pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Christmas


by 1 Comment

Joy

Reading: 1st Thessalonians 5: 16-18 – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ”.

The Christmas season is a time when joy and love seem to abound in extra measure.  At our churches, the Children’s Christmas Program brings smiles to our faces and joy to our hearts long after the program itself has ended.  The Christmas songs on the radio or our play stations and the specials on television also add to the joy of the season.  Extra time with family and friends is an added bonus that brings us even more joy.

On the past two Sundays in many churches we have lit the candles of hope and peace and have been reminded of how, in Christ, God brings these things to the world.  This Sunday we will light the candle of joy and will be reminded of how Christ also brings us joy during the Advent season.  Joy is an emotion that naturally surrounds a birth as well.  So it is fitting that we await the birth of Jesus with much joy.

Yet very quickly after December 25, for many the Christmas season will end.  We turn from time with family and celebrations with great food and merriment to times of being alone and figuring out how we can lose what we gained and pay for what we gave.  Christmas is too often moved on from and picked up long before the season is actually over.  And if we are not careful, the joy that filled us and lifted our spirits can also slip away.

To be joyful in Christ is a trait that Christians should have all year round.  Christ does not go away with the trees and bows and songs.  But our heightened sense of joy can go.  To keep our sense of joy requires some intentional effort on our part.  We must choose to cultivate a sense of joy in our hearts all year long.  Whether we make it a portion of our daily prayer time or whether we keep a little “thank” journal that we write in each day or whether we post a few things that we are thankful for each day on social media, we must thank God each day for His presence, love, and activity in our lives.  As we practice being joyful, we will find that joy becomes a natural part of our daily lives.  It is then that we begin to live into these words:  “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ”.  May it be so.  Amen.


by Leave a comment

What a Gift

Christmas cards are still a staple at Christmas time for many people.  Stores sell tons of cards and many people make their own Christmas cards with pictures of their families on the front.  Most of the cards have something to do with the Christ aspect of Christmas.  The references can be through Bible verses or quotes, through using the many names of Jesus, or through the good news of peace, joy, love, and hope.

Christmas carols are another staple of the season and also do the same things to share Christmas and the spirit of the season.  The ‘classics’ are a collective memory that we all share.  It is a wonderful part of Christmas to joyously lift our voices in song to tell the good news.  Sometimes we even go caroling to places like nursing homes and in our neighborhoods to share Christmas with others.

And, of course, Christmas services also draw us back to Christ as the center of Christmas.  In our worship services we read the scriptures and also sing the songs.  We use prayer and the proclaimed word as well to share the story of Christmas.  Perhaps we share in communion.  Tomorrow on Christmas Eve we also light the Christ candle and place it in the center of the Advent wreath, recognizing Jesus Christ as the center of our peace, joy, love, and hope.

Advent is also a time of personal study and reflection.  We read a devotional book or use an Advent calendar to connect to the season in a deeper way.  These personal practices have the same purpose as the corporate practices: to remind us of Jesus and what a gift He is to us and to all of humanity.  Thanks be to God for this gift.

Scripture reference: Colossians 3: 15-17


by Leave a comment

The True Light

One cannot read passages such as today’s and not think that, yes, the world is in pretty bad shape.  One can look at all of the disasters and evil befalling the world and think maybe the end is drawing near.  Maybe it is drawing near.  As we look at our world it can be easy to feel powerless and maybe even a little hopeless.  Some of the issues are so big and we are so small.  Indeed, if it were up to just us to save the world, we would be in trouble.  But it is not up to us.  It is up to God and He calls on us to help.

At the end of today’s passage, Jesus tells us where to start: with ourselves.  He warns us to be careful, to be ready, and to be on watch.  In Christmas terms we are to prepare our hearts and to call out ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel.’  As we enter Advent today we do so with the feeling that something is coming.  We prepare ourselves to celebrate Christ’s birth and to anticipate His return.  We also prepare ourselves to be His light and love in our world each and every day.

Christ’s love must shine brightly in our hearts.  It must be brighter and more joyful than all the Christmas lights, fancy jingles, and hoopla.  As Christ’s ambassadors we must joyfully share the hope and love we find in Jesus Christ.  In our dark world, hope and love will go a long way.  The world is broken and needs to be reconciled to Jesus.  This Advent season may we play our role in helping God’s love and hope shine in the darkness.  May we help reveal the true Light of Christmas to the world.

Scripture reference: Luke 21: 25-36


by Leave a comment

The Word Became Flesh

“In the beginning” is how John begins his gospel. He draws us back to the beginning because Christ was there too.  In this connection back to Genesis we also get the start of Christ’s story.  Until God spoke, our ‘world’ was only chaos and darkness.  Until God spoke.  He spoke the world into being.

Last night we celebrated another creation that God spoke into being.  He said to Mary, “you shall bear a son” and it was.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Through His life Jesus brought us life and light, grace and mercy.  For a second time God spoke and the darkness fled.

When we see Christ as both ancient and also as new, we catch a peak into the holy mystery.  It is that beautiful place where heaven and earth meet.  In this place the light again conquered the darkness.  The darkness shall never overcome the Light.  Here Christ’s glory is revealed.  As the Word becomes flesh and dwells within us, heaven and earth again meet.  From within this imperfect vessel that is each of us, may Christ’s light shine forth this day and every day.  Merry Christmas!!

Scripture reference: John 1: 1-14


by Leave a comment

True Light, Eternal Freedom

In Isaiah 9 we find a passage that bridges the time in which he was writing with the time when Jesus lived with our time today.It speaks of what was, what is, and what will be.  By virtue of its timelessness, it is perfect for today.

Throughout time people have craved for light to shine in the darkness, for evil to be overcome.  Isaiah’s words, “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light”, bring hope.  He writes about breaking the yoke of oppression, of ending the foreign dominance.  In Jesus’ day it was the Romans on one level and the religious leaders on another level.  Today the things that oppress us vary greatly – from the self-imposed to things out of our control.  Forever and always we will long for freedom.

Into the midst of the oppression and the longing for freedom from all that burdens us steps the Christ child.  Tonight we celebrate Jesus’ birth – the entrance of the True Light, the arrival of eternal freedom.  Embrace these truths as we gather tonight to welcome Him into the world and into our lives.

Isaiah 9: 2-7


by Leave a comment

Means to Draw Near

Israel continues to celebrate the Passover with the same elements and practices of the first Passover.  The food is the same, the gathering together of family units is the same, the worship – all serve to reconnect to God and the experience of the exodus from bondage.

We too do the same.  At Easter we commonly give something up (or add in a new spiritual discipline).  When we do these things we come to points where we are physically reminded of and spiritually connected to Jesus.  When we ‘miss’ that things we gave up, we are denying ourselves as a means to remind us of the sacrifice and suffering Jesus endured for us.  When we spend extra time in study or prayer, we learn new things about Jesus or our relationship with Him.

At Christmas we exchange a gift with a loved ones.  This symbolizes and reminds us of the gift that the baby Jesus was to us all.  Almost all churches and some families light the wreath to remind them of what Jesus is to them – peace, hope, love, and joy.  Some use a holiday calendar to remember the story.

On a simpler level we sometimes fast.  By practicing the discipline of fasting, we are practicing a habit of Jesus.  When we fast we are reminded of Him every time we feel the hunger in our stomachs.  This prompts us to pray and reminds us of our need for Him.  The hunger can also be channeled into a spiritual hunger.  Our physical cravings can become a spiritual craving.  That time spent over food can become time spent in the Word and in prayer.

Like Israel and the many festivals they celebrate, we too have many means to draw near to grace.  Small or large, we have many ways to connect to God and Jesus!

Scripture reference: Exodus 12: 11-14


by Leave a comment

What Are Your Days?

Each and every year the people of Israel celebrate the Passover.  It was their touchstone moment in their relationship with God.  In a grand show of His love for them, God rescued Israel from bondage.  For them it was important to remember, to recall, and to give thanks.

We Christians also celebrate moments where God touched the lives of humanity.  Each and every year we remember the gift of Jesus’ birth and the great sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.  We back that up with celebrating the resurrection and all that brought to humankind.  Once we know the stories and their importance, we do not stop celebrating the events.  We celebrate Christmas and Easter each and every year – to reconnect, to remember, and to give thanks for our relationship with Him and to give thanks for all He does for us.

What personal faith moments do you celebrate?  Is it your baptism (or the date of it if you were an infant) or your confirmation?  Is it the day you entered into a personal relationship with Jesus?  Is it the day you were married…?  These events or moments are essential to remember, to recall, to reflect, and to celebrate.  So… what are your days?

Scripture reference: Exodus 12: 1-10