Welcome and Instructions . Welcome back to our Facebook Church online experience for Wednesday, December 10, 2014. Today’s lesson is about the importance of symbols and how using them can help us understand and appreciate why we believe what we believe. This coming Sunday, we’re observing our annual Hanging of the Green service where we decorate the sanctuary with meaningful symbols and explain what they mean while retelling the Christian story. . As a reminder, Facebook Church is one long post. Whenever you have to leave this liturgy to watch a linked video, please come back as soon as you can. That will make this devotion more meaningful. Also, the dots between paragraphs are on purpose—they make Facebook provide spaces between the paragraphs, something that doesn’t happen when the dots are absent. After a time, hopefully they won’t be a distraction. . To help you and others have more privacy, I invite you to put on some headphones. Headphones can help you from distracting others, if you’re accessing this at work or even at home. . Please join me now for a word of prayer. . . Opening Prayer . Please say or whisper this aloud: “Almighty God, you have chosen to speak to us through prophets, wise leaders, and various symbols and stories. Grant to me now the ability to hear, understand, and obey what you have me to know today. Speak to me, O Lord, for I am listening. Amen.” . . Opening Music . Here is a great song that is also a prayer asking for God’s presence with us today. The band is MercyMe and the song is, “Here with Me.” youtu.be/1NlGUf3prw0 . . Reading Scripture . Jeremiah 19:1-3, 10-11a | New Living Translation . Read this aloud: . This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you. Go out through the Gate of Broken Pots to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and give them this message. Say to them, ‘Listen to this message from the LORD, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will bring a terrible disaster on this place, and the ears of those who hear about it will ring! . “As these leaders watch you, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought. Then say to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair.” . . Scripture Response . This is the Word of the Lord. Let us respond by saying, “Thanks be to God.” . . Video Lesson . Here are some interesting scenes from the movie, The DaVinci Code starring Tom Hanks. These particular scenes have to do with various symbols and what they mean. youtu.be/9hWzLksAWUI . . Devotion . Symbolism is as old as our religion itself. V.H. Kooy explains that symbolism is the vehicle of revelation. “Symbols,” Kooy explains, “are the means by which faith expresses itself when it interprets the holy, the eternal, the beyond; when it communicates the divine confrontation, claims, or its demands.” Symbolism is how our minds process what we see and experience and then interprets for us. Symbols in our faith include: the burning bush, the crossing of the Red Sea, the manna that fell from heaven, and Jesus’ threat of an eternity of weeping and the gnashing of teeth. These are all ideas and illustrations rife with symbolism. Today, many Christians identify with the cross on which Jesus died. They wear necklaces with such a symbol to memorialize Jesus and to be a witness to their faith. From the cross to the Eucharist to the Bible itself, it is a representation of belief, faith, and possibly even the divine. . The Bible is full of symbolism too. The passage from Jeremiah was meant to be a visual representation of God’s anger toward the Israelites. In the analogy, a clay jar is broken in many pieces to symbolize how the people of Israel will be broken and scattered about. It’ll seem as if there is no way to put it all back together again. Of course, that’s the whole point and God does indeed put Israel back together again. There are symbols through the Bible, seemingly on every page. Even the parables of Jesus are full of symbols. . What sort of symbols do you recognize this Christmas season? Do you or your family have unusual symbols that you use that others do not? Do you have a favorite memory tied to a holiday representation? . I offer my somewhat lengthy explanation of symbol for a couple of reasons. First, I think it is important to call attention as we identify the symbols of our faith and families. This season is so full of symbols—from the ornaments we hang on our Christmas trees to the chrismons in our worship services. That said, I also think it is important to be able to differentiate between our symbols and the real thing our symbols are meant to represent. I think it is important to acknowledge when our symbols replace the very thing it represents—such as our celebration of Christmas with Santa, toys, holiday decorations, and the displaced frustration towards those who say, “Happy Holidays!” instead of “Merry Christmas!” In a way, our modern Christmas has displaced the child born in a stable. But then, Santa provides a way for the more secular or non-religious person to celebrate the holiday and participate in the festivities. I get that. Shopping, gifting, and opening presents is a bit like the Magis’ gifts to Jesus—but instead of giving those gifts to the church or to Jesus in some sort of symbolic way, we give them to each other. A lot could be said about this misdirection. Instead of doing more of that, we simply acknowledge that our Christ symbol has been redirected in one way or another. . For many reasons, the holidays themselves are a time of intense emotions: either from extra high family drama, where family members are forced to confront their histories or the holidays may intensify a person’s loneliness and sadness. With loved ones having passed away and with the intense emotional feelings of the holidays, one’s feelings of lost love can be heightened during this time. One way to empower our emotions during this season is to reconnect our faith’s teachings and symbols with what they represent and spend some time reading the Bible, praying for the church, and involving ourselves in the true religious message of the season. I find that when I go back to God and remember what God has done through Jesus, I am filled with peace. . The Apostle Paul understood this well when he wrote to the Church in Philippi that when they get discouraged, sad, or worrisome, they should spend time reconnecting with their faith and thank God for what they have. For in so doing, “You will experience God’s peace” (Philippians 4:6-8). When we get misdirected or confused or swamped under pressure, God can restore the joy and peace in us when we return to God and are reminded of all that God has done for us. . The thing about symbols is that they can accidentally misdirect our attention—especially when we find ourselves thinking more about the symbol than what which the symbol represents. This isn’t a bad thing, per say. It is just a real thing that we need to keep in mind, especially during holy days that have a high emotional connection. Let us remember the joy of the season and be open to God’s presence in our family gatherings and personal dramas. This is how to make the season more enjoyable. . A second reason I share the importance of symbols is to help us learn what they mean. Sometimes we create or develop a symbol and then forget what it means. We go through the motions but the history and personal stories attached to what the symbols represent get lost. Or, we focus so much on family or the food or the opening of presents, that we forget the underlying story of the season. When we want to embrace the symbols, it’s not a bad thing to relearn or ask again what things mean. Symbols that we might need to relearn include the meaning of the Christmas tree, the ornaments in them, what do the hymns actually mean, and the meaning behind the gifts of the Magi. Understanding these symbols can help illustrate complicated or long forgotten theologies, doctrines, and beliefs. Symbols are not bad—they are pivotal in our understanding and remembering of God. But they must be acknowledged, studied, and used to be of benefit to us. . I hope this Sunday, if you are in the area of the Cresskill Congregational Church or any other Christian church, that you will attend our church or look in on those churches and inquire about their Hanging of the Green ceremonies. It is during this particular liturgy that the symbols of the holiday are explained. From the tree to the candy canes to the doves and many others, these symbols are explained to help us understand and appreciate what God came to do and how this season started the life of Christ. It really can help you appreciate the Christmas season more fully. And when that happens, the stress of the season may very fade away as you focus more on what God has done for us—and for you. . . Closing Prayer . Let us pray. . “Holy God, thank you for teaching me your ways in the symbols and stories of my faith. Help me remember your ways that my faith may be strengthened. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.” . . Closing Praise Music . “I Am,” by the David Crowder Band. youtu.be/77SuukJEJ2Q . . Benediction . If you are able, please say or whisper this aloud: . “Bless, O God, with your presence my life and service all this day long and when night comes, grant your servant rest and peace. Amen.” . . Closing Thoughts . I hope this service was a blessing to you today. If you enjoyed it, be sure to tell a friend about it or share about it here on Facebook. There is a new service every Wednesday afternoon at 12:00 Noon. . You can learn more about the congregation I serve by visiting my church’s website at cresskillucc.org.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:57:52 +0000
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