Belief

Faith over Intellect? Intellect over Faith?

John Barry — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:34:47 -0800

Mind over matter. Faith over intellect. Wisdom over knowledge. We’re convinced that the alternative is better: that one of these is better than the other. But Paul says that knowledge is a gift. It’s not something to be set aside when you start believing, but incorporated.

Intellect itself convinces us that some people are more gifted with knowledge than others. We’ve been in classes with these people, and we all know the stories of the most gifted among them (e.g., Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison). But Paul is talking about a different kind of knowledge. It’s not just one about facts and numbers. (Although the type of people gifted with the type of knowledge Paul is referring to would likely be good with that as well.)

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills (1 Corinthians 12:7–11 ESV).

Earlier in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul defines what he means by “knowledge,” or more aptly how the knowledge he is referring to defers from other kinds of knowledge in its purpose.

“I give thanks to my God always for you [all (this is a plural “you” in Greek)] because of the grace of God that was given you [all] in Christ Jesus, that in every way you [all] were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you [all]” (1 Corinthians 1:4–6 ESV).

Knowledge is about enriching others. Its about the testimony of Christ among us. Intellect for intellect’s sake is a wasteful endeavor. (I’ll resist the urge to rant about the higher education system here, and the urge to rant about the problems with curriculum and teaching methods of many Biblical Studies and Theological Studies programs.)

In Graeco-Roman culture, knowledge was the basis of achieving not only higher status but (more often than not) a higher level of spirituality. This would later in church history, only about a generation after Paul, become a major issue. A religion, known today as Gnosticism (from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis), would creep in that synchronized the ideas of Graeco-Roman culture with Christianity. They would exploit grace and make Christianity about knowledge instead of experience. Rather Christianity being about a constant living relationship with Jesus (and the salvation He brings through His death and resurrection for us), it would become about simply saying the right words and knowing the right things. Gnosticism was very popular, because it was easy and exciting, but that didn’t make it true.

This religious movement, in all its diverse forms, would produce works like the Gospel of Judas and the Gospel of Thomas. These fictional works, written in the epic of people that had previously died, would claim special knowledge about the workings of Jesus with His disciples, and that salvation comes through ascension to the special intellectual level they proposed.

Does Gnosticism sound like a familiar form of Christianity? That’s because it is. It’s rampant in our churches today: “If I say I believe (and I confirm it in my mind), I can do what I want through grace and God will still bless me with salvation (and other things).” It’s not usually proposed this way, but faith without actions is what’s often being preached. This type of faith is the type Jesus condemned, not confirmed, because its not faith at all. It’s admitting truth. Admission without action is useless.

Jesus didn’t come to save through knowledge. But he also didn’t come to do away with knowledge. The lack of real knowledge about the biblical text is what allows for gnostic-like religion to continue in our churches today. If we knew what Jesus really said, and really believed, for ourselves, this problem would be minor or perhaps even absent.

Paul is proposing that we emphasize and acknowledge people with the gift of knowledge of God and His workings. Yet, this is one of the many things in our churches today that is downplayed, and it’s to our detriment.

We need people with knowledge (most of which likely hold the spiritual office of teacher). Without them, we will lose our way.

How can your church cultivate knowledge, and especially emphasize the needs for those with it to speak to others about it regularly?

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Want to read the entire series? Here is a round-up:

Ten Verses to Defend Your Faith

Sean McDowell — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:26:13 -0800

For the past few days I have been trying to think of the top ten verses that would be most helpful to apologists and evangelists. I have reflected on my own experience and also gotten feedback from many of you on Facebook and Twitter. So, here are my top ten verses to defend your faith (in no particular order):

1 Peter 3:15: “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” As an apologist you may find yourself having to defend the purpose of apologetics. This is the classic verse indicating that everyone is to be prepared to give an answer with gentleness and respect.

John 1:1-3: “¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” This is one of the most compelling and clear articulations of the deity of Christ. It shows that Christ is the eternal creator and is one with (although distinct from) the Father.

Acts 5:3-4: ^“3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” There is much confusion among Christians as well as groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses about the identity of the Holy Spirit. This passage shows the deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 43:10: “ ‘You are My witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.’ ” This passage clearly lays out that there is only one God and there has always only been one God. Mormons have to get very creative to avoid the clear meaning of this passage.

Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” This verse helps with the question, “What about those who have never heard?” It establishes that people do have knowledge of God through creation.

Romans 2:14-15: “¹⁴For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,” This passage demonstrates that the moral conscience is written on our hearts. The moral law is universal, even among those who do not have the written law.

John 6:29: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’ ” Many pseudo-Christian religions base salvation on works. In this passage Jesus clearly lays out the requirement of salvation—belief.

John 20:30-31: “³⁰ Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Skeptics often believe that faith is blind. John clearly states that the miracles of Jesus were recorded as proof so we would believe.

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” This passage clearly shows that God desires all to turn to repentance and be saved. This can be helpful when talking about Hell.

Luke 1:1-4: “¹ Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, ³ it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; ⁴ so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” Some claim that the disciples were inventing myths and legends. This passage shows the clear concern with historical accuracy and eyewitness accounts.

This list is certainly not exhaustive. I’m sure there are many more verses that could be included. I would love to know of any other key verses that should be added. (All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Version.)

Christians Need Apologetics

Brett Kunkle — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:49:26 -0800

“Just some ordinary conversation over dinner.” At least, that’s how my host described this event. In January, I was invited to have dinner with a couple of dads and their sons to facilitate a discussion on the problem of evil. It was a spur-of-the-moment request and details were a bit fuzzy, so I met my host Jon 30 minutes prior to talk specifics. He informed me that not only would Christian dads and sons participate, but his 60-year old parents, both skeptics of Christianity, would join us as well. That night’s conversation turned out to be exceptional. Why? Because of apologetics.

For too long, apologetics has been given a bad rap. Too many Christian voices point to a few poor apologetic examples, extrapolate them to every apologist and apologetic encounter, and then dismiss the entire enterprise. But in doing so, Christians abandon one of our greatest tools to engage the world for Christ. My recent conversation demonstrates why.

(1) It was intelligent. Any robust discussion of the problem of evil will include a host of issues. We covered almost all of them, exploring objective and subjective views of morality, the definition of evil, human freedom, moral intuitions, the soul, and more. It was a rational, well-informed dialogue between Christians and Jon’s skeptical parents. And it was my apologetic training that enabled me to lead an intelligent discussion.

(2) It was gracious. The apologists I know take I Peter 3:15 seriously. All of it. We are not to be defensive with our defense, but gracious. Apologetics can give you confidence that what you believe is actually true and reasonable. That kind confidence can keep you from getting defensive. And when you’re not defensive, you can relax, give others space to question and doubt, and even enjoy the challenge of a tough question. My apologetic training has done just that for me.

That night there were no raised voices. No frustration or irritation. Not a hint of defensiveness. Rather, the entire group was cool, calm, and collected. Yes, this occurred in the context of a religious discussion, where participants held diametrically opposed viewpoints. Jon’s parents raised serious intellectual challenges to God from evil, but heard a defense that was gentle and respectful.

(3) It was patient. Beforehand, Jon was clear with his instructions to me. He wanted a methodical discussion, walking carefully through the arguments and objections. No jumping to unjustified conclusions. And there was no pressure to “close the deal.” Rather, his stated goal was to leave a stone in his parent’s shoes, an approach he picked up from Stand to Reason. He was patient with their skepticism, knowing there were many barriers to be removed before Jesus ever came into view. Apologist Ravi Zacharias puts it this way:

“The longer I am in this work, the more I realize that intellectual struggles are merely the hazardous waste of life, blocking the heart from truth. The task of apologetics is to carefully remove that hazardous material and keep it from igniting into a destructive fire. Once that is done, the way to the heart is always through the way of the Cross, God’s love for each and every one of us.”

I wanted to use apologetics to move some of that hazardous material away from Jon’s parents’ hearts, but my apologetic training helped me to understand this approach takes time and requires patience. That night, his parents were able to air a few of their intellectual grievances, which were met with listening ears and patient answers.

When you pay careful attention to what most Christian apologists are saying today and you avoid the temptation to demonize the entire apologetic endeavor because of one or two bad examples, you’ll be open to one of the great tools the Church has employed for 2,000 years. When I teach apologetics, this is the approach I commend. It’s the Stand to Reason way, the Ambassador’s way. Of course, it’s always nice to be reminded it’s also an effective way.

What was the result of that night’s intelligent, gracious, and patient conversation? As we said our goodbyes after dinner, Jon’s skeptical dad shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and with a smile said, “Let’s do this again.”

Who Made God?

Sean McDowell — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:50:05 -0800

Shortly before Christmas I received an email from Edgar Andrews, Emeritus professor from the University of London. He asked if I would be willing to review his book Who Made God? Searching for a Theory of Everything. While I’ve read many books presenting the scientific evidence for God, I thought it may be interesting to get the perspective of someone outside the traditional apologetics community. I was right!

If you enjoy the contemporary debate about the existence of God, then Who Made God? is a book you will want to have in your library. Andrews provides fresh and strong critiques of Dawkins, Victor Stenger, and other prominent atheists. He even debated Richard Dawkins a few years ago.

Probably the most controversial thing Andrews claims is that there are four scientifically inexplicable things: (1) the origin of the universe; (2) the origin of the laws of nature; (3) the origin of life; and (4) the origin of mind and thought. Not only is there no present explanation, he says there never will be a natural explanation. The main claim of his book is that any “theory of everything” must include mind. Purely material causes will never be able to explain certain features of the world. The God-hypothesis, says Andrews, explains the world much more thoroughly.

One of the most fascinating sections of the book is his defense of the reality of the human mind. He argues that thinking can change the activity and structure of the brain, which shows that human thinking is not simply an inconsequential by-product of brain activity. He points to a study from the Stanford Business School where a group of people were given the same wine on two different occasions. One time they were told it was a $45 bottle, and the other time they were told it was $5. Unsurprisingly, the group declared that the $45 wine tasted better. They even scanned the brains during consumption and found the pleasure centers of the brain lit up more for the expensive wine. Andrews concludes:

“[N]on physical mental expectations translate into bodily responses via real physical changes in the brain. If non-physical mind can affect the physical brain in this way, then mind can hardly be the mere by-product of brain activity…” (p. 259).

This is just one helpful illustration from Who Made God? Andrews also critiques theistic evolution, the power of natural selection and mutation, and other common atheistic arguments. Even if you disagree with Andrews (as I do at points), he provides a thoughtful scientific and philosophical defense of Christianity.

Heaven on Earth

Christopher Faris — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:09:16 -0800

My wife and I recently bought Disneyland passes. It was the big gift we hoped for at the top of our Christmas wish list this year. Though she and I have had them at various times, we have never had them together in our 9 or so years of knowing each other. I remember as a kid going to Disneyland and feeling happy. Disneyland has this kind of happiness in spades, built from the ground up not on thrilling rides, but instead on nostalgia and environment. Everything in the park exists to make you smile and be entertaining. It is my child self’s version of paradise.

Yet, after visiting the park over and over again (a luxury I surely don’t mean to diminish), there are times when the tricks of the park begin to lose steam. This is true of any number of life’s pleasures – yearly holiday traditions, visits to favorite locations, or favorite films that may initially be funny but lose charm with repeated viewings (I’m looking at you “Elf”)

If I asked you to describe what you hope heaven will be like, your description might be something like Las Vegas. Las Vegas is for much of the world the adult version of Disneyland. It is stocked with fun, attractions, and themes geared towards adults. In its most unrestricted sense, it is for many a picture of what might be our personal wish list of our own heaven: unrestricted pleasures, fantasy, substance, and dynamic visual spectacle brought to life by human imagination to be enjoyed without any regret or conviction. No part of the Las Vegas strip is natural, it is all built by human hands. Mike Erre once called it something to the effect of the height of the human ambition. In other words, it’s the best humans can come up with to make people happy.

When asked what heaven might be like, as a child I used to imagine perfect, unending versions of my favorite fast food, rides with no lines I could ride over and over again, and a huge home beyond any mansion I had seen on earth (with lots of slides). It was my human minds imagination of heaven. So when different pastor’s tried to insinuate that heaven was an eternal worship service where we would be in the literal presence of God, my heart sank a little. The music would probably be subpar, and I’d have to feign interest for 24 hours a day. That’s not much pleasure and fun at all. Where are the attractions and endless videogames on giant TV screens I had dreamed about as a child?

Christmas is built on many of the same ideals. Its traditions are meant to trigger happiness, and I enjoy them all quite a bit. It is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year. But as adults, the same Christmas traditions don’t generate the same level of happiness they once use to. Darin McWaters recently gave the distinction between happiness and joy – That happiness could be manufactured but joy was the feeling or experience of something deeper.

The point is this: If heaven is a place created by human imagination, it probably won’t be all that great. I bet it would get boring after a short period of time. If it is one huge cosmic Disneyland or Las Vegas, we will get bored after some period of time. The sparkles on the buildings and the noises we imagine to be heard will inevitably leave us wanting more. Or, if it were an endless hedonistic playground with no consequence, the lack of any real intimacy would start to corrode our happiness like rust on an old aluminum can.

So what about joy? I frequently experience joy in unexpected gifts and in nature. A loving smile from my wife that is generated by nothing more than her love for me. Wondering and being amazed at streams of water that look and sound brilliant with life existing below its surfaces. I experience joy in things that are beautiful such as great song or a sunset that is too colorful for words. In each experience, I often am left thinking that something, someone, somehow is far bigger than me orchestrating these feelings and vistas words and descriptions can’t illustrate. Something divine is being revealed, even if as a small glimpse.

With happiness, I often find it in things triggered by human imagination. Joy however leads me to experience the Divine. Therefore, when I think about my human visions of heaven, I am convinced that my mind and heart do not assume much of God. I do not assume that He is interesting or beautiful in a way that might leave me in awe and worship for an eternity. I do not assume He is interesting enough to look at and enjoy. I frequently find myself assuming that He is a system of decent ideas for a happy life. He moves and exists based on my expectations and commands of Him, not for who He truly is.

A.W. Tozer, Diedrich Boenhoeffer, and John Piper frequently wrote/write about a God who is interesting in a way that we would find ultimate satisfaction. Or perhaps, a God who in us created more longing for Him because what He offered far outclasses every human experience imaginable, even the ones that cause us to think of Him. Any concept in my human brain to approach who He must be is woefully inadequate. Heaven won’t be Disneyland, Las Vegas, or an eternal church service. Those things may excite or be a letdown for others, but none of them assume that God is anything other than a mental construction of the human imagination. It would be false to assume that He is the annual pass distributor to a cosmic playground of unfathomable pleasure. In fact, He is something I ought to take the greatest pleasure of life in if He is indeed so great.

If He is bigger and more interesting than I assume Him to be, the greatest deception I face everyday is to consider Him anything less than who He truly is. I’m left feeling really curious about what it will be like to be in His presence. If God indeed is not the construction of human emotions, feelings, and ideals, I certainly won’t have anything human to say.

The Wonders of His Love

Stan Jantz — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:47:24 -0800

There is a reason we call this the most wonderful day of the year: Christmas is truly filled with wonder. Or at least it should be. Somehow over the course of 2,000 years our wonder has become somewhat diluted, if not downright negative.

We consider the miracle of the incarnation--God taking on human form--and we pose a question we might ask of an illusionist: "I wonder how he did that?" Or worse, our wonder is more like doubt, mainly because we buy into the notion--on a practical level, at least--that Jesus was a wise teacher and a social justice advocate, but hardly the supernatural being Scripture makes Him out to be.

Neither of these senses of wonder--speculation or doubt--is anywhere near the wonder that Jesus should incite in us. We should be ashamed when we settle for a pedestrian kind of wonder. Our wonder at Jesus and the day He was born should rise far above our normal human emotions to the place where we are literally frightened at the very idea that the most holy God has identified with us in such a personal, self-sacrificial way.

Whenever the word wonder, or wonders, or wonderful is used in Scripture, it refers to the supernatural. "And His name shall be called wonderful" is no sweet prophecy. Isaiah was foretelling a miracle far beyond human comprehension. When David wrote, "Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done," he was pointing to things too high for the human mind to conceive.

When youi look at wonder in this way, it changes the meaning of the phrases we so flippantly use, especialy today, on Christmas. When we sing of "the wonders of His love," we should think, not of ordinary love, but of a love so incomprehensible so inconceivable, so earth-shattering and humanity-invading, that our knees should buckle at the thought.

I'm afraid in our desire to fit God into our busy lives, to work Him into our story rather than joining the miraculous adventure of His story, we have forgotten the wonder of our God and Savior, who loved us so much that He gave us His only Son, so that our relationship with Him could be restored...forever.

Now that's a wonderful thought!

Christ -- The Sign for All People

Christian Buckley — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:07:53 -0800

Luke 2:12 & 34

December 25, 2011

Christ -- The Sign for All People

I like everything about Christmas - the lights, decorations, trees, and festivity of almost every public space. I like finding gifts that express my great love and thanksgiving for those in my life. I like Christmas movies (especially Charlie Brown), cookies, cards, and the general sentiment that something is different. There is a communal anticipation, a hope, a looking forward to the morning of Christmas. For a moment, the world seems to pause and everyone is aware that the day is different.

And every year I read The Story (Luke 2) and am re-amazed by the obvious fact that the single greatest birth story of all time is covered in about two pages of text. Every year I want more, I want to ask the Shepherds questions and find out how Joseph really felt seeing his young love, Mary, go into labor in the most inhospitable of places. I want the text to give me something – and this year it gave me the word “sign” and it gave it to me twice.

In Luke 2:12, the angel tells the shepherds, “…this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Then in Luke 2:34, Simeon says that Christ the child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed and spoken against, revealing the hearts of many.

After reading and re-reading the passages I began to ask myself what it means that Christ is a sign and why the concept is included twice in Chapter two.

I reasoned a couple of things:

In verse 12, the sign that is being given to the shepherds is practical, directional, or for purpose of identification. The word connotes that the angel was trying to give the shepherds information that would direct them to the Christ child rather than any other baby in Bethlehem. I get that. But why would simple directions have been included by Luke and the Holy Spirit so that the words would be read over and over and over again for all time? Why didn’t the angel say something more profound, after all, this was the announcement of God’s incarnation. Was something more being identified for us? Maybe the sign was something more than the angle just saying, “Hey – look over there.”

In verse 34, the word sign means a warning, caution, or point of alarm. Christ the sign would be a dividing rod for the nation of Israel no doubt. But Christ is a sign of something more – a sign that would be opposed in such a way that hearts would be revealed. Perhaps Simeon and the Holy Spirit were also making clear that the birth of Christ, the incarnation of God, should be taken as a sign worthy of reflective pause because it would divide all of humanity.

Christ the sign. Sign of what? Sign to whom?

For nearly 2000 years, all of humanity has stopped each year to mark the birth of Christ. History has been defined by the event and at least in America, it is probably the only event that is universally recognized as a practical point of demarcation. Christmas is a stop sign of sorts on the way to a new year.

This year, all of humanity will stop for a moment because Christ was born as a baby at a specific time, in a specific place, to a real set of parents. The birth of Christ is a historical fact and, in retrospect, it is apparent that God has made the birth of His Son the singular point of history and the calendar year we now live by. Perhaps in a way, God was saying in effect, “Every year you are going to get a practical reminder that my Son was born, it was important, and I just want to remind you it happened.”

You don’t have to read the bible, go to church, or be a follower of Christ to get the sign. God has made it so clear that for almost 2000 years, all of humanity has been reminded, like it or not, that Jesus was born. In all its secular glory, Christmas remains the greatest single evangelistic event on earth. No matter what the effort, there is simply no way to take Christ’s name and the historical fact of His birth, out of the word Christmas. God, in his infinite wisdom, created Christmas so that every year His creation would get a practical reminder that His son was born.

But it wasn’t just a point to remember, like the date Columbus discovered America or your own date of birth. It isn’t just another date. Every year all of humanity is given the chance to pause and reflect on the warning that Christ was and is. He changed everything. His human story began and the story of humanity dramatically shifted. Every year we are given the chance to stop and reflect. We can take notice and bow to His lordship, or we can ignore the warning, overlook the opportunity, and move forward as if nothing important has happened.

That night God became man. Every year He points us to it and thereby provides an annual opportunity for the lost to see Him, the sick to touch Him, and the broken to feel Him. Every year most of us just overlook the sign. Like the countless numbers of people in Bethlehem at Christ’s birth, we walk right by the manger, never stopping to consider that God just made himself man so that man could be reconciled to God.

How amazing it is that every year God gives us the chance to stop and consider that the birth of Christ changed everything for everyone for all time. Every year God is asking us a simple question: “What will you do with my baby?”

This will be a sign unto you – Christmas.

Of Christmas and How it Comes (an Advent poem)

Lisa Borden — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:39:37 -0800

It's hot in East Africa

press down, weighty

hot

The clouds billow up

and plod along the horizon

rumbling

(empty threats)

And I

I don't feel like

putting up

this spindly

branch called

tree

I am saddened

by memories

of Christmas babies

and boys with

gleaming faces

taking it all in

Still

we decorate

(perhaps a tad too somberly)

But in the quiet

morning

Bare feet on

cool tile

I am greeted

by our evening's work

So simple

our selections

so home-made

And joy

breaks in

Unannounced

suddenly present

Oh, dear truth

endlessly modest and

unassuming

You stand there

in the stillness

This

this is the

mystery

Christ

dwells

Emmanuel

The Christmas Word Game

Chris Tomlinson — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:06:32 -0800

The English have the 12 days of Christmas in song. The high churches have the 24 (ish) days of advent. At Crave Something More, and here at Conversant Life, I’ll be writing a series called the “21 Days of CSM Christmas.” Starting December 5 and finishing on Christmas Day, I will write once a day about all things Christmas, in the hopes that we will all continue to see Jesus as the greatest satisfaction to our soul’s deepest cravings.

Day 5: The Christmas Word Game

What words or images do you associate with the Christmas story? Let’s make a list (here’s mine, in order, off the top of my head):

Bright star.

Dark blue sky.

Cool evening.

Angels in song.

Hay.

Shepherds.

Sheep.

Shepherd stick (staff, right, the crooked one?).

Dark streets in town.

Mary on a donkey (was she on a donkey?).

Wreath (??).

Cows.

Mary in blue with a white sash.

Joseph in the dark (kinda obscured).

Manger.

Baby Jesus (but just because I’ve felt guilty for not including Him so far).

So this is craziness. I suspect much of my Christmas imagery comes from some movie I’ve seen or a sprawling imagination. Some of these things aren't in the Biblical accounts, and I'm not sure how the wreath made it into my mind. But I do find it telling that the words I associate with Christmas do not quickly bring up the one Word the whole story is about.

John tells us beautifully: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Question: What words do you think of when you imagine the Christmas story?

For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.

The Sacred Conspiracy of Christmas

Chris Tomlinson — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:15:42 -0800

Day 4: The Sacred Conspiracy of Christmas

Let’s be conspiracy theorists for a moment. Say you are a guy (let’s call you Joseph), and you’re engaged to this sweet hometown girl (let’s call her Mary), and you have watched this girl for years and years and have finally mustered up the courage to ask her to be your wife. And then she goes to visit relatives for a few months, and she comes back pregos, and you’re wondering what you should do.

The law gives you the right to have her killed, but you are a just man, and you love this girl, and she swears she has broken no law, so you resolve to break the engagement quietly. But then an angel comes to you and tells you that the conceived child belongs to no man, but to God, through the work of His Holy Spirit.

Now let’s say you start to get this devious plan in your mind. You remember your teacher telling you that there was this Coming One, the Messiah who would restore Israel to its former glory, and that this Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, because the prophet Micah foretold it. And you also remember a story about the coming one being born of a virgin, because the prophet Isaiah foretold it. And you have watched foreign occupiers suck the life out of your village and your people, and you want to see your nation restored. More than that, you want power yourself.

So you come up with this plan to take advantage of Mary’s situation, and your family happens to be from Bethlehem, so when Caesar issues a decree that everyone should return to their hometown for the census, you see this is your chance. You can work the situation into fulfilling a couple of prophecies by going to Bethlehem and having Mary deliver this child there. And then you could start telling people that your son is the long awaited Messiah! And then you’d coach your son into fulfilling other prophecies, and as he rose to power, you’d rise along with him.

You could do all of that right? I mean, it would be really strange, and you’d be a megalomaniac, and it’d be a super long shot, but it’s possible, right?

Clearly, Joseph and Mary do no such thing. They probably had no idea that any of these prophecies were actually being fulfilled—they were likely just dealing with the really difficult situation they found themselves in. But what strikes me most in this story is the impossibility of any power-hungry man fulfilling Micah’s prophecy himself. You can maybe ride into Jerusalem on a donkey because Zechariah said the king would come into the city in this way, but you can’t control your birth. You can’t, as a child in the womb, control where your mom and dad go to deliver you (or control that pesky star).

Unless, of course, you’re God. And this is the wonder of Christmas. When Micah, facing the prospect of siege, spoke hope into the crumbling heart of Israel, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient of days,” it meant that the deliverance of Israel was going to be of God.

This is why Christmas was God’s doing. It was the sacred conspiracy, a plan formulated in secret before the ages began, and not one of evil (as conspiracies are), but one of holy origins. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, and He would be a ruler in Israel who would “shepherd his flock” of God’s people, and He would be “their peace”, all because God planned it long ago and promised it through His prophet, Micah.

Let us wonder at the delight God has in taking small things (Bethlehem, a manger, a baby; us) and making great things from them (a Messiah who would shepherd His people and be their peace; a redeemed people who are conformed into the image of God’s Son). Let us realize that Christmas was promised long ago, in the midst of great trial, by a God who has our good in mind, and loves to use the weak in this world to shame the strong. And let us feel the love God has for us in this promised Messiah, a love that was made clear some 33 years after that miraculous birth, and a love that gives the substance to our Christmastime today.

For the rest of the 21 Days of Crave Something More Christmas, go here.