Luke 4:42-44 (NIV)

⁴²At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Reflection

Jesus was always on the move. He would stay in certain places for a little while, but then he had to continue on. Jesus was on the move so that he could encounter more people to proclaim and teach the good news that God had come to be their king, and bring true hope, healing and life. The time had finally come and nothing would detract him from his mission. This was not a brute force conquest, but rather was happening through the power and authority of God himself. People responded in many different ways. Some wanted more healings and supernatural shows, but didn’t really want to have anything to do with Jesus. Others were threatened and opposed him outright. But then there were those who received and responded to Jesus’ powerful teachings about God’s kingdom.

Responding to the Transmission

The kingdom of God has come in Jesus Christ, and His salvation is invading more and more. Will we welcome His kingdom salvation and healing and freedom in our lives, in our generation, among our friends, classmates and co-workers, on our campuses, in our cities? Let’s pray that we would welcome the authority and power of God into our lives more so that we would be living testimonies of God’s healing and transforming work. Let’s also pray that we would follow Christ in greater measure as he calls us to move on our campuses, at our workplaces and in cities, so that God would be worshipped and glorified more and more.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers paid Summer internships through their SURF program with opportunities at NIST facilities in Gaithersburg and Boulder.  Many of the participating research projects are looking for students majoring in Computer Science or Computer Engineering.

The eleven week program starts in the last week of May and provides a generous stipend and housing (if needed). It is open to United States citizens or permanent U.S. residents who attend U.S. colleges or universities. It is competitive, but in the past, about one in three applicants was accepted. Applications are due by February 1 and must be submitted by UMBC. If you are interested, read more about the application process and come to the NIST SURF Information Session from 3:00 to 4:00 on Friday, December 2 in Sondheim 108.

Luke 4:40-41 (NIV)

⁴⁰At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. ⁴¹Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Reflection

Through Jesus’ work we get a clear understanding that the kingdom of God is advancing not just on earth but in the spiritual realm and over forces of evil as well. Jesus is at work healing and setting people free, while the demons are destructive. But this is by no means an even battle. The demons recognize that Jesus is the holy one of God and do declare that Jesus is the “Son of God.” Authority does not belong to the demons. Jesus has authority over the demons demonstrated by his words and actions, and by silencing the demonic confessions. If these forces can never overtake Jesus and Jesus has power over them, then Jesus has the ability to deliver on his promises to save. While there is a supernatural war that is taking place, we can bank on the truth that though we are living the already but not-yet reality, we know the final victory belongs to God.

Responding to the Transmission

We should be aware of the reality of spiritual battle. And as we look at this world and our lives, we should know that there is a supernatural context. At the same time, we can rest assured that all victory belongs to Jesus in every realm. Today let’s place our full trust in him and pray that we would experience his victory in our lives more and more.

Thanksgiving weekend is offering up 3 family films to battle it out at the box office against last week’s Breaking Dawn.

Also from last week, Happy Feet 2 had a meager opening for an animated feature, and probably won’t stand a chance against this week’s picks.

So far all three of these movies are getting fabulous reviews so if you are into family fare you can’t go wrong here.

Hugo

Martin Scorsese directs this family film about a young orphan, Hugo (Asa Butterfield), who takes residence in a train station.  Talented, young actress Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass, Let Me In) costars as Hugo’s friend, with Ben Kingsley and Sacha Baron Cohen rounding out the main cast. The movie is promising a whimsical adventure but the trailer isn’t very exciting. So far Hugo holds an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Arthur Christmas

The newest 3D animated feature follows the titular character,  who happens to be Santa Claus’s son. As is typical in these films he attempts to save Christmas… or something mundane along those lines. However the  film must be a bit more clever than the plot suggests considering the very positive reviews it is receiving, with a current rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Our Suggestion: The Muppets

There is definitely a huge nostalgic push to check out this movie sequel written by Jason Segel. With Segal on board how could it really be so bad?

Segel might be a surprising choice at first, but if you saw his writing debut in 2008’s  “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, you will remember his Dracula puppet musical–which he had previously written as a side project and decided to incorporate in the film.

Turns out Segel is a huge Muppets fan and got the chance to write (along with Nicholas Stoller) and star in this latest Muppet feature.

We had a chance to check it out and it does not disappoint in the slightest! It is extremely clever and well-written, with all of the factors that made the Muppets so great in the first place.

Even for someone who’s not a huge fan of the Muppets, there is still plenty to enjoy in this update. The musical numbers are all fantastically funny, there are countless cameos. Amy Adams and Chris Cooper round out the human cast with delightful performances. Of all the films coming out this week, we think this is the one that every family member at every age can enjoy the most. It currently stands at a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes

If you check out a movie this Thanksgiving weekend, let us know what you saw and thought!

Sandra Abbott, curator of collections and outreach at the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, was featured in Maryland Life Magazine on November 8 in an article, “Unbound,” by Mary Medland. The article investigates the art of “altered books,” which are ordinary books that have been transformed into art objects. Abbott was a judge for the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s altered books exhibition last year.

The exhibition A Legacy of Love: Italian Memorial Sculpture, featuring photographs by Robert W. Fichter and Robert Freidus, on display at the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery through December 21, was featured in The Baltimore Sun by critic Mike Giuliano on Wednesday, November 16. The review also appeared in local papers published by Patuxent Publishing.

Kimberly Moffitt’s book, Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair and Body Politics in Africana Communities, has received the outstanding book award from the National Communication Association’s African American Communication and Culture Division.

Moffitt, an assistant professor of American studies, co-edited the volume with Regina Spellers. The book examines the way that hair and bodies shape perception of African Americans through a variety of interdisciplinary lenses, including poems, creative writing and scholarly essays.

More information about the book can be found here.

Want to know more?
Come and learn all you need to know about the NIST SURF Program.