It was the day before Thanksgiving and I needed to pick up a couple of items for our celebration from the store. I walked into Wal-Mart and found that Thanksgiving was not the topic of conversation between for of the people in the store. I overheard several people asking that all familiar question for this time of year; "Are you in the Christmas spirit?" I'm never quite sure what is meant by this question. If the store trappings and displays were any indication, Christmas had already arrived in an overstocked way! I left the store challenged to do whatever I could to keep Christmas pure and holy. I arrived back at the house to find one of my daughters sitting on the sofa writing out her Christmas gift list. The challenge became greater.
I am not alone in this challenge. The world has robbed we Christians of one of our sacred holy celebrations, and, unfortunately, we have bought into it's way. Be honest. Our answers to the question above would probably revolve around the amount of shopping we have completed, whether or not we felt happy about Christmas, or whether we have a tree and decorations up yet, or ... Sadly, we have adapted rather nicely to prostituting the celebration of Christ's advent.
Beloved, it is not that all the traditions and trappings are evil. The problem is that they distract, often overshadow, the reason for our celebration. We need to recover the mystery, the wonder, the awe, the joy, the beauty of the inexpressible fact that in the fullness of time, while we were sinners, Christ came... God came... Deity took on humanity! We can, we must, recover the foundation of our celebration so that we may truly celebrate and worship Christ the Lord, without whom there would be no Christmas!
Will you accept the challenge to rediscover Christmas by joining me in pondering God's Advent. By pondering, meditating, and considering the Christmas story, we can reclaim Christmas, and once again rightfully celebrate in the wonder of God' love and mercy.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given." (Isaiah 9:6)
"For unto to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. You will find the babe wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:11-12)
Keep Close to Jesus.
We read the Christmas Story (as we refer to it) with such familiarity that we miss a great deal. We read it quickly, romantically, not pausing to be captivated by the wonders contained therein. There are many marvels in this account that stir the heart and astound the mind. Wonders that, like they did Mary, cause us to be troubled and wonder what it all could possible mean.
"The angel went to her [Mary] and said, "Greetings, you are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God." (Luke 1:28-30)
The words astound us; "You are highly favored... You have found favor with God." At first we are tempted to revere Mary. How great she must have been to be so highly favored by God! She must have been a saint of saints. She is in a class of her own. Wait! Mary is amazed and astonished by this greeting. To be greeted as one favored of God brought her fear and bewilderment. Why would God favor her? She was only an ordinary peasant girl in a little town.
The words used here are important. In verse 28 the Greek word used for "highly favored" is derived from the word for "grace". It denotes "having favor or blessing bestowed upon" someone. Grace is at the very heart of this word. The word for "favor" in verse 30 is slightly different and some scholars suggest that it places greater emphasis upon God's free gracious choice. In other words, it stresses God's choice rather than human acceptance. Therefore, Mary's being "favored" was God's own gracious prerogative. His reason for choosing her is unknown to us. Granted, we know Mary was a righteous woman, faithful to God, and the context infers that this was a factor in God's choosing her. But there were undoubtedly other women who lived such a life. Why Mary and not one of them? It was God's gracious choice. That is why Mary was so bewildered. She knew that she did not deserve or merit such favoring by God. Yet here she was being told by the angel that she had been highly favored by God.
One of the wonders of Christmas is, that just as Mary was favored by God, so are we. Christ came not only to Mary. He came to all humanity. Though there is significant difference between Mary, who was faithfully living for God, and the one living in sin, the wonder of grace remains the same. Mary knew that even though she loved God and was living for Him, she didn't deserve being chosen. She understood that being chosen by God was a matter of grace, grace alone!
God's grace is revealed in Christ's coming to us. While we are undeserving, unlovable outcasts, lost in our sin, He came. "Who is man that You are mindful of him?", the Psalmist cried. Who am I that you give a rip about me, Jesus? Who are we that you would favor us? God's favor makes no sense! It is beyond human understanding! It is incomprehensible! It is GRACE! By His own gracious choosing God has graced us, favored us, cared for us, loved us. God owes us absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing! Yet, He came to us and provided what we could never earn, merit, or achieve. He owes us absolutely nothing, yet He has shown us favor. Scripture repeatedly resounds this incredible fact, God has favored unholy disobedient rebels - us. No wonder Mary was shocked and taken back by the angels greeting. So are we. We stand speechless in awe and wonderment. As the song writer said: "Oh the wonder of it all; The wonder of it all. Just to know that God loves me."
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy (grace, favor), to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God - this is the only reasonable act of worship for you." Indeed, there really isn't any other reasonable response, is there? Mary knew this. After receiving the message that she was to give birth to the Christ child her simple powerful reply was, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."
"Yes Lord, may it be with us as You have said!"
Keep Close to Jesus
Reflect with me for a moment on Mary's encounter with the angel. She has just been informed that she has been chosen by God to be the mother of the Christ child. What does she ask? "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" This response is fascinating. Note, there is no hesitation in accepting the responsibility, only a query as to how she, a virgin, could become pregnant. She skips right over the "counting the cost." Costs which would be great for her. She was a young virgin, for whom being found pregnant out of wedlock was life threatening. If she isn't punished by death there is the divorce of her betrothed, the public ridicule and the family rejection. This does not seem to concern her. She only asks how. Why didn't she argue with God? She answers this question her final response: "I am the Lord's servant." The Lordship issue for her had already been settled. Her only concern was that God had beckoned her to service, and a servant naturally submits to her Master. What wonderful quiet submission... "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)
Have you noticed? God accomplishes His will through His willing faithful servants. This is an astonishing thing. God could do it otherwise, but He chooses to use us, His people. Oh, that we would have Mary's attitude of heart. We wrestle, agonize, question, and debate with God when He calls. We argue that someone else would be better. We question God's wisdom in choosing us. We are uncomfortable with Mary's quick, quiet, surrender. Her servant's heart is foreign to most of us. Nonetheless, she is an example to us. We are to have such a heart. With confidence and comfort we can accept His will, even as Mary did. His call is divine favoring and He never calls us to a task that He will not provide the resources to accomplish it. "Nothing is impossible for Him." (v. 37)
"Men should regard us as servants," (1 Corinthians 4:1a) for that is what we are. Lord, may it be to us as you have said!
Keep close to Jesus
"At that time Mary got ready and hurried to the town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth head Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed" 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!'" (Luke 1:39-45)
Ah ha! Mary hurried to Elizabeth to be sure that what the angel said was true. At least that it what it looks like at first. The passage does inform us that "Mary got ready and hurried" off to visit Elizabeth after she received the news. What better way to verify the validity of the angel's message than to see if her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant as God promised? We presume that was the reason, because that is what we would have done. Such a message as this requires "concrete proof" that is wasn't a dream.
Maybe Mary needed the "proof" or maybe she wanted to be with someone who would understand. The text doesn't make it clear. One thing is made clear. When the Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth, she pronounced a beautiful confirming and affirming proclamation. Herein lies an important lesson - God used Elizabeth to affirm His will for Mary. This lesson may not be directly related to Christmas, but then again, maybe it is.
God often uses "Elizabeth-s" to verify His will for "Mary-s." It is not always because the one "called into service" has doubts. It is God's gracious act to affirm that what we have heard is indeed His will. There is a story told about Augustine. He was struggling over whether he should enter a monastery or the pastorate. He could not clearly discern God's will. Therefore, he went individually to three trusted Christian confidants and ask them to pray that God would make it clear to them what he should do. After three days he called the men together. He knelt down before them and asked, "What would my Lord have me do?" In unanimous voice they proclaimed, "Be a pastor." He obeyed.
We could tell many other occasions where Christians heard God speak through other Christians, or who had God affirm His revealed will for them through other people. This is one reason was it is so important to be active in a local Christian body, fostering the oneness we have in Christ. This is one reason to be involved in Christian mentioning relationships, prayer groups, or accountability groups. This is one reason why we should submit to one another in Christ. God may need to get us a message which alone we would miss. He made need to confirm a message He has given us. In either case, He often does so through His people. Being active within the body puts me in the position to hear through others, or for others to hear through me.
Be available to God at all times, for He may just need to use you to get His message to one of His servants. Be listening at all times, for God may be using another to get you His message. "Speak Lord Jesus. Your servant is listening."
Keep Close to Jesus
What a glorious moment this must have been for Mary and Elizabeth, both, favored instruments of God meeting together. Both burst out in beautiful verse. Elizabeth's words were directed to Mary. (Luke 1:42-45) Mary's words (Luke 1:46-55) were directed to God. Elizabeth's words are intriguing, but her final statement especially captures our attention: "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."
Blessed is sometimes defined as "happy." The "Living Bible" paraphrases the Beatitudes with "happy are," at the beginning of each one rather than the more familiar, and better, "blessed are." Blessing is far more comprehensive than happiness. Blessing involves the whole of one's life and reaches to the very depths of their being. Happy depends on happenings. Blessings are received from God. Blessed people are most often happy, but not always. Joyous is more descriptive of one who is blessed. Mary was blessed. She had been chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the world. Yet, Elizabeth points out another factor for Mary's blessedness. Did you note it? "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished." (Luke 1:45) Mary's belief that God would fulfill His Word to her was a means through which God's blessing flowed into her life.
I wonder how much of God's blessing have we forfeited, because we haven't really believed He would do as He said He would?
The words slip off our lips so quickly and easily; "I believe." No sooner have we said it than we take control and go on our way attempting to accomplish God's will on our own. We say, "God will provide," as we frantically overwork to provide for ourselves. We say, "God will keep His promises," as we worry and fret about the very thing we have "released." We say, "God works through prayer," while we neglect to pray. We've read all the self-helps and the how-to manuals. We are trained well. We know how to do it. If we were Mary and God had told us, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you and you will bear a son," we would have called Joseph to inform him that we'd better get to it, for God said we were to bear a son. We know that you don't have children unless... Or, might we dare believe that what the Lord has said He will accomplished.
Christmas is a wonderful reminder that God can and does keep His Word. What He says He will accomplish! We can trust Him and while doing so we enjoy His blessing. We don't trust to be blessed. We trust Him and then we are blessed. For, "blessed is one who has believed that what the Lord has said will be accomplished."
Keep close to Jesus
We were hosting a Christmas gathering in our home when a gentleman started playing "Stump the Pastor." You know the game. Ask those questions about the Bible that you think the pastor will not be able to answer. His first question was; "What did the angels sing to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born?" Fortunately I was wise to this one and passed the pop quiz. Not wanting to be outdone I flashed back, "And what did Mary sing when she visited Elizabeth?"
Though it is referred to as "Mary's song," the text (Luke 146-55) doesn't say she sang it. It is clearly in verse, but the singing part, well that's not really the important thing. As she and Elizabeth marveled together about her being blessed and honored by God, Mary could hold it in no longer and burst out in beautiful verse. Her words are powerful, penetrating, prophetic and full of praise to God. Read over them carefully, slowly, and thoughtfully. Let them powerfully affect you with their message and theme. Let them penetrate deep within you exposing the attitude of your soul and spirit. Listen to their revealing message about God's mercy and work. Let them inspire you to praise God with your whole soul, body and mind.
"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- Holy is His Name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and His descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers."
AMEN!
Keep Close to Jesus.
"His mouth was opened and His tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. -- Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through the prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising of the sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.'" (Luke 1:67-79)
Zechariah had been rendered speechless due to His disbelieving the angel's message about Elizabeth's becoming pregnant. Nine months of not being able to say a word (torture for a priest, I'm sure). Nine months of contemplating what the angel had said. Nine months of studying the Scriptures, listening to God speak through them. Nine months of speechless communication! Now he takes the infant into His arms, clears His throat, opens His mouth. Through obedient action in naming the boy John, His lips were freed. The people were in awe of all that was happening. Their whispers were thunderous as they exchanged their wondering questions. Now Zechariah was going to speak. I am sure a hush came over the crowd as he began. It was a message they didn't want to miss! It is a message we would do well to listen to. His first words are directed to God. They were words of praise and exaltation. Then he moves into a psalm and sings of salvation and servanthood.
God has come! He, in tender mercy, has come bringing redemption and salvation. His promises are now being fulfilled. The prophets' words are now taking flesh and His son John, a "prophet of the Most High," will prepare the way for "the Son of the Most High." He will give the knowledge of salvation. He will proclaim forgiveness of sins and light for those in darkness. Zechariah has spent nine months crafting this psalm, and he sings it out for every ear to hear. Praise be to the Lord... He has come and has redeemed His people!
This is what the Christmas celebration is all about. The secularization cannot drown it out. The darkness has not overcome it. The noise and clatter of our frantic buying and selling has not silenced it. God's people join Zechariah in unified chorus: "Praise be to God, for He has come and has redeemed His people! " The attempts to silence the message are futile. Brothers and sisters, join the celebration! All you who know His salvation, join in the song. Celebrate, we who are forgiven. Let the world know - God has come and has redeemed His people!
Keep Close to Jesus
Zechariah sang a psalm of salvation. It was also a psalm of servanthood. He knew that God's glorious, gracious salvation is not an end. It is the beginning of a life of service to God, without fear, in holiness and righteousness. If we are saved from sin and not save to something we are left stranded and hopeless. This is a fallacy of humanistic secularism, as well as other religions. They attempt to save people through human means, which, at best, leaves people empty vessels. They help a person overcome an evil in their life while leaving them enslaved to sin. Christ saves from sin to Himself and to holy service to Him. We Christians are not left empty. He fills His people with His Spirit, and therein enables them to faithful serve Him.
Salvation for many is nothing more than eternal fire insurance. It is reduced to God's saving us from sin to make us happy, self-fulfilled, and heaven bound. Salvation is self-centered rather than Christ centered. But, God provided salvation to make us holy! Holiness makes us selfless and God centered. Holiness engenders an attitude of servanthood. Holiness floods our hearts with love for God which compels us to joyous service to Him. God "has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David --- to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days."
Beloved of God, join in the song. Sing for God has come and has redeemed us! Sing of salvation. Sing of servanthood. Sing of God's enabling. Sing while serving Him joyously without fear, in holiness and righteousness!
Keep Close to Jesus
If someone were to write about you, what would they write? I know this is difficult to answer. You nor I can presume to know what others might say or write. Nonetheless, think about it for a moment. What would you like them to write? What would you like people know about you? What would you like future generations to know about you? How would you like to be remembered?
These are not easy questions. Oh, we may have quick answers. Chances are good that we have several quick answers. Each designed for the particular situation. You know. There's an answer for the boss; an answer for the family; an answer for the church; an answer for ourselves. As good and wholesome as these answers may be, the real issue is not how we want to be known. The real question is how God wants us to be known!
There is a directness about Matthew's account of the birth of Christ. It reminds us of Joe Friday on the old police televison show "Dragnet;" "Just the facts Mam, just the facts." Matthew begins the chronicle with surprising simplicity; "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about." Not much of an introduction for one of the most history altering events, is it? He uses the same straightforward style in describing Joseph, the man who would be the earthly father of the Christ - "A righteous man" (Matthew 1:19a) who "did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him." (1:24) Just the facts. Still, there is a beauty to it all. These few words speak volumes. The very character and essence of Joseph radiate in them. As we read the rest of verse 19, "[because he] did not want to expose [Mary] to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly," we say to ourselves, "of course this is how he, a righteous man, would respond." This same response leaps into our minds when we read that Joseph did as he was commanded. Compassion for others and obedience to God are the actions of a righteous man. What a wonderful biography - Joseph was a righteous man.
Oh that we would have such a biography written about each of us. This is the way God wants His people to be known - His righteous people. Indeed, this is why Christ came. "You are to give Him the name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." He came to save us from our sins, to make us righteous. By His indwelling presence we have divine enabling to live holy lives for His glory.
"Amen Lord Jesus - So be it"
Keep Close To Jesus
"Today in the town of David a Savior, has been born to You; He is the Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)
This has been the year for "Stump the Pastor." This year it seems like more people than ever have asked questions about questionable details in the Gospel's writers' accounts of Christ's birth. It is not always easy for us to separate tradition from the actual Biblical account. Nor is it necessarily vitally important for us to separate the two, unless the tradition is misleading or blatantly erroneous. Most of the tradition is based upon the biblical account (an example; the words that the angels said are written in verse, poetically, and therefore could have been a song, so we say the angles sang).
It seems that the biblical writers weren't as concerned about "the details" as we are. Don't they know that they left out important facts in their accounts. Come on Matthew and Luke, we need to know! Just how old were Mary and Joseph? Did Mary's family reject her or support her? Just how did the town people react? Did they even know? What about the Inn keeper? Was there one? Was he kind or nasty? And, how many Magi and shepherds were there? We can't have our Creche on the table to be inaccurate. We have inquiring minds and we want to know!
Actually, all the facts that we need are in the accounts. Our insistence to know more than we've been given blinds us to the crucial truth. Read the account again, s-l-o-w-l-y. Listen as you read. Watch and listen how each portion of the account points to the main event; the important happening; the crucial occurrence; the vital truth. If the writers had answered all our queries the meaningful and momentous news would have been overshadowed, lost in all the unimportant stuff. Bid the questions cease for a while. It is fun to surmise and speculate, but it is far more significant and substantial be silent before the wonder of it all. "In the town of David a Savior has been born to you [us]; He is the Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)
Keep Close to Jesus
All the presents had been opened. The crumpled wrapping paper which had once concealed each gift so beautifully had been placed in a large garbage bag. The family members sat around the gift laden tree looking at each other with a wondering "what's next" stare when it became apparent that something had caught dad's attention. Each looked in the direction of his gaze to find the creche setting there among the gifts. It once held the center spot under the tree, but became obscure when the gifts were placed around it, until now. Now, on longer hidden by the gifts, it silently proclaimed the mystery of Christmas. Each small figurine had been placed strategically around the manger to focus all attention to the Christ Child figure. The silence was broken as dad spoke softly:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that been made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."
Dad rose from his chair beckoning with hand gestures for the other family members to come close to him. They moved in close as he stretched out his arms to draw them close. Everyone's attention still riveted on the creche he continued softly:
"He was in the world and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His Name, He gave the right to become the children of God - Children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Dad's eyes filled with tears painfully aware that in the same way that the creche had been pushed aside for the other things, so had the truth of Christmas been pushed aside for he and his family. He slowly bowed his head and prayed aloud. "Gracious Heavenly Father, we do receive You, The Word now. We confess that we have allowed other things to crowd You out. Forgive us. We do believe and in Your Name receive You now. Make Your dwelling in us Jesus. Illuminate us with Your light. Make us Your own Father. We are Yours!."
The family, now in a circle hugging one another, spoke with one voice, "Amen."
As they released from the circle there was a wonderful glow in their faces that the gifts they had opening earlier had not brought. Their was a fullness of life that nothing before had ever engendered. This household had done more than celebrate Christmas - they experienced Him!
The gift giving and receiving has its place, but let us all be sure that He remains in the center. In the center of Christmas and in the center of our lives.
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His Name, He gave the right to become the children of God - Children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or a husband will, but born of God."
Have a Christ-filled Christmas beloved!
Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry