Advent: The Coming of Christ

That's What Christmas is About, Charlie Brown?!

Dialogue:

"Are you going Christmas shopping?"

"Yes, of course I am," she said.

"Don’t get anything for me, OK?"

"God, I’ve got so many people on my list!"

He asked, "why don’t you skip it this year?" He continued:

"Would anyone really miss your small gifts?"

She snapped back, "how do you know they’re small?"

"Your budget, amigo."

"I know, there’s no way I can afford all this," showing him her list...

"You sure you have to do it?"

As a retort, she said, "what, are you not "all-in" with the Christmas spirit?"
"Santa’s making a list and checking it twice?"

"That’s bullshit." He said firmly: "What is this season about, capitalism?"

"I’m just doing what everyone else is doing;" "it's called being nice." "I have to."

"That’s how we got here," continuing, "this is a #FakeHoliday if it's all pretty paper and boxes of things."

"Well, what in the hell is it about, Charlie Brown?"

"Don’t go all Linus on me, Chuck" (wink)

"It is a great speech, Linus gives"

[he says softly, like a little boy, "I can tell you what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown"]

Adding, "but watch it closely next time?"

Right when he says “Fear not” – Linus drops his security blanket.

"He doesn’t need it anymore, dude."
"Need what?" she asked. "The security blanket!"

The Savior has come to save us… It’s called Advent (his coming), no more fear...

*The speech from Linus:

https://youtu.be/eff0cqYefYY

*Note: I like to pin a #YouTube video to my writing and this time it is from the famous "Charlie Brown Christmas" shown on ABC in 1965, using the Gospel of Luke, ch 2, verses 8-14, as translated by the Authorized King James Version.

Christmas Thoughts on Literary Devices and Why Jesus Came

Christmas Thoughts on Literary Devices and Why Jesus Came

“And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (oppression), yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher (God).

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but (then) let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, may glory dwell in our land. (When) steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” (end quote)

Note: (parentheticals and underlining are mine)

As literary works, these ancient passages from the Old Testament, also called in Hebrew “Tanakh” pronounced [təˈnax]; helped me learn more about writing tools:

·         metaphor, a substitute for perspective;

·         metonymy, a substitute for reduction;

·         synecdoche, a substitute for representation; and

·         irony, a substitute for dialectic.

The metaphor of bread and water represent synecdoche for the bare essentials needed for sustenance. Jesus instructed in the NT that in this godless world, we’d continue to experience difficulties, which indicates to me that tribulation is a basic component of life. But the next sentence from Jesus is an encouragement: “Take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

During the season of hope that Christians call “Advent”, where hope’s coming to the world is celebrated; the promises of God can be found by listening to God through his Word (metonymy). After this good news above, the prayer is that we’ll not turn back to the folly of the “rat-race” which is the world, then and at this time.

These passages can be used as metaphor in order to gain perspective and not as a tired, dying cliché; like a tutor showing the lesson by using a word picture to bring home the point. I’m encouraged that the Teacher (metonymy) is not hiding, that my eyes have been opened to see God through his Word.

It is a fearful and wonderful thing to be taught at the feet of God, simply by opening his Bible and allowing its glory to shine light into one's circumstances. This is the intersection where steadfast love and faithfulness meet.

The metonymy of such large concepts: righteousness and peace embracing for a kiss, reduces meeting of truth to something loving, human, and simple to conceptualize. Picture the metaphor of the intimate closeness, and the kissing: it’s a story of relational love!

The apostle Luke wrote about Jesus and said, “then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and (Jesus) said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” 

Jesus' clear instructions are that to hear from God, to learn about the gospel (metonymy), one must try to understand what is written in the Bible about his coming, his life & death, and the meaning of the resurrection; and it should be proclaimed to all nations. As we seek the light of the Scripture, shining into our land, bright with God’s glory; the gospel is the climax of the story, bearing witness to Jesus and his work. This is where the steadfast love of God meets the faith of believers. Merry Christmas. ##

©Mark H. Pillsbury