The wonderful truth, the magnificent truth, the incredible truth of the Christmas story is that God came to this hopeless, blinded, wayward world dressed in robes of humanity to live with us and suffer for us and die in our place. God dwelt among us as a babe, as a toddler, as a child, as a teenager, as a working young adult. He identified with our suffering, divided, and uncaring world. He revealed himself to us so we could know him through his words and deeds. He came to make salvation and union with God possible. Without the incarnation there would be no salvation, as much as without the cross and empty tomb there would be no redemption.
There are many characters or “lampstands” in the Christmas story: Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, wise men, shepherds, Simeon, and Anna. However, when we preach about the characters in the Christmas story we need to hold before the congregation the main thing: Jesus was God incarnate who came to reconcile rebellious humankind to himself. The characters were like menorah lampstands shedding light together so that we can all see that God sent Jesus to save us from all our sins.
Without ignoring this contextual truth, we can look at some smaller picture highlights and use them as focused points of relevance. I am thinking of all the seniors. There are four of them and their journeys lend secondary insights that we could apply to lives of seniors today.
There are so many seniors in the churches in Singapore. During the heyday of the revival among evangelicals and the charismatics many youths came and followed Christ fervently. Most of these people are now gray-haired and white-haired and no-haired in our churches. If ladies stop dyeing their hair for a year we will indeed get a clearer impression of the ageing of our congregations. And there is a spirituality for seniors just as there is one for the kids in Sunday School. The seniors have to learn to navigate in a godly way some of the transitions and experiences they will encounter from 55 to 95. The four inspiring seniors in the Christmas story addresses some of them.
Disappointed Faith Restored
Seniors will face a faith challenge. As they near the end of their life, they will think more deeply about faith and life after death. They will think about God, about religion, and about death and eternity. Zechariah’s story of a disappointed faith restored is a good story to inspire people to think about the quality of their own personal faith, and how God wants to assure them when they have doubts.
A Vibrant Faith in the Latter Years
Elizabeth’s story is one of deep disappointment, shame, sadness and barrenness. She would have often recalled her past and felt she had failed to make a meaningful life. However, the angel came along and intercepted her pain and tears and delivered the impossible. In her senior years, her life took on purpose and meaning for she and her husband would have the privilege of rearing John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah. This inspiring senior prods us to realize that even in senior years and beyond retirement there can be a higher purpose and great weight attached to living out our faith till death or Jesus comes.
Live Well to Die Well
Simeon was another godly senior, a prophet without a card. A man ahead of his time. 400 years of silence – no prophetic word to Israel. Suddenly Simeon filled with the Spirit, guided by the Spirit declares by the Spirt the destiny of the child Jesus when the parents came to do Mary’s purification rites and the child’s dedication. Then he prays, Lord I am now ready to go home. I am ready to die. I have seen the Messiah and it is enough. Simeon was able to pray like that because he lived well –he walked in the Spirit and did not gratify the lusts of the flesh. Seniors in our churches need to learn to live well so that they can die well.
Endings and New Beginnings
Finally, there was Anna. Great material for inspiring seniors. Seniors will need to learn to grieve well for they will lose loved ones, lose health, lose investments, lose their beauty and they would need to learn to grieve well. As well as Anna who lost her husband at the probable age of 21 after seven years of marriage. The text is silent after that but indications are that she grieved well and had no bitterness towards God or man for she spent her years in dedicated prayers and fasting, serving God and his people and the Temple. What an inspiring elder.
Advent has four Sundays leading up to Christmas day. Do consider preaching a series on inspiring seniors in the Christmas story. Singapore churches need to hear a relevant word for them. Let’s not always focus on the young; speak up to meet the needs of the elderly and inspire them to finish well.
Postscript: Here are more Advent Sermons that will inspire women of all ages and stages of life.
The grandeur and beauty of the Japanese Alpine route is impressive. I supposed any other scenery from hence would be an anticlimax. From Tateyama we went to visit the nearby Kurobe Gorge still in the northern part of the Japanese Alps. There is a railway that operates along the scenic gorge area in Toyama Prefecture. This railway used to serve the construction of the Kurobe Dam but now it brought tourists like me to take a one and a half hours’ train ride through forested ravines with steep cliffs, scores of bridges and tunnels.
Waiting for the train – one of the few privately owned train companies.(Credits: Ruby)
The train cars were open sided.(Credits: Ruby)
Pine trees along the train tracks (Credits: Judith)
Steep cliffs on both sides of river. (Credits: Judith)
The most outstanding of the many bridges along the route. (Credits: Ruby)
The turquoise waters of Kurobe river below the ravine. (Credits: Ruby)
A small dam along the Kurobe River (Credits: Ruby)
Another view of the orange coloured train (Credits: Ruby)
At the terminal we got off and went down to explore the river (Credits: Ruby)
They love their bridges in red – is it some regulation I wonder.
It got cold later in the day what with the open sided car (Credits: Ruby)
Small bathrooms with petite bathtubs. I love to soak and do so at every opportunity
We sat in the open-sided car. It was cheaper but colder. The ride to the terminal Keyakidaira Station was interesting. We got off and walked down to the river and explored the area. Later I felt tired and bored as I anticipated the predictable return trip on the same route. When the day was over, with great relief, I soaked myself in the bathtub of the Grand Terrace Hotel in Toyama. I love these petite bathtubs. Every hotel we have been has one. Not the inns or guesthouses, but the hotels. My custom is to fill it and soak in it to mull over the day with thanksgiving.
I am quite excited about the next day: we visit an auction at a fishing port, and probably indulge in super fresh seafood at reasonable prices. I drooled as I contemplated that in the bathtub. Just kidding.
Tuesday, 1 November 2016:
The breakfast buffet spread catered to Japanese and Western taste buds. I felt great relief that I could have a slow and laid back breakfast, and that we would be anchored in this hotel for three days and three nights. Unlike the biblical Jonah’s experience in the whale’s belly hotel, ours would not be queasy.
The tourist train at Takaoka (Credits: Judith)
Small and lovely market at the fishery
Eyeing the crab
Handling the crab (Credits:Judith)
Eating the crab
Different size different price
What a great lunch – cold crabs and sashimi galore (Credits: Helen)
Smiles and oishi all round (Credits: Helen)
Young and yummy yellowtail sashimi (Credits: Judith)
Showing us the way to extract the flesh
Red was the favourite colour of the day
From Toyama we set off for Takaoka, and from there to the Shinminato Fishery at Imizu city. The slight drizzle did not dampen our mood. The aim was to watch a crab auction at the fishery. The unspoken bigger aim was to devour as much fresh crab and shashimi as our stomachs allowed. We were not disappointed. Except we wished we had bigger appetites and stomachs.
The crabs were all laid out in rows and groups
The viewing gallery was a long balcony 20 feet above the warehouse floor
The Tans
Junior school kids waiting in excitement
The buyers gathered around the auctioneer
Te auctioneer used a loud hailer and the buyers used hand signals
Washing up after the crabs were sold and taken
Helen trying to speak in English to the Japanese pupils
Outside the ware house the buyers transport away their buy of the day
Standing in front of the zen temple
Tan standing beside the statue of Maeda Toshinaga a daimyo (ranked below shogun)
We next intended to visit a zen temple. We braved cold and drizzle but at the temple entrance we discovered none were interested to go in. A group photo outside would do! Our enthusiasm petered out over the afternoon until, like all other Singaporeans, we entered the Aeon Shopping Mall, when everyone suddenly and miraculously seemed to be re-charged. They darted and zipped around like toys with newly inserted Duracell batteries . My wife and I had birthdays in late November so we decided to skip surprises and be pragmatic: I chose a blue shoulder sling bag, and she chose a red travel bag for our birthdays. Double happiness. I have grown to admire Japanese design and quality values, and some of their stuff cost less over there.
Inside the shinkansen, Japan’s speed rail. For me and some others a first time.(Credits: Judith)
The hour was late and we rode the speed rail back to Toyama. It cost us a hand. We had no choice. A damp but most satisfying day, I thought, as I sank into another soak that night. The next day would be alluring: an UNESCO World Heritage site.
We packed our backpack for a night’s stay in the Tateyama Hotel. Our main luggage would be forwarded to Toyama by takkyubin, a delivery service. We did not want to tow our bulky, heavy luggage along the Alpine route. That would be too cumbersome. We were taking several modes of transport and doing lots of walking so we travelled light.
The tail end of autumn is still picturesque at the Kurobe dam
Man’s structure and God’s and I very much prefer God’s colours.
Walking along the roadway in such stunning surroundings was awesome
Slapping me with sunblock (Credits: Helen)
From Matsumoto we took train to Shano Omachi and travelled by local bus up the mountain along scenic corridors with trees yellow, brown, and red from autumn’s cold. The bus brought us to Ogizawa. The view at the Kurobe Dam was stunning and stately – the mammoth grey dam structure; the mountains with their multi-colored coat; and the vast blue basin of a lake. Like excited children we scurried about, scanned all around and wowed this and wowed that and went click, click, click.
Let’s go get the cruise tickets (Credits: Ruby)
Catastrophically, I forgot to charge my Olympus Tough TG 3 battery. And the spare charged battery I had on me failed. This had to happen today? A similar thing had happened to me before but my memory is vague about what exactly happened years ago. So now I had to rely on my LG 3 phone camera, which under sunlight showed a black screen. I had to depend on others’ smartphone for pictures. “Hey can take a picture of me and my wife?” I comforted myself, “Well, learn to be fully present and enjoy what you see with your eyes, what you feel, and what you breathe, and what you hear with your ears”. This has always been the problem with taking photos for me. I became so absorbed taking pictures for future viewing that I forgot to bask and enjoy the present.
The jetty were down a long staircase – not suitable for those on wheel chairs (Credits: Ruby)
Excited as the boat glides over the blue still waters.
The slopes were painted in green and brown and orange and yellow.
My wife enjoyed it.
Feeling satisfied after the cruise and before the next fun thing to do. (Credits: Ruby)
The group suddenly dashed towards the cable car station that seemed to be built into the mountain, and my wife and I followed suit. We have to hurry to buy tickets to cruise the beautiful, blue lake. Tickets do get sold out so we rushed there. I notice that whenever we had to bolt here and there, it was because of some form of transport, some schedule we were trying to keep. The Japanese trains and buses were punctual to the millisecond. Thank God we managed to get the tickets. And then it was another scurry down to the boat so that we do not miss the cruise.
The ferry boat was not large but it was comfortable enough. It brought us around the lake and while the breeze brushed your skin with cold air, the surrounding slopes warmed us with their golden, brown and yellow leaves. I like boat rides like these. Short ones. Not those 4 or 5 days’ cruise. Those that bring you from one place to another like a river taxi in Brisbane. Or those that give you a glimpse of river culture like the one in Bangkok or in Ho Chi Minh City. I also remember the one under the blessing of a donor to AGST Alliance students, where we got to enjoy an evening meal, as we cruised around some part of the Chao Phraya River.
Judith at viewing deck of Kurobedam Resthouse (Credits: Judith)
Stunning view of dam from the deck. (Credits: Judith)
Great view of sky and mountains and valley (Credits: Judith)
Somewhere (I forgot where) where we had the Mt Tateyama in the background (Credits:Ruby)
Roger and Helen in Kurobe cable car (Credits: Ruby)
To me it was, So what? If its Puma helicopter I would remember for life but it will cost me an arm (Credits: Ruby)
Later we climbed like a million steps to a huge viewing deck of the Kurobedam Resthouse. Here we have panoramic views of the dam and surrounding mountains. The people look like brisk colorful ants on the roads, pavements and bridge. Good things end too quickly and we went from there to take the Kurobe cable car that reminded me of the one that brings you up to Victoria Peak. We went from one form of transport to another. I cannot now remember which we took, but it seems to me that after the cable car, we took a ropeway cable car, and then a bus to Murodo. Or something like that. One thing for sure, I am not good at remembering details like these. It is as though I deliberately delete such details from my memory as I do not see any future value in remembering them.
When we reached the Murodo Station we were hungry and a little mean. Mean and hungry. The Japanese are great at minimizing manpower by automation. So instead of a friendly cashier, we stared at a machine with photographs of bowls of ramen of different kinds. You put in the money and you press the button and out comes a piece of paper. You bring the paper to the cooks behind a counter and in a minute you get your steaming bowl of ramen, find a seat, and noisily slurp it all in and bellow oishi. I found it is useful to have a wife. You leave it to her and she figures out the complicated stuff about which button to press, and which is the money slot, so that all you do is eat what she ordered, and complain about why she ordered that. Ha, ha Martin Buber calls this an I-It relationship. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
The views were awesome around the volcanic crater lake at Murodo plateau
Is this an active volcano? I wonder
A huge mountain of wagyu beef. The sunset played colours with the mountains
The walk around the Murodo plateau was cool and relaxing. About 2 km and full of stunning scenes
Beautiful reflection on still waters of the crater lake. The mountain has lost its “beefy” look. Looks more like a mountain of gold.
At least we tried! Not much of a jump
The Alpine ptarmigan usually late May to June.(Credits: Helen)
I liked the hotel. It was dated but quite spacious. There was only a short time to rest before a guided tour around the Murodo Plateau (2,450m above sea level). The sight of the Tateyama Mountain Range from there was spectacular, they said. Again how I wished I had my Olympus camera instead of my LG smartphone. I kicked myself again. The tour was all in Japanese. There was a large crowd of hotel guests. Stop talking and let’s go, I said to the guide in my mind. I didn’t understand a word. Once I felt safe and surveyed the route, I broke free and wandered off. We missed his commentary. Probably about how the mountains came about, what happened thousands of years ago, what kind of rocks we were standing on, and the kind of fauna and flora. On the other hand, maybe it was good I didn’t understand Japanese. It allowed me to drift off without feeling any guilt.
Walking around the lake we spotted a rare glimpse of the Alpine ptarmigan which people may get to see sometimes between late May to June. It is referred to as “messenger of God” and it brings happiness to those who see them. We believe God gives “happiness” but we were happy just to be able to see and photograph it in November.
This beef shabu shabbu was a small part of the whole meal of side and main dishes.(Credits: Ruby)
This was the beginning course…..proceed! (Credits: Ruby)
Exclusive dining area for us and with dedicated waiters and with English food commentary (Credits: Helen)
The great and costly feast (Credits: Judith)
Appetiser – I guess (Credits: judith)
Delicious side dishes (Credits: Judith)
Breakfast: I just love those Japanese eggs. My wife said they tasted like the tasty eggs of the 1960s (Credits: Judith)
Then there was this fantastic dinner for which we paid a small fortune, perhaps 3% of Singapore’s GDP. It was worth every cent. It was a meal you only watched on TV and wondered if you would ever be the person inside the TV eating that very mouth-watering, lip-smacking oishi meal. The meal came with a live commentator, a Thai foreign talent who spoke good English and Japanese as well. He explained what we were eating. When the meal was over we had to be rolled back to our rooms.
That night we also went for a slide show which was again in Japanese. One day they would need to have a Chinese interpreter, because so many more tourists come to Japan from China. That would not have made a difference to me because my Mandarin is only slightly better than my Japanese. My Japanese vocabulary is limited to harikatogozaimas, Suzuki, Yamaha, Toyota, Sony, Hitachi, Mitsubishi and oishi. My Mandarin is just a fraction better. So I dozed off during the presentation. I was strategically seated behind to do this. In addition, the lights were all off during the slide show. I think I saw some blurred spots of light and heard a droning voice that went weaker and weaker like a distant undertone. I was more interested in what came after that: stargazing.
We went up to the rooftop of the hotel and there we had before us a cosmic blackest of black blanket hung up in the sky with bright dots of different sizes forming patterns and lines that clearly indicate that there is a Creator up there who loves putting up Christmas lights for people to enjoy when they were down, and find their way when they got lost. Having my camera here would make no difference. I did not kick myself this time. I wondered what kind of professional SLR camera would be needed to take great pictures of the night sky. I think $10,000 cameras. Or even more costly ones. It was so cold nobody stayed there for too long. I lasted a good ten minutes I think. “Good night stars in the sky. Good night God. This was such a great day”.
