Have you decided what you want for Christmas? More to the point, are you likely to get it? We’ve all given and received some duds. Over the years, I’ve tended to overdo socks in Christmas stockings so when my sons got married, purging of the sock drawer was necessary. Not quite as bad though as the friend who received a leaf-blower from her husband. It didn’t go down well.

Whatever turns up under your tree, the Christmas angel in Luke’s gospel brings you the most wonderful gift – good news of great joy.

Imagine being a shepherd out on a starry night, on high alert in case of a mountain lion. Instead, an angel appears. Not a cute chubby cherub but a blazing warrior angel, utterly terrifying. Then you hear these words, “Don’t be scared, I bring you good news of great joy for all people”.

If you are ending 2024 with fear, hear this promise of joy for you.

For many, Christmas is not undiluted joy. Chestnuts roasting, crackers popping, carollers warbling and presents rustling all combine for that lovely Christmassy feeling but that glow can flicker like the candles and even blow out. The average family argues by 10am Christmas morning. When the sweetness of Silent Night soars into the church rafters, my heart soars with it but sometimes grief rises too. It is joyful seeing family but there are empty seats at the Christmas table.

So, I am thankful beyond words that this promise of joy was first given to real people with imperfect, messy lives like ours. Last week a friend showed me this picture of the shepherds by Caravaggio which has stayed with me. Do you see their grimy feet?

When Caravaggio painted it, apparently the authorities disapproved. They didn’t want grime in their picture. They wanted pristine churches. Perhaps they remembered the Psalmist saying that only those with clean hands and pure hearts can ascend the hill of the Lord.

It is true that God wants pure hearts, but they were wrong to sanitise the stable. This is what is unique about Christianity, it’s not us cleaning ourselves up to get to God, it’s us coming to God so that he can do the cleaning. The adult Christ grew up to wash his disciples’ feet. He grew up to make lepers clean. He grew up to take all our grime on the Cross. 

Why? Because God so longs for us to know him that he made a way for all of us with grimy hands and grimy feet and grimy hearts to ascend his hill, holding the hand of Jesus. John says, “No-one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known”.  Jesus makes the love at the heart of God known to you and to me. Here is fullness of joy.

I’ve found this joy does not deny my griefs but rather comforts them. With Jesus, joy and grief can intermingle, secure that the day is coming when joy will finally overtake every sorrow.

This Christmas, this gift of great joy is for you. The angel said it is a gift for all people and that means no-one is excluded. This present has your name on the label. So, whether the gifts round your tree thrill you or disappoint, may you know this surpassing joy this Christmas - God who gave himself as a baby for grimy shepherds gives himself to you.