CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

November 30, 2003 return to main page

 

LET’S CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR:

Our congregation                                                       The Stolte’s in Germany

 

Our nation, military and leaders                                David and Leon in the Navy

 

Our college students                                                  various friends and co-workers

 

Holiday travelers                                                       Keith’s mother and family

 

 

THOSE GROWING OLDER IN DECEMBER:

Stephanie Vaughn (4th),   Susan Oller (15th),   David Stehlik (17th),   Mel Oller (29th)

 

 

THE MIND OF CHRIST

 

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

 

It’s the time of the year again when people start focusing on gifts for family and friends.  News reports will be telling us how full shopping centers are and will report on the economic benefits of this time.  The music will be the songs of the season.  People will be stressing out planning the holiday parties, the family dinners, and the right presents.  Tempers will be short and traffic crazy.  And most men will be planning their December 24th shopping spree on December 23rd.

 

Why do we do this?  Somewhere in the midst of all of this was an historical event but was it really this hectic?  Some want to ignore the holiday because the Bible says nothing of holidays, especially Christmas.  Others pay lip service to it but prefer the materialistic nature of the holiday.  But there are some of us who want to focus more on the meaning of the day even though we do not know when Jesus was born.

 

I’ve been reading volume three of the Heart Of The Restoration series called Unveiling Glory, visions of Christ’s transforming presence (ACU Press, 2003).  Chapter two is entitled Witnessing the humble glory of Jesus’ birth.  Humility was the life of Jesus as Paul expressed in Philippians 2.  But think about the events surrounding the birth of the Messiah.  Joseph and Mary lived in an obscure village in Galilee.  Due to a Roman census, they traveled to their home town of Bethlehem, probably a three or four day walk.  Mary was about to deliver her first child, and on the surface, a humiliating experience for the couple (see Matthew 1:18-21).  Then they found themselves in Bethlehem.  There was no room for them in the local inn, so a kind innkeeper offered them the stable as shelter.  It was there that Mary gave birth to a baby and laid Him in a feeding trough. 

 

Was this really necessary for the Son of God?  It was obvious that those in the know thought the Messiah would be born in Jerusalem, in a palace or prominent home, and would be immediately recognized as the king.  But God doesn’t work the way people often think He does.  Humility and humble circumstances would be a part of Jesus’ life.  He would be baptized and then tempted, would have no where to lay His head, would be seen with the lowest of society, and would die in humiliating circumstances. 

 

Consider this: “Yet this salvation is also thoroughly grounded in the simple things of the earth.  The mother of Jesus is a Jewish peasant girl.  She and Joseph are people of no great importance whose lives would otherwise have passed without any notice or mention in history.  They’re among the world’s chattel, subject to the whims of emperors, the sort of people who might find no room at the inn.  Mary endures all the discomfort and anxiety of bringing a baby to term, without even the dignity of a proper marriage to make it respectable and tolerable.  As for the baby, he is flesh and blood – small, vulnerable, hungry, and crying.  His crib is a food trough, his nursery a stable” (ibid. p. 38-39).

 

All of that is how God explains life.  There are no self-made people.  We come into the world just like Jesus.  While we might become arrogant and self-willed, we see Jesus living life the way God intended, dependent and trusting.  Often we ignore this truth, being willing deceived to who we really are as humans.  Then the tough times come; the loss of income or health, a broken relationship or a natural disaster.  It is then that humility sets in and we realize that we really are helpless.  God in Christ stepped into humanity’s circumstances and accepted them Himself.  His heritage was questioned (“Mary was pregnant before she married Joseph”).  How does Matthew handle this?  He listed a genealogy that included a deceptive daughter-in-law, a prostitute, a foreigner and an adulteress.  And God?  He became poor so that we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).  Jesus identified with our humanity by being humble.  He could calm seas and heal diseases but was ridiculed and labeled.  He sought out what was best for people and was crucified.  Yet He came!

 

So how do we view this Christmas season?  Do we do it in the pride of the gifts with give?  Or do we sulk because we either did not get what we wanted or got some cheap gift?  What about looking at the humble Savior?  Who came to see Him?  “An unrefined audience of anonymous and notoriously disreputable shepherds” (ibid.).  What about those wise men?  They gave gifts to the young couple.  What happen to those gifts?  If you remember, shortly after this event, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to avoid being killed.  Those gifts probably provided them the funds to survive the journey.  Gifts sold or used to survive; different from what we see today.

 

Humility is in short supply these days, especially around this time of the year.  Hollywood boasts of its movie successes and the stars use their fame to ridicule the values of middle America.  The top football teams in the nation, both pro and college, are taking shape for the “big” game.  Neighbors are attempting to out do neighbors in decorations.  Businesses and the stock market are looking to boast of increases.  And Christians?  Too often we are caught up in these things. 

 

When Paul wrote Philippians 2:6-8, he was addressing a situation in Philippi that might be much like today.  In verse five he said to have the mind or attitude that was in Christ.  The attitude of Jesus was humility.  The Philippians were told to consider others before self.  “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, NRSV).  This is a humble life.  A number of translations add a word such as “only” to the text (see the NIV).  But that takes away from the humble aspect of the text.  It’s not what is in it for me but how can I see the best for others.  That is the life of Jesus.  The birth of Jesus introduces us to that life.  Let’s consider this as we approach Christmas.  It is a radical message for this time of the year.

 

                                                                                         George B. Mearns

 

 

Unveiling Glory is a theology on Jesus Christ.  It begins where I think we need to begin; with Jesus Christ and not the church.  It is a thought provoking book and one of the best that has come out of the Restoration Movement on this subject.  And it is refreshing that they are focusing first on Christ.  Jesus Christ is the foundation on which is built the theology of the church, worship and life.  This book gives us that foundation.  I will review it in the December 28th bulletin.