The Season of Advent

It’s December, and Advent is here!

Chances are you’re just now fully recovering from the Thanksgiving holiday last week. But with Thanksgiving behind us, we’ve officially entered the countdown to Christmas.
And while that stretch of time holds a lot of pleasant experiences - Christmas music, time spent with
family, Christmas-themed activities at school and church, etc. - it’s also usually marked by a hectic pace, jam-packed schedules, and financial stress. With all of that packed into just one month, how can you possibly experience spiritual peace this holiday season?

One simple way you can stay spiritually grounded this Christmas season is by participating in the season of Advent. Advent has just begun; now is a perfect time to choose to participate.
Advent won’t add stress to your life; you don’t need to buy presents for it. Advent is simply the period of time leading up to Christmas, during which Christians around the world take a bit of time to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. It’s specifically meant to pull our attention away from our everyday worries and focus it on the person of Jesus Christ instead. Advent reminds us of Jesus’ first coming two thousand years ago, while pointing us to his long-awaited second coming.

Our church started Advent with the lighting of the 1st candle by the Meersman Family to point us toward and remind us of HOPE. Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in "I hope something will happen,” or as Pastor Bill alluded to, “a Pollyanna feeling.” This is not what the Bible means by hope. The biblical definition of hope is "confident expectation."

Some common ways we commemorate the season include special Scripture readings, the lighting of
Advent candles, and the use of purple and blue in decorations. However, Advent is even more rewarding when you observe it not just at weekly worship services, but in your personal life throughout December.

Here are just a few of the ways you might choose to observe Advent, and my challenge is for you and your family to take this up:

• ƒ Commit to read the Bible for five minutes (or whatever amount of time fits into your schedule) each day.
• ƒ Challenge yourself to read a particular section of the Bible during Advent. This doesn’t need to be a huge commitment - reading through one or more of the Gospels would be very thematically appropriate, and easily do-able in a month.
• ƒ Spend a few extra minutes each day in prayer, perhaps centered around a particular theme. For example, you might pray for a different person in your family, our church, or our Orange community each day.
• ƒ Read the devotionals and the family devotionals that our church staff sent out as gifts this season. If you don’t have one, we have extras here in the church office.
• ƒ Practice charity. Go out of your way each week during Advent to spread grace in your community. This might mean running errands for somebody who can’t do them on their own; volunteering or donating at a food pantry or other organization; visiting somebody who needs company during the holidays; buying groceries for a family struggling to make financial ends meet; or whatever else you can dream up. A neat idea would be to take your child alongside you as you do the charity work so that the child can experience it for themselves. This an amazing, transformative experience for a child to have during this Advent season.

There’s no limit to what you can do to observe Advent, nor any requirement that you observe it in a
particular way (or at all). But if you could use an extra dose of spiritual peace and joy this Christmas
season, try commemorating Advent in a way that makes sense for your life, your family and situation - you’ll find that time spent focusing on Jesus Christ will put the rest of your hectic holiday schedule in a healthy perspective.

Grace and Peace, 

Peter Joseph
Director of Faith Formation

                                    Christmas Eve at First United Methodist of Orange

HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS

Last Sunday we celebrated the most famous misunderstanding of Jesus in the entire Gospel narrative: the triumphal entry.

On that day all those years ago, faithful Jews laid down their cloaks and palm branches before the returning king of the line of David. In Jesus, they placed their hope of a return to the days of glory, the restoration of the Israelite kingdom, and the overthrow of the Roman Empire occupying their ancestral land. Less than a week later, Jesus would be crucified by those occupying forces, the Hebrew Messiah executed among thieves.

It would seem their hope was misplaced.

We know better. Their hope was not misplaced so much as misunderstood. They understood the promise of the messianic kingdom in terms of political power, yet Jesus proclaimed an other-worldly reign. From our vantage point on this side of the empty tomb, the mistaken identity of the King of Kings seems apparent.

And yet, we still define this kingdom in political terms. We still misplace our hope.

The Misplaced Kingdom

In the first chapter of Mark, we discover the earliest proclamation of the kingdom of God. It is the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus, and He is careful to define what this ministry means.

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” ~ Mark 1:15

Like those who cast down their cloaks before Jesus, we recognize that the term “kingdom” is layered with political nuance. Our best conception of the English word involves a geographical terrain under the political authority of a powerful ruler. The kingdom is the region which belongs to that king.

However, this becomes problematic when we look at how Jesus speaks of God’s kingdom. As creator, all that exists belongs to God. The opening line of Psalm 24 professes this when it declares that, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” (Psalm 24:1) Jesus, on the other hand, speaks of a kingdom that has “come near” and prays that “[God’s] kingdom come… on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

So how can the earth both belong to God and not be part of His kingdom?

The Answer Is In The Terminology

Language is a nuanced organism, with layers of meaning embedded in any particular term. Unfortunately, these layers rarely (if ever) find a perfect match when shifting from one language to another. This requires one to use phrases to capture the entire meaning, but translating every term that way would result in an unreadable mess. Thus, translators often seek to find the best synonym which grabs hold of as much of a concept as possible. Unfortunately, not only does a synonym loses certain nuances, so does it also come with unintended meanings as baggage. “Kingdom” is a perfect example of this.

When Jesus speaks of a coming kingdom, the term He uses isbasileia. Rather than a politico-geographical region, basileia speaks of God’s dominion. It is His will and authority manifesting in human affairs. In other words, it is God’s reign.

And Jesus makes this reign known.

Putting Things Right

It is in the life and ministry of Jesus that we see what this reign truly means.

Shortly after his declaration in Mark 1:15, He puts on vivid display the divine authority of the basileia of God. It begins in a synagogue, where he stands before a gathering of devout Hebrews and starts to teach. As scripture tells it, “they were astounded at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority…” (Mark 1:22)

It continues in that same synagogue, as He encounters one who is possessed and casts forth the unclean spirit. The people marvel, whispering that “He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mark 1:27) Then, He goes on to reveal that authority in the immediate region, as “He cured many who were sick with various diseases.” (Mark 1:34)

Wisdom. Spiritual authority. Physical restoration. In all things, Christ displays the nearness of the heavenly reign, the basileia of God, restoring order to a broken world.

…But before he does any of that, He calls disciples.

This Is The Kingdom

In Mark 1:15, Jesus declares the kingdom. In Mark 1:21-34, He displays it publicly. But between the declaration and display, Jesus takes a stroll on the beach. There, along the Sea of Galilee, He calls forth Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be His followers. This is of critical importance:

The kingdom of God is not manifested in politics, but in people.

TWEET THIS

This is where contemporary Christianity often misses the boat. Like those who cheered at the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, we so often seek to impact our world through the politics of our age. Yet, the kingdom of God is not a political entity. It is a gathered community united under the Lordship of our King, called out of our world only to be sent back into it as emissaries of another ruler.

This is what it means when we declare Jesus as our Lord. It is not some pithy prayer or Christian catch-phrase. It is a decision to enter into the basileia of God, to yield our authority to the reign of our King, and to become ambassadors of an other-worldly kingdom in the midst of this one.

So How Do We Do That?

Allow me to offer five suggestions on how to become a people living under the reign of God.

1. Examine yourself. Never forget that we are sinners in need of a savior, and while our sin has been covered at the cross, repentance is a daily discipline for personal spiritual freedom.
2. Grow in the faith. Focus on allowing God to shape you into the person that He wants you to be before focusing on whether other people are who you think they should be.
3. Gather in community. We are not kingdoms unto ourselves. When God calls us out of the world and to Him, He also draws us to one another.
4. Acknowledge our brokenness. Despite our new identity in Christ, we will still screw up. So will our brothers and sisters. Be merciful.
5. Live the kingdom. Community is for manifesting the kingdom in the world, not for hiding behind four walls. Let the change that God has wrought in us, personally and collectively, be displayed in how we live.

This has always been how the kingdom has grown: not through the imposition of worldly power, but through the faithfulness of the called. We do not lay down palm branches to honor an earthly king; we lay down our lives to become part of a divine kingdom.

On earth as it is in heaven.

How do you live the kingdom? 

TURNOVERS

In many sports, and of course I'll be focusing mainly on basketball, turnovers are caused by acting before you think.  For example, a pass is coming your way, and you begin to jump the gun and plan your move before you even get the ball------and what happens?  You don't catch the ball, because you aren't present in the moment, you rather are somewhere else, where in this case, planning ahead is a bad thing. (0:

I saw this great post on missing a childhood, and I wanted to share this with all the people that read my blog.  I have a 3 year old daughter, and I can definitely relate to this.  Sometimes my iPhone does get in the way, and I need to be cognizant of that.  I get frustrated sometimes myself when I look out on a room of high schoolers, and I can't have a face to face conversation with them because they are staring at their phones.  In fact, what is hilarious (maybe not) is that they text their peers when they are in the same room.  Wow.

How to Miss a Childhood
*Keep your phone turned on at all times of the day. Allow the rings, beeps, and buzzes to interrupt your child midsentence; always let the caller take priority.

*Carry your phone around so much that when you happen to leave it in one room your child will come running with it proudly in hand—treating it more like a much needed breathing apparatus than a communication device.

*Decide the app you’re playing is more important than throwing the ball in the yard with your kids. Even better, yell at them to leave you alone while you play your game.

*Take your children to the zoo and spend so much time on your phone that your child looks longingly at the mother who is engaged with her children and wishes she was with her instead.

*While you wait for the server to bring your food or the movie to start, get out your phone and stare at it despite the fact your child sits inches away longing for you talk to him.

*Go to your child’s sporting event and look up periodically from your phone thinking she won’t notice that you are not fully focused on her game.

*Check your phone first thing in the morning … even before you kiss, hug, or greet the people in your family.

*Neglect daily rituals like tucking your child into bed or nightly dinner conversation because you are too busy with your online activity.

*Don’t look up from your phone when your child speaks to you or just reply with an “uh huh” so she thinks you were listening.

*Lose your temper with your child when he “bothers” you while you are interacting with your hand-held electronic device.

*Give an exasperated sigh when your child asks you to push her on the swing. Can’t she see you’re busy?

*Use drive time to call other people regardless of the fact you could be talking to your kids about their day—or about their worries, their fears, or their dreams.

*Read email and text messages at stoplights. Then tell yourself that when your kids are old enough to drive they won’t remember you did this all the time.

*Have the phone to your ear when she gets in or out of the car. Convince yourself a loving hello or goodbye is highly overrated.

Follow this recipe and you will have:

• Missed opportunities for human connection

• Fewer chances to create beautiful memories

• Lack of connection to the people most precious to you

• Inability to really know your children and them unable to know you

• Overwhelming regret

If you find this recipe difficult to read—if you find that you have tears in your eyes, I thank you, and your child thanks you.

It is not easy to consider the possibility that the distractions of the modern age have taken an undeserved priority over the people who matter in your life. In fact, when I admitted this difficult truth to myself almost two years ago, I experienced an emotional breakdown. However, that breakdown became a breakthrough that propelled me to begin my life-changing “Hands Free” journey.

Here’s the thing: You don’t have to follow the above recipe. Yes, it is the 21st century. Yes, the whole world is online. Yes, the communications for your job are important. Yes, at times you must be readily available. But despite all those factors, you do not have to sacrifice your child’s childhood; nor do you have to sacrifice your life.

May I recommend this recipe instead?

How to Grasp a Childhood:

Look into her eyes when she speaks to you … Your uninterrupted gaze is love to your child.

Take time to be with him—really be with him by giving your full attention … The gift of your total presence is love to your child.

Hold her hand, rub his back, listen to her heart beat, and smooth his hair … Your gentle touch is love to your child.

Greet her like you missed her when she was not in your presence … Seeing your face light up when you see her is love to your child.

Play with him … Your involvement in his activities is love to your child.

Set an example of being distraction-free while driving … Positive role modeling behind the wheel is love (and safety) to your child.

Create a distraction-free daily ritual … Consistently making him a priority each day is love to your child.

Focus and smile at her from the stands, sidelines, or the audience … Seeing the joy on your face as you watch is love to your child.

The recipe for “How to Grasp a Childhood” requires only one thing: You must put down your phone. Whether it is for ten minutes, two hours, or an entire Saturday, beautiful human connection, memory making, and parent-child bonding can occur every single time you let go of distraction to grasp what really matters.

The beautiful, life-changing results of your “Hands Free” action can start today … right now … the moment you put down the phone.

************************************************************

My life changed the day I stopped justifying my highly distracted life and  admitted I was missing precious moments that I would never retrieve. I imagined my daughter standing on the stage of her high school graduation and asked myself: When she is 18 years old, will I wish I had spent more time on my phone/work/social life? Or will I wish I had spent more time investing in her?

The answer was simple.

My hope is that this post inspires one person to become aware of how often he or she uses the phone (or computer) in the presence of a child. Please help spread this critical message by clicking “share.” By falling into the right hands, it could be the best gift ever received.

I really don't mean to make you feel guilty.  In actuality, I have taken on my own advice.

Grace and Peace,

Peter Joseph

THERE IS NO 'I' IN TEAM

So I have been fascinated lately this past week of all the hoopla on Sherman's post game interview on FOX after his team defeated the 49ers to reach the Super Bowl (and YES, it has been a very very long time since I last posted on my blog....been quite busy.)

This is a great article from the Huffington Post.  Good read:

"I'm the best corner[back] in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that's the result you going to get."
--Richard Sherman

That's the quote that got America talking.

The man behind it was Seattle Seahawks all-pro defensive back Richard Sherman, a guy whose mouth is about the only thing louder than his game.

In the moments after Sherman's post-game interview, Twitter exploded. People called him everything from a "thug" to a "disgrace," and even Justin Verlander - a professional pitcher for the Detroit Tigers - suggested that Sherman would get "high and tight" fastballs if he were in the MLB. On top of that, tweets and memes like the one below spread like wildfire.

#Truth I can't stand him!! The reason why I hate the Seahawks!pic.twitter.com/2IECYsANaT

-- Kelly Michelle (@kelly_MichelleJ) January 20, 2014

But from my perspective, the heat Sherman is getting is not just misguided but ludicrous. This is a guy who represents one of the best kinds of sports stories there is in the world: the rise from the bottom, the profound destruction of obstacles, the honest success story built by a foundation of hard work and loving parents. If anyone with a brain took the time to learn about Richard Sherman, and then put him in the context of the rest of the National Football League, he'd be a pretty hard guy to bash.

Firstly, we're talking about a 25-year-old who came out of the streets of Compton, California. Sherman graduated from one of the worst school districts in the United States, one that boasts a high-school graduation rate of 57 percent. In a country where 68 percent of all federal and state inmates are lacking a high school diploma, you could say Sherman avoided a horrifying fate. But to say he "got lucky" or "escaped" would be foolhardy. He didn't "just graduate," either. He finished with a 4.2 GPA, second in his class, and went on to Stanford University, one of the most prestigious places to get an education in the entire world. He busted out in a rocket ship. He went from a world of gang violence and drugs to everything that Palo Alto and Stanford University represent.

And where did Mr. Sherman get the work ethic to put up those grades and make it to a school that offers that kind of education? Probably from his father, Kevin, who has worked in the sanitation department for Los Angeles for more than thirty years. But you won't see that on Sherman's stat sheet, and you definitely won't hear about it when ESPN analysts comment on his post-game interview today. Most interesting, though, is that Sherman's story isn't a big secret. NFL Films has even done a short documentary on "the trash-talking cornerback."

So now, America, let's talk about Richard Sherman in the NFL. Let's talk about the Stanford graduate from Compton who has never been arrested, never cursed in a post-game interview, never been accused of being a dirty player, started his own charitable non-profit, and won an appeal in the only thing close to a smudge on his record.

This past off-season, 31 NFL players were arrested for everything from gun charges and driving under the Influence to murder.

Last year, Kansas City Chiefs player Javon Belcher killed Kasandra Perkins, his girlfriend and the mother of his own child, before taking his own life.

Week in and week out, we sit down in front of our televisions and cheer for these freak athletes to destroy each other's bodies in one of the most brutal games known to man. Most of us probably do it with a beer in our hand, screaming and cursing at our TVs in a desperate hope to change the outcome of the game. We ignore how the NFL's owners use our tax money so freely, and we don't seem to care much about the brain damage retired players suffer from every year.

Yet, when one kid who has overcome everything, one kid who was doubted by the very player he overcame on Sunday, decides to emphatically claim he is the best (by the way: he is), this is what upsets us? Man, could you imagine if this generation had to deal with Muhammad Ali?

Last night, when Richard Sherman went on his rant to Erin Andrews, most of America thought they were learning about the arrogance of another NFL player. But in reality, what Richard Sherman did was teach us about ourselves. He taught us that we're still a country that isn't ready for lower-class Americans from neighborhoods like Compton to succeed. We're still a country that can't decipher a person's character. But most of all, he taught us that no matter what you overcome in your life, we're still a country that can't accept someone if they're a little louder, a little prouder, or a little different from the people we surround ourselves with.

In the words of the great Richard Sherman, there is only one question: You mad, bro?

Here is the interview if you missed it:

Now the only comment I will make is that I agree:  is Sherman indeed any different from the Kobe Bryants, the Michael Jordans, etc.?  I am not excusing his behavior in any way, but let's put it in context folks.

'Till next time, Peace Out,

Peter Joseph