Hello to all on the echurch list.
I thought you might enjoy this message.
Merry Christmas and may the Lord bless you richly.
Virgie and Hoshi


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "CD" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 11:27 AM
Subject: tse-friends Like Christmas, the Spirit of Christ is Still With Us


>
> Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas.
>
> Like Christmas, The Spirit Of Christ Is Still With Us
> By Doug  Patton
> December 18, 2006
> Recently, my wife and I saw "The Nativity Story," a simple,
> true-to-the-gospels retelling of the most familiar story in Christianity. 
> As
> we  walked into
> our local multiplex, past the throngs of moviegoers in line for the 
> opening
> of
> the latest fantasy action flick of the week (a flying dragon movie  called
> "Eragon"), I couldn't help but smile. As we made our way into the
> half-empty
> theater, showing the film that tells the story every human being
> desperately
> needs to see and hear, I thought to myself, "Isn't this the way it  has
> always
> been?"
> I thought of the week Princess Diana and Mother Theresa died. It was as
> though the media was annoyed that in the middle of the most important 
> story
> of
> the decade, the quiet passing of the gentle nun of Calcutta was an
> afterthought
> they had to cover. The attention paid to the violent death of the 
> beautiful
> young princess in a Paris tunnel contrasted so stunningly with the 
> coverage
> paid  to the passing of one of the 20th Century's towering spiritual role
> models
> that  I remember thinking, "This is just like God to take her at this 
> time."
> "The Nativity Story" reminds us again of the irony inherent in the fact 
> that
> God chose the humblest of settings to bring the Savior of all humanity 
> into
> this  world. Even King Herod's men did not think to look in a stable for 
> the
> king of  the world, and for two thousand years we have looked for 
> something
> more.  Something flashier. Something more glorious. Something greater. For
> those
> of us  who passionately believe in the truth of this story, it was a clear
> reminder of  why our faith is more than just a belief to be followed by 
> the
> letter
> of the  law. It is a life to be lived in the Spirit of the living God. 
> What
> could be  greater than that?
> Therein is the difference between Christianity and every other religion in
> the world. Virtually every other faith speaks of Jesus Christ as a wise
> prophet,  a great teacher, a good man. But scripture tells us that Christ 
> is
> "the
> way, the  truth and the life." Other religions are willing to acknowledge
> that
> following  Jesus is one of the ways to heaven. Christ says he is the only
> way to
> heaven. No  wonder he was crucified.
> Christianity also is unique in that it proclaims that its central figure 
> is
> still alive. Hindus think their leaders have been reincarnated. Buddha and
> his
> followers are thought to be part of some vast cosmos of energy. Mohammed,
> fiercely and violently defended as he may be, is still dead. Even the body
> of
> Moses has long ago turned to dust. Jesus Christ alone is believed by his
> followers to be physically alive -- even after having faced the worst 
> death
> imaginable.
> Far too many in our society reject the simple gospel presented by Christ 
> and
> his disciples in favor of alternative religions that teach vague notions 
> of
> piety through good works. Discontented seekers of new age solutions to
> age-old
> problems need only look to the truth of the Christmas story.
> This week as we celebrate the miracle of a baby whose life was given as a
> gift of sacrifice for all humanity, we also should remember that he is 
> still
> with us. Like Christmas itself, the reality of Christ persists and grows
> stronger. He was born, lived, died, rose again, ascended into heaven to 
> sit
> at  the
> right hand of his Father to make intercession for us, and sent his Holy
> Spirit to live within us. What a story. To millions of us, it is still the
> only
> one that makes sense.
>
>
> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
> "tse-friends" group.
> To post to this group, send email to [log in to unmask]
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
> [log in to unmask]
> For more options, visit this group at 
> http://groups.google.com/group/tse-friends?hl=en
> -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
>