Sunday, December 30, 2012

Whatcha Doin'?


First Sunday after Christmas
Colossians 3:12-17

• Ten days of winter vacation, what to do.
Phineas and Ferb, Disney TV show about two brothers about ten years old who seek to make the most of their summer vacation. Phineas is the ringleader. Intelligent, creative, inventive,  friendly. Near the beginning of each episode some interesting problem is brought up, and the lightbulb goes on and Phineas says “Ferb, I know what we’re gonna do today.” And they embark on some fantastic adventure.
At some point in the episode, Isabella, a neighbor who has a schoolgirl crush on Phineas, comes up and says “Hi, Phineas, watcha doin?”

• Christmas behind, New Year’s ahead… Watcha doin?

I have a FB friend, doesn’t like NY resolutions that people just make for show
She posted: “I do try to be more like Christ every day. & I challenge you to live more like Christ every day. Can you handle that?”
My response: measure how.

• Christmas Eve I talked about pride and fear, and how Jesus delivers us through his incarnation and being Immanuel, God with us.

  & in this section of Colossians, Paul reminds Christians who are living in fear, under persecution, under fear of the church falling apart, under fear… You’re Baptized! God did not give a spirit of fear or timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline (2Tim1:7) You’re Baptized! You belong to God! God is with you! And That’s Powerful!

  Your baptism connects you to the life and death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ!

• Christmas behind, New year’s ahead… Whatcha doin?

• Read Col 3:12-17… Put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Put on love. Be forgiving. Be governed by the peace of Christ. Be thankful. Be a person of praise. Read it every day (there’s a habit you can track! How might you make these suggestions, these commandments, part of your every day?). Continually celebrate the birth of Christ, Immanuel God is with us, and continually seek him. Make him part of your daily habit as much as you make getting dressed a part of your daily habit. And see if it doesn’t make your life adventurous. So that when Isabella asks you “whatcha doin?” you can say “gang, I know what we’re gonna do today.” Christ the Savior is born, he lives in me. Glory to God.

• 163 As With Gladness Men of Old

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