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Advent Blog 26: Reflection
Today is a reflection day. Catch up on exercises you’ve missed and enjoy the day.
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Advent Blog 25: Who’s Getting Hurled Down?
During Advent, our daily exercises focus on the Scriptures we’ll be reading together on the forthcoming Sunday.
Read Luke 1:46-55 and do the following exercises:
- Mary’s song indicates that the coming of the Messiah signals good news for some and bad news for others. For what kinds of people is the birth of Jesus good news? For what kinds of people is it bad news?
- How can we, as a community, reflect this good news that the coming of Jesus means “lifting up the humble” and “filling the hungry with good things.”?
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Advent Blog 24: Blessed Among Women
During Advent, our daily exercises focus on the Scriptures we’ll be reading together on the forthcoming Sunday.
Read Luke 1:39-45 and do the following exercises:
- It is remarkable how prominently women feature in Luke’s account of the lead-up to the birth of Jesus. Specifically, the depiction of Mary is startling in that she is held up as a paragon of discipleship: accepting with humility and graciousness the hard assignment given to her, believing the Lord’s promises to her, despite their improbability.
- Protestants chafe against the veneration of Mary, but in so doing we miss what a remarkable person she really was. Go back over the beginning of Luke’s gospel and meditate on the faithfulness of Mary, and list the qualities that make her a person worth emulating.
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Advent Blog 23
Hebrews 10:5-10:
5“That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.”When first reading this scripture from Hebrews I wondered why such verses were chosen for the advent season. Shouldn’t we keep talk of death and sacrifice for Easter? Advent should be about the waiting and anticipation of Christ’s birth. However, the more times I read and reread the passage the more I began to see that the two can never truly be separated. Hebrews 10 is about how Christ came to be the final perfect sacrifice. In those days sin sacrifices were given as a reminder of sin, they did not cleanse one of sin. If they did there would have not been the need to repeat them year after year.
Now I admit that when I think of the sacrifices of the Old Testament my mind pictures the body of an animal on an alter. I forget that it is supposed to be a process, and what I picture is just the final step. The book of Leviticus is almost completely dedicated to explaining and re explaining the rules and regulations that go along with the selection, preparation and presentation of the “body” for an offering. Growing up on a farm I once had to opportunity to witness a group of men from the middle east prepare a lamb that was to be used for Passover. Their process of selecting and preparing the lamb was painstakingly precise, nothing done without purpose, nothing wasted, a strangely moving- almost beautiful event. Yet, even if what I witnessed was anything like the ritual that went into the sacrifices of the Old Testament they were still merely temporary, not what God desired.
Here in Hebrews Jesus is saying that he is the “body,” that is here to do Gods’ will. The birth and death of Christ are both necessary steps in the process of sacrifice. In order to have a sacrifice that is perfect and without defect, as required in Leviticus, He was selected and sent in the form of a baby. This way when the time came his ”body” would be the offering that would replace the old temporary- imperfect offering. He is the new perfect everlasting sacrifice that sanctifies us once and for all. How great is it that now, instead of having to give yearly sin sacrifices, we are given a yearly reminder of just how innocent, willing, and obedient Jesus was in his role as sacrifice.
A Manger and a Cross instead of an Alter. One is not possible without the other. This is something I did in 2004 that seemed appropriate for this passage.
Reflection:
- Do we still have sacrafices, offerings that we give in order to make ourselves feel better about something ?
- Do we give of time/money freely or are we just replacing the sin offerings of the Old Testament?
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Advent Blog 22: What do we hope for?
Read Micah 5:2-5.
As you read through the short passage, and think back on some of the other Old Testament prophecy, who is it, what is it, that you hope for? Does your hope and expectation match up with who Jesus really is?
I used to wonder how the Jews of Jesus time missed it. How the heck did they not think Jesus was the Messiah? The more I read some of these prophecies, the more I think maybe I understand a little bit. The Jews had a legacy of getting kicked around. (The novel “The Source” by James Michener gives a really great glimpse of this). In the midst of all this getting kicked around, they were promised a savior. Human nature alone would instantly conjure up images of revenge and destruction of enemies. Add that to some of the language that the prophets used, and it’s not too hard to have visions of a great warrior king who is really going to help the Jews start doing the kicking, once and for all.
But that isn’t who Jesus turned out to be. I am on the other side of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, I know who He turned out to be, and what I am supposed to hope for, but I still find myself hoping for someone to make my life easier, or create a quick fix to my problems, or exact revenge on an enemy. My expectations of what I want Jesus to be can be very dangerous as they can also end up shaping how I live my life.
What do you hope for? What do you expect with the arrival of this Christ-child?
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Advent Blog 21: Reflection
During the Advent season we’re going to be taking Mondays to reflect on the previous day’s worship gathering. Take some time to talk about what was discussed at the worship gathering with family and friends.
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Advent Blog 20: Third Sunday of Advent
Today is the Third Sunday of Advent, and our day to practice worship together. Christ Church gathers at 5pm on Sunday evenings, and tonight we’ll publicly read the Scriptures we’ve been meditating on all week. If you’re not part of Christ Church, get together with a group of friends and practice the following exercises:
- Eat together.
- Receive communion together (choose a reading from John 6:43-58, or 2 Cor 11:23-26, a liturgical book like the Book of Common Prayer).
- Read the Scriptures together and share your experiences from your exercises this week.
- Pray for anyone in need.
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Advent Blog 19: Reflection
Today is a reflection day. Catch up on exercises you’ve missed and enjoy the day.
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Advent Blog 18: What should we do then?
Begin by reading Luke 3:7-18.
A week ago, we read the beginning of Luke together and Wes guided us toward how Luke lists the political leaders of that day and he guided us toward looking at the entrance of John into the story and how John prepared the way for Jesus preaching baptism and repentance.
And then suddenly, John is shouting that judgement is on its way and calling people snakes! And before a word can slip from their mouths, (a word that I think John expected) he tells them that excuses won’t do. Being a son of Abraham won’t help you. Do you ever find yourself making excuses when someone tells you your mistake.
So what can they (we) do?
Repent. Isn’t it interesting that before Jesus enters the story, the people are called to repent? Perhaps recognizing the glory of Jesus is easier for a soft, tender, broken heart that is just sick of living like this, and not for the proud, cold, hard heart of a pharisee. John explains that with true repentance there must be fruit. Repentance cannot be feeling sorry, but is actually a new kind of lifestyle. Repentance is a new you that does new things. Luke uses the word “do” several times from 10-14. To repent, we must take a deep look at ourselves and then move. Perhaps even more difficult, we ought to listen to others with humble ears and hear when they point out our failures. One of the good things about community is that each of us begin to see our darkness a little more. It is those who are close to us who recognize our dark spots so much easier. I found it fascinating that each instruction John gave involved people in contact with other people:
- People with extra ought to share with those who do not.
- Tax collectors ought not take too much from people.
- Soldiers ought not swindle and extort people.
A relationship with Jesus wasn’t and isn’t going to be personal, but one that is in relationship with others. After all, where two or more are gathered…
Some questions:
-> What might you need to repent for? If you’re not sure, look at the relationships in your life. Quite simply: how are they doing? Do you struggle sharing what belongs to you? Are your relationships benefiting only you?-> Before you think another thought, forget any excuses. Are excuses really going to mend a broken relationship?
-> Ask for healing and start changing. Pray and tell God that although we try to change, what we really need is baptism by the Holy Spirit and fire. What we really need is healing. Let us ask God for that.
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Advent Blog 17: The Antidote
Read Philippians 4:4-7. Now read it again. And this time out loud.
In the midst of this encouraging passage, God (through Paul) gives a command. He tells us to rejoice and to not be anxious. Choosing to rejoice in challenging circumstances is difficult, yet the alternative can be anxiety. All too often we profess faith in our God’s love and power, but secretly wonder if He will really come through in the end. We begin to worry, focusing on our problems from our own vantage point. So why does Paul admonish us not to be anxious? Because anxiety is often rooted in self-centeredness.
What is causing you anxiety? Is it possible that you are focusing too much on the self? Step back from the situation. Pause. What aspect of God’s character do you need to gaze upon and express adoration of? His provision? His sovereignty? His love? Gazing upon the Lord changes our vantage point. The more we praise and rejoice, the less concerned we are about the surrounding circumstances. We’ve been with the Lord and are reminded that He is able. Thanksgiving through prayer is the antidote to worry.