This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached on Christmas Eve 2019. One thing must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate: Every Christmas Eve I have a sort of dialogue sermon with Kermit the Frog. Yes, that Kermit the Frog. You see, I have a Kermit puppet, and I do a remarkable Kermit impression, and my congregation has come to expect the frog to show up each year. So for the purposes of this blog, my lines are in regular type, and Kermit’s are in bold. The gospel we preached on was Luke 2:1-20.
Well, it’s Christmas Eve. So.
Merry Christmas, Johnsonville.
Well, if it isn’t Kermit the Frog, our annual visitor at Prince of Peace. You seem quieter than usual, Kermit. Is something wrong?
No, I’m fine.
Okay.
Well, fine, if you’re going to twist my arm like that. I’m kind of sad. It’s been a rough time for frogs lately. We’re all on edge, worried about the future. We’re not sure what the next year is going to bring, and it’s a little scary. And there’s a lot of uncertainty around our leaders, and everybody’s got an opinion, a strong opinion. Everybody’s on edge right now.
Frogs have leaders?
Of course we do! And our leadership is in something of a mess right now. Have you looked at Frogbook lately?
Frogbook?
Yeah, you know, Frogbook, social media?
I don’t have that app.
Count yourself lucky. It’s nothing but Sturm und Drang lately.
Sturm und Drang?
Sturm und Drang. You know, like turmoil and stress and angst.
Angst? When did you become so existential? Are you going to start wearing black turtlenecks?
Ahem.
You know, there’s some stuff like that going on in the human world, too. So it’s a good thing it’s Christmas.
Really? You think it’ll all go away, and frogs and people will start getting along better because it’s Christmas?
Well, no, not exactly. But I do think that Christmas gives us hope that things can change. And I see that hope right in the Christmas story, Kermit.
I was thinking about the Christmas story, and it struck me how small it really is. Just a little family from Nazareth in an unfamiliar town. Just some shepherds out in the fields. How can such a tiny thing become so big?
That’s a great question. The story is pretty small and intimate. But first of all, Kermit, in the story that family has a baby. Their first child. And I can tell you from experience, having your first child is a big deal.
Really? One child is a big deal? Try having twelve to twenty thousand children at once. That’s how many eggs the North American bullfrog lays at a time.
Twelve thousand of my kids? No thank you! And how do you know that number?
Wikifrogia.
Right. I can see why you wouldn’t think one child’s a big deal.
Right.
Right. But this one child is no ordinary child. And when he was born, it was like the heavens were torn open, because something else happened.
Oh yeah?
Yeah. Remember those shepherds you were talking about? Out in the fields at night, just making sure their sheep were safe. Just minding their own business, probably not saying much to each other, because what do you say all night? Just silently staring at the sleeping sheep. Feeling the nighttime breeze. Watching as the stars spun around the night sky.
Sounds nice right now.
Yeah. Maybe we should all take a moment and just imagine that. Just breathe and see those stars.
Mmm.
Suddenly, there was an angel standing right before them!
Aaghh! Don’t do that!
And suddenly, the glory of the Lord shone around them!
Aaghh! What does that even mean?
I don’t know, but they were terrified of it!
How do you know that?
Because the angel said, “Do not be afraid.”
Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid.
Well, then that angel shouldn’t have sneaked up on them like that!
No, no! Because the angel had good news the shepherds needed to hear.
How do you know that?
Because the angel said, “I am bringing you good news!”
Wow.
Of great joy!
Wow!
For all the people!
For all the people?
Yes, and for all the frogs!
Did the angel say that?
No, that’s my own interpretation.
Oh. Go on.
You see, the shepherds knew that they were not important people.
Mmm-hmmm.
They knew that they were small potatoes.
Tiny tots.
And they were looking for something bigger than them.
Lots bigger.
Bigger and stronger.
Lots stronger.
Bigger and better.
Lots better.
They were looking for something that would help them in their lives.
Give them hope!
Give them comfort!
Give them peace!
Give them joy!
Give them more sheep!
Well, maybe. They were looking for a sign.
A sign from God!
They were looking for a prophet.
A voice from God!
They were looking for a savior.
Oooh!
And the angel said, “To you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord!”
Aaah!
And the angel said, “Here’s your sign: a poor baby wrapped in rags, lying in a food-trough.”
Ohhh.
Yeah. The savior was so very, very small.
Oh.
Oh. Yeah. The savior is so very, very small. Like a mustard seed.
Yeah.
But that’s all it takes, if that seed is from God.
And that seed is from God!
Oh, yes! That child in the manger is from God!
That child in the manger is God!
Preach it, Kermit!
That child in the manger is God!
And then more angels arrived. And they started to…
Praise!
And they started to…
Worship!
And they shouted…
Glo-o-o-o-o-o-ria!
And a few shepherds joined in!
Hallelujah!
And a few more shepherds joined in!
Halle-halle-hallelujah!
And the sheep joined in!
Baaa- lelujah!
And the earth joined in!
And the sea joined in!
And the sky joined in!
And the sun and moon joined in!
And all the stars in the heavens joined in!
And the frogs joined in! Yaaaaay!
And they all sang praises to God.
Whew! So what happened next?
The shepherds went to Bethlehem, and they found him.
They found the savior.
They found the very presence of God in the tiniest of packages.
I wonder if we can too.
I wonder. I wonder if we can find God’s presence here in small packages, too.
And if God’s presence is in small packages, then maybe we don’t have to wait for something huge to make everything better in the world.
Maybe it’s already here. Maybe it’s right around the corner.
Maybe that means we can have some hope right now.
And peace.
And love.
And joy.
Maybe it’s already here, and we just have to watch for it.
Keep your eyes open, Kermit. It’s Christmas, and God is in the neighborhood.
You know what?
What?
I feel a little better.
Me too. Maybe this is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas, Kermit.
Merry Christmas, Johnsonville!
Featured image by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay.
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