Christmas Kingdom

I read in Luke's gospel the continuing story as it unfolds with the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary:
Luke 1:26-33 (NIV)
1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Christmas is about many things: decorations, lights, candy and cookies, gatherings with friends, children's pageants in church, carol sings, Christmas movies and Santa Claus, and the list goes on and on. Yet, as I read the words of Gabriel I'm reminded that first and foremost of all, Christmas is about the Kingdom of God. The angel Gabriel came announcing, Luke 1:32-33 (NIV)
1:32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

The prophet Isaiah had said it first: Isaiah 9:7 (NIV)
9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

And the book of Revelation reminds us that God "wraps it all up" it will still be about the Kingdom of God: Revelation 19:11-16 (NIV)
19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Here is the reminder of what Christmas is all about. It was God's entry into the world, "Immanuel" = "God with us", and in his coming Jesus reminds us that "...the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Many years ago we use to sing "The King is Coming, The King is Coming..." Well, he is!

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It's St. Nicholas Day

December 6 is a memorable day in the Advent Season. When our children were growing up we hung stockings out and filled them with treats on St. Nicholas Day. It is St. Nicholas of course that serves as the model of Santa Claus in America, or Father Christmas in places like England, or for my Dutch friends, Sinterklass.

Some Christians struggle with including Santa Claus in their Christmas celebrations, but if we embraced who this man was, we would see how he served as an example of what celebrating Christmas is all about. St. Nicholas was an early church Bishop from a place called Myra in what is now modern day Turkey. He lived during a time of persecution and was imprisoned and persecuted for his faith. He died on Dec. 6, somewhere near 350 A.D.

Tradition has it that he was the "Children's Bishop". He cared deeply for children and there are many stories, probably most are myths, of his exploits on behalf of children. As the successive generations of the church followed the person of St. Nicholas evolved. In Germany he became Weinachstmann - Christmas Man; in France, Pere Noel took over St. Nicholas' job. He arrived each Christmas to provide for children and the poor, cakes, cookies, and candy, placing them in shoes that sat outside. In England, it was Father Christmas who had a beard and a sack of toys. When the Reformation took hold in Germany and other parts of Europe, the veneration of Saints was banned. Still St. Nicholas' day continued to be a part of the Christmas season. When new world settlers from Holland settled in New York, Sinterklass was heard by English speaking people as "Santy Claus". In 1808, Washington Irving wrote about Sinterklass in his book A History of New York, and described him as "a rotund little man in Dutch clothes, with knee length trousers and a broad brimmed hat, traveling around on a flying horse wagon dropping gifts down the chimneys of his favorites on the Eve of St. Nicholas."

While Irving made gift giving by Santa Claus a part of Christmas lore, it was a professor of theology, Clement Moore, who ultimately made Santa Claus a part of the Christmas season when in wrote A Visit From St. Nicholas, now known as "The Night Before Christmas". The story is that he was inspired by a man who drove a "hack" - a horse drawn taxi cab - who had a long white beard and a reddish nose. He wrote the story for his children and what was meant as a private poem to his children was made famous the following year when it was published in the New York paper. What the story changed was Santa Claus' visit was not tied to St. Nicholas day on Dec. 6th, but instead occurred on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th after the children had gone to sleep. Santa came with a sleigh drawn by 8 reindeer, all of whom had names! He wrote: "down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound..." and after he
"filled all the stockings; then he turned with a jerk,
and laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Clement Moore's poem has become part of American Christmas tradition and even today movies continue to be made (with a certain amount of stupidity) that embrace the idea of Santa. Santa has evolved, but what hasn't changed is that this character once lived as a generous, faithful Christian leader who inspired others to love and be generous. So, on this day, St. Nicholas' day, go ahead and give a gift to someone who doesn't deserve it, who doesn't know it's from you, and for the sake of Christ alone. Happy St. Nicholas Day!

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JOY

This morning I get to celebrate the Second Sunday in Advent with my brothers and sisters at New Life Fellowship. We who celebrate Christ's Advent get to seize the Joy of this season. Joy isn't about happiness - for happiness depends upon happenings. Joy is that settled confidence that God is in charge...all is going to be ok.

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)
2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

I love the way the Prophet Isaiah explained it - Isaiah 51:11 (NIV)
51:11 The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.


The famous Christmas classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" captures the essence of this passage - a ransomed Joyful overtaking...and sorrow and sighing fleeing away - when George comes home at the end of the movie, now aware that the debt and shame of the money is not what matters. What matters is his family and friends. He ends up surrounded by them and they sing together "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the New Born King..." That is not happiness on display, that is JOY! The Joy of a ransomed everlasting Joy upon his head.

May we discover JOY in the Lord as we worship him today, and throughout this Advent.

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Husband and Wife - Faith Partners

As I thought ("mused") on the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, I couldn't help but wonder how the two of them "together" came to this place of "settled faith". What I mean is that their togetherness speaks loudly about a husband and wife being convinced as one, the way the scripture defines a marriage, about what God wants to do in their lives.
Here's the passage again, read it aloud and slowly, catch the togetherness:

Luke 1:57-66 (NIV)
1:57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

Zechariah had been quiet - mute - throughout this whole period. Elizabeth and he spoke a language together of the Spirit of God. It came to them that God was at work in their marriage, in their family, in each of their lives - together.

My brothers and sisters, if you are married, can you believe that God has a work he wants to do through the two of you as a couple? Do we believe that the "one flesh" that God said would be a marriage is still the goal of striving "in" our marriage?

I am concerned as I see so many couples struggling to keep their marriage alive and with a desire to be a couple doing God's will together. It's become all to frequent that couples settle for being "married singles". Married? Yes, but only in ways that are legal and social...we live together, we share finances, we have a family to raise, we serve God, we even are intimate with each other...but, all of this is not leading to oneness and I've heard to many couples say "we're not together".

Elizabeth and Zechariah discover this oneness when they mutually together say "God has done this and therefore together we will walk this out in faith". Faith Partners - a couple who understand that God is at work in "them", to do and to will of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12,13). Oh that we had churches full of faith partners.

If you're not married, and would like to be, this is the mate you're looking for. One who strives for oneness in God. One who wants God to be the Lord of the marriage and Lord of the direction of living that out in faith.

May Advent be for all of us who are married a time of renewal of being faith partners.

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Elizabeth's Quiet Faith

The Christmas story in Luke begins with the priest Zechariah, and before the first chapter ends, Mary is pregnant with Jesus. In between there is Elizabeth.
Luke tells little about her.

Luke 1:5-7 (NIV)
1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Zechariah has his visitation in the temple service by the angel Gabriel...and he walks out without the ability to talk - not so much a punishment, but a divine sign that something happened to him in the temple, and perhaps his lack of affirmation was God's way of saying, "Then just watch".

Zechariah comes home to Elizabeth...and he isn't talking. More than one wife can relate to that, but in this case his lack of talking isn't his tired, worn out emotions and body, but rather it's the Lord's doing. What did Elizabeth know? What did she understand? What did she do? It's obvious, something has happened to her husband, and she doesn't get to "hear" it from him...it is merely acted out. They made love... Luke 1:23-25 (NIV)
1:23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

It seems very strange for us "moderns" to understand just what it meant to a woman in her day to be "barren". It is a frustration that many a woman can identify with when they "try" over and over to have children without success. But, for Elizabeth it was more than just frustration...it was "disgrace". "What's wrong with her?" "What has she done that God will not allow her to have a child?", and more.

There's only one more link to Elizabeth and it comes after Mary is visited by the angel and is herself now pregnant. Luke tells it like this...Luke 1:39-45 (NIV)
1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Elizabeth is mainly a quiet figure in the story. But to Elizabeth we see a faith that goes beyond human emotion.
1. She points out the defining characteristic in Mary - "Blessed are you who believed that the word God spoke would indeed be fulfilled".
2. She speaks out the quality of Mary's blessed state - "she believed the Lord"
Remember the words of Jesus later...Luke 11:27-28 (NIV)
11:27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Elizabeth...quiet, full of faith, and understands what's going on.

May our Advent be a time of "watching", "waiting", "seeking understanding" in all that God is doing around us, and through us.

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The Christmas Lights

Our trees - yes trees - one inside we cut last weekend, and the one outside that stands large and tall in the front yard are both lit, and as well, there are also lights around the house. We love Christmas decorations, especially the Christmas lights. A couple of nights ago I saw the lighting of the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on TV.
It was Martin Luther almost 500 years ago that came up with the idea of lights in the Christmas tree. He was walking in the dark near his home and noticed the stars twinkling through the evergreen branches. He felt as if the hand of God had touched his soul and he came up with the idea of putting candles on the tree inside of his home. For centuries to follow candles were developed with special holders to place on Christmas trees. This made for two things: 1) It created beauty in developing decorations for Christmas; and 2) extreme fire hazards as every year not only trees, but houses would catch on fire. It was an employee of Thomas Edison, who developed the first electrical lights, that would come up with the idea of stringing electrical bulbs together to decorate his own Christmas tree. Edward Johnson's idea caught on the 1880's, and newspapers sent reporters from far off places to get stories on this new invention. Yet, it was expensive. It was not until after WW I that General Electric and Westinghouse would produce Christmas tree bulbs that the average American could afford to purchase. The evolution of Christmas tree bulbs has continued to this day.

Why do we decorate the tree this way? While tradition is linked back to Luther's idea, it had it's roots in scripture.
John 1:1-5 (NIV)
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Even there, John is thinking back to an Old Testament Prophet who talked of the Messiah's coming in terms of light - Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (NIV)
9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned...
9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

The promise of the Messiah is that he comes as light in the darkness of the world. The promise of the Messiah is that "the light shines in darkness, but the darkness doesn't understand (recognize) it..."
Think about it...Jesus says to us: Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

"The Light has come and the darkness can
Never be the same, O hallelujah"

May the lights of the Christmas reminds us always that Jesus Christ has come, and that before he comes again, WE are his lights.

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Listening - An Art

We began to decorate our home two weeks ago. This last weekend, the best Christmas tree we've ever had (and I say that every year) went up in our living room. We've decorated the rest of the house the way we wanted to over the last few days...why? Because decorating our home is an external action of our internal desire. NOW, don't get me wrong, I don't think that people who do minimalist decorating only have a little desire. I just mean that our decorating is a part of the season we are celebrating - Advent, a preparing for our King.

But, what if we're not preparing? What if we've come to that place in life where it seems week in and week out not much changes. It's the same old, same old. Life chugs along and there is no expectation of God being involved in anything in my life?

I would urge a less hectic rushing around, and a more deliberate "slowing", "listening", "watching", because there we will more likely encounter God.

Here's the passage for today's Advent Reading:

Luke 1:5-20 (NIV)
1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Zechariah didn't anger Gabriel, and in that further sense, didn't anger God. Zechariah received a gift...silence. It is as if the Angel Gabriel said, "Zechariah you're struggling to believe that somehow life as you know it...and life as you have come to believe won't ever be different...could somehow be different. I want to give you a gift and allow you to watch, observe, catch the gift of what I am about to do...be amazed, you are not alone, God is right there in the midst of your life...even though you don't see it."

Listening to God is an Art. Take some time to be silent today...intentionally, prayerfully, deliberately and ask God to show you what he is doing. My prayer is you'll be amazed.

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