I can hear the reader's wheels turning already... what does this have to do with Christmas 2014? Bear with me... I just came from the 11pm candlelight service at our church and it is 2am on Christmas morn as I even start writing this...
I sometimes cringe a bit when I spend a few dollars for these pleasures. I do not smoke a lot of cigars by any means and an XO cognac for me is a rare treat. I would love to increase the presence of both in my life, but that would be dramatically expensive to continually partake in cigars and cognac on a regular basis... and it would probably promote more sitting and introspection... and that could be dangerous. It could lead to blogging of epic proportions while nothing else would really be getting accomplished.
Let's talk about the lap of luxury for a minute. I was reading cigar reviews the other day and came across an advertisement for a small batch Tequila that was to be enjoyed as you would a cognac. Intrigued, I looked it up to see where one might purchase it and how much it was. Any thought of ever trying it was quickly wiped from my mind. A single bottle was over $400. I knew that bottles of
Louis XIII cognac went for $3500, but I really was not expecting $400 for a Tequila, however well made it might be.
Louis XIII cognac went for $3500, but I really was not expecting $400 for a Tequila, however well made it might be.
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| Padron 50th Anniversary Maduro |
I saw another ad yesterday for a cigar. It was for the Padron 50th Anniversary Maduro. It doesn't come in a cigar box with 20 or 25 inside... it comes in its own humidor of 50 sticks. Here is the price tag: $5000 (basically $100 for each cigar). Trying one of those will probably not happen in my lifetime. Can you imagine? It would be like igniting a $100 bill.
Things like this do appeal to me but, thank the Lord, I do not act on things of this cost. I also hope that no one ever spends their hard earned money to buy me such an expensive gift as one of these things.
Even though told during the Christmas story, the three kings or wise men came at a later date. Many believe it to be actually closer to the two year point after Christ's birth before they visited and came bearing the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Jesus was not born in the lap of luxury. His first bed was essentially an elevated feed trough in that stable. His earthly family was most likely working class with heavy taxation due to the occupation by Rome.
Do you know what Myrrh actually was used for in the time of Christ? It was an oil used for incense in the temple. It was also used for anointing kings. Another use was in the preparation of the dead for burial (think about that last one for a minute... A gift of Myrrh for the King of Kings that could also be used for the preparation of the deceased... was this a message?).
Frankincense was also burned as incense in the temple. Both Frankincense and Myrrh were expensive, valuable gifts. Gold is gold... no need to explain more. These gifts may have financed their move away before the slaughter of the innocents. Maybe that same Myrrh had been saved and was being taken to the tomb for the preparation of his body on the morning of the third day? We will never know and to speculate could lead us in so many directions of which none would be fruitful. We simply do not know.
The facts are simple... we know that His coming was announced by the Angel Gabriel directly to the virgin Mary who was astounded and marveled at this. We are also told that she pondered these things in her heart.
One of my favorite Advent hymns (as we sing it from a foretelling point of view) is "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came," LSB 356. The first verse of this hymn reads:
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
With wings as drifted snow and eyes as flame;
"All Hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady." Gloria!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rimCxZzrgI
The hymn tells us, reflecting scripture from the first chapter of Luke that Mary humbly accepted God's will for her as she accepted the fact that she would birth God incarnate as man.
Christ was born into the lap of normality. God as man would have no palace, no ring placed on his finger in preparation of a future coronation. There were most likely no servants in the household of a carpenter, so his hands would show the signs of work at an early age.
These gifts were given and were probably used for something specific along the way, but the certainly did not change the need for work or highly elevate the families status. When Christ started His ministry, he walked everywhere where one could walk. He spent time crossing water in small fishing boats. He had told His parents early on at a young age when He had went missing the he was about His Father's business.
Fact is we can all lament or discuss what we do not need when the real fact is we have been given everything we need to go forth and do God's will, including salvation from our sins.
We do not need to wait for the perfect time, the right set of skills to be learned or for a time an place where we are happy enough to decrease the chasing our own desires and be the servants we are meant to be. This is why I cannot stand the errant theology of those that readily preach that "God wants you to be happy." That is not our purpose here.
I can chase cigars and cognac for the rest of my days. They may deliver me a deceptive sense of happiness for my effort as well. They will not, at their high cost deliver me from my self and my sinful nature. Only Christ can do that and He did it by paying the highest of all costs. I am ransomed at a very high price, and even so with Him knowing the sins and sinful nature of all He would save.
Christ is king of all eternity. He wields this power without the riches of this world. As His servants we are free to do His will.
Consider the words of two other hymns:
"Whoever seeks the Christ lift humble eyes and view,
a babe encradled in a stall, a little Child so new." - "Whoever Seeks the Christ" by Michael J. Meyer and John Behnke
"Since all He comes to ransom,
By all be He adored,
The infant born in Bethlehem,
The Savior and the lord.
All idols then shall perish
And Satan's lying cease
And Christ shall raise His scepter,
Decreeing endless peace." - "A Great and Mighty Wonder, LSB 383"
My wish for you this Christmas? If your a Christian, I wish you His continued grace in all of it's abundance much as stated in the common benediction of Numbers 6:24-26.
If you are not a Christian, my wish is that He still watch over you and convict you to learn of His saving grace for you. There are many who scoff at those who believe and see this as folly of the utmost degree... scripture tells us that the Cross (message of the) is folly to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved it is the power of God.
My happiness comes from my knowledge of Him and what he has done for me. We live in a dark world. There are bad things occurring around us and plenty of reasons not to be happy. Christians look forward to the day when the struggle for happiness on Earth ends eternally and when we will see our Lord. All sorrows and pain will be wiped away.
Everything that occurs here on Earth is just a bump in the road for the Christian as we know our happiness is not temporal.
If you are a Christian, practice your belief, partake in the sacrament of the Altar, repent and obey your God. Raise your children in the Faith. Stand for Christ alone.
If you are not, visit and ask. Doors will be opened to your understanding. The world is little more than a dark abyss. There is refuge from the daily storm in Him. Come learn deeply what we Christians know to be true. There is more to the Christmas story than a simple babe in a manger or a commercially warped Santa legend bringing gifts. There is faith in knowing that the battle of battles, the one for your salvation has already been fought and won.
I normally am not outright with this wish. Know that I do it our of Christian love and concern for you the reader. I am a sinner, and without Christ I am nothing. I sin more times than I count daily and there is not anything I can do to be worthy. Christ has taken care of that problem. I simply want the same for you.
For those who are my friends, know that I am there for you whether you are of the same beliefs as I or not. I believe God loves you and any sin of yours is no greater than any sin of mine, but in love, through the Word, with the Law and the presentation of the Gospel, we point out our frailties and those of others for forgiveness.
No riches or false happiness needed.
The facts are simple... we know that His coming was announced by the Angel Gabriel directly to the virgin Mary who was astounded and marveled at this. We are also told that she pondered these things in her heart.
One of my favorite Advent hymns (as we sing it from a foretelling point of view) is "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came," LSB 356. The first verse of this hymn reads:
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
With wings as drifted snow and eyes as flame;
"All Hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady." Gloria!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rimCxZzrgI
The hymn tells us, reflecting scripture from the first chapter of Luke that Mary humbly accepted God's will for her as she accepted the fact that she would birth God incarnate as man.
Christ was born into the lap of normality. God as man would have no palace, no ring placed on his finger in preparation of a future coronation. There were most likely no servants in the household of a carpenter, so his hands would show the signs of work at an early age.
These gifts were given and were probably used for something specific along the way, but the certainly did not change the need for work or highly elevate the families status. When Christ started His ministry, he walked everywhere where one could walk. He spent time crossing water in small fishing boats. He had told His parents early on at a young age when He had went missing the he was about His Father's business.
Fact is we can all lament or discuss what we do not need when the real fact is we have been given everything we need to go forth and do God's will, including salvation from our sins.
We do not need to wait for the perfect time, the right set of skills to be learned or for a time an place where we are happy enough to decrease the chasing our own desires and be the servants we are meant to be. This is why I cannot stand the errant theology of those that readily preach that "God wants you to be happy." That is not our purpose here.
I can chase cigars and cognac for the rest of my days. They may deliver me a deceptive sense of happiness for my effort as well. They will not, at their high cost deliver me from my self and my sinful nature. Only Christ can do that and He did it by paying the highest of all costs. I am ransomed at a very high price, and even so with Him knowing the sins and sinful nature of all He would save.
Christ is king of all eternity. He wields this power without the riches of this world. As His servants we are free to do His will.
Consider the words of two other hymns:
"Whoever seeks the Christ lift humble eyes and view,
a babe encradled in a stall, a little Child so new." - "Whoever Seeks the Christ" by Michael J. Meyer and John Behnke
"Since all He comes to ransom,
By all be He adored,
The infant born in Bethlehem,
The Savior and the lord.
All idols then shall perish
And Satan's lying cease
And Christ shall raise His scepter,
Decreeing endless peace." - "A Great and Mighty Wonder, LSB 383"
My wish for you this Christmas? If your a Christian, I wish you His continued grace in all of it's abundance much as stated in the common benediction of Numbers 6:24-26.If you are not a Christian, my wish is that He still watch over you and convict you to learn of His saving grace for you. There are many who scoff at those who believe and see this as folly of the utmost degree... scripture tells us that the Cross (message of the) is folly to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved it is the power of God.
My happiness comes from my knowledge of Him and what he has done for me. We live in a dark world. There are bad things occurring around us and plenty of reasons not to be happy. Christians look forward to the day when the struggle for happiness on Earth ends eternally and when we will see our Lord. All sorrows and pain will be wiped away.
Everything that occurs here on Earth is just a bump in the road for the Christian as we know our happiness is not temporal.
If you are a Christian, practice your belief, partake in the sacrament of the Altar, repent and obey your God. Raise your children in the Faith. Stand for Christ alone.
If you are not, visit and ask. Doors will be opened to your understanding. The world is little more than a dark abyss. There is refuge from the daily storm in Him. Come learn deeply what we Christians know to be true. There is more to the Christmas story than a simple babe in a manger or a commercially warped Santa legend bringing gifts. There is faith in knowing that the battle of battles, the one for your salvation has already been fought and won.
I normally am not outright with this wish. Know that I do it our of Christian love and concern for you the reader. I am a sinner, and without Christ I am nothing. I sin more times than I count daily and there is not anything I can do to be worthy. Christ has taken care of that problem. I simply want the same for you.
For those who are my friends, know that I am there for you whether you are of the same beliefs as I or not. I believe God loves you and any sin of yours is no greater than any sin of mine, but in love, through the Word, with the Law and the presentation of the Gospel, we point out our frailties and those of others for forgiveness.
No riches or false happiness needed.
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