As 2015 comes to an end and we look ahead to the new year, one of the things that I'm excited about for 2016 is reading through the whole Bible. This is something that I have done a few times in the past and it has always been a really rewarding experience, especially when it is done with other people. Not only is there the incentive/encouragement to keep on going through Leviticus and Numbers because of accountability to one another, but there is also the benefit of informally sharing with others who have read the same part of the Bible that day. In 2016 a few of us at CBC are going to be following The Bible Project's 'Read Scripture' daily reading programme. Again, one of the things that I'm looking forward to with this programme is reading/praying through the Psalms 2.5 times in the year. Then there are the short videos on YouTube that introduce every new book of the Bible and several key themes along the way.
If you've not yet had a look at what this programme is all about why not head over to their web page and sign up by clicking here. You may have visited this page already and thought that it would be really helpful to have a single page print out of the whole year which you could stick in the back of your Bible which listed all the readings and when to watch the videos. Well, they've included one of those too in the last few days. You can download and print it by clicking here. If you do want to read with others (either at CBC or online) then let me know and I'll add you to the group. For those of you who are already signed up and can't wait to get started - then here's the first video for Genesis 1-11.
Yesterday was the fourth and final Sunday in Advent - it was also our Carol Service here at CBC.
So far in this mini series of Advent posts we have briefly looked at the themes of hope, peace and joy. To complete the set we need to focus on love. Certainly at Christmas time these are themes that are not exclusively linked to people of faith - they are seen as attainable seasonal ideals within our wider culture. You only need to watch a few Christmas adverts, or watch a few Christmas films to know that our society is looking for hope, joy, peace and love at this time of year. And it expects to be able to find it. But as the wise men discovered - you won't find what you're looking for unless you're looking in the right place. Presumably, this advert from John Lewis, is encouraging us to show someone that they are loved this Christmas by sending a gift - but the Man on the Moon is still alone at the end of the advert. He now knows that someone knows he exists - but he is still alone. Part of the good news of great joy of Christmas is that we are no longer alone. Jesus was given the name Emmanuel - which means 'God with us'. And whilst sin separates us from God - Christmas reminds us that God came to earth to be born as a little baby, in order to make it possible for the divide between us and God to be bridged. God didn't just send a gift - he came himself. And he promises to be with us what ever it is that we're going through this Christmas. He doesn't just see it from far off - he walks the road with us.
God demonstrates his love for us by coming to earth to live with us and ultimately to die for us - not by sending a gift to show us that he's thinking of us.
