Christmas Through the Eyes of Little Munchkins

In our sermon series, we've been looking at Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the original Christmas story. We ended the series as a church on Christmas Eve with "Christmas Through the Eyes of Dublin Bible Church." Although we were out of town for this event, all reports I've had are that it was a great way to cap off our series.

Instead of being with my church family, Lynne and I were with her family in Kansas City (I'm in the KC airport as I write, waiting for my flight to Atlanta so that I can then drive to Dallas for a week of class). We brought Lynne's parents from St. Louis to her brother's family north of KC. We even got the treat of the most snow on Christmas Day in KC since before I was born.

The delight of our trip was being with our nieces, Elise (6) and Megan (4). We got to see Christmas through the eyes of these two munchkin bundles of fun. Of course they were excited about the presents (happily, they enjoyed giving as much as receiving). But at several turns throughout the week, we asked them in different ways what Christmas means. Without fail, they responded that we're celebrating the birth of Jesus, who came in order to pay for our sins on the Cross.

We thought we were teaching them.

After a wonderful Christmas dinner of prime rib, Elise asked if we were going to have some sort of party for Jesus' birthday. Quickly, their mother (Talli) said, "Sure!" I could tell that nothing was already planned, but that we couldn't miss this opportunity. So, we took the Christmas cake, put candles in it, and the girls led us in singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

How simply logical. If the holiday is really about celebrating His birth, we should do what we do for birthdays. You can't help but appreciate how their way of "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" is more immediate and rational than all the theologically didactic ways we can construct. We absolutely must teach them, and their request was born out of the more didactic moments. But Christmas through their eyes also means we should sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

They were teaching us.

May this be a wonderful birthday party for Jesus in your home this year.

Q of the Day: Which OT event is very similar to the exchange between the angel and Mary, including dialog?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:9-21.

Third, answer the following question: Let's see who has OT chops - which Old Testament event is very similar to the exchange between the angel and Mary, including dialog?

Q of the Day: Considering all the prophecies, what kinds of emotions would angels likely be having as the birth of Christ approaches?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:11-38; 2:9-21. Then read Matthew 1:20-24; 2:13-19.

Third, answer the following question: Considering all the prophecies already given in the Old Testament about the Christ, what kinds of emotions would angels likely be having as the birth of Christ approaches?

Q of the Day: How do Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph respond differently to the angel?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1. Then read Matthew 1.

Third, answer the following question: How do Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph respond differently to the angel?

Q of the Day: What is the significance of the angels "leaving" when they did in Luke 2 v 15?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-15.

Third, answer the following question: What is the significance of the angels "leaving" when they did in 2:15?

Q of the Day: How do we oppose Jesus like his enemies did?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 1 - click here.

Second, read John 1:1-18.

Third, answer the following question: Herod opposed Jesus politically. The Pharisees opposed him religiously. Satan opposed him spiritually. The world opposed him personally. Are there ways that we do each of these, too?

A Silent Ministry Within the Church

For those in the DBC family, I want to make sure you're aware of something that our youth and children are doing this Christmas season.

You are aware that church-wide, we are "reverse decorating" our Christmas tree to raise funds for the Friends of Christ orphanage in Kenya. This has been a successful project every year to raise much-needed support for the many needs for our Kenyan orphans.

The youth and children have a project of their own this year. They have selected a family in Dublin (a mother with four young children) to help with their financial needs. They are collecting food items and small Christmas gifts to wrap and present to this family after the youth and children's Christmas party on Dec 20.

They want to be careful to not interfere with the Angel Tree project, but I'm sure they would also appreciate any help you can provide - some canned goods, a small toy, anything that a young family might need.

Mainly, though, I want to make sure that you are aware of one of the "silent" projects that the youth and children's ministries have taken on.

I'm grateful for that entire team. I pray that their leadership will instill a habit of giving and generosity in our young people, so that they learn these habits from the start (rather than having to "unlearn" them as adults in order to be generous).

Q of the Day: How did the "world" react to the event of Christmas? Why?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 1 - click here.

Second, read John 1:1-18.

Third, answer the following question: How did the "world" react to the event of Christmas? Why?

Q of the Day: If Satan knows he's defeated, why does he keep trying?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 4 - click here.

Second, read Luke 4:1-13.

Third, answer the following question: If Satan knows he's defeated, why does he keep trying?

Q of the Day: It's easy to bash Herod, but in what ways do you identify with him?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: It's easy to bash Herod, but in what ways do you identify with him?

Q of the Day: How do the magi and the shepherds both specifically represent what Jesus will become?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here, and

Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 1:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: How do the magi and the shepherds both specifically represent what Jesus will become?

Q of the Day: What elements does the account of the Magi add to the Christmas story?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12.

Third, answer the following question: What elements does the account of the Magi add to the Christmas story?

Q of the Day: Does it bother you that pagan spiritists are so prominent in Christ's birth narrative?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12.

Third, answer the following question: Does it bother you that pagan spiritists are so prominent in Christ's birth narrative?

Q of the Day: What the particular value of including the shepherds?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: In God's complex scheme of how the Christ child was announced, what's the particular value of including these shepherds?

Can we witness to someone we're boycotting?

Ahhh, the Christmas season - the lights, the sounds, the songs, ..., and the bickering about whether businesses are or are not using the word "Christmas" in their advertising.

Many Christians are moved to boycott businesses that avoid the word "Christmas" when advertising for their biggest selling season of the year. (Indeed, many businesses get half of their annual revenue during this season.) The point the boycotters make is that there are still plenty of people in this country who are not ashamed of the Christian angle to Christmas. There have been several advertising reversals lately because of these boycotts.

If that's your reaction, you are free to do so. But please consider two things:

1. How can we witness to someone we're boycotting? Or, perhaps I should say, "What kind of witness do we have to those we boycott?" Clearly, the boycotts pressure companies into a response, and a response they don't make willingly. So, their interaction with Christians is adversarial. How receptive would they then be to the real message of Christmas?
2. By boycotting, aren't we just reinforcing the false idea that Christmas is all about money? Boycotting "works" because it hits businesses in the pocketbooks. A boycott says that one party will financially pressure another party until they take the desired action - using money to coerce a response. Suddenly, the debate over Christmas is about revenue, not Christ. And the boycott helped make it that way. A boycott threatens to "take away" Christmas (financially) from a business, and in the process takes away Christmas spiritually.

There are times for boycotts - I'm not against them in principle. However, I question the overall effect of these particular boycotts. They may "work" in the short-term, but do they really advance the Kingdom of God?

For me, Christmas will be Christmas whether or not Acme Clothing Company uses the word "Christmas" in their commercials. I don't think forcing them to use the word will draw anyone closer to Christ. In fact, it may only help to promote the idea that Christmas is just about shopping. Maybe it's better they don't use the word Christmas for luring shoppers in.

Jesus condemned false religion, where people worshiped Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. When an advertiser is forced to use the word "Christmas" (not even the word "Christ"!), he has "honored" Christmas with his lips, not his heart. We're promoting false homage (and not even to a Person, but to a holiday).

The message of Christmas is our responsibility to get out - not the advertisers.

Q of the Day: What is the temple experiencing in Luke 2 that it hasn't experienced since Ezekiel 10?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40.

Third, answer the following question: What is the temple experiencing that it hasn't experienced since Ezekiel 10?

Q of the Day: What is ironic about "presenting" the baby Jesus to the Lord?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40

Third, answer the following question: What is ironic about "presenting" the baby Jesus to the Lord?

Q of the Day: What other episodes do you remember that involve Jesus and the temple?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40

Third, answer the following question: What other episodes do you remember that involve Jesus and the temple?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Joseph?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 1:18-25 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 1:18-25.

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Joseph?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Mary?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1-2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:26-2:52

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Mary?