This day that the rest of the world calls New Year's Day is also the Eighth Day of Christmas (cue Maids a-Milking). On this day, the eighth day of the human life of God's Son, his parents took Him to the Temple to be circumcised and to be named Jesus, the name the angel commanded them to give Him before He had been conceived (Luke 2:21).
Although this important occasion in the life and ministry of Jesus is mostly obscured by other celebrations, resolutions, parades, and football games, there is something wondrous about this New Year's Day being Jesus' Name Day, something interesting about it falling on a Sunday, the Lord's Day, this year.
I'd like to suggest that this presents an opportunity to forget about silly resolutions and go with something completely different: as Jesus received His Name on this day, and as we begin the year 2012 with His Name-Day on this Lord's Day, let us resolve to spend the year a little old-school and remember that the years were once designated with the initials A.D., meaning in the Lord's year. How about a resolution that 2012 will be The Lord's Year in everything? In all that we say or do, wherever we go and wherever we are, let this be The Lord's Year. Let all our waking and sleeping, all our conversation, every day and night and week and month all be done with the knowledge that this is The Lord's Year 2012.
And let's see what the Lord does for us in this Year of His.
Notes from Sunday's Sermon April 10 2011
Did you notice how many people in the Bible are called "friend" to God? Abraham and Moses, I guess, and possibly also David and maybe Elijah. Not too many of them in the Old Testament, really.
And there aren't many in the New Testament, either. John is called "the disciple whom Jesus loved" so that would count, I guess. but before the Last Supper, when Jesus told the disciples "I no longer call you servants, but friends" there's only one person He refers to as a friend - Lazarus of Bethany.
Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary opened their home to Jesus and the disciples whenever they were in town. In fact, it seems as though He stayed there quite often. He must have found it a quiet place of refuge - a place to relax and kick back in the company of friends, and let the cares and worries of His ministry go by for a while.
We make a great deal about Jesus being our Friend. We sing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and praise Him for His willingness to receive all our cares and sorrows. But who of us is Jesus' friend? Is there a place in your life (or mine) where Jesus is just welcome to come in, to relax, to kick back and enjoy being in your company? Or is it that every time you (or I) run into Jesus you're asking for some favor or some blessing? Is Jesus as welcomed and comfortable in your life (or mine) as He was in the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus? Or would we be just as happy if He would update us on Facebook rather than show up unannounced?
Jesus not only called the disciples "friends," but because we are their children in faith we are His "friends", too. So how do I treat my other friends? How can I treat Jesus like He's one of them, too?
