How soon, Christmas?

Thanksgiving is over.  As I write this, it is the evening of the First Sunday in Advent (November 28).

While there have been Christmas displays up in stores for months in some cases, and while most peoples' attention has already turned to buying gifts (anyone for Black Friday, Super Saturday, or Cyber Monday?), when is it appropriate to start with "Merry Christmas"?

(And don't get me started on the "Happy Holiday" thing.  Anytime someone says that to me, they get a quick and enthusiastic "Merry Christmas" in return.)

Last night I attended the Festival of Trees with eight family members.  It was beautiful and celebrative.  Trees and lights were everywhere, of course.  Carolers, Santa, live reindeer, and a special guest star singing Christmas music were all a part of the evening.

It was excellent.  And it was the Eve of the First Sunday in Advent.  Too early?

Maybe.  In the church we try to preserve the character of Advent as a time of preparation--a time of getting ready to the point of wanting to burst with celebration on December 24 and 25.  But my own home already features two Christmas trees, and whenever I hear a "merry Christmas" in the next weeks, I will smile and offer a like greeting in return.

Isn't it always Christmas after a fashion for Christians?  We proclaim that Christ was, is, and is to come.  That is as true in July as it is in December.

Too early?  Or just right.  Your call.

Merry Christmas. (I couldn't resist.)

Church Just Messes Up Holidays

This past week while in the car and listening to sports talk radio, a commercial for a local business was aired.  It was one of those "conversations" between the radio host and the business owner.

The businessman was looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday because "it is all about family and food."  While I may have a word or two wrong in the next quote, I was next astounded to hear, "Thanksgiving isn't like holidays like Christmas and Easter when church messes things up."

Either this man has issues, or I do.  There are at least two glaring problems with his statement.  The first is the most egregious.  Church is not something that "messes up" holidays.  It is the reason that there is a holiday.  If it were not for God's gift of a Son at Christmas--celebrated, oddly, with worship services around the world and attended at rates higher than any other time with the exception of one day--there would be no holiday to "mess up."  If it were not for Christ's resurrection from the dead on Easter--strangely again, celebrated at church in the other prominent holy-day (holiday) that brings more people to church than any other--this man would not have to worry about whether he serves red wine or white wine with his spiral ham.

Worship services lift up the foundation for the days themselves.  There is nothing wrong with family and food at Christmas and Easter.  But if they are celebrated without church, they are devoid of meaning.

Second problem.  At Bethel we actually do try to "mess up" Thanksgiving with a worship service.  More than 25 family members will be gathering at my house on Thanksgiving.  It will be a joy to prepare a 22 pound turkey and to eat and laugh.  Prior to that, however, we will be at worship thanking God for all his bounty.  After all, even Thanksgiving has a focus.  The businessman should look at the name of the day:  thanks giving.  To whom will you be giving thanks this year? 

Go ahead.  Mess up your holidays. You will be glad you did.

Adultery; Faithfulness

The Bethel confirmation program in early November had its 110 students in Bethel Hall studying the sixth commandment, "You shall not commit adultery."  Some people believe that the church has given up teaching fidelity in marriage.  Not true.

It is true that we are swimming against the current.  Our confirmation curriculum reports that the average number of scenes including sexual content in an hour's television programming is five.  For the most popular teenage programs it is seven per hour.

On television only 13 percent of the people engaged in sexual activity are married.

It is no wonder that our young people are swimming in a sea of confusion.

But here is a bright spot.  When these youth 13-15 years old were asked why a person should refrain from sex before marriage and why they should be faithful to their spouse in marriage, outside of one answer, the answers didn't differ from those that would have been common 50 years ago.  Why wait?  Why be faithful?

1. God expects it of us
2. We have given promises to God and to a spouse
3. We could hurt friends and family with inappropriate sexual behavior
4. It would kill our love for a husband or wife
5. Not mature enough before marriage
6. Could get bad reputation
7. Unintended pregnancies

Does that list look different from when you were (or are) a teenager?  The one answer that would not have been common 50 years ago but is a reality today is:  sexually transmitted diseases.  While they have been around for millennia, we just didn't talk about them in places such as the church a generation or two ago.

 So, in spite of the spate of sexual images, maybe youth aren't all that different in these days.  It sounds as if they are listening, learning, responding to faith-filled messages.

As the hour ended, the teacher, Pastor Andy Nelson, closed with this statement:  "This is not God's suggestion.  It is his command."  That command isn't going to change--no matter how far television or culture might go.  Thanks be to God that youth are still listening to the message!