Christmas Eve Carol & I were at our church. The first service was the traditional Lessons and Carols including Silent Night by Candlelight. Since I was in the choir and she was a greeter, we stayed and attended the "Collision" contemporary service together. Serving every week is something I feel called to do, but it leaves only special times like this to be able to worship together. Pastor CJ's message took an unusual twist on the story of the three wise men. In the imaginary story, because of teh sins of each of them, the gold was turned to a hammer, the frankensense to a nail, and the myrrh to a spear. The Christ child accepted these gifts and used them to ultimatley save us all from our sins. The purpose of Christmas is not the gifts we give, but the gift we receive from Him.
Christmas day and the day after we visited both of my daughters and their families. It was a lot of driving, but worth every moment spent in the car.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Fourth Sunday of Advent
We heard Mary's Song today, from Luke 1:46-55. It is a song showing both sides of God; His love and mercy on one hand and on the other, His power and might.
The message today highlighted two phrases or verses:
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
Remember that in those days, being rich was almost always associated with taking unfair advantage of the poor or working class. For us today, this represents a warning to help and serve others.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
"Fearing" God is not the trembling fear one feels in in face of a mortal danger, for instance. It reminds us to approach Him with Awe and Reverence.
It's almost Christmas as I write this. May the promises kept by the birth, life, and death of the one sent by the Father be made real for you in this time.
Merry Christmas!
The message today highlighted two phrases or verses:
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
Remember that in those days, being rich was almost always associated with taking unfair advantage of the poor or working class. For us today, this represents a warning to help and serve others.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
"Fearing" God is not the trembling fear one feels in in face of a mortal danger, for instance. It reminds us to approach Him with Awe and Reverence.
It's almost Christmas as I write this. May the promises kept by the birth, life, and death of the one sent by the Father be made real for you in this time.
Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Third Sunday of Advent
This week is traditionally associated with Joy or joyous expectation. But this was the weekend of my Church's Christmas Musical, this year titled "There is Peace in the World Tonight".
How can we take this serious when our country is a war in some many ways? We are actively fighting on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more seriously, we are under attack by elements of radicalized Islam in what should be called, from our perspective, a war on terror.
The answer came 2,000 years ago. It was delivered by the angels: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
With apologies and thanks to Randy Vader for my paraphrase of the narration, here is what I believe to be the essence of the message of our Musical:
Peace, today, is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of God in our lives.
The hope of peace came to us in a most miraculous way on that Holy night in the little town of Bethlehem. God did hear the prayers of His people. Through the life and ministry of His Son, He redefined Love and Peace forever. Peace is the presence of God.
In a world ravaged by the evil of war, we must never lose sight of the promise of peace that comes to us from heaven. As the Psalmist said: " The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."
As St. Francis of Assisi prayed : "Make me an insturment of His peace." May we always remember that peace has a Prince... and He is here, right now, among us.
There is peace in the world tonight.
How can we take this serious when our country is a war in some many ways? We are actively fighting on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more seriously, we are under attack by elements of radicalized Islam in what should be called, from our perspective, a war on terror.
The answer came 2,000 years ago. It was delivered by the angels: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
With apologies and thanks to Randy Vader for my paraphrase of the narration, here is what I believe to be the essence of the message of our Musical:
Peace, today, is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of God in our lives.
The hope of peace came to us in a most miraculous way on that Holy night in the little town of Bethlehem. God did hear the prayers of His people. Through the life and ministry of His Son, He redefined Love and Peace forever. Peace is the presence of God.
In a world ravaged by the evil of war, we must never lose sight of the promise of peace that comes to us from heaven. As the Psalmist said: " The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."
As St. Francis of Assisi prayed : "Make me an insturment of His peace." May we always remember that peace has a Prince... and He is here, right now, among us.
There is peace in the world tonight.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Second Sunday of Advent
The focus this week is on Repentance.
Centuries before the birth of Jesus, Malachai foretold His coming, with these words from The Lord: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me." But, he also warned: "...He will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."
In Jesus' time, John the Baptist "went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
At Christmas time it is easy to fall into belief that it is all glitter and lights and times filled with presents. Jesus has for us the present of life eternal, he paid the price for it by his death on the cross, but it comes at a cost for us also. First we must accept and believe in Him as the Son of God. We also must repent of our sins.
How appropriate it was that this Sunday in our church was also a Communion Sunday where we are able to come to Him with our sins and recieve the forgiveness, physically represetnted through His Body and Blood.
Thank you Jesus.
Centuries before the birth of Jesus, Malachai foretold His coming, with these words from The Lord: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me." But, he also warned: "...He will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."
In Jesus' time, John the Baptist "went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
At Christmas time it is easy to fall into belief that it is all glitter and lights and times filled with presents. Jesus has for us the present of life eternal, he paid the price for it by his death on the cross, but it comes at a cost for us also. First we must accept and believe in Him as the Son of God. We also must repent of our sins.
How appropriate it was that this Sunday in our church was also a Communion Sunday where we are able to come to Him with our sins and recieve the forgiveness, physically represetnted through His Body and Blood.
Thank you Jesus.
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