For our final cell group, we decided to go through the famous Nativity story with a little twist. We are all given different scenes to draw out, storyboard, Marvel comic style. And so, here’s:

The Nativity According to Threeds

Scene 1

About two thousand years ago, in the town of Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Mary. She was engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter. One day an angel appeared before her and told her she had been chosen to have a special baby. The baby would be God’s son and she must call him Jesus.

Luke 1:26-38

Scene 2

Soon after the angel’s visit, Mary and Joseph were married. Mary was due to have her baby when they were told they had to go on a long journey to Bethlehem, which was where Joseph came from.This was because they had to pay a special tax. Mary had to ride on a donkey for a few days over the hills of Gallilee.

Luke 2:1-6

Scene 3

At last Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. It was crowded with other people who needed to pay their taxes. Mary was very tired and needed a place to stay. At each inn, the story was the same. There was no room for them. Eventually, one kind innkeeper said he had a stable where he kept his animals. They were welcome to stay there. And so it was that a few hours later, Mary gave birth to her son in that stable. She wrapped Jesus in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger full of hay.

Luke 2:7

Scene 4

At the same time, on a hillside overlooking Bethlehem, some shepherds were watching over their sheep. A bright light appeared in the sky. They were very afraid. It was an angel sent by God. The angel told them not to be afraid, because he had some good news. He said the Son of God had been born and they would find Him in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:8-14

Scene 5

The shepherds wanted to go and see the baby. When they arrived at the stable, they were filled with joy at seeing Jesus lying in the manger. They knelt down and worshipped Him. They told Mary and Joseph how the angel had appeared in the sky and told them that Jesus was to be the Saviour of the world.

Luke 2:15-20

Scene 6

Far away in the East, Wise Men saw a new star shining high in the sky. These men studied the stars and they knew this was a very special star. They studied their scrolls where it said that whenever a bright new star appeared it meant that a great ruler had been born. The Wise Men decided to find this new ruler. They went to Jerusalem to see King Herod, as they thought the baby would be in the palace. They asked to see the child that would be King of the Jews. The king was troubled. He thought this new king may take away his throne. He told them to return when they had found the baby so that he could worship the child himself.

Matt 2:1-8

Scene 7

The Wise Men set off to find the baby. They were guided by the star to the stable in Bethlehem. Here they knelt down and worshipped Jesus. They gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That night, the men had the same dream where an angel warned them that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus and told them not to go back to his palace.

Matt 2:9-12

Scene 8

The Wise Men went back to their own country without calling to see Herod. Soon after Joseph had a dream where an angel told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt as King Herod had ordered that Jesus be killed. They left Bethlehem right away. When the wise men did not return, Herod ordered that baby boys in Bethlehem be killed. They did not find Jesus as he was safe.

Matt 13-15

We touched briefly on this last week at cell group, a special mention of the movie The Golden Compass, now out at the cinema.

A few people have come up to me asking if they should watch this movie, whether they should boycott it since it opposes Christianity and it’s well documented that the author, Philip Pullman, has famously quoted that his books are all about ‘killing God’.

Here are a few more extracts from his interview with the Sydney Herald:

“I’ve been surprised by how little criticism I’ve got. Harry Potter’s been taking all the flak. I’m a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people - mainly from America’s Bible Belt - who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven’t got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I’ve been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God.”

It’s funny how Mr Pullman ends that. Hitler tried that kill-God strategy as well and it didn’t really work out. It’s amazing how dense man can get, in this tiny blip of existence that we think we can simply ‘kill’ God. I suppose in some ways, writers, poets, singers, literary figures might feel their intelligence being intimidated by the very mention of God. John Lennon thought Christianity will be extinct. Even Thomas Hardy, famed English writer, often wrote against God, and was cynical about the existence of God. I still rate him as my favourite author despite of that, and although I won’t be reading Mr Pullman’s book, I am certain that he is a small, insignificant, amateurish speck in the literary landscape compared to Mr Hardy.

Pullman further adds:

“If we’re talking on the scale of human life and the things we see around us, I’m an atheist. There’s no God here. There never was. But if you go out into the vastness of space, well, I’m not so sure. On that level, I’m an agnostic.”

He later softened his stance, probably for the benefit of this book and movie:

“That’s not to say I disparage the religious impulse. I think the impulse is a critical part of the wonder and awe that human beings feel. What I am against is organised religion of the sort which persecutes people who don’t believe. I’m against religious intolerance.”

Well, Philip, so are we all. Frankly, I’ve spoken to a few more people who are more vocal about their atheism that he is, but that doesn’t mean they cannot have their own opinions. Mr Pullam just happens to be one of the opinionated fellows who don’t believe in God and can articulate it well enough to write books.

However, separating the author from the movie a little, I haven’t read his books yet (it’s a trilogy called His Dark Materials), neither will I likely waste my time reading them. I actually don’t really enjoy children fantasy, in fact, I didn’t really like Narnia either and you wouldn’t catch me reading the book. The Golden Compass, however is a different story and needs some clarification.

Can Christians watch it?

Sure, why not?

Remember Da Vinci Code? I think the christians gave it a whole lot more publicity than it deserves. It was such a crappy movie (I recently caught it on HBO). We have got to accept that there will be movies made in direct opposition (subtle or otherwise) of our beliefs, and it’s really up to us to decide whether we want to watch it or not. Movies that are built on speculation and interpretation such as DVC or The Golden Compass isn’t completely harmless, yet, to go all out for a boycott would instead further underline the very lie that these movies try to propagate: that Christianity is built on a foundation of paranoia, or intolerance to any view other than its own.

I’m not supporting the movie at all. I’m just saying, let’s not over-react. It’s a flawed interpretation of God by Philip Pullman, and if you do watch it, do so with a certain degree of wisdom.

If you do bring your kids, or nephew or whatever, then make sure you know the story as well, and know how to answer them if they ask about the church, or authority or about why Yahweh in the book isn’t all powerful. It’s a different Yahweh, it’s a different god that Philip Pullman assumes.

Be careful about overreacting. Imagine someone coming up to us and say Star Wars is about Buddhism. Lots of kids might ask, but still a lot of kids are only entertained. If they do read and buy the series, be sure to ask the kids what they think about the book and to have discussions as well, especially if they are pre teens or teens, with questions.

Sometimes movies like these can draw more attention to Christianity, and all the better on how we can arm ourselves with knowledge to refute the flawed view of the world concerning the truth of the gospel.

Some good reading from the blogs out there:

Golden Compass FAQ
Reviewing His Dark Materials

Have you heard of this testimony? goes to missions looking to bless and instead comes home being blessed. It’s probably the one most, overly used, no-longer-surprising testimony of nearly every missions trip goer. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but we shouldn’t be too surprised at it, firstly.

If you were to ask me now why I spend a total of 2 weeks or more per year in Philippines, living in the mountains, at times going without bathing for a period of days, walking for hours from village to village, I would love to say I’m doing this to help people, and it’s a big sacrifice for me.

The truth is, it’s not really that big a deal. I think in some degrees, we do encourage the people there, and our ministry is relevant; but here’s something new:

Missions is also for OURSELVES. Probably one of the differences between missions and home evangelism or offering mission fund or praying, is this: You are allowing a change in your perspective. You are stepping out of your comfort zone, and often we can only know ourselves better after that.

So many lessons I learnt, and understanding I have of myself after each trip. Struggles faced and how I responded, sometimes good, and sometimes in ways I am ashamed of. It’s allowing yourself an insight into who you are, and in understanding who we are, we can understand the relevance we contribute to this world. We will never fully understand our own ways (Psalm 19:12), only God understands, but He reveals our own personality to us.

The blessing I have were the hard lessons I learnt, that I might apply it to ministry and to careers, in management. Is God and Missions relevant? Very. There is a broader vision of things around you. Not just traveling or experiencing a vacation or holiday, where the basic premises are still the same: money, necessity, activities, comfort. Some interesting articles I’ve read outlines this.

Donal Dorr says so poignantly in “Mission in Today’s World” that, as we have begun to focus on the recipients of missionary activity and not on the great work and great gift of the missionaries, we have come to understand that “mission is not just a matter of doing things for people. It is first of all a matter of being with people, of listening to and sharing with them.”

And so it is that, in the first instance, going into mission is not to “help” others or to teach others. Rather it is for nothing less than for the sake of conversion - but not the conversion of those to whom we go; its for our own conversion! And this conversion has to do with a fundamental change in the way that I view my own life - what I do, what I have, who I count as friends, what questions I ask myself, what issues I pay attention to, who and what I give my allegiance to. Somehow, going into mission helps that conversion. As a missioner said, “our viewpoint depends on our standpoint.”

Richard Rohr in his book, “Simplicity,” says that, like the blind man in the Gospel, we need to yearn to see anew. And for this new sight, he says “You have to run with your own feet to some place you haven’t been before - to a new place. You have to leave the world where you have everything under control You have to leave the world where everybody likes you. You have to head into a world where you are poor and powerless. And there you will be converted, despite yourself.”

“mission trips are about creating an opening for seeing and listening and hearing in ways that we are not easily able to do at home.”

On the other side of this need for conversion in our way of thinking, is the need for conversion to the poor and often oppressed peoples of the third world who are deeply in need of first world friends and advocates. Here again we need to be careful in understanding that this is a new call - we are not being called to old-style paternalism or colonialism.

The best in liberation theology has made it quite clear that the poor must be free to be the subjects of their lives and not simply the objects of our sympathy. Isn’t it quite significant that the US Bishops used the word “solidarity” to call us to new global discipleship? As if to say that we are not simply called to offer our neighbor charity but to engage in deep solidarity. Bishop Casadáliga in “Political Holiness” speaks of solidarity as political charity - “only those who make the rights of brother and sister their duty, co-working liberation with them, can be said to act in Solidarity.

” Solidarity thus understood, is not for a week or a month while we are with them, but for after we return to our lives in our home country. On mission trips we enter into friendships with the third world poor which can move us to live differently; to act on their behalf with a certain passion for justice issues. Dorr explains that “by entering the world of deprived people one extends and deepens the experience of ’suffering with’ those on the margins. And by doing so, one comes to share not only their pain and struggle but also their hopes… ”

Many today believe that we live in an era that challenges us to develop a global spirituality - a spirituality that has at least four basic characteristics:

First, a growing awareness of human rights and some initial understandings about human responsibilities to others.

Second, a recognition of the call to enter into solidarity and realize our interdependence with the poor, especially the poor of the third world who are often poor because of oppression.

Third, a deeper relation to God’s creation itself, the Earth and the people in it.

And, fourth, a greater bonding with peoples of other cultures and faiths as we see the commonalties of faith and belief.

Conclusion:
I am not saying that Missions is a NATURAL thing to do. Really, it’s not. It’s a decision of yours to make. Many Christians decide not to. There’s no condemnation from us; at the end, it’s between them and God. I can’t force you to go missions, no, it’s a personal call you make, you decide. It’s a step you need to have in faith. Most people never regret it, but its one thing to hear, and another thing to be that person. This is the only way I encourage you. Do not see missions as just a duty of a Christian, but believe in its relevance to the people there, and also to yourself.

2 Corinthians 4:13-15 (emphasis added)

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Siew Inn’s Birthday!