The Meaning of Christmas

I was asked to speak at a friend's church about the meaning of Christmas. I've been thinking a lot about it and what would be a good sermon. Christmas is so rich with meaning, beauty, glory, and power. After much thought I decided that at least for this year the meaning of Christmas is sacrifice.

Jesus sacrificed everything to save us, to show us the way, and to destroy the works of the devil. Because he gave up everything we gained everything. The magi sacrificed to travel from the east to see a baby they somehow new would change the world. And they gave that baby gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Why did they give the baby they believed would save the world something used for burial? They must have known and grasped that Jesus would be a suffering servant. He would save us by sacrificing his own life.

When we think about giving things up or sacrificing it tends to leave a bad feeling in our gut. But we're told Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him. The story of Christmas is a celebration. The kingdom of God is so radical because it teaches us to put ourselves at the bottom. The way of the kingdom is to consider others more important than yourself. What if we stopped working so hard to build our own lives constantly defending ourselves, talking about ourselves, spending our money on ourselves, spending our time on ourselves, and started working hard to build up others and not only our friends but even the undeserving. After all can any of us say we are deserving of Christ's sacrifice? What if our attitude was one of sacrifice, one of willingness to give everything for those around us for the sake of God's Kingdom?

Perhaps you've sacrificed in the past and it left you miserable. Perhaps you want to sacrifice because you feel guilty or because you want to win points with God. Those reasons have nothing to do with the Christmas message. What we need is transformation, and our only motivation should be love. God wants to change us so that sacrificing for others is a joy. So this Christmas I'm remembering that the way up is down, that giving is so much better than receiving, and that it's not about me and my rights. It's all about Jesus.

Only by God's Grace

I've known Kelvin and Azuriah Siabukandu for over 5 years now. I can't tell you how many things they have taught me and how much they have encouraged and inspired my relationship with God. One of the biggest lessons I've been learning from them now is humility. Kelvin is an uneducated man from the bush who had no interest in God or church. Somehow over the past 7 years God has completely transformed his life. He can now speak English, is a shop owner, and a pastor. When he opened his shop he named it "Choolwe" (Lucky). I was surprised he hadn't selected a Bible verse or a family name or something less common. He explained to me that he had selected the name because there was no good reason why he, an uneducated man from the rural area, could be a shop owner. "I'm telling you it can only be by the grace of God."

Grace is something I've been contemplating a lot lately. Some times it's easy to think that I've gotten where I am by pulling myself up by my own bootstraps. I work hard therefore I see good results. I'm a Christian striving to follow God and have been consistently from childhood because I'm intelligent, I work at it, or maybe I just have more faith than others. But it hit me that kind of thinking is completely void of grace.

Kelvin could have said he had worked really hard to learn English and that had helped him get ahead. He could have said he started reading books and trying to educate himself. He could have said he did his research from other shop owners to learn how to do the job. He could have said he managed his money wisely and scrupulously saved every penny to afford to open a shop. He could have said he just had more faith than other people and read the Bible and prayed more or that he had a better grasp on spiritual truths. But instead he proudly proclaims to anyone who will listen that he's just a nobody who got lucky. Of course Kelvin is always quick to couple his explanation with how everything good in his life is only by the grace of God.

So I started to think about what happens when we attribute all of our successes to our own goodness and ability. We become judgmental and proud. But people like Kelvin have an unshakable confidence and a deep seated humility, because their confidence comes from Christ not from within.

I'm not really a Calvinist, but in this area I think Calvinistic theology may be a bit more on point with my experience. If God hadn't called me how would I have become a Christian? If the Holy Spirit hadn't worked in my life how would I be striving to follow Christ? If God hadn't given me revelation and strength how would I have not stumbled or fallen away from God at some point? If God wasn't leading my life and blessing me with gifts and abilities how would I be intelligent, or gifted, or successful in any way? Apart from Christ I truly am nothing, but with Him I am everything! If I truly view every good thing in my life as something I haven't earned but just a blessing from God because of his unmerited grace how can I ever be prideful? How can I look down on anyone unless I feel superior to them and how can I feel superior to them unless I forget that anything that may make me seem superior is unmerited on my part, just a free gift, just me getting lucky? I thank God for His grace and pray that others may experience it too.

Just Another Day at Church

I grasp my hands together tighter as I desperately try to keep the flailing woman somewhat still and upright as she forcefully attempts to knock herself, me, and several others down on the dirt floor of the small church in Chabwino (a chinyanja word meaning "it is good"). She's probably around my age, but much smaller. At that moment she seemed to have the strength of 10 people though. Luckily she was more interested in taunting us than escaping. And by "she" I don't actually mean the woman who is named Prisca, I mean the demonic spirits who have taken over her body.

Demon possession and exorcism may seem more like topics for horror movies to many Americans, but having grown up in Africa demons manifesting in church seem as normal to me as flowers blooming in spring. Prisca isn't a member of our small church in Chabwino. A friend had convinced her to come since we had a special guest worship leader, Keswel Malimba, who thanks to Namwianga radio has become popular in the area. We had a powerful service and the pastor invited those with special needs to come forward for prayer. Prisca along with dozens of others came forward. She knew she was possessed and came forward to ask for deliverance. As soon as Keswel started praying for her I guess in a sense literally "all hell broke lose."

Because dealing with demon possession in a Bible believing African church becomes so routine we have it down to a science. Our faithful members spring into action to help. If it's a woman she probably has a baby tied to her back who needs to be removed and cared for first of all. Sound easy enough but when the woman has supernatural strength and is flailing around it takes a few people. We need the men for their strength. You would never believe how strong these people get unless you've experienced it. We need the women because of the modesty issues. Women tie chitenge material at the bottom of the woman's skirt to try to keep it from riding up. They also wrap chitenge material around the woman's waist to keep her stomach from being exposed. Woman push down the woman's knees and thighs to keep her from hurting herself or others and also to keep her from getting away. Men hold the woman by her arms desperately trying to keep her somewhat still.

By the end of it I sat down with Prisca who was visibly shaken by the experience. I asked her in my broken Tonga about her life. She thanked me for casting out the demons and asked if I'd be in prayer for her family. She told me she was going to become our member and be in church every Sunday and that she wanted me to pray that her husband would agree to start coming with her. She thanked me, we shared some chibwantu (a genius drink made from water, maize porridge, and a root called munkoyo), and then she went home.

There were over a hundred people in our tiny little church on Sunday. Our church 6 months ago had 20 people on a good Sunday. It's been so encouraging to be a part of it. I also thank God that although we still deal with plenty of demon possessed people they are nearly always visitors and not our members. I think we are doing something right and the people are learning a life given completely to Jesus is the best way to live.