Keeping Our Eyes on the Banner of Freedom
When the Americans first occupied Manila, many prisoners that had been imprisoned for "political offenses" were set free. One of these crimes, according to the Spanish government, which then ruled the Philippines, was reading the Bible. One day a man came to famed Christian missionary Dr. Homer Stuntz, and asked to see him in strict privacy. He then asked in a whisper if it were true that he could now read his Bible without danger of imprisonment. Dr. Stuntz took him to the door and asked him to look at the American flag floating near by. Then he said, "So long as you see that flag floating over your country, you can sit on the ridgepole of your house, if you want to, and read the Bible, and no one can molest you."
Surely the American flag -- the banner of our freedom -- can offer one measure of assurance. Yet there is an infinitely (and eternally) greater banner under which we can claim not just our freedom, but our boldness to excercise such freedom, and that is the Cross of Christ. It is the symbol of our freedom from the bondage of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And it is likewise the symbol of our calling to boldly persist against pressure, persecution, and even penalty.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1, NIV).
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36, NIV).
Filling Cupcakes and the Spirit
Cupcake aficionado, Jamie, of My Baking Addiction has this to say about the two best ways to fill cupcakes:
One way is to use an apple corer. You take the apple corer and gently push it into the center of the cupcake about halfway down, rotating the corer to cut a full circle. Then, pull the corer out of the cupcake. Push the small cake round out of the corer. Once all of the cupcakes have been hollowed, pipe or spoon in your favorite filling, use a small knife to cut the top from each of the cupcake centers, place on the tip of the filling, and top with your favorite frosting.
The other way is by inserting a paring knife at a 45-degree angle just off-center of the top of the cupcake, insert it about halfway down into the cupcake. Keeping the knife at an angle, cut a circle around the center of the cupcake. Lift out the cake cone that you have just cut. As with the other method, once all of the cupcakes have been hollowed, pipe in your favorite filling and top with our favorite frosting.
Each of us have our own stories and unique experiences of how we came to faith, some "this" way and some "that." But the end result is the same. Upon salvation we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and are called to be "filled" with His abiding presnece and influence.
It is in yielding ourselves to the sweetness of the Holy Spirit within that we find our purpose and power.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5, ESV).
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV).
"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV).
Just Drop the Blanket
Each Christmas for the past nearly six decades, Americans have gathered around the TV to watch one of the most iconic and beloved cartoon animations of all time, A Charlie Brown Christmas. And within this iconic show, is one of the most iconic scenes ever scripted -- Linus' monologue about the true meaning of Christmas.
Mocked, humiliated, and confused, Charlie Brown cries out, "Doesn't anybody know what Christmas is all about?!"
Linus gently replies, "I know what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." And with that He takes center stage to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel as recorded in Luke Chapter Two:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
But have you ever noticed what happens right in the middle of that monologue? Linus drops his blanket!
Jason Soroski, writing for The Gospel Coalition, has this to say ...
Linus is most associated with his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. And even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it up.
Until this moment. When he simply drops it.
In that climactic scene when Linus shares what “Christmas is all about,” he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words “fear not” (at :44 seconds).
Soroski continues ...
... it’s pretty clear what Charles Schulz was saying through this, and it’s so simple it’s brilliant.
The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.
The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.
The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to him instead. ...
... in the midst of fear and insecurity, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found.
And where is that? In Christ alone!
Won't you join Linus? Lean into the manger. Behold the gift of the Savior. And drop the blanket!