GOD'S MATH

BY STEVE DUNN 

Reading: Luke 2.18-20

  When I was in high school they introduced something called “the new math.” At that point it was from a parallel universe. For my math teacher, Mr. Iams, who was nearing retirement after teaching mathematics for 40 years, it was “math from another planet.” The concept was good. It was trying to help us rethink the way we approached the science of mathematics so that we would be better prepared for the intricacies of the future that would be computers, space travel, and a burgeoning electronics industry. And at that point, the internet was more a concept than a reality—certainly not the life-dominating reality that it is the second decade of the 21st century. 

 Most of us struggled with this new math because we had lived too long with the old math. Our minds found it difficult to wrap around those concepts, let alone do something practical with them. In fact, more than once some of us said, “Do we really need to do it this way?” 

By now most of us are familiar with the Christmas story, of how a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit so that she might carry the Very Son of God in her womb, of how a cousin in her older age gave birth to the messenger who would prepare the way for the Savior’s message and ministry.

And then there are the improbable events recorded in Luke 2.8-20: There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told! – THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION 

The world would find such an entry for the King of Kings totally out of its frame of understanding. Even today, 2000 years since that moment in history, more than one person would confess, “This does not compute.” Kings come from kings and power comes from the end of a gun. The strong win and the weak—well, they just get walked over. Confession and repentance do not add up in a “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps world.” And that whole virgin thing—it is impossible! Yet the way to eternally living in the Kingdom of God is through humbling yourself and taking on the form of a servant. To gain your life you must give it up. A teenage mother, a backwater town like Bethlehem, a baby born into the poverty of a manger—what can be more humble. 

But in God’s math, what that brings is more precious than anything else in the whole world. © by Steve Dunn

HEADING FOR THE MANGER

by STEVE DUNN

This post originally appeared in this blog on December 17, 2010

 

Reading: Matthew 2.1-12

We are now seven days before Christmas Eve.  People are hustling around trying to complete their Christmas shopping (or grabbing some time to wrap presents). There may be one or two Christmas parties left.  Family schedules are being adjusted so that we can get to all the stops we need to make for Christmas Day.  Many of us in this group will be in church Friday night to celebrate the Birth.

This is the story of the visit of the Magi to the manger. The Magi were royalty who had the time and leisure to be scholars--astronomers, it appears and students of the religious writings of the Middle East. In those days, stars were believed to be signs of momentous events or life messages. It was a bit more substantive than the current day's astrology and horoscopes. They were likely from Persia.  We do not know exactly when this occurred, but given the distance they would have traveled and the response of Herod after their departure, the journey could have been up two years.

By their own report, they started their journey after the saw the Star.  The scriptures leave us to understand that the Star first appeared in the night sky on the day of Jesus' birth.

They also came prepared--with gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.Gold is a gift for a King, symbolising Jesus' kingship. Frankincense is an incense used by priests, thus symbolising Jesus' priesthood. Myrrh is used in embalming the dead, which prophetically signifies that Jesus was born to die. These are the symbolic meaning of these gifts, but they must have also had a practical purpose. It is likely that Mary saved the myrrh for Jesus' burial; although it is also likely that some of it was used for Joseph's burial as well. The Frankincense may have been used in the home of Joseph when they celebrated te Passover.

The point here is this.  These men rearranged their lives to come to the manger, and they came with gifts that expressed an awareness of what Jesus would need. So here's the question - are you arranging your life to make sure that Jesus remains at the center, not only for this season but the whole year?  And have you asked yourself, what does God want me to offer Him as a reflection of my worship and thanksgiving?

MARY'S SONG

 BY STEVE DUNN

Reading: Luke 1.46-51

 "As followers of Jesus Christ we are invited into a life where our story merges with the story of God, an intersection if you will, where His dreams become our dreams and we begin a journey of faith to increasingly love him and increasingly love people." - Nick Francis Stephens


And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,  for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.

Imagine being a young woman dreaming of her wedding day.  Her betrothed is a handsome young craftsman, a carpenter named Joseph.  He is older than she, but he has treated with respect and knows just the right gift to make her feel special.  He’s handsome and communicates easily with the elders of the village—and with her father. The other girls are envious of her good fortune.

Then she gets a visit from an angel who tells her that she is going to be impregnated by God through the Holy Spirit.  She will become the mother of the long-awaited Messiah, the Liberating King for her people.

Joseph is thinking about stepping away from the marriage to spare her embarassment, but now says God has let him on the secret.  To keep the secret a little longer, her family has sent her to live with her cousin Elizabeth. And Elizabeth is in on the secret as well.

Her life is about to begin a totally new adventure--not only for Mary, but for anyone.  A new adventure for the world itself.

But Mary sees it and proclaims as invitation to be blessed and to be a blessing.  For she is united with the Lord.

There will never be a need for another virgin named Mary, but know that God has dreams for you as well.  Are you ready to embrace and celebrate and live by those dreams? 

(C) 2012 by Stephen L Dunn

ADVENT REFLECTIONS - WHAT YOU MEAN IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS

BY STEVE DUNN

    Reading: Luke 3.2b-6

It has begun already.  If you turned on your radio on Black Friday or wandered in the malls, you heard it. You know what "it" is; I know you know.  I am talking about Christmas music.  Now it's not what I call Christmas music, Handel's "Messiah," or classic Christmas carols, or even knew classics like Michael W. Smith's "All is Well."

It's "Sleigh Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman" and "I'll Be Home for  Christmas" - the syrupy, sentimental, secular stuff that brings a smile but not good old-fashioned JOY to the world that could use a multi-dose of joy.

For Christians, at least those of us who are deeply in love with Jesus Christ - the One Who brought joy to the world; those things and the consumer madness and the mad round of parties - this season is special and holy.

And as much as the marketers and the ABC Family Channel would prefer to be otherwise, it's also not Christmas.  It is Advent.

 

Advent is the season of preparation FOR Christmas, but is not Christmas.  Advent is based on a little bit of biblical history.  This from Luke 3.2b-6.

 ... the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
⁵ Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
⁶ And all people will see God’s salvation.’

John the Baptist was the son of a priest.  He was a man with a mission. His mission was preparation--preparing people for the coming of Jesus.  He was the man whose preaching and call to repentance were intended to get people's attention for the One who would change the world forever.

John fulfilled the prophecies of persons like Isaiah who announced the universe altering reality that God would end humankind's bondage to sin and separation from Him.

Advent's purpose is to focus our minds and souls first on our need for God, then on the promises of God, so that when the angels sing "Joy to the World" once again in a few weeks, we won't miss what it really means.

BY THE WAY - IT'S NOT YET ADVENT, EITHER.  ADVENT BEGINS THIS SUNDAY.

(C) 2012 by Steve Dunn

DO LESS BETTER

 by STEVE DUNN

I have always  been a person who seems to seek busyness.  I once described myself as a "recovering workaholic" and someone who knew me well quipped, "Relapsed would be more accurate."  My schedule generally has been full and I have had several Facebook friends who have said, "Your Facebook page makes me tired." I tend to be optimistic about how much I can accomplish in a day or week, and my assessment would be accurate if days had 28 hours and weeks had nine days.

There is no Bible verse to proof text this attitude.  "Busyness is not next to godliness" unless you are reading 2nd Imaginations in the latest version of the Apocrypha.  The outcome of extreme busyness is generally not pretty. Whether you rust out or wear out - out is out.

It's taken two bouts with burnout to get me to give serious attention to my busyness addiction; and even now I need to be vigilant about saying "yes" when I need to say "no".  At some point busyness robs you of joy and true productivity.  It's hard to be content and fulfilled when you're exhausted. Some things take time and solid attention. Trying to do too much usually erodes quality or sustainability.

One of the lessons we need to learn to combat this insidious busyness is to claim a new core value:
DO LESS BETTER.

Many of us carry some old tapes that warn against laziness.  "Idle hands are the devil's workshop" has been used many a time to provide a verbal kick in the rear to someone.  Yet sometimes, idling is needed to get warmed up for the journey.

Some of have tapes that say "Measure up!" or "Prove yourself!" or "Always Look Busy!" As a result we press on to produce and take our worth in the quantity we produce rather than the quality of what we produce.

But our self-worth is first tied to who we are. What we do comes next.  And in God's scheme of things, quality always trumps quantity.  "Whatever you do in word or deed, do it as unto the Lord." (Colossians 3:17)

Maybe we find greater joy if we attended to doing what we do well and not worry so much about how much we do.  White Castle and other mass producing hamburger joints can plow out tons of little meaty sqaures fried in onions, but does anyone seriously think they as good as that turkey you ate at Thanksgiving which cooked for hours before it was served?

So here is my counsel, especially as you get ready for the insanity that is the pre-Christmas season in America.  Do yourself a favor. DO LESS BETTER.

(c) 2012 by Stephen L Dunn

A GUEST POST

I am reposting this from the Facebook age of Andrew Draper and his church Urban Light in Muncie IN.  I hope it deepens your appreciation of Thanksgiving. - Steve

Urban Light Community Church

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. --Philippians 4:6

In her classic autobiography, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom tells of the time she and her sister went through Nazi inspections at a death camp. They were forced to suffer the humiliation of taking off their clothes. Corrie stood in line feeling forsaken, defiled, and desperate for answers. Suddenly she remembered that when He hung on the cross, Jesus too was naked.

During that seemingly degrading moment, Corrie was struck with a great sense of awe and worship to God. In her amazement of His holiness, she leaned forward and whispered to her sister, "Betsie, they took His clothes, too."

Betsie gasped and said, "Oh, Corrie, I never thanked Him for that."

Thanksgiving does not require any re-payment, but instead requires recognition of what our Savior has already done for us. Some people are appreciative by nature and others aren't. It is the latter who especially need God's power to express thanksgiving. Thankfulness is the opposite of selfishness. The selfish person believes they deserve what comes to them, but the unselfish person realizes that everything is a gift from God.

During this season, survey your own life and make a list of things for which you are thankful. Maybe it is the small favor a friend did for you, the house you live in, a loved one who phoned to see how you are, a Bible study group you're active in, the ability to walk, or the opportunity to worship freely each week in God's house. Take some time to thank the Lord for His blessings and at least one person who has blessed your life this year.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the gift of life, salvation through Jesus Christ, His Word by which you are to live, His constant comfort and love, His provision, and the eternal life we have with Him.

WHO SHALL I FEAR?

Thanks to Tammie Gitt for bringing this to my attention.