Christmas is a time for Celebration, Salvation, and Reconciliation. These are the three main points to Rick Warren's book "The Purpose of Christmas".“First, he (the angel) said ‘I bring you good news of great joy.’ It’s a time for celebration,” explains Warren. “And then he says, ‘for on this day is born to you a savior, who is Christ the Lord.’ It’s a time for salvation. And then he says ‘Peace on earth; goodwill toward men.’ It’s a time for reconciliation."
This book I read as a part of my church group. We read it over four weeks with intention to discuss the book each week. Sadly, the plague, hit our group and we actually only met one week for discussion. Anyway, the book's intended audience is non-believers. But as a current believer I can say that I got a lot from this book. Rick Warren had some witty acronyms that made we rethink words. For example, GRACE is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. WOW! What a remarkable way to rethink God's grace.
I had to return the book to the library, so I will do the best I can to sum up this book without it as a reference.
First of all we NEED to celebrate Christmas. This is a time to rejoice for all of God's good works and gifts that have been given to us through Jesus. God WANTS us to enjoy life. Why else do you think Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine at a wedding? He wants us to rejoice in our many blessings of life and fellowship with others--share God's blessings.
Secondly, we need to recognize how, without the birth of Jesus, we would not have salvation. Jesus came to save all of us--and we ALL need to be saved. No one is better than anyone else, we all have sinned and we all need to make that right with God. And honestly, how much easier is life when you recognize that you are NOT perfect and that someone LOVES you no matter what you do and is ALWAYS waiting for you to return to him. Even our human parents don't fulfill all those unconditional requirements (though they can get close.)
Finally--and this point stood out the most to me--we need to reconcile any relationships we have cut off or torn apart. I think the biggest mix-up with the word reconciliation is people assume that to reconcile you must resolve the problem that you had. Rick Warren says you don't. To reconcile means to fix the relationship and that doesn't necessarily mean fixing the problem. Jesus said "Blessed are the Peacemakers." We are here to share and have peace with everyone. Most people believe that means we must all be on the same wavelength and in agreement with everything, but it is possible to have a peaceable relationship without always being in agreement. Not to mention, how are we supposed to share Jesus with someone we have cut off ourselves from. It is not our job to judge others-it is God's. Our job is to show God's love and acceptance to all--just like he showed us.
For us as christians, we need to ALWAYS keep the door open to everyone--meaning maintaining a relationship with all.
(I have to interject into this last part really quick. Rick Warren words this last chapter "Reconciliation" so much better than I am summing it up. If you read any part of this book--read this last part. It is a quick and easy read--maybe 15 minutes or so. Not to mention the whole book is a pretty quick read.)
Many people believe that to achieve peace we need to educate. Rick Warren points out that these educated countries are having more wars than ever. In fact education has only led to more high tech ways of attack, destruction, and murder. The only true was to peace is for us all to be like Jesus and be peacemakers. It is okay to agree to disagree. God will have the ultimate answer in the end. In the meantime, we should spend our time praying and focusing on God to perhaps reveal the solution, or resolve the problem in our lifetime.
To sum this book up, I was really touched by Warren's emphasis on the need to reconcile. I am as guilty as anyone else for cutting off relationships. This coming year - 2010 - I resolve to keep relationships with all and to fix any that I have lost. I want to be one of those "Blessed Peacemakers." And I can only imagine how much more peaceful my life will be when I let God work through me to reveal himself to others.
This book I read as a part of my church group. We read it over four weeks with intention to discuss the book each week. Sadly, the plague, hit our group and we actually only met one week for discussion. Anyway, the book's intended audience is non-believers. But as a current believer I can say that I got a lot from this book. Rick Warren had some witty acronyms that made we rethink words. For example, GRACE is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. WOW! What a remarkable way to rethink God's grace.
I had to return the book to the library, so I will do the best I can to sum up this book without it as a reference.
First of all we NEED to celebrate Christmas. This is a time to rejoice for all of God's good works and gifts that have been given to us through Jesus. God WANTS us to enjoy life. Why else do you think Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine at a wedding? He wants us to rejoice in our many blessings of life and fellowship with others--share God's blessings.
Secondly, we need to recognize how, without the birth of Jesus, we would not have salvation. Jesus came to save all of us--and we ALL need to be saved. No one is better than anyone else, we all have sinned and we all need to make that right with God. And honestly, how much easier is life when you recognize that you are NOT perfect and that someone LOVES you no matter what you do and is ALWAYS waiting for you to return to him. Even our human parents don't fulfill all those unconditional requirements (though they can get close.)
Finally--and this point stood out the most to me--we need to reconcile any relationships we have cut off or torn apart. I think the biggest mix-up with the word reconciliation is people assume that to reconcile you must resolve the problem that you had. Rick Warren says you don't. To reconcile means to fix the relationship and that doesn't necessarily mean fixing the problem. Jesus said "Blessed are the Peacemakers." We are here to share and have peace with everyone. Most people believe that means we must all be on the same wavelength and in agreement with everything, but it is possible to have a peaceable relationship without always being in agreement. Not to mention, how are we supposed to share Jesus with someone we have cut off ourselves from. It is not our job to judge others-it is God's. Our job is to show God's love and acceptance to all--just like he showed us.
For us as christians, we need to ALWAYS keep the door open to everyone--meaning maintaining a relationship with all.
(I have to interject into this last part really quick. Rick Warren words this last chapter "Reconciliation" so much better than I am summing it up. If you read any part of this book--read this last part. It is a quick and easy read--maybe 15 minutes or so. Not to mention the whole book is a pretty quick read.)
Many people believe that to achieve peace we need to educate. Rick Warren points out that these educated countries are having more wars than ever. In fact education has only led to more high tech ways of attack, destruction, and murder. The only true was to peace is for us all to be like Jesus and be peacemakers. It is okay to agree to disagree. God will have the ultimate answer in the end. In the meantime, we should spend our time praying and focusing on God to perhaps reveal the solution, or resolve the problem in our lifetime.
To sum this book up, I was really touched by Warren's emphasis on the need to reconcile. I am as guilty as anyone else for cutting off relationships. This coming year - 2010 - I resolve to keep relationships with all and to fix any that I have lost. I want to be one of those "Blessed Peacemakers." And I can only imagine how much more peaceful my life will be when I let God work through me to reveal himself to others.
1 comment:
Nice summary Jess - thank you. It is too bad we didn't get to discuss it more - I really enjoyed the book. We had to take ours back to the library, too.
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