NextGenKent

This time of year seems to come faster each year. I think that is the definition of aging. I love symbolism and the messages they communicate and this time of year is full of them. Take the manger. Whether it was a feeding trough of wood, or a hewn rock to hold feed, or whatever you imagine, the couple made due with what they had. Do you think couples are still doing this today? Joseph and Mary were supposed to be met by family who were to house them because … they were family. Something always seemed strange to me about this story—no room in the inn. What? Did they think because Joseph took an “adulterous’ woman as his wife they couldn’t suspend judgment to help them? WTC! The expecting couple were coming from Nazareth because of the stupid governmentally imposed census and you can’t house them? Some family you are … Do you think couples are still dealing with this today? Angels are the spoilers of this judgmental attitude. They give the message of the Messiah...

Do you like to throw birthday parties? IF money was no option, name one thing you would want to have to throw an awesome birthday party for anyone of your choice. Would you want to have games? pictures? gifts? a cake for blowing out candles and making wishes? What about celebrities? Would you be surprised that several of these things and more were all at Jesus’ birth? You can read about the awesome birthday of our Lord in Luke 2:8-21 . Focus especially on the angel’s message in verse 14. Can you n ame another birthday party with the appearance of angels? Name just one other where the angels were praising God for a birthday to [ Spoiler alert!] the shepherds! No wonder at all of the Christmas plays kids want to be shepherds! Games: The angel of the Lord said, “You will find.” The angels sent the shepherds on a scavenger hunt ! The Magi were sent on one about the same time. This is a great game to have at birthday parties! They had to search for this baby. Gifts: ...

Sometimes I joke with my children about new days and I'll say to them, "If we were Jewish, it'd already be tomorrow!" 6:00pm starts a new day for our Jewish friends. 6:00 at night. I have taken several groups to tour the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation temple and they have verified that the day begins at night. Siting Genesis 1, and those words: "And the evening and the morning was the day." "T'was the night before Christmas" came to mind as I was thinking of today...for it is the night before my flight to Boston which means many things (leaving family, going into the unknown, missing family, starting something new, day-dreaming about family, etc.) and then it hit me. Jesus was born at night. The Bible says the shepherds were in their fields at night. The angels showed up at night and spoke the message at night. This just popped out to me: It was a Jewish new day! A new day had already begun with the birth of the Messiah! And boy did it! ...