The Revolution of Christmas

Here's one last Christmas quote this year. This one is from G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man:

Christmas for us in Christendom has become one thing, and in one sense even a simple thing. But like all the truths of that tradition, it is in another sense a very complex thing. Its unique not is the simultaneous striking of many notes; of humility, or gaiety, of gratitude, of mystical fear, but also of vigilance and drama. There is something defiant in it also; something that makes the abrupt bells at midnight sound like the great guns of a battle that has just been won.All this indescribable thing that we call the Christmas atmosphere only hangs in the air as something like a lingering fragrance or fading vapour from the exultant explosion of that one hour in the Judean hills nearly two thousand years ago. But the savour is still unmistakable, and it is something too subtle or too solitary to be covered by our use of the word peace. By the very nature of the story the rejoicings in the cavern were rejoicings in a fortress or an outlaw’s den; properly understood it is not unduly flippant to say they were rejoicings in a dug-out. It is not only true that such a subterranean chamber was a hiding-place from enemies; and that the enemies were already scouring the stony plain that lay above it like a sky.

There is in this buried divinity an idea of undermining the world; of shaking the towers and palaces from below; even as Herod the great king felt that earthquake under him and swayed with his swaying palace. This is perhaps the mightiest of the mysteries of the cave. Indeed the Church from its beginnings, and perhaps especially in its beginnings, was not so much a principality as a revolution against the prince of the world. It was in truth against a huge unconscious usurpation that it raised a revolt. Olympus still occupied the sky like a motionless cloud moulded into many mighty forms; philosophy still sat in the high places and even on the thrones of the kings, when Christ was born in the cave and Christianity in the catacombs.

This is War

This is War
Dustin Kensrue

This is war like you ain't seen.
This winter's long, it's cold and mean.
With hangdog hearts we stood condemned,
But the tide turns now at Bethlehem.

This is war and born tonight,
The Word as flesh, the Lord of Light,
The Son of God, the low-born king;
Who demons fear, of whom angels sing.

This is war on sin and death;
The dark will take it's final breath.
It shakes the earth, confounds all plans;
The mystery of God as man.

(Dustin is the lead singer of Thrice. You can listen to the song below.)

Victor Hugo

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

From a devotion I shared at the AHS Christmas Musical last week:

This time of year frequently combines two things that I really love: Christmas + music = Christmas musicals. The two are a wonderful combination!

I recently came across a quote from Victor Hugo concerning music. Read what he had to say:

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

It's the truth. Music seems like it comes from somewhere deep within us and really connects on an emotional level. I've met people who like lots of different styles of music, but I've never met someone who didn't care for it at all! Music is a universal language.

You're probably familiar with this, but Victor Hugo is also the author of Les Miserables. Les Mis is the story of a man named Jean Valjean and was written in 1862. It's a powerful novel and quite complex, but I wanted to share one particular scene with you:

Jean Valjean has been in prison for nineteen years for a terrible crime—he stole a loaf of bread. After he has been finally released as a parolee, he comes to a Bishop’s house who takes him in for the night. Valjean repays the Bishop’s generosity by promptly stealing the Bishop’s silverware and silver plates and taking off in the darkness.

He’s caught almost immediately by the police and brought back to the Bishop’s home. But when he arrives something strange happens:

The Bishop shocks the reader when, instead of prosecuting Valjean, he insists to the police that he himself gave Valjean the silver. And then the Bishop freely offers Valjean his silver candlesticks too. It's an extraordinary moment of grace. "Valjean is made an honest man through another man’s sacrifice." Valjean doesn't deserve it in any shape or form, but the Bishop's action towards this hardened criminal embodies both mercy and grace. (And Valjean's life is changed because of it.)

Mercy came when Valjean was not given the punishment he deserved for theft, and grace came when he was given something he didn’t deserve: the candlesticks and the rest of the silver that he stole.

Christmas tells us another story, THE STORY of mercy and grace. It tells us of how God himself came to the world—a world full of death and darkness that had rebelled against him—God came and was born as a baby so that he could rescue our world from death.

Christmas is a story of mercy because Jesus, the God-man, did not come to condemn the world because of our rebellion, but to save the world through his death on the cross and his resurrection three days later. He is God’s great rescue plan.

Christmas is a story of grace because we’re given something we don’t deserve: new life and a new beginning. Freedom. Hope. Peace with God. And it’s all made possible through a baby that was born on Christmas day that would one day grow up and die on a cross to take our place—to those who believe in the name of Jesus.

Recognition

Recognition
Luci Shaw

Who on earth saw him first, knowing
truly who he was? Belly to belly, when
John, prophet in utero, distinguished
in the natal soup the fetal bones, the body
curled like a comma, eyes tight, skull
packed with universal wisdom,
this unborn cousin began to dance.

And when she, birth-giver—
her ordinary vision arrowing down between
her legs through pain and straw to her son's dark,
slime-streaked hair, to his very skin, red with
the struggle of being born—she lifted him
to her breast, kissed the face of God,
and felt her own heart leap.

God With Us

I ran across this video and loved it. What a great Christmas song from Folk Angel (by the way, I highly recommend their newest Christmas album)! You can check out the lyrics in full right here.

First Coming

First Coming
by Madeleine L’Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait

till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

A True Christmas Photos

A few photos from this past weekend. For more, check out our Google+ page:

Mary's Song

Mary's Song
by Luci Shaw

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms. (Rest …
you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies
whose vigor hurled a universe. He sleeps
whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so slight it seems
no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world. Charmed by doves' voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years. Older than eternity, now he
is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed
to my poor planet, caught
that I might be free, blind in my womb
to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.

Why Pastors Should Bless Interracial Marriage

We'll have a few more posts on racial reconciliation in the next few weeks, but first check out this video from John Piper.

The Glory

The Glory
by Madeleine L’Engle

Without any rhyme
without any reason
my heart lifts to light
in this bleak season

Believer and wanderer
caught by salvation
stumbler and blunderer
into Creation

In this cold blight
where marrow is frozen
it is God’s time
my heart has chosen

In paradox and story
parable and laughter
find I the glory
here in hereafter

A True Christmas

Dottie Stam
Worship Leader

This weekend, our Adult Worship Choir will be presenting "A True Christmas." It's a wonderful story that shares the true meaning of Christmas: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We'll offer five shows, all of them absolutely FREE. There will be an evening show beginning at 7:30 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We also will be presenting two matinees on Saturday and Sunday, both at 3:00. Doors open an hour before the performances.

We hope that you can make it, and that more importantly you'll bring a neighbor or friend who doesn't know what Jesus did for them on the cross!

Below is a short synopsis of the musical. Enjoy!

The story takes place in a small North Carolina town in the year 1872. Twelve year old Nan and her best friend Johnny are headed up to Herbert Morgan’s new barn. A fire has destroyed his old barn, so the men of the town are building Herbert a new dairy barn. A time of celebration at the barn raising is followed by the local school teacher, Rose, using the barn as a class room. When Christmas eve arrives, the local preacher, Sam Moore, also decides the barn would be a good place to hold the evening service. As the service ends, word comes that the Womack River, running through the center of town, has overflowed its banks and all the homes are soon to be flooded. The new barn proves to be a Godsend for the town as they are all forced to take refuge there, the only structure built on high ground. Meanwhile, Sam finds out Rose’s secret.


Later as the town is gathered inside, a stranger arrives proving to be the estranged brother of Nan’s father, Thomas. This brother, Sterling, had chosen to fight for the north while the youngest brother, Henry, had fought for the south and had been killed in battle. The brothers' initial meeting does not go well and there seems to be no hope for reconciliation.


As everyone anxiously waits for word on the flood, Johnny decides to go climb an old tree to be able to see the entire town. The tree is wet and Nan follows, warning Johnny about the tree. Sterling sees the children leave for the tree and follows. When the local Representative, Jubal, warns everyone that the tree is about to fall, other towns folk leave to save the children. The tree does fall and while Nan is saved by her Uncle Sterling, Johnny is brought in with a head injury. In the panic that follows, Bess and Herbert Morgan are faced with the dilemma of where to find a Doctor. Rose had once studied medicine but has mysteriously returned home to teach school. Bess persuades Rose to help Johnny and she reluctantly reveals the she is a certified Doctor and performs the needed surgery on Johnny. The surgery is successful and Thomas and Sterling reconcile. The town rejoices and prepares to celebrate Christmas by reading the Christmas story.


Another stranger arrives and reveals that he represents a church from a neighboring county that has offered to help the town. Everyone celebrates over this offer of help. Finally Nan and Johnny figure out what is really a True Christmas.

Resonate

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

I wanted to share a few quotes with you today from Kevin J. Vanhoozer.

The Collins English Dictionary defines resonance as "the sound produced by a body vibrating in sympathy with a neighboring source of sound." I think this concept has a lot of wonderful implications for the church!

Listen to what Vanhoozer writes:

The faithful church resonates the Word of God to the extent that it continues to sound deeply and clearly the divine voice speaking in its holy script. . . . Resonance is not repetition. To live biblically is not to re-create the past but to resonate in the present. The church 'resounds' to God's glory not by replicating the self-same sound again but by filling space and time with booming echoing sympathetic vibrations--sound and shock waves from the big bang of resurrection.

What a metaphor for our church! Let us resonate the Word of God in our present context as we hold out the Word of Life to our community and urge people to be reconciled to God. Let us set off some "shock waves from the big bang of resurrection" in Apex!