Seeing the End From the Beginning

They are called "spoilers" - when someone tells you how a movie or book is going to turn out before you see it or read it for yourself. Last year, when I found that the last few pages and explanations of the Harry Potter series' last book were available, of course I read them.

Then I tried to tell some of my friends at church that I knew loved Harry Potter. That didn't go very well - Jessica covered her ears, Emily and EJ said "nooooooooooooooooooo don't tell meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".

But boy I sure wanted to.

That's the fun of knowing, don't you know.

When I think about Christmas, maybe the story told most often of all time, sometimes I wonder - because we know the ending already, do we forget how AWESOME it really was?

In that story, there were so many people involved that lived and died and never knew how it was going to completely turn out. And yet they longed to see Messiah come.

Take Isaiah for example.

Every Christmas season, we take a peek into the book that bears his name, picking and choosing those scriptures that fit our Christmas story. He delivers some powerful glimpses into the character Messiah will have, but do we rush by this?

14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel—`God is with us.' Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)

In the passage that comes from, God asks Isaiah to tell Israel's King Ahaz to test Him. That's right. God says through the prophet Isaiah, "ask me for proof I'll come through and make it as hard as you can - ridiculous if you want to."

The King, in a rare burst of humility, declines to test God, even after being told to.

So God Himself chooses the most ridiculous example He can think of.

A virgin will conceive - God. And that God-man will live among men.

Think about it.

Maybe it's time to slow down, maybe even back up, and take another look at just what Christmas IS.

Amazing love. AWESOME GOD. With us. WOW! TELL SOMEBODY!!!!!!!!!!!

Grace and peace,

David
lead pastor, New Hope

How Long?

I've got one eye on the calendar already. Just dragging the paper in last Thursday took a lot out of me. Then the collective energy used on Black Friday shopping, even though I did not participate, made me weary for those who did. I can feel the pressure building to get the lights on outside the house and the tree up inside, even though my adorable bride hasn't said a word.

But every now and then, I get a feeling like that lady did in the opening credits of Jaws.

Da -dum

Da-dum

da da da dum....

Christmas IS COMING!

When Allan, our friend from one street over, made his visit to our house today, after getting the usual small talk out of the way, (Gators won, Niceville lost, Georgia Tech lost, how's your dog, where's Bunny, tell Sean he's out...) he asked the dreaded question.

"How long until Christmas, David? How many days?"

"Well Allan, it isn't even December yet," I replied.

"But how long, David?"

"28 days"

Allan hasn't yet learned what most adults have about Christmas. Silly him, he still is amazed and in awe.

You know what? I'm going to do everything I can to find that sense of wonder again too.

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Lk 2:8

How long until Christmas... for you?

Grace and peace,

David Wilson