Wonder
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
1 like•613 views
The document discusses recapturing a sense of wonder through reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ. It notes how Mary and the shepherds responded with wonder to the news of Jesus' birth and highlights the importance of pondering spiritual truths. Additionally, it suggests ways to recapture wonder, such as beholding something truly amazing like God, and experiencing worship, which can allow one to feel true wonder again.
![[re]gifted
Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t
Trade for Anything](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wonder-141213213753-conversion-gate02/85/Wonder-1-320.jpg)
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (19)
Viewers also liked
Viewers also liked (15)
Similar to Wonder
Similar to Wonder (10)
More from Stephen Palm
More from Stephen Palm (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Wonder
- 1. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 2. Series Outline December 7: Glory: Luke 2:13-17 December 14: Wonder: Luke 2:18-21 December 21: Hope: Luke 2:22-38 December 24: Joy: Luke 2:1-12 Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 3. Luke 2 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 4. Luke 2 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 5. Luke 2 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 6. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 7. First Point What is Wonder? Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 8. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (Luke 2) θαυμάζω “thaumadzo” 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord. (Acts 7)
- 9. Ravi Zacharias “Wonder is that possession of the mind that enchants the emotions while never surrendering reason...” Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 10. “… Wonder knows that while you cannot look at the light you cannot look at anything else without it. It is not exhausted by childhood but finds its key there.” Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 11. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 12. Max Lucado on Jesus’ Birth “It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.” Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 13. Max Lucado on Jesus’ Birth “God had come near.” Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 14. Max Lucado on Jesus’ Birth “To think of Jesus in such a light is – well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 15. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 16. Second Point What erodes our sense of wonder? Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 18. Luke 2 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. συντηρέω “sūn-tā-reō”/ συμβάλλω sūm-ballō
- 19. Ravi Zacharias Wonder is retained by wise pondering. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 20. Psalm 1 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 21. Psalm 119:148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 22. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 23. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 24. Third Point How can we recapture our sense of wonder? Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 25. It’s odd God. Time’s shoeless feet sneaked up on me and caught me by surprise.
- 26. The days of youth I knew so well are gone with the blink of an eye. Innocent play and laughter, tire swings and fun, those days were too soon ended when I thought they’d only begun.
- 27. Backyard friends were many Worries and fears were few. Hopes and dreams were not yet dashed. But life as it was then is through.
- 28. No longer tree swings, now they’re blowouts that complicate schedules and work as I recklessly race down the freeway in search of a paycheck and perks.
- 29. How I long for the years of my childhood, when life was uncluttered and free. Perhaps there’s a way to reprogram my goals and capture the me that was me. Greg Asimakoupoulos, “Longing for the Days of Childhood.”
- 30. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 31. Luke 2 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 32. Lessons on Recapturing the Wonder 1.We must behold something truly wondrous. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 33. James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 34. Lessons on Recapturing the Wonder 2. Worship puts us in a place where we can experience true wonder. Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
- 35. [re]gifted Recycled Gifts You Wouldn’t Trade for Anything
Editor's Notes
- Last week we began our Advent series entitled “Regifted.” We had some fun looking at an old Seinfeld clip in which the cast learn that one of Elaine’s boyfriends recycled a “label maker” she had given him and gives it to Jerry as a thank you for some Super Bowl tickets. Once Elaine sees Jerry’s gift, the gift she had given her boyfriend, she breaks up with him and calls him a “regifter.” We saw how this term is not typically a compliment. It suggests one who is excessively frugal and gives unpersonalized gifts… and let’s be honest, we’ve all done it! However, I made the point that Jesus is a regifter. He doesn’t just give us gifts, but He often gives us gifts that He himself received from His Heavenly Father. They are the recycled gifts you wouldn’t trade for anything.
- Last week we looked at the gift of Glory. The Father gave His Son a position of unequalled glory in heaven. And yet, part of the redemptive plan of God is that we will not only be saved from sin, but that we will be glorified. It is the final stage of our sanctification in which we will possess a glory and dignity beyond anything we have experienced this side of eternity. This morning we are going to open up another recycled gift, the gift of Wonder.
- 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
- 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
- 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
- There are certain words that have lost their punch in our language. One of these is “nice.” “What do you think of my new car?” - It’s nice. “Did you like the sweater I knit you? It took three months to do.” – Yeah…It’s nice. “What do you think of my finance? Isn’t she the best?” - She’s very nice. Kind of leaves you flat. Nice doesn’t convey a lot of emotion. I don’t think that this word was designed to hold much passion I think the same is true with the word wonderful. Think of the things we call wonderful. I had a wonderful time at your party. She’s a wonderful boat. I beta tested Windows 10… It’s wonderful. However, wonderful is not the same as nice. It means, literally “full of wonder.” This is a word that was designed to stir emotion and passion. It’s been overused, or perhaps under-appreciated. The sense of wonder is one of the most profound experiences of life. It is one of those things that we know when we experience it. My life has consisted of many mundane experiences. Mowing the lawn. Replacing light bulbs. Folding laundry. Installing an operating system on a computer. Dusting. Just life stuff. The things you have to do. However, there have been some truly wondrous moments in the midst of the mundane: Listening to my grandfather’s stories about his childhood in Norway, making skis out of barrel slats, strapping them on his boots and ski jumping hundreds of feet. Looking into Cindy’s eyes and seeing love in them. Watching Erik’s head in the delivery room looking from side to side and studying his environment before his body was even delivered. Climbing up the side of a fjord with my Onkel Enok and beholding Norway’s beauty for the first time. Watching a pod of orcas frolick in Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska. Climbing up Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire at 3 a.m. and summiting in time for the sunrise. Walking into Deanna’s room when she was three and finding every knob and handle incorporated into a maze of yarn. Walking into Deanna’s room now and finding the hats and plush animals she now knits with the very same kind of yarn. These are those breathless moments where we experience the sense of wonder. We know it when we experience it… but what is wonder? Can we put it in words? That question is my first point today.
- First Point What is wonder?
- Look again at verse 18: 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. The Greek word used here is the word θαυμάζω “thaumadzo”. It is a word that means wonder or amazement. The same word is used in Acts 7 as part of Stephen’s final sermon before he was martyred. Describing Moses before the burning bush, Stephen said, 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: That’s an example of wonder. A bush that is on fire but is never consumed… a manifestation of God’s presence after 430 years of silence. But what exactly is wonder. I think the person who has helped me to even think of asking this question has been Ravi Zacharias. He has preached about the sense of wonder many times. In fact, I heard him address this question the very first time I heard him preach at a chapel service at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in the early 1980s. Ravi is one of the few people to offer a thoughtful definition of wonder:
- Wonder is that possession of the mind that enchants the emotions while never surrendering reason. It is a grasp on reality that does not need constant high points in order to be maintained, nor is it made vulnerable by the low points of life’s struggle. It sees in the ordinary the extraordinary, and it finds in the extraordinary the reaffirmations for what it already knows. Wonder clasps the soul (the spiritual) and is felt in the body (the material). Wonder interprets life through the eyes of eternity while enjoying the moment, but never lets the momentary vision exhaust the eternal. Wonder makes life’s enchantment real and knows when and where enchantment must lie. Wonder knows how to read the shadows because it knows the nature of light.
- Wonder knows that while you cannot look at the light you cannot look at anything else without it. It is not exhausted by childhood but finds its key there. (Ravi Zacharias) Let me repeat Ravi’s last words: Wonder is not exhausted by childhood, but finds its key there.
- I experienced the wonder of a child in a sweet way this week. I was attending Chris Kuster’s grandmother’s funeral. Leonore was a godly woman who lived to 98 years of age. She was more of a mom than a grandmother, so much so that the family called her “Mama 2.” DeAnn brought young Faith over to ask me a question. She had a hard time looking at me in the face, the typical bashfulness of a child. But her question was so wondrous… “Pastor, how did Mama 2 ride to heaven?” Planes, trains or automobiles? I’m not sure exactly what she was picturing in her young mind, but it was the wonder of a child. I think that when we set up our Nativity sets, we get lost in the shepherds and the sheep, the kings and the camels. We forget about the child in the manger. We fail to ponder the wonder in His eyes. I love the way that Max Lucado describes this nativity scene and the months preceding Jesus’ birth:
- It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment. The omnipotent, in one instant, made Himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo… God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated against the amniotic fluid of his mother.
- “God had come near. He came not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were head by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. Just think about that moment. The first time that the Son of God looked at His creation through human eyes. The very first time that the Creator of the oxygen molecule breathed air into his infant lungs. The first time he felt the warmth of Mary’s embrace and the gentleness of her caress. It is the wonder of the incarnation, perhaps one of the most wondrous moments in all of human history.
- Yet, there is something uncomfortable about the incarnation. Like many wondrous experiences, there is an overwhelming aspect to this miracle of God in human flesh. Did Jesus burp when he ate too fast? Did he develop acne in his early teens? When he worked hard at Joseph’s side, did he have body odor? To think of Jesus in such a light is – well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It’s not something we like to do; it’s uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer. He’s easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable. But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out. (Max Lucado)
- I’ll bet you’ve looked at a Nativity set and tried to see the events through Mary’s eyes, or Joseph’s, or the even the eyes of the shepherds. But have you ever tried to see the nativity through the infant Jesus’ eyes? It’s really hard to do. And I think that there is a reason for this. As we move out of childhood and into young adulthood, we begin to lose much of our sense of wonder. Which leads to my second point which is another question:
- Second Point: What happens to erode our sense of wonder? I think that the best explanation I have ever heard concerning our loss of childhood wonder was in that first sermon I heard Ravi preach. At the time his daughter Sarah was seven, Naomi whom they called Nimi was four and Nathan was one. Ravi would read the same fairy tale to his children, but noticed a very obvious difference. Ravi described the child in the fairy tale walking up to a door. Nathan’s eyes grew wide. Then the child turned the door and opened the door, and 4 year old Nimi’s eyes grew as wide as Nathan’s. However, it took the smell of smoke, an uncomfortable heat and the image of a dragon on the other side of the door to evoke seven year old Sarah’s sense of wonder. Since that time I have raised my own children and seen in them that diminishing sense of wonder. But what exactly happens? It’s not that our sense of wonder dies completely, but it fades. Ravi states that our thirst for knowledge greatly diminishes our sense of wonder. We begin to believe that there is a rational explanation for everything and we grow uncomfortable for the mysteries of life. That is the tragedy of the atheist or secular humanist who believes that there are no true mysteries in the universe, simply gaps awaiting science and technology to catch up. Yet wonder can still be evoked in the adult mind, heart and spirit. It just takes something truly big.
- I can’t help but think of January 20th, 1969. I was on Long Island. It was 10:56 p.m. when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon. I was 10 years old. My mouth was wide open and my eyes were as big as saucers. My parents were in their early 40s. My grandparents were in their late 60s. We were all filled with awe and wonder as we heard the words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” That event transcended age… it was so big an event that it produced wonder in the eyes of every person watching the screen that night.
- 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. The phrase “treasured up” comes from a compound Greek word συντηρέω “sūn-tā-reō”. Τηρέω means to guard or watch something. But the prefix συν, meaning with suggests keeping track of several things at once. That is why our text says that Mary “treasured up all these things.” There was a lot to take in as Mary listened to the testimony of the shepherds as they recounted the message they received from God’s angels. The word translated “pondered” is even more ponderous to figure out. It too is a compound word, συμβάλλω. Βάλλω means to throw. It is also preceded by the prefix for with. How does throw with come to mean ponder? It’s actually not so far from our English usage. We talk about throwing ideas around. Συμσυμβάλλω is a kicking ideas around in your own head… it’s an internal conference where you take it all in and try to make sense of it all. That is what Mary was doing. She treasured all the things she heard and she ran it through again and again. The angel who visited her and explained that she, a virgin, would conceive a child begotten of God… she treasured that and continued to ponder it in her heart. The story that Joseph told her of another angelic visitation as Gabriel told Joseph to not fear taking Mary as his wife… she treasured that and pondered it in her heart. Elizabeth’s words to Mary about the child in her womb celebrating her child… she treasured that, pondering it in her heart. The striking of her brother-in-law mute for disbelieving God’s prophecy, and the miracle of his restored speech after naming his son, John, Mary treasured this and pondered it in her heart. How do we retain a sense of wonder? I think Ravi Zacharias was thinking of Mary when he said these words:
- Wonder is retained by wise pondering. There are times that God steps into our lives in amazing ways. It may be an answered prayer – perhaps even miraculous. It may be an opened door – an opportunity that God has clearly been involved in. It may be a restored relationship where God gave you the grace to forgive or gave someone the grace to forgive you. It could be a bountiful blessing, a clear calling, or even a fresh glimpse of God’s purpose for your life. There is a tendency to rush through life’s awesome moments the way we rush through a holiday dinner.
- David had a reflective spirit. He spoke frequently of mediating on God’s goodness. In Psalm 1 David said, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
- In Psalm 119:148 he said My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.
- The Apostle Paul encouraged the same kind of pondering, exhorting the Philippian believers to contemplate God’s goodness: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) Although it is difficult for us to retain our sense of wonder, it is not impossible. It just takes something really big to fill us with awe. What is bigger than the miracle of Bethlehem? This Christmas season, don’t rush past the nativity on your way to the feasts and festivals.
- Last week I introduced you to Tim Whatley, the “Regifter” on Seinfeld. Today, another twisted Christmas tale, the story of Festivus: Video: Festivus What is Festivus? It is Christmas emptied of all its true meaning. It is interesting that Larry David, the creator of Seinfeld, stumbled upon truth, even while ridiculing it. One of the central features of Festivus was the meal featuring the “Airing of Grievances”; an opportunity to tell people how they’ve annoyed you through the year. Sometimes art imitates life. Ravi Zacharias once said that one of the consequences of the loss of wonder is the loss of gratitude. Take away the miraculous birth and what is left of Christmas? Hustle and bustle. Holly and jolly. Smells and bells. Balls and malls. Frills and bills. Basically, nothing but busywork, tension and stuff to gripe about. The sense of wonder transports us beyond the mundane. It gives us a view beyond ourselves which forms the basis for a thankful spirit.
- Third Point: How can we recapture our sense of wonder? Friday was my 55th birthday. I found myself thinking about how quickly life is moving. I see the pictures which show the lines in my face and the snow on my roof and I can hardly believe it. Yesterday morning I was reading a chapter in Ravi Zacharias’ book, Recapture the Wonder. In it Ravi shares this poem by Greg Asimakoupoulos called “Longing for the Days of Childhood.” This poem spoke to me. For those of you who have a few decades behind you, perhaps it will speak to you as well:
- It’s odd God. Time’s shoeless feet sneaked up on me and caught me by surprise.
- The days of youth I knew so well are gone with the blink of an eye. Innocent play and laughter, tire swings and fun, those days were too soon ended when I thought they’d only begun.
- Backyard friends were many Worries and fears were few. Hopes and dreams were not yet dashed. But life as it was then is through.
- No longer tree swings, now they’re blowouts that complicate schedules and work as I recklessly race down the freeway in search of a paycheck and perks.
- How I long for the years of my childhood, when life was uncluttered and free. Perhaps there’s a way to reprogram my goals and capture the me that was me. Greg Asimakoupoulos, “Longing for the Days of Childhood.” As we look back over our lives there is a part of us that nostalgically longs for the simple wonders of childhood. Yet, in our heart of hearts we realize that we cannot recapture those “wonder years” of childhood.
- We are changed by what we know. We know that toys run on batteries. We know that the lady sawed in half by the magician has her legs tucked up tightly in the box and that the legs severed are puppet legs operated by poles or levers. We also have had to come to terms with the fact that some experiences of life are unrepeatable, especially the firsts The first kiss The first shooting star The first time your beloved says “I love you.” The first steps of a child. If we are to recapture the wonder, it cannot be from a reaching back. I believe that it must be from a reaching up.
- Look with me at verse 20 of Luke chapter 2: 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. There are two vital lessons here on how we can recapture our sense of wonder.
- We must behold something truly wondrous. A child can find wonder in a cardboard box… they might even prefer it to the toy inside. However, for us it takes something beyond grand to make our eyes go wide. For the shepherds, whose lives were filled with the mundane and the repetitive, God came near. A glorious angel spoke to them. I would not be surprised if this was not Gabriel. And then they beheld a multitude of heavens host. Of course their eyes were wide with wonder. God had brought the truly spectacular into their midst. But how does this work for us? I’ve never heard and angel speak. I’ve suspected their behind the scenes activity a few times in my life, but I’ve never seen awesome beings who radiate the glory of heaven standing right before me. You might never see a vision of wheels within wheels like Ezekiel by the Chebar Canal. You might never be caught up into the “third heaven” and see heaven’s glory, like the Apostle Paul describes. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot experience the nearness of God in your life. James, the son of Mary and Joseph, never drew near to Jesus until after His death and resurrection. But something changed in His life. He drew near and became a follower of his half-brother and Savior.
- James beckons us with these words that are both an exhortation and a promise: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8) Do you see the promise? The Eternal God promises to draw near. There is a limit to how many spectacular moments we can generate on our own. Few of us have the resources to fill our lives with African Safaris, walkabouts in the Australian outback, hikes past Victoria Falls, hot air balloon rides, skiing the Alps and sunbathing on the Riviera. Even if we could do all these things throughout the year, in time even these adventures would begin to have a diminishing return and cease to fill us with awe. Pascal was right when he said that “there is a God-shaped vacuum which only God can fill.
- Worship puts us in a place where we can experience true wonder. Notice the response of the shepherds… they glorified and praised God. Now, you might be thinking, I attend a worship service at least three times each month. And I don’t just passively sit there like a bump on a log… I sing… I participate. If worship helps us to recapture the wonder, why don’t I feel more of what I felt as a child watching a top spin? We rarely ask these questions out loud. I think we’re almost afraid that someone would look down at us, like we were ungodly, unspiritual, or at the very least a bad disciple. However, nothing is gained by going through the motions and missing all the emotions. It may well be that we have confused singing a song with worshipping God. Few people sang gospel songs as well as Elvis Presley, but the singing of those songs didn’t seem to have much impact upon his life. During the early years of my childhood I recited the Lord’s Prayer rotely and recited Bible passages and prayers without even thinking about God. However, if I am going to be really honest, that still happens to me. I can be so caught up in getting the service to come off smoothly, that I may sing four songs and not even reflect on what I’m singing or worse yet, who I’m singing to! Worship takes effort. I often find that when I am truly worshipping God, I struggle to sing. There are times when I simply bow or raise my hands, but my voice is choked with emotion. My heart is filled with gratitude and my spirit is overwhelmed with joy. In those moments of worship, I experience true wonder. And I truly want more moments like that, especially this Christmas season.