Pastor's Note - This is a service that is based on a Pamphlet Written by John Wesley (c. 1780, and adaptation by George Lyons. Read it with contemplation and meditation.
Leader: "Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Thrown away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15)
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us now pray together the Prayer of our LORD.
THE SCRIPTURE LESSON: Revelation 21:1-6
REFLECTION: “Newness”
The Lord has always been in the “let’s make something new” business. It began with creation, and will continue until the new heaven and earth comes into existence. But the interesting thing about God’s “making” is that the old and the new can never exist together. Note that in verse 1, the old earth and heaven had vanished from the scene, and only then was the New brought into existence. But this is nothing new – Jesus had to die and be buried before his divinity could be fully revealed in his resurrection; we are forgiven only after we confess our sin and seek the Lord’s forgiveness; when God forgives our sin, we are told that he also forgets the sin – because it no longer exists; we receive the Lord’s salvation only after we surrender this present life to him.
It appears that the Almighty never remakes, never fixes, never repairs our lives, or anything else, for that matter! Verse 4 tells us “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. … I am making everything new!” It appears that the old isn’t worth renovating – it is simply replaced with a new version of what had once been.
So what does this new concept of “newness” mean for us tonight? It means that we have to allow the old to pass away from us. It means that yesterday, and all of the yesterdays of 2014, are gone. We can do nothing to repair them, nothing to make them right – we can only let the Lord make something new in and of us for tomorrow, and all of the tomorrows, in 2015.
But forgetting what happened in the past isn’t as easy for us as it is for God. We don’t have the ability to wipe our memory clean. So what do we do about it? How do we move ahead with “what must be” when we seem to still have a fairly firm grip on “what was”?
Sorry. I don’t have a good answer of how to do that! The only suggestion I can offer is that we need to adjust our life’s focus from yesterday to now. Let the past become fuzzy, and then let it become a little more fuzzy with each passing day. The old saying tells us that we must learn from our mistakes, and if we don’t learn from them, we will be condemned to repeat them. Yeah, I know – easier said than done. But when we firmly commit to the new way, and make that commitment again, each and every day, over and over again, pretty soon it will become the established way, and the old way will remain right where it belongs - in the past.
But a word of caution - this commitment will never succeed if it resides solely within our own heart and mind – the commitment must be with the Lord. Our strength is never adequate, but his always is. In 1 Corinthians 1:24-25, we read “… to both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” Jesus is both the power and the wisdom of God, and for those who believe that this is all some sort of foolishness and ignorance, Paul says that even this foolishness and weakness is far better than anything we will ever have, even on our best day!
So no more New Year’s Resolutions for us – what we truly need is a commitment, a covenant, with the Lord and with each other, and when we begin to live in that level of strength and wisdom, victory is already assured.
Tonight, we covenant together, in support and encouragement of each other, to surrender our lives, to release our ways and to let God work in us, every moment of every day throughout 2015.
CONFESSION
People: We acknowledge a deep sense of sin and misery. We see ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior. The Spirit of God has awakened us; a kind of awakening, as it were, in hell. We cry,
"LORD, what am I! What mean these legions round about me? These chains and fetters that are upon me?
"LORD, where am I! Is there no hope of escaping out of this wretched state? I am but dead, if I continue as I am. What may I do to be saved?"
Leader: Being made aware of his sin and his danger, a sinner will look for help and deliverance, but he will look everywhere else before he looks unto Christ. Nothing will bring a sinner to Christ but absolute necessity. He will try to forsake his sins. He will go to prayers, and sermons, and sacraments and search out if there is salvation in them. But all these, though they be useful in their places, are of no help. His duties cannot help him; these may be numbered among his sins. Ordinances cannot help; these are but empty Cisterns. They all tell him, "You knock at a wrong door; salvation is not in us."
Do you now utterly despair of your own goodness, or do you trust in anything but Christ?
PRAYER
People: LORD, be merciful to me. What shall I do? I dare not remain as I am, and I cannot help myself. My praying will not help me. My hearing will not help me. If I give all my goods to the poor, if I should give my body to be burned, all this would not save my soul. Woe is me. What shall I do?
Leader: You must let your sins go. You must let your righteousness go. Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He came to seek and to save those that are lost.
Friends, will you now risk yourselves for Christ? You have this threefold assurance:
First, God’s initiative. He has taken the first move. God the Father has appointed and sent Christ into the world to save sinners. Jesus Christ is the One whom God the Father has made our Savior. He is redeeming and reconciling the world to himself.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Second, God’s command. This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Third, God’s promise. "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious; and whoever believes on him shall not be disappointed.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Now, because we have this threefold assurance of God’s initiative, command, and promise, we may now be bold to risk everything for Christ and to make ourselves totally available to Him.
Unison Prayer:
LORD Jesus, here I am, a lost creature, an enemy to God, under His wrath and curse. Will You, LORD, take me as I am, reconcile me to God, and save my soul? Do not refuse me, LORD, for if You refuse me, to whom then shall I go?
If I had come in my own name, You might well have ignored me; but since I come at the command of the Father, do not reject me. LORD, help me. LORD, save me.
The Leader and People will bow and pray together.
I come, LORD. I believe, LORD. I throw myself upon Your grace and mercy. I trust Your saving death alone to save me. Do not refuse me. I have nowhere else to go. Here I will stay. I will trust You, and rest in You, and risk myself for You. On You I lay my hope for pardon, for life, for salvation. If I perish, I perish on Your shoulders. If I sink, I sink in Your ship. If I die, I die at Your door. Do not bid me to go away, for I will not go.
COMMITMENT
Leader: Yield yourselves now to the LORD. As His servants, give up the rule and government of yourselves to Christ. "Do not yield the parts of your bodies as tools of unrighteousness to continue in sin. Instead yield yourselves fully to God, as those who have been made alive from the dead. And yield every part of your whole body as instruments of righteousness to God." "Don’t you know that you make yourself a slave to obey whoever or whatever you yield yourself to? You are God’s servants; obey Him! Yield yourselves so fully and finally to the LORD that you may henceforth be only the LORD’s.
Those who yield themselves to sin and the world say in their hearts, "Sin, I am yours; World, I am yours; Riches, I am yours; Pleasures, I am yours."
Rather, with the Psalmist, let us say to the LORD:
AFFIRMATION
Leader and People: I am Yours, My God; I reverence You. I dedicate myself to Your service.
Leader: In so giving yourselves to the LORD, you affirm that you will be heartily contented that He assign you to your work.
Let Him assign you to your work. Christ has many services to be done; some are more easy and honorable, others more difficult and menial.
Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests; others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, as when He requires us to feed and clothe ourselves. Indeed, there are some spiritual duties that are more pleasing than others; as to rejoice in the LORD, to bless and praise God. These are the sweet works of a Christian.
But then there are other works. In these we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves, as in enduring the sins and shortcomings of others, reproving others for their sins, withdrawing from their company; as in witnessing against their wickedness. Confessing Christ and His name is never easy when it costs us shame and ridicule. It is never easy to sail against the wind, swim against the tide, surrender our rights and privileges because Jesus Christ is our LORD.
See what it is that Christ expects, and then yield yourselves to His whole will. Do not think of making your own terms with Christ; that will never be allowed. Let us now approach Christ in prayer.
Unison Prayer
LORD Jesus, if You will receive me into Your house, if You will but accept me as Your servant, I will not stand upon terms. Impose on me whatever condition pleases You; write down Your own provisions; command me to be or do whatever You will; only let me be Your servant.
Make me what You will, LORD, and set me where You will. Let me be a vessel of silver or gold, or a vessel of wood or stone; so I may be a vessel of honor. I am content. If I am not the head, or the eye, or the ear, one of the nobler and more honorable instruments You will employ, let me be the hand, or the foot, as one of the lowest and least esteemed of all the servants of my LORD.
Leader: LORD, put me on whatever task You will; rank me with whom You will.
People: Put me to doing; put me to suffering.
Leader: Let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You, exalted for You, or trodden under foot for You.
People: Let me be full; let me be empty.
Leader: Let me have all things; let me have nothing.
People: I freely and heartily resign all to Your pleasure and disposal.
Leader: Friends, such a commitment to Christ as you have now made is the essence of Christianity. When you have chosen God to be your portion and happiness; when you have laid all your hopes on Christ, casting yourself wholly upon the merits of His righteousness; when you have thoughtfully and heartily resigned and given up yourselves to Him; then you are Christians indeed, and never till then. Christ will be the Savior of none but of His servants. He is the Author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. Christ will have no servants but by consent. His people are a willing people, and Christ will accept of no consent but in full to all that He requires. He will be all in all, or He will be nothing.
THE COVENANT
Leader: And now let us confirm our commitment by a solemn covenant.
Leader: Search your hearts whether you either have already, or can now freely, make this commitment to God in Christ.
First, consider what your sins are and examine whether you can resolve to forego them all. Consider what His laws are — how holy, strict, and spiritual, and whether you can, upon deliberation, choose them all as the rule of your whole life.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Second, compose your spirits into the most serious frame possible, suitable to a transaction of so high importance.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Third, lay hold on the covenant of God and rely upon His promise of giving grace and strength, for only through these will you be enabled to perform your promise. Do not trust your own strength, but take hold on His strength.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Fourth, resolve to be faithful. Having engaged your hearts, opened your mouths, and subscribed with your hands to the Lord, resolve in His strength never to go back.
Moment of Silent Reflection
Fifth and last, being thus prepared, in the most solemn manner possible, as if the Lord were visibly present before your eyes, bow and open your hearts to the Lord.
Moment of Silent Reflection
The Leader and People will bow and pray together.
O most holy God, we humbly beg You, accept the poor prodigals prostrating themselves at Your door. All of us were once, or are even now, far from You because of our sins. We are all by nature worthy of death, and we made ourselves a thousand times worse by our wicked practices. But out of Your infinite grace You have promised mercy to us in Christ, if we will only turn to You with all our heart. Therefore, since we have heard the call of the gospel, we now come, throw down our weapons, and submit ourselves to Your mercy.
And because You require, as the condition of our peace with You, that we should put away our idols, we here and now from the bottom of our hearts renounce them all. We firmly covenant with You not to allow ourselves to continue in any known sin. We will, instead, conscientiously use all the means that we know You have prescribed, for the death and utter destruction of everything that corrupts us. We humbly affirm before Your glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of our hearts to forsake all that is dear unto us in this world, rather than to turn from You to the ways of sin. We will guard ourselves against all temptations, whether from prosperity or poverty, pleasure or pain, so that they may never draw our hearts away from You.
And since You have, out of Your boundless mercy, offered graciously, to be our God through Christ, we call heaven and earth to record this day, that we do here solemnly acknowledge You as the LORD our God.
And now, speaking not only as one in this sacred assembly, but speaking for myself alone, I do take You, O Eternal God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be my God. Be my portion. I do give up myself, body and soul, to be Your servant, promising and vowing to serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.
O blessed Jesus, I come to You hungry, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked, unworthy to wash the feet of the servants of my LORD, much less to be solemnly married to the King of Glory. But since such is Your unparalleled love, I do here with all my power accept You and take You for my Head and Husband, to love, honor, and obey You before all others, and this to death. I renounce my own worthiness and do here acknowledge You as the LORD my righteousness. I renounce my own wisdom and do here take You for my only Guide. I renounce my own will and take Your will for my law.
And since Your word has told me that I must suffer with You if I am to reign with You, I do here covenant with You to accept my lot, as it falls, with You and by Your grace to risk everything for You. It is my purpose that neither life nor death shall part You and me.
Now, Almighty God, Searcher of Hearts, You know that I make this covenant with You this day, without any known deception or reservation. I humbly beg You that if You see any flaw or falsehood in my resolve, reveal it to me and help me to put it right.
All stand and say in unison:
Leader and People: And now, I praise You, O Father God, whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father. Glory be to You, LORD Jesus, O God the Son, who loved me and washed me from my sins by Your death and resurrection and who are now my Savior and Redeemer. Glory be to You, O God the Holy Spirit, who by Your almighty power and inescapable presence have turned my heart from sin to God.
O eternal, all mighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are now my Covenant-Friend, and I, through Your infinite grace, am Your Covenant-Servant. And the Covenant which I have made on earth, may it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Celebration of Holy Communion.
Benediction
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Sunday, December 28, 2014
“Rejoice, and Rejoice Again!”
Scripture: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Christmas has always been known as a “time of wonder”, even for those who don’t celebrate Christ’s birth. Children come to the day wide-eyed and expectant, and adults, somehow, see the day through those same childish eyes that they had lost years before. It’s a day filled with family and friends gathered around the dinner table, laughing and sharing and loving each other as they had yet to do that entire year, and they come to the day to give joy and receive blessings, and there is not one other day all year long that can even come close.
But there are some who completely miss the joy of the season – perhaps because of the pain of loss and struggle that grips their hearts, and for others through their lack of focus on what the day is really all about. The Message of Christmas, the true message, was given by the angels in a field, speaking to a group of poor shepherds, 2,000 years ago. “Today … a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) The love that Almighty God has for humanity was “fleshed out” in a stable, and the message of hope hasn’t changed since that glorious day burst upon the earth in such a perfect way.
But nearly 700 years before that first Christmas, Isaiah prophesied to the joy of the day. He would tell of this humble birth (Isaiah 7:13-15), he would tell of God’s great Purpose, (Isaiah 9:2-7), and he would share the joy of the Lord’s coming with all who would ever read his words (Isaiah 40:3-5).
Today, we read more of the joy that will come to all who will believe in Him.
Read Isaiah 61:10-11
“… my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation”. These words are certainly reasons to rejoice, aren’t they?
But when Jesus told the parable of the Wedding Feast, he also spoke of these garments, but in a far more specific way – that they were “wedding clothes”. (Matthew 22:1-14) And these clothes would have a great significance. They would indicate that the individual had come to show honor to the ones being married, and those who came without the clothes, who would not show the honor that was deserved, would be thrown out of the party. The wearing of “salvation clothes” tell others that we are filled with joy because we love the One we come to revere.
In Zechariah 3:1-9, we read of the high priest Joshua, standing before the Judgment seat, dressed in filthy rags. The rags represent his sin, which should be reason enough for his condemnation, but the Angel of the Lord tells the others to remove his rags and replace them with splendid clothes – rich and glorious ones. These new clothes become a sign of Joshua’s cleansing and forgiveness, and we discover that the salvation clothes weren’t his, and they aren’t ours, to put on, but that they come from the Lord. That is what faith is – not ours to own, but simply ours to wear.
This is what Isaiah is trying to describe to us – that our “salvation garments” aren’t something that we own or earn or even borrow – they are given as a sign of, first, our allegiance and love of Christ, and second, as a sign of forgiveness and restoration to God. Some folks don’t care much for this image though, as they want to have control over what they have in this life. But it isn’t our choice or by our doing - it is a gift from God, and just as with any true gift, it has nothing to do with the one who receives – it is about the generous nature of the One who gives.
What greater reason could there be for rejoicing? That we have been given the gift of eternal life by God Himself - not as a gift that was delivered by some unnamed and uncaring messenger, but by God in the Flesh.
And this gift will be incredible. The prophet compares it to the beautifying of a bridegroom and his bride – that it will not be ordinary in any sense of the word, but will be the best and most precious gift that God has to give.
The second analogy that the prophet offers is in a more earthy example involving the germination and growth of seeds. Have you ever seen a seed that would grow while it is clutched tightly in your hand? Or tucked safely away in your pocket? Or never removed from the packet it was purchased in?
Of course not! You have to let go of it, you have to bury it in the ground, and you have to believe that it will produce a good crop! It’s the same with our lives. We acknowledge that we can do nothing to produce any good fruit on our own, so we give it over to the Lord, and we let our life of sin completely die in Jesus’ hands, and we believe with all our “heart and soul and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) that he can and will make us right and fruitful in him.
Isaiah tells us that it is the Lord who will bring righteousness and praise to adorn our lives, and, by implication, that we can do nothing to help in this matter except to give it all over to the Lord and his way.
Read Isaiah 62:1-3
Isaiah now switches from the overwhelming joy that he feels, to the lack of joy that his nation is experiencing. And it isn’t the deep sorrow that we read of though out Isaiah’s prophecy, but rather the dedication that he now has to spreading the word of God to as many people as he can. “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,”, he says. It isn’t to his benefit, it isn’t even for the joy of Yahweh that he will do this, but for the benefit of those who will hear the Lord’s message of hope. And what will he tell them? That they aren’t going to come to the Lord by looking to other gods, or by doing it all on their own – that the only way is through complete and undying faith in their One and Great Jehovah!
And his greatest desire is that they (Jerusalem!) will gain the righteousness of God, and will become that divine beacon; the coming of a new day after a long, dark night; a torch that will light the way for travelers who are lost. In chapter 60:1, Isaiah tells us to “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” In other words, “wake up and get up, otherwise how will the Lord’s light shine in you”!
The prophet is speaking of this “new light” to the people of today, and not just to the people of Israel in 700 BC! So what are we to do with this new Light? Quite honestly, nothing - nothing except to carry it in an obvious way so that others will see it. We don’t have to make it shine, we don’t have to light the torch, we don’t have to focus it on someone in particular. Just live a life that reflects Christ to all who see you – “blue collar” and “white collar”; the high and mighty as well as the lowly; churchgoers and those who have never set foot inside a church. Live a life that will bring others to say “I don’t know where you got that, but I want some!”
And when we do this for the Lord, Isaiah tells us that he will give us a new name – one that reflects the person we have become – like Simon becoming Peter, and Saul becoming Paul. It will be a name that we might never choose for ourselves, but it will be the perfect one for our life in Christ. And the glory of the Lord will not only shine upon us and around us and through us, but we will be adorned in the splendor that can only come from the hand of Jesus, which brings us back to our first verse for today – we will be “clothed with garments of salvation and arrayed in a robe of righteousness.”
The light, the crown, the glory, the garments of salvation – all of it comes to us because of the joy we receive at Christmas. Not because of the gifts we receive from others, but by the gift of the Babe of Bethlehem – the Christ, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God who is with you and me!
Do you still have the Joy of Christmas, now that the day is behind us? The joy of Christ is the gift that never gives in, never gives up, never slackens, never diminishes, never disappoints. Our rejoicing over the hope that comes in this day must never end! Rejoice in Jesus, again and again, every day and forever more!
Rest your life in the palm of God’s hand, and never again doubt the joy of eternity!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
“The Story”
Scripture: Luke 2:1-20
As we journeyed through Advent, we looked at a number of events that all led us toward this night that is bathed in the glory of God.
We began at the beginning, or rather before the beginning, when there was only God. It was Father, Son, and Spirit – all together, and nothing else. And in the Wisdom of the Almighty, Creation was put in motion. It would not be a static conception, but a living and active one that was given as a specific beginning that would be consigned to a specific end. And the most important aspect of this “new thing” was that God would be an active part in it. And not only active, but far into the future, he would actually enter his creative order and subject himself to its limitations and its will to ensure that humanity could have a life that existed beyond the end.
And then we began to move through the created order to see how the Lord prepared the people to truly live a life in him. His promise was that anyone could experience his grace – not just the chosen of Israel – but anyone who would truly believe that he is God and would allow him to work in their lives, including in the joys as well as the burdens that they carry. But God’s point in all of this is that we must be prepared for his arrival – we can’t leave our eventual meeting with him up to chance.
As part of this preparation, we would be shown who the Anticipated One truly is. It wouldn’t be easy to recognize him, because God was about to join us, not as a heavenly Spirit, but as a Man. Fully God and fully man. God in every way, who would allow himself to be subject to the trials and emotions and conditions of a human and mortal person. And his task? To destroy the hold that sin has on each and every person on earth. Unfortunately, humanity must also let go of their sin, so that God’s work can be completed in them.
Everything was in place, the Lord’s prophets had been telling the world of his coming for hundreds of years. And then it happened - Almighty God sent his angel Gabriel to earth to enact the Great Plan of Salvation, but in such an incredible way that most would never believe it. An elderly woman would bear the one who would herald the Lord’s arrival, and an unwed teenager would become the mother of the Salvation Child.
What “in the world” was God up to? Messiah was supposed to be a Power unlike anything known in all the earth! He was supposed to be a Destroyer of evil and a Rescuer of his people Israel. Never mind what the prophets said – tradition and human wisdom would decree that might was far better than weakness, and boldness much better than humility. And to entrust the Lord of all the earth with an unmarried couple from a town so small that few had even heard of the place! God’s Plan made absolutely no sense whatsoever!
Except, that the child would be born in Bethlehem, the childhood home of King David. Except, that both Joseph and Mary’s lineage led back to David. Except, that the prophecy of Isaiah (9:2-7) and Micah (5:2) and others was being fulfilled exactly as God said it would be. Except, that the heavens would proclaim the birth with a Star for the majestic, and hundreds and thousands of angels would sing his praises to the lowest.
What kind of story could this possibly be? What has God set in motion for us? Why would he ever choose this way over a way that could be seen and understood and accepted by all? Who would this Savior really be for, and what would this Precious Life mean for the people of earth?
There’s an old saying that “God’s ways are not our ways!”, and that causes no little amount of torment in human life! We want the Lord to make sense to us; we want him to make salvation easy for us; we want him to function in a way that we would work; all of which, in and of itself, doesn’t make any sense, either!
When was the last time our ways ever worked out for the best? Human thought is imperfect, at best, and our judgment is even worse than that! Look at the sin we struggle with, and our feeble and failure riddled attempts to live a worthy life. Look at the finality of our mortal lives, even as the greatest minds of earth continue to try to improve and lengthen our years here on earth. Look at our inability to live a life that might even come close to reflecting the glory of Almighty God.
The truth is that God’s way is always best and ours never is. And so, this family, which wasn’t even a family yet, was chosen to be the means of the Lord’s entry into our lives. They would humbly accept the Divine intervention that brought them to a place that wasn’t even worthy of them, let alone worthy of God. And yet, it was the right place. This Child of Hope would be born in a cave, surrounded by a bunch of smelly animals, and would begin life among us in just about as ignoble a way as anyone could.
But what would heaven think about all of this? The heavenly host, the angelic attendants of God, must have been going wild with anticipation! You see, the angels who remained faithful and trusting of the Master, knew that his ways would be the perfect solution to human sinfulness, and when they were given the opportunity to announce this great event to the shepherds, they couldn’t hold back their joy any longer. The Shekinah glory of God went before them and lit up the dark countryside as the sun never could; their spokesman would offer words of peace to these terrified, filthy, and religiously unclean humans; and they would be the first to know that the long awaited Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God had, indeed, finally come to them as an Infant. And through him, the glory of God would shine brilliantly on all who would come to his favor.
Heaven had first announced the Birth to the most unworthy of earth, but what would they do about it? We need to understand that shepherds weren’t shy and detached individuals - not in the least! They were crude but self-motivated men who had heard with their ears, and even though they fully believed what the messengers had told them, they wanted to see this miracle with their own eyes. Scripture tells us that they “hurried off” to go to the Christ’s side, but we don’t read anything about someone staying behind to watch the sheep! Earthly interests were taking a back seat to the story of heavenly glory that had been presented to them. And after they had seen and rejoiced at this marvelous Birth, they rushed back home to tell their friends and neighbors about the Christ’s birth. And as soon as the message had been shared with others, they returned to the stable to offer their own praises for God’s incredible plan for humanity.
But the story doesn’t end with these ragged, smelly, sinful men. It continues to tell us of 12 who would be called to learn at the feet of the adult Jesus. It would continue to tell of opposition to the message of hope that he brought. It would continue to tell of attempts to oppress and hate and murder the message, and that these attempts wouldn’t just fail, but that they would play into the eternal Plan of Salvation. It would tell of eternal life that would come out of mortal death, and the promise that death can never win. The story would spread throughout the known world, regardless of continuing oppression and hatred and attempts to murder the carriers of this glorious message.
The Lord’s way would never be denied, would never be broken, would never be taken back, would never be changed. And now, the message has been given to us – to rejoice in, to celebrate in, to believe in, and to share with the world around us. God’s Anointed, the Messiah, the Christ of heaven has been brought to us in the most unusual way and for the most wonderful reason, and all that we have to do is to believe it and claim it for our own lives.
“Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to all who will believe and accept his way to eternal life.” Not such a difficult set of words to remember – after all, even those ignorant shepherds remembered them. Not such a difficult set of words to share with others – after all, even those ignorant, unworthy shepherds told everyone they met that Jesus Christ, the very Son of the Most High God, had been born into this world.
Do you believe? Do you claim his gift of eternal life for your own? Will you share it with the dark and hurting world that surrounds his glory, that they, too, might live in him?
“Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Praise God for his wonders that have been made real in our lives. Go, and tell others.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
“The Announcement!”
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
Imagine – you’re going about your everyday life – mowing the lawn, helping the kids with their homework, driving to the store to do some shopping, working in the office - and then you suddenly realize that your life is about to change – drastically! You’ll continue to be the same person, with the same issues and needs in life, but all of your hopes and dreams and plans for the future will soon fly right out the window and will be replaced with the most incredible and unbelievable promises you could never imagine!
What are you going to do about it? Do you start keeping a journal, with the hope of selling your story to a movie producer or book publisher for an unheard of amount of money? Do you rush out to share your new revelation with everyone you meet, expecting them all to show great honor to you? Do you start making a list of folks you will ask to help you with your new duties? Or do you just sit down, trembling at the realization of what you have just been asked to do, and understanding that not one ounce of fame will come to you in this lifetime?
Read Luke 1:26-30
Mary had probably not heard the news about her cousin Elizabeth and her unexpected pregnancy, as news traveled extremely slowly in those days. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah had wanted children for many years, but had never been able to conceive. The lack of children, and the absence of male heirs in particular, was a sign that God was displeased with you for some reason, and there was nothing that you could do about it. But now, the shame of being childless had been taken away from them by God, and hope had been restored.
That same angel had come once again, but with a different announcement, for a different woman, in a different situation, with a message that few, at the very least, would ever believe and accept. Mary, a young teenage girl, unmarried, living in a little, dirty, “back water” town, was about to discover just how much God loved her. And that was how the angel began his message to her – “you who are highly favored”!
So what does it mean that you are “highly favored” by God? Is it comparable to getting a promotion at your place of work? Is it the same as being chosen to sing a solo in the church’s Christmas pageant? Is it even close to making the high honor role in school?
Not even close! It means that God has chosen you because he could trust you to do what he is about to ask. It means that out of all the people of earth, you are the right one, in God’s eyes, to accomplish his will here on earth. It means, unfortunately, that you are going to be asked to do something that you would never choose to do on your own!
Decision making in business involves evaluation of many issues, especially those known as “adverse consequences”. These are the things that could possibly go wrong in a project, causing delays, or quality problems, or other issues that might result in project failure. With God, however, his plan will never fail, and there is only one best way to accomplish whatever it is that he needs to have done. His only consideration of “adverse consequences” is to minimize their effect – all of them - to the extent that they will not be able to effect the ultimate outcome. He doesn’t eliminate them – he either refuses to let them impact his will, or else he uses them to accomplish his will.
And then, the angel tells Mary “The Lord is with you.” Amazingly, the announcement that Emmanuel is about to burst upon the world, is made totally personal for this young girl – it isn’t just that “God is with us”, but that “The Lord is with YOU!” This girl had been chosen to be the means of the impossible – the means of God’s Will – the means of the arrival of God’s greatest blessing on the world. Emmanuel – “God is with you”.
Read Luke 1:31-33
Notice that the angel doesn’t frame this message in the form of a question – Mary isn’t given a choice! God doesn’t ask her if she would be willing to do this for him – she is simply told that all that had been prophesized was about to come true. 2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.”, and Gabriel confirms the promise with nearly the same words. 2 Samuel 7:14 – “I will be his father, and he will be my son.”, and Gabriel tells Mary that her child will be “the Son of the Most High”.
The prophesy is sure and is about to be fulfilled. And the one who will carry this Holy Promise is never given a choice in the matter. God’s will isn’t negotiable. His plan won’t be modified. His choice is perfect. And yet, how many times do we foolishly try to back out of being the Lord’s choice? His call on our lives seems to be too difficult, too unusual, too early in life, too late in life, too uncertain, too scary, too “something”. We generally have a list that is longer than the one Moses used to try to convince the Lord that he was not the right man to bring the people out of Egypt! And God listens to our whining just as long and just as patiently as he did for Moses.
The Lord’s plan for salvation was about to begin in the womb of a trusting, unmarried, teenage girl.
Read Luke 1:34-38
And Mary has only one question for Gabriel – “How is God going to do this”? She may have been young, she may have been unmarried, but she knew where babies came from. And that way had yet to occur with her. Zechariah had similar concerns when he was told about his son John. “How can this be?” he would ask. He and Elizabeth were both well advanced in years, and child birth was unheard of at their age.
But Zechariah was a priest and should have been more accepting of God’s announcement, and because he doubted, he would lose his ability to speak for the duration of the pregnancy. Mary also would express a concern about the process, but because of her youth and innocence, Gabriel explains, as well as any angel could, how God was going to make it happen.
The Lord’s ways should always amaze us, even though he has shown us over and over how he works such marvelous ways through birth.
Sarah was 90 years old when she became pregnant with Isaac to ensure that the Lord’s promise to Abraham would be fulfilled. And she doubted, too!
An unnamed Levite woman would give birth to a child who would be called Moses – a child who had been condemned by Pharaoh, but in God’s somewhat humorous way, the boy would be raised under Pharaoh’s own roof and would become a thorn in a future Pharaoh’s side.
Hannah had been barren for many years, and when she pledged her first born to the Lord, she would give birth to a son named Samuel, who himself, would also play an important part in God’s plan for Israel.
How about Ruth, who wasn’t even a Jew but who would become King David’s grandmother.
So why shouldn’t another older woman give birth to a herald for Christ, and a very young, unmarried girl become the mother of the “Son of the Most High”? Why not? And Gabriel’s final words to Mary are probably the most fitting and most telling of the way God works. Simply that “Nothing is impossible with God.”
And Mary replies “OK – count me in.”
There are two phrases that I think we need to consider for our own lives. The first is the one that Mary received – “Nothing is impossible with God”. And in our “impossible” lives, we need to be reminded of this over and over again. The second is nearly as important, and that is “God will not be denied.”
How deep is our faith? We proclaim that our God is omnipotent (all powerful), Omniscient (all knowing), and Omnipresent (present everywhere and throughout time). If these things are true, how could anyone ever doubt that the Lord can, indeed, do anything he desires to do? And second, if these things are true, who do we think we are to say “No” to him? Do we really think that we know better than God, that we can change the Lord of the Universe’s mind?
Throughout scripture and throughout the ages, people have been called to do things in the name of Almighty God that there is no way that they could ever do them on their own. We question the wisdom of the Lord’s plan for our lives, even though we know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Mary and Elizabeth both would know that God was working a marvelous wonder through their faithful lives. They trusted their Lord, and they gave themselves willingly and joyfully in service to him. Would they both be subject to heartbreak? They most certainly would, but they also trusted that the glory that would come from it would drown out their sorrow.
How about you? Has God been trying to announce some special message to you? Have you been listening, or have you been trying to ignore it? God will win, you know, so why not give him a chance? Allow him to speak his good news into your life today.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
“The Source …”
Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10
Remember when your son or daughter asked you “Mommy (or Daddy!), where did I come from?” It was the question that you had been dreading since the child was born, and even years later, you still didn’t have a good answer! But does this question always demand a explanation of “the birds and the bees”? Should the answer always be given as a birth narrative?
The punch line to the old joke, of course, is that a new friend had just moved into town from Cleveland, and your child is wondering if they had come from a similar place! But that’s not the usual context – and the “where” doesn’t always refer to the womb! While that sometimes is the question, I believe that for most children, the inquiry is more of a “Who am I” type of inquiry.
So this brings us to the question for today – “Who is Jesus?” “Where did he come from?” “And how did he get here?” Is our response “He is the Son of God and the son of Man” adequate? It is certainly part of the answer, but is it enough? Does it give us all that we need to know about Jesus?
Probably not.
Read Isaiah 11:1-3a
The prophet’s response to “Who is Jesus?” seems to tell us that he an exceptional Spirit-filled man. So, it appears that the first thing we need to know about Jesus is that he was human. He had human ancestors, he had a human origin, he was a living, breathing, flesh covered, blood filled being who needed food and water and air if he was to continue to live. He could experience human emotion, including anger, fear, joy, love, anxiety, and disappointment; he would bleed if he was cut; he got tired and hungry; he needed sleep; and he used no extraordinary means to travel from one place to another. If we had a sample of his DNA today, I have no idea what it would look like, but with this passage, we know that there would certainly be a human component to it.
We also read that he would be related to the descendent of a man known as Jesse. Without other passages, we would never know who this son of Jesse is. But in a number of places in scripture, notably in Revelation 5:5, we are told that King David is that person. So now we also know that Jesus isn’t just a human, but that he had royal blood coursing through his veins.
Jesus was a human being in every possible way, and would be in the direct lineage of the greatest king of Israel.
But there was more. Isaiah tells us that he would be filled, in every possible way, with the Spirit of God. He would have infinite knowledge, and would not only know all things, but he would also understand what they all mean. He would not receive all of this in a minimal way, but in a complete and full way. He would understand Creation; he would understand the Divine Plan that was in place for his people; he could comprehend “eternity” and all that that entailed; he understood the ramification of life – both here and beyond. And that is a lot of understanding!
The next verse is about authority. “Counsel” is the ability to govern and lead, and is closely tied to “Knowledge” and Wisdom”. And the Spirit of Counsel implies that he will use his Godly knowledge and wisdom in a perfect way. But associated with his “Counsel”, we discover that he also has “Power”. Power implies more than just authority – it is a reference to a military-type of force. He not only had authority to govern, but he had the strength to enforce his will. And he would never have any need for a human army or even body guards – he was far greater than any military body that the earth could ever assemble, even though he would seldom use that power.
Next, he would have knowledge and reverence of, and for, God. This “understanding” goes far beyond simply knowing about the “things” of God – it tells us that he understood God! He understood the reasoning of the Divine; he understood how the Almighty works; he had a perfect love of God; he had complete trust in the Plan of God. These attributes assure us that Jesus was truly God in every possible way. He was committed and holy and perfect and trustworthy. Whenever he would speak, he spoke with the full authority of Almighty God.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, he would completely love the Lord and all of his ways. Jesus would be so filled with the Spirit that he would perfectly represent the Father, and would speak for him, and would, in every way, be God.
Jesus would be completely God in a completely human body and existence. He would be conceived by the Spirit of God within a human body, he would be born as a human in a human way, and would be filled with every Godly attribute.
Is Jesus human? Absolutely!
Is Jesus God? Absolutely!
Emmanuel! God with us in the flesh! And not just in a coincidental way, but in an intentional, absolute, and perfect way. And they must be inseparable.
Read Isaiah 11:3b-5
These two and a half verses give us an idea of how Jesus will govern in authority, and actually, it gives us several contrasting examples of how God rules versus how a secular authority might govern.
The first example tells us that his Spiritual Counsel will allow him to administer as a human, but not in a human way. How do we make decisions? It’s by the things we read and experience, it’s by the advice we receive and hear, it’s by our visual examination of the facts before us, it’s by the information we have received throughout our life.
But Jesus will govern by a completely different means. It will be by the standards of Godly wisdom. Not the things he has learned, but by the Spiritual gifts he has received, and this will ensure that his “counsel” – his justice - will be perfect. There will no longer be outside influences that can affect the outcome of his judgment. It will be by God’s wisdom, and nothing else. Everyone will get a fair hearing, because Jesus will understand their circumstances perfectly, even before they can offer any explanation (Zechariah 3). Righteousness will rule over all – both the poor and the wealthy, the wise and the uneducated, the able and the unable, the loved and the despised, the guilty and the innocent. No situation will be left to be worked out on its own – Jesus will care for it all.
One more thought regarding the reference to the “rod of his mouth” and the “breath of his lips”. If we go back to the first chapter of Genesis (Genesis 1:3-2:1), we see that each of the six days of creation began with “And God said”. There was no waving of his hand, no magic powder or wand, no assistant who helps to make an allusion work – it all came to be simply through God’s will. That is how his counsel – his judgment – his power will be administered – simply by his will. He will “say” it, and it will be. No armies or navies or marines or air forces, no police, no vigilantes, no help at all. Just the word of Jesus, and it will be done.
Read Isaiah 11:6-9
And the result of this perfect Power, administered in a Perfect way, is that the things of earth will be completely turned upside down. Every conflict, every fear, every opposing ideology, every hatred, everything that is not of God will be taken away. We can’t even imagine this situation – it is such a totally foreign concept to us that it is completely nonsensical.
But in that day, it will all make sense – perfect sense! Why? Because the Spirit of Knowledge will cover the earth, and all who live there will receive that Divine understanding and will “delight” in it.
This is what Jesus will be bringing with him on that glorious day when he returns – perfect peace, a perfect existence, just as there had been in the Garden before the Tempter entered into the human condition.
Read Isaiah 11:10
Jesus will be our Banner.
When was the last time you attended a parade? Remember the fire departments and the veterans groups and the bands? All of them had a color guard that led them. Folks who have served in the military know about “banners’ – the National colors, command colors, ribbons indicating awards for valor and action – all of these are displayed out front, and lead us wherever we go. They represent who we are and what we stand for, and we look upon them with the highest respect and honor
That’s why Jesus has to be our banner and will continue to hold that distinction through eternity. He is our hope, our identity, our purpose, and our goal, and all who love him will come together to give him all the honor and glory he so richly deserves.
In Genesis 2:2-3, we read that when Creation was finished, God rested from his creative efforts, and all who come to him will, one day, know that same glorious rest from all our labors.
Jesus is the Source of all we can possibly receive, both in this life and beyond this life, just as the Holy Spirit was the Source for all that he is. Praise God for bringing the Source of all goodness into the world, and for allowing us to claim his glory for our own lives.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
“Prepare the Way …”
Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-8
Preparation is a way of life for us. We prepared to come to worship this morning, we prepare food for each of our meals, we prepare for Birthday parties and Thanksgiving dinner and the arrival of weekend visitors. You would think that preparation to receive God into the world and into our lives would come as second nature, that it would be taken in a far more serious manner! But people seldom do.
Oh, it’s true that we buy presents for family and friends, and we usually go overboard with that particular task. We prepare the house with all kinds of lights, and yard ornaments, and by placing a tree in the most prominent place we can find. Some folks even go on a diet for a week before Christmas so that the scrumptious dinner that they prepare won’t have too great an impact on their bodies!
But how about the attention we pay to preparing our lives for Christmas? How much time and effort do we commit to getting our spirits in shape to welcome Jesus? Many believe that Christmas will come regardless of our efforts, and while that is true, we can’t leave all of the ground work up to God! He has already done his part – he left his glory behind to join us right where we are; he left the praises of heaven behind in exchange for the animosity of earth; he came to bring, and be, the Word of God for the people of earth; and he would teach and explain and provide us with everything we would need to truly receive him into our miserable lives.
And still we think that it demands too much from us.
Life is tough enough, they think, without having to live up to someone else’s standards! We struggle to eke out an existence, to raise and support our family on resources that are barely sufficient, and what does it get us? An early trip to the grave! If God doesn’t want to make our lives easier, then why should we give him anything?
Read Isaiah 40:1-2
The Lord knows that life is hard, and that it would be even if we were able to live it in a perfect way! Over and over in the Psalms, we read the lament “How long, O God, …” (Psalm 13:1-2; Psalm 35:15-17; Psalm 74:10-11; Psalm 89:45-48; etal) And God seldom replies to the plea – at least not immediately. His plan has a time schedule that we never see, and wouldn’t understand if we did, and the answer to our cries for help may be years in the making. But God has a temporary solution for us – he calls us to care for each other.
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God”. The people of God are to be the comforters for now. But the question before us is this – who are the people we are to comfort? Who are the “my people” that Isaiah tells us to help? Our tendency is to think that we are to consider the needs of those who are in the church – for those who believe like us. But do we really think that the Lord would exclude the rest of the world?
Who did Jesus come to save? The righteous? Believers? Those who would hear and accept the Good News of Jesus Christ? Remember that Israel thought that Messiah was for them alone, and were appalled that the early apostles were extending God’s mercy to the Gentiles! So, just who are “my people” referring to? It may not be comfortable to hear this, but the Lord wants us to offer comfort to all who struggle – believers and nonbelievers alike; to the righteous and the wicked alike; to the saved and unsaved alike; to the hope-filled and the fear-filled; to the saints and the sinners; to all who are burdened. In Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” There were no pre-requirements, no caveats, no exceptions – just the condition that if you were struggling under heavy burdens in this life, the Lord would care for you - if you would let him. But Isaiah tells us that this Godly “rest”, at least for now, must come through us!
And while you are at it, let “them” know that in Christ, all of the mistakes, missteps, errors, pain, burdens, sins of this life will not only be cared for, but that their “sin has been paid for.” No consequences, no punishment; no fear – just the blessing that they will receive a “double” portion of goodness in exchange for the pain that the world has inflicted on them.
A new day and a new way is on the way!
Read Isaiah 40:3-5
The intent and timing of this passage has been a point of discussion for theologians for many years. Does it pertain to Isaiah’s time, and could it be proclaiming the release of the nation from Babylonian slavery? That their way home would be without major incident? That they would be in God’s presence and glory once more?
Is it about the end times, could it literally be about the remaking of the face of the earth and the decisive battles against Satan’s evil years? The raising up of the valleys and the leveling of the mountains and the rugged being transformed into plains will be a rather violent event. Could it be about this!
But what if this is about the impact on our lives – right now - when we walk with Christ and begin to work within his will? What if these corrections are figurative, and are really about the changes that we will undergo when transformed by a life in Christ? You may never read these next thoughts in any commentary or other scholarly papers, but could this be about the way we are being prepared to experience Christ in our lives?
“In the desert, prepare the way for the Lord”. A sinful existence, which we all are immersed in, is sometimes referred to as a wasteland, or a desert. But in our sinfulness, how can we possibly prepare for the Holy and Righteous Lord’s triumph within us? The truth is that we can’t – our only hope is when we surrender these broken and painful lives to God and let him do the preparing! We can’t earn forgiveness for our failures, we can’t bring about a new light that will overcome the darkness that we have welcomed, we can’t produce a wholeness within the cavern that despair and hopelessness created. And we certainly can never make our crooked and misshapen lives straight again. Only God is able to make us right.
“Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low …“, etc. The prophet isn’t calling us to start digging to level out the terrain of our lives, but rather that when we seek the presence of Almighty God, he will begin removing the obstacles that exist between us and him. Notice that the references to the results of this “make over” are simply that valley will be raised up – not filled in. That mountains will be made low – not excavated into oblivion. That rough ground will become level and rugged places a plain – no mention of the process involved in making them so.
It will be the glory of God at work within us, and it will become obvious for all to see. And why should we trust that this will come to be?
“For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” And that is enough.
Read Isaiah 40:6-8
We are told to “cry out”. But who is this unnamed and demanding voice? Is it the Lord? One, or even many of the heavenly host? An archangel? We don’t know exactly, but we do know that is a message from God. And what are we to cry out? The prophet doesn’t seem to know; Israel would never know; even the Church isn’t all that sure at times. Perhaps our cry should be “Mercy!” Perhaps our cry should be “Save me!” Perhaps our cry should be, in recognition of this season, “Come, O come Emmanuel!”
Regardless, without some honest and heartfelt outcry to the Lord, life as we know it will one day end, and there will be nothing to fill the void of death. “The grass withers and the flowers fall …” and we are no better than that. Without Jesus, the valleys will remain deep and impenetrable, and the mountains will be too high and steep to scale, and the rough ground will sap the energy from our lives, and we will never be able to approach the Throne of Grace. But God has given us another way – a way that he has prepared for us, a way that he has perfected, a way that is in his Son, Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 55:11-12 – the “word that goes out from my mouth … will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
When we give up trying to make our own way to God, and decide to follow the one that has already been prepared for us by Jesus, all of creation will rejoice. And we prepare to receive this gift of life by simply surrendering our ways to him, and allowing him to make it right in our lives.
And that is a promise that can never fail.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)