I love Christmas eve services.  Gathering together, reflecting upon the incarnation of our Lord as we hold our lit candles high.  I truly have the best seat in the house as I look out over the congregation…it’s a beatiful moment.

When the early church gathered there was a hymn they sang that and I’m grateful that we have it recorded in Phil. 2.

I’m struck this year by the first part of verse 7, "made himself nothing."  "Kenosis," that is, to empty or to pour.  Christ poured himself out in the incarnation.  Now we can spend our time on what he poured out (which can be a fun theological excercise) or we can recogize the implications.  When something is poured out there is an opportunity for something else to be filled!

Whatever Christ emptied himself of can fill us if we are willing and receptive vessels.  Os Guiness helps us here when he wrote, "we have too much to live with and not enough to live for."  Are we too full to be filled?  Just look at your trash can on Wednesday morning for the answer to that question…

Perhaps we need an emptying as well.  Maybe this is why the scriptures teach us to live generously, so that our blessings don’t become stagnant in our lives we give them away so that Christ can fill us anew.  We also follow in the ancient way of the Magi who were full of gold, incense and myrhh and yet, in the presence of Christ, they became empty so that they could be filled with Christ and worshipful. 

That’s the gospel isn’t it?  That’s the mystery revealed, "Christ in us, the hope of glory."