Could you help me out with something?
I'd like to think of one word that would be good to meditate on all day long on Christmas Day. The kind of word that helps focus attention on what it's all about... the kind of word that would make the average person think about it in a fresh way.
I plan on using this concept within the message I'm preaching Christmas Eve. Any ideas?
18 comments:
The church I go to has focused on a different aspect of advent each week - a word. Words like 'awake' and 'patience'. Today was 'conceive'. Conceive is certainly something that takes a day or so to think about before you really start seeing the fullness, depth, beauty and applicability to the Incarnation and to today.
Incarnate... the obvious theological choice.
Infinite... the less obvious theological choice.
Room... "there was no 'room' for them in the inn"; is there 'room' for Him in your heart? the obvious evangelical cheesy choice.
well, this isn't a "word" but rather a question... "What If?" As in, "What if Jesus had not been born yet?" I posed this question to a group of senior high students several years ago for discussion & I remember the discussion being interesting but can't recall any specifics. :-(
Anticipate... the non-cheesy, non-theological choice.
how about some of these?
"here"
"the news"
"glory"
"wake"
I really like "here", though. What did it mean for Jesus, for them, and us? just an idea in passing.
Our pastor did this yesterday, but he gave us two words. "Satisfaction" and "substitution." His sermon was "Why did God become a man?" and went through four reasons it was the only way/four purposes the Incarnation served. Ultimately, man needed to be punished for violating God's holiness, but only God could be victorious over the punishment. So Christ was born as the God-Man to satisfy God's justice and in mercy, to substitute Himself for the punishment we deserved. Satisfaction and substitution.
Just an idea to get you thinking. Take them to the cross...Christmas doesn't mean much without a view toward Easter.
King
There was king herod, evil, cruel, self centered.
The Three wise kings, called and lead by god, bearing gifts, acting on faith.
The king of kings, many thought he was here to set up an earthly reign, when there was to it than that.
"Peace"
"It is finished."
I know it isn't a word...it's a sentence. But I've been meditating on that concept the past few years at Christmas. Unless we focus on the accomplished work of the Incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, all the things that get thrown at us this time of year can "ruin Christmas". If we focus on the accomplished work of Christ, though....
Nothing can ruin the thing that He's already completed.
"It is finished."
"let loose"
I was reading "The Message" translation of the story of the birth of Jesus and in describing the shepherds in Luke 2:20 it says,
"The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen."
Those words "let loose" have been rolling around in my head ever since with thoughts such as:
God let loose his Son on earth,
I should let loose of things that keep my focus off of Jesus,
when was the last time I really let loose in praise and glorifying God, Jesus let loose of his life and died for me.....the list goes on.
Yeah, my word(s) for this Christmas are - let loose!
wow...
I like the "peace" answer... but there's more to this word than meets the eye. The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, carries a deeper meaning than a simple absence of conflict - it's more of a thought about completeness. When the angel announces "peace on earth" at the birth of Jesus, what does this mean? It's not the absence of war or strife or conflict... he's saying that the world is now being made whole, complete, the way it was meant to be.
presence----not presents
"Peace"... I didn't say anything else to back it up... but I was thinking like what anonymous said. I was looking for the twist.
Luke talks about "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.", but Jesus says "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Everybody talks about the peace on earth... but look what happened to followers of Jesus and Jesus himself. So amid this conflict... what is the peace that he brings?
I like "Let Loose" alot too! :)
Emptied
as in "emptied Himself..."
debt.
as in: why he was born; and your current financial situation
Emmanuel- what thought can be greater than "God with us"
I agree with caroline, silence, but I also think patient and wait are good. We are waiting for the Lords return and we need patience. This also ties in with money, if we wait till we have money, we won't be in debt. The word silence because of the story of John the Baptists birth. Zechariah, his dad, could not speak until he gave John his name. I think this ties into waiting; it should be done in silence.
WORD. And the "Word" became Flesh. God used the Word to create. Communicated His Word to the patriarchs and prophets and finally SENT the WORD among Us. And the Word did His Mission and the WORD is spreading - that the Word is coming AGAIN.
Hey everyone - thanks for your thoughts. This conversation will become a part of Saturday's message. I'll let you know after I preach it where this all ended up!
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