Merry Christmas (?)

it has subtly crept in, year after year

and I couldn't never quite put my finger on it

...

among Christians there seems to be a latent anger around Christmas time

and it is becoming palpable

...

their faces redden as 'Christ is taken out of Christmas' - like He is marginalized by semantics

they obnoxiously wish someone 'Merry Christmas' merely out of spite or to prove a point

...

are these the responses we are called to?

I too am saddened that more do not know my Jesus

but I am not overly surprised that Jesus is being removed by a culture than doesn't recognize Him from a time that has seemingly little to do with Him

...

so my fellow brothers and sisters...you love Jesus?

good

so show it

you want to celebrate Christmas?

good

do it in a way that honours your Lord

...

because quite honestly - you're not acting much like the One you say you celebrate if you are driven to anger and bitterness instead of grace and mercy

...

1st Peter talks about giving an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you have - and to do this with gentleness and respect

is the hope that you're showing calloused and jaded?

or are people even asking you?

...

and may Jesus shine in our hearts so brightly and His love so fully that we desire to serve those who may not acknowledge Christ yet, as we celebrate not just His birth - but His life, death and resurrection

living within the tension

I am being broken
yet being put back together

continually dying
yet being made alive

bringing the kingdom of heaven here and now
though realizing it can't be fully...yet

there is a tension

...

I want to fight it
I want it to go away
I want one or the other

and yet, there is an undeniable tension

I'm done fighting
I want it to stay
I want both/and

I must live within the tension

...

I see it all around

we run from it, swinging to one side or the other

but we find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of the tension

...and that's right where we need to be

how can it not drive us to Jesus?

how can it not drive us to humility?

...

and like a finely tuned instrument, may we make our song, living within the tension

jewish(ness)

someone once (assuming my disdain for bumper stickers) gave me one that says: "My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter"

no comment.

I have a friend that I don't see often enough who regularly challenges me. over the past few years he's been on a journey to delve into jewish(ness). to view his following of Jesus in the light of Jesus' own human heritage.

what does it mean that Jesus is Jewish?
are we capable of understanding what it means to follow him without doing so in the context of Judaism?
does it matter to you?
should it?

thoughts?

speak Jesus

it's easy to talk about church, yet never mention Jesus.

it's ironic that you can talk about being a Christian, yet never mention Jesus.

does this sadden anyone else?

churchy-types: when was the last time you talked about Jesus?

- actually talking about the Jesus you love, not just in a churchy-way

Christians: when was the last time you talked about Jesus?

- actually talking about the Jesus you follow, not just in a christiany-way

now, I'm not saying to get up on your soap-box.

what I am saying is to stop being such a wimp and actually speak Jesus (you know, the one you say you love and follow)

if not for Jesus, there would be no church.

if not for Jesus, there would be no Christians.

so stop speaking church. stop speaking christian.

and speak Jesus.

this is...

I'm trying to simplify my life. It's got out of whack.

I'm trying to simplify my thinking. It too has got out of whack.

I have the humbling responsibility to teach hundreds of people regularly. This is a grave duty that has been entrusted to me and I do not take it lightly.

I'm beginning to see more and more of the beautiful complexity in the elegant simplicity.

When trying to communicate so many concepts far beyond my understanding and scope, I'm brought to a humble position of simplicity. How do I communicate Jesus? How do I tell about Jesus? I think it might look like a simple introduction:

this is...Jesus

he loves you.