What is the spirit of Christmas? Christmas is a season of lights, gifts, goodwill, and cheer. Christmas is a time to share life with another. This is what God has done, shared divine life with us and the whole of creation in a simple yet profound way: the birth of a baby. This life is the light that guides us and gives us hope; this life is not bought or earned since it is a gift that anyone can welcome; this life is for our own sake and wellness; this life is the source of overwhelming and everlasting joy. When we look at the nativity scene, we see all this taking place: light from a star, gifts from strangers, goodwill from … Read More
Let There Be Room!
Last week, we learned about Jesus coming into a world engulfed by darkness. The prophecy about his coming and birth described him as the “Light of the world.” I quoted the prophet Isaiah when he said in Isaiah 9:2, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” Isaiah was describing the human condition of ignorance and sinfulness in an unjust and suffering world. And he was prophesizing about the coming of “a great light” that would come to heal people. An example I gave about this darkness was what happened to Jesus and many families when he was born: king Herod ordered to kill … Read More
Let There Be Light!
One of our family traditions during Christmas is driving around and seeing the Christmas lights decorating houses. We love all of the decorations but especially enjoy the lights. And we are not the only ones; a lot of people seem to enjoy doing this too. It appears that the lights attract many others too. Also, as a family, our favorite Christmas decoration at our home is the Christmas Tree. We enjoy how it looks at night, in the dark, with the Christmas lights on. It is what makes it come to life. I think that is on point about what Christmas is about. Whether it is lights hanging from the roof or decorating a Christmas tree, the Christmas lights are … Read More
Attitude of Gratitude
Thanksgiving week is here! Then, of course, we start the Advent season, and Christmas is just five weeks away. I love having Thanksgiving preceding the Advent and Christmas seasons. I think it helps us prepare by reminding us of God’s goodness and posturing us to receive Jesus with grateful and humble hearts. Soon, we will hear our favorite Christmas music or not (some of you are already doing that, just couldn’t wait), eat delicious food, and visit with family and friends. What are your experiences of Advent and Christmas? What are your memories? When I was a kid, the Advent and Christmas seasons meant going to grandma’s home and eat of all kinds of sweets and tamales. It was a … Read More
God of Wonders: Witness
This is the fifth and last message on the “God of Wonders!” series of our Stewardship Campaign 2023. These messages are based on one of the vows we make when we profess our faith and join a United Methodist Church committing to faithfully participate in its ministries through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. The central claim of this series is that when we keep this vow by acting on our faith to uphold them, God makes wonderful things happen. Today’s message is about being witnesses. What is a witness? A witness tells what they know and have seen. In a court of law, when we testify as a witness, we take a stand and tell the truth and … Read More
