Shivering in the Night
A baby shivers,
A mother glows.
Emanuel’s light,
Falls like snow.
Hope soon covers,
Wherever God’s felt,
Warming iced egos,
In pools of snow melt.
Come Emmanuel,
Enter from the cold,
Rest in faith’s warmth,
And glow within this soul.
©2012 by Chris Clody
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Link to the original post, or link to Chis Clody’s blog.
Copyrighted material, used by permission.
Have you ever seen a live nativity? Instead of plastic figures of shepherds and wise men, a live nativity scene has actors in costume, and for an hour or two each evening you can drive by and see them. The shepherds bow and worship, the magi present their gifts, perhaps Mary rocks her baby in her arms, or else Mary and Joseph simply admire him. It’s unlikely, even at a live nativity, that they have an actual newborn present. The “baby Jesus” might be a toddler, or even an infant, but you wouldn’t want to keep a real baby out in the cold for very long. Even a live nativity scene will often use a doll, or even just pretend there is a babe wrapped up in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger.
Contrast that scene with the night Jesus was born.
Joy Williams Here with Us, scenes from The Nativity Story
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UPDATE: This is still one of my Christmas favorites. This year I did a full write up on what’s going on in this video:
https://themasterstable.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/here-with-us-2/
Reposted from December 5, 2011.
The Second Sunday of Advent is about Faith, and we light the Bethlehem candle. Matthew 1 describes the encounter Joseph had with the angel Gabrielle, who told him that Mary’s child was of God. In faith Joseph took Mary as his wife. Luke 1 tells how the same angel spoke to Mary, explaining that the Holy Spirit would come up on her and that the child she would carry would be the Son of God. In faith Joseph and Mary make the journey to Bethlehem, believing God and waiting for the Promise. Continue reading
UPDATE: Mary Did You Know was written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. I stand corrected; read the comments below.
Mary Did You Know was originally written by Mark Lowry in 1984. Lowry is best know for being a comedian, and practically made a career out of making fun of Bill Gather. Michael English was the first artist to release it on his debut album in 1992.
Here is Mary Did You Know performed by Mark Lowry, with scenes from the Jesus film.
*The video description spells his name incorrectly; Lowry not Lowery is correct.
If you prefer Michael English: Continue reading
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Yeah, it’s Monday. But look on the bright side, it’s the first Monday in December. Also the first week of Advent. And if you’re SBC, this is the week of prayer for International Missions. Most of us will get some kind of break in another couple of weeks, and this is truly the most wonderful time of year. Continue reading
Ever bite off more than you can chew? In Christians and Santa Claus I tried include a brief version of the entire history of Christmas; not the story of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, but of where our modern celebration known as Christmas came from. That, plus what Christians do with Santa, ended up being a lot. Here’s the thing: That post is full of facts, dates, events, and reads like an encyclopedia entry. It contains a lot of information, but doesn’t convey any particular feeling. Think about watching a tv commercial for a new car. The images are poetry in motion. You see a lot of smooth lines, highway flying past, the accelerator pressing to the floor, all designed to stir your emotions. After buying the car you read the owner’s manual. The manual is full of relevant information, but probably doesn’t stir your soul the way the commercials did.
I love Christmas. Continue reading
I opened the floor for comments on Santa and got them. I didn’t go out looking for it, but ran across this sermon outline. If you’re looking for a scriptural basis that Santa is from Satan, well there it is. And now for my bit.
Christmas – It’s worth noting to begin with that not all Christians celebrate Christmas. The Christ mass is Roman Catholic in origin, which is enough to cause some Protestants to avoid it. Eastern Orthodoxy originally celebrated the day in January, and few countries using the Julian calendar (such as Ethiopia and Russia) still do. Many of the traditions are clearly not Christian, and some speculate (the history is uncertain) that the December 25th date corresponds to the winter solstice and pagan celebrations. Tree decorating really was a pagan element that Christians “borrowed” for their own celebration. The argument can also be made that there is no scriptural command to celebrate Christ’s birth. Jesus said “This do in remembrance of me” at the Last Supper, but after his birth is recorded in the Gospels there is really no further mention of it. Only two Gospels record the birth of Christ, Matthew and Luke, but all four record his death, burial and resurrection. The incarnation is fundamental to Christian theology, but celebrating Jesus’ birth is not. Continue reading
How do Christians feel about ________? Regardless of how you fill in the blank, the answer will depend on which Christian you ask. I just want to poll the audience on this one: What does your family do with Santa Claus?
The cartoons below express radically different viewpoints. In one, Santa is portrayed almost as an enemy of Jesus. In the other, he bows his head and worships. Is there anything left of Saint Nicolas in our modern Santa?
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There is a third option. Some families watch Christmas specials that feature Santa Claus and celebrate “that special feeling of the holidays” and also read the Bible and honor the birth of Jesus. You could hang stockings and put up a manger scene. You could light a Christmas tree and light the candles of an Advent wreath. Is celebrating with the culture while keeping the faith an offense to both?
UPDATE: I held my piece for a few days and tried to give everyone a chance. Here is my response.
UPDATE: There are five Sundays in December this year, four of them before Christmas. Sunday, December 2nd will be the first Sunday of Advent.
Reposted from November 27, 2011
Advent is a season of waiting and preparation for the nativity of Jesus Christ. I have been pleased to see many friends doing the “30 days of Thanksgiving” thing on Facebook. I’m more encouraged by 30 days of Thanksgiving than by 60 or even 90 days of Christmas. If you watch some classic movies, from say the 40’s or 50’s, you’ll see Dad bringing home a tree on Christmas Eve! The family decorates the tree, hang their stockings, then celebrate Christmas the very next day. Part of the beauty of Christmas is waiting for it to arrive. Continue reading
The Master's Table 