Midnight Sermon Christmas 2025

Isaiah 52:7-10

John 1:1-14

May I speak and may we hear the Word of God, Amen.

In recent years many famous brands have tried to create the perfect Christmas advert. We have the Coca Cola train, the M & S Dawn French fairy, the Sainsbury’s carrot characters and of course the iconic John Lewis tearjerker.

This year’s John Lewis ad is I think quite exceptional for its theological overtones. It features a family tidying up after Christmas, clearing away presents from under the tree. The Dad discovers an unopened parcel for him from his son. They obviously have some kind of strained relationship - things are tense and it feels uneasy. He opens the parcel to reveal an old vinyl record – the nostalgic 90’s house track, ‘Where love lives’ by Alison Limerick begins playing and he is transported back to his younger clubbing days. The son metaphorically approaches across the dance floor, and the father is reminded of his son as a little boy and the closeness they once shared. It seems there is a deep longing in them both to recapture something that has been lost, and they embrace and begin embarrassing dad dancing. John Lewis’ tag line is revealed as ‘If you can’t find the words find the gift.’

This advert has sparked off all kind of thoughts in me comparable to our scripture readings tonight from the tagline to the relationships and the lyrics. So let’s begin with the tag line

‘If you can’t find the words find the gift.’

The bible tells us so many stories of heroes of the faith, men and women who revealed God through their lives but still much of the population were numb to their message and ignored them. Jesus reminds his followers of this when telling them a story about Lazarus and the rich man stating, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

I expect many of you will be familiar with the saying, ‘if you want a job doing properly do it yourself’, (even if it is often better to share the load), and St John tells us tonight that, ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ Most of us learn by example, by being shown how to do things, God sent Jesus, his own son, his very self, to show us how to be in relationship with Him. Jesus himself is that living Word, who became human, the one who created all things is the one who will redeem all things too. If you can’t find the words find the gift. Jesus is God’s gift to us.

Secondly, the relationship between the father and son in the advert reminds me of another famous story that Jesus shared about the Prodigal or Lost son. In this parable the rebellious child wants to do things their own way and thinks life will be better without an annoying parent figure. Surprise, surprise they discover it’s not and they return home tail between their legs. Instead of receiving an ‘I told you so’ they are welcomed with open arms and joy because a parents’ love is unconditional. Jesus was making the point this is how God the father feels about us. Longing to welcome us back into his arms when we stray and try to do things our own way, and to those who receive this message we are reassured will receive the same inheritance as Jesus, to be children of God and have an eternal relationship with our heavenly Father.

So finally, the lyrics, “Follow me down, deep down where the love lives, come on in, where love lives, just come on in”

Imagine this being the song of the angels calling us repeatedly into relationship with God.

“Follow me down, deep down where the love lives, come on in, where love lives, just come on in”

Saint John also writes in one of his later letters that ‘God is love and those who live in love, live in God and God lives in them.’

Most people will have an experienced love in some form or another; Parent/child, lovers/partners, siblings, friends, even pets. For all of us and especially for those who feel rejected or lonely this night – this is the Good News – the knowledge that God loves you and wants to be in a relationship with you and invites us through the miraculous gift of his son to come on in, where love lives. To live in God as God lives in us, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. For in God there is life and life in all its fulness. This is the good news of Christmas. You can’t make it up and create a twee advert about it - this is the Gospel truth that Isaiah and John are proclaiming to us tonight

God will comfort his people

God will redeem the world

God will reveal his strength

and he did this through Jesus.

If you would like to know more about the person of Jesus please do sign up for Alpha, a short video discussion course in the new year that explores the basics of the Christian faith in a relaxed informal atmosphere – feel free to ask those questions that have been burning a hole in your heart.  There are flyers and cards with a QR code or check out our website which take you to a booking form and I’ll be in touch. Even if you are a seasoned Christian maybe you would like to get together with others to go deeper in faith. We will be exploring the Jesus of the four Gospel during Lent next year too.

I pray that each of us can experience like the father and the son in the John Lewis advert a restored relationship with our heavenly Father, and know deep down where love lives, welcoming God into our lives afresh this Christmas and into the New Year.

Amen.