A Joy-filled Christmas

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”    —Matthew 2:10

Many dedicated Christians cringe as we hear the greeting, “Happy Holidays,” from store clerks or on the streets. We may return the greeting by saying, “Merry Christmas,” with the emphasis on Christmas. Did you ever ask yourself what we mean by the world “merry?” According to Webster, merry means “giving pleasure, causing happiness.” The definition continues: full of gaiety or high spirits. Merry carries with it the emphasis on hearty laughter and outbursts of song that may have its origin in activities related to drinking and partying. Is that what we really mean when we say, “Merry” Christmas?

I am convinced that pursuing happiness or merriment as an end will not be successful. The pursuit of happiness can act much like a drug addiction. At first a little makes you happy. Then two or three things or events are required. Eventually, the happiness craving overwhelms us to the point that nothing completely makes us happy but only numbs the ache for more.

This Christmas, let us pursue joy. Joy may be the only true cure for the pursuit of happiness. Just as gift giving and gift receiving are opposite actions at Christmas, I believe joy and happiness are the opposite sides of the same coin. Happiness and merriment are solely intended for me. Joy (spelled, J-Jesus first, O-others second, and Y-yourself last) is intended for God, others, and our relationship with them. Joy comes at Christmas as we worship and thank God for the One and only perfect gift of His Son. Joy continues to grow as we give gifts and ourselves to others.

Joy dominates almost every scripture passage surrounding Jesus’ birth. The angel told John the Baptist’s parents, “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth” (Luke 1:14). When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in her womb, John the Baptist, leaped for joy (Luke 1:44). The angel’s message to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Even the wise men, when they saw the star, “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10). The dominant emotion expressed at the first Christmas was joy.

The joy of the magi can be further seen in worship, gift giving, and self-denial for the benefit of another. After rejoicing at seeing the star, the Wisemen arrived at the house in Bethlehem where Jesus was, worshipped, and gave gifts. The precious nature of the gifts was not mere monetary value but the energy, commitment, and time required to deliver them. The Wisemen further risked their lives to benefit another as they disobeyed King Herod and fled the country by another route.

Your joy level this Christmas will probably depend upon your attitude and focus. Are you focusing on receiving gifts or on giving? Do you face the many activities and obligations as things you must do or as opportunities you get to do? Whether you are putting up more decorations than you think are needed, chauffeuring to one too many practices, or being asked to give to more local charities than you’d like, a change in attitude may bring the lasting joy Jesus came to give. Scripture tells us to look to Jesus, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). We find true joy in having the opportunity to worship, give gifts, and share with others. I wish for you a joy-filled Christmas. Joyful Christmas!

Let It Snow

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”    —Genesis 8:22

I love the snow just about as much as I loved watching my favorite Pennsylvania football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, slide their way through cold and icy conditions to a win against Detroit and solidify their position in first place of the NFC Central division. Have you ever heard of sarcasm? Webster defines sarcasm as the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny. My celebration of the Eagles’ win is code for complaining against my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers for failing so miserably, again. Also, the older I get, the more I dislike the snow.

Unless you are into skiing, snowboarding, missing school, or plowing, you probably would agree with the guy I saw on the evening news who yelled into the camera, “I hate snow.” Actually, snow and ice have some good points most people do not usually consider. Winter weather speaks volumes about the goodness and faithfulness of God. Much of the water supply from the west coast comes from the spring runoff of the mountain snow from winter. When it snows, some folks literally thank God for supplying them with their next summer’s water supply.

In another way, all of creation: earth, sky, sea, and weather praise the Creator. Just as King David did in his early years as a shepherd, let us worship God by spending some extended time outdoors and observing God’s beautiful handiwork this winter. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2). David was not worshipping the mountains but the Creator of the mountains. May this winter’s beautiful scenes direct your gaze and worship heavenward.

Psalm 19 celebrates the way God’s glory is declared by His creation. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Immediately after the destruction of the earth with the Flood in Noah’s time, God promised to never destroy the earth again with water. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22). Each change of the seasons, each snow storm in winter, rain shower in the spring, hot dry winds of summer, and cool frosty mornings of the fall declare God’s faithfulness. Every time it snows in the wintertime, God is keeping His promise to bring a change of seasons and not destroy the earth again until the final judgment. Notice the opening words of Genesis 8:22, “As long as the earth endures.” There is coming a day when the earth will be destroyed and made new at the end of the age. Until that time, each winter snowstorm declares God’s goodness. Praise the Lord for snow.

The snow comes; schools are canceled; snow blowers and shovels are pressed into service; and many voices are heard to mutter curses to God and the weather. May that not be you or me. Let us praise the Lord for snow. Let us rejoice in God’s promises and for the change of seasons. Let us lift our voices to God in song, and sing that familiar winter carol, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.” Praise the Lord and pass the shovel; here it comes again.

Joy: Competing for Third Place

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”    —Luke 2:10

I reluctantly joined two pick’em football leagues this fall. I say reluctantly because I am not that detailed of a person to deal with all 32 football teams in the NFL. Secondly, I do not really have time to select winners and losers for each week. I joined both leagues so I could share in my family’s and the church staff’s lives. No money was involved so I was not gambling. I signed up, picked the first week’s winners, and then forgot to pick the next two weeks. I immediately found myself in last place. I am currently in 8^th place out of 11 in one league. The bottom three have stopped playing. I am in 14^th place out of 17 in the other league.

Just like the Steelers, I am certainly out of the running to win any prizes. I feel like I’m playing for third place. How do you push on and play your best when you know you have no hope of winning the grand prize? In the pick’em leagues, since I may not even overtake the person directly ahead of me, I am playing for weekly wins. A few times I have come in second in my weekly picks. I find it almost as enjoyable as competing for first place.

Many of you probably remember Brian Piccolo, a running back for the Chicago Bears. He was a roommate and running mate of Gale Sayers. Brian died from cancer in 1970 after playing four seasons with the Bears. His story is portrayed in the movie, Brian’s Song, and described in Gale Sayers’ autobiography, I am Third. The title of Gale’s book comes from his personal credo, “The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third.” Playing for third reminds me of a definition I once heard for joy: put Jesus first, yourself last, and others in between.

The angels announced the birth of Jesus Christ to lowly shepherds watching their sheep on the hillsides of Bethlehem. Shepherds are considered lowly because they are generally the youngest, uneducated folks with the least potential for success. The shepherds were in the fields doing their job out of the spotlight of glamour and public acclaim. The angels told them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Can lowly shepherds have joy? If they have no hope of coming in first place in the game of a prestigious life, can they still find joy? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” In Jesus, they can.

Our world is desperately seeking happiness. We are happiness junkies. The problem with making happiness our goal is that we are looking for it at the wrong end of joy. True, lasting joy comes from putting Jesus first and others second. Seeking our own personal happiness first puts our needs and enjoyment before everything else. The result is usually unhappiness rather than joy.

How do you compete in the game we call life when you know you will never be on the winner’s platform? You may be fortunate to come in 13^th out of 17 if you work very hard. You compete for a higher eternal prize. The prize is knowing the Lord and His power in this world and the next. The joy of Jesus comes from serving the Lord through an intimate personal relationship with Him, and serving others out of the overflow of His love. How is your joy level this Christmas season? If you compete for third place, I am certain your life will be full of the joy of the Lord and overflowing.

Peaceful at Jesus' Feet

“They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.”    —Luke 8:35

The dog trainer called him, “The Shepherd.” My son’s big, black, and beautiful German shepherd’s official name was Prince Hoss Bain. As a pup, he was fun and playful, but as he grew, Hoss began to show signs of aggression, more like nervous defensiveness. We took him to obedience classes. The nine or ten other dogs all had cute names and practiced together. We were instructed to keep Hoss at a distance and he was known only as “The Shepherd.”

The goal of the obedience school seemed to be two-fold: one, to teach the owners, my son, my wife, and me, to correctly train and discipline our dog. A secondary resulting goal was for Hoss to learn to walk obediently on a leash keeping his eyes trained on his master. If we stopped, he should stop. If we turned, he should turn. The distractions of squirrels, cats, dogs, butterflies, and strangers should not drive him crazy as he keeps himself at peace by looking to his masters and resting at their feet.

Recently, I heard a new description for pastors. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and pastors are like sheepdogs. As a sheepdog herds the sheep, he must keep his eyes on the Shepherd for directions. Go out further to bring the sheep back. Turn left or right. Start here and drive the sheep forward. Constant eye contact with the shepherd is required to herd the sheep according to the will of the Shepherd. In all the craziness of herding the sheep, the one constant is the direction and protection of the Shepherd.

Jesus led the disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and met a demon-possessed man who lived among the tombstones. The demoniac actually behaved very much like my son’s German shepherd. He ran around naked and would break the chains and shackles used to control him (Luke 8:29). Hoss would often break his leash in order to attack a vicious butterfly. Several times Hoss tore a steel door apart to get at a dangerous beetle.

Jesus cast many demons out of this man and sent them into a herd of pigs that immediately drowned themselves in the lake. The herdsman ran off to town to report what had happened. When the townspeople returned, they saw the crazy man sitting at peace at the feet of Jesus. I can picture him sitting completely calm with his eyes trained on his Master, Jesus.

 

Our world appears to be growing crazier with each passing year. I know I am growing older and am less able to cope with change, but I really do think our world is losing its mind. Jesus came that we might have life, abundant life. Because of God’s great love for us and His offer of salvation, each of us can choose to follow the Lord and live at peace. As we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, we can be delivered from being controlled by the craziness of our culture. Stress, persecution, and crazy behavior will still surround us, but Jesus has overcome the world.

As we enter this holy Christmas season, let us take our directions from Jesus, our Master, and not from this world. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and sit at His feet, this Christmas can really be a time of peace on earth, at least peace in our hearts and lives. Let us sit peacefully at Jesus’ feet.

Forgetting None of God's Blessings

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.”    —Psalm 103:2

In the summer of 1963, C. S. Lewis resigned his position at Cambridge. He died quietly at home that fall on November 22. Despite his fame and the spiritual impact of his writings on generations of believers and non-believers, only a brief obituary appeared in the newspaper because his passing was overshadowed by the death of President John F. Kennedy that same day.

The most recent big event often so dominates our minds that it is easy to forget other world shaking news or God’s blessings over the past year. This fall, two major events have impacted Oakland Church and me. We are just completing a church-wide study emphasis. It has been awesome. More importantly, God has been awesome. The Holy Spirit has been speaking, and many in the church are hearing from God. Secondly, last week, we celebrated the one year anniversary of our capital campaign. God is doing what we thought humanly impossible. I have been so focused on these celebrations that it is difficult to remember anything else that happened this year.

Anyone who has been around me much lately has probably heard me recite Psalm 103. In Church, at the hospital or in my personal quiet time, I might burst into, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2). As we enter the Thanksgiving season, I can think of no better exhortation. Let us all bless the Lord. Let us forget not one of His blessings to us.

God has poured out so many blessings in my life and the life of our Church; it would be terribly disappointing to forget one of the great things God has done: the young people who dedicated their lives to Jesus, the child who received Christ as Savior during Sunday School, and the prisoners who have been set free. The sick have gotten well. Some who have lost jobs have seen God supply their needs in miraculous ways. Others have been able to keep their jobs or find better employment. God is God; all the time!

In order to forget none of God’s blessings this Thanksgiving season, we must make a purposeful effort to remember. In the life of the church, I look back over the calendar to see what happened earlier in the year. I may take a moment at a meeting or small group to ask someone how God has blessed them this past year. Their responses often remind me of a forgotten victory in my own life. Going around the table at a Thanksgiving dinner and sharing something for which you thank God does not take much time but may encourage someone and glorify God.

What will you do this year to keep from forgetting any of God’s blessings? Focusing on the last big terrible event may cause us to feel defeated and ungrateful. There are many difficulties in life. You may be experiencing them right now. By remembering all of God’s benefits throughout the year, we can face our most recent tragedy with confidence that God will see us through.

If we focus only on the last big success in our life, we may be extremely happy for a while. If we consider that blessing in light of God’s benefits throughout the year, we will overflow with praise and thanksgiving to God. Will you join me, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.”

The Stuff Jesus Did

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”    —Acts 2:43

Pastor John Wimber, one of the founders of the Vineyard Movement, often tells the story of his conversion and early Christian growth. In 1963, God got a hold of this musician who played the Las Vegas circuit and eventually helped form the Righteous Brothers. John described himself as a “beer-guzzling, drug abusing pop musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible Study” (Christianity Today, Feb. 9, 1998).

John became a voracious Bible reader. After weeks of reading the life-changing miracles in the Scriptures and attending boring church services, He asked a lay leader, “When do we get to do the stuff? You know, the stuff here in the Bible; the stuff Jesus did, like healing the sick, raising the dead, healing the blind – stuff like that?” He was told that they didn’t do that anymore. They only performed their weekly services. John replied, “You mean I gave up drugs for that?”

The early church began with miraculous signs and wonders. People were either drawn to the church in holy reverence or driven away in fear. Acts 2:43 describes the atmosphere, “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” Although three thousand came to faith on the day of Pentecost, not everyone gladly joined the early band of believers. “At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem” (Acts 5:12-13). Loved, hated, feared, and revered, the early Church was anything but irrelevant.

People are still waiting and watching the Church, today. If the world is not seeing God in our midst, it may be because we are not attempting anything that only God can do. “When the world sees things happening through God’s people that cannot be explained except that God Himself has done them, the world will be drawn to such a God” (Experiencing God, 144). Some may refuse; others may criticize; but everyone will be moved to acknowledge that something supernatural is happening.

Jesus told the Disciples and us, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12). Notice that this promise includes us. Jesus said, “He who believes in me.” We will not do greater things than Jesus in our own strength, but God will do greater things through us. Acts 2 describes these wondrous signs as “taking place through the apostles.”

What are you attempting that cannot be explained except that God has done it? Are you reaching out to the broken and downtrodden? Are you giving beyond your means? Are you stepping outside of your comfort zone in obedience to the voice of the Spirit trusting God to accomplish whatever He will? The world is waiting and watching for those who claim to be Christians to do the stuff Jesus did. Jesus said we would. The early Church did. Let us draw near to God, listen for His voice, and obediently step out in the power of the Holy Spirit. God will show Himself to an unbelieving world as we do the stuff Jesus did.

Final Notice

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”    —2 Peter 3:9

I thought I was on the “no-call” list with the telephone company, but I continue to get repeated messages from telemarketers. One claims to be from a government agency telling me to hurry and take advantage of the financial stimulus before the next billing cycle. It ends with the warning, “This is your final notice.” After the twentieth call, I shouted in jubilation to my wife, “This is our final notice! Maybe they’ll quit calling.” I really expect they will call again.

Another urges me to consolidate my debts and lower my credit card rates. They also end with the message, “This is your second and final notice.” As I hang up the telephone for the umpteenth time, I mutter under my breath, “I sure hope so.”

Most people in our culture believe we will always get a second chance. We procrastinate in registering for everything. Whether it is for a concert, a seminar, or a church dinner, we tend to wait for the last possible day to make sure nothing else might come up that we’d prefer doing before committing to anything. The Church has given in to this culture because we permit people to register two days past any deadline. We don’t want anyone to miss an opportunity. We extend deadlines and make exceptions for almost everyone. Yes, we’ll make room for one more.

Many Christians are expecting Jesus Christ to return soon. We often wonder why God is waiting so long. 2 Peter answers that question by pointing out the Lord’s great love and patience toward us. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (3:9). The telemarketers may be annoying, but you have to give them credit; they are patient and diligent. On the positive side, God, too, is patient and diligent.

A major difference between the telemarketers and God is that telemarketers will probably call us until the end of time, but we have no guarantee that God will call us forever. We can wear out the patience of God. The Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3). God is definitely the Lord of the second chance (and third, fourth, fifth…), but a day will come when the final notice will be the final notice. Romans 1 describes a time when after continual rejection, “God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil” (1:28-29). If we continually reject and ignore the Spirit’s calling us to God, the Lord may give us over to our own desires. I have heard good parents say to wayward children, “Go ahead, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

God might give us up to our rebellion, but there is also a day of reckoning. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). There is a day when all things will be final. Telemarketer calls will ring no longer, and our opportunity to turn to Christ and find forgiveness will be lost. Today, if you feel the conviction of sin and know your need of a new beginning with the Lord, you still have a second chance. Don’t miss it. Eventually, our second chances will run out. A final, final notice will be given. Call on the Lord today, He loves you and is more than patient.