This Sunday is Christmas Sunday. The Adventure of Advent leads us to consider the great love of God. We will explore the word Immanuel which means, God with Us. What does it mean for God to be with us? Because of Christmas, this is now a reality. Perhaps this love of Immanuel can be illustrated in a human story. Listen to what John Ortberg writes about Father Damien of Hawaii:

Father Damien was a priest who became famous for his willingness to serve lepers. He moved to Kalawao village on the island of Molokai, in Hawaii, that had been quarantined to serve as a leper colony. For 16 years, he lived in their midst. He learned to speak their language. He bandaged their wounds, embraced the bodies no one else would touch, preached to hearts that would otherwise have been left alone. He organized schools, bands, and choirs. He built homes so that the lepers could have shelter. He built 2,000 coffins by hand so that, when they died, they could be buried with dignity. Slowly, it was said, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope. Father Damien was not careful about keeping his distance. He did nothing to separate himself from his people. He dipped his fingers in the poi bowl along with the patients. He shared his pipe. He did not always wash his hands after bandaging open sores. He got close. For this, the people loved him.

Then one day he stood up and began his sermon with two words: “We lepers.”

Now he wasn’t just helping them. Now he was one of them. From this day forward, he wasn’t just on their island; he was in their skin. First he had chosen to live as they lived; now he would die as they died. Now they were in it together. One day God came to Earth and began his message: “We lepers.” Now he wasn’t just helping us. Now he was one of us. Now he was in our skin. Now we were in it together.

John Ortberg, (Zondervan, 2005), p. 103-104
Thankful for Immanuel,

David

For me, the Incarnation is the place, if you will, where hope contends with fear. Not an antique doctrine at all, but reality as ordinary as my everyday struggles with fears great and small, as exalted as the hope that allows me some measure of peace when I soldier on in the daily round.

When a place or time seems touched by God, it is an overshadowing, a sudden eclipsing of my priorities and plans. But even in terrible circumstances and calamities, in matters of life and death, if I sense that I am in the shadow of God, I find light, so much light that my vision improves dramatically. I know that holiness is near. (Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, 30-31)

What does Incarnation mean to you? We will talk about that tomorrow morning.

Expectantly,

David

One of the great thinkers in all of Christian history is St. Augustine. He writes about what we call the incarnation. His words describe the meaning of Christmas.

God became a man for this purpose: since you, a human being, could not reach God, but you can reach other humans, you might now reach God through a man. And so the man Christ Jesus became the mediator of God and human beings. God became a man so that following a man - something you are able to do - you might reach God, which was formerly impossible to you.

St. Augustine

God’s movement from heaven into human form is described simply in the Gospel of John. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) God came to us so that we can come to God. We will talk about that on Sunday morning. On this “Highway of God” that moves in two directions we find our joy. I invite you to join me “On the Road Again.”

Expectantly,

David

Theologian Dale Bruner writes:

David Peterson, former pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Spokane, Washington, told about a time when he was preparing his sermon. His little daughter came in and said, “Daddy, can we play?”He answered, “I’m awfully sorry, Sweetheart, but I’m right in the middle of preparing this sermon. In about an hour I can play.”

She said, “Okay, when you’re finished, Daddy, I am going to give you a great big hug.”He said, “Thank you very much.” She went to the door and (these are his words) “Then she did a U-turn and came back and gave me a chiropractic, bone-breaking hug.” David said to her, “Darling, you said you were going to give me a hug after I finished.”

She answered, “Daddy, I just wanted you to know what you have to look forward to!”One meaning of Christmas is that God wants us to know, through this First Coming, how much we have to look forward to in the great Second Coming.

Citation: Dale Bruner, “Is Jesus Inclusive or Exclusive?” Theology, News, and Notes (October 1999), p. 3

What are you “looking forward to” this Advent?

Expectantly,

David

Is the Christmas tree up in your home yet? Some of you may cut your own tree or buy a cut tree from a lot. But many of us do it the easy way. Somewhere in the depths of our basements or garages or attics is a Christmas tree that has been dormant since last December. Most of the year it is forgotten and ignored, but now it comes forth to be adorned with ornaments and to be the centerpiece of our Christmas decorations. 

On the first Sunday of Advent many of our folks were involved in building the Living Christmas Tree in our church sanctuary. All this week others will be putting greenery and lights on the tree. Most of the year it is hidden and ignored but right now people are working hard to make sure that it will come to life once again this year for the 23^rd time.

This December we are considering the theme “Advent is the beginning of Adventure.” One way that we can experience the adventure of the season is to realize that we are celebrating the incredible, impossible presence of God in our lives. What appeared to be dormant and lifeless now comes to life. This new life brings peace.

Sunday morning we will be hearing the words from Isaiah 11:1-10. These words are about the way God does what seems to be impossible. When that happens, we can know the “peace that passes understanding.”

So keep on decorating your Christmas tree this week. We will continue to build the Living Christmas Tree at church. Then let’s get together on Sunday to talk about the Christmas Tree that is a symbol of God’s peace.