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As man was walking through the forest one day he thought he heard a freight train. The noise was deafening! Then he noticed deer, rabbits, foxes and other wildlife running toward him. What was this noise? Why were the animals in the forest running past him? Then he saw it - a giant forest fire was on its way toward him. He looked down and saw an ant hill. "Oh, no," he thought. These ants are all going to die! He yelled at the ants. He stomped his feet! He yelled louder! He tried everything humanly possible to get those ants to understand that they needed to scurry to safety. Then he realized the problem - he couldn't talk ant language. He couldn't get these ants to understand the danger. Then it dawned on him! He would have to become an ant if he was going to help those ants survive!

The parable is true - if God is going to get the human race to understand its dilemma and going to convince the human race how much God loves these people then God would have to become one of them. The story of the first Christmas is the story about how God decides to become one of the human race. God dresses himself in human flesh and lives on this earth. This is why God said to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, his name shall be called, "Emmanuel" which means "God with us."

This is what makes Christmas dangerous. You see, if you accept the story of a baby born in Bethlehem - a baby who grows to be an adult who says to the world "I am one with the Father and whatever the Father says I do" - then you have to decide if this is God come in the flesh.

And if you say, "Yes", then you have to decide what you are going to do with all the other things Jesus taught and did.

Be careful when you come to the manger this Christmas. It is dangerous.

2007 (c) Ronald Friesen

When people discuss their geneologies, there is an old line that goes something like this, "I wonder if there are any horse thieves in the bunch." The idea is that most people have someone in their family tree who brings some discredit to the family name. In my family tree there are several people who had some severe drinking issues over the years.

The Christmas story as it is presented on TV or in popular stories santitizes Jesus. About the only individual in the story who is made out to be the bad guy is the innkeeper. Remember - 'there was no room in the inn'? Ah, that guy - what a scrooge he was - here is a young woman who is about to deliver her first child and he turns her away!! What a scoundrel!

But the truth is Jesus' family tree contains prostitutes, adulterers, liars and others. It's right there in the geneology recorded in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The most famous lady is Rahab, the prostitute, who is said to the be great-great grandmother of King David. Of course, King David was no saint. St. Matthew notes that David was the father of Solomon, 'whose mother had been Uriah's wife'. King David set up Uriah to be killed in battle so he, King David, could have Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, as his wife! (King David had already committed adultery with her at this point.)

Here is where Christmas gets dangerous. We want to sanitize Christmas. We want the story to be clean. We need innocent heroes. We need Jesus to be better than us. We want to look up to him and see him as someone on a pedestal. We don't want a Jesus who is like us! If he is better than us, if he is perfect and innocent, we can keep him on the shelf or in the ceramic stable on the mantle.

But if his family tree is like ours - if it means that he is like us - then we have to deal with who he really is.

Maybe God did come into the world and tasted humanity in all its dregs and horrors and evils. Maybe Christmas is dangerous.

(c)2006 Ronald Friesen

One of the most famous parts of the Christmas story is what is called, "The Magnificat." The Magnificat is a the poem which Mary spoke upon hearing her cousin, Elizabeth, tell her that she, Elizabeth, is to give birth to a son.

Mary responds to this news by sharing with Elizabeth a poem which tells Elizabeth the significance of the child Mary is bearing. The name for the poem derives from the first line of the poem, 'My soul maginifies the Lord'.

The poem contains these rather unsettling lines (Luke 1:52-53):

"He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty."

The baby, Mary bears in her womb, will become the one who turns the world upside down.

The powerful are dethroned; the humble are elevated.
The hungry are feed; the rich are left empty-handed.

Of course, almost entire ministry of Jesus of Nazareth focused on the poor, the blind, the crippled, and the oppressed. Jesus said the well didn't need a physican, but those who who were 'diseased' in the eyes of the community needed his attention.

In our society, who get the press? Who is seen on the society pages? Who gets their own show on TV? The rich, the famous, the actor, the actress, the mulitimillionaire sports star of the week, the politician.

Jesus came for the little guy, for the unnoticed, for the lonely kid sitting on the curb, for the disadvantaged, the disabled, the ignored. For Jesus these are the people who matter.
In Jesus' kingdom, in the world he rules, these people are put in first place. These people displace the rich, the famous, the powerful.

If you're in the first crowd, those who get the press - be aware - you are about to lose your place!

If you're in the second crowd, those who are ignored - be aware - there is good news for you! You are about to get promoted!

2006 (c) Ronald Friesen

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you're predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival; although, I am to be remembered at ALL times.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching that explains who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look at John 15:1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local mission: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day with me and home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love and obey Me. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I LOVE YOU.

Sincerely,

God

Did you know that Christmas is actually a dangerous season?

If we read the Christmas story as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke (Chapters 1-2) and Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapters 1-2), we will be struck by some very interesting and challenging stories. I propose that if we take these stories seriously, they will radically change our lives. So I would advise all of us that reading this series of blogs may be dangerous to our minds, lifestyles and behaviors.

Do you remember the story? An angel visits a young, Jewish teenage girl and shares with her that she has been chosen to bear the Christ-child into the world.

Now it was the hope of every little Jewish girl that someday the Messiah would come into the world. It was also her hope that maybe, just maybe, she would be the privileged woman to bear this gift to the world.

Now have you ever hoped for something with all your heart, and then one day your dream comes true? If this has happened, do you remember how nervous you were? How you could hardly catch your breath? Words just escaped you? Your mind went blank? So you can imagine the breathtaking experience this was for Mary.

So the angel tells Mary what is about to happen - and Mary responds with these words, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

We have a saying that many of us say, rather, easily, "Let go and let God." This is what Mary says to the angel, "I am going to let go and let God do what God wants to do!"

This week we will be faced with challenges which will test our faith. Will we say as quickly and sincerely as Mary, "God, I am yours; whatever you say, let it happen!"?

Be careful how you answer.

2006 (c) Ronald Friesen