Merry Christmas!

Luke 1:39-45

39 Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea.40 She came to Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42 She cried out in a loud voice, "God has blessed you more than any other woman, and he has blessed the baby to which you will give birth.43 Why has this good thing happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?44 When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy.45 You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord said to you would really happen."

One filled with joy preaches without preaching.

Mother Teresa, 20th century

A table in the back, warm coffee, tea, hot chocolate, a frappicino, and four friends sharing stories, Rodney Reindeer….hmmmmm, hmmmmm, hmmmmm….and rejoicing in the stages in a woman’s life. . . falling in love, wedding planning, newly married bliss, house hunting, house additions, pregnancy, birth, children, empty nesting . . . able to love and support one another through Christ and the spiritual connection He gives us. We spoke of a calmness so the Holy Spirit can be apparent to us and reveal wonders to us. There was mention of appreciation for the joys we find….even looking for joy each day in an event and sending thanks to God through a jump or clap or a smile.

Christmas is such a hustle-bustle time, we gave thanks, hugs, pictures, goodies, a sheep, specialty nuts, a prayer for our missing friend, hoping it was only a band concert that kept her away, and most of all we rejoiced that our gift to each other is love….hopefully the holidays will allow us to indulge in an unscheduled meeting that involves CHOCOLATE!

Luke 3:7-18

7Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 9An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." 10The crowds asked John, "What should we do?"

11John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else."

12When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe."

14Some soldiers asked him, "And what about us? What do we have to do?"

John told them, "Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay."

15Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?"

16John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out." 18In many different ways John preached the good news to the people.

Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.

Shaquille O'Neal, 21st century

John 3:1-6

The Preaching of John

1 It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar. These men were under Caesar: Pontius Pilate, the ruler of Judea; Herod, the ruler of Galilee; Philip, Herod's brother, the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis; and Lysanias, the ruler of Abilene.2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.3 He went all over the area around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins.4 As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet:

"This is a voice of one

who calls out in the desert:

'Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make the road straight for him.

5 Every valley should be filled in,

and every mountain and hill should be made flat.

Roads with turns should be made straight,

and rough roads should be made smooth.

6 And all people will know about the salvation of God!'" — Isaiah 40:3–5

A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes--and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 20th century

John 18:33-37

33 Then Pilate went back inside the palace and called Jesus to him and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 34 Jesus said, "Is that your own question, or did others tell you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "I am not one of you. It was your own people and their leading priests who handed you over to me. What have you done wrong?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belonged to this world, my servants would have fought to keep me from being given over to the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is from another place." 37 Pilate said, "So you are a king!" Jesus answered, "You are the one saying I am a king. This is why I was born and came into the world: to tell people the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me."

You see what power is--holding someone else's fear in your hand and showing it to them!

Amy Tan, 20th century

1 Samuel 1:4-20

4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple. 10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

Mahatma Gandhi

Subject Sentences

A committed, petitioning wife, gave back, what the Lord had given her.

Despairing, barren Hannah prays for and dedicates son; God hears; Samuel born.

Eli blesses childless, praying Hannah, who receives answer and bears son Samuel.

Aims - This passage . . .

. . . allows me to examine my petitions and prayers and to not give up on them.

. . . causes me to appreciate our access to God and His understanding of our deepest needs even when those around us, even those who love us cannot.

. . . causes me to give thanks for loved ones who support and encourage.

. . . causes me to take time and get to know someone before making assumptions.

. . . causes me to remember to give God thanks and praise for his answers.

Applications

Who do I resent or ignore or dismiss that I need to instead give empathy and compassion to?

When I pray to I simply ask God to grant me things, or with
my petitions do I make vows and commitments?

Am I willing to give back what he has given to me?

What is it that troubles me that I should bring to God in heartfelt prayer and then be able to leave it there with Him?

What things that I am troubled by and have prayed about can I trust Him with and move on to live with joy?

Do I recognize the blessings I have, or am I always in "if only" mode?

What can I do to get to know someone's story before drawing conclusions about them?

How do I follow through on my promises to God?

Mark 12:38-44

38 Jesus continued teaching and said, "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing fancy clothes, and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. 39 They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and at feasts. 40 But they cheat widows and steal their houses and then try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. They will receive a greater punishment."

True Giving

41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money.42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.

43 Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 44 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on."

“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters." Mother Teresa

Subject Sentences

Looks can be deceiving; appearance of sacrifice is transparent to God.
The poor widow will receive grace from God instead of the rich.
Jesus observes hypocritical teachers flaunt positions; points to generous widow as model.

Jesus observes, discerns the actions and hearts of teachers and poor widows.

Jesus warns about the exploitations of others and giving fully through sacrifice.

Aims

This passage causes me to . . .

seek out small ways my children and I can give...ie...Do One Nice Thing. http://www.doonenicething.com/

rethink my feelings towards my church. I give my %, but not without some resentment.
examine and question my motivations in my social life; causes me to examine where I can be more generous.

examine the character of people I consider leaders, teachers....give generously: money, time, myself. Not just what I think I can afford.

think about times I have given things that I would miss. Often I give when I am tired of things, but not because it's a sacrifice.

Some Applications

How can I be careful and informed about people I listen to as leaders?

What things in my life could I give away that would truly be a sacrifice?

In what areas can I step out in faith and give more than I think I can afford? (not just money)

Do I judge people on their dollar givings?

How do I like to be perceived by others?

In what areas can I be more content and be dependent on Jesus?

In what area of my life can I be more generous - give 2 coins instead of 1?

How can I teach my kids this lesson of generousity?

Can I give where needed without regret?

Hebrews 9:11-14

11Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here. He also went into a much better tent that wasn't made by humans and that doesn't belong to this world. 12Then Christ went once for all into the most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls. 13According to the Law of Moses, those people who become unclean are not fit to worship God. Yet they will be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf. 14But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song."

Pope John Paul II

We thought it would be helpful to consider our prayer lives, especially the act of confession. After much discussion, we decided to post the prayer method ACTS so we can use this method more consistently.

One structure for prayer is given by the acronym "ACTS", representing adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (or intercession.) Let's look briefly at each component:

Adoration is to adore God, to worship him and to fulfill the commandment to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul. As we spend time in adoration, we praise God for who He is - our Creator, our Sustainer and our Redeemer.

Confession allows us to clear away the things in the relationship between you and God which are displeasing to Him.

• Ask God to show you the parts of your life that He is not pleased about, and that do not match with the life He is calling you to lead. This can help you come to terms with things that you may not want to tackle and confess.

• After you have spent time confessing the things you regret to God, remind yourself of his promise to forgive those who confess their sins. Give Him thanks for this.

• Spend time praying about any issues where you need to forgive others, where you might be holding some grudge against them. Ask for God's help with this.

Thanksgiving. From childhood we are brought up to say "Thank You" when someone does something for us, or gives us a gift. Each moment God is blessing us, every minute we can recall the wonderful things that God has done for us, and the gifts that we have been given. And so, we need to be constantly thanking God for his blessings.

Supplication or Intercession. Finally we come to ask God for our needs and the needs of others. There are many demands on our prayer time - many topics and issues that we could pray for, so we need to choose, and to be specific.

Mark 10:46-52

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

46 Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. They were leaving the city. A large crowd was with them.
A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. His name was Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus means Son of Timaeus. 47 He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. So he began to shout, "Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"
48 Many people commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David! Have mercy on me!"
49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call for him."
So they called out to the blind man, "Cheer up! Get up on your feet! Jesus is calling for you."
50 He threw his coat to one side. Then he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to be able to see."
52 "Go," said Jesus. "Your faith has healed you."
Right away he could see. And he followed Jesus along the road.

You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

Mark Twain, 19th century

Subject Sentences:

Persistent, blind Bartimaeus recognizes Messiah, faithfully asks, receives sight, and follows Jesus.

Faithful, persistent, blind beggar asks for, and receives Jesus’ healing; becomes follower.

A believer was healed by his faith and remained committed to God.

Aims:

These verses cause me

. . . to think about how I model the Christian walk. Jesus not only helped the beggar see, but was a living testament to the lesson He just had taught the disciples about the least will come first....being a servant.

. . . to be persistent in seeking Jesus and know the reason I am seeking Him.

. . . to believe that Jesus can help/heal when I call to Him.

. . . to examine things in life God has granted to me, and how to remain committed to Him after granting me

blessings.

Note: I went to church last night - Father focused on the blind man in his gospel. I smiled when he used the word "clarity". However instead of just thinking of the blind man having clarity in asking for what he needed, Father used it to describe how the blind had clarity in seeing what he needed to do, become a follower. He also made the point that we too can ask others what they need and to see how we can do this. The one part of our version of the reading included how Jesus asked the crowd to bring the man to him, I prefer the image of Jesus seeking him out and going to the man.