The Dirtiest Job

Meditating on the Incarnation During Christmastide

For the last three years, I've had the blessing to preach the last Sunday of the year at Grace. I love getting the opportunity to meditate on the Christmas season during this Christmastide; this time allows us to reflect with a little less stress than is often present prior to Christmas (see my post on a Twelve Days of Christmas devotional booklet). This year, my message was from John 1:9-13, looking at Jesus's determination to save us that is demonstrated by his birth. You can listen to the message and find a fill-in-the-blank outline below.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

A Devotional Booklet for Meditating on the Season

During the season of Advent, we look forward with great anticipation to celebrating the birth of Jesus, when God took on flesh and was born of a virgin more than 2000 years ago. However, often December 26 feels like such a letdown and we think, “What is there left to do but clean up after Christmas?” But we forget that Christmas Day is the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

When we think of the Twelve Days of Christmas, the first thing that comes to mind is the famous old Christmas carol of the same name. But, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the days between Christmas and Epiphany, the day we celebrate the visit of the Magi to Jesus. Last year, my friend Patrick and I put together a devotional to help us meditate on the meaning of Christmas over that twelve day period. Our little booklet of devotionals explores the responses to the birth of Jesus found in Scripture, both good and bad.

If you would like to join us in celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, please download the booklet The Twelve Days of Christmas: Twelve Responses here.

Rumors of My Demise...

…have been greatly exaggerated. Again. I'm still here, I've just been very busy on a web development project. I'm hoping to find time to blog on some theological topics soon. Particularly, “mystery,” the term “practical theology” and other odds and ends. One of these days, I need to return to my attempt to define what the word literature means too.