“The Waiting Is Over”

Scripture: Read Luke 2:1-20

Members of the military have a favorite saying that seems to capture the essence of this life – you may have heard those words - “Hurry up and wait!” When I was in the Navy, I discovered that no one liked either one of those words, not to mention the significance of putting them together! But I also realize that the significance of each is important, not only in a military sense, but in life itself.

“Hurry” tells us that we must always be prepared for what is coming. For our service men and women, being ready for every eventuality could just be the means to their survival. Jesus told a parable about 10 bridesmaids who were waiting for the groom to arrive for the wedding feast. (Matthew 25:1-13) They were to make all preparations to welcome him, regardless of the time of his arrival.
We hurry up so we can be sure that we are ready when the time arrives, whenever that may be.

“Wait” tells us that even though we may be ready, there are two important factors that we have to keep in mind. The first is that timing is everything. A move too early can be disastrous, and can very well lose everything we had hoped to gain. But an even greater issue is that if we aren’t prepared for that important time, no matter when it occurs, we will not only lose our objective, we may even lose ourselves.

Christmas is that time in our life when we must abide by this concept with our whole heart. After all, being prepared, and then waiting for the right time, is in our history, and the people of scripture have had to learn how to do that over and over again.

In Luke 1:5-25, we read of the wait that Zechariah and Elizabeth had to endure. They were already advanced in age, and had never been blessed with children. They didn’t understand why this gift had passed them by, but now it was too late, or so they thought. They were prepared for a child, they had done all that they could to conceive, but they had to wait for God’s time, the day when the child would be given to them. John the Baptist, the herald of Christ, would soon be given, with the mission of bringing the message of hope to a lost and condemned world.

And the world would only have to wait just a little while longer.

Later in Luke’s gospel (Luke 1:26-31), we read of another one who was waiting, but not for the time that was actually coming. A young girl in Nazareth was ready and waiting for her wedding day to come, and while it was on the way, far greater things would occur before that day arrived. The Lord’s time must come first, and she was about to hear of the plan that her Jehovah God had put in motion – a plan that was not only for her life, but for the life of the world. Mary had been preparing for her wedding day with Joseph, but God had been preparing her, by faith, for a Wedding Day in him.

In Mathew 1:18-25, Mary’s intended, Joseph, had been waiting for his marriage to the love of his life, but he was totally unprepared for God’s timing and God’s plan! And instead of jeopardizing his love’s life, he was considering a new plan – a plan that he never wanted to make, but one that he saw as his only option. But Jehovah’s way would, once again, intervene, for the divine plan included both Mary and her beloved Joseph. They would raise this Holy Child together, as a family, and nothing – not worldly plans, not personal expectations, not the impossibilities of human existence – nothing was going to interrupt the divine Plan of Salvation from being birthed in the lives of earth.

Israel had been waiting for Messiah since the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but 1,500 years is a long time to live in anticipation! The people, even though they had the Promise of Messiah, even though they had the Lord’s plan to carry them through those years of expectation, they had decided to make, and live, a plan of their own – one that would take them away from their Lord, instead of closer, one that would keep them from being prepared for his gift.

And in our passage for this evening, the waiting will finally be over. God had been waiting eternally for the perfect time to make all things possible for you and me, and this was to be the day. But things hadn’t been going all that well for the couple - the trip of 100 miles had been difficult for the very, VERY pregnant Mary; when they arrived in the city, the hotels were all fully booked, and there wasn’t even one small room for them to stay in. But the Plan would not, could not, be interrupted or even delayed.

The accommodations may not have been the ideal place to give birth, but they would be adequate, for the heavenly preparations were complete, and the waiting time had come to an end.

Birth should be a reason for excitement! It’s a time of new beginnings. It’s a time to rejoice in a new life. It’s a time for family and new relationships. And “God’s time” would be no different. Imagine the excitement that the angels were feeling as they came to proclaim Messiah’s birth to, of all people, dirty, smelly, shepherds. What could the Lord have been thinking – choosing these “sinners” to be the first to hear? Apparently, though, they were the perfect ones to know, and to begin spreading the word! They were not only prepared to hear, but they had been waiting for this day in patience and humility.

But for others, this entire day was anything but joyful. The royalty of Israel would fear the news; the learned of Israel would deny the news; the people of Israel would be torn between the history lessons that told of Messiah as a great and royal warrior, and the truth of this day, where this divine birth was anything BUT great OR royal. And the rest of the world? It meant nothing to them, so why even think about it!

Waiting is tough! The longer we wait, the more our expectations are reshaped to the point that when the day finally comes, it no longer resembles what we imagine it will be! Waiting can be disastrous!

And that is where the world has been for over 2,000 years, and where we still are today. The first waiting period may be over, but a new one is now swirling through the lands. The expectations of today have no connection whatsoever to the reality of the Day to come. For many, Messiah is no longer seen as loving – they only see him as condemning and judgmental. For others, the ways and commands of God are no longer relevant for their lives – they think that their own ways and desires are just as valid, and maybe even more so, than those of centuries past. For many more, salvation in Jesus Christ has become a matter of insignificance because they either think that eternal life is a myth, or that judgment is a lie and eternal life will be made available to all. And for even more, God doesn’t even exist, so what’s the point!

Waiting can be disastrous, but wait we must, none the less. The Holy Birth in Bethlehem was only the beginning of the end, not the end itself. Jesus’ mission to earth was to show us how to prepare, how to live, how to wait for the day when he returns to claim his faithful. But what about “hurry”? Is there any need for urgency? It’s been 2,000 years already, so what’s a few more years?

But the lesson of that parable of the 10 bridesmaids is vital for our waiting. Five were wise, and five were foolish. The wise ones prepared for the groom as soon as they knew that they would be welcoming him. Their lamps were cared for, and they had enough oil to light the way, even if his arrival was later than expected.
But the foolish ones delayed their preparation for the welcome, believing that they could fill their lamps anytime they wanted. And when the time came, there was no oil available, they couldn’t even get help from the other five, and when they left to buy some oil, the guest of honor arrived. It was just too late for them to show him honor – in more ways than one.

When they finally arrived at the banquet feast, the door was already closed and locked, and as much as they cried and begged, they were left out in the dark and cold of the world. The bridegroom would tell them “I tell you the truth, I do not know you.”
And Jesus completed his teaching with this advice - “Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Are we prepared to welcome the Savior when he returns? The waiting may be difficult, but the preparations aren’t – there is no oil necessary, there is no great gift required, no door that we have to open. The only thing we need to do is to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and to surrender our mortal lives to him, and let him bring a “new birth” and new life” to our souls.

The waiting for Messiah is over, for he has come with an angelic message of great joy, and a song of glory from the heavenly choir, and the praise of a “sinful” few. But a new wait has begun, and the decision that each of us has to consider is this:
How long will we wait before we give our lives in praise and welcome to the returning Savior? He has given the world time to make preparations, but every moment that we delay means that we are getting closer and closer to having to stand outside with no hope of entry to the feast.

Almighty God has given each of us the greatest gift of all time – the chance to know his grace and truth. And the only gift that he can accept from us is our faithful surrender to his life and love.

Are you ready to receive him? Are you prepared to welcome the Savior in his glory? It’s time to put an end to the waiting!

“Rejoice! Testify!”

Scripture: Isaiah 11:10-13, Romans 15:7-13

For many people, Christmas is one of the most depressing times of the entire year. Joy has been replaced with loneliness; celebration with hopelessness; glory with condemnation; spiritual light with darkness of the soul. The burdens of this life can so easily overshadow all of the promises that reside in the life that Jesus offers. And it has never been easy to refocus our life, and it never will.

But the hope that comes to us when we search for that glimmer of divine glory will always be there - waiting for us, seeking us, loving us right where we are. And for thousands of years, people have been discovering that the truth of God is not only enlightening, but it is also liberating, and embracing, and revealing, and above all, loving.

Read Isaiah 11:10-13

For Israel, this prophesy is about the day of Messiah’s arrival. For the Church, of course, it is about the second coming of our Savior. And the day, regardless of whether we are Jewish or Christian, is to be a day of glory and rejoicing unlike anything in all of human history! In the previous 9 verses, Isaiah reveals what that day will be like, and the truth is that it will be totally different than anything we have ever known.

The One who is to come will have wisdom, power, knowledge, and will celebrate God’s presence. Judgment will be part of his coming, but his ruling will be based in wisdom and righteousness, not in what we think, or in what appears to be true, or in what we see and hear (those things we call “facts”!), or in what others say is true.
Evil will be destroyed, and hatred and distrust will no longer be the pollution of this life. (Isaiah 11:1-9)

And on that day, the people will let the former life fall behind them, and will begin to accept Messiah’s way. And in verse 11, when we read that the Savior will “reach out his hand a second time” to claim all of his people, we need to understand that the first time he reaches out will be in judgment and condemnation of all that is not with him. No one will be missed - all of his faithful will be brought to him, and all who do not will be struck down.

This is who has come into this world, the one we celebrate at Christmas!

The passage goes on to talk about the change that will occur between the divided kingdoms of Israel – and of course, the animosity that existed between these tribes of God’s own people is symbolic of the distrust and angst that all of the nations of earth experience. Ephraim, or Israel, the Northern kingdom, and Judah, the Southern kingdom, had separated shortly after Solomon’s reign ended. They quarreled, they fought, they went their separate theological ways, they formed competing alliances (which, by the way, their laws condemned), and they would be conquered by separate, but just as brutal enemies.

But the prophet tells us that one day, the hostility will melt away, and they will be one nation again, under the guidance of their one Lord. So if Israel can be healed in their relationship with each other, so will the rest of the world. There will be one God, one Word, and one Way, and all will concede to its truth. And not only the nations, but all of creation will be healed and reunited with each other, just as Eden was created to be. The wolf and the lamb will enjoy each other’s company, the lion and the ox will eat from the same grasses and grains – everything that once was a reason for division will vanish, and unity will truly become a reality once again.

Read Romans 15:7-9

But until the day of the Lord’s return, we still have ministry to engage in. Think of it as preparation for the day of Christ’s return. While true unity and the absence of hostility will elude us until that day, we are to work toward at least a sense of cooperation - in Christ’s way, of course. And as Paul continues in his letter, he speaks of Christ’s servanthood to Israel.

So how was Christ a servant? He had, first, come to Israel, bringing the truth of God to a people who had allowed the ways of earth to permeate their understanding of God’s commandments. It may very well be that it happened without the people actually realizing it, but then, that is the subtlety of sin! It slowly works its way into our truth, and soon, we attribute it to the truth of “god” – whoever that “god” may be!

But the Lord’s promises have never changed – not from the days they were given to the forefathers of the nation, and not from before time began. And those promises were never intended to bring honor to the people – their sole purpose was to bring the people closer to God, and to acknowledge him as the one who rightly deserved all of their honor and praise.

And so it is with us. Israel was charged with proclaiming the righteousness of Jehovah to the entire world, and not to keep his promises for themselves. And when they refused, God in Christ came to carry out that duty himself. It originally was given to the people, but when we fail to respond, we are out, and God takes over!

Read Romans 15:10-13

Israel was to bring others to the Lord’s way, and if they had, it would be to their credit. But in their failure, God will still be praised – if not by them, then by others. (Matthew 21:1-14) And the leadership of the nation, in their failure to be faithful, were replaced by God himself. And in this reading, Jesus - God Incarnate - is referred to as “the Root of Jesse”.

Consider, for a moment, the purpose of a root.
First, it provides stability to the plant. When the winds of strife begin to blow, it is the root that keeps the plant strong and stable.
Second, the root bring nourishment to the plant. The nutrients of earth could never sustain the plant, if there was no channel for them to flow through. And no matter how large or small, how tall or how short, the nourishment will flow and nurture and grow the plant.
Third, the root, for most plants, remains hidden from those who will benefit from its yield. We rejoice in the harvest of grain, in the ears of corn, in the bushels of peas, while never giving much thought to how they were able to grow and produce the harvest.
And fourth, the root, in some produce, becomes the fruit of the harvest itself.

This is why Jesus is said to be the “root” of our lives.
His life and word is the foundation of our faith. It is solid, and unwavering, and will never let us down.
He nourishes our soul with the truth of God, and we would never know that truth if it wasn’t for Jesus. He helps us to grow and thrive and become who we were always intended to be, and to be far greater than we ever could without him.
In his word and way, the “fruit” that we bear will be “love, joy, peace, patience, …” and all that Galatians 5:22-26 encourages within us. And all that the world sees is our efforts, unless, that is, we proclaim the part that our “Root” has played in our life, and can play, if allowed to, in theirs.
But the greatest “Fruit” of all in the great harvest of souls is the gift of Jesus and his incredible sacrifice that made it all possible.

He set all of his divine rights aside – his glory, his honor, his respect, his life – and because he did, he enabled all of the benefits of heaven to be bestowed on all who would believe in him.

Christmas is, indeed, the reason for the season. And the world needs to hear of his goodness. In your joy, are you ready to rejoice in the Good News of Jesus? Are you prepared to be a witness to the power and presence of the “Root of Jesse”?

After all, isn’t that what the joy of Christmas should be about?

“Hope is the Lord’s Truth”

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14; Lamentations 3:20-33

The word “hope” has little significance in this world. It offers us no certainty, it brings little expectation, it is, at best, indecisive in its nature, and yet, how many times do we hear folks confidently proclaim “I hope so!” even while wanting, but not certain, that it “should be”! The truth is that earth’s “hope” is little more than an expressed desire for something that we fear may never be.

But the “hope” that our Lord offers is totally different than the world’s version. God’s hope is a promise – it’s a promise that has the power and authority of eternal and infinite wisdom behind it. When God offers his people hope, it can be trusted, it becomes our reality.

Read Jeremiah 29:10-14

In the first verse of this passage, the Lord refers to our years in Babylon, and in the last verse, he promises that he will gather us together and “will bring us back to the place from which [he] carried us into exile.” Babylon, for Israel, was the place of exile from God’s presence, and the place that they left behind was the Land of Promise – the covenantal home that was promised to them for eternity.

For the Church, Babylon is nothing more than the life we have right here – our exile is the earthly life that we are living, separated from our Almighty God by sin. And the place that he will come and take us to is our eternal home – the heavenly home that we will inherit as children of our eternal God. (John 14:1-7) And not only is there an incredible home waiting for us, we have a heavenly plan at our disposal. It has already been created for us, it is in motion within our life, and it is right here and right now.
And what a plan it is! It is one of prosperity – in the heavenly sense, of course, not the worldly one – and it is one that not only will never harm us, it is be a plan of hope for now and always. And the Lord tells us, through the prophet, that when we come to the realization of just what this plan can be for our lives, we will come to know just how much the Lord loves us. But if you are thinking that this is referring to the plan for our salvation, it is far more – it is the plan for all that we will do and learn in ministry, in mission, in outreach to the lost, for all that we will do in love and in the name of the Lord! And as we begin to live out this plan for our lives, it will lead us to turn to the Lord, where we will seek his grace, and where we will discover that his presence and promise has been with us since before we were born.

And in this “hope”, in this promise that is given to all who have claimed his plan, they will all be brought together and will be saved from their captivity in this life. His nation, his people, those who love him and his word, will become one in the Lord’s Land of Promise.

Read Lamentations 3:20-24

The Book of Lamentations is also credited to Jeremiah, and is believed to have been written shortly after the Southern Kingdom was taken into captivity by the Babylonians. It is a book of reflection on how they had come to be in this predicament, it is a book to remind the people just what they can expect when they disobey God’s commandments, and it is a book that proclaims the fact that the Lord takes no joy or satisfaction in the suffering of his people – that he only wants the best for them, and his heart breaks when they are living in sorrow and pain and separation from him. But that is always our choice, and not God’s.

In our passage for today, the prophet is remembering all that he had given up, and all that he was now going through, as he suffered for the sins he has committed against his Lord God Jehovah. But even in his suffering, he knows that he has cause to rejoice over the hope that will never be taken from him! (Romans 5:1-5) In verse 22, we read “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” The goodness that is found in the hope of Almighty God will never fail, will never be withdrawn, will never break, will never disappear from our lives! If you have ever heard someone say that they have done something that God can never forgive, tell them that it’s a fallacy – that there is nothing that God can’t forgive, and there is nothing that he doesn’t want to forgive – if we will only give our wayward life over to him.

And the Lord’s plan for our lives is never static and it’s never boring – the prophet says that it is new every day. For some, that may be a bit frightening, but it should be exciting for us. Imagine this life being filled with variety, having a surprise waiting for us around every corner, revealing a new victory, a new blessing for us every time we follow his way and plan! How could this life get any better than that?

Read Lamentations 3:25-30

It seems that not only is the Lord’s hope in us, but we are to place our hope in him! In our walk with God, our hope is no longer a desire, but it becomes a fulfilled relationship that is just as certain as his promise is for us. We become yoked with the Lord in this relationship, and that is a good thing. A yoke means that we share our load and our burdens with the Lord, and when we are weak, his power and strength picks up all that we are unable to handle, but when we are strong, he allows us to grow and become even stronger in our life together! This relationship becomes a partnership that goes far beyond anything that the world will ever create or can ever imagine.

But in those times when we fail in faith, when we decide that the pleasures and half truths of earth are far more preferable than the truth of God, when we discover that our way never comes close to working to our benefit, the prophet advises us to quietly submit our lives to the Lord, to repent in the dust of our failed lives, and to seek the Lord’s hope once again. And when the sins of others oppress us, we are to humbly submit to the attack, we refrain from retaliating, from getting even, from responding in the way that the people of the world do.

This is the example of Jesus Christ. Think about it! The Lord of all creation, the Messiah, the Savior of the earth, King of kings and Lord of lords, came to earth, not in glory, not in power, not in authority, but in dependence without glory, in humility without power, in subjugation without authority. Jesus, the almighty glory of heaven, entered this life just as you and I do – as newborn infants, at the mercy of the world’s fragile existence, and in the love and hope of a human mother. He brought the truth of God into our lives, and yet, never demanded that we accept it. He brought hope and life for those who will believe, and he suffered hatred, pain and death at the hands of those who refused to believe.

This is who our God truly is!

Read Lamentations 3:31-33

The greatest Hope of the Lord may be that we will never be set aside forever. But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be an “exile” from grace when we sin. Remember the story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife Gomer?

The Lord told the prophet that he must marry an adulterous woman, and that he would have children who were also unfaithful, all as a symbol of the unfaithfulness of the people Israel. (Hosea 1-2) Gomer would leave the life that her husband Hosea offered her, and would seek the love and support of other men, which would be a failure in every way. Israel would take this same track in life, and it would fail them, too. They would turn against their Jehovah God, be defeated by their enemies of earth, and would be taken into exile. And it would be 70 years before Judah would be allowed to return to their home.

But they would return, and Gomer would also be reunited with her husband Hosea. He would buy her back from her slavery to others, and she would be charged to never wander from their relationship again. (Hosea 3)

We have been bought back from our unfaithfulness, too, and the cost was completely paid for by God Himself, and that cost was excessive. Christ, the Son of God, left his glory behind, and accepted the lower position as our servant. He gave up the might and authority and respect and love that he so well deserved, and in return, submitted himself to the lies and mistrust and ignorance of earth, he suffered the world’s attacks on his nature and his ways, he was subjected to a deceitful trial, a false conviction, brutal beatings, humiliation, and the most horrid death ever devised by man.

The cost of our salvation, our being brought back into the Hope and Life of Almighty God, was the taking of the conviction, the punishment, the death that we deserved, and in its place, we were offered the eternal life, the glorious hope, the grace and glory of our Lord and Savior.

The Hope of God has become our Life. May we never wander from its blessing.

“The Promise is Before Us”

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:14-25

The 2 books of Chronicles were written after Israel had been freed from Babylonian exile and were allowed to return to their homes. These are the written history of both a more faithful day, as well as the struggles that the nation endured, and were intended to bring the people back to true worship once again. As chapter 16 opens, King David is preparing to relocate the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and he appoints priests to begin administering the celebration.

David begins a psalm of praise with the thought that thanksgiving must be the first gift that is to be offered in joy to their Lord Yahweh, followed closely with spreading the word to others about all that the Lord has done for them. We are to sing praises for his mighty acts, we are to glorify his name, and all who believe are to rejoice in this marvelous God, and must never forget the wonders and commandments that have come from him.

And the king’s rejoicing continues.

Read 1 Chronicles 16:14-18

So not only are we to remember all that the Lord has done for us, we are to remember just who he is – that he is all mighty, he is all glorious, he is the ultimate and righteous judge of all the earth, that he never forgets the promises he makes, as well as all of the commandments he proclaims.

We are reminded that his covenants, his promises, have existed since the days of Abraham, and they have never changed, even as they were passed down to Abraham’s son Isaac, to his grandson Jacob, and to the nation through all time.
As human beings, we have a difficult time understanding the full significance of the word “everlasting”. And this struggle isn’t limited to only a few! When my brother Ed and I were taking calculus in college, we came home one day for dinner, and were sharing with our folks what we were learning. When we got to the topic of “infinity”, Mom stated, quite emphatically, that she just couldn’t grasp the extent of infinity, that the concept that something would have no end, and would go on unabated forever, was beyond her. We asked her if she could imagine an end to space, and she also admitted that this didn’t make much sense to her either! And quite honestly, she was absolutely right. We may accept the concepts, but in our human limitation, we will never fully understand either the end of all we know, or a life that will be eternal.

How great, how vast, how powerful, how loving, how long does the word of God last? Forever, eternal, from everlasting to everlasting – the Psalms (41:13; 90:2; 103:17; 106:48) speak over and over about our God who is, himself, beyond our greatest understanding. And imagine, if you will, how ageless his word must be, if the Lord is as infinite and eternal as we know him to be, for the word of God has existed as long as God has!

And some of his eternal commandments still confound us today. As an example, we know that control and authority over national lands tends to change from time to time, but here we read that God has given a land to Israel “as an everlasting covenant”! This is a promise that not only will never fail, it can never be withdrawn! God and his word will never end and will never be changed.

Read 1 Chronicles 16:19-22

The other thing that we have to understand about God is that he is always ready to help us in this life, to show us a better way to live through him, but he never forces his will upon anyone – at least for now. The Day of Judgment is coming, and on that day, the eternal will of the Lord will be released, it will no longer be held back, it will become the truth and way for the entire earth.
And until that day, the faithful and unfaithful alike, will be allowed to make their own decisions and choices in life. Our passage tells us that the people “wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.” And so do we – that’s the right of “free will”. Our allegiance “wanders” from one way to another – that’s what sin is all about. But we are not only allowed to be sinful in this life, but we also have the opportunity to confess and repent of our waywardness, and to seek the Lord’s forgiveness, and to find our way back into his kingdom.

But during our days of wandering, the Lord, in his infinite wisdom, knows that one day some will come back to him, and he protects these, his “anointed” ones. I know, because I have been one of those wanderers, and without intending to be judgmental, I suspect that all of you have had those nomadic days in your life, too. But there is nothing that our infinite and eternal God cannot, or will not do for those who will love him. And that is what the promise of Christmas is all about.

Creation envisioned the promise an eternity ago when everything came into existence; the prophets had proclaimed this promise over and over 2,500 years ago; God proclaimed it 2,000 years ago in the manger of Bethlehem; the Church has proclaimed it, with varying degrees of success, ever since then. The promise remains, and was reaffirmed on that first Good Friday, and on that first Easter morning – that there is nothing that the Lord won’t do for those who love him.

Read 1 Chronicles 16:23-25

So what will we do for the One who has done so much for us? Are we willing to be the example of a people who rejoice in the Lord and his ways? King David danced through the streets as the Ark was being carried into Jerusalem, and he wrote psalm after psalm to tell of the joy that came to him for all that his Lord was in his life. The returning exiles, after 70 years of captivity many miles away from their homes, rediscovered the joy of faithful worship and obedience to their Lord. The disciples were reinvigorated in faith at Pentecost – even after all that had happened a month and a half before - those times that had strained their faith and dampened their joy. The Church has found an indescribable joy through living out the promise of Christ, even in the midst of persecution and oppression that continues to come from the ways and wiles of earth.

But regardless of all that the world can, and will, bring against us, we must stay strong in God’s promises. They are the source and power of Christian celebration; they are the eternal hope and everlasting promise of our Almighty God; they are the life’s blood of our faith and our goal of eternity.

This passage calls us to celebration in a new way. Sing to the Lord a new song – one that expresses the fullness of our joy, the winning of our salvation, the assurance of our God and King, the promise that was given before the beginning of time, and all that will be fulfilled at the end of time. We are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and his salvation in every possible way and with every possible person you can.
Let nothing place a limitation on when or where or how you proclaim his goodness – let the true joy of Christmas emanate from every pore of your being, in every word you speak, in every breath that you take, in every step that carries you, in every moment that reminds you, that Jesus Christ came, not as a mighty warrior, not as a royal member of the court, not as recognizable Messiah, but as a humble, innocent, vulnerable, dependent Child of an obedient couple of God’s own people.
Let nothing restrict your belief that the promise of Almighty God – that the covenant he made with Abraham has been extended to all who love the Babe of Bethlehem – that the promise of a land free from fear and hatred – that the Living Goodness of our Eternal God is given to all who love him, and obey him, and will proclaim him to the people of earth.

Great is the Lord, for he alone is worthy, he alone must be praised, he alone is to be worshipped in all the earth. May each of us show him our unbridled joy in the humbleness and surrender that he has demonstrated for each of us, and may our lives reflect his way and life today.

His promise is upon us. But is ours upon him?

“Wait Expectantly”

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9

What is it that each of us actually expects from God? What is it that we think the Lord should do, as well as what he shouldn’t be doing? And why are his “things” so different from the “things” we see as important?

The truth is that God’s ways don’t even come close to ours – Isaiah 55:9 – “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” The problem for us is that the Lord knows all things – those that have been, those that are now, those that are to come, and even those which could have been but never will be. And in that knowledge, we have come to know him as all-wise. But do we really believe and trust in his truth?

Read Isaiah 64:1-2

This is the God that many people believe him to be – a violent, powerful, destructive kind of Being. I think that may be why some will only preach a loving and warm God instead of a God of infinite power and ability. The prophet is expressing a desire that his great Jehovah would come down from heaven and destroy the evil, and only the evil, that plagues the earth, and that he would do it now rather than later! That may be a prayer that we have all lifted up at some time or another.

But remember the prophet’s earlier words – that God’s ways don’t even come close to ours? Well, his timing isn’t ours, either! The prophecy is not that the Righteous One of heaven will respond to our requests when we want him to, but rather that one day, the heavens will open, the Lord will descend, and the powers and rulers of earth – those things and people who have always thought that they were in authority, that they have sufficient wisdom and ability to reign over creation – that they will tremble and relinquish their positions, at the sound and sight of real Authority.

And not only will the Lord be known by all, but all will submit to him on that day – “every knee should bow … and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11) Note that it will be “every” knee and tongue. The name of Jesus will be known in its fullness, and no one will be able to resist him – on that day!

Read Isaiah 64:3-5a

The prophet remembers that the power of God has already been displayed to the earth. He came in a flash, he worked in power, he accomplished in passion, he shook lives to the better, he changed thoughts that were too confined, and all of it in a way that no one expected. That has always been Israel’s problem – they expected their Jehovah God to work on their behalf in routine ways, in ways that they could identify with, while the Lord only works in ways that reflect his nature.
And the passage continues to say that since time began, no one – not human, not animal, not the rocks or trees or anything in all creation – have ever known a god like him! The gods of earth are only suited to demanding worship, without ever delivering anything to their faithful servants! But the true God of Isaiah will always work for the good of those who put their trust in him.

Of course, the word in scripture isn’t “trust”, is it? Its “wait”! But with the Lord, waiting, with expectation that he will accomplish all that is right, is all about trusting that he is faithful to the needs of his people.

But waiting isn’t always easy. As a child, do you remember how “UNeasy” it was waiting for your birthday, or a vacation, or especially for Christmas? There was far too much excitement and expectation to wait calmly – after all, think about what was coming!
And faith in Christ is no different. It isn’t just his return that we are waiting for, or at least it shouldn’t be. We wait to see what he is going to do next with and through his faithful followers – today! Faith in Christ can never be a sedate existence – it must be active in living out what the Lord brings to us, it must be a life that follows wherever Christ leads us, it must be a life filled with excitement, of great expectation, but one that doesn’t anticipate what each step will entail.

“Wait for him” is the key phrase though – don’t get out ahead of the Lord, believing that he will follow YOU. Remember those words about the relationship between his ways and ours! He works for the betterment of those who trust in him, of those who remember his ways, of those who wait for him to call and move, and always in ways that we can seldom understand.

Read Isaiah 64:5b-7

Brother Isaiah wants us to understand that forgetting the Lord’s ways is what sin is all about. In the Old Testament times, being perfect in Jehovah’s ways was the only known means to salvation, and when the people began to walk in their own path, when they denied Godly commands, they would soon come to the belief that they were all alone – that God no longer cared for their needs, and that great sacrifice would be required on their part to get back in his good graces.

Sin will do that to us. It not only breaks our relationship with the Lord, but it damages our understanding of what our God actually wants from us, and for us. And in that “great divide”, we lose sight of what God can be for us. But the one thing that the ancients didn’t understand is that the Lord never leaves us – it is we who turn our backs on him. Our Savior has made a promise, and will never back away from it.
In Deuteronomy 31:6, we read of Moses’ words as he begins his farewell speech to the people, and he tells them “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” He is speaking of the nation’s enemies, and he wants the people to understand that even as sinful and doubtful as they may be, their God will always be with them, and that if they just turn back to him, all will be well again.

And the writer of Hebrews 13 reiterates that same promise in verses 5 & 6, because the Church sometimes forgets that promise, too. Ancient Israel didn’t have Jesus in their lives, but the Father’s promise is no different – the Lord will never leave us, and he will never turn his back on us.

Read Isaiah 64:8-9

So in spite of the prophet’s understanding that sin leads us away from God’s grace, he is also confident in his Jehovah God’s promise to always be near. But in that promise, the Lord expects that his people will trust Godly ways, and that they will set the ways of earth far behind. Isaiah prays that the nation, and now that the Church, will always seek to be malleable clay in the hands of such a gifted and divine and creative Potter.

My cousin’s husband is a potter, and a highly gifted one at that. He has a vision that is unlike anyone else’s, and it becomes so evident whenever the clay submits to his touch. Years ago he ventured into the creation of chess sets. When we visited his shop, he not only showed us the sets, but he explained each one. You see, for Bill, each set had to tell a story, and as each story unfolded in his potter’s mind, you could see it being revealed in the faces and expressions (yes, faces!) of each and every piece - from the pawns to the queen and king, and every piece in between, the story would unfold within these uniquely expressive characters.

That is the Lord’s desire for each of us – that his vision and story might completely unfold within the lives of each and every member of his Church. But we have to let our holy Potter have free rein on the remolding of our lives. Our created Spirit, the Lord’s divine story, rests within each of our lives, but sin has caused us to suppress our part of the narrative.
The prophet is asking the Lord to be merciful when he looks upon our sinful existence, and to gently reestablish the original form and chapter of his story within us, to once again reveal its part in his divine message to the world. Without each of us being willing participants in the story of divine grace and salvation, the people of earth will never get the complete story.

But if we are expectant, if we are trusting, that the message of Jesus Christ is worth dedicating our lives to its proclamation, it is then that the true story of God’s love and passion for his creation begins to shine through.

During this season of Advent, and as we wait expectantly for Christmas day, it is important that each of us “expects” to see God at work within us, and that we allow him to mold us and remake us to reveal the fullness of his Story to the nations around us.

Will you prepare to be his “clay”? Will you expect that his glory will shine within and through your life? It’s God’s way, you know!

“Life Is a Grateful Heart”

Scripture: Colossians 3:5-17

So what is a life lived in gratitude? It is one that reflects joy in all that the Lord has done for us. After all, God is the only one who deserves life-long gratefulness! Do we show him our grateful heart? Does our life reveal a grateful heart? Our human relationships, most of the time, are blessings for our life, but there are always those times when friends and loved ones in this world hurt us, or disappoint us, or betray us, or even break us and abandon us.

But a life in Jesus Christ is unlike anything we will ever know through the world. The Lord does require patience on our part, but at just the right time, and in just the right way, God always comes through for our benefit and for our amazement!

Except, that as with any relationship, there is always the need to consider what we need to compromise on, as well as what we still have some flexibility with in our humanity.

Read Colossians 3:5-11

When the Lord created the human race, he placed two natures within us – and it all centers on our right to choose, on those decisions that we make within our “free will”. The “first nature” came into existence when we were created as flesh and bone. In that, we became a totally different being than our Creator God is. Our “second nature” came as a divine one. In Genesis 1:26, the Lord intentionally gave us a direct connection to his Trinity when we read “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
The “image” of God became the basis for our existence. This isn’t a physical image, as God is not a physical being – this “likeness” means that we have a relationship – a connection - with the Lord that nothing else in all creation can claim. Second, the Lord has given us authority and responsibility to care for the rest of his created order. We have received both God’s love and his trust for our use and pleasure throughout our lifetime.

Our life is rooted in the earth, but our being is rooted in God. And our passage from Colossians reminds us that if we want to grow in our “second nature” - in our relationship with the Lord - we need to keep our “first nature”, our worldliness, under control. Godly wisdom and Godly ability has given each of us beautiful gifts, but we have also been told that these gifts are to be used in Godly ways! And in this reading, Paul reminds us of what ISN’T of God’s way.

That “first nature”, our human nature, will always go against our “second nature”, and that is what breaks the relationship that we have in our Almighty God – Paul says that this is what constitutes idolatry. And he gives us a list of acts that make up a part of this “break” - this sin.

The first on the list is sexual immorality – sexual desire is one of God’s precious gifts that not only brings joy to our lives, but it brings new people – our children - into the world. But scripture is quite specific, in that this gift is only to be exercised between a man and woman who are married to each other, (Matthew 19:4-6) and in no other way.
Impurity – Impure thought can take any number of paths, but in general, these stand in direct contrast to pure thought, the thought and ways that God has ordained and the thoughts and ways that were exhibited in the life of Jesus Christ.
Lust – this goes beyond just acting or imagining in ungodly ways – this is the desire for unholy ways, the desire to have something or someone that is not yours. This is a difficult one to rein in, and it will require, primarily, a commitment to remain in our “second nature”, and to keep the “first nature” in check.
Evil Desires and Greed – many of these attitudes are interrelated, but greed is specific in that it is a longing for something that we don’t really need – to have more and more of earthly wealth and possessions, when we should be placing our focus on gaining more and more of heaven’s gifts.

And if rejecting these actions from our life isn’t enough, Paul says that we need to clean up our attitudes, too. Anger, rage, hatred, the tearing down of others for our personal benefit, and the use of language that is unbefitting of a child of God. Even lying – promoting untruths in our relationships with others – we are told that these are all actions and attitudes and ways of our “old self”, our “first nature”, and are all unsuitable if we have any hope of living a life in the Lord.

For Israel, they saw their great Jehovah as exclusively theirs and theirs alone. But one of Jesus’ purposes for coming to Earth was to open the way for all people to know the Lord, as well as his way and truth and life. There is no difference in people as far as God is concerned – not as Jews nor as non-Jews, not as marked or unmarked, not as friend or enemy, not as a slave or a free person – Jesus has come to help us seek and understand what our “second nature” is all about, that it has nothing to do with our “first”, and that it has nothing to do with the Lord’s excluding anyone. The way we choose to live our individual lives is the only reason for exclusion from the grace and glory of our Lord and King.

Read Colossians 3:12-14

So much for all the “don’ts” of life. Now we read of the attitudes and commitments that we need to claim if we are to live a more faithful way in the “second nature”. But before we go there, a quick thought regarding the term “chosen people”. For many, this refers to the children of Israel, but with Christ, it refers to all who come to him for salvation. It isn’t that God has chosen us, but rather that we have come to him, and in that, the Lord has “chosen” to do great things for and through each of us. And Paul writes that two of these Godly things are to make us “holy and dearly loved”. And that is a lot to live up to! And quite honestly, we probably never will.

But we can make a great start by striving for a life that is filled with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience! Are any of us comfortable with any of these on a consistent basis? Probably not, but I suspect that we all know that they define a life that is far more consistent with our “second nature” than they are with our “first”! Helping each other, forgiving each other, loving each other IS our “second nature”! Helping and Loving others – those aren’t too bad, and we all can probably do them, but that “Forgiving” one – that’s tough! But if these are God’s special blessings for us, shouldn’t we give ALL of them a chance to make a difference in and through our lives?

And quite honestly, that’s all that the Lord asks of us – to honestly and wholeheartedly work to make them an important part of this life. If we never give them an honest attempt to make a difference, we never will realize just what they can do for us and for others! And interestingly, every one of these attributes are not only God’s gifts for us, but they are also gifts that we are to give to others. Think about that – every one of them is something that we show to someone else, and not a single one of them can benefit us one iota until we give them away to someone who is need.

Read Colossians 3:15-17

We will never achieve victory in changing our life until we put our whole heart and soul into the change. Peace and thankfulness – that’s what it takes! “Let the peace of Christ rule… Let the word of Christ dwell..”
Godly Peace must take precedence and must be the basis for all that we are and all that we do. Without it, the world will rule our lives with their animosity, and self-centeredness, and arrogance, and ambition, and all of those other human traits that Paul has been writing about in this passage.
And if the word of Christ doesn’t dwell within our lives, we will never know his way or his peace. It is the word of God that gives us guidance for living our “second nature”, and to help us to keep our “first nature” under control.

It’s the Peace and Word of Christ that gives us the ability to rejoice, to be glad, to live with a grateful heart that is filled with Godliness and Righteousness. It allows us to be an example to others of what the Godly life is all about, and it gives us the courage and boldness to hold each other accountable for living in a way that brings honor and glory to our Lord.

Sing! Be Glad! Be Grateful! Give Thanks to Jesus for the chance to accept and live in his “nature” – the one that we were created in – that which we have rebelled against – that which through his coming into this world is our redemption and our salvation.

As our celebration of the season of Thanksgiving draws to a close, and we begin the season of Advent, may each of our lives be guided by a grateful and faithful heart for all that our Almighty God and Savior have given us.
Amen.

“Gratitude!” (Thanksgiving Eve)

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

How thankful are we really in life? Not just at Thanksgiving time, but all of the time? Yes, we’re thankful for family and friends, we’re thankful for Christian fellowship, we’re thankful for the Lord’s presence in the world, and for God’s love. But how deep do we really go in expressing our gratitude to the Lord?

Paul’s letters all seem to convey a pretty deep understanding of the difference between what he deserves, and what he has received. As Saul, he was totally focused on who he was and on what he could do to please his Jehovah God. In Philippians 3:2-11, he writes of all the pride and confidence he once had in himself. But he concludes with the thought that it is all worthless, that whatever he once held as glory has now become “rubbish” when compared to what Christ has gained for him. Once he trusted in his own abilities and understanding, but now he places his entire trust and hope in Jesus.

Read 1 Timothy 1:12-14

Paul is very intentional in describing all that he is thankful for in Christ Jesus. So on this night before Thanksgiving, which President George Washington declared to be the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America, to be held on November 26, 1789, that it was to be "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God". And I think that Paul would agree.

But Paul was a little more specific in our text for this evening, so let’s see what he was especially thankful for.

Strength (v. 12) – From a worldly standpoint, Saul had been mighty in faith as well as in his zealous fervor to destroy all heretical (by his definition!) thought. But how well did his human strength serve him when he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus? (Acts 9:3-9) He was thrown to the ground, blinded for 3 days, and rendered totally helpless and had to be led by the hand into the city, and it wasn’t until a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ placed his hands on the Persecutor and prayed for his healing that Paul was restored in life and service in the name of his Almighty Lord.
Worldly power is only effective in worldly ways, and during worldly life. Divine strength will see us throughout this life and into eternity.

Faithfulness and Service (v. 12) – Saul thought that he was being faithful to his Jehovah God in his violent attacks on Jesus’ people. But again, his basis for “truth” and “purpose” was centered in the Law of Moses, and not in the law of God. Trust in the Lord Jesus refocuses our thoughts, and establishes the foundation for our faith, and gives us direction for our service that rests squarely in Christ and his way.
Worldly ways and direction will always get us into trouble, but Godly way and guidance will lead us back into righteousness.

Mercy and grace (v. 13-14) – Divine mercy brings the Lord’s compassion and forgiveness into our lives – it is the power of God at work within us. Grace brings God’s unmerited hope, his help, and a worthy approval for our lives. Mercy is our blessed release from the penalty of sinful death, while grace is the blessing of growth and newness that comes through sanctification.
The world might show mercy to criminals and others who have wronged us, but it’s rare, and they have nothing to offer that even comes close to God’s grace.

Faith and Love (v. 14) – Faithful service is one thing, but faithful love is a totally different issue. Service is something that we do to help others, while love is the gift that completes our service. Consider Jesus’ efforts in these two areas – he served people through his healing, and teaching, and feeding, as well as in many other ways. He loved people in his restorative forgiveness and his care for their salvation.
The world’s love is nearly always conditional – “if you agree with me, then I will love you, but otherwise, forget it!” Jesus’ love is always offered to all people, without exception, and it begins to bless us when we accept it.

Read 1 Timothy 1:15-17

Finally, the apostle comes to the overall reason for all that he has already mentioned – salvation. “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners”. Without the Lord Jesus, there is no salvation. The Law of Moses was all about what we do and how we live this life, with the goal being the gaining of perfection, and through that, to earn a deserved place in heaven. Unfortunately, we can never even come even close to that kind of perfection – our only chance is to “fully accept” the mission that the perfect Son of God, and the perfect Son of Man, Jesus Christ, took on to gain salvation for us.

Paul claims, and confesses, that he is the worst of sinners, and therefore the least deserving of Christ’s great gift of eternal life. The truth of the matter is that sin is never relative – one little, minor sin (at least in our own eyes!) is just a bad as a lifetime of murder, abuse, hatred, blasphemy, and anything else that God’s law would condemn.
The truth is that we are all the worst of sinners, saved by the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

And the last thought that this redeemed sinner offers for our consideration is his acknowledgement of just who this Redeemer of his life is – eternal, immortal, invisible, singular, and deserving of our honor, and praise, and our obedience.

And this is Paul’s offer of thanksgiving to his Lord and Savior, and is a pretty good way for each of us to begin, too.

AMEN!

“Petition in Prayer”

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11, etal

Prayer should never be complicated or difficult. In truth, it is nothing more than a conversation with a close and cherished friend, which we do all the time. We share our joys with them, we can ask for their help in times of struggle, we tell them just how important a relationship with them is for us.
And that is what we tell the Lord in prayer. We’ve considered our praise for all that God is for us, we’ve seen the importance of confessing our sins and repenting of our love of them, we have given our thanks to God for what he has done for us, and for all that he will bring to our lives in the years to come.

Today we consider the last vital aspect of our prayers – the “S” of “ACTS” - our supplication, the requests that we raise up in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and why we have the responsibility to give our needs and desires over to the Lord.

Read Matthew 7:7-11

The important issue in these commandments is that they are unconditional. There is never a hint of “If …”, or “But …” – there are only “Ands”. The only thought that may even hint of a condition is that we have to ask, seek, or knock first, and then God can provide his response. Isn’t it interesting, that we only have to take the first step toward the Lord, and it is then that he can care for our every need. We don’t have to share the load, we don’t have to start the overhaul of our life all by ourselves, we don’t have to plan the extensive details of what is needed – all we have to do is express our need, and the Lord will care for the rest!

Of course, in John 14:13-14, we read that in prayer, we are to ask in the name of the Lord. That doesn’t mean that we simply lift up the name Jesus – it means that we are to ask in Jesus’ way. If we ask for a blessing that is a sin, or is something that Jesus spoke against, it may as well never have been asked! But in his way, all things are possible.

Prayer is not a shopping list of our desires – it is lifted up in expectation that God can and will respond to whatever we ask, seek, or knock for, and that we are totally dependent upon this gracious and benevolent God. Jesus then cements his teaching with an analogy from human life, when he explains that if parents want only the best for their families, and will only give the best to their children, just imagine what your heavenly Father will do for you if you only ask! Bread and fish were the basic sources of nourishment for people who lived in the Galilee, and the Lord’s blessings will bring the best spiritual nourishment to the lives of all who will seek him as their heavenly Father.

Ask for his blessings, seek his way and his guidance, and knock on the door of the Lord’s life, seeking to enter into his grace and eternity, asking for only the best that he can bring to our lives.

Read John 16:23-24

When John writes “In that day…”, he is referring to the coming day, at that time, of his resurrection. That is the beginning of the era of God’s grace, and will not end until the day of his return. And when we read that “You will no longer ask me anything”, it is a reflection on the day when he once again comes bodily into our world, and all will be revealed and understood. But as we wait for that day, we have the power of the Holy Spirit available in whatever we do, if it is offered to the glory, and in the name, of Jesus.

Think about this for a moment – ministry and mission can always happen with the guidance, the authority, the wisdom, and the vision of our Almighty God, if we only ask him to be with us, to lead us, to inspire us in the name and grace of Jesus! But when John writes that we have not yet asked for anything in Jesus’ name, we need to understand that we are being challenged to examine the strength and commitment of our faith.
The question before us today, then, is this – when we pray, and when we proclaim the name of Jesus, how confident are we that it is going to make any difference in our life? When we speak the name of Jesus in prayer, seeking his creative spirit for our life and love, do we truly trust that his way will work to our benefit? When we “knock” on his door of faith and salvation, do we really want to enter his presence, or are we satisfied to remain out on the doorstep, looking in?

“Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete!” Are each of us ready, are we anxious, to receive the joy that prayer can bring?

Read Ephesians 3:20-21

Can you imagine the power that this passage describes for us? Beyond anything we can ask for, beyond anything we can even imagine, beyond our wildest dreams, far beyond every human ability or understanding? That is who our Incredible God is and that is what he wants to do for us! And his power and vision and purpose and plan are all at our disposal – IF we are willing to let him take the lead.

Consider the mission trip that we all were privileged to be part of this year. The team was formed with the intent of reaching out to people with the gospel and love of Jesus. We thought that this was supposed to happen in Haiti, but that, apparently, wasn’t the Lord’s plan. It reminds me of Paul’s plan to go to Asia, but the Spirit revealed the need for him to go to Macedonia instead. (Acts 16:6-10) Our plans for Haiti were changed, literally at the last minute, to a destination in Mexico. The time frame was identical, the mission was identical, the cost was almost identical, except for the cost of changing flight arrangements with only a week to go, and the DCI mission needed us on those same dates.

And what was the result of the change? The supplies that you and the other churches donated far exceeded our plans, and instead of having 20 suitcases of school supplies, and health products, and baby needs, and all the other items that we received, we had 33 full suitcases. The Vacation Bible School that we hosted reached 3 times as many children as we had planned, not to mention the many parents who came. You gave us enough school supplies to bless 50 school children instead of 30, and they received your gifts 1 week before the school year started (which we didn’t know about ahead of time!). 270 reading glasses were distributed instead of the 200 we had planned on. Baby clothing and health need donations were so great that we were able to set the items out for mom’s to choose on three or four different occasions. Our evening evangelism walks in two villages reached more people and families than we could count, and this, and so many of our other activities, opened the door to provide for some basic needs of the people of the Yucatan, to share the good news of the Lord with them, and to lead countless folks to salvation in Jesus Christ.
Was any of this our plan? If it had been, we would have been told that we were dreaming!

And how about the Gibson Corners church’s mission to Ecuador 20 years ago. Pastor Gary had challenged them to begin praying for what the Lord would have them do, but which they couldn’t do! The small rural church obediently prayed, and then went to Central America without a complete understanding of what they would be doing. Over a 10 year period, they built a three story school, which at last report, was educating nearly 250 children, including 35 or so who are emotionally challenged, with specific classes to help them in life. Fund raising, or at least the formal part of it, was through spaghetti dinners and some outreach presentations, but a majority of the hundreds of thousands of dollars came from other churches, and from other denominations, who had been inspired by the Holy Spirit to partner with them, including an Assembly of God Church in Brazil, who are now administering the school programs, and who, because of growth in the school, is considering a project to add an fourth story to the original building. And the initial project, through Godly vision, was designed to accommodate as many as five stories, which, by God’s grace, could come in handy in a few more years!
Was this the church’s initial plan? Not even close!

And the Lord is being glorified all the time through the efforts of faithful, obedient people who believe that their simple steps in faith, their belief in asking, their trust in seeking, and their expectations when they knock, are all that are required to open up the possibility of power and majesty and glory for those who have yet to come to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Please pray with me:

Precious Lord, we are told that if we but pray in your name, that the possibilities of ministry and mission are infinite. In your word, we read that we can do all things through our Lord Jesus who strengthens us, but we can never imagine how glorious and how great your “all” is until we trust enough to step out in your way. We praise you Lord, that our “all” is only the beginning of yours, and that in your Divine “ALL”, that your glory will rest upon the multitudes of earth.
Lord Jesus, help us to believe, help us to trust that by simply asking, and seeking, and knocking at your holy door, that we will see your “ALL” at work through us. Glory and honor to you, in all that our humble lives do, and in all that we can’t even imagine. In your name, in your way, in your word, and always in your life.
Lord Jesus, in your marvelous promise of hope for eternity. Amen

“Rejoicing in Prayer”

This is the third week of our series on prayer. So far, we have considered the offer of glory and admiration to our Lord in prayer, we have offered him our confession, our admission, of the sin in our life and our repentance of those ways, and today, we consider the need to let God know just how thankful we are for all that he is and does in our lives.

Romans 12 give us an idea as to how deep this thanksgiving should be.

Read Romans 12:11-14

Zeal and fervor mean that we are to be passionate, eager, and dedicated in our relationship with Christ. We are to celebrate – not only what we have received, but the hope that we have, as we patiently and faithfully wait for all that the Lord is going to bring.
But the joy we experience in a life with Jesus isn’t meant to be ours alone – it is to be shared with others. It is for those who are struggling in life; it is for those who need to feel welcomed in their lives; it is even for those who oppose us, who hate us and all that we believe, who do everything that they can to hurt us.
And our passion for Christ can never lead us to harm anyone who has chosen a different path in this life. We are to love the saint and sinner equally.

Read Luke 6:22-23

In his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:43-45), Jesus told the crowd “43You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons (and daughters) of your Father in heaven.”
Showing love in the face of hatred will be just about the hardest thing that any of us will ever be called do, but we must remember that the animosity of the world is not actually against us – it is directed at Jesus. When Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus, He heard “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:1-4) Paul was on his way to arrest and torture and kill as many followers of The Way as he could, but not because he hated them so much – it was because he didn’t understand the message of Jesus, and hated the Lord out of ignorance.

And our response to persecution, what should it be like? JOYFUL! Not because of the persecution itself, but because it means that we have become worthy of the same worldly hatred that Jesus endured. And it won’t be just some momentary thrill – it’s a “jumping up and down”, a “falling over backward”, a “turning inside out” kind of joy! It will be overwhelming, because we know that this hatred is not for us – we receive it in honor of the very message of salvation that we carry, the very message of salvation that we have accepted.
And never think that the attack against us is unique – it has been directed against the faithful for thousands of years.

Read 2 Corinthians 13:9

Paul is reflecting on the contradictions between what the world perceives in us, versus that which the Lord has inspired in us.
In verse 7, he mentions that the world may see us as failures, which we certainly are by their standards, when the truth of the matter is, that by the grace of God, we are doing exactly what divine perfection would ask of us.
In 1 Corinthians 1:25 he uses another comparison, when he writes “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” God is neither foolish nor weak, and we are neither wise nor strong, but that is the world view of the Creator and his created, and we know that the truth of God and his creation is totally different.
And here, he uses that reverse analogy to remind us that when we weaken our own will, and surrender to the Lord’s way, our weakness is turned into a strength and resolve that defies understanding.

But we must remember the comparison – that it is through our surrender, through our admission of personal weakness, that God can begin to work his powerful ways within us. Our joy isn’t in our becoming mighty disciples of the Living God, but that the Lord of creation has a desire to work his ways, for the benefit of earth, through us. We serve him as servants, but he treats us as his beloved children. And that is a comparison that is worth rejoicing over!

Read Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice again, and again, and again! Rejoice with your whole heart, with the full depth of your soul, with the hope of Christ overflowing, with a vision of heaven and glory planted firmly in your entire being. But rejoice in gentleness, and never in arrogance or condescension or pride, because it is ours, simply because our Lord Jesus Christ is our Living and Loving God!

Isn’t that sufficient reason to rejoice? But what does Paul tell us about our reasons to pray? He is addressing these words of encouragement to individuals as well as a church, who have allowed issues of life to cause division in their lives. And as we all know from experience, if divisiveness is allow to continue and grow without addressing the underlying cause, it will, eventually, break us. The apostle wants them, and us, to refocus our lives, that we should all start remembering what it was that had once brought us together, and how the things that unite are so much more important than the things that divide.

But on our own, it is nearly impossible to refocus our thoughts, to set the things that hurt us aside and to let the joys of Christ rise to the surface of our hearts and minds. But Paul says that it is the peace of Christ that can. We must begin to concentrate on Jesus and on all that he taught us, and all that we can truly be thankful for. And that will become the beginning of healing for our earthly relationships. And this healing is also a reason for great rejoicing.

And Christ’s healing will lead to a generosity of heart, to consideration of the needs of others, to our willingness to allow God’s way to begin working within us. We don’t understand it, but then we don’t need to understand – God’s ways are seldom recognized by humanity, but we can become familiar with the results of his way. We don’t always see his work in action, but we can feel his work within us. And when the Spirit is allowed to work, thanksgiving will naturally rise up to overflowing.

And our apostle gives the church at Philippi a list of emotions to focus their lives on, but I believe that this is also a list of Christian attributes that we should be thankful for. Think about them for a moment:
Truth – God’s truth will never fail us.
Nobility – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords reigns, and his greatest wish is that he could reign supreme in the lives of all people.
Righteousness – the virtue, the justice, the glory of Christ can become ours simply through faith and trust in the Lord Jesus.
Purity – there is nothing that is corrupt or sinful or self-serving in following the truth of Jesus Christ.
Loveliness – beauty is all around us, but the exquisite splendor of God will exceed anything else that we will ever know.
Admirable – God alone is worthy, but by faith in Jesus, we take on the splendor that can only come from him.
Excellence – brilliance, superiority, distinction are perfect and unique in our Lord, and he uses them all for our benefit.
Praiseworthy – he is truly worthy of our praise and thanksgiving.

We must put this holy list into practice every time we offer our praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.

Pray with me –
Holy Lord God, there is none like you. Your power and majesty astound us, and we rejoice that your grace lives within us. You are all we can possibly hope for, and by faith in the Lord Jesus, our life has grown in ways that we never imagined could be. We praise you Lord for being our King and our friend; we rejoice in you Lord, for the purity of thought and the truth of your way that we have learned from your word; we give you our eternal thanks for the life and the salvation that you gained through the surrender of your body; we rejoice in the love that you have shown to the people of earth, and for the love that we can offer to others through faith and love of you.
For all that you give, and all that we gain, and all that can be if we simply follow and celebrate our life in you, we give you our adoration and gratitude today and all days. In Jesus Christ we live and thrive and love. Amen.

“Confession in Prayer”

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Last week, we began a 4 week series on prayer. Until Thanksgiving, we will be considering what prayer should be about – that it isn’t just expressing some need to God, although that is certainly part of prayer – but there is no much more. We talked about the acronym A-C-T-S as a good reminder of 4 important aspects of prayer. The first letter stands for ADORATION – it is our joy in knowing the God of creation and his guidance for our lives. It is our praise for his goodness, our response to simply being in his presence, and being asked to share our life with him.

Today we take a look at the second letter, the “C” of ACTS – Confession. 1 John 1 tells us why confession is so important for every heart that would live in Christ.

Read 1 John 1:8-10

John tells us that it isn’t God who needs to hear our confession – it is something that each of us needs if our broken relationship with the Lord is to be restored! In sin, it isn’t the Lord who moves away from us – it is we who have moved away from him, it is we who have turned our backs on the ways of God. And even beyond that, we read that when we ignore our sin, or worst – claiming that it isn’t sin – we deceive ourselves into believing that everything is still OK. But the reality is that the truth of God cannot live within us when we deny our sin, and in our denial, his word will depart from us.

The other issue at play here is that the longer we try to hold sin in and hide it, the more stress we will have to deal with. It’s not a natural thing to try to hide anything from God – we all know that he already knows our deepest and innermost secrets, so why bother to even try to keep them to ourselves? It’s a failure from the start!

Confession is important for our lives.

Read Philippians 2:5-11

The call for us to submit and conform to God’s way is modeled for us by Jesus Himself. Even though his very nature was God, he never used that for his own benefit. He never sought any honor, never sought any praise, never sought any privilege for himself – Jesus Christ humbled himself to become our servant. And this servant’s heart led him to Calvary, to give his life in sacrifice, that if we would give our life to him, he would make us worthy to come before the throne of God without fear or hesitation. And as a sign that he was approachable by faith - at his death, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom, against the weave, to break the barrier that the ways of earth had set in place to divide us from the Holy of Holies – that very presence of Almighty God (Matthew 27:50-52), which in and of itself, is sin.

In the humility of Christ, he was raised to glory, and when we humble ourselves in confession, we are restored to that same God-promised glory that rests upon our Lord Jesus. But whether we surrender to him today, or wait for his glorious return to earth, we will be humbled, one way or another. The difference between the two is that if our confession is during this life time, we receive forgiveness. But if we decide to wait until the Day of Jesus’s return, condemnation will remain upon us, and eternal life will be but a distant memory.

It’s our choice – confession, or condemnation.

Read Romans 10:8-13

“If you declare with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is what faith must be – certainty, confidence, complete trust that his is the only way that will led us to eternal life. And faith must include confession – not just that Jesus is Lord, but that in and of ourselves, we are unworthy of his life.

Faith is more than just believing – there must also be a response to what we believe. Without a response, we will only be living a half-faith, and a shallow half at that. Paul tells us that faith begins in our heart, but that it doesn’t end there. A heartfelt faith is our preparation – our justification, if you will. Justification comes in that moment when we give our life to Christ, and proclaim that he is our Lord and Savior. But in grace, Justification must lead to Sanctification, which is the time that begins with our surrender to Christ, and continues until we leave this life and join him in his glory. But that time is in no way a passive time – it is a time of growing in trust and faith, it is a time of becoming a stronger and bolder disciple of the Lord, it is a time to continue to shed those things of earth and to replace them with the ways of Almighty God.

But as we all know, rejection of the ways of earth is a constant battle. Earth doesn’t go into the night quietly! To simply confess our sin is nowhere near enough – it demands a wholehearted commitment to end its influence, to end its incursion into our life, to stop it as soon as we sense its presence. Sin doesn’t give up, and neither can we.

Confession is the only way, because the power that Satan bestows on his aberrant ways will always be greater than our strength. Confession seeks the Lord’s power, the Lord’s forgiveness, the Lord’s destruction of Satan’s power over our lives. Confession acknowledges our weakness and inability to stand against the powers of Satan, and that without Christ, we will lose. Confession seeks the power and presence of Christ, to help us to stand against the dark onslaught, and to fill us with his light of grace and vision.

Confession is our kneeling before the throne of grace, seeking the right to return to the relationship that our sin has shattered. Confession is calling on the name of Jesus to seek his forgiveness for our sinful and weak hearted ways. Confession is our opportunity to let God know that we desire and desperately need his way to life, and that we know that our tendency is to follow the ways of earth, and that that way can only lead to destruction.

Confession truly is good for our soul.

Will you pray this prayer of confession with me:

Lord of Life and Love, my life has been anything but reflective of your way. I have sinned, and am unworthy of your hope and promise. But you have told me that if I confess my sin, and repent of its power over me, that your forgiveness will be mine, and that you will welcome me back into your glory. Lord, hear the individual prayers of your people, as we confess our sins, as we repent of our love for the ways of earth, as we seek your forgiveness.

- Silent Prayer –

Lord, by your grace, we know your forgiveness for our wayward ways, and desire nothing more than your joy, your word, and your way for us. Glory and honor to you for all that you bring and all that you have won on our behalf. May the purity and the righteous heart of God be ours once again. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

“Adoration in Prayer”

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40; Exodus 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Matthew 24:9-14

Why are some people so afraid of prayer? Oh, I don’t mean afraid to hear prayer, or to have someone pray for the needs of others, or to even be involved in prayer. But even though most never describe their hesitation this way, I believe that many folks are afraid to pray out loud with and for others. Some say that they don’t think that they pray well enough, that they don’t know what to pray for, that they don’t want to say the wrong thing when they pray.

The truth is that prayer is nothing more than a conversation with our Almighty God. It is, admittedly, a different kind of conversation than we might have with our friends, but prayer is just a time to join together with others to rejoice in God and in who he is for us, as well as an opportunity for us to share our most intimate needs and desires with the One who can actually do something about those needs.

For the next four weeks, we will be considering one of the aids to prayer – an acronym that helps us to frame our approach to prayer, and one that gives us a start on what and how we can pray. The acronym is A-C-T-S, with each letter standing for one important aspect of prayer. The letters, and their significance, are:
A – Adoration
C – Confession
T – Thanksgiving
S – Supplication, or petition

Each week, we will be addressing one of these issues, and today we begin at the beginning – with Adoration and a few passages from scripture that give us a basis and a reason for our admiration and love of God.

Read Matthew 22:34-40

Our Lord is worthy of our love. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with our entire being, and that loving others with that same, deep committed way is no less important than loving God. And what does it take to love like that? It helps if we understand that the order that Jesus placed on these commandments is not a random thing. When we truly and fully love God, it is then that we have the capacity and ability to love others.

Love is one, if not the most powerful emotion that we will ever share. And yet, it is dependent on so much more than just a will to love. Love requires trust, and compassion, and putting others’ needs ahead of our own, and a desire to spend time and effort with them, and our wanting to know more about them, and to share our joys as well as our struggles with them, and the list could go on for quite a while.

But it isn’t all that easy to love some people! And you have already been naming a few of them silently, haven’t you! If we put our love for them first, it will be strained to the point of breaking, to say the least. But if we learn to love the Lord first, and experience the love that He has for us, we come to understand that this love has nothing to do with the things that we, or they, do – there is no commandment that I have ever read that says we should like them and their ways– only that we must love them as Christ has loved us!

Adoration begins with love, and love, in and of itself, must always begin with God.

Read Exodus 34:6-7

This passage is part of the account of Moses’ return to the summit of Mount Sinai to receive the second set of 10 Commandments. You’ll remember that he had broken the first set in a fit of rage over Israel’s sinfulness. The Lord has just come down in a cloud, and after he speaks these words of love to his servant, Moses worships him and asks for God’s forgiveness for not only himself, but for all of the people.

Moses is reminded of the compassionate and loving and forgiving nature of his Yahweh. And in that, we have to know that compassion and forgiveness can never exist outside of love – God’s, as well as our own. And Moses also hears that his Lord is gracious, that he never jumps to conclusions or anger or retribution like people do, that his love is boundless and his forgiveness is specifically for those things we do that go against all that he stands for. There is also judgment and condemnation and hurt in this love – there is no question of that – but the anger and hurt that the Lord feels only lasts a little while, and then we can be welcomed back into his love and passion.

How long does our pain and anger against others last?

Moses had destroyed the written commandments that the Lord had given, but he was given a second chance to stay in relationship with his Great Jehovah God. Through the many years before this – over 80 of them – Moses had a lot of ups and downs in this relationship, and he had even tried to escape from it, but God never gives up and this servant of the Most High God had now finally discovered what Godly love was all about. And in that discovery, he would be able to endure the trials that would come against him for the next 40 years, and he could now love his God with a true and faithful heart – at least most of the time.

How quickly do we welcome others back into relationship with us?

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9

In the Matthew 22 passage that we read a few moments ago, Jesus quotes this commandment. Israel knows this as the Shema, which is the first word in these verses – “Hear”. And not only are the people to “hear” what God has to say, but they are called to remember the words in their hearts, and to share them with their children. They are to discuss them with each other – and not just once in a while, but all the time, no matter what the circumstances!

And just so they don’t forget, they are to wear this commandment, as well as others (Deuteronomy 11:13-21; Exodus 13:1-16) on their forehead (a reminder for their thoughts) and on their sleeve (to make them obvious in all they do) throughout the day. (Exodus 13:9)

Remember all that the Lord has done for you; remember all that you have received whether you have accepted it or not; whether you wanted or even like it or not. Give praise to the one who is always more generous, and more accurate, in responding to our needs than we can imagine!

But the greatest praise, and the greatest love, and the greatest obedience to Godly ways will never block the hatred and opposition that the world will bring against us. The passion and zeal of the Lord doesn’t stop the world and its ways, but it will see us through those times of testing.

Read Matthew 24:9-14

Our Lord is the God of Salvation, and why so many are opposed to his grace is a mystery to me. Scripture tells us that they can cause fear to grip our lives, they can cause us mental harm, they can even take our human life, but they can never destroy the love and life that comes to us from our God of Salvation. “…the one who stands firm to the end will be saved”. And this firmness is dependent upon the call of Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Apparently, there is no great act that we have to perform, no amount of people who we must evangelize, no set number of mission trips to take, no demand to preach a lot of sermons - nothing that the world would expect as a required payment for such an incredible gift as eternal life. All we are asked to do is to love the Lord our God as faithfully and as honestly as we possibly can. And John 14:15-21 reminds us that if we truly love our God, then we will keep his commandments.

Isn’t all of this sufficient reason to show our love, our adoration, our admiration, to the one and only God of heaven and earth, the God of Redemption and Salvation, the God who will be with us every moment of every day for the rest of our life?

Will you pray with me this prayer of Adoration to our Lord and King?

Almighty God, great Lover of our soul, our Helper and Keeper of the Divine way, Creator and Guide for this life - Master, we are lost without you. By your death, our death has been destroyed, and by faith in your resurrection, we have received eternal life. Your glory illuminates our way, and by your grace, we are able to know the difference between your narrow path and the broad, neon-lined way of earth. All honor and praise to you – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – that we might know the difference between earth’s wickedness and your righteousness.
We pray all these things in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.