Tag: Christmas

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America Through The Looking Glass

Through Their Eyes

In 1835, the New York Sun published one of the earliest illustrated news stories, depicting a fire at the New York Merchant’s Exchange. The picture was produced by a young artist by the name of Nathaniel. Because there was no photography, newspapers relied on illustrators such as Nathaniel, allowing the world to see events through their eyes.

From that point until this very day, many of the beloved images we cherish of Christmas Past we owe to Nathaniel.

Currier and IvesNathaniel Currier, of Currier & Ives, captured the images of a simpler time in America, images of peace on earth and good will toward men.

The stories of Christmas have been handed down for centuries, by shepherds and kings. But their stories all tell of the same event… of a little baby, born in a manger, who was the Savior of the world.

This Christmas season, as we take in the images, the lights, the sounds, and the smells, let us not forget to heed the plea of this most cherished of Christmas songs…

O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

Categories
The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God

On Mary’s Lap

What promises have been made to you in your lifetime?

If you are like me… many. Some were kept, some were broken, but many were made.

Now, what if the promise was something that was so outrageous you thought, “There is just NO WAY that can happen?”

For a young girl named Mary, her situation seemed pretty unbelievable. Yet the promise of the Messiah – THE Promise of the ages – was about to come to pass, and she had gotten the message from an angel that she had been chosen to be the vessel by which the Messiah would enter the world.

She… a teenage virgin.

Exactly!

Mary had made the choice to remain pure, and this was the ultimate reward. The prophesy stated that the Messiah would be born to a virgin, and her decision to remain sexually pure made her a candidate. And while some of her other qualifications (being born of the line of David, etc) were things beyond her control, the choice to remain a virgin was uniquely hers.

Now, being the earthly mother to the Son of God would not be without challenges, many of which were probably not apparent at the time to this teenage girl. But in the months and years to come, she would suffer the ridicule of being pregnant as a teen, have to make the 60 mile journey to Bethlehem, give birth in a stable, then have to flee to Egypt to protect her child from the blind rage of Herod. Furthermore, it is fairly apparent from history that Joseph died, leaving Mary to care for their family. Then add to that the fact that Mary had to stand by and watch helplessly as her Son was beaten, tortured, and crucified. Honestly, I don’t know how many of us could stand that kind of grief.

Yet, Mary never wavered from her original assessment — the words she spoke to the angel when he first delivered the joyous news…

Be it unto me according to your word.

Some would argue that some of our liturgical friends have “made too much” of Mary. Well, if this is true, I would venture to say that the evangelical church has made too little of her. We find in Mary a woman of amazing resolve and grace, a servant -hero of the faith.

Throughout December, I will be preaching a series entitled, “What Child Is This?” This week (8th), I will be talking about Mary… who she was, what she did, and what she means to us as 21st century believers… On Mary’s Lap.

I hope you will join me, in person or online.

Categories
America The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Echoes of A Christmas Carol

Through the Looking Glass

Dickens

In 1867, during a visit to Chicago, Charles Dickens read A Christmas Carol at a public reading. There was a man in the audience by the name of Fairbanks, who owned a factory. He was so moved by what he heard that he decided to break his tradition of being open on Christmas Day, and gave his employees the day off. Not only that, he gave a turkey to each and every employee.

We never know how the words that we speak will affect someone else, and how that can spread to affect many. Whether a literary masterpiece or a kind word spoken in secret, the tongue holds great powers of healing and encouragement.

As we begin this Christmas Season – the season of peace on earth and good will to men – may we all remember to let our words be seasoned with love, garnished with hope, and simmering with kindness and good cheer. May the love of Jesus be evident with every word we speak.

“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, ‘God bless us, every one.'”

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Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Friendship Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Recognizing Greatness

Through the Looking GlassI have often said that I pity anyone who isn’t from East Tennessee in the fall. With the changing of the colors, and the cool, crispness in the air, it truly is a beautiful place to be.

However, the coolness in the air prompts my mind to wander back a few years, to a time when my team and I were on our way back from the Gambia in Western Africa. We had just finished a week of ministry, it was early January, and we had a short stay in Barcelona, Spain on our trip home. Barcelona just after Christmas is a beautiful place… much of the seasonal decor is still up, and that, combined with the hustle and bustle of after Christmas shoppers and the beautiful architecture of this centuries-old Spanish city made our short stay most enjoyable.

Antonio Gaudi was a famed architect, responsible for some of the most celebrated architecture in Barcelona. When Gaudi died, half of the city of Barcelona mourned his death.

This made the circumstances surrounding his death even more tragic.

You see, three days before, Gaudi was hit by a tram. As he lay injured in the streets of Barcelona, no one would come to his aid. Cab drivers looked at his ragged attire and passed him by, afraid he wouldn’t be able to pay the fare. This renowned architectural genius died in a pauper’s hospital from those very injuries.

We pass people by for many reasons…

… the way they look;

… the way they act;

… they don’t look or talk like us;

… they see the world a little differently from the way we do;

… or, we’re simply just too busy to take the time.

However, Jesus said in Matthew 25:40…

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

In this parable, He is making it very clear that the manner in which we treat others (yes, our enemies too) is the way we treat Him. Our attitude toward Him is reflected in the way we treat those around us. The fact is that, when we pass people by, we are passing by greatness. Just like the passersby in Barcelona failed to recognize the great artist that lay wounded before them, we are passing up the opportunity to reach out to the very people Jesus died to save… people made in the image of God Almighty, who have great worth and potential in the eyes of Christ.

So… the next time you are about to pass someone by, look again. What you see in their face may be the very face of Jesus.