Christmas Colors - Green

Devotional for December 17-23, 2007

 

Day One                      What's In A Name?

Growing up I often attended Oklahoma State University games (I apologize for those that are offended) at "Lewis Field."   I can remember that when I was young the end zone was circled by tall evergreen trees and around the field was a running track.  Over the years the stadium has been enlarged, the track was removed when the field was lowered and the trees were removed when end zone seats were built.   In the years since I graduated from OSU (I once again apologize to all that are offended), the stadium has again been extensively remodeled and now bears the name "Boone Pickens Stadium."   The same story can also be told for the once named "Owen Stadium" at Oklahoma University that now bears the name of the Gaylord family.  What is the purpose of these names?   These stadiums were given these names because these individuals and families were largely responsible for the financing of these stadium improvements.   A name can bear a great deal of weight.

 

In Oklahoma City, the city council recently considered naming a street after the musical group "Flaming Lips."   There was a desire, among many in the community, to recognize the accomplishments of this group much as had been done for other musicians such as Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, and Toby Keith to name a few.   The problem the council encountered was that "The Flaming Lips" often used words and phrases, and even exhibited certain behavior, that many found offensive.   A compromise was finally agreed to in which the Flaming Lips would receive an alley named after them.  While the group appeared at a special ceremony with a good attitude and the mayor of the city was even able to make a joke of naming an alley after a group, the fact that an alley was given their name sent a message.   It will probably always be one of the most famous alleys in our state, if not our nation, not only because it bears the name "The Flaming Lips," but because a named alley also represents a message about the group and their name.

 

A name is very important and either has meaning inherit in the name itself, or soon takes on significance because of the person.

 

The name of Jesus is no different.   What do we see as the significance of the name of Jesus as seen in the message to Joseph found in Matthew 1:20-21?

 

 

The name of Jesus was YHWH (there were no vowels so they are assumed from oral tradition so this is translated as Yahweh or Jehovah) which means "salvation."   There are those who feel our translation of Jesus is a failed translation, but the meaning remains no matter what name we use: Salvation.

 

Take a moment to meditate on the truth that the birth of the child we celebrate at Christmas is actually the birth of our promise of Salvation.

 

Day Two        All Alone

In 1919 the White Sox unexpectedly lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.   Eight of the White Sox players were soon accused of throwing the game for financial gain and were suspended from baseball.  Even though the players were acquitted following an investigation, they were all, nevertheless, banned from playing the sport professionally.   One of those eight players was a man named Shoeless Joe Jackson, so nicknamed from an incident where he took off his shoes due to new shoe blisters.   Joe had been a member also of the White Sox in an earlier season when he, and his teammates, had enjoyed a World Series victory.  Now, a short time later he was banned from the sport he loved.   Imagine how alone he must have felt.  Years later, the story is told, that years later  baseball great, Ty Cobb , and sportswriter Grantland Rice entered a liquor store owned by Shoeless Joe.   The story goes that after Cobb finished his purchase, he asked Jackson: "Don't you know me, Joe?" Jackson replied: "Sure, I know you, Ty, but I wasn't sure you wanted to know me. A lot of them don't."   Shoeless Joe had felt rejected and alone.

 

Feeling alone is one of the most powerful of negative emotions.    Whatever the cause, rejection, death, etc, feeling alone can be overwhelming.  God knows and understands this about the human race.   Look at the promise that He gave to Joseph in Matthew 1:21-23.  God told Joseph that his son would be called "Emmanuel" which God said meant "God is with us."   Why do you think Joseph needed to hear this?

 

 

Read further, Matthew 1:24-25, what did Joseph do after hearing from God?

 

 

For Joseph, to follow the instruction of God, he knew that he was going to face rejection from his community and probably even his family.   He knew that most likely, no one was going to believe the story of Mary and her pregnancy.  He was aware that most everyone was going to assume that she had been unfaithful and therefore worthy of shame.   Joseph knew that by still staying with Mary, many would view him as a fool and would be ashamed and disgusted by him.  He knew that none of those who had formerly been "with him" would stand by him now in this time of following God.   To Joseph, the promise that God would be "with Him" was especially meaningful and needed.

 

What does the promise that God is "with us" mean personally to you?

 

 

Day Three      Finally

Andrea's parents live in the middle of a housing addition that is situated on a very busy intersection.   Houses and apartments are continuous for miles in all directions from their house.  But, because their part of the addition was built at a time when it was considered "away" from the city, they do not have city plumbing.   The result of this is that the homes all have septic tanks and frequent septic tank problems.  The last couple of years the city, that they have been incorporated into, has promised that there will soon be plumbing lines built out to their area.   They have been watching for signs of plumbing development over the following years while still dealing with the joys of a septic tank.  They still hold on to hope that the promised plumbing will one day actually, and finally, arrive at their home.   Until then, they hold to and look for the promise.

 

The people, in the time of Jesus birth, were also holding onto a promise.   A promise of a coming Messiah.  What does the angel's message to Mary, in Luke 1:26-33 say about how Jesus was going to be the fulfillment (the "finally") of the promise they had been looking forward to?

 

 

How had the people been looking forward to this promise from a mainly earthly perspective?

 

 

The people were looking for an earthly ruler, but Jesus was going to be more of an eternal, rather than an earthly ruler.   Why do you think the infant birth of Jesus, and the human, real life existence of Jesus, was essential for Him to be this ruler?

 

 

How is Jesus in this "ruler" position in your life?

 

Day Four        I Can't Do This!

Today, on the day I am writing this, my dear wife Andrea gave the final to her Psychology class she teaches at Oklahoma University.   This class consisted of over 250 students to whom she would have to lecture three times a week for the entire semester.  In past semesters she has taught various small group clinical type classes and even one class consisting of around 60 students, but never a class of hundreds.   As the beginning of classes approached last summer, Andrea became increasingly insecure about her ability to teach this large group of students.  I continually reassured her that I felt confident that she could do it, but she still often felt inadequate and unsure.  Throughout the semester she received helpful guidance and advice from another professor who had taught the class before.   As the semester progressed she became increasingly secure and confident.  While she began the semester feeling like she could not do the job, by the end of the semester she knew that she was completely capable of the task.    This happened because she accepted the assignment, accepted the help and encouragement from others, and depended upon God to give her strength.  This happened even though, at the beginning, she was sure that it was not possible.

 

Mary had the same feeling, she felt that there was no way that God could use her.   Why did she feel that God's plan to use her was impossible (Luke 1:34)?

 

 

She was looking at her ability to be used by God in terms of her human abilities.   She was looking at what she could or could not do instead of what God could do.

 

When have there been times in your life where God has used you even though you felt that is was impossible for you to be used in such a way?

 

 

Does God want to use you in an impossible way now?

 

Read further on, Luke 1:37, to see what the angel says about "the impossible".

 

 

Day Five         The One

When I was in seventh grade I was on the student council as a representative.   This was at West Junior High School which is now Alcott Middle School here in Norman.  One of the first things I had to do as a representative was to act as a guide for parents at the open house night.   My assignment at the night was to stand between building "B" and building "C" and help parents find their way.   At that time the school consisted on three main classroom buildings on the east side, a gym in the middle and a long narrow building on the west side of the campus.   The three main classroom buildings were named buildings "A", "B", and "C."  It was very complicated.   You may laugh, but the truth is that for this seventh grader, it did become very complicated.  I will never forget, shortly into the evening, a mother and father approached me asking which building was building "C,"   I pointed to the building then had a sudden feeling of doubt to which I said, "I think that is right, but it may be that building."  As they left I overheard the mother say to the dad, "Isn't he the guide, shouldn't he know which building is building "C"?"   She was right, I was not the guide that I should have been, I was not "the one."

 

As the people looked forward to the Messiah there were two essential things that would make Him be "the One," the true Messiah.   The first was that He would be perfect, without blemish.  Remember, up to this point they had relied on the sacrifice system, which called for a perfect animal sacrifice, an animal without blemish.   The second essential trait of "the One" would be the divine nature.  How did the angel identify the baby Jesus as being the One (Luke 1:35-36)?

  

How do you identify Jesus as the promised Messiah?