Our Life With Jesus

Here are images of the Nativity from different parts of the world.  Which do like or find stimulating?

"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of  Judea, magi (wise men) from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?  For we have observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. "  When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him . . ." --Matthew 2:1-3 Our pre-Christmas class focused on the story of the magi from the East, likely from what is now Iran or Iraq, following the light of a star all the way to Jerusalem, then to Bethlehem, where they encounter Jesus, who by then may be as much as two years old.   "Magi"  are those with "an unusual capacity for understanding." The discussion explored the story at multiple levels: -- Stars :  Do they really stop moving, or are they like a rainbow,,you never realy get to them? In the story, the tiny light is set against the expansive darkness--they follow it on a long journey.  When th...

Last week we revisited the two Gospel stories, in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25, where the angel of God comes to speak to Mary and Joseph about God's plan.  In Mary's case, the angel reveals that young Mary will be the bearer of God's new life for the world, carrying and giving birth to the Son of God.  In Joseph's case, the angel intervenes when Joseph is temtped to quietly abandon Mary and the unborn child.  Joseph is en-couraged, and the two humble (and initially overwhelmed) people dedicate their lives in a remarkable faithfulness that can encourage us and stimulate our imaginations. The renderings of the angel and Mary are from Collier, DaVinci, Nesterov, and Caravaggio. The one of the angel and Jospeh is unattributed.  Are there any of them that really engage your attention?  

Last Tuesday we further explored the season of Advent; the term means "coming." We are getting ready for "the time of God's coming," in the person of Jesus, I said. This led us into a remarkable discussion about time--manifestations, experiences, dimensions of time. I suggested that in the New Testament there is more than one concept of time. The first is represented by the Greek word chronos, which class members immediately distinguished as "chronological time," the long or the short of it.  In the Christmas story, King Herod grills the wise men, wanting to know when they first saw the star in the sky--he is trying to determine a date to mark Jesus' birth.  This kind of time is experienced in a linear way. But Class members speculated that there may also be "God-time!" Biblically, this is expressed  in at least two ways: --Kairos is "the right time," the opportune time, a critical or decisive time.  When Jesus began his mi...

In response to a fine question, we explored the different seasons of the Church Year. It was observed that there are different liturgical colors for each season, and that the color of the   paraments  on the altar, pulpit, and lectern change according to the season. Unlike a calendar year, the Church Year begins in late November or early December,with the season of Advent : The name Advent  means "coming."  This season comprises the four Sundays before Christmas. We prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus' coming into the world and to receive him anew into our own lives (as Tony Campolo might say, to welcome his "invasion" of our hearts and souls). The seasons that follow are: Christmas : This season begins Christmas Eve and lasts through the "twelve days of Christmas," including one or two Sundays following Christmas Day.   We joyfully celebrate the birth of our Lord,  the "Word becoming human" and dwelling among us.  The lit...

What is worship?  That was the question that we began with.  Our responses included: --Coming together to talk to God and appreciate God together. --Pray --Giving Thanks: and in doing so, (1) paying attention to God, and (2) paying real attention to our lives. What do we bring to worship? --Bibles and Stories --Offerings to support mission --Ourselves! --Love --Knowledge --Smile --Voice --Excitement --Wonder --Artistry: Music;  murals; dance; poetry; spoken word --Appreciation of the Artistic Expression and Gifr  (Expression and  Response!) What are some important experiences in worship? --Children's Sermon --Confession --Sharing of Faith Journeys --Reverence and Honor (not "uptight") --Freedom in Christ --Encountering God/Encountering Each Other/Encountering Ourselves More in the posts to come!!!