A Challenge

I have a challenge for myself. I am going to celebrate the birth and resurrection of Christ the entire year of 2010, not just the months of March and December.

There are the obvious pros of having Christian holidays, but there is also the not so obvious cons of them. One example of a con is the fact that it crams most of the focus of these AMAZING events into two three or four week periods. I know no one really thinks so, but maybe that gives us the excuse that "we've covered this story for the year, now we can talk about other stuff." When was the last time you heard a sermon on the birth of Christ in August?

Also, any holiday is going to have decorations, themes, Santa...Peter Cottontail. These things aren't bad, but sure can get in the way.

This is just a challenge in my life, because I know I am guilty of being too worried about the holidays, and only thinking about the meaning of those holidays when they occur. I believe Jesus is bigger than a Sunday in the spring and a family filled week in December. I am just letting people know my feelings. Perhaps you've felt this way before ,and want to celebrate year round with me.

A Birth. Something more than yearly presents under a tree

I think it’s important to remember that God chose
to send His son to this imperfect and sinful world.
That God joins us, through Jesus,
in the midst of our suffering, our problems, our hurts.
Jesus was born into a life just like ours and for
most of us way worse.
And He invites us to take part in true life with Him;
to repent and to believe; and be saved.
That is the good news of Jesus;
That is The Gospel.

-A Disciple That Jesus Loves

Grace - The Unearned Gift

I have come to realize something, something I have known my whole life, but never believed. Grace is totally free; God's love is completely free. I know that I have been taught this since I was a boy, but I guess I just missed it.

Acts 15
"10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

I know that I have read this before, and have heard sermons over it, but I always remember the points of those messages turning to your actions. It was almost like I always heard "yesjesuslovesyounomatterwhat, NOW, YOU HAVE TO LIVE THE LIFE!" The grace part of the message was just the intro, and the works part ruled the rest.

In the passage of Acts, Peter is talking to a group of people who belonged to party of the Pharisees, responding to a statement they had made.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses."
God had given the Gentiles the gift of the Holy Spirit, He had showed that they were accepted. The followers of the Pharisees immediately go into "action" mode. In there minds, the Gentiles cannot be accepted by God unless they go through the rituals and "actions" required by the law. Just accepting God's grace and love, which is theirs whether they want it or not, is not enough for the Pharisees, they have to earn it. They've heard Peter talk about grace, they know the message, yet they still insist on "putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear."
Which brings me to the current church, I think we still believe like the Pharisees. We preach and proclaim grace, but don't have the faith to live under it. I would like to hear a sermon about grace, and not hear one thing that we have to do, except accept it. Wouldn't that be beautiful?

I heard a song last night. It's by John Mark Mcmillan and called How He Loves. It is so beautiful.

Part of the lyrics are
We are his portion
And he is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking

While listening to that last night with my eyes closed, I just started smiling, I couldn't help it. I was just thinking about how before I could even make a decision to do something to earn his love, he loved me, and know matter what I do, he still loves me. It truly is unconditional.