Philippians 1:3-11

Christmas cheer is in the air although we are barely into the season of Advent. For many of in our culture today the Christmas season begins at Thanksgiving. For some, however, Christmas festivities begin even prior to Thanksgiving Day. Yet, in order to make ourselves spiritually outfitted to accept God's gift of the Christ child perhaps we need to prepare our own spiritual lives. Like fertile ground primed to receive a farmer's seed, we too need a season of preparation to receive God's gift. Advent, like Lent, is a season of prayer and reflection for what God brings to God's people respectively at Christmas and Easter.

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Perhaps tying the idea of Thanksgiving to the idea of preparation for the Christ child is not as far-fetched as it might appear from a simple surface understanding. To be a part of a community of faith is certainly a time for thanksgiving. Paul unquestionably thinks as much. Paul initiates our lesson today by stating clearly, "I thank my God every time I remember you." Of course Paul is writing to exceptional friends — the faith community that constitutes the church at Philippi. These are folks who have stood beside Paul through many of his trials and tribulations-indeed Paul wrote this letter to the Philippian church while he sat in jail (1:13). Yet, it is out of a profound joy and thanksgiving that he remembers his friends in Philippi.

Paul thanks God when he remembers them. This statement is potent because it reminds us of a truth that functions in our lives like it evidently operated in Paul's. When we remember those who have given us joy, we as Christians are likely to pray for them with joy. The Philippians have shared the gospel from the beginning with Paul and even, as he himself says, "because you hold me in your heart." These folks — Paul and the Philippian church — have a sacred history between them. Sacred history between people is indeed a time for joy and thanksgiving.

If there is ever one activity that saturates the season of Christmas (and Advent) it is the activity of eating together. Many Sunday school classes have parties that, more often than not, involve meals that assume an appearance of banquets. Families gather around the table in ways that they rarely do at any other time of the year with the possible exception of Thanksgiving Day. Many churches celebrate Holy Communion during the season of Advent and often on Christmas Eve.

Interestingly another name for Holy Communion is the Greek word that we translate "eucharist." Eucharist simply means "thanksgiving." When we eat together as a church we include not only our church family, but also those saints from around the world and through the centuries. Hebrews 13 characterizes these believers as "the great cloud of witnesses." When a church recites the Apostles' Creed together it suggests this idea when we say something about "the communion of saints." When I was young I could not grasp a table large enough to include places for all believers of the church for all time. However, now I understand that in the mind of God we are all gathered around one table whenever we celebrate the Lord's Supper that we also call the Eucharist — a meal of thanksgiving.

I ask you to do something that will help you spiritually prepare for the coming of Christ this Christmas. Take some time during this Advent season to do more than simply send a non-descript Christmas card to those you love. This season I ask you to engage in a spiritual exercise much like Paul did when he wrote the Philippians. When you write your Christmas cards be sure to write something that tells that person how much you thank God for them. You might even try beginning your Christmas card message with a biblical phrase. If you need a good place to begin, why not write, "I thank my God every time I remember you."

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Sermon brief provided by: David N. Mosser, Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Arlington, TX