Grains of Sand

A friend posted an interesting statement on FACEBOOK which I re-posted. Here it is: “ When ministry becomes performance, then the sanctuary becomes a theatre, the congregation becomes an audience, worship becomes entertainment, and man’s applause and approval becomes the measure of success. But when ministry is for the glory of God, his presence moves into the sanctuary. Even the unsaved visitor will fall down on his face, worship God, and confess that God is among us .” (drrichardlmoore). I re-posted the statement because I believe it to be true, but it was the last bit that connected with what I read this morning in my time of meditation. I’ve been doing advent readings leading up to Christmas and today’s passage was from John 12. These two verses particularly stood out: “ Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself ” (vss. 31, 32). Jesus is once more announcing His death ...

Google Images The fact that we are within a few weeks of Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth makes these verses all the more meaningful: “ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people ” (Hebrews 2:14-17). Fully human. Fully engaged. Fully committed, so that we could be fully free. God puts on skin to save our skin. That’s Christmas.