Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Gifts fit for a King

















During this advent season, I've been pondering the significance of the gifts that the wisemen brought to Christ. These men travelled a great distance in order to honor Jesus and worship him. The Scriptures tell us that when the wisemen arrived to the house where Christ was, they, "fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11)

Now, when I think of these gifts given, I think of the value that they brought. However the value of those gifts added nothing to the title and person of Jesus. No person would ever go to an earthly king or queen and offer up monetary gifts to somehow bribe or add to their personal wealth. This type of action would probably dishonor the monarch. The apostle Paul gives us another look into the authority of Christ when he tells the crowds in Athens that God cannot be, "served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." (Acts 17:25)

So, if these gifts did not serve any purpose in adding to Christ' kingship, why do they give them to Jesus? Well, I think that the purpose in giving these gifts was primarily to convey their tribute, love and joy for the child. The gold, frankincense and myrrh were given to show that the wisemen's true treasure was not found in those objects but in Christ. The point of this was to show their allegiance to Christ as King of the Universe for who he was and not what they could get or receive from him.

In the same way, I as a follower of Christ have the tendency to not give my life, time and money to Christ for the sake of magnifying his lordship but to somehow buy his favor in my family and future. From the outside it may seem as if the things I do for the Gospel are selfless but it becomes evident that the more I "sacrifice" the more I look to Jesus to meet my desires, my affections and priorities for my joy in my life, not his kingship. My prayer this holiday season is that we as his children do not forget that the gifts we bring him are not to bribe or add to anything to Christ, but that we as the wisemen remain infatuated in him for Jesus alone and not for any other motive.

Carli and I pray that you all have a Merry Christmas and that the gifts you bring Jesus show that He is your treasure and not the gifts.

Friday, December 11, 2015

The Joy of Advent

















Hello Everyone,

George Mallory was the famed mountain climber who would have been the first person ever to reach the top of Mount Everest. In the early 1920’s he led a number of attempts to scale the mountain, eventually being killed in the third attempt in 1924. His body was found in 1999, well preserved by the snow and ice, 27,000 feet up the mountain, just 2000 feet from the peak. Give up he did not. His body was found face down on a rocky slope, head toward the summit. His arms were extended high over his head. His toes were pointed into the mountain; his fingers dug into the loose rock, refusing to let go even as he drew his last breath. 

In 1922, when Mallory was asked why climb Everest this is the reply he gave:


“If you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won’t see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy the joy of life.. That is what life means and what life is for.”

We pursue joy like George that we can never keep when Christ took joy at a cost unimaginable and gave it to us as a gift. This is the meaning of Christmas. That what is good and precious in your life need never be lost and what is evil and undesirable in your life can be changed. The fears that the few good things that bring you joy are slipping through your fingers, and the frustrations that the bad things you hate about yourself or your situation can’t be changed. These fears and these frustrations are what the advent of Christ came to destroy. These frustrations that we face are always there because that fight and struggle for joy never leaves us. Why not stop fighting for something that you will never achieve and take eternal joy as a gift? 

As Carli and I are spending this Advent season with friends and family, we pray that our joy is in Christ and that our happiness is not in something that doesn't last. 

We love all of you!

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Wrap up of November
























Hello Everyone, 

These past few weeks have been crazy busy for Carli and I as we are spending most nights sharing with small groups about what the Lord is doing in Budrio. Last week was such a great encouragement for us as we shared Thanksgiving with several friends in Houston. This picture is an example of how our core group is reaching out to our friends from Budrio for Thanksgiving. Even though Italians don't celebrate this holiday it was great to see our people living out Gospel community with folks and talking about our Thanksgiving tradition. 

We want to encourage all of you that keep up with us to continue praying for the Lord to open doors with partnerships with individuals and churches throughout the States as we are at our half way point here before we head back. Carli and I both have been reminded daily that our trust is in God who promises to provide all that we need. 

We want to thank again all of you who are praying for us during this time and we hope to be able to see you all at some point before the end of the year. We pray that as we get into Advent season that we remember truly what the coming of Christ means for us and the reconciliation that He brings every Christmas.