Spending the day with Jesus can make all the difference.

But if that first Christmas was costly for Mary and Joseph, it was even more costly for God.

He gave us his own Son, ...and why? Because he loves us so much. As it says in the Bible:

"God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (Jn 3.16)

He gave us his Son, ...knowing that he wouldn't be born into a wealthy family, but that he would be born into poverty.

He gave us his Son, ...knowing that the world would ultimately reject him, and that he would be crucified on a cross.

And as our Bible Reading reminded us, ...it was costly for Jesus too.

Jesus left the splendour of his heavenly home, ...to be born as a human baby, ...to live the life of a servant, ...and to die the death of a criminal.

...and it doesn't get any costlier than that!

So how much does Christmas cost?

- It might cost us a lot of time and money.

- It cost Mary her good reputation.

- It cost God his precious Son.

God loved us so much that he gave us his own Son. How much do we love him?