The Dignity of Work
by Michael Dearinger
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We go through the same routines year after year. We’ve done it long enough that we know what to expect and what is expected of us. It’s called tradition (or a rut depending on how you look at it). We are even being pushed by a growing secular society to pretend that it is not about Jesus but about holiday cheer and good will. But even if we resist the bullying of those who want to keep Christ out of Christmas, I wonder if somehow we still miss Him.
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter twelve, Jesus tells His audience three times, “Something greater is here”. The implication was that in spite of how they think they have everything figured out that they were missing “something greater”.
The truth is Jesus’ coming was so that God could be “with us” (Emmanuel, Mat 1:23). He is immanent – very present. The problem is we are too often unaware of that. The simplicity of Jesus message was that wherever we are and whatever we are doing there is always “something greater here”. He said, “It is here”, that is, within our grasp. It is near us, around us, surrounding us. We are too quick to settle for mediocrity – to accept that this is all there is when all the while Jesus message is “something greater is here”.
Jesus audience was missing it when the “something greater” was standing in their midst. How many times though do we miss Him as Jacob did when he declared, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not” (Gen 28:16)?
Christmas can be a time when we get so caught up in traditional festivities that we are oblivious to “something greater” that “is here” and now.
We become captivated by the splendor and color of the decorations while missing the glory of the Lord in our midst.
We become enticed by the sales and shop with frenzy while the gift of His presence is passed over.
We happily sing the traditional songs of Christmas while being deaf to the songs He is joyfully singing over us (Zep 3:17)
We don our gay apparel and join in the merriment of the endless parties oblivious to the feast He has prepared for us.
As I write this, I set aside my pen. I pause and remind myself once again these words – something greater is here.
And I invite you the reader to pause and close your eyes and in the midst of all that is going on in your life right now, allow yourself to dare to believe and to declare – something greater is here!
3 Comments
Amen!
David
December 14, 2011 at 3:17 pm
Thank you, Pastor Mike. Something greater IS …within and extending without. Thank God for eyes and ears awakening from an ancient slumber of separation, lack and fear. I was reading the following scripture and thought it went well with last Sunday’s message… and next to him, and next to him, and next to him … they all fit together to build back the wall surrounding the city.
The New Man – THE CHRIST – The Mystery Revealed
… being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit… speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ… from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love…all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, … predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself… by which He made us accepted in the Beloved …that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him …the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance… and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL.
Compiled from the book of Ephesians NKJ
Debbie
August 28, 2012 at 11:02 am
Amen! and Thank you again!
Jack Mc
March 2, 2013 at 7:48 am