HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-12-24, Page 40By Rev. Dave WoodHuron Chapel EMC, AuburnThe first grade class presented aNativity play shortly beforeChristmas. When Joseph came to the
inn and asked if there was room at
the inn, the little boy playing the
innkeeper replied, ‘You’re in luck!
We just had a cancellation.”
Someone has said, and I suspect it
was one of the female gender, that
the wise men were truly wise men.
Unlike most men, they had the sense
to stop and ask for directions!
“When they had seen Him, they
spread the word concerning what
had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds said to them. But
Mary treasured up all these things
and pondered them in her heart.”
(Luke 2:17-19) Did Mary know
what was going on? How could she
not!
Of course she did! To the male
mind, women know everything!
And yet, how could she? How
could this woman, set apart for
Divine incarnation, possibly begin to
even grasp the magnitude of what
God had done?
Luke tells us that Mary, the
handmaiden of God, chosen to be
the mother of the Christ, the “God-
bearer”, did not fully understand the
purposes of Almighty God; he writes
“But Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in her
heart.”
She thought about them! She
contemplated! She pondered! She
tried to make sense of this miracle of
which she was a part and no doubt,
her curiosity was piqued, she must
have had a million questions mulling
around in her mind. And come on, who wouldn’t in hersandals? It is not every day that starsand angels announce a birth.But try as she might, she could not
grasp the whole picture, she could
not fathom the future, she did not see
the cross and the truth of Simeon’s
words that “a sword would pierce
her own soul” would ring true as she
watched the Son of the miracle
expend His life on a device of
Roman torture!
She didn’t know, she couldn’t see
and today, observers continue to
stand afar. They view the scene, they
take in the picture, but they fail to
comprehend the message.
It is like the little boy who was
writing a letter to God about the
Christmas presents he badly wanted.
“I’ve been good for six months
now,” he wrote. But after a moment’s
reflection he crossed out “six
months” and wrote “three”. After a
pause this too was crossed out and
he put “two weeks”. There was
another pause and this was crossed
out too.
He got up from the table and went
over to the little nativity scene thathad the figures of Mary and Joseph.He picked up the figure of Mary andwent back to his writing and startedagain: “Dear God, if you ever want
to see your mother again…!”
... I don’t think this is the
relationship that God had in mind
when He sent Jesus! Somehow the
simplicity of the message has gotten
complicated in its presentation for
the message remains, the Word of
God stands true, “Do not be afraid. I
bring you news of great joy that will
be for all the people, a Savior has
been born to you and He is Christ the
Lord!”
The heart of Christmas is Jesus
The intent of it “all” is the
announcement of a Saviour who
with but a word can bring peace and
joy that is not contingent upon a
season, but upon a Saviour! The
immensity of what transpired, the
vastness of what has taken place is
truly beyond the intellectual capacity
of mere mortals.
Newton was so right when he
wrote, “Only God could have
thought of Christmas, its beauty is
beyond the wit of mortals, so simple,so homely, yet so heavenly. Suchwisdom bends the knee; such beautybreaks the heart and mends it.”Too profound in its simplicity, too
wonderful in its holiness, Christmas
is truly God’s gift for all mankind.
And what a gift! At that lowly
manger in far off Bethlehem the gift
was presented for the world to see, a
Saviour was born! On the cross on
the hill of Golgotha, the gift was
freely given, the Saviour paid the
price, and “For God so loved the
world He gave His only Son that
whoever believes in Him would not
perish but have eternal life.”
You see, only God could have
thought of Christmas and for each ofus there is an open invitation to come PAGE 40. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2009.From the Minister’s StudyPastor reflects on the idea of Christmas
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Parish of New Beginnings
Thursday, December 24
Christmas Eve Service of Readings & Carols
Guest Musicians: Kirby Cook & Emily Nicholson
Trinity,Blyth 7 pm
Celebration of Christmas Eucharist
Rev.Perry Chuipka
St.John’s Brussels 7 pm
Sunday, December 27
Celebration of Christmas Eucharist
Rev.Perry Chuipka
9:15 am
Trinity Blyth
Morning Prayer
11:15 am
St.John’s,Brussels
Come Celebrate Jesus
Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
7:00 p.m.
at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
Refreshments to follow
12 Noon Christmas Day Dinner
For anyone who is free to come!
Pastor Brent Kipfer ~ 519-887-6388
REV. DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Sunday, December 27
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Join us
Thursday, December 24th
for our annual
Christmas Eve Service
beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Everyone welcome!
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Thursday, December 24
Christmas Eve “In The Barn” at Ethel at 5:30 pm
in Brussels United at 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 27
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, December 27
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
December 24
7:00 pm
St. Ambrose Church,
Brussels
Coffee to follow ~ Everyone welcome
YOU ARE WELCOME
9:45 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning Worship
Mid-week Bible Study
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
Timeless Truths
For Today
308 Blyth Rd. E., Blyth
Pastor Les Cook ~ 519-523-4590
Blyth Community Church of God
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Christmas Eve Service
December 24th at 7 pm
Sunday, December 27
Worship Service & Sunday School
at 11 a.m.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Evangelical Missionary Church
December 24: 1:1-14
7:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve
Worship Celebration
“The Visitor”
Special music,
participatory
Pageant for kids
Sunday, December 27: 10:30 a.m.
Worship & Sunday School
Merry Christmas
from your friends at LWCF!
Continued on page 44