very Christmas-y post
I was asked to speak in Sacrament meeting at church today. Sacrament Meeting is the hour-ish meeting where the sacrament--Communion--is passed to the congregation. Since we have a lay clergy it means that any member might be asked to speak--our chance to give a sermon, I suppose. I go through phases when it's my turn--slightly nervous preparation for the week or two leading up to the day, then about an hour or so before I'll begin I'm just anxious for it to be over. (How often one is asked to speak depends on the size of the congregation and any number of other variables. Looking at my computer, it appears that my last talk in Sacrament meeting was in 2006.) Usually within a couple of minutes of starting the talk I'm fine--able to avoid talking way too fast, which is a bad habit I have.
It took me a while to organize my thoughts, because the directions I was given were: Christ and Christmas, talk for ten to fifteen minutes. Okay... that's a fairly broad topic, eh? At any rate, I'm pleased with the final result. Here's a slightly modified version of the talk I gave.
Just FYI, all the scriptures quoted here are from the King James translation of the Bible.
I dug out my old journals--the drama-filled records of my teenage years. Here's the journal entry from January 2, when I was fourteen years old:
My Christmas gifts this Christmas were:
2 prs. jeans
3 shirts
1 pr. slacks
1 sweater
a curling iron…
The list goes on-I’m going to guess that my father was working for the oil industry this year rather than as a college professor, because of the number of presents. And… that’s all. I switched topics after that, to how I was dreading going back to school the next day. (Heh, that hasn’t changed much.)
There’s no mention of anything I gave to anyone else. I did enjoy what I received, though.
My earliest memory of trying to give a present to someone else comes from when I was six or seven years old. I made a paper airplane for my younger brother, who was three or four years old. I folded it myself and drew windows and people’s faces in the windows on the side of the plane. Then I carefully wrapped it up.
My older brother assumed it was empty and tore it in half. I recall getting really mad at him.
I want to look at another record, though. This record was written by a man who served four different kings in a time of war and suffering. Acting as a prophet, he gave warnings that often weren’t heeded by the people he served. He also foresaw great suffering yet to come--many of his people were killed and the remainder taken into captivity over one hundred years after his own life ended. Tradition states that this man, Isaiah, died as a martyr.
This destruction wasn’t all that he saw. He recorded prophecies of a Savior of mankind coming from that remnant of the tribe of Judah. About seven hundred years after his death, a son was born to a virgin, fulfilling the prophecies Isaiah made.
Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
We read the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Luke 1: 26-35.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Isaiah wasn’t the only Old Testament prophet who spoke of Christ’s coming. Micah told of a leader coming out of Bethlehem. We see the fulfillment of this in Matthew:
Matthew 2: 1-15
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
You can also read of the shepherds who were told by angels to see the newborn Christ in Bethlehem in Luke 2.
When referencing Christ's birth, Isaiah brought up the importance of the divine roles Jesus would have later.
Isaiah 9: 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Old Testament prophets didn’t write much of Christ’s childhood, nor did those who kept records in New Testament times. We do read in the New Testament that Mary was witness of her son’s divine nature even when he was still a boy. Luke records in chapter two that Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Christ's ministry began in earnest after his forty days of fasting in the wilderness. He journeyed to Nazareth and quoting the words of Isaiah (chapter 61).
Luke 4: 16-22
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Christ knew why he came to Earth. He had a role to fill that no one else could do. His atonement was the supreme gift. Even at the start of his ministry he knew how it would be fulfilled.
The prophet Isaiah recorded in chapter 53:
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus lived and died for us. He gave us a gift and he’s waiting for us to accept it. But we choose ourselves if we'll allow his gift to affect our lives.
Isaiah 55:1-3, 6
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
At this time when we honor Christ’s birth, we honor the perfect man he would be--and that he was our Savior who provided a way for us to return home. Christmas is a tribute not only to his birth but to his entire mission.
Continuing with the theme of personal records, the journal from my twenty-fourth Christmas reads as follows.
Then we went and opened presents. I got most everything I had listed on my utilitarian Christmas list-a pocketknife, house slippers, a hot glue gun. Surprisingly I also got a movie-a very frivolous gift for my family. I loved it!
I had a great time watching people open presents from me.
Progress! I was actually concerned about what gifts I gave, not just what I received.
Isaiah saw the greatest gift we would have--the life, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. In my own life I can see an evolution of understanding of Christmas--the fun of opening presents, the joy in giving them... but most importantly, the recognition of Christ's gift to me.
May we use this gift at more than just Christmas and Easter.
It took me a while to organize my thoughts, because the directions I was given were: Christ and Christmas, talk for ten to fifteen minutes. Okay... that's a fairly broad topic, eh? At any rate, I'm pleased with the final result. Here's a slightly modified version of the talk I gave.
Just FYI, all the scriptures quoted here are from the King James translation of the Bible.
I dug out my old journals--the drama-filled records of my teenage years. Here's the journal entry from January 2, when I was fourteen years old:
My Christmas gifts this Christmas were:
2 prs. jeans
3 shirts
1 pr. slacks
1 sweater
a curling iron…
The list goes on-I’m going to guess that my father was working for the oil industry this year rather than as a college professor, because of the number of presents. And… that’s all. I switched topics after that, to how I was dreading going back to school the next day. (Heh, that hasn’t changed much.)
There’s no mention of anything I gave to anyone else. I did enjoy what I received, though.
My earliest memory of trying to give a present to someone else comes from when I was six or seven years old. I made a paper airplane for my younger brother, who was three or four years old. I folded it myself and drew windows and people’s faces in the windows on the side of the plane. Then I carefully wrapped it up.
My older brother assumed it was empty and tore it in half. I recall getting really mad at him.
I want to look at another record, though. This record was written by a man who served four different kings in a time of war and suffering. Acting as a prophet, he gave warnings that often weren’t heeded by the people he served. He also foresaw great suffering yet to come--many of his people were killed and the remainder taken into captivity over one hundred years after his own life ended. Tradition states that this man, Isaiah, died as a martyr.
This destruction wasn’t all that he saw. He recorded prophecies of a Savior of mankind coming from that remnant of the tribe of Judah. About seven hundred years after his death, a son was born to a virgin, fulfilling the prophecies Isaiah made.
Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
We read the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Luke 1: 26-35.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Isaiah wasn’t the only Old Testament prophet who spoke of Christ’s coming. Micah told of a leader coming out of Bethlehem. We see the fulfillment of this in Matthew:
Matthew 2: 1-15
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
You can also read of the shepherds who were told by angels to see the newborn Christ in Bethlehem in Luke 2.
When referencing Christ's birth, Isaiah brought up the importance of the divine roles Jesus would have later.
Isaiah 9: 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Old Testament prophets didn’t write much of Christ’s childhood, nor did those who kept records in New Testament times. We do read in the New Testament that Mary was witness of her son’s divine nature even when he was still a boy. Luke records in chapter two that Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Christ's ministry began in earnest after his forty days of fasting in the wilderness. He journeyed to Nazareth and quoting the words of Isaiah (chapter 61).
Luke 4: 16-22
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Christ knew why he came to Earth. He had a role to fill that no one else could do. His atonement was the supreme gift. Even at the start of his ministry he knew how it would be fulfilled.
The prophet Isaiah recorded in chapter 53:
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus lived and died for us. He gave us a gift and he’s waiting for us to accept it. But we choose ourselves if we'll allow his gift to affect our lives.
Isaiah 55:1-3, 6
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
At this time when we honor Christ’s birth, we honor the perfect man he would be--and that he was our Savior who provided a way for us to return home. Christmas is a tribute not only to his birth but to his entire mission.
Continuing with the theme of personal records, the journal from my twenty-fourth Christmas reads as follows.
Then we went and opened presents. I got most everything I had listed on my utilitarian Christmas list-a pocketknife, house slippers, a hot glue gun. Surprisingly I also got a movie-a very frivolous gift for my family. I loved it!
I had a great time watching people open presents from me.
Progress! I was actually concerned about what gifts I gave, not just what I received.
Isaiah saw the greatest gift we would have--the life, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. In my own life I can see an evolution of understanding of Christmas--the fun of opening presents, the joy in giving them... but most importantly, the recognition of Christ's gift to me.
May we use this gift at more than just Christmas and Easter.