Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
Internal Circulation
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 20-21).
14th Edition
10 Edition
August 2012
Bishop’s Christmas Message
10th Edition
wishes and our loneliness. There is really no escape from all these. A family that celebrates joyfully does not mean that there is no distress; it is just that these are Christians who have lifted up their difficulties and placed themselves in the arms of our Lord. Family is so important for Christmas, that even God saw it fit that Jesus, the baby, should have a mother and a father, and brothers and sisters to grow up with. This year, I wish to draw your attention to the one man who played such an important role for Jesus, such a blessed person he was, I call Joseph, a great soul among men. Yet his existence is denied among other Abrahamic religions. The gospels tell us a different story.
Dearly beloved in Christ, we will soon be celebrating Christmas, the birth of our Lord. In many homes, Christmas trees will be set up. Many of us will get busy buying new clothes, preparing special food and wrapping gifts. Some of us will prepare special mobile text messages and some of us will be getting ready for feasts and parties. It is a time that puts a twinkle in our eyes. I consider this privilege a blessing. For those who make Christmas an opportunity to share joy, you will realise that this particular joy, this “Christmas joy” is really a celebration of family and filial relationships. Without family, the joy of Christmas becomes something else.
We are all familiar with the gospel of Matthew about the story of how Joseph was told by the angel of the Lord in a dream that he should not set aside Mary but marry her. The angel dramatically announces to Joseph that the conception of the child is from the Holy Spirit, not from Joseph (which Joseph knew personally). Here at the beginning of the New Testament age, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role. Jesus as the Messiah is God incarnate, whose miraculous conception and origin are only explained through the work of God the Holy Spirit. Matthew also tells us that the angel specifically directs Joseph to name the baby “Jesus.” The name “Jesus” was popular in Judaism of the first century, given to sons as a symbolic hope for God’s anticipated sending of salvation. A widely held expression of this hope was the expectation
On the other side of the spectrum, we cannot hide from the fact that Christmas can be a time of painful recollections, of brokenness and broken-heartedness. It is also a reminder of our increasing frailty, our unfulfilled
Bishop’s Christmas Message Shall we celebrate True Christmas? (Tamil) Editorial Brief Report On 50th Diocesan Assembly Photo Gallery
December 2013 th
August 2012
ELCM Diakonia Ministries ELCM Events / News Updates & Our Condolences Bishop’s Main Programme for 2014 Bishop’s Address at the 50th Diocesan Assembly ELCM Outreach Ministries & IYLC Report ELCM Programme for 2014
1-4 5 6-7 8-9 10 - 14
1
15 16 - 17 18 - 19 20 - 22 23 24