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Thursday, 24 December 2009
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A Sestina for Christmas
It's the time of year we call Christmas
A time we spend with friends and family
It's a time for us to worship
We worship a baby
Who was born in a stable
But do we worship the King?
The child who came was born a King
Do we just see a baby?
Who do we worship?
During the time we spend with family
In this season of Christmas
Who do we see in the stable?
It was strange there in the stable
Not the usual place for the birth of a King
But there was the baby
His mother welcomed him to the family
We call this Christmas
Who do we worship?
There is only one worthy of worship
He lay in a stable
Surrounded by his family
At Christmas
We too often forget the King
And focus on the baby
It is wondrous that he was a baby
Born in a humble stable
So we celebrate at Christmas
Who do we worship?
A King?
Or an infant in a human family?
Yes, part of a human family
Born a baby
In a stable
He is more. He is King
He is worthy of worship
At Christmas
As we celebrate Christmas, surrounded by family
Remember that we worship much more than a baby
Born in a stable. We worship the King!
Merry Christmas!
Monday, 21 December 2009
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A Baby Changes Everything
One night last year we watched "A Home for the Holidays". It was a tv special about adoption. At the beginning, Faith Hill sang a song about the birth of Christ, and there was a recurring line that stated, "a baby changes everything".
To me, that sums up the message of Christmas. A baby changes everything. The world that this baby was born into was under the control of an oppressive empire. The people of God were in bondage and waiting for a redeemer to come and free them. Then along comes this baby, born into a working class family and placed in a feeding trough. What many of the folks at that time didn't realize was that the Redeemer had come. The One who would free them from bondage had arrived on the scene. Everything was about to change.
When Jesus began his public ministry and people began to follow him, most still didn't realize the extent of the changes that were coming. They didn't know that even their expectations had to change. They didn't see that the bondage they were under was spiritual and not just political. They didn't see that the Kingdom that was in their midst was a kingdom founded on love and grace, not on power.
Everything has changed. Because this baby was born in Bethlehem, because God took on humanity, we can now be saved from the oppression of sin. We can now enter the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of love. Everything has changed because this Kingdom does not operate like the kingdoms of this world. This Kingdom turns things upside down, or maybe it's the kingdoms of the world that are upside down. Everything has changed because this Kingdom is concerned, not with serving self, but with serving others.
Everything has changed because this King will not die and allow another to take the throne. He has conquered death, and so His subjects will reign with Him forever in the new heavens and earth.
It's true. A baby changes everything.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
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Currently
Life of Pi
By Yann Martel
see relatedSaturday Thoughts
Christmas break has officially begun. I'm not sure who is more excited - the students or the teachers. I'm definitely looking forward to the time off.
Enjoy the links:
Shaun Groves replies to those people.
An Advent confession.
New Year's resolutions.
Lessons from EPCOT.
The truth behind suffering.
Six floors of Sunday School?
Are you putting any of these on your tree?
Christmas vegans.
A good post from Bob Hyatt.
Live nativities.
What or who?
John Armstrong asks if we've missed Jesus.
Quotes on learning.
Scot McKnight found this article depressing.
This will be the last edition of Saturday Thoughts for 2009. I hope you have a Merry Christmas, or a happy whatever holiday you celebrate.
Thursday, 17 December 2009
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A Poem for Christmas
People rushing to and fro
Traffic steadily building
Black Friday is going to save us all
Buy, buy, buy
Can't afford it? No matter
Take a year to pay the bill
It's your patriotic duty
Spend, spend, spend
What are we thinking?
We're missing something here
Do we have a clue?
Do we know what Christmas means?
The prophets knew
They predicted it
The angels knew
They sang about it
The shepherds and the wise men knew
They came and worshipped
Herod knew
He tried to have this rival killed
Christmas is a celebration becauseThe King has come
Yet we enthrone our own comfort
Worshipping the golden calf of Wall Street
We lust after power
Political, economic, social
We have forgotten something
We have forgotten this
The King has come
All the kingdoms on earth are His
The King has come
We are His
The King has come
Let us celebrate Him!
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
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World Vision Wednesday
There are a variety of ways to give this Christmas, from gifts found in the catalog to giving to areas where emergency gifts are needed. To find out more about emergency needs visit this page.
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