Sunday's Anthem -

From the Cradle to the Cross

This is our last week - hooray! - to have to sing on the steps. I really appreciate you all singing this way. I know it's not the most comfortable way to stand. We'll put the trio in the middle of the stage. We're also singing - with the congregation - "Days of Elijah" and "Sing to the King" this Sunday.

I hope you'll all come sing - especially at 10:30 - because my son and his family will be here from Oklahoma. I want him to hear how great you all sound and I don't picture him and his wife and their three children getting up in time for the 9:00 service. (And after you meet him it will be easier for you to pray that he gets transfered back to Tennessee!)

The Oklahoma grandbabies.

A Wednesday without Choir...

... is like Aunt Jemima Pancakes without her syrup.

I hope you all enjoy having tonight off. You all worked hard. You deserve some time off.

My lovely wife Cheryl thought the same thing and surprised me with a trip to Chattanooga. There are some great vacation spots here. You can read about some of our adventures on my Papa Lyndel blog http://www.papalyndel.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas!

Joy to the world, the Lord has come.

Let earth receive her King!

Why December 25th? The Romans had a winter festival in honor of the unconquerable sun. The early Christians either had to get rid of the festival or redeem it. Here's what I think is really cool. The festival was on Dec. 25th - three days after the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day of the year. They at one time had thought the sun was dying but by three days after the Winter Solstice it was obvious that the sun was alive! I suppose it is way too obvious for me to point out the symbolism there. It's kind of like when the Apostle Paul went to Athens and he told the men there how he had seen an inscription "to the unknown god" and he said he was there to tell them about Him Ac 17:23 . I think that's pretty cool.

[the following paragrpah was added later] OK, Cheryl just read this post and she said I didn't put enough words in and she didn't get it. So I'll try again. The Romans were already celebrating the resurrection of the sun - how three days after they thought it was dead they celebrated the fact that the sun was not dead. So, just as Paul explained to the Athenians that the unknown god they worshipped was Jesus, the Romans were celebrating the resurrection of the Son before they knew about THE resurrection. I hope that is a clearer explanation.

Here's an article with more interesting Christmas facts http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%25253D164506%252526M%25253D200743%2C00.html?

I pray you have a very merry and blessed Christmas! I'll be looking for you all Sunday in worship.

Luke 2

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, it happened that the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a manger--because there was no room for them at the inn.
8 In the same region, shepherds were living out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for you see, I announce to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 because today in the city of David was born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

Nativity

THANK YOU!

I want to thank the choir for my Christmas present. In case you missed it, the choir gave me a blown glass Nativity set for Christmas.

Blown Glass Nativity

Word had gotten out that I collect Nativity sets. In this post you'll not only read some interesting dictionary information about "Nativity", but you'll see some pictures of some of my Nativities. (I haven't come across the box that has my Nativity set from Nicaragua.)

A Nativity in honor of Hannah and Benjamin

I found it interesting when I looked up Nativity (at my favorite dictionary place Merriam Webster Online http://www.m-w.com/ ) that when it isn't capitalized it means "the process or circumstances of being born" and when capitalized it refers to the birth of Jesus. So I could say that my nativity was in Oklahoma City. My nativity, however, did not attract shepherds and was not announced by angels.

Heartwood Creek Nativity

Nativity by Lenox (in our bedroom)

There's another word for a Nativity set - "creche" which is originally a French word meaning a manger but now means "a representation of a Nativity scene."

Carved Wood Nativity

I found it rather funny that it can also mean "4 : a group of young animals (as penguins or bats) gathered in one place for care and protection usually by one or more adults."

A creche of penguins?

I like passages of scripture that refer to the Nativity that aren't in the Gospels. (Here's an earlier post with Colossians 1 http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2007/12/mystery-of-incarnation.html )

Nativity - Taking on the form of a servant

Phillipians 2

5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God

as something to be used for His own advantage.

Or to be grasped, or to be held on to

7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave,

taking on the likeness of men.

And when He had come as a man in His external form,

8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death—even to death on a cross.

9 For this reason God also highly exalted Him

and gave Him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—

of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth—

11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Christmastime

Sunday's anthem - Christmastime!

If you want to see our presentation of The Living Christmas Tree and you have charter cable, you can tune in Christmas night (Dec. 25) at 7:00 on channel 10 or Thursday night, Dec. 27, at 8:00, also on channel 10.

The Choir in the Tree

Look how good we're singing!