A Season of Life
Notes
Transcript
David received a parrot for his birthday. The parrot was fully-grown with a bad attitude and worse vocabulary. Every other word was an expletive.
Those that weren't were, to say the least, very rude.
David tried to change the bird's attitude and was constantly saying polite words, playing soft music, anything he could think of to try and set a good example. Nothing worked. He yelled at the bird and the bird yelled back. He shook the bird and the bird just got more angry and became even more rude.
Finally, in a moment of desperation, David put the parrot in the freezer. For a few moments he heard the bird squawk and kick and scream. Then suddenly, there was quiet--not a sound for half a min ute. David was frightened that he might have hurt the bird and quickly opened the freezer door. The parrot calmly stepped out onto David's extended arm and said: "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I will endeavor at once to correct my behavior. I really am truly sorry and beg your forgiveness." David was astonished at the birds change in attitude and was about to ask what had made such a dramatic change when the parrot continued: "May I ask what the chicken did???"
A Study of the Dreams of the Nativity
Martha Stewart Christmas Greeting [POWERPOINT PICTURE OF MARTHA STEWART]:
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas: The Dreams of the Nativity
Christmas Sunday
INTRODUCTION:
Martha Stewart Christmas Greeting [POWERPOINT PICTURE OF MARTHA STEWART]:
This perfectly delightful note is being sent on paper I made myself to tell you what I have been up to. Since it snowed last night, I got up early and made a sled with old barn wood and a glue gun. I hand-painted it in gold leaf, got out my loom, and made a blanket in peach and mauve’s. Then to make the sled complete, I made a white horse to pull it from DNA that I just had sitting around.
By then, it was time to start making the place mats and napkins for my 20 breakfast guests. I’m serving the standard Stewart twelve-course meal, but I will let you in on a little secret: I didn’t have time to make the table and chairs this morning, so I used the ones I had on hand.
I decided to add just a touch of the holidays to the dining room so I repainted it in pinks and stenciled gold stars on the ceiling. Then, while the homemade bread was rising, I took antique candle molds and made the dishes (exactly the same shade of pink) to use for breakfast. These were made from Hungarian clay, which you can get in almost any neighborhood Hungarian craft store.
Well, I must run. I need to finish the buttonholes on the dress I’m wearing for breakfast. I’ll get out the sled and drive this note to the post office as soon as the glue dries on the envelope I’ll be making. Hope my breakfast guests don’t stay too long. I have 40,000 cranberries to string with bay leaves before my speaking engagement at noon. It’s a good thing.
Your friend,
Martha Stewart
PS when I made the ribbon for this typewriter, I used 1/8-inch gold gauze. I soaked the gauze in a mixture of white grapes and blackberries which I grew, picked and crushed last week just for fun.
For years, Christians have been concerned by the way commercialism has threatened to displace Christ from Christmas. This is not a new concern… [POWERPOINT PICTURE OF WILLIAM EVERETT] William Everett, a Congressman from Massachusetts in the late 1700’s, told the story of a congregation in England that needed new hymn books but lacked the money to pay for them. The churchgoers learned that a large company, a maker of patent medicines, would furnish hymn books at a penny each if the books could carry a little advertising.
The congregation saw no harm in the concession, so they ordered the books. The new hymnals arrived at the church on the day before Christmas. On Christmas morning, the pastor announced, “Hymn number 138.” The good people turned to the hymn, and in a few seconds were aghast to find themselves singing [POWERPOINT OF BEECHAM’S PILLS]:
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Beecham’s pills are just the thing;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
Two for man and one for child.
The over-commercialization of Christmas is not particularly new.
[POWERPOINT OF MANGER SCENE] I heard the tale end of a report on the news a couple weeks back. I didn’t catch the place or the judge’s name, but a ruling had been passed down by this judge that it was permissible for a public library in that town to house a manger scene. Everything was allowed to stay…Mary, Joseph, the manger, the animals, the wise men and shepherds, it was all constitutional with one exception. The manger scene could remain only if the manger did not cradle the baby Jesus. It was allowed to stay as long as Jesus was not in it! The judge missed the point of Christmas - or perhaps the judge got it – Christmas is all about Christ. Jesus is the reason for the season!
We’ve been studying the dreams of the Nativity. As we look back upon them, there is one common thread that runs through each: They are all about Jesus.
The dreams of the Nativity. As we look back upon them, there is one common thread that runs through each: They are all about Jesus.
().
FLIGHT TO EGYPT ON TROUBLE-AIR!
1. The Troubling TIMING ().
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Going to Bethlehem
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In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
The Wise Men
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
What we know about the Wise Men:
We don’t know HOW MANY there were. Tradition tells us there were three – we believe this because of the number of gifts that were presented. We at least know that the accompanying caravan was of a magnitude that when they arrived in Jerusalem they made quite an impression: not only was King Herod disturbed, but also…
…all Jerusalem with him.
We don’t know HOW MANY there were.
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When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
We don’t know from where they CAME other than the rather vague description…
We don’t now from where they CAME
Magi from the east…
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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
Tradition tells us that they originated from Persia – modern day Iran – and that there names were Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.[1]
We don’t know to where they RETURNED
[1] William P. Saunders “The Catholic Herald” 1/8/04
We don’t know to where they RETURNED accept that they returned to their one country of origin by another route
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
We don’t know what BECAME of them accept tradition tells us that they were later found by the Apostle Thomas as he traveled east, received baptism from him and themselves became evangelists.
Marco Polo stumbled upon their graves in his travels. Chapter 11 (Of the province of Persia) in his book published in 1298 - The Travels; The Description of the world[2] - contains this description:
We don’t know what BECAME of them
In Persia there is a city which is called Saba, from whence were the three magi who came to adore Christ in Bethlehem; and the three are buried in that city in a fair sepulcher…
You’ve just heard more history than you bargained for; there are lots of things that we don’t know for sure about the Wise Men… but this we do know.
We do know they had a DETOUR
We do know they had a DETOUR
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by ANOTHER ROUTE.
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[2] The Travels; The Description of the world, 1298, (This translation is by William Marsden, revised by Thomas Wright (Konemann Travel Classics, Koln, Germany, 1996).
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by ANOTHER ROUTE.
[1] William P. Saunders “The Catholic Herald” 1/8/04
More importantly, the visit of the magi fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament: Balaam prophesied about the coming Messiah marked by a star: "
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
speaks of how the Gentiles will come to worship the Messiah: "The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts, the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him"
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
Isaiah also prophesied the gifts: "Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord" ().
(72:10-11). Isaiah also prophesied the gifts: "Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord" ().
Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Going to Egypt
).
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
4. The troubling TRIP ().
5. The Troubling TARGET ().
· From Bethlehem to Egypt – a 200 mile journey ()
· From Egypt to Israel – another 200 miles ()
· From Israel back to Nazareth – a final 100 miles ()
The Wise Men
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
What we know about the Wise Men:
What we know about the Wise Men:
We don’t know HOW MANY there were.
We don’t now from where they CAME
We don’t know to where they RETURNED
We don’t know what BECAME of them
We do know they had a DETOUR
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by ANOTHER ROUTE.
They took a detours for the protection of Christ’s life
The sacrifice of Jesus coming to this earth is almost beyond our comprehension…Joseph Damien was a missionary in the nineteenth century who ministered to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai. Those suffering grew to love him and revered the sacrificial life he lived out before them.
One morning before Joseph was to lead them in their daily worship, he was pouring some hot water into a cup when the water swirled out and fell onto his bare foot. It took him a moment to realize that he had not felt any sensation. Gripped by the sudden fear of what this could mean, he poured more hot water on the same spot. No feeling whatsoever.
Damien immediately knew what had happened. As he walked tearfully to deliver his sermon, no one at first noticed the difference in his opening line. He normally began every sermon with, “My fellow believers.” But this morning he began with, “My fellow lepers.” He gave his life to serve.
In a great measure Jesus came into this world knowing what it would cost him. He bore in his pure being the marks of evil that we might be made pure. “For this I came into the world,” he said )
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
C.S. Lewis the author of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, in his book entitled Mere Christianity, as he describes the wonder of Jesus coming in human form, writes: “If you want to get the hang of it [the incarnation] think how you would like to become a slug.”
The great John Donne, metaphysical poet, brilliant mind of the 17th century wrote[3]:
‘Twas much,
That man was
Made like God before,
But that God should be like man,
Much more.
-John Donne
The dreams of the Nativity are all about Jesus and his coming to earth. Every one of the dream centered on Jesus: who he is, where he came from, his protection, and where he should live. The phrase that appears several times in these dreams is “take the child”
The angel informed Joseph: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” ().
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
This was the overarching message of the angel in Joseph’s first dream. When he had resolved to turn his back on Mary and the child, the message was: Don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife… ‘take the child’.
(, , ).
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,
and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
· from Nazareth to Bethlehem – a 100 mile journey ()
· From Bethlehem to Egypt – a 200 mile journey ()
· From Egypt to Israel – another 200 miles ()
The angel informed Joseph: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” ().
· From Israel back to Nazareth – a final 100 miles ()
The invitation is still the same today… “take the child.” When we take the child…we have Immanuel – God with us! And God’s presence changes everything. We have life!
[POWERPOINT PICTURE OF LONGFELLOW] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is thought to be the greatest of American Poets. He was a genius of a man – attending Bowdoin College at age 15 and graduating before most of us have started. Languages came easy for him and before he became a professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin College and Harvard University he had learned French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Danish, Dutch, German, Russian and others. His poems won him world-wide acclaim. His Tales of a Wayside Inn contained his well known poem: Paul Revere’s Ride.
Despite his fame and his seemingly charmed life…Longfellow was no stranger to pain. [POWERPOINT OF MARY STORER POTTER] When he married his first wife, his poetic inspiration came alive with his love for her…he composed his first original poem in 8 years! Within four years of this wonderful love affair his beloved died during a miscarriage. [POWERPOINT OF LONGFELLOW FAMILY] He finally remarried 8 years later only to have his second wife parish when she and his two little girls were engulfed in fire after a lighted match fell to the floor of the library in their home. Mrs. Longfellow died the next morning and was buried on their wedding anniversary. “Longfellow himself was so severely burned that he was unable to be present at the funeral. Months afterwards, when some visitor expressed the hope that he might be enabled to ‘bear his cross’ with patience, he exclaimed, ‘Bear the cross, yes; but what if one is stretched upon it!’”[4]
[POWERPOINT OF CHARLES LONGFELLOW] Within a short while of his own recovery, Wadsworth traveled from Massachusetts to Washington in order to retrieve his oldest son Charles, a union officer in the civil war, who had been severely, though as it turned out, not fatally wounded by a shot through both shoulders. The weight of the civil war bore down heavily upon this patriotic poet. Now the cost of the war and the cause of freedom became very personal to him as he cared for his own wounded son.
On Christmas Day, 1864, Longfellow sat alone by the bedside of his son, whom he thought was dying. As he nursed this young man, he heard the bells ring out the familiar carols that Christmas morning. [POWERPOINT OF BELLS] At first, the pain of his own dying son was too much to bear and it seemed like the cheerful bells mocked the heaviness of his own heart. But, little-by-little, the hopeful message of Christmas began to stir in his heart as he heard the familiar melodies played. Gradually, as he thought of the songs of the bells, the presence of the Savior illuminated his dark world until he was overcome by the Lord’s presence, peace and goodness. He took hold of pen and paper and wrote the carol that we know today as “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”.
I heard the bells on Christmas day,
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head.
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day –
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
The invitation of the dreams is “take the child”
You can take the child today.
[1] Ravi Zacharias, Deliver Us From Evil, (Dallas, TX: Word, 1996) 186.
[2] C. S. Lewis, quoted in “Reflections”, Christianity Today, December 2004, 60.
[3] John Donne, quoted by Max Lucado, God Came Near, (Multnomah Press, 1987) 21, 39.
[4] N. H. Dole, Voices of the Night and Other Poems by H. W. Longfellow with Biographical Sketch (New York: Tomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1899) 40.