This is a copy of my talk given to the three churches in the Anglican Church of Paphos on Christmas Eve and Day 2025. The Bible readings were Hebrews 1:1-12 and John 1:1-14.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your word.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit,
May You speak to my heart,
And change my life.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.

Introduction

We live in a society which recognizes the necessity of good communication. Letters, or snail mail, as some people refer to them, are fast becoming a medium of a bygone age, as is email, especially with the onset of Websites, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Even the telephone is not as pioneering as it once was – unless, of course, you have a smart phone that allows you to: send text messages and emails; surf the Internet; and take photographs. Some of the more ‘hi-tech’ models allow you to record video and even watch TV! I wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would make of it all. But good communication is vital to us.

Politicians know how strategic it is to be able to convey their policies. Diplomats recognize the immense dangers that can arise in international affairs when there’s a ‘breakdown in communications’. Stresses in family life often arise when husbands and wives and parents and children fail to communicate effectively.

And we all know the influencing power of TV advertising, another form of communication – especially at this time of year. I’m sure there are adverts, going back many years that stick in your mind.  Can you remember some of these:

Can you fix it? No … but I know a man who can (AA).
Clunk Click … every trip (seatbelts).
Just one Cornetto, give it to me …  delicious ice cream from Italy (Walls Ice Cream).

This morning, I want to think about how God communicates with us through Jesus:

  1. Jesus speaks on the Father’s behalf

We see this is our reading from Hebrews where it teaches us that God has spoken in two phases: before the coming of the Son and through the coming of the Son: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways …

God deliberately provided a number of ways in the OT where people could hear him speak at many times and in various ways. Through prophets, through miraculous acts of great power, through the parting of the waters, through talking donkeys – the list is endless. But He also speaks, in the words of Garrison Keillor in:

Ordinary things like cooking and small talk, through storytelling, making love, fishing, tending animals and sweet corn and flowers, through sports, music and books, raising kids – all the places where the gravy soaks in and grace shines through.

In fact, it seems to me that, God doesn’t just speak to us, he shouts at us but, for whatever reason, our ears are deaf to what he is saying. But if God had only spoken in one way and we couldn’t understand it, we’d be at a great disadvantage.

But vs2a: God, “in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” If God was eager to communicate with us in the OT how much more is he ready to communicate through sending His Son?

Hebrews 1:2-3 suggest seven ways that God speaking through Jesus is better than God’s speaking of old. Why?  Because Jesus is: The Heir of all things, vs2; The Creator of all things, vs2; The Sustainer of the Universe, vs3; The Radiance of God’s glory, vs3; The Exact Representation of His Father, vs3; The Saviour of Mankind, vs3; The Ruler of all, vs3. That’s not a bad CV is it?

Jesus said: If you have seen me, you have seen the Father; The Father and I are one; I only say what the Father tells me to say.  So, when we complain to God: “Lord, I want to hear you speak to me?” Is our complaint well placed?  Probably not!

  1. Jesus is Superior to the Angels

The writer turns his attention to the fact that Jesus is superior, not only to the prophets, but also to the angels. Angels are a hot topic in our world today. If you type the word ‘Angel’ into an internet ‘search engine’ it will hit more than 1,500,000,000 websites given over to the study of Angels.

Everyone has their own idea of what angels may be like. Some see them as chubby little cherubs wearing a halo with a smile on their face, playing cupid.

Others may see them on a scale similar to the Anthony Gormley sculpture on the A1 just outside Gateshead, whilst King Charles once referred to it as a ‘monstrous carbuncle!’ we know it as ‘The Angel of the North.’

Michelangelo spent four years of his life painting the fresco in the Sistine Chapel, painted angels as muscular and majestic human beings. Others see them as simply quaint ornaments to be perched on top of the Christmas tree!

Whichever way you imagine angels might look, they are definitely not humans, especially not deceased human beings who earn their wings as portrayed in Frank Capra’s classic movie: “It’s A Wonderful Life.” 

The Greek word for angels means literally ‘messenger.’ They are mentioned 100 times in OT and 165 in NT. The Bible tells us they were supernatural creatures created by God before the creation of the world.  They wield terrific power. Most of the time we read that people fell down ‘as if dead’ when confronted by one. In fact, angels usually have to tell the people they meet not to be afraid. That tells us something about their stature and presence.

There are many instances of angels appearing to people in the Bible. An angel intervened when Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac. An angel appeared to Mary, and Joseph, to give her the news that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and will give birth to a son. A heavenly host of Angels appeared to the shepherds and gave them the news of the birth of the Messiah.

  1. God speaks through Jesus

At Christmas God bursts into our world and shows us what He is like and how much he loves us. The story of God coming to earth is one of the greatest love stories of all time.

Father Damien was an American priest who became famous for his willingness to serve lepers.  He moved to Kalawao, a village on the island of Molokai in Hawaii that had been quarantined to serve as a leper colony.

For sixteen years he lived in their midst.  He learned to speak their language. He bandaged their wounds, embraced bodies no one else would touch and preached to hearts that would otherwise have been left alone. He built homes so that the lepers could have shelter.

He built two thousand coffins by hand so that when they died, they could be buried with dignity. Slowly, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope. He wasn’t careful about keeping his distance. He did nothing to separate himself from his people. He dipped his fingers in the [poi] bowl along with his patients. He shared his pipe. He didn’t always wash his hands after bandaging open sores.  He got close and for this the people loved him.

Then one day he stood up and began his sermon with two words: “We lepers …”  He moved from just helping them to becoming one of them.  He had chosen to live as they lived; now he would die as they died.

Conclusion

Emmanuel – God is with us is a story of love. When God came to earth and began his message: “We lepers …” He chose to live as we live and to die as we died. Many people saw him, but only a few recognised him. The politicians didn’t recognise him. The innkeeper didn’t recognise him. The crowds gathered for the census didn’t recognise him. The rich and the famous didn’t recognise him. Even the religious establishment didn’t recognise him.

The uniqueness of Jesus coming to this world as Saviour is summed up in those final words in our reading from John 1:14: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth.

And what’s so remarkable about the Christmas story, for me, is not just that God chose to place all his glory, all his majesty, and all his truth in human form, but that he chose to reveal himself in such a simple way. The word became flesh and is found in all its fullness in a simple baby, born as king – not in the splendour of a palace – but in the squalor of a borrowed stable.

We sang earlier ‘What child is this?’ This child is Heir of all things. The Creator of all things. The Sustainer of the Universe. The Radiance of God’s glory. The Exact Representation of His Father. The Saviour of Mankind. The Ruler of all. This child is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Messiah, our Saviour.

Emmanuel. God with us.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER The text contained in this sermon (except where stated) is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.