A revelation is given and I wonder as I wander out under the sky (Revelation 1:1-3)

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 1:1-3 (TM) – larger reading Revelation 1:1-8

A revealing of Jesus, the Messiah. God gave it to make plain to his servants what is about to happen. He published and delivered it by Angel to his servant John. And John told everything he saw: God's Word - the witness of Jesus Christ! How blessed the reader! How blessed the hearers and keepers of these oracle words, all the words written in this book!

STORY:

The story is told that after Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God and tapped out the symbols for the name "God." Much to Miss Sullivan's surprise, Helen spelled back, "Thank you for telling me God's name, Teacher, for he has touched me many times before." Helen Keller knew something of God's signature from nature, but it was wordless.

OBSERVATION:

Revelation… breaking forth… showing… exposing… opening up… a surprise… disclosing… and so it is, this Christmas event. God is disclosing for the entire world a new reality… a new understanding… a new relationship… a new perspective. God surprised the world by making himself vulnerable. 

And we go to bed, get up in the morning, have a little breakfast and trudge through our day, doing what we have always done, as if it isn’t any big thing. We’ve sung the carols, listened to more Christmas sermons than we care to admit, witnessed more than one bath-robed children’s pageants, heard some inspiring cantatas, stood with burning candles dripping hot wax on our hands … all because of this special, unique and quite unusual revelation.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky


How Jesus the Savior did come for to die


For poor ornery people like you and like I;


I wonder as I wander out under the sky



When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall


With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all


But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall


And the promise of ages it then did recall.



If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing


A star in the sky or a bird on the wing


Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing


He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King



I wonder as I wander out under the sky


How Jesus the Savior did come for to die


For poor ornery people like you and like I;


I wonder as I wander out under the sky

And I wonder as I wander through this season of joy and love if we will really get the revelation this time… that Jesus came here to die for the likes of you and I.

PRAYER:

God, you’ve sent the message. It gets buried by the clutter of our celebration. Help us get it this year!