Where have you been? Where have you been? You ask me this, like you care!
If you've ever seen Val Kilmer's portrayal of Doc Holliday in "Tombstone", you know how I feel today. An hour ago, my left lung collapsed and exited my body. My right lung feels like its full of jello. I feel so lousy I considered renting Tom Cruise in "War of the Worlds" just to put myself out of my misery. (I'd rather drink liquid exlax until my stomach burst). At least my eye isn't infected like the last time. Rememebr that? I was at this Greek Orthodox monastery, in prayer, when my eye began to water and pus. Soon enough, my left eye was swollen shut, like Rocky after round three with Ivan Drago (Rocky IV, FYI). There was this steady stream of mucous draining from my eye! Yes, I said my eye. Nothing is supposed to come out of ones eye, except the occasional tear from hearing a classic "Air Supply" ditty ("Makin' love, out of nothin' at all" gets me every time.)Anyway, I got better.
So, I know I will get better. At least I hope so. After all, Christmas eve is only five days away. This year, my son will actully get it. he's 20 months old. Old enough to get it. Finally, I'm more excited to watch someone else get gifts than to receive them myself...almost.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Christmas Day Worship
Why should we worship again on Christmas Day, when we celebrated on Christmas eve? I am saddened by the independent decisions made by some Churches. You may have heard or read that some mega churches around the country (and in Lancaster County) have opted to cancel Christmas Day worship services because Christmas falls on a Sunday. Since they will celebrate Christ’s birth on Saturday night, they feel that they’ve earned a break on Sunday morning. Actually, they expect their attendance to be rather low on Christmas weekend. One such leader of the New life church in Colorado Springs argues that their younger people will likely worship in the stain-glass churches with their grandmothers on that day. I don’t know about you, but I take offense. The one holy catholic and apostolic church, of which he has chosen not to be a part, is certainly more diverse and vital than he thinks. I am 31. I love who we are as the body of Christ. I rejoice that I can actually know my congregation and you can know me, because I am not a celebrity who spends time on the phone with the President counseling about Lord knows what. If he has so much “Christian” influence with the Commander-in chief, why are we still at war?
So, I take this Gospel moment to remind us why we worship on Sunday.
“Very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. On their way they said to one another, “Who will roll the stone away for us, for it is very large?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe, sitting at the right side; and they were terrified. But he said to them, “Do not be afraid. You are looking or Jesus of Nazareth, who has been crucified. He was raised, he is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him. But, go, and tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” EASTER! That is why we worship the Lord on Sunday. Every Sunday is Easter, the day of the Lord’s resurrection and of our new life. On that day, life begins again for us. We are a new creation with God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior and the Spirit as our friend and guide. So, even on Christmas Day (or should I say especially) we gather to celebrate His life, His death, His resurrection. Without Christmas there is no Easter, no Jesus to raise from the dead. Without Easter there is no Christmas---no good news of how God rescues us from sin and death and promises us new and everlasting life! Sunday is not our day to do with as we please! It is the Lord’s Day to please HIM!!! Merry Christmas. It is a real joy to celebrate our Lord Jesus with you.
So, I take this Gospel moment to remind us why we worship on Sunday.
“Very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. On their way they said to one another, “Who will roll the stone away for us, for it is very large?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe, sitting at the right side; and they were terrified. But he said to them, “Do not be afraid. You are looking or Jesus of Nazareth, who has been crucified. He was raised, he is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him. But, go, and tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” EASTER! That is why we worship the Lord on Sunday. Every Sunday is Easter, the day of the Lord’s resurrection and of our new life. On that day, life begins again for us. We are a new creation with God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior and the Spirit as our friend and guide. So, even on Christmas Day (or should I say especially) we gather to celebrate His life, His death, His resurrection. Without Christmas there is no Easter, no Jesus to raise from the dead. Without Easter there is no Christmas---no good news of how God rescues us from sin and death and promises us new and everlasting life! Sunday is not our day to do with as we please! It is the Lord’s Day to please HIM!!! Merry Christmas. It is a real joy to celebrate our Lord Jesus with you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)