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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-12-03, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015. By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church I don’t have expectations like I used to. When I was younger, I had high expectations for Christmas. I looked forward to the Christmas celebrations at church and school. I eagerly anticipated gathering with extended family, and I looked forward to the celebrations with my immediate family. I had high expectations for the Christmas season. My expectations and anticipations have been dampened somewhat as the years pass. Yes, I still enjoy gathering with family and friends at Christmas, but I don’t have high expectations about these events. Since I have become a pastor, my anticipation surrounding Christmas has diminished significantly, for now I feel the pressure to produce a good Christmas message and lead a beautiful Christmas service. I still look forward to Christmas, but not with the same anticipation. Perhaps my expectations about the Christmas season have been dampened because my experiences of past Christmases haven’t lived up to all my expectations. Yes, I enjoyed myself, in most cases, but at the same time, no celebration has been perfect. Sometimes I’ve even been disappointed. Perhaps by lowering my expectations, I won’t be disappointed as much as I would if my expectations were much higher. This week marks the first week of the Advent season. Advent is designed to be a time of expectation. Not only do we anticipate the celebration of Christmas, but we also are reminded that one day Jesus will come again to this earth and then we will indeed experience peace on earth in a way we haven’t experienced it yet. That’s what the Advent season was originally meant to do: to raise our expectations about the return of Jesus and what life will be like when he does return to this world. This return of Jesus is what we often call his Second Advent, his second coming. But is that what we really anticipate in this Christmas season? Certainly our attention is being pulled elsewhere. Instead of reflecting on the fact that Jesus came to bring peace to this world, we are invited, with very strong urging on behalf of retailers and marketers, to anticipate the joy that a new electronic device will bring us. And, as wonderful as our Christmas gifts might be, before long they lose their shine. And, like me, the rest of us might begin to lose that sense of expectation. What will we receive that doesn’t disappoint? I don’t begrudge retailers the money that Christmas gifts bring in. Many need the Christmas season in order to make their business viable. At the same time, if we allow the gifts and glitter of Christmas commercialized to become that which raises our expectations, we will be disappointed. If, on the other hand, we consider what Jesus Christ has brought to this world, perhaps our expectations will not be dampened. We celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Jesus came to bring peace to this earth. The angels sang of that very thing as they appeared to the shepherds as they tended their sheep outside of the village of Bethlehem. Jesus himself gave peace to his disciples as he anticipated the end of his life on this earth. And, as we learn from the Apostle Paul, Jesus came to break down the dividing wall of hostility that exists between us and God and between us and others. He came to bring peace. Yet, as we well know, peace has not come to this world. In fact, people who call themselves Christians sow discord and violence in the name of Christ. It seems to many that religion is a more of a cause of division that it is a formula for peace. Without a doubt religion has caused discord. But is that the fault of Jesus and the worldview that he tried to instill in us? Or is the problem in us in that we misunderstand what Jesus came to do? When we commercialize Christmas, we tend to lose sight of the meaning of the Second Advent, the anticipated return of Jesus. If we forget that Jesus has gone to his Father in heaven and he is currently preparing a place for us, and if we forget that one day he will return to renew all things, we can get really attached to this old world. We may even start to think that all that matters is what we can get here and now. Even those who call themselves Christians can allow their focus on what is important be shifted. If Christmas is all about the gifts and the lights and the times with family, we will be disappointed. If life is all about what we can get out it, we can become quite selfish and discord and even violence becomes only a short step away. If, on the other hand, we understand that through Jesus Christ, there is life beyond this life, and if we understand that what Jesus has done for us is provide us a way to experience that life through reconciling us to God the Father, then we become far less likely to fight for what we can get here and now. If we expect Jesus to return, and if we look forward to what the world will become when he does, we won’t be disappointed in our expectations. Perhaps my expectations have been diminished over the years because I have been anticipating the wrong things. Yes, it is wonderful to celebrate Christmas at church, with our family and friends and with our community, but should we not be looking forward to something bigger THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. CHRISTMAS IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING EVERY SUNDAY 10 AM @ HURON CHAPEL IN AUBURN huronchapel.com CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS IT EVER JUSTS’IT SUNDAYYEVER THEJUST AM @ HURON CHAPEL 10 YY SUNDA BEGINNINGTHE AM @ HURON CHAPEL BEGINNING AUBURN IN EVER SUNDAYY EVER AM @ HURON CHAPEL 10 YY SUNDA huronchapel.com URON CHAPELL huronchapel.com AUBURN IN Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, December 6 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Dec.6: 1 Tim.6:17-19 Evangelical Missionary Church Tues. 7:30 pm Wingham Small Group Wed. 10 am “Coffee Break” Women’s Bible Study at CRC Marlow Gingerich, Mennonite Foundation: “Pursue Generosity” 2nd Sunday in Advent Bag-lunch Seminar: “Gift Planning” CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, December 6 Christmas Through God’s Eyes, The Voice Sunday, December 13 Christmas Through God’s Eyes, The View & Sunday School Pageant Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Everyone Welcome! BRUSSELS WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 11:00 am All Welcome United Church Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Other concerns: 226-963-1175 From the Minister’s Study What are your Christmas expectations? Continued on page 27