Christmas Message

I've heard many preaches this Christmas
From youth communities in church
From church's Christmas celebration
And I felt somehow it was all connected

Dec 15: Youth Community's Christmas

"The Simplicity of Christmas"

AH preached from Philippians 2 : 1 - 8
He underlined verse 6 - 8
Where Jesus came down from Heaven to the earth to be human
More than that, to be the lowest from the human
For what? To save humankind

And He did it in simple ways
The preacher gave 3 very different examples:

1. The shepherds - Luke 2 : 8 - 15
2. Paul - Acts 9 : 1 - 9
3. Samaritan woman - John 4 : 1 - 26

For the shepherds whose status were the lowest at that time, the Angels appeared and told them "Do not be afraid...." (10) It happened when the shepherds were watching their flocks (8) which they do everyday -it was an ordinary task to do. That alone made them believe.

For Saul -the name before Paul, it's totally different. God had to make it hard, because Saul is hard. God even made him blind for 3 days (9). This happened when Paul were doing his job, murdering Lord's disciples (1-2). This, too, were ordinary task for him. After that, Paul totally changed and became God's servant to the end.

For the Samaritan woman, Jesus went and spoke to her Himself. This, too, happened when the woman was doing her ordinary task, to draw water (7). But she specially came at noon, because of a certain reason, she had been married 5 times and the man she was with was not her husband (17-18).

These 3 different people, God showed His love in unique ways, different for each of them, but in simple ways, while they were doing their ordinary tasks. And for each of them, He showed His love, His great and same love which He showed to us as well.

Dec 21: Teen Community's Christmas

"The Greatest Gift of Christmas"

The same preacher with different topic

Now AH preached from Matthew 2 : 1 - 12

The greatest gift as may you have expected is Jesus' birth

And His humbleness to save us, human

But what interests me in the preach is he underlined for whom the invitation was

The invitation to see Jesus, the newborn King

And he mentioned Herod

Herod was also invited to see Jesus' birth

He was even closer geographically than the Magi from the east

The Magi told Herod that they saw the star leading them to where Jesus was born (2)

Even the priests and teachers of the law confirmed it (4-5)

But that wicked Herod, he didn't want anybody to have his throne

So he rejected that greatest gift

Dec 24: Christmas Eve's Celebration 

"The Road to Bethlehem"

Here, the preacher JS underlined Joseph and Mary's big responsibility to bring Jesus to Bethlehem

How they struggled on the road

Even until they have arrived at Bethlehem

Searching for a place to give birth

Gave birth and put the Baby in a stable

Dec 25: Christmas' Celebration

"Believing the Impossible"

And at last, the preacher YC also preached from Philippians 2 : 3 - 10
But he preached in reverse
He started from verse 8 - 10 : Jesus as man was lifted by God to be a god
Then he continue to verse 6 - 7 : Jesus a God became human
These two parts seemed opposite, is He the same in verse 8-10 and 6-7?
YC believes it's different

• In verse 8-10, Jesus is a God in eternity; in verse 6-7, Jesus is a God in history
• In verse 8-10, Jesus, objectively, is a God Himself; in verse 6-7, Jesus, subjectively, is a God

And then he continue to verse 3-5 : Jesus showed us the way of living in heaven
by not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (4)
This, however, can not be done in this world
It can only be done in heaven
That's why Jesus came not only to show how to live
but also, to redeem humanity from sins and deaths
And that is what we celebrate at Christmas!!

 ♫ Man will live forevermore because of Christmas day ♫

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Family Bond

This year's Christmas was different than usual

It began when holiday came
I visited my cousin's (mom's side) house often, even though I only did it so I can play XP
Later I watched movie with him too!

A week before Christmas, my other cousins (mom's side) came to my house
They are from around Indonesia (3 different island; Java, Borneo, Maluku)
They met at my house and continue their vacation to Mount Puncak
After they got back from Puncak, they stayed in my house for a night
It was so crowded in my house, 10 people including my own family
I met my niece (from Borneo) for the first time!

That night, we celebrated Christmas, my other cousins (mom's side) came
Even my grandfather and grandmother (mom's side) came too
We stayed up late, sharing that precious moment
The next morning, they went to another city
Even just for a moment, but that night was unforgettable

At Christmas, we visited families from my dad's side
We celebrated Christmas too there
I met my new nephew for the first time as well

I felt very happy this year
I could really feel the bond of my family
They are strong, those bonds
I am grateful for the family I have

King Types - Fz

This scene is taken from one of my favorite anime, Fate/Zero. The story is about seven Master (human) are chosen to fight for the Holy Grail (it can fulfill whatever your wish is), these Masters can summon seven Servant (Heroic Spirit, usually someone that's great in the past) that are divided to 7 classes: Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, Berserker.

This scene is taken from episode 11 "The Grail Dialogue"

From left: Saber, Archer, Rider

Rider (Iskander a.k.a Alexander the Great, King of Conquerors) was inviting Saber (King Arthur, King of Knights -although in the anime Saber is a woman) and Archer (Gilgamesh, King of Heroes) to a dialogue of which king suits the Holy Grail best.

My treasury houses only the finest drinks and the finest of swords. This alone should indicate which among us is the greatest of kings.

Archer. Your finest drink is, indeed, worthy of the finest vessel. Unfortunately, the Holy Grail is not a drinking cup. First, we must hear what wish you would have the Grail grant.

You are not ruler here, pretender. Already, you violate the rules dictating that we must fight for the Grail. To begin with, the Grail should already be mine. All of this world's treasures, without exception, trace their origin to my treasure house.

Then once you held the Grail? You would know it by sight?

No. Do not consider me as you would some lesser being. The amount of my wealth in my treasury long ago surpassed my own knowledge. But that is a treasure also means that it belongs to me. And any who would take it for themselves is naught but a thief.

Your words are no different than Caster's insane rants. It appears he isn't the only Servant to have gone mad.

Come, let's not go that far... I believe I've got a clue to what his real name is. But Archer, you surely have no true interest in the Grail itself, do you?

Of course not. But I must administer my judgement to those who would steal treasure from me. It's a matter of principle.

Huh. So then, Archer... Of what manner of duty and rules do you speak?

Of the law. The law I set down as king. you break the law, and I punish you. There is no place for discussion.

Which means, that all we have left to us is combat.

King of Conquest, you agreed that the Grail's rightful ownership lies with another, so will you take it by force? What makes the Holy Grail so important to you?

I wish for true incarnation.

Huh?

(Rider's Master) Hey, wasn't you goal supposed to be world conquest-

Idiot. Even if magic lends us form in this world, ultimately, we remain Servants. I wish for rebirth, as a human, to live within the world in which I've arrived. And with nothing but my body, I shall defy both heaven and earth. The is the meaning of conquest. Thus it begins, then proceeds, and it finished. Such is the path of my conquest.

That is hardly fitting of how a king should be.

Then let us hear what you would say.

I wish for my homeland's salvation. With the omnipotent wish-granting device, I shall avert Britain's fate of destruction.

Hey, King of Knights. Did you just say that you would change fate? Does that mean you wish to change the past?

Indeed. Even if it is a wish that a miracle alone cannot fulfill, if the Holy Grail is truly omnipotent, it will

*laughs*

Emm, Saber... Surely you do not mean that you would erase the marks you, yourself, have left on history?

Indeed. Why should that bother you? Why do you laugh? The country that gave me my blade, to which I offered my life, was destroyed. Why should it be strange for me to find that sad?

Did you hear that, Rider? What that little girl, who names herself King of Knights, said? "To which I offered my life..." *laughs again*

Why is that humorous?! To ensure their country's prosperity, a king should make any sacrifice.

No. The king does not make offerings. The nation and the people, offer themselves to the king. not the reverse.

What? Those are a tyrant's words!

Just so. We are heroes because we are tyrants. However, Saber, if a king regrets their rule or its conclusion, that king is nothing but a fool. Even worse than a tyrant.

Iskandar, your reign ended with your heirs slain, and your empire dissolved into three parts. You have no regrets about that end?

None. Not if it came to pass by my judgement and my retainers' sacrifices... its destruction was inevitable. I shall grieve and I shall weep, but I shall never regret.

You...

Let alone undo it! Such an act would be a mockery of all who fought with me!

Only warriors can find glory in destruction! Of what worth is a king who fails to protect the powerless? A just rule, with just laws... Those are the true duties of a king!

So you, the king, are a slave to what is right?

That is acceptable. A king is a martyr to their ideals.

That is not how a person should live.

If I rule the nation as a king, I cannot ask to live as a person. King of Conquerors, you seek the grail merely for your own benefit. you could never understand... You who became a ruler only to satisfy your endless greed.

A king without greed is even worse than a figurehead! Saber. You said you would martyr yourself for your ideals. In life, you must have been a pure saint. A proud and noble figure, certainly. But who can truly admire the martyr's thorny path? Who dreams of such an ending? A king... The king must be greedier than any other. He must laugh more loudly and rage for longer. He must exemplify the extreme of all things, good and evil. That is why his retainers envy and adore him. And why the flames of aspiration, to be as the king is, can burn within his people. Proud king of chivalry... The righteousness and ideals you bore may indeed have saved your nation once. However, I'm certain you know what became of those who were saved, but left to themselves.

What?

You saved them, but you never led them. You never showed them what a king should be. You abandoned your men when they lost their way. Then, alone and untroubled, you followed your own pretty little ideals. Thus, you are no true king. you are only a little girl, enraptured by a false idol of the king who serves others, but not themselves.

I...

Saber! Archer! Here is our banquet's final question. Must the king be alone?

The king must indeed be alone!

No, you don't understand at all. I suppose I'll have to show you exactly what a real king is. A king must live a grander life than any other's and embody his people's image of admiration! He who is worthy of all heroes' envy, and he who leads the way, is the king! Therefore, the king is not alone. For his will equals that of all his followers together!

***

So, which king do you prefer to be your king? Or which king do you prefer if you are the king?