Tag: Luke

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Unmeasureable Joy

After all there’s only one more sleep to Christmas..Day

-Kermit the Frog

Its herxmastreee.  Set out the cookies and milk – the big guy with the presents comes tonight. You can track him with your little ones with help from NORAD.  For several its a tradition to pass the time away on this night before Christmas driving around viewing the lights.  Well, today, thanks to The Sacramento Bee, the lights are coming to you from around the world.

It only seems right that we travel back to Luke 2 for today.  Enjoy the time with your family exchanging gifts and loving each other, but take a little time and remember the greatest gift – a Savior.

Luke 2:8-14 (New International Version)

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Wow, his favor rests with men.    I don’t know about you, you may find this all to be craziness, but I find this all to be a source of Joy, unrelenting, unmeasurable Joy!  And for the next few days, I will praise God and thank God for sending his son to this earth, and for all the blessing it has brought to us.

Merry Christmas! – Glory to God in the highest!

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Fun Theory

A few days ago I was sent a video of a piano staircase that Volkswagen built as part of a project they call The Fun Theory.   The tag line from the site says this:

This site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.

This has really started my mind going.  Fun imagine that- it can change behaviour or behavior?  I showed this to Amy The First Grade Teacher, and she said “That’s why we don’t sit in desks anymore”.  Hm.  Then I think about our churches and for the most part the word “fun” never comes to mind.  I wonder if there is something we can learn from this.  After all, one of the biggest messages of the Bible is about changing your behavior from someone full of evil and selfishness to someone full of love and mercy and grace and concern for others.   This is a half baked thought at the moment, and I am sure this space will be used to elaborate on these thoughts in more detail after the “GREATEST DAY OF THE YEAR” – which is quickly coming upon us.

Oh a quick aside, after missing a day in the countdown yesterday – my count downer was ill – here is BonJovi’s I Wish Everyday Could be Like Christmas to get you through the third day before Christmas!

And back to our thought’s for today-behavior change .  As you have great fun this week, celebrated your blessings with your family, and remembering the gift of the savior.  Let this fun which is transforming you into a gift giving machine continue to change your behavior.  Take a look at those first shepherds.  you know it was fun to see that baby, to bow before the king – awe inspiring –  but fun.  And they walked away changed.  Walk away from this Christmas changed by the newborn babe!

Luke 2:20 (New International Version)

20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told

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The Annoucement

With only 18 days left until Christmas I think its time to start the rejoicing!  Today lets look at the event that happening several months before the birth – Gabriel’s visit. Here we find words like Rejoice, blessed, great, Highest.  Surely a great and wonderful thing was about to happen for all mankind.

So as you continue to shop, and decorate and make merry with friends.  Remember, the wonderful plan that was set up years before this birth to make this historical birth take place.

He will be Great!  and I stand in awe – I hope you find some time to as well.

Luke 1:26-33

26-28In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.

29-33She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,
be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson