Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

Be silent, all people, before the LORD; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. (Zech. 2:10-13 NRSV)

Compare the following:

            But be glad and rejoice forever

               in what I am creating,

            for I am about to creat Jerusalem as a joy,

               and its people as a delight.

            I will rejoice in Jerusalem,

               and delight in my people;

            no more shall the sound of wee[omg be jeard om ot.

               or the cry of distress. (Isa. 65:18-19 NRSV)

Also compare:

Thus says the LORD of hosts: People shall yet come, the inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, "Come, let us go to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going." Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." (Zech. 8:20-23 NRSV)

The key to the Epistle reading–and its Christmas connection–is 1 John 4:9-10: “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” This is the basis for the initial instruction: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God” (v. 7). We are reminded that “if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us” (v. 12) . Signs of our relationship to God include our loving one another (vv 7, 12), the gift of his Spirit (v. 13), and the witness of the Apostles (v. 14). “God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us” (vv. 15-16).

The Gospel reading emphasizes the importance of believing in "the one who comes from above," that is, "from heaven" (Jn. 3:31), who "testifies to what he has seen and heard" (v. 32), "whom God has sent to speak the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure" (v. 34), that is, the Son (vv. 35, 36). "The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal lilfe; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but myust endure God's wrath" (vv. 35-36).

I have recently discovere what some call a "thumb drive," or a "pen drive," a very small device that, when connected to a computer will hold an immense amount of data. You too have probably noticed that all kinds of electronic devices now use miniature parts. Smaller is better, we might say. On Christmas day, as we contemplate a helpless baby in a manger, we are nevertheless reminded that this child is the focus of all the power of heaven, an incredible miracle that surpasses what human genius can do with miniaturized electronic parts. Or supersized machinery, vessels, and cities, for that matter. May the blessedness of Christmas, and all of its message, be yours today.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com