Pictures of Me and Of the Fam and I

These are the directory pictures for the Olan Mills Directory they are putting together at United Hot Springs, SD. It is sure a good family picture. Not sure I like the picture of me, but trying not to be picky. I always get squinty when I smile. Grr.

Book Review of The Gospel of Matthew by Matt Woodley

The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us
Resonate Series
by Matt Woodley
ISBN 978-0-8308-3642-0
Published by Intervarsity Press
Likewise Imprint
Reviewed By Clint Walker

I am a pastor. One of the reasons I am a pastor is that I love studying and teaching the Bible. In my teaching and preaching I often use Bible commentaries to help me go deeper into the word and understand it better. Most commentaries are helpful in one way or another. Some are more technical, and can be so esoteric that it is really hard to pass on anything that I learned from them. Other commentaries, in an attempt to be down to earth, have dumbed things down so much that I find them hard to use as well. The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us falls to neither of these pitfalls. As a matter of fact, this commentary for the common person is supurb. Matt Woodley has achieved a noble mission. He has written a commentary that  will be helpful for both the lay person seeking to know more about the Bible, and the pastor preparing a sermon or Bible study for their congregation.

The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us is, as far as I can tell, written in the tradition of a lay person's commentary. In the tradition of William Barclay and N.T. Wright, Matt Woodley spends just a few pages sharing about each section of the Scripture. He does not get bogged down in details that are unimportant. Woodley clearly explains what was going on at the time the Bible was written, and with a deft eagerness makes a quick transition to why that matters to people like you and I today.

Woodley makes his interpretive framework clear from the beginning when he says, "Jesus has come to fulfill the story of God's chosen people" (p. 24). What he means by this is not that Jesus has come exclusively for Hebrews, but rather that the gospel for everyone is rooted in and the fulfillment of what God has been doing through the Hebrew people in the Old Testament. It also means that Woodley sees the gospel as expressing and rooted in a narrative process. Thus, both the commentary as a whole, and each section of the commentary have a "story-formed" feel, which I agree with and greatly appreciate.

Throughout The Gospel of Matthew, Matt Woodley shows he has a gift for being able to turn a phrase. Early in the book he says that Jesus was the "one that saves us from our sins" but that "they (many of Jesus' Jewish hearers) wanted a Messiah that would save them from the sins of others" (p. 29).

When talking about the parable of the sheep and goats, one of my favorite passages, Woodley makes some more deft observations. First he notices where the parable is located in the context of the story when he makes a point of reminding his readers that "this passage contains Jesus' last official teaching in Matthew's teaching-filled gospel" (p. 233). He goes on to share this helpful observation about the meaning of the text, "Here's the crux of the matter: mercy requires personal presence: (p. 234).

Each section of this book is written like what I shared about these two sections. This is a commentary that is actually fun to read. In the books promotional materials, I noticed that others agree with me. I could not agree more with Mark Galli, the senior managing editor of Christianity Today when he says,

"This commentary by Matt Woodley is one you don't simply want to reference but read. Woodley rightly manages to find the note of grace and promise in every passage. This is a book about the gospel--good news--of Matthew. I can't imagine studying the first Gospel without this book within easy reach."

Heck, this book is even endorsed by F. Dale Bruner, who in my opinion who has written the best commentary I have ever read or used when he wrote his two volume commentary on the book of Matthew.

If you are a pastor that is leading a study or preaching on Matthew, or if you plan to do so at any time in the near future, you need to have this commentary in your library. It is that good.

(I was given this book in exchange for an HONEST review by the publisher)

Review of Baby's First Bible Retold by Sarah Toulmin

Baby's Little Bible
Sarah Toulmin
ISBN 987-0-7459-6271-9
Published by Lion Hudson
Reviewed by Clint Walker

As most readers of this blog know, I am a father of an 18 month old, and we have another little baby on the way. So when the opportunity came to pick up this Baby's Little Bible for my little ones, I jumped at the opportunity.

Baby's Little Bible is a collection of bible stories for small children. There are a total of 20 stories. Nine of the Bible Stories are from the Old Testament. Eleven of the Bible stories are from the Gospels. There are no bible stories from the rest of the New Testament.

There is much to commend about this book. The pictures are colorfully illustrated. The stories are written in a straight-forward fashion. The author ends the story of Jesus following the resurrection well. The cover is appealing.

I do, however, have some concerns about the book as well. First, if it is truly a baby book, than it should really be a board book. I would not give this book to my toddler because she would tear the pages apart. Also, some of the vocabulary of the book is a little advanced for babies and preschoolers. Especially preschoolers who are trying to learn to read.

All in all, I think this book will be helpful during story time with my little ones as they grow. Baby's Little Bible is a good resource for parents to read the Bible stories to their children.

    * This book was provided in exchange for an honest review

Thoughts on Rom. 8:1-11 in the CEB

¹ So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. God condemned sin in the body by sending his own Son to deal with sin in the same body as humans, who are controlled by sin. ⁴ He did this so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness. ⁵ People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit. ⁶ The attitude that comes from selfishness leads to death, but the attitude that comes from the Spirit leads to life and peace. ⁷ So the attitude that comes from selfishness is hostile to God. It doesn’t submit to God’s Law, because it can’t. ⁸ People who are self-centered aren’t able to please God.
⁹ But you aren’t self-centered. Instead you are in the Spirit, if in fact God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, they don’t belong to him. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, the Spirit is your life because of God’s righteousness, but the body is dead because of sin. ¹¹ If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you.



For my last month, we are discussing Romans 8 in our midweek bible study. As I close my ministry here, I want to close it with an emphasis on the love and grace of Jesus, which has really been my focus wherever I have been in ministry from the start.

Last week we discussed section of this passage that says "there isn't any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." We visited a lot about the ways we seek to condemn ourselves and earn God's love instead of accepting it, and allowing it to work through us to transform us. It was a very helpful and fruitful Bible study. At least...I thought it was.

What is difficult about this passage is the discussion of what other versions translate "the flesh". The repeating of the word "flesh" over and over again, in contrast and relation to Spirit in Paul's midrashic logic is not always easy to explain. You have to untangle what the word "flesh" means and then begin to unpack the steps of Paul's reasoning.

So, as I reread this passage in the CEB, it stood out to me that this translation used the word "selfishness" for the "flesh". I think this is very helpful for many people in the pews. So often it is easy to confuse flesh with the body, and then body with materialism. This leads to a logic that says everything in the material world is bad, and we need to strive to be completely unembodied to be spiritual. This really is a form of gnosticism. And a lot of people have become Christian gnostics from a misinterpretation of this passage and others like it.

By the CEB using the term selfishness, I think we have a pretty good summary for "the flesh". It is not a perfect summary of the concept, but it makes the point of "the flesh" while steering us clear of a disembodied spirituality that labels our bodies as inherently bad. I like it.

Book Review of Deeper into the Word: OLD TESTAMENT

Deeper in the Word: Old Testament
by Kerri Wyatt Kent
ISBN 978-0-7642-0843-0
Bethany House Publishers
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Over the last year or two, I have come to respect and enjoy the writing and thinking of Kerri Wyatt Kent. She is intelligent. She communicates clearly. Kerri also has a way of thinking through and studying things that most people wouldn't take the time to study. Then she shares what she has learned on her journey in a way that people want hear more of what she has to say.

Kent's latest book is a sequel of sorts. I reviewed her first book on the New Testament in July.  This book is a collection of word studies on the Old Testament. It is just as good, if not better, than the book I read last summer.

Deeper into the Word: Old Testament takes on 100 words that are important in the Old Testament Scriptures, and explains that word's meaning and significance more in depth. Each entry is two to four pages long. The words are listed in alphabetical order, which makes it really to get to the word you are looking to study.

I think the Old Testament is a lot more interesting to look at with word studies. Much of Hebrew is driven by word pictures, and so many of the words merit further description once you understand them. Kent's work on this set of word studies reflects this truth. I particulary liked the studies on "glory" and on "harvest".

Another thing that makes the book interesting is the specific words Kent picks to study. Some of the words you would expect in an Old Testament word study, such as "covenant". I was also overjoyed when she picked words like "wander", that are unique enough to grab my attention but also do a good job of shedding light on God's Old Testament story.

I would recommend this book to those seeking a meaningful devotional, or for those wanting a helpful word study resource. As a meaningful devotional, it would be really easy to chose to read a word a month for the next couple of months. As a word study resource, it would be helpful in preparing for some Bible studies and sermons.

Colbert on Christmas

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Colbert Report: Denver Airport and the Apocolypse

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Reflections on Romans 8: 12-17--CEB Blog Tour

¹² So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but it isn’t an obligation to ourselves to live our lives on the basis of selfishness. ¹³ If you live on the basis of selfishness, you are going to die. But if you put to death the actions of the body with the Spirit, you will live. ¹⁴ All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. ¹⁵ You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.

The Bible Study this Wednesday is on Romans 8:12-17. The topic in the curriculum is confident Christians. The idea being that the evidences of God's presence mentioned in these few verses, when taken to heart, creates confident Christians.

When I look at this passage, the language that stands out to me is "child of God". This concept is repeated 3 times in five verses. Simply put, this is where our confidence, if you want to put it that way, comes from.

Specifically, our confidence is exercised in relationship with God in this passage. Self-judgment leads to fear. Fear leads us to try harder. Trying harder leads us to live in self-centeredness and selfishness. Selfishness leads to death.

On the other hand, life in the Spirit leads to us being adopted as God's children. Seeing ourselves as treasured and loved by God as chosen children means that we do not see him as a slave master, but rather as a father that loves us that we want to please. When we understand that we are truly God's child, we realize that everything in his hands is also ours, either now or in the future. Also, everything in the universe is accessible to us.

Also, it becomes clear then that when we are God's heirs, we inherit his treatment. Therefore, rejection and suffering is part of being a disciple. It is not due to failure or a strained relationship. Thus, we need not fear we are being condemned when circumstances go wrong. It is part of what it means to be part of the family of God to experience suffering..

Parenting Posts: General Updates and Thoughts

Our little KK is growing like a weed, and she is so fun. She comes up with something new nearly every day. It is crazy to think last year at this time she was six months old and not even walking yet. Now she running everywhere, and encouraging us to join her.

One of the things she has taken to lately is patting a place on one of the couches and telling us to "sit". Only sit ends up being mispronounced with an additional h between the s and the i. We can't help but laughing.

Karis loves music. She has taken to creating a little band within our home. She hands out instruments, and then she says, "Two, three" and then insists that everyone begins playing. We do this over and over again. She also loves to sing "itsy-bitsy" spider, as well as "wheels on the bus". At church, she likes to get up on the piano bench and play the piano whenever the bench is empty. Yesterday, at our Christmas pictures, she found a little baby grand piano for children. She loved it, and it made for some good pictures.

She also enjoys coloring, and does it quite often. She talks to us and herself about what she is drawing, but we cannot make out what she was saying.

Her behavior gets a little obscessional at this age, which at times worries me that there may be something wrong. Her mother says a little OCD is normal for an 18 month old.

Church is a little challenging to deal with as far as Karis goes. She is so energetic, especially in church. There are people that delight in her little escapades at FBC Fowler on Sundays, and there are others that Jennifer believes communicate some disgust and frustration that she does not have the ability to be quiet and not say anything throughout worship yet. Last Sunday, Jen and Karis sat with "Nette" (her babysitter), and she did much better. Except when she started grunting loudly during a bowel movement in the middle of the sermon.

As far as I go, I think negotiating behavior of toddlers in worship is always difficult, but as a clergy person it becomes more complicated. Why? Because as a PK, a parent/child relationship in church always has more theological import. If a pastor is a workaholic, the kids tend to blame God for taking their Dad away too much. If the pastor's reputation is sullied by a child's behavior, the child of a pastor that sins feels the judgement of the church more acutely. And, when Karis runs toward me in the pulpit, all I can think of is "let the little children come unto me, for such is the kingdom of God". I want her to be behaved, but I think being too stern with her and too frustrated with her at church ends up making the church this place of anger and judgment instead of grace and love. I don't know how to explain this all, but I want to try and have appropriate expectations of her, but I don't want to squelch her spirit or place undue scrutiny on her behavior because she is a pastor's kid. Besides, it is a different experience for a child when they are asked to be non-responsive when there dad's voice is being amplified for an hour. Obviously, something I am still working through. However, moving to a church where we can have nursery care in worship on a consistent basis without feeling like we have to fight for it all the way will be nice.

Also, we are pondering whether Karis ready for potty training. She seems to announce when she has to go to the bathroom quite a bit, or when she just urinated. Jennifer has said she has pointed to the toilet and said "pee" a few times. I am eager for her to be potty trained on one hand, but nervous because it brings with it yet one more set of parenting skills that I feel woefully ill-equipped to exercise.

I am also becoming more and more curious about how Karis will handle a new child coming. She seems to enjoy babies, but an inquisitive toddler around a newborn worries me a little bit.

We are also worried about the unborn child a little bit. The doctor said she had a two-percent chance of having some sort of birth defect after a recent set of tests. That means that there is a 98 percent chance that our new child will be a happy, healthy little one, however we both spend a lot of time stressing about the 2 percent. We figure that will Jen's advanced maternal age, and some of her health concerns, that this all just gets put into the complicated logorhythm that determines risk level. We hope the month or two goes fast before we can get further tests and know what we are possibly dealing with. So, keep us in prayer with that one.

What Bill Maher has to teach Christians about Christmas

My friend Steve Buie posted this on facebook. I thought it was especially appropriate in the season of Advent, even though I don't recommend the video for folks who have a problem with crude language

Money quotes:

"This is our real religion, greed. People pretend to go nuts for Jesus...but I don't know"

"As for me I don't really know what spirituality means, but I know if you are weeping over a sweater, you don't either"
"

KJV Spoken Word Poetry--Fun Stuff

Book Review of Why God Won't Go Away by Alister McGrath

Why God Won’t Go Away

By Alister McGrath

ISBN 978-0-8499-4645-5

Thomas Nelson Publishers

Reviewed by Clint Walker

I have often heard about what both people inside and outside of the church have referred to as the “New Atheism”, and each time it has been mentioned, I have been foggy about what the term meant. For this reason I picked up Why God Won’t Go Away by Alister McGrath. What I discovered was a cogent, clearly written summary of the New Atheism, as well as some simple to understand criticisms and objections to the philosophy that informs the New Atheists.

McGrath begins this book by identifying the key leaders in the New Atheist movement. Then he distinguishes the unique characteristics of the movement, especially in relationship to more traditional forms of atheism. Then McGrath goes in depth about the identifying arguments and attitudes of the New Atheists. He ends the book by questioning the future of New Atheists, and plotting the future of thinking Christianity in light of living in a world where the “New Atheism” has a strong influence.

What I found unique about the New Atheism is the fervor of its leaders. One of the arguments of many of these men is that religion is not just wrong, but in fact religion is destructive and evil. Much of this line of argument, although being around among average people for a long time, gains new steam after the violence of 9-11 by religious Islamic fundamentalists. A traditional atheist believes that Christianity is illogical, and focuses on reason. The “New Atheist” aggressively seeks to evangelize people to be atheists because they believe that religious faith must be destroyed. They believe that religious faith is dangerous. The “New Atheists” tend to attempt to be logical, but in fact much of the “new atheism” is polemical, and calls their disciples to aggressively fight against the wretched religious folks.

This book is kind-hearted and grace-filled. It is also a book full of strong Christian conviction regarding the truth about God’s existence and the gospel of Jesus. I would recommend it to anyone struggling with issues about whether there is a God. I would also especially commend this book to believers who are struggling with doubt.

(this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

Prospective Herman Cain Ad

What she says, what we hear

Book Review of 40 day Journey with Howard Thurman

40-Day Journey with Howard Thurman

Edited by Donna Schaper

ISBN 978-0806657691

Published by Augsburg Fortress

Review by Clint Walker

Howard Thurman is one of my favorite leaders and thinkers of the twentieth century. He was a social activist, a theologian, and a pastor. He wrote over twenty books, and he was respected around the world. Thurman was an inspiration to leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., who was known to take Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited with him wherever he went. Much of the civil rights movement was based on his thinking. He lived from 1899 to 1981. His impact is underappreciated by most. He was a man ahead of his time.

In recent years, Augsburg Fortress has tried to gather snippets of the work of well-respected Christian thinkers and leaders from contemporary times and history. They then took these snippets and placed them into a devotional based on that person’s work. Included are luminaries such as Luther and Julian of Norwich, as well as more recent leaders like Parker Palmer and Kathleen Norris. Howard Thurman was selected as one of the people whose work would be guiding people’s spiritual reflections. The result is the book entitled 40-Day Journey with HowardThurman.

The 40-DayJourney with Howard Thurman is organized in an intelligent manner. Each day has a paragraph or two from a sermon, essay, or book by Howard Thurman. Then a Scripture is shared that relates to the quote. After some time for silence, the reader is given a few questions to help guide the readers thinking about the issues that Thurman presents in his writing. Then there is a Psalm reading, and some further questions to guide a reader that wants to go deeper by journaling as they work their way through this book. The day’s devotional guide then concludes with a couple of prayers for the reader to recite. By organizing the 40-Day Journey in this manner, this devotional is helpful for those who want to go deep in their theological reflection, as well as those who don’t have time to be as thoughtful and contemplative.

I thought the actual selections in 40-Day Journey with Howard Thurman were well-chosen, although I did enjoy some days more than others. What impresses me as I read through the whole book is just how contemporary Thurman sounds, even though he was born 112 years ago. His writing speaks both to issues in these times, and to the state of his readers’ hearts and souls.

This book is an excellent primer to the work of Howard Thurman, as well as a great book for further reflection on Thurman’s work for Howard Thurman admirers. I would recommend it quickly to friends, and especially to friends who are interested in theology and recent history.

A Metaphor for discipleship

Thanks to J.R. Briggs, I saw this video about swordmaking. It is about being a craftsman and an apprentice. I think it is brilliant, and a metaphor for apprenticeship and discipleship in faith. Very moving.


Handmade Portraits: The Sword Maker from Etsy on Vimeo.

Book review of Xealots by Dave Gibbons

Book Review of Xealots

Xealots: Defying the Gravity of Normality

By Dave Gibbons

ISBN 978-0-310-32702-8

Published by Zondervan

Dave Gibbons is an innovator, a leader, and an artist. He is also a pastor of a fast-growing, cutting-edge church that is based in Southern California. That church is planting churches in urban areas all around the world.

Dave Gibbons’ latest book, Xealots, is a tour de force on his philosophy of life and leadership. While the focus of what he is saying comes out of his experience of being a ministerial leader, it is useful for anyone wanting to live a life of impact and beauty.

Xealots is divided into two parts. The first part, entitled “mind”, speaks to attitudes and mindsets that Gibbons believes are essential to producing the kind of wisdom and character that form effective leaders for the future. The second section is entitled “movement”, and this section shares about some basic habits to form as a Christian leader. They include obedience, being open and receptive to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, and giving and receiving blessings.

 

This book has some good ideas, but reading it is more than an instruction manual, or a book with a few helpful thoughts. Reading Xealots is an inspirational experience. I was especially moved by the chapters “Scars” and “Becoming a Father”. “Scars” speaks to the transformational power of heartache and pain, and how experiencing these challenges empower leaders to develop deeper faith and form a ministry with greater power and impact. “Becoming a Father” is about our need to be blessed by those in authority over us and by those who have influence upon us. It goes on to challenge leaders to not only seek blessings from others, but to be aware of opportunities to offer approval and blessing to others.

Xealots is a joy to read. It has the ability to challenge and inspire those who read it to be all they can for God and for others. It touched my heart. I know it will do the same for others.

Sermon 11.27.11

A Present and Future Hope

1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

       2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days

      That the mountain of the LORD’s house

      Shall be established on the top of the mountains,

      And shall be exalted above the hills;

      And all nations shall flow to it.

       3 Many people shall come and say,

      “ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

      To the house of the God of Jacob;

      He will teach us His ways,

      And we shall walk in His paths.”

      For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

      And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

       4 He shall judge between the nations,

      And rebuke many people;

      They shall beat their swords into plowshares,

      And their spears into pruning hooks;

      Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

      Neither shall they learn war anymore.

5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk

      In the light of the LORD.

I love Christmas. I love Advent more.

Christmas these days is about songs and gifts, food that is bad for you and cards from people you do not otherwise hear from, lights and color, and people  reciting the story of Jesus’ coming into the world, and remembering what that means. It is a time of the year that is filled with joy. I love the smell of pine needles and I love sitting in front of the tree in the dark and counting my blessings. I love remembering all the details and challenges that Mary and Joseph had as they brought Jesus into the world, and I love opening gifts in our jammies first thing in the morning in the living room. There is much to love about Christmas.

However, like I said, I like Advent more. Advent is all about a journey. It is full of anticipation both as we remember the hope we have through Christ’s second coming, and as we walk along with the stories of Scripture we get to remember how Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago, and what that meant for us today. Advent speaks to the sense of longing that many of us experience in our lives. It speaks to the yearning for God to have a more powerful influence on our lives and in our hearts. Advent has depth. It runs counter to the corruptions of Christmas. Advent challenges us to worship fully, pray honestly, and to live expectantly in our relationship with God.

In the last three years, I have preached from Matthew, Luke, and John during the Advent season. This year, I am going to follow the lectionary readings from last year, and study the prophetic passages from Isaiah that point to what Christ’s coming means.

Nearly all of the prophetic announcements in Isaiah that apply to the hope for the Messiah have at least two meanings. In some senses, they point to the life and work of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. At the same time they also point to the end of time, the “day of the Lord”, the moment when Christ will return and set everything right.

Isaiah 2:1-5 is very typical in this sense. It speaks about the life and work of Jesus, and how it has had an impact on the whole world. At the same time, it speaks even more strongly to the future, and what hope we confidently look forward to as believers in Jesus.

As Advent begins, and Isaiah begins to share his prophecies, we begin to hear God’s Word. And God’s Word comes to us in this passage in the form of an invitation. Three times in these five verses the call to come appears. “Many people shall come” it says. They will say to one another, “Come, let us go to the mountain of God”. Then the passage ends with the words “come let us walk in the light of the Lord”.

In this passage Jerusalem has become a destination place. It has become a hub for the whole world. Zion becomes that place that people come because it is the center of power. Jerusalem has become that place that people flock to for learning and knowledge.  The capital of Israel is the place people want to be to learn a new way of living, and to find a new and eternal hope.

And so the invitation goes out. COME! Come to the place where God is at work. COME! Come to the place where God presence resides. COME! Come to the class where God can teach us and give us understanding. COME! Come to the light!

It is interesting. The word “Advent” means the same. It is Old English for someone or something coming. It specifically refers most often to the arrival of something new that has been eagerly awaited or expected. The “Advent” of the NBA season will be Christmas day this year—two months late. Specifically, in Christian thought, Advent refers to the coming of Christ.

When we read Isaiah in the light of Advent, and in light of the context it is written, it appears to be saying this. God is on the move. His kingdom is coming. His power is more manifest each day—even if you cannot see it. And he is offering people like you and I an invitation. Come learn from Him. Come study under Him. Come to join him in what he is doing. Come and learn how to live God’s way.

As we think of that first Christmas day, we forget that everyone at that manger was led there from somewhere else. Joseph and Mary were in someone else’s barn, and lived on the other side of the country. The wise men came from afar. The shepherds came in from the fields and found Jesus lying in a manger.

Even more, we remember that everyone who came to visit the family of Jesus was issued an invitation to come visit Him. The wise men followed God’s invitation through following the star God had put in the sky to guide them, and by obeying what the angel had told them via a vision. The shepherds were greeted by a chorus of angels singing in the sky, and then invited to go into Bethlehem and see the baby Jesus.

I am sure many of you have received many invitations to different parties, events, and performances throughout your life. You have gotten a card in the mail inviting you to a wedding of a friend. You have received that invitation to a high school graduation from a niece, nephew, grandchild, or neighbor. Sometimes even funerals can be invitation only kinds of events.

When I was a summer missionary in the Alaskan village of Stony River, AK I had a strange experience of invitation and exclusion that will help illustrate the value of invitation, and the crushing disappointment of being not-invited. It all had to do with a funeral dinner. You see, especially in these isolated villages, a funeral potlatch (not to be confused with potluck) dinner is a big deal, and it is all about honor.

I had been trained on such occasions that as a missionary it was important to attend these events, and that it was also very important to place yourself near the back of the line in this funeral dinner, because one’s place in line was a matter of how important you were to the family. Presume too much, you are bound to embarrass yourself. So, I grabbed a piece of firewood lying in the middle of the yard outside the trailer where the meal was being served, made it into a stool, had a seat, and visited with folks here and there as they came by.

Well, the family that was hosting the meal I was fairly close to by the end of the summer. They saw me waiting my turn, and insisted I come to the front of the line. I meant so much to them and the family. I needed to be in the front. This felt awkward. Both because I already had food at the cabin while many of the other guests were travelling, and because I was white and most of the other people there were not.  But, if I rejected the invitation I risked insulting the host. So I reluctantly went toward the front of the line as I was told. I felt honored. I had been included and invited to a place in line that showed I was valued by the family.

As the line went along, several people would be invited into this double wide to grab their food off the tables in the living room, visit briefly, and then make their way out the door. When people exited the back door, someone would come and get more people from the front door. When the other family member came outside she invited people in, and then told me that I needed to get out of line so that others could come in. I would be included later, I was told, if there was enough for me. Needless to say, this was embarrassing to experience in front of the whole family.

So I left the line. I was intending to leave the whole event. As I was going I was visiting with other people I had gotten to know in the village. I started to play ball with one of the kids. Another member of the same family came outside, grabbed me, told me to move up toward the front of the line. Then the family member again came out who did not know me, and reminded me to wait my turn.

At this point, I just decided not to visit but to leave the event completely. Another one of the family grabbed me before I could get very far before I could get away, instructed me to come with her, grabbed a hold of my elbow (super assertive for that passive culture), pulled me past everyone, and brought me into the house. Her mother at the same time explained to the family member who I was and what had happened and what I meant to them. She apologized, which was also a rare action in that setting. I was served all sorts of traditional native finger foods, and visited a little bit.

You see, invitations convey to those not invited and to those invited their value to the one issuing the invitation. At times it can feel like an honor to be invited. It can also, at other times, just crush us when we are not invited to spend time with family and friends that we treasure. In the situation I described above, I experienced both the honor of being a special guest, and the utter shame of being uninvited at the same event. More than once!

I think some of us wonder if the life of faith is like that potlatch dinner. Sure the invitation is extended to us. And we may even be tempted to accept Jesus’ invitation to come and learn from Him. But we are afraid once we start on the Jesus Way, that somehow we will be found to be somehow unworthy of the invitation. And so then, we wonder if it is even worth responding to the invitation in the first place.

But as we read through this passage we come to see that God does not just issue invitations to wise men and shepherds 2000 years ago. He does not just issue invitations to the well-educated, the spiritually elite, or the people that were born to the right family, or in the right country. No, his invitation to come, to learn from him, to understand, to truly live is an invitation he offers to everyone. Isaiah 2:2 says all nations will “flow toward Jerusalem” and that nations will learn to “turn their swords into plowshares”. It also says that “many peoples” will be there. To every nation, and to every person, God issues the invitation through Jesus to journey with Jesus, to walk with Him, to learn from Him, to be led by his light.

If you don’t believe Isaiah, listen to the invitations of Jesus throughout the gospels…

“Come follow me” (Matthew 4:19)

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10: 9)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (John 12:46)

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

This list goes on and on.

God invites us on a journey. He invites us to move toward Him. He invites us to join Him in what he is doing in the world, and to do our part to serve Him and love Him and his people in that place.

He invites us to come to Him and learn from Him. He invites us to be in his presence, and to learn what life is all about.

And what is interesting is, if we respond to this invitation by accepting it, and journeying toward God’s grace and his presence, we will find that God has been pursuing us, making his way to us, watching and waiting for us since the beginning.

He has been pursuing us when he came to earth in that manger. He had been making his way to us when he lived a sinless life, and taught us what God was like, and how to live. And, when he died on the cross and rose again to forgive us of our sins, he again issued an open invitation to each of us. He sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. And the Scripture is clear, He is coming again. He is returning.

At that moment I wonder, how will you have responded to his invitation?

Prayer for the Day from the Church of Scotland

Ever present God,
you taught us that the night is far spent and the day is at hand.
Grant that we may ever be found watching for the coming of your Son.
Save us from undue love of the world,
that we may wait with patient hope for the day of the Lord,
and so abide in him,
that we may wait with patient hope for the day of the Lord,
and so abide in him,
that wen he shall appear, we may not be ashamed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Presbyterian Book of Common Worship #254)

Prayer for the Day by Ruth Duck

In the Advent seasons, whe the past has fled, unasked, away
and there is nothing left to do but wait,
God, shelter us.
Be our surrounding darkness;
be the fertile soil out of which hope springs in due time.
In uncertain times, help us to greet the dawn and labor on, love on,
in faith awaiting your purpose hid in you
waiting to be born in due time.

(Presbyterian Book of Common Worship, #253)