The December 6 edition of the local weekly Almanac newspaper had an article about “upside down” Christmas trees. These are trees that hang from the ceiling with the ornaments dangling downward. They look a little bit like a holiday “stalactite!” 

Presumably, there are some advantages to an “upside down” tree. For one, it takes up less floor space. For another you can put more ornaments at eye level where toddlers and dogs can’t reach them. Finally, there is room for more presents under an “upside down” tree.

Some of these trees have been advertised in holiday catalogs for between $300 - $600! I read that they are all sold out for this year. They were a popular item. 

A few questions arise about an “upside down” Christmas tree. First, where do you put the star? Secondly, how do you water the tree? 

A few weeks ago I was wondering if after 43 years of Christmas Eve sermons could I say anything new? And then I saw this article in the Almanac. I thought to myself, “Isn’t that what Christmas is? Isn’t it the story of God turning everything upside down?” 

Halford Luccock tells the story of Christmas shopping one day in a department store. He accidentally bumped into a woman shopper, but it was quite a bump. She was a heavy woman who looked a bit like an animated Christmas tree. Packages were dangling from every limb. The “bump” spilled all these packages on the floor. Luccock was trying to help her pick them up. The woman gasped out, “Oh, I hate Christmas anyhow. It turns everything upside down!” Halford Luccock looked up to her and replied quietly, “Mam, that’s just what God made if for.” 

Christmas turn things upside down at every level. 

THE ROMAN EMPIRE 

First it turned the Roman Empire upside down. I saw a theater trailer on TV for “The Nativity” movie. The words of the trailer were these, “A prophecy that would even threaten the Roman Empire.” Issues like peace and simplicity and gentleness were simply not in the vocabulary of Rome. 

That is why King Herod was so upset on behalf of Rome. A King was to be born among the Jewish people. But he knew there was no king except Caesar. 

That’s why the words of the Angels to the Shepherds were a threat as well. Luke the gospel writer knew this. He was writing to a Gentile/Roman audience. Luke’s story has almost a fairy tale quality about it, it is so simple. Yet it is deeply profound and connected to the world of that time. 

     “Unto you is born a Savior.” But Caesar is the savior!

     “A Savior who is Christ the Lord.” Yes, but, Caesar is the Lord

     “Glory to God in the Highest.” Isn’t the glory due only to the

      Emperor?

     “Peace on Earth.” But there will be no peace until Rome has

      conquered everything. 

No wonder Herod was alarmed. Christmas threatened everything Rome stood for. It threatened the issues of control, military might, armament. Christmas turned all of these things on their ear. It still does. 

Christmas is a signal to us: God is interested in overturning the human expectations of power and prestige. God is interested in challenging any imperialistic notions. 

THE VALUES OF THE WORLD 

For another thing, Christmas turned the values of the world upside down.  This is reflected in some of the Old Testament stories and then again in Mary’s song – sometimes called the Magnificat. Mary says that rich become weak and the poor become strong. God is somehow now about bringing down the rich and powerful and lifting up the weak and powerless. Servanthood is the ideal way of life. God is inclusive of all persons. The Kingdom is for all. 

These are not the ways emulated or appreciated in our world. The story of that long ago night in Bethlehem makes that point. 

Many years ago before anti-discrimination laws were in effect a woman by the name of Mrs. Rosenberg was stranded at a fashionable resort on Cape Cod. It was the Christmas season, but the resort did not admit Jewish people. The desk clerk looked at his book and said, “Sorry, no room. The Hotel is full.” 

“But the sign says you have vacancies.” 

The desk clerk stammered, and then said, “Mam, you know that we do not admit Jews. Try to other side of town.” 

Mrs. Rosenberg stiffened, “I’ll have you know that I have converted to your religion.” 

“Oh yeah? Well how about a little test? How was Jesus born?”

“He was born to a virgin named Mary in a little town called Bethlehem.” 

“Very good. Tell me more.” 

“He was born in a manger in a cattle stall.” 

“That’s right. And why was he born in a manger.?” 

Replied Mrs. Rosenberg loudly, “Because some idiot behind a hotel desk wouldn’t give a Jewish lady a room for the night. Any more questions?...I didn’t think so!” 

Christmas turns all of our values upside down. 

When I was a student at Lehigh, my fraternity house was across town from the campus. At one time it was an elegant old home built around the turn of the century – probably by a family of some wealth and means. The front door was extraordinarily large and trimmed in panels of stained glass. When you walked in the front door there was a large sitting area to the left. Just beyond the sitting area there was a large formal staircase leading up to the second level of the house. One can almost imagine the scenes of grandeur as the host and hostesses descended those stairs to join their guests for a particular party. One could imagine a wedding in that home with the bride descending the stairs for a service to be held in the living room. 

But in that house there was another staircase as well. The second staircase led from the third floor down to the first. It was a narrow staircase. There were no windows. It wound down from the third floor and emptied into the kitchen.  It was obviously the servant’s entrance. 

Christmas is about God choosing a servant’s entrance. Christmas is about God coming down the back staircase. It was not what anyone expected. It was not in a way immediately recognizable. Christmas reminds us that God comes in ways not always recognizable. 

I considered for a moment this week showing you a few scenes from the movie Shrek. It is not a Christmas movies. And yet in some ways it is. It turns every expectation on its head.

        The green ogre wins the princess

        The beautiful princess takes loves true form – a green ogre.

        The lowly donkey is the hero. (Think about that for a moment!)

        Outcasts are invited to the wedding celebration

        A smelly onion becomes the glorious coach. 

Christmas is God’s masterpiece of unlikely events in unlikely places happening to unlikely people. Christmas turns the values of the world upside down. 

YOUR LIFE AND MINE 

Finally, Christmas turns your life and mine upside down. It turns us away from images of success and winning. Christmas reminds me that life is not about a “Ho ho ho” holiness, but about discipleship. Life is not about being happy, but about being obedient. Life is not about “taking everything you can get”, but “giving generously.” Life is not about a quiet submission to injustices, but a call to exercise a holy justice for the weak and the oppressed. 

Christmas changes your outlook upon life and it changes mine. Christmas turns everything upside down and inside out. 

Christmas is the greatest story ever told. Or, at least it is the beginning of that story. Christmas is story that seems “too good to be true.” Christmas is still a wonder that still attracts people after 2000 years. Christmas has something to say to even the most casual holiday observer. Sometimes you keep your distance. You stand only on the edge. You only let the story creep into the edges of your life. But then, when you move closer to the light, you capture the vision. 

I believe that Christmas reflects the way all things are meant to be. A tiny baby ends up becoming the center of our lives. Kings and shepherds kneel down together. There will peace on earth. No more war, no more hunger, no more people abusing other people. 

Christmas is the story that for at least one night when all was calm, and all was bright, the world was the way it is supposed to be. And maybe, just maybe, the world can be that way again.