| PASTOR'S MESSAGE DECEMBER 2007 |
Read Matthew 1:18 - 2:23. When did the whole craziness of the "Christmas letter' craze begin? Do you receive
these? They're the annual state-of-the-family reports from people who send Christmas cards. I still receive a few
cards with just a nice picture; but most of the time, the sender included highlights of the previous year.
However, I noticed something last holiday season. The older the writer, the ore realistic the letter tends to be.
Younger families usually write down glowing reports: "Little Joey learned to walk, Sally can now ride her bike,
Sarah is now a straight A student at her middle school." This is all very nice information, but you really want to
ask, "are these people for real?" Even I know there's more to the story, Where's the 'dirt'. The 'not-so-good'
stuff? Where are the failures and the problems. Tell me about a few of the bad moments.
Then you receive the letter from the older person. I don't receive may Christmas letters from people with grown
children. However, these are usually the most interesting. They not only include the snapshots of the year, but
invariably they discuss aches and pains, medications, test results, financial woes and upcoming surgeries. This is
good stuff --maybe a little too much - but at least you get a realist picture of life. "Why paint a rosy picture?"
"Just tell 'em like it is."
Matthew just have been nearing the retirement home when he finally edited the pieces of Jesus' story into his final
Gospel He didn't pull an punches. There a few nice, flowing images. He includes a report of "righteous" Joseph
and wealthy magi. Those fit well into the Sunday School Christmas pageant..
But then we also read the rest of the story. Herod slaughtered most of the babies born at the same time out of
fear (The Holy Innocents December 28th) Joseph and Mary spend most of the time on the road, and the world
pretty much ignored the birth of Jesus.
Matthew's Christmas letter wasn't very rosy, but it was realistic. Maybe that's a story wort sending more than
once a ;year.
Pastor Steltzer
these? They're the annual state-of-the-family reports from people who send Christmas cards. I still receive a few
cards with just a nice picture; but most of the time, the sender included highlights of the previous year.
However, I noticed something last holiday season. The older the writer, the ore realistic the letter tends to be.
Younger families usually write down glowing reports: "Little Joey learned to walk, Sally can now ride her bike,
Sarah is now a straight A student at her middle school." This is all very nice information, but you really want to
ask, "are these people for real?" Even I know there's more to the story, Where's the 'dirt'. The 'not-so-good'
stuff? Where are the failures and the problems. Tell me about a few of the bad moments.
Then you receive the letter from the older person. I don't receive may Christmas letters from people with grown
children. However, these are usually the most interesting. They not only include the snapshots of the year, but
invariably they discuss aches and pains, medications, test results, financial woes and upcoming surgeries. This is
good stuff --maybe a little too much - but at least you get a realist picture of life. "Why paint a rosy picture?"
"Just tell 'em like it is."
Matthew just have been nearing the retirement home when he finally edited the pieces of Jesus' story into his final
Gospel He didn't pull an punches. There a few nice, flowing images. He includes a report of "righteous" Joseph
and wealthy magi. Those fit well into the Sunday School Christmas pageant..
But then we also read the rest of the story. Herod slaughtered most of the babies born at the same time out of
fear (The Holy Innocents December 28th) Joseph and Mary spend most of the time on the road, and the world
pretty much ignored the birth of Jesus.
Matthew's Christmas letter wasn't very rosy, but it was realistic. Maybe that's a story wort sending more than
once a ;year.
Pastor Steltzer