{"id":5589,"date":"2019-12-02T17:58:17","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T17:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hatfieldroadmethodist.org\/?p=5589"},"modified":"2019-12-03T18:10:37","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T18:10:37","slug":"advent-2019-session-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hatfieldroadmethodist.org\/?p=5589","title":{"rendered":"Advent 2019 – Session Three"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advent Study 2019 \u2013 Session Three<\/h3>\n

Read Matthew Chapter 2: 9 – 11<\/h3>\n

9\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.<\/em> 10\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.<\/em> 11\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.<\/em><\/p>\n

The celebration of the birth of Jesus has over the years been seen as a commercial opportunity and a time for merry making. This is not a modern phenomenon as even in Oliver Cromwell’s time he banned the celebration of Christmas because he felt it had lost it’s religious significance.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Was he right to do this?<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Would any useful purpose be served if the Christian Church dissociated itself from the commercialised festivities of today?<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. If we did so what would Christmas look and feel like in our homes and churches?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    There is a stream of the commercial Christmas which portrays the events in a childlike and “cute” fashion. Some may even have reached the conclusion that “Christmas” is primarily for children and that is where the “magic” lies.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. What is the danger or harm in this line of thinking? Does Christmas lose its magic as we grow older?<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Do you think that the custom of exchanging gifts has got out of hand? Does the exchanging of gifts retain any religious significance today?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      We hear the sound of carols echoing through our streets and churches. We sing enthusiastically the well known words but do we consider what we are singing and do we understand what it is that we are asking for as we sing.<\/p>\n

      O come, O come, Emmanuel,<\/em>
      \nAnd ransom captive <\/em>Israel<\/em>,<\/em>
      \nThat mourns in lonely exile here,<\/em>
      \nUntil the Son of God appear.<\/em>
      \nRejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel<\/em>
      \nShall come to thee, O <\/em>Israel<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. What do you think you are asking for when you sing these words?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        How silently, how silently<\/em>
        \nThe wondrous gift is given!
        \nSo God imparts to human hearts
        \nThe blessings of His heaven.
        \nNo ear may his His coming,
        \nBut in this world of sin,
        \nWhere meek souls will receive him still,
        \nThe dear Christ enters in.<\/p>\n

        O holy Child of Bethlehem
        \nDescend to us, we pray
        \nCast out our sin and enter in
        \nBe born to us today
        \nWe hear the Christmas angels
        \nThe great glad tidings tell
        \nO come to us, abide with us
        \nOur Lord Emmanuel.<\/em><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. How could Christ be “Born in us today”?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Both of these hymns draw on the belief that Jesus will one day return to the earth.<\/p>\n

          Read Matthew 25: 1 – 13<\/h3>\n

          25\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThen the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet<\/em> the bridegroom.<\/em> 2\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.<\/em> 3\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,<\/em> 4\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.<\/em> 5\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>But while the bridegroom was delayed,<\/em> they all slumbered and slept.<\/em><\/p>\n

          6\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u201cAnd at <\/em>midnight<\/em> a cry was heard: \u2018Behold, the bridegroom<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>is coming; go out to meet him!\u2019<\/em> 7\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Then all those virgins arose and<\/em> trimmed their lamps.<\/em> 8\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>And the foolish said to the wise, \u2018Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.\u2019<\/em> 9\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>But the wise answered, saying, \u2018No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.\u2019<\/em> 10\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and<\/em> the door was shut.<\/em><\/p>\n

          11\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u201cAfterward the other virgins came also, saying,<\/em> \u2018Lord, Lord, open to us!\u2019<\/em> 12\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>But he answered and said, \u2018Assuredly, I say to you,<\/em> I do not know you.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

          13\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u201cWatch therefore, for you<\/em> know neither the day nor the hour<\/em> in which the Son of Man is coming.<\/em><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Do you find this promise of a return at an indeterminate date helpful?<\/strong><\/li>\n
          2. Does such a promise affect the way that we live our lives and the urgency with which we seek to spread the Gospel message?<\/strong><\/li>\n
          3. Would others looking at us think that we were wise or foolish bridesmaids?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

             <\/p>\n

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            Advent Study 2019 \u2013 Session Three Read Matthew Chapter 2: 9 – 11 9\u00a0After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went...<\/p>\n

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