Monthly Archives: December 2016

"God with us." Matthew 1:23

For more than 25 years I wrote Bible study materials for several publishing companies. I'm not trying to impress you. It's not glamorous-Philip-Yancey-kind-of-stuff. When you write Sunday School material you are trying to explain a passage of scripture so that a volunteer teacher can teach it to a class of adult students (in my case) who came to church that Sunday to learn about the Bible and gain some insight and encouragement for life. The goal is engaging exegesis, not exploring new theological vistas. So while it's certainly not glamorous, it's honorable, and I truly enjoyed it.

One of my editors for many of those years was Tom Hudson. Now, an editor is an interesting specie. They may know as much, or perhaps more, than you do, as was the case with Tom. They certainly know more about writing and the specifics of the assignment. So armed with this sense of omniscience they descend upon your writing.

Think about it. As a writer, you have ink in your bones. You labor prayerfully and carefully, pouring into your work your knowledge, passion, and deep desire to produce a moving work of biblical exposition. (All right, honestly you do sometimes get to the point that you simply want to submit the least acceptable 6000 words possible). You review it. Change it. Then you lovingly send it to THE EDITOR who takes your literary child and THEY JUDGE IT!

It's a vigorous relationship. One where the editor will listen very nicely to your explanation of why you wrote what you did the way you did and then go on and do precisely what they want. As I said, I did this for over 25 years, and, frankly, I really did love it. My editors were good, tough, and fair.

I spend some time letting you behind the curtain, so to speak, so you can understand a conversation I had a few months ago with my old editor, Tom. I was in the Nashville area, and called ahead of time for a visit with him and his lovely wife, Olive. We enjoyed lunch, then Tom and I spent some time just talking, remembering, and laughing.

At one point, near the end of our time together, Tom said "It's all about love, Terry. We just have to learn to love each other better."

There it is. Good editorial work. The whole of Christian theology summed up in a single word: love. To some people it sounds so pathetically cliche, they get irritated. We do talk about love quite a bit, of course, but there really is nothing better to talk about when it comes to God and His purpose and regard for us. Love is the key, and we should talk about especially on this Christmas Day.

Let's do a little word study. (Those work nicely in most assignments as long as you don't overdo it, per Tom).

The Greek language has a broad vocabulary and is very highly inflected, which means you get many shades of meanings with all of the prefixes and suffixes available. It's a language perfectly suited for philosophy, and later for the New Testament.

Greek has four words that can be translated as love. In no particular order they are:

Eros. This is romantic, sexual, or sensual love. It's not used in the New Testament. Don't read too much into that and think that Christianity is anti-sex. The Bible has a book that is very sensual, The Song of Solomon. Sex is actually sacred, two words that are not normally associated in our culture, but that's a topic for another GraceWaves. I use this word to describe part of my love for Leslie.

Storge. This refers to something akin to fondness. This word also is not used in the New Testament. I might use this word when I say I love my dog.

Philos. This refers to a love between friends. So part of the love I have for Tom is philos. This word makes a few appearances in the New Testament.

Agape. With only a few exceptions when you read the word love in the New Testament it's agape. It refers to a sacrificial love, in which the lover, or subject, puts the interests of the object above all considerations.

People are usually surprised to find out that this is the kind of love we are to have with one another. It sounds implausible, and it certainly is very difficult, but we are simply not given the option of deciding how much we are going to love each other. We are striving for a love that is devoid of our natural tendency for self-centeredness.

The real application I want to make today, however, is that this is clearly the kind of love God demonstrated at Christmas. Jesus came to us at a tremendous risk. God didn't orchestrate an easy, or even convenient, entry into the world. Jesus got here just like all of us get here, only it was in a stable. He made Himself totally vulnerable because of love.

God took the risk simply because He loves us and could not conceive of an eternity without us. Jesus came because God loves us deeply and even irrationally. He wants to be with us, simply because He loves us.

I hope you have a chance to pause and simply reflect on the fact of God's great love for you. Then I hope you reflect on your calling to strive to love the people around you in the same way. Life is so much easier when we accept it on the terms God created it to work. Love is everything and in everything. Just accept it and strive to bring it to life in you.

My editor has. All those years of ministry, study, work, and he understands more clearly than ever "it's all about love." God is with you because He loves you.

Merry Christmas,

Dr. Terry Ellis

December 25, 2016

"And an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds." Luke 2:9

During my college days I worked as a carpenter, first learning how to frame, then exterior finish work, then interior finish, etc. I really enjoyed it, especially during the Spring.

In the winter, however, during Christmas holidays, it was a different story. We would work if it was above zero. I can remember going to bed at night with the temperature hovering at zero and thinking we won't have to go in tomorrow. The alarm would wake me about 5:00, and I would learn that it had warmed up to 4.

Working outside during the winter required that you plan ahead. Layering was the way to go. Also you had to gather some wood scraps the afternoon before and get the fire ready to go as soon as you arrived in the morning. If you waited until the morning all the wood might be frozen together and to the ground. I remember one time one of the guys brushed off about a foot of snow to build a fire on what he thought was a piece of plywood. The fire got bigger and bigger, before he realized that he had built a fire on a full stack of plywood. It was a very nice fire, even though the boss didn't think so.

We would often take an old metal bucket, the kind glue or tar would come in, and use it as a fire bucket. Using a straight claw framing hammer we would poke holes in the side and build a small fire inside. I would take a fire bucket up on the scaffolds with me. It felt so good to have something to warm my fingers. Staying warm was always a challenge, especially for me. You see I have not always been a big strapping, burly kind of guy. I used to be thin.

In my years of winter work I noticed different ways the crew tried to stay warm. Most people would try to stay warm by staying near the fire. Every chance they got they would go over to the fire. I tried this, but found that I could never really get warm. One side might, a little, but the other side would get cold. So I had to rotisserie myself, and it never quite worked.

What I discovered, however, was that if I worked steadily then I would build up the heat from within. I could not stand and shiver. I could not stay near enough to the fire to stay warm, particularly if I was up on the scaffold. I had to move. I had to do something regularly. Heat never worked from the outside in very well. It always worked from the inside out. I had to generate the heat, in order to stay warm. It had to be on the inside.

Christmas is very much like this. The decorations, presents, parties, and religious services simply cannot be the focus and the means to joy. At their best they can awaken what is already inside you, but you really have to put in the hard work of believing, trusting, and committing. Faith is more of a muscle than a thought. Without works, it is dead.

The Third Sunday of Advent is about joy, and traditionally we focus on the shepherds. Interestingly, in Christmas plays the shepherds are one of the least favorite roles to play. You have three wise men who get to dress up in really fancy robes and crowns. Angels are glorious in their pipe-cleaner halos. Mary, of course, is central. So is Joseph, though we're a little unsure of his lines (as the real one probably was too).

Of course, the most glorious role goes to the baby Jesus. If you get to play the baby Jesus in a church Christmas play, I've got to believe that you've hit the highpoint of your life before turning 1. How can it get any better? That's why I think it's usually wisest to just put a light in the manger. I'm sure baby Jesus glowed.

But back to shepherds. They get the drab bathrobes, and casting for them is unlimited. You can have a whole flock of shepherds.

I'm afraid that in the modern depictions, shepherds suffer from the same prejudices that their first century brethren encountered. You see, the shepherds were some of the lowest people on the socioeconomic scale. Chronically underpaid and overworked, shepherding was not a highly desirable profession. Their nomadic life kept them from having many of the social graces necessary for village life. They were typically not in the right area to attend synagogue services on the Sabbath. They lived isolated lives. Add to this the fact that they stayed outdoors among sheep day in and day out and you have a recipe for social alienation. These were not popular or powerful people.

But God never lost sight of them. They were the first recipients of the birth announcement. One of God's right-hand angels brought them the message first-hand. "The Christ has been born." Soon he was joined by a heavenly choir. All of this grand display for whom? Shepherds. We need not look any further for proof that God loves and includes all kinds of people in His providence.

You may feel small and insignificant. You may feel that the entire world is one giant DMV that makes you take a number and wait and wait and wait, only then to say that you don't have the right information. The world says you're inadequate, underperforming, and unimportant.

God says you are beloved. You are important to Him. He knows your name. He knows your concerns. He wants and loves to hear your voice. He tells you that He will never leave you. He gives you a part to play in His program. He has included you in eternity.

You are a bearer of God's image. Always. This is the original blessing, and it's far more significant than the original sin or any soul damage you've endured or inflicted on yourself.

Joy always requires recovery of the most fundamental blessings of what God has already done for you and made of you. It is what's inside that counts, and to have a meaningful Christmas we have to listen for God's whispers through the noise of the world. When you hear His love and affirmation, when you feel His presence within, you will feel the warmth of joy from the inside.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

December 11, 2016

"And Joseph, with Mary his betrothed, went from Galilee to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem." Luke 2:4

Peace on earth, good will to men. That's the wild and sweet promise in one of my favorite Christmas carols, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Peace on earth. Does that sound wonderful? Or just completely implausible?

Peace is the theme of the second week of Advent. Ironically, in some traditions we light the Bethlehem Candle on the Advent Wreath. Bethlehem was anything but peaceful the first Christmas. It was a crowded and cranky little village full of resentful people who came there only because an irritating Roman emperor ordered them. Even the mother of God couldn't find a room, for goodness sake. There was no peace on earth in Bethlehem.

But that's where the Prince of Peace made His entrance, right smack dab in the middle of chaos. That's very good news for all of us who face chaos on a daily basis. The chaos doesn't prevent peace. In fact, chaos is the perfect place for peace. Our chief problem is the we give chaos the final word. Let's go back to The Bells.

Longfellow wrote the lyrics, and he told a story in the stanzas. In the first verse of the hymn he celebrates the ongoing message of Christmas. He hears the promise of peace and goodwill in the familiar carols.

I'm not sure I'll hear anything new this Christmas. After all, I've lived through 58 of them. I've translated the story from its original language many times. I've studied it in seminary. Read whole volumes about it. I've preached a series of Advent messages, 4 a year, for 34 years (that's 136 Christmas sermons…ok I did repeat some). Also I wrote columns and GraceWaves about Christmas for decades. The carols, and their message, are familiar.

But it's so good to be reminded.

I asked a preaching professor in seminary what it was like to listen to students' sermons week after week, year after year. His very gracious and honest response was "I've gotten something out of every sermon. However, there have been some close calls."

No matter how familiar the carols and their message are, I truly believe I can get something out of that familiar story. Mostly what I get is a reminder of a beautiful promise of peace.

The challenge, of course, is not in the message, but in my hearing. Actually, the challenge is in my head. I don't really know what to make of the lack of peace in the world today. Post-election, we're an angry nation, of course, but the nation is composed of individual minds that lack peace. My goal, and I think my calling, is to try to bring peace to that little world between my ears. I can't control the world at large. I have enough trouble controlling me.

Longfellow understood. He wrote this poem in 1863. Remember what was happening in our angry nation back then? In the grip of Civil War, it was a lot angrier, and far deadlier. Longfellow actually penned a verse that never makes it into any hymnbook I've seen about cannons thundering and forlorn households.

With that in mind he penned the penultimate verse: "And in despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song, of peace on earth, goodwill to men." Despair? Been there. And so have a lot of you. It happens when we allow anger, fear, resentment and other negative spiritual emotions to shout down the mild and sweet songs of peace. There may have been some event that has stolen your joy and silenced your song. In despair you bow your head.

Frankly, that's where many people spend the Christmas season, in some degree of hopeless despair.

But Longfellow wasn't finished and the carol is not over. The majestic final verse completes the story of hope. "Then pealed the bells more loud and sweet, God is not dead nor doth He sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men."

Ultimately, an individual's faith is based on reiterated decision. Are you going to keep believing? Or are you not? God doesn't beat us over the head with the truth and make us submit to it. He lays out the evidence of His love and grace, ultimately through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The fundamental claim of GraceWaves, however, is that God's grace washes over us continually, like the waves on a seashore. Most of us live heedless of this spiritual ocean.

Christmas, the ultimate "thin time," offers us an annual chance to believe again, and to believe more deeply. God is not dead. God is actively trying to bring peace to every fractured mind. We just have to set aside times regularly to be still and know that He is God. With the psalmist we have to decide and recommit ourselves to a sublime truth, "I trust in You O Lord; I say 'You are my God. My times are in Your hand'" (Ps. 31:14).

In spiritual matters, the fundamental difference between all people is that some are aware and others are not. It takes a focus on love, grace, patience, awe, and a dozen other positive spiritual emotions to hear God's offer of peace.

The promise of peace is not belied by the presence of conflict, either in the world or in our heads. The noise can simply be a reminder of the need for peace and God's constant offer of it. You don't have to wait until Christmas Day to hear those bells. They're ringing right now. They never stop. And it's never too late to start listening.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

December 4, 2016