The Agony of the Advent

 The Agonizing Parts of the Advent

 

1.    His own received him not. John 1

2.    Jesus’s family tree – filled with questionable women and men. Matthew 1

3.    Mentioning the deportation to Babylon.  Matthew 1

4.    The Barren Women…to The Virgin Woman  Matthew 1 and Luke 1

5.    Zachariah’s Doubt and Muted Voice. Luke 1

6.    Elizabeth’s private joy.  Luke 1

7.    Mary’s Doubt of the Angel.  “How can this be?”  Luke 1

8.    Zachariah’s reference to Darkness and Shadow of Death.  Luke 1

9.    Joseph’s Reluctance and Divorce Planning Matthew 1

10.Joseph joins Mary in the “Walks of Shame” Matthew 1

11.Taxes and Traveling Pregnant to Bethlehem. Luke 2

12.No Vacancy in the Inn. Luke 2

13.Laid in a Manger.  Icky.  Luke 2

14.Joseph delivers the Baby.  Were they married yet.  They had not been intimate. Awkward.  Luke 2

15.Shepherds are terrorized by an angel.  Luke 2

16.Shepherds Come for a Look.  Low-lifes, one and all.  Luke 2

17.Temple gifts required of even poor people.  Luke 2

18.Circumcision: Ouch Luke 2

19.Prescribed Religious Duties, Mary is “unclean” by childbirth.  Luke 2

20.Simeon’s Dire Words: Rising/Falling, Sign to be spoken against, and…as Sword. Luke 2

21.Anna’s words not being recorded.  Women’s speech is unimportant. Luke 2

22.The Magi’s partial prophetic understandings – Star: Yes.   Town: No.  Matthew 2

23.The star led them to…Jerusalem.  Oops.  Matthew 2

24.Herod’s Scheming and Syrupy Lie. Matthew 2

25.The wisemen are warned too late.  Matthew 2

26.The trudge to Egypt.  Matthew 2

27.The death of the Bethlehem Babies.  Matthew 2

28.Joseph’s need for constant angelic messages. 4 of them.  Matthew 1 and 2

29.The Holy Couple looses the Holy Pre-Teen.  John 2

30.The Holly Couple still don’t understand things…like “My Father’s House.”  John 2

Poem - He Came To Die

I'm at The One Project in Seattle.   This is my third time at this gathering of people with Adventist faith in their lives...that are seeking to make Jesus.  All.    I am one of them...and it is why "Jesus.   All." has been printed on our church bulletin cover for the past 3 years.

Yesterday, on Day One of "The Final Week" the first presenter - Paul Dybdahl drew out from the Bible the parallels from the birth and death of Jesus.   It made me think of this old poem I wrote a few years ago.

HE CAME TO DIE

O. Kris Widmer

He came to die.

The Babe in the Manger

The Man on the Cross

Both times, He is next to wood.

Both times, He is wrapped only in a cloth.

Both times, He is gifted with myrrh.

Both times, He catches Herod’s attention.

Both times, He is crying.

Both times, His mother, Mary, weeps and crys out.

Both times, it is a man named Joseph who saves the day.

One time, the angels sing “Glory to God.”

One time, they hide their faces, not daring to look.

One time, a bright star is seen in the sky.

One time, even the sun refuses to shine.

The Babe in the Manger

The Man on the Cross

Both times, He lays in a borrowed cave.

One time, He lays on soft, fresh hay.

One time, He lays on a stone-cold slab.

One time, He is alive and kicking.

One time, He is dead and stiff.

Both times, the soldiers come up empty.

Both times, the angels says “Fear not...”

Just think, He came to die for YOU.

He came to share your life and take your death,

so that you, though you share His death, may have His life.

The Babe in the Manger

The Man on the Cross

Ellen White and Christmas

Here is a little study sheet I worked up in preparation for a sermon on December 6, 2014 at the Antioch Church.   Happy Reading.

Ellen White and the Holidays

Relevant Readings Relating to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years

Articles by Mrs. Ellen G White, Listed in Chronological Order

Pertaining to the Holidays...During the Holidays

Collected by Elder O. Kris Widmer, MDiv

December 1-4, 2014, by thumbing through the facsimile reproductions.

Locate Online at:  www.whiteestate.org

The White Estate has prepared one document on this topic (in 1962/1989), compiled from parts of 5 articles, indicated by a box.  This compilation document, available on line, is titled "Ellen G. White statements related to the observance of Christmas and Holiday Gifts." The chosen articles are printed in the order from the articles below numbers:  12, 7, 16, 4, 10.  It should be noted that the compilers left out her retelling of the nativity story from RH 12/9/1884, paragraphs 13, 14 and the first 5 sentences from paragraph 15., inserting an ellipse (...).  (Beware, the ellipse!) A more complete picture of her thoughts on the observance of these holidays can be found by reading widely and completely the following items, and I strongly suggest the articles in italics.

1.    RH Dec 17, 1872 - The Advent of the Christ

2.    RH Dec 24, 1872 - The Advent of the Christ 2

3.    RH Nov 21, 1878 - Holiday Presents

4.    RH  Dec 11, 1879 - The Holidays

5.    Manuscript Release 21 - 1880 pg 222 et al   "How Shall We Celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas?"  Partial Manuscript

6.   RH Jan 4, 1881  "The New Year"

7.    RH  Dec 26, 1882 - Holiday Gifts

8.    RH  Jan 1, 1882 - A Happy New Year

9.   ST Jan 3, 1883  "The Old Year and the New"

10.        RH Jan 29, 1884  "Sabbath School Reunion at Healdsburg, Cal" - a recounting of how Ellen White spend a New Years Eve...at the Healdsburg College (now P.U.C.)

11.        RH  Nov 18,  1884 - The Coming Thanksgiving

12.         RH  Dec 9, 1884 - Christmas is Coming

13.        RH  Dec 16, 1884 - The New Year

14.         RH  Dec 23, 1884 - Thanksgiving Sermon of EGW: Transcript from sermon given 11/27/1884

15.        RH Dec 14, 1886 - The Old Year and the New

16.         RH Extra Dec 11, 1888 - The Inestimable Gift

17.         RH Dec 17, 1889 - Christmas Address to the Young (a MUST read)

18.        RH  Dec 24, 1889  "The Work of Preparing for the New Year"

19.        Manuscript 24  Dec 25, 1889 , published in This Day With God (TDG) entry for Dec 25.  Ellen recounts a Christmas Eve spend at the Battle Creek Tabernacle, speaking at 10:30 p.m., then returning home to a late dinner with her nieces son and his family.

20.        RH  Dec 9, 1890  "Christmas Gifts"

21.        RH  Dec 23, 1890 "An Appeal to the Churches" - this article, while not about the holiday's specifically contains the key ideas she expresses in other articles:  Jesus left glory for you.  Give to Others, Take a soul inventory at the new year.

22.        RH Dec 15,  1891  "The World by Wisdom Knew Not God."  : In this article, at Christmas time, she expresses in Paragraphs 7 and 8 the ideas of the gift of God in coming in Christ to the world.

23.        RH Dec 12, 1892 - Christ Our Hope: Paragraphs 4-7 seem to be build on the idea of Jesus coming to the world.  John 3:16 quoted.  Jesus is the "best gift of heaven" and "the heaven-sent gift."  Good holiday words.

24.        RH  Dec 19, 1893 - Represent Christ in Self Denial: Paragraph 4 stresses not going in debt for gift giving and Paragraph 5 encourages  not spending money on holiday amusements.

25.        RH  Jan 2, 1894 - Look not everyman to his own things. - This seems to reflect her thought about holiday generosity.

26.         RH  12/18, 12/25, 1/1 - Our Duty to the Poor and Afflicted

27.        RH  11/26/1895  Appeal for the Southern Field:  Continued  12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 12/24 - This is quite the holiday appeal for people and funds to help with the blacks in the south.  "Christ left his high command." is the reason.  Christmas words for sure.

28.        RH  Nov 10, 1896  "A Test of Gratitude and Loyalty"

29.        RH  Nov 24, 1896 "The Right Use of God's Gifts"

30.        RH Dec 1, 1896 - "The Right Use of God's Gifts"  Pt. 2 

31.        RH  Dec 8, 1896  "God's Claim on Us"

32.         RH 12/25/1900   "How Much Owest Thou?" - Paragraph 1 -"Tis the Holiday Season"

33.        RH Dec 3, 1901 - Robbing God

34.        RH Dec 10, 1901 - Robbing God, Part 2

35.        RH Dec 17, 1901 "Bring an offering unto the Lord."

36.        RH Dec 23, 1902 "Think on These Things."  "Another year has almost passed into eternity..."

37.        RH 11/15/1906  "Christian Liberality"

38.         RH 12/27/1906  "Shall We Celebrate the Holidays?"