"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."
(1 Corinthians 15:21-23)
The pastors of our church are currently teaching through the book of Matthew. This past Sunday the message was from Matthew 4:1-11...the temptation of Jesus.
There were several observations our pastor made that I have found helpful as I'm considering Christ this advent season and meditating on this...
"though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11)
Jesus came to do what Adam could not do...reconcile us to God.
Try as Adam might, he could never do enough good,
offer enough animal sacrifices, present enough firstfruits
to absolve himself from guilt before God...nor can we...
nor could he propitiate, or totally satisfy, God's demand for
the righteous judgment of his sin...nor can we.
Only a perfect, sinless man could do that...
only Jesus...the Messiah.
Adam was tempted in paradise...the garden of Eden...
where he enjoyed perfect communion with God.
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness...
where the Spirit led him.
Adam was tempted while wanting for nothing...
his belly was full.
Jesus was tempted after 40 days of fasting...
his belly was beyond empty.
Adam had a companion when he was tempted...he was not alone.
Jesus was tempted when he was alone.
Adam had every reason at his disposal to resist temptation...
but he did not.
Jesus had every reason to not be able to resist temptation...
but he did.
Adam's sin resulted in God's righteous judgment of death...
for all creation.
Jesus's sinless death and resurrection resulted in freedom from
God's righteous judgment of death...
for all who believe.
So...Jesus did what Adam could not do...
because Adam was not God...like Jesus was.
And therein is the miracle this advent season leads us to...
God entered this sin-ridden world
to take upon himself and conquer, in Christ, the penalty for sin...
namely eternal death,
to give to those who die to themselves and trust, in Christ,
the righteousness of God...namely eternal life.
Sons of Eve, reward my tidings!
Why should we make gifts to you?
Born is He, the Adam new.
Almighty God, what glad tidings!
Pay my boon, and sing for joy,
for tonight is born our Savior,
the Messiah promised to us,
Man and God, a virgin's boy.
By His birth [and death],
He gives us pardon for the sin and wrong we do.
Born is He, the Adam new.
Almighty God, what glad tidings!
(Anonymous, from Villancicos de diuersos Autores...Venice 1556)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
expectation. hope filled waiting...
"Expectations are resentments waiting to happen."
...a wise counselor once told me.
He offered this counsel
because he discerned my heart's struggle with resentment.
That quote has served me well
on the battleground of marriage...
in the transition to empty-nesting...
or to put it more simply... in life.
Does that mean I should have no expectations?
No. Not at all.
It does mean that I should examine the root of my expectations...
the motivation behind them.
When resentment is the result of my expectations
the motivation has always been...yes, always...self-centered.
It might look something like this...
Sweet Husband goes away on a business trip.
As the day of his return approaches
I begin to anticipate his homecoming
and start to create scenarios
of how this event will play out...
how he will greet me...
how he will gush over missing me...
how he will be positively ecstatic about the dinner plans
I made without consulting him first...
how he will be ready and willing
to help me complete the little project I started while he was gone...
When Sweet Husband arrives
he hugs me and gives me a kiss...but there's no gushing...
he says he's looking forward to hunkering down
and enjoying his recliner and going to bed early.
How am I going to cancel last minute the dinner plans I made?
He goes on about how tired he is and how he's looking forward
to a relaxing, do nothing kind of afternoon and evening...
How can he be that tired?
He stayed in a quiet hotel...
where his bed was made for him every day...
he ate at restaurants...
where his food was cooked to order and brought to him every meal...
he enjoyed adult conversation...
with people old enough to speak in complete sentences...
and he didn't have to let the dog out to go potty even once!
This is NOT the kind of homecoming I was expecting...
you know...centered around...ME!
That's when the resentment begins to fester in my heart.
It doesn't have to be a marriage scenario.
Most parents are guilty of this, too...
when their kids don't perform according to their expectations...
thus, not bringing kudos and high compliments from others
regarding the superiority of their "seed".
I know...it's ugly...but, such is the fruit of a heart
full of self-exalting and self-centered expectations.
And this has what to do with the season of advent?
Advent is a season of expectation...
weeks of remembering all that preceded the birth of Christ
as the children of Israel waited expectantly for the Messiah...
and weeks of expectant hope that He,
King Jesus, will come again.
What better way for Christians to guard our hearts
from becoming entangled in the expectations
our culture places on Christmas...excuse me...the holidays...
namely, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
Right?
Instead of looking forward to Christmas Day
with expectations of fulfilled wish lists...
we remember the birth of Jesus,
God's perfect gift who satisfies our greatest need,
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
fulfilling every prophecy foretold hundreds of years prior.
Then as we remember the birth of Jesus
the manger points us to the cross of Jesus,
where God's perfect sacrifice satisfied the penalty for our sin,
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
fulfilling every prophecy foretold hundreds of years prior.
Then as we remember the cross of Jesus,
we are drawn to look, once more, inside the empty tomb,
Jesus is no longer there...He is risen...
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
and He has promised to come again.
That is our hope filled...
Christ exalting and Christ centered
expectation!
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
born to set Thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us
let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation
hope of all the earth Thou art.
Dear desire of every nation
joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver
born a child, and yet, a King.
Born to reign in us forever
now Thy gracious Kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
rule in all our hearts alone.
By Thine own sufficient merit
raise us to Thy glorious throne.
(by Charles Wesley)
...a wise counselor once told me.
He offered this counsel
because he discerned my heart's struggle with resentment.
That quote has served me well
on the battleground of marriage...
in the transition to empty-nesting...
or to put it more simply... in life.
Does that mean I should have no expectations?
No. Not at all.
It does mean that I should examine the root of my expectations...
the motivation behind them.
When resentment is the result of my expectations
the motivation has always been...yes, always...self-centered.
It might look something like this...
Sweet Husband goes away on a business trip.
As the day of his return approaches
I begin to anticipate his homecoming
and start to create scenarios
of how this event will play out...
how he will greet me...
how he will gush over missing me...
how he will be positively ecstatic about the dinner plans
I made without consulting him first...
how he will be ready and willing
to help me complete the little project I started while he was gone...
When Sweet Husband arrives
he hugs me and gives me a kiss...but there's no gushing...
he says he's looking forward to hunkering down
and enjoying his recliner and going to bed early.
How am I going to cancel last minute the dinner plans I made?
He goes on about how tired he is and how he's looking forward
to a relaxing, do nothing kind of afternoon and evening...
How can he be that tired?
He stayed in a quiet hotel...
where his bed was made for him every day...
he ate at restaurants...
where his food was cooked to order and brought to him every meal...
he enjoyed adult conversation...
with people old enough to speak in complete sentences...
and he didn't have to let the dog out to go potty even once!
This is NOT the kind of homecoming I was expecting...
you know...centered around...ME!
That's when the resentment begins to fester in my heart.
It doesn't have to be a marriage scenario.
Most parents are guilty of this, too...
when their kids don't perform according to their expectations...
thus, not bringing kudos and high compliments from others
regarding the superiority of their "seed".
I know...it's ugly...but, such is the fruit of a heart
full of self-exalting and self-centered expectations.
And this has what to do with the season of advent?
Advent is a season of expectation...
weeks of remembering all that preceded the birth of Christ
as the children of Israel waited expectantly for the Messiah...
and weeks of expectant hope that He,
King Jesus, will come again.
What better way for Christians to guard our hearts
from becoming entangled in the expectations
our culture places on Christmas...excuse me...the holidays...
namely, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
Right?
Instead of looking forward to Christmas Day
with expectations of fulfilled wish lists...
we remember the birth of Jesus,
God's perfect gift who satisfies our greatest need,
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
fulfilling every prophecy foretold hundreds of years prior.
Then as we remember the birth of Jesus
the manger points us to the cross of Jesus,
where God's perfect sacrifice satisfied the penalty for our sin,
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
fulfilling every prophecy foretold hundreds of years prior.
Then as we remember the cross of Jesus,
we are drawn to look, once more, inside the empty tomb,
Jesus is no longer there...He is risen...
and we rejoice that the long awaited,
long expected Savior has come...
and He has promised to come again.
That is our hope filled...
Christ exalting and Christ centered
expectation!
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
born to set Thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us
let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation
hope of all the earth Thou art.
Dear desire of every nation
joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver
born a child, and yet, a King.
Born to reign in us forever
now Thy gracious Kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
rule in all our hearts alone.
By Thine own sufficient merit
raise us to Thy glorious throne.
(by Charles Wesley)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
with a thankful heart. welcome advent...
I love family!
That's why I love Thanksgiving...
because it's followed so closely by Christmas...
which means lots and lots of family time
in the span of a couple of months!!
We had a house full last week
and it was AWESOME!
Here are some highlights...
Hudson discovering the joys of Fruit Loops...
it only took one serving for him to know
in which cabinet he could find a second serving.
Sweet Husband and Hudson
interacting with "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on the ipad,
particularly loved Hudson's bobble-head dance
to the Peanuts theme song...
Cooking with Bethany and Loren,
Antiquing with Bethany, Loren and my mom,
Coffee with Bethany, Loren and my mom
enjoying lots of laughter and wise counsel (from Momma)...
Looking around the table on Thanksgiving Day
and being keenly aware of God's mercy, grace and kindness
as I saw Bethany, Peter and Hudson,
Jake and Loren, Drew, my parents,
Mike's mom, step-dad and sister...
God-exalting, humbling sharing from Jake and Peter,
words of honor and encouragement
from Sweet Husband to his step-dad and my dad...
Sweet conversation with my precious Bethany
who never ceases to amaze me
with her desire to love God, her husband and children...
Saying good-bye knowing that in a few short weeks
we'll be together again...
that time including Josh, Meggie and Gray!!
So...it is with a heart full of thanks
that I now turn my gaze to the manger of Bethlehem
where Jesus took on human flesh
to live the life I cannot not live
to pay the debt I cannot pay
to conquer the death I cannot conquer...
We sang "Joy Has Dawned" this morning
and I was drawn to worship my Savior anew...
Joy has dawned upon the world
promised from creation
God's salvation now unfurled
hope for ev'ry nation
Not with fanfares from above
not with scenes of glory
But a humble gift of love
Jesus born of Mary
Sounds of wonder fill the sky
with the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of life
shelters in a stable
Hands that set each star in place
shaped the earth in darkness
Cling now to a mother's breast
vulnerable and helpless
Shepherds bow before the lamb
gazing at the glory
Gifts from men of distant lands
prophesy the story
Gold, a King is born today
incense, God is with us
Myrrh, His death will make a way
and by His blood He will win us
Son of Adam, Son of heaven
given as a ransom
Reconciling God and man
Christ, our mighty champion
What a Savior, what a Friend
what a glorious mystery
Once a babe in Bethlehem
now the Lord of history
(songwriters Keith Getty and Stuart Townend)
Welcome advent...
with a thankful heart I greet you once again.
That's why I love Thanksgiving...
because it's followed so closely by Christmas...
which means lots and lots of family time
in the span of a couple of months!!
We had a house full last week
and it was AWESOME!
Here are some highlights...
Hudson discovering the joys of Fruit Loops...
it only took one serving for him to know
in which cabinet he could find a second serving.
Sweet Husband and Hudson
interacting with "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on the ipad,
particularly loved Hudson's bobble-head dance
to the Peanuts theme song...
Cooking with Bethany and Loren,
Antiquing with Bethany, Loren and my mom,
Coffee with Bethany, Loren and my mom
enjoying lots of laughter and wise counsel (from Momma)...
Looking around the table on Thanksgiving Day
and being keenly aware of God's mercy, grace and kindness
as I saw Bethany, Peter and Hudson,
Jake and Loren, Drew, my parents,
Mike's mom, step-dad and sister...
God-exalting, humbling sharing from Jake and Peter,
words of honor and encouragement
from Sweet Husband to his step-dad and my dad...
Sweet conversation with my precious Bethany
who never ceases to amaze me
with her desire to love God, her husband and children...
Saying good-bye knowing that in a few short weeks
we'll be together again...
that time including Josh, Meggie and Gray!!
So...it is with a heart full of thanks
that I now turn my gaze to the manger of Bethlehem
where Jesus took on human flesh
to live the life I cannot not live
to pay the debt I cannot pay
to conquer the death I cannot conquer...
We sang "Joy Has Dawned" this morning
and I was drawn to worship my Savior anew...
Joy has dawned upon the world
promised from creation
God's salvation now unfurled
hope for ev'ry nation
Not with fanfares from above
not with scenes of glory
But a humble gift of love
Jesus born of Mary
Sounds of wonder fill the sky
with the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of life
shelters in a stable
Hands that set each star in place
shaped the earth in darkness
Cling now to a mother's breast
vulnerable and helpless
Shepherds bow before the lamb
gazing at the glory
Gifts from men of distant lands
prophesy the story
Gold, a King is born today
incense, God is with us
Myrrh, His death will make a way
and by His blood He will win us
Son of Adam, Son of heaven
given as a ransom
Reconciling God and man
Christ, our mighty champion
What a Savior, what a Friend
what a glorious mystery
Once a babe in Bethlehem
now the Lord of history
(songwriters Keith Getty and Stuart Townend)
Welcome advent...
with a thankful heart I greet you once again.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
babes in brooklyn. gracious it was good...
I know. I know. It's been like...forever.
But, good things have been happening
and when you see the photos, you will agree...
it was worth the wait!
So, last week Sweet Husband and I
ventured to Brooklyn, NY
where we spent several days with
our oldest son, Josh,
our daughter-in-law, Meggie,
and our almost five month old grandson, Gray.
FIVE MONTHS!! Are you kidding?!
Nope.
He's getting ready to start chowing
on some solid food...rumor has it.
He's a growin' boy
and he's ready to get down to some business...
some creamed potatoes and bananas business.
I think he heard the solid food rumor, too...can you tell?
There's nothin' but sheer delight on that face!
So...our days were filled with lots of suger-stealing, snuggles, smiles
and general silliness...you know what I'm talking about...
don't try to act all sophisticated...
you know you act like a goob when you're around a baby...
I rest my case.
Even Dexter, our grand-dog, enjoys our visits...
he gets to do things he's not normally allowed to do.
Hey...it's the grandparent zone...
it's all about the spoiling!
Father and son...
there's a lot of love goin' on here!
Three of my favorite men in the world!
Love...Love...LOVE!!
By Friday evening it had turned quite chilly.
Gray was chillin' in his fuzzy suit...
snuggled next to his sweet momma...
the only way to brave the elements with a smile!
This one warms my heart.
Gray tried on his Halloween costume for us.
What a precious little lamb!
...definitely future wedding reception slide-show material.
I started knitting a blanket for Gray before he was born.
While we were there I finished it and gave it to him...
I think he liked it!
Snuggle it till it's thread bare, little man!!
It was a lovely fall day when we arrived in NYC.
The day before we left...three days later...
it was an October blizzard!
UNBELIEVABLE!
...and maybe a little bit fun.
So...our time came to a close with these babes in Brooklyn.
We talked...we laughed...we cooed...
we ate yummy food
from The Meat Hook, Fleischers, Carmine's Pizzeria...
and I cried when it was time to leave.
Not surprising to those who know me well.
But, hey...
look at those faces!
Can you really blame me?!?
Thank you, Josh, Meggie and Gray
for a wonderful visit!
WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!!
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