As you can tell from my blog, I’m of the opinion that Christians undervalue the importance of celebration, feasting and holidays – not the least of which is Christian holidays (formerly thought of as holy-days). Along with the proper concern and criticism of “commercialism,” Christians need to embrace the good that in Christian Christmas celebrations, including the purchasing and giving of gifts.

Stev Wilkins has written a delightful piece on Christmas giving that I am pleased to pass on: Shopping and the true meaning of Christmas

Doug Wilson posted his recent sermon on the subject of the Theology of Christmas Gifts, and I have included the video and the text (for those that do not have the time or patience to watch or listen to it, although there is more material in the actual sermon).

Doug Wilson’s INTRODUCTION:
One of the most obvious features of our Christmas celebrations is the gift-giving. How are we to understand this as Christians? What are the pitfalls? Are all the pitfalls obvious? Because our lives are to be lives of grace, and because charis means grace or gift, this is something we have to understand throughout the course of our lives, and not just at Christmas. But it has to be said that the machinery of our consumer racket does throw the question into high relief for us at this time of year.

THE TEXT:
“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” (Mt 2:11).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT:
The first Christmas gifts were given by the magi to the young child Jesus. This happened sometime within the Lord’s first two years of life. Because three kinds of treasures are mentioned—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—it is often inferred that there were three wise men. There may have been, but we don’t know. What we do know is that the gifts were very costly. Read the rest of this entry »

My daugher-in-law Kathy posted this on Facebook today. I really like the creativity of those who made it as a way to tell the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus. The arrangment of O Come, O Come Emmanuel is very nice.

My son Ben recently introduced me to the music of Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, now known as 2CELLOS.

“Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser are accomplished musicians, both having played the cello since childhood. They recently completed their studies, Luka at the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London, and Stjepan at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. The meteoric success of 2CELLOS started when former cello rivals Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser decided to join forces. In January 2011, they uploaded a unique duo cello version of “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson onto YouTube [below]. Within just a few weeks, their video became a huge viral sensation, receiving over 5 million views from across the world” (from their official website).

I was listening to one of my Pandora stations and heard the old 1967 Buffalo Springfield song, “For What It’s Worth”

I was struck by how this poem describes the same phenomenons of “pretesting” we see today in the OCCUPY movement. The continuity of wisdom is fascinating.  In the midst of the excitement that something good may be happening, so often in these protests there is confusion, conflict, miscommunication, lack of coherency, and self-righteousness. What is interesting to me is that for some in the OCCUPY movement it is a way to relive the glory days of the 60′s protests. But it is mostly a new generation of activism that has failed to see that unity is not the general outcome of such protests. It may produce some noise and interest, but not solidarity and meaningful and lasting changes. Those are the gifts of God who transforms both hearts and minds to conform to His Word.

Take the time to read the lyrics while enjoying a trip back into the 60′s style of music.

There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, now, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

Doug Wilson Interviews Mark Driscoll (Part II) | Spiritual Gifts & Cessationism

This interview was filmed in the context of the Grace Agenda, hosted by Credenda/Agenda and Canon Press, ministries of Christ Church, in Moscow, Idaho. You may purchase DVD and CD of all the talks at Canon Press.

In this video Doug Wilson interviewed Mark Driscoll with questions of the spiritual gifts and whether the Holy Spirit continues to provide revelation to people today. Driscoll holds to a non-cessationist reading of the Bible. It is an interesting discussion and worth some attention for “Reformed” Christians that take seriously the Bible and how we are to minister in the world.

Driscoll gave several examples of how God spoke to him, and the Holy Spirit provided occasional insights while working with people. Driscoll also talked about having visions (i.e. seeing in his mind something that he happened without being present). Wilson’s qualifying questions about these experiences are very helpful, and provided Driscoll with an opportunity explain himself.

Whether Driscoll is a “cessationist” in the sense that most Reformed folks think of it I am still not sure – but I doubt it. He does not think that God is still adding to the Bible. And yet, the Holy Spirit has not gone away, and, in fact, actively works in our lives to illumine the scriptures to us, and provide insight into things – somethings inexplicably.

If this is what Driscoll means by talking about his being a “non-cessationalist” – It would describe my belief as well! Maybe I’m a Mars Hill/Driscoll type charismatic?

What the video, if for no other reason that it is fun to watch these godly men banter back and forth!