The Interview

But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Jude 1:9

 

Have you seen the movie, “The Interview”? I have to be honest, I didn’t even know about it and all the controversy surrounding it until I saw it on Facebook. That is sad, but true. It is for that reason, I have downloaded NBC News to my phone. I figured that was the only way I would train myself to pay attention to news. But getting back to the movie, have you seen it? Do you plan on seeing it? I’ve seen the trailer, and I have to admit I am interested in seeing it. It looks funny. Now it is funny because Kim Jong-un is not our leader. However, I do understand why Kim Jong-un isn’t too happy about it. It is a film which pokes holes in all of his stories, and shows a plot to kill him.

 

Each time I think I will download the film, or watch it, the above verse just pops right into my head. I really do understand why, and so I would like to just share with you what I believe it is saying.

 

God knows that Kim Jong-un is making outlandish statements. God knows what he says, and what he does. Does God need any of us to point it out to Him? No, and the argument can be made that this is not the intention of the film. It isn’t. But….it does border on disrespect and that disrespect is directed towards North Korea’s leader. Now, how would we like it if a country wrote this movie about President Obama? Would we laugh or call them racist? What if they wrote the movie about Billy Graham, or the Pope? It wouldn’t be so funny then, and we would be upset.

 

I think that when it comes the leaders of other countries, we need to remember to be respectful of the people who live in that country. I believe that when it comes to leaders we need to be careful on what we say about them, and how we portray them to others.  If they are evil, we pray to God, and let God take care of them. God chooses who is in authority, and some leaders are in place so God can teach us. There isn’t a leader today who got where there behind God’s back.

 

With that in mind, then I think today’s verse serves to all of us as a warning. In Jude’s letter he is writing specifically about the sin and doom of ungodly people. He is appalled that they heap abuse on celestial beings. (no I am not inferring that Kim Jong-un is celestial) But we do have people heaping abuse on leaders. Jude then mentions a time when the devil, and Michael the archangel are disputing over the body of Moses. Michael stands before God, and still doesn’t bring a charge against the devil or rebukes him. Michael acknowledges that, that right belongs to God alone. Now if Michael won’t bring a charge against the devil, should we be bringing charges against others? No, and that is the point to this blog tonight.

 

As we say goodbye to 2014 and welcome the New Year 2015. I believe that God is calling us, His children, to step out and live by higher standards. I believe that God wants us to learn  how to care for one another, stamp out oppression, care for the poor, forgive one another, love always and show mercy. I believe He wants us to spend our time thinking about those things. I’m not saying you are wrong or you sinned if you saw the movie. I get it, the previews are funny. I am just saying, that I believe God wants us to learn how to be more like Jesus. Jesus stood before leaders who seriously thought they had the power to do to Him, whatever they wanted. Jesus knew better and remained quiet.

 

There are many leaders in our world, and God established each of them. (Romans 13:1) Who are we to bring a charge against them?

 

Something to think about as the new year comes in.

 

2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,100 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 35 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Shepherds

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”

Luke 2: 13, 14

Read Luke 2

 

There are many things I love about Christmas. I love that I get to be with all of my children and grandchildren, and continue my rich Italian traditions. Christmas Eve is all about our big Italian feast, making it, and serving it is one of my greatest joys. I love that each generation tries the dishes, and then eats them. I love that my children chip in, and make appetizers and desserts. The entire night is centered all around being with family and enjoying food. We honor Christ in the love we share; and the joy we express in the lives we are given. The gift exchange is quiet and slow. We take our time, we cherish the moment. We sing, we laugh, we pray, we tell Jesus Happy Birthday.

 

The house is very quiet after they all leave.  I spend a good hour cleaning and putting stuff away.  I smile as I think about the night, and I pray that they all get home safely. I wait for their text messages. Then I put music on very low, and turn off all the lights. I leave the Christmas tree on, and I may light candles. I grab my Bible, and I sit there in the low glow, and just spend some quiet time in prayer with God. This is when I will experience my favorite part of Christmas Eve, which is actually Christmas morning by then, because it is well after midnight. My entire heart will filled with a peace and joy and overflow. I will know God is Emmanuel, and feel His presence with me. There is a softness in the air, and a lightness to the oxygen. The whole world is still, it feels as if it stops spinning. There is a lull and a hush, and while the world is sleeping, God is awake and with me. Tears will spill from my eyes, and no words will be spoken, I am in awe.

 

This is when I will wonder what the night of Jesus’s birth was like. I go to the field and lay under the stars with the shepherds. In the distance I can hear the bleating of the sheep. When suddenly an angel of the Lord appears, and with him is the glory of the Lord, which shines down all around the shepherds. They are terrified, I would be too. Angels aren’t those cute little things we imagine, they are massive heavenly beings. This is why their first words to humans are “Do not fear!” Now anything that has to start out saying that to you when you see it, has to be fearful to look at! The angel doesn’t wait for their hearts to start beating again, it just continues speaking:

 

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 

Then when that angel finishes speaking this happens:

 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

A great company of the heavenly host appears. I can’t even imagine what that looked like, and I know you can’t either. None of us have even seen one heavenly being so we have no clue what a host of them would be. We know that a host is most likely an army of angels. That is, a whole lot of angels. The sky is filled with angels. As far as the shepherds can see there are angels. These angels are giving off light and they are praising God.

 

This is when the awe of God just strikes me, and the tears flow from my eyes. This is when I let out a breath, and know the splendor of His coming. I’ll walk to the window and peer up at the sky. The stars twinkle in silence. There are no words to express how joyful and thankful I am that His favor rested upon me. That like the shepherds, God revealed His Incarnate self to me. I linger on those thoughts, and I listen to “O Holy Night, and Silent Night.” I quietly slip into bed, and I drift off to a peaceful sleep.

 

I love Christmas Eve, and I love the time I get to spend with my family. I love even more the time I get to spend with God. I truly do hope that all of you will come to a place this year where you will really allow yourself to just be in awe over God. Just read the stories in Scripture about His birth. Just sit there quietly, and imagine yourself there. Allow yourself to experience His entrance into your life. Jesus Christ really is the Son of God, and on Christmas we celebrate God becoming Man.

Merry Christmas

We Have Drifted

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Hebrews 2:1

 

I am working as a TA in a public school and that gives me great insight into what parents teach their children at home. I am sad to report that the majority of the students are now being raised in Godless homes. Even those who profess to be Catholics or Christians, will also say, they don’t go to church or pray or even talk about God. Since August, only 3 students have shared with me their faith. This came about when I asked what they would do over the weekend. They would say, “Going to church.” Then I would ask what church and learn a bit more about them. Three students, since August.

 

Then this week in computer class the teacher asked the students to go to Pow Toons on Google Chrome and make a greeting card for the holidays. There is about 35 students in that class and I was sure I would see more evidence of faith during this activity. I was wrong. I saw less, far less than I hoped or imagined. This is what prompted today’s devotional.

 

We have drifted!

 

We have all drifted away and we have allowed the Birth of our Savior,  to become a generic holiday. From the start of the season, which is now called black Friday, to the end, Christmas Day, millions flood the stores and Internet scrambling for the best prices for gifts. I know parents who save all year and I know some who go into debt. I cringe when I think about all the adults this year who will post their new cars. I don’t begrudge anyone a gift. I am not Ebenezer Scrooge. I just think it is useless to insist that the world say “Merry Christmas” when we are just as guilty as they are for mishandling this celebration.

 

Christmas Day is the remembrance and the celebration of our Lord God, Jesus Christ’s Birth. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, made human so He could feel, know and experience what we do, and then be our Intercessor before His Father, who is now our Father. Jesus is the only way to the Father and He is the only Savior of this world and He is the only God. This is the truth we have heard and accepted. We His church know this truth and yet this truth has become commercialized and watered down and stands to represent any and everything.

 

The greeting cards the students are making say Merry Christmas, show Santa and Snowmen and candy canes and presents. When I ask the students what Christmas means to them they all answered the same, “Santa and presents.” I asked, “Do you celebrate the birth of Jesus”? Their response varied from “who”? to “no we don’t believe in Jesus”. If we polled our community we might find the same answers.

 

Think about this for a moment. Do the Jewish people allow Hanukkah to become a generic holiday? Do African-Americans allow anyone to water down Kwanzaa? Absolutely not. If we tried we would be accused of being anti-Semitic or racist.

 

So why do we allow the world to water down Christmas? I know Christians get a bad rap but too bad.  Jesus warned us! It is time for the Church to pay careful attention and to stop drifting further away from the truth just to be politically correct.

 

Christmas means Christ’s Mass. It is the Holy celebration of the only One who can save us from death and bring us to heaven. He came to this world to save this world. He suffered for our sins. He is the One whose birth we celebrate. He is God who became Man for us sinners. He was born of the Virgin Mary and He is Emmanuel, God with us. This is what Christmas is all about.

Wake up Church-We have drifted. It is time for us to take Christmas back! Stop falling into the commercial trap and refuse to allow this Celebration to become generic. Stop making merchants rich and start making people believers.