Celebrating the freeing, supportive presence of God. So your experience of God may become your experience of life. It is wonderful what God can do!

November 28, 2004

A TIME OF PREPARATION

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A QUESTION. THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED A TRICK QUESTION.

WHEN IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR?

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WHAT IS CALLED THE CHRISTIAN YEAR. FOR THE CHRISTIAN YEAR BEGINS WITH ADVENT, AND TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF OUR CHRISTIAN YEAR. TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN, OUR CHRISTIAN YEAR BEGINS WITH THE FOUR SUNDAYS IN ADVENT WHICH ARE PREPARATION FOR THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

THE LITURGICAL COLOR IS PURPLE. OF COURSE, THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT IN OUR CHRISTIAN YEAR, AND THE COLOR IS WHITE.

TWO WEEKS AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY IS EPIPHANY IN WHICH WE OFFICIALLY CELEBRATE THE COMING OF THE WISE MEN TO SEE THE INFANT JESUS. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN SOUTH AMERICAN CELEBRATES THIS AS THEIR CHRISTMAS DAY. THE COLOR OF EPIPHANY IS GREEN, AND THE EMPHASIS IS CHRIST BIRTH FOR THE WORLD.

NEXT, AND EARLY NEXT YEAR IS LENT. LENT IS A TIME OF
SELF-EXAMINATION AND PREPARATION FOR EASTER. THE COLOR IS PURPLE AGAIN. BY THE WAY, THE FORTY DAYS OF LENT END ON PALM SUNDAY, FOR PALM SUNDAY IS A DAY OF CELEBRATION OF CHRIST'S TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

THEN THERE IS HOLY WEEK, REMEMBERING JESUS' LAST WEEK ON EARTH, THE UPPER ROOM AND THE WASHING OF THE DISCIPLES FEET, AND SERVING THEM THE BREAD AND WINE AS SYMBOLS OF HIS BODY AND BLOOD, THE TRIALS, THE SCOURGING, THE CROSS.
HOLY WEEK LEADS UP TO THE DAWN OF EASTER, THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD, THE COLOR ON EASTER IS WHITE AS WAS CHRISTMAS.
EASTER IS SUCH A GREAT TIME THAT WE CAN OFFICIALLY CELEBRATE
THROUGHOUT WHAT IS CALLED EASTERTIDE UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF MAY.

AND WHILE THE CHRISTIAN YEAR SO FAR CHRONICLES THE LIFE OF CHRIST, WITH THE NEXT CHRISTIAN HOLY DAY, PENTECOST, WE CELEBRATE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH. THE COLOR OF THE DAY? THE COLOR IS THE COLOR OF THE FLAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, RED.

THEN WE CAN CELEBRATE FOR MANY SUNDAYS PENTECOST AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN NURTURING AND STRENGTHENING THE CHURCH. THE COLOR THROUGHOUT PENTECOST IS GREEN.

THE OLD WORSHIP CALENDAR ALSO HAD WHAT WAS CALLED KINGDOM-TIDE OR THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD. I LIKED THAT EMPHASIS TOO.

YET, WHY BRING THIS ALL UP, THE CHRISTIAN YEAR. I BRING IT UP
BECAUSE IT RAISES A QUESTION, WHAT ARE YOU AND I PREPARING FOR?
DURING THIS ADVENT SEASON, ARE WE PREPARING FOR THE ALL THE DETAILS THAT THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BRINGS OR ARE WE PREPARING OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST?
DURING ADVENT AND INTO THE NEW YEAR, ARE OUR THOUGHTS ON THE BUILDING OF OUR KINGDOMS, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD, OR ARE OUR THOUGHTS ON BUILDING CHRIST'S KINGDOM HERE ON EARTH?
NANCY, MY WIFE, ENJOYS TAKING PICTURES. SHE ESPECIALLY ENJOYS TAKING SPORTS PHOTOS OF PLAYERS ON HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS, ESPECIALLY OUR SON'S FOOTBALL TEAM.
WHEN SHE TAKES PHOTO'S, I GET TO BE HER SPORTS CONSULTANT. I KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE GAME. AND, I CAN DIRECT HER TO THE AREA WHERE THE PLAY MAY BE OCCURRING.
AFTER SHE TAKES A GOOD NUMBER OF SPORTS PHOTOS, WE GO TO RITE AID AND A KODAK MACHINE THERE WHICH ALLOWS HER TO CROP AND SIZE THE PHOTOS SHE HAS TAKEN.
SO, WITH THE HELP OF THAT MACHINE, NANCY CAN FURTHER FOCUS HER PHOTO ON AN ACTION SHOT OF A CERTAIN PLAYER OR PLAY.
IT IS ALL A MATTER OF FOCUS. THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE, IT IS ALL A MATTER OF FOCUS.

ARE YOU FOCUSING ON YOUR ACTIONS IN LIFE, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, OR ARE YOU FOCUSING ON CHRIST'S ACTIONS, WHAT HE DID, AND HOW HIS LIFE AND ACTIONS CAN AFFECT THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE AND MINE? FOR AS IT IS SAID, JESUS IN THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

NOT EVERYONE CHOOSES TO FOLLOW CHRIST. CHRISTMAS AND THE ADVENT SEASON, THE PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS, IS JUST ANOTHER SECULAR HOLIDAY, RATHER THAN A SPIRITUAL HOLY DAY.
YET, IF YOU DECIDE FOR YOUR FOCUS IN THIS NEW CHRISTIAN YEAR TO BE ON CHRIST AND CHRIST THROUGH YOU AND NOT JUST ON YOU, THEN I HAVE THREE SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO ORDER YOUR LIFE IN THIS NEW CHRISTIAN YEAR.

FIRST, IF THE BUILDING OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM IS YOUR GOAL, ORDER YOUR LIFE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU.
IN MY OWN LIFE, I REMEMBER REALIZING THAT GOD'S LOVE WAS FOR ME TOO. THERE HAD BEEN AN OVERLY STRESSFUL TIME IN MY LIFE. IT WAS WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE. AND MY FOCUS WAS ON MY COLLEGE WORK AND OTHER DETAILS OF LIFE. YET, AS I LEARNED TOO, MY STRUGGLE WAS DEEPER. IN A NUTSHELL, WITH THE HELP OF A SPIRITUAL FRIEND, I CAME TO REALIZE THAT I DID NOT LIKE MYSELF.
IN THE MIDST OF PRAYER, LED BY MY SPIRITUAL FRIEND, KIRK, I
EXPERIENCED THAT GOD'S LOVE IS REAL AND COULD ACTUALLY BE A PART OF MY LIFE. I BEGAN A JOURNEY THAT I AM STILL ON TODAY, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S LOVE AND GOD'S LOVE FOR ME. AS I TRAVEL ON IN LIFE, EVEN THOUGHT I AM A MINISTER, I CAN STILL GET CAUGHT UP IN THE DETAILS OF LIFE AND LET MY INNER LIFE BE CROWDED OVER. I STILL NEED TO LEARN AND GIVE MYSELF OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR ABOUT GOD'S LOVE FOR ME.
AND, I BELIEVE, WHEREVER YOU ARE ON YOUR JOURNEY, THAT YOU WOULD BENEFIT FROM HEARING ABOUT GOD AND CHRIST'S LOVE FOR YOU TOO. PERHAPS THE OLD HYMN SAYS IT BEST, "I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY OF UNSEEN THINGS ABOVE, OF JESUS AND HIS GLORY, OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE. I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY, BECAUSE I KNOW 'TIS TRUE; IT SATISFIES MY LONGINGS AS NOTHING ELSE CAN DO. I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY, 'TWILL BE MY THEME IN GLORY, TO TELL THE OLD, OLD STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE." WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU REALLY LISTENED TO THE TRUE STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE FOR YOU? HOW ARE YOU MAKING THAT A REGULAR PART OF YOUR LIFE?

A SECOND SUGGESTION IS THIS. LEARN MORE ABOUT AND REFLECT GOD'S LOVE FOR THE WORLD. WE REMEMBER WHAT JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES IN THAT UPPER ROOM. IT WOULD BE AMONG THE LAST THINGS HE WOULD TELL THEM ON EARTH. AND THIS ONE SENTENCE THAT HE SAID STILL STAYS WITH ME TODAY. HE TOLD THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS DISCIPLES TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. HE TOLD THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS DISCIPLES TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.

IN OTHER WORDS, TO LOVE OTHERS NOT AS WE DO OR DON'T DO SOMETIMES, BUT TO LOVE OTHERS AS CHRIST DOES. ONE OF THE THINGS I ACTUALLY ENJOY ON SUNDAY MORNING IS GETTING UP AT ABOUT 6 AM. AND I KNOW THAT FOR SOMEONE LIKE NELLIE BAKER GETTING UP AT 6 AM IS LIKE SLEEPING IN. BUT FOR ME, ALTHOUGH I AM A MORNING PERSON, THAT IS STILL PRETTY EARLY. BUT THE POINT IS THAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT GETTING UP THAT EARLY AND
GETTING TO CHURCH TO GET READY FOR SUNDAY MORNING. AND, PART OF THAT PREPARATION IS FOR OUR 8 AM CLASS OF DISCIPLE I IN WHICH WE ARE LEARNING TO BECOME DISCIPLES THROUGH BIBLE STUDY. WE WILL BE COVERING THE WHOLE BIBLE IN A YEAR.
AND, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THERE IS HOMEWORK, READING TO DO MOST EVERYDAY. YET, EVERYONE IN THE CLASS LOVES BEING THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INCLUDES THE 8 AM PART, THAT JUST TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST TIME TO MEET IN TERMS OF SCHEDULES, BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE LEARNED, THE INSIGHTS THAT ARE SHARED, ARE EXCITING. THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS TOO, DEE AND I, ARE GROWING IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S LOVE FOR EACH OF US AND GOD'S LOVE FOR THE WORLD TOO.

IN THIS NEW CHRISTIAN YEAR, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR GROWING IN YOUR DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU AND THE WORLD? DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO ORDER THE SCHEDULE OF YOUR LIFE TO INCLUDE THE THINGS OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM?

YET, YOU MAY STILL ASK YOURSELF, WHY WOULD I WANT
TO DO THIS, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRIST'S LOVE FOR ME AND FOR THE WORLD?
C.S. LEWIS WROTE WITH DEEP HUMOR AND INSIGHT ABOUT HIS FAITH IN GOD IN CHRIST. LEWIS UNDERSTOOD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO BE GOOD NEWS, NOT A FEARFUL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD AS JUDGE, BUT A MEETING WITH A GOD FULL OF AGAPE LOVE. LEWIS REMEMBERED A MOMENT OF ANXIETY FELT BY HIS WIFE, WHO HAPPENED TO BE NAMED JOY. C. S. LEWIS WROTE, "LONG AGO BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED, [JOY] WAS HAUNTED ALL ONE MORNING AS SHE WENT ABOUT HER WORK WITH THE OBSCURE SENSE OF GOD (SO TO SPEAK) 'AT HER ELBOW,' DEMANDING HER ATTENTION. AND OF COURSE, NOT BEING A PERFECTED SAINT, SHE HAD THE FEELING THAT IT WOULD BE A QUESTION, AS IT USUALLY IS, OF SOME UNREPENTED SIN OR TEDIOUS DUTY. AT LAST SHE GAVE IN-I KNOW HOW ONE PUTS IT OFF-AND FACED HIM, FACED GOD. BUT THE MESSAGE BACK FROM GOD WAS, 'I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING' AND INSTANTLY SHE ENTERED INTO JOY." THE REASON THAT IT IS WORTH IT, IS THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT JOY, THE JOY GOD IN CHRIST SEEKS TO GIVE YOU AND THE JOY GOD IN CHRIST THROUGH YOU CAN GIVE TO THE WORLD.

LET US PRAY.
DEAR GOD,
THANK YOU FOR THE CHRISTIAN YEAR THAT HELPS US FOCUS ON THE
LIFE OF CHRIST AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE CHURCH TO THE WORLD.
HELP US TO PREPARE NOT ONLY MATERIALLY BUT SPIRITUALLY
DURING THIS ADVENT SEASON TO BE READY TO SERVE CHRIST AND THE BUILDING OF HIS KINGDOM IN THIS NEW CHRISTIAN YEAR.
AS WE RECEIVE CHRIST'S LOVE AND OFFER HIS LOVE TO THE WORLD,
MAY THE REST OF 2004 AND 2005 TRULY BE THE YEAR OF OUR LORD.

AMEN.