What do you treasure?

Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Luke 2:19

And Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart

Treasure = preserve these things in her heart.

The word for ponder = “to consider carefully” and “weigh mentally”

She is weighing the ramifications of all this in her heart.

How to Treasure Christmas

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Luke 2:16-19

Verse 17 – Spread the Word

What word can you share on what God has done in 2024?

Verse 18 – Wonder, Be amazed

Luke 2:18 - 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds to them.

• What have you been amazed at this year?
• What have you Wondered at?

Verse 19 – Ponder these things in our hearts

Soom-bal’-lo   

Greek word for Ponder: 

Verb

The Greek word that is translated into ponder is actually a mash up of two words, forming the Greek word “sumballo,” which literally translates into “thrown together.”

Two uses of Ponder on the Gospel of Luke: Luke 2:19; Luke 14:31

Luke 2:19 - 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Luke 14:31

31 “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

How will you Treasure Christmas?

How could those we love vote for a candidate with such despicable morals?

The answer is not about behavior, it’s about the values we hold. Any of us are willing to ignore inappropriate behavior when a candidate pledges to uphold our value system.

In the 1990’s, Democrats justified the adultery of Bill Clinton. “It goes with the job of being in power” they said. Why? Because he held the power to promote their agenda.

The same is true today. Many are asking how can anyone vote for Donald Trump, who is also an adulterer, among other things.

The same question is asked about Kamala Harris. How can anyone vote for her when she enbles to the faults of the Biden administration? An administration that enabled the genocide of thousands of Palestinians.

The answer is simple. Political candidates hold potential power to promote our values. The office of President has to ultimate power in this regard.

Behavior, morals, and viscous language are irrelevant to each of us in pursuit of promoting our agendas.

“So people can say and do whatever they want?” No. Our behaviors have consequences on ourselves and others. The higher the political office, the greater the consequences on all of us.

“So, how should we respond?” First, understand that all of us are willing to ignore behaviors of candidates who align with our values. 

Second, know that those we oppose are also questioning why you voted the way you did.

Third, get involved in politics at any level you can.

Notice I’m not calling for unity.  Unity can only happen when all involved agree to a basic understanding of each other’s worth. Jeremiah 6:14 warns of proclaiming peace when there is none.We aren’t at a place of unity yet.

Here are notes from my sermon Sunday. If you are struggling with grief feel free to reach out.

The is part one of a 2 part series on grief.

Message Notes
“The Power of Grief over us” (how grief affects us)

Define grief
deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone’s death. (dictionary.com)

Grief is the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person. (American psychological association)

My definition: Our response to loss.
Meaning: we grieve no matter what.

How do we grieve? Ignoring it or living it

Most well known understanding of Grief
In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross described five common stages of grief, popularly referred to as DABDA. They include:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

What we grieve
Loss of loved ones,
jobs,
relationships (deceased or not),
the past.

Physical symptoms of grief

Common physical symptoms of grief
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/dealing-grief/physical-symptoms-grief#common

a hollow feeling in your stomach
tightness, or heaviness, in your chest or throat
oversensitivity to noise
difficulty breathing
feeling very tired and weak
a lack of energy
dry mouth
an increase or decrease in appetite
finding it hard to sleep or fear of sleeping
aches and pains.

The Power of Grief over us (How Grief affects us) (from Scripture)

There are some 20 Hebrew words translated in the King James Version by “grief,” “grieve,” “to be grieved,” etc.

They differ, partly, in their physical origin, and partly, in the nature and cause of the feeling expressed. the Revised Version (British and American) in several instances gives effect to this.

First mention of Grief in Scripture: Genesis 6:6
Genesis 6:6 “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

Our hearts break in grief

In the Bible, grief and depression were often associated with the breakdown of the body, and in particular, the eye:

Of all the parts of the body, the eyes are arguably the most expressive of human emotion. Tears flow from our eyes and they can become dead with grief:

Psalm 31:9-10

“Be gracious to me, YHWH , for I am in distress; my eye is wasted away from grief [v-ka’as], my soul and my body too. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my guilt, and my body has wasted away.”

Psalm 6:6-10

I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I flood my couch with my tears.

Job 17:1-7

17 6 “God has made me a byword to everyone,
a man in whose face people spit.
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;
my whole frame is but a shadow.

Job 17:6-8
The Message
6-8 “God, you’ve made me the talk of the town—
people spit in my face;
I can hardly see from crying so much;
I’m nothing but skin and bones.
Decent people can’t believe what they’re seeing;
the good-hearted wake up and insist I’ve given up on God.

Job 17:6-8
Common English Bible
6 He makes me a popular proverb;
I’m like spit in people’s faces.
7 My eye is weak from grief;
my limbs like a shadow—all of them.

Psalm 73

Psalm 73:21-22
(read 21-22, commentary on Psalm 73 and discuss v. 21-22)
21
When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

22
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Psalm 73
Begins a new section of psalms (3rd volume,of 5 total)
BOOK III
Psalms 73–89

The title of this psalm (A Psalm of Asaph) tells us that it was written by the great singer and musician of David and Solomon’s era
(1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:6).

1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 add that Asaph was a prophet in his musical compositions.

Volume 3 begins with 11 Psalms of Asaph

How has music helped you in your grief?

Psalm 73:21-22
21
“When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,”
Embittered = angry or resentful at having been treated unfairly.
One of the stages of Kubler Ross grief is anger. (anger at God, ourselves, the one we lost).

“22
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.”
Not ourselves

Resources on Grief
CS Lewis Book – A Grief Observed
Observations on grief on his dying wife.

Conclusion:
Grief has power over us, but we have too have power over grief.
Amen!