as long as i can recall, i've only spent one Christmas here in melbourne, and i don't have much recollection of how it was. but, man, this Christmas was special. as boo's put it nicely in his own little piece of writing, from which i will quote later on, it is not about the feast, the gifts, the shopping, the decoration, or all other christmassy tidbits, it is about Jesus.
boo and i had the same revelation about Christmas, which were confirmed three times over the span of two days. it started from a small discussion during a Thursday night Chrissy dinner, "about music and movies choices... ...1 Cor 10:23 "Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial", ...if we fill our head with the useless music and movies of the world, we won't have much room left for God and Jesus." the following night, in the Christmas eve service, our beloved KD delivered exactly the same message. it didn't stop there...
"The third message came as I drove home from joint FA, the radio was playing a sermon, and it told a story of a kid acting out in the Christmas Drama as the innkeeper, whose only line was saying 'there's no room at the inn.' It should've been that easy, except that for some reason 'Joseph' and 'Mary' started improvising on the stage and started pestering and pressuring the innkeeper to give them a room, even insulting him. With tears running down his face, but with a brave face, the innkeeper had to insist that 'there is no room at the inn.' But as the drama continued on, and curtains rolled down for the next scene, that kid jumped back in to the centre stage and said: 'wait! You can have my room! You can have my room!' For those of you who were at the joint FA, you can probably feel how strong an impression that would've made to me that night."
- B.S. 2010 -
the little harley in that play was improvising deep down from his heart, innocently and sincerely offering his room for the 'baby Jesus'. would we do the same as little harley, if we were the innkeeper two thousand odd years ago in bethlehem? KD's sermon was taken from the same passage reenacted in that little drama, Luke 2:
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
it was about how Jesus was born in a lowly and humbly manger, because there was no room for Him. it pained me, because i know i have been exactly like that, been too busy, running around and looking occupied all the time, for what? for God? was there even room for Him? or was it just for a show? i repented that night, yet God's lesson did not stop there either.
Christmas day, Christmas service. Luke chapter two continued.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
this time, the sermon was on why God chose such a humble way to come down to earth and how through simple, subtle moments in our life, God is there, and works in our life, how we must not brush aside all the humble stuff around us that God may use to do His works in us. it brought me back to the night before, how he used a radio broadcast during a ten minute drive home to touch our hearts. i don't know how boo felt that time, but i guess it is pretty much the same as i did. inexplicable, yet we just knew that it was God speaking. a ten minutes broadcast! and we got to hear the most important message for us in that broadcast!
i thank God for the eventful past few days, for the amazing companions, for the roasts and the puddings, but most of all, for the true beauty of Christmas lying in all the little things.
Merry christmas everyone~
