Merry Christmas.
In the most literal rendering of that phrase. "Christmas" is formed from the joining of "Christ" and "Mass". I have discovered that "Mass", as we see it most often, is not the original intent. We see Mass celebrated most prominently as the main liturgical Eucharistic celebration of the Catholic church.
What I've learned is that "Mass" is derived from the Latin word from which we get "mission" in English. Which suddenly changes the meaning of Christmas. The purpose of celebrating Christ at this time of year isn't meant as a liturgy to follow. Rather, we join him in his mission and purpose.
With that in mind, suddenly "Merry Christmas" is the equivalent of saying "May you find joy as you go out into your community and into the world, doing what Christ did and living like Christ did."
So...
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Follow-up to Last Week's Post
I had a post last week. Don't know what happened. When I logged on this morning, I saw that my most recent post was from two weeks ago. I was sure I had posted something last week. In fact, I know I did; it must have been abducted by aliens. Or maybe it's because I'm typing on a PC. If this was a Mac, the Mac would've known what I was thinking and posted it before I even sat down to type it, wouldn't it (all you Mac-ers)?
It's weird when that happens, huh? I'm going to assume that I'm not the only one who goes through stuff like that. Where you're absolutely certain that you've done something only to find out you didn't do it at all. Like, suddenly as you're wrapping Christmas gifts and you are certain there was another one but no matter where you look, it's nowhere to be found. Surely someone's been there.
I find it curious often though how we can be so confident of something that never happened. How we can be so certain that we've accomplished something when we've, in fact, done nothing.
In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul says that he was advancing "beyond many of my own age among my people" (Galatians 1:14) but he goes on to say that he came to realize that all this advancement was getting him nowhere and that his real accomplishments came as a result of God changing him and God working out His plan through Paul.
See, like Paul, I am realizing that nothing I do is worth any confidence or, for that matter, worth anything, unless it is God working in me and through me.
After all, apparently I can't even blog!
It's weird when that happens, huh? I'm going to assume that I'm not the only one who goes through stuff like that. Where you're absolutely certain that you've done something only to find out you didn't do it at all. Like, suddenly as you're wrapping Christmas gifts and you are certain there was another one but no matter where you look, it's nowhere to be found. Surely someone's been there.
I find it curious often though how we can be so confident of something that never happened. How we can be so certain that we've accomplished something when we've, in fact, done nothing.
In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul says that he was advancing "beyond many of my own age among my people" (Galatians 1:14) but he goes on to say that he came to realize that all this advancement was getting him nowhere and that his real accomplishments came as a result of God changing him and God working out His plan through Paul.
See, like Paul, I am realizing that nothing I do is worth any confidence or, for that matter, worth anything, unless it is God working in me and through me.
After all, apparently I can't even blog!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
That's It
Jesus.
That's it. That's all there is.
I have spent four days sitting in conference sessions discussing any number of topics related to church leadership and management. I have listened to nationally-known people talking about our culture, about management issues related to the organization of the church, about preaching, about producing really cool Sunday morning programs.
I have pages and pages of notes and millions of firing synapses. And I am left with Jesus. That's it.
I spend my life planning, programming, strategizing, and managing. It is way too easy for me to be more concerned with the organization than about Jesus. I do what I do because Jesus is all that matters to me. It might be telling that I needed to spend a week away from my desk to come to that realization but I have come to that realization.
Short of the life-changing power of Christ in my life, every sermon I preach is just a talk. Without being centered on Him, every program I create or organize is just an event.
Over dinner, as I was talking about this with a Vicar (that's "Vikah", after factoring in for the accent!) from South London (England, not Ontario), I suddenly made sense of a verse I've read probably hundreds of times in my life. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Once my life has been properly oriented around Jesus, then all these things (that I thought I needed to work for) will be added. They'll just be added.
I don't have to worry about all that stuff that I normally worry about. In fact, we all have things like that. We worry about being effective at our jobs, about being better parents, about being able to pay our mortage. But life isn't about that. It's about...
Jesus.
That's it. That's all there is.
That's it. That's all there is.
I have spent four days sitting in conference sessions discussing any number of topics related to church leadership and management. I have listened to nationally-known people talking about our culture, about management issues related to the organization of the church, about preaching, about producing really cool Sunday morning programs.
I have pages and pages of notes and millions of firing synapses. And I am left with Jesus. That's it.
I spend my life planning, programming, strategizing, and managing. It is way too easy for me to be more concerned with the organization than about Jesus. I do what I do because Jesus is all that matters to me. It might be telling that I needed to spend a week away from my desk to come to that realization but I have come to that realization.
Short of the life-changing power of Christ in my life, every sermon I preach is just a talk. Without being centered on Him, every program I create or organize is just an event.
Over dinner, as I was talking about this with a Vicar (that's "Vikah", after factoring in for the accent!) from South London (England, not Ontario), I suddenly made sense of a verse I've read probably hundreds of times in my life. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Once my life has been properly oriented around Jesus, then all these things (that I thought I needed to work for) will be added. They'll just be added.
I don't have to worry about all that stuff that I normally worry about. In fact, we all have things like that. We worry about being effective at our jobs, about being better parents, about being able to pay our mortage. But life isn't about that. It's about...
Jesus.
That's it. That's all there is.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Two Planks
"Jesus didn't die on the cross to save sinners." I actually heard someone say that yesterday by a man affectionately known around Willow Creek Church as Dr. B. Now, to put that into context, as a kid I went to Sunday School and it was one of those pillars that we just had to know: "Jesus died to save sinners." I've made poor choices; I could never measure up to the perfection that Creator God expects of me; and I need someone to bridge that gap. Since I was a kid, I was told that Jesus loves me. That Jesus died to save me because I'm a sinner.
The reality, Dr. B continued, is, "Jesus died on the cross to save sinners for the purpose of bringing them together into a oneness community under the cross." What he means by that is that Jesus is not only concerned with restoring that gap between myself and God; Jesus is equally concerned with restoring the gap that exists between myself and other people.
There are two planks on the cross and each plank symbolizes a part of why Jesus died. The vertical plank represents my being brought back to rightness in relationship with God. And the horizontal plank, the one on which Jesus stretched out his welcoming arms, symbolically represents the restoration of relationship with those around us. Jesus came to bring us back to God and to bring us into community.
Real, vibrant, Christianity is only lived out when we are in right relationships with people. I cannot be a Christian if it's just 'me and God'. I am only living like a Christian when it is 'us and God'. Until I have embraced those around me with Christ-like love, I have not embraced Christ. That's a big deal. To be honest, I still haven't figured it out. If you're reading this and confused, you're not alone (because I'm writing this and confused!). I read and reread Ephesians 2:11-22 this morning because this is a great picture of why Jesus died on the cross; especially in light of the two planks.
The reality, Dr. B continued, is, "Jesus died on the cross to save sinners for the purpose of bringing them together into a oneness community under the cross." What he means by that is that Jesus is not only concerned with restoring that gap between myself and God; Jesus is equally concerned with restoring the gap that exists between myself and other people.
There are two planks on the cross and each plank symbolizes a part of why Jesus died. The vertical plank represents my being brought back to rightness in relationship with God. And the horizontal plank, the one on which Jesus stretched out his welcoming arms, symbolically represents the restoration of relationship with those around us. Jesus came to bring us back to God and to bring us into community.
Real, vibrant, Christianity is only lived out when we are in right relationships with people. I cannot be a Christian if it's just 'me and God'. I am only living like a Christian when it is 'us and God'. Until I have embraced those around me with Christ-like love, I have not embraced Christ. That's a big deal. To be honest, I still haven't figured it out. If you're reading this and confused, you're not alone (because I'm writing this and confused!). I read and reread Ephesians 2:11-22 this morning because this is a great picture of why Jesus died on the cross; especially in light of the two planks.
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