Thoughts on Easter and Christmas

I have a cousin who is teaching in South Korea and she was surprised that they didn't celebrate Easter yesterday at church.  Apparently the same thing happened with Christmas, and so she asked these questions to some of her friends on Facebook:

So, my question is this: Do American (or western) churches benefit spiritually from the observance of these days?  or are they examples of secular influence on the church?  Please let me know your thoughts.

Here is my reply:

Here are my answers to your questions. I don't think Western churches benefit from the celebration of Easter or Christmas. The reasons for that are varied and complex, but are rooted in the reality that following Jesus is about living a life guided by the Spirit rather than about observing certain special days (part of Paul's argument in Galatians). What happens is that these days become about certain traditions rather than meaningful rest stops during the year to reflect on God and His work of redemption of creation.  

With that being said the Christmas and Easter seasons can be meaningful and spiritually important if we as individuals take the time to prepare our hearts and minds to experience the celebrations. This also it puts responsibility on Church leaders to prepare events thoughtfully and intentionally to help people move past the traditions and cliches of the seasons to focus on what is truly important.  

The last piece of this, as my brother mentioned, is Communion. The Lord's Supper is the "tradition" Jesus handed down to us to remember Him and the covenant He established with us. Even here what makes Communion a spiritually beneficial thing is how the church frames its purpose and the preparation of each individual before they take it. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that a failure to observe the Lord's Supper correctly can be an unhealthy thing. So the bottom line is that for Easter and Christmas to be spiritually beneficial it requires the thoughtful preparation of both the individual and the church.  

To answer the second question I don't think it has to do with secular influence on the church as much as it has to do with the religious spirit that seeks to elevate traditions and laws as the way to follow Jesus rather than being guided by the Spirit (part of what Paul was talking about in Galatians). Those are my thoughts, I hope they were helpful. 

Daily Thought: In the Light of History

"Everything depends, of course, on whether you believe that the living God could, or would, act like that.  Some say he couldn't ('miracles don't happen'); others that he wouldn't ('if he did that, why doesn't he intervene to stop genocide?').  Some say Joseph, and others at the time, didn't know the scientific laws of nature the way we do—though this story gives the lie to that, since if Joseph hadn't known how babies were normally made he wouldn't have had a problem with Mary's unexpected pregnancy.

"But Matthew and Luke don't ask us to take the story all by itself.  They ask us to see in in the light of the entire history of Israel—in which God was always present and at work, often in very surprising ways—and, more particularly of the subsequent story of Jesus himself.  Does the rest of the story, and the impact of Jesus on the world and countless individuals within it ever since, make it more or less likely that he was indeed conceived by a special act of the holy spirit?"~ N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone: Part One; p. 7

Linkage: A Promise Kept

As Christmas approaches and we are distracted with gift buying, parties, travel plans, and even a presidential election it is important to take some time and reflect on why the importance of Christmas.  Here is a link to a Christmas Devotion I wrote a few years ago.  I hope that it helps guides you in a time of quite reflection.

A Nativity Dragon?

This is a picture of my nativity set.  My wife has some very beautiful nativities that are up around the house, but this one is mine.  Last year I bought the red dragon to be a part of the scene.  Why did I think it was necessary to have a dragon part of the nativity?  It comes from the cryptic telling of Jesus' birth in Revelation 12:

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.  His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days (verses 1-6; ESV).

While it isn't the easiest thing to understand one thing we can know: there is more going on that first Christmas than the birth of Jesus. There is a spiritual reality that we miss. The shepherds saw a glimpse of it when they were visited by the angelic army, but that is the closest we come to it.

The reason why it is important to remember the Dragon at Christmas is to be reminded that there was a specific reason Jesus came to earth in the first place.  It was to end the rebellion against God that the Dragon began and that we have joined.  That is done by defeating the Dragon, sin, and death and rescuing us from the Dominion of Darkness and bringing us into the Kingdom of Light.

The Dragon reminds us that there is darkness and evil in this world, and therefore God's light and love and shine all the more brightly.  There is a Dragon who wants to steal, kill, and destroy God's wonderful creation and Christmas is the declaration that God is fighting back, and that God will have the victory and and His creation will be rescued.

The ironic thing is that this victory ultimately comes, not through the might God's power and army, but through His love.  It is the helpless baby in the manger that finally slays the dragon and brings freedom and life to people.  This has all the makings of a mythic story, and it is a story that we are still caught up in today.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 12

 At Just the Right Time

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8; ESV

One night over 2,000 years ago in the small village of an extraordinary event happened.  In some aspects it didn’t seem very extraordinary, a mother giving birth to a son.  It is something that happens every day. Yet there were some things which marked this event as special and unique.  There was the angel’s message to a young girl that she would give birth to a son, there was the angel army’s proclamation of peace on earth, and the bright star in the sky which led a group of foreign scholars to see and worship this special child.

That one night in Bethlehem still has significance for us today.  It is the birth of Jesus that provides us with evidence that God loves us and that He cares about the circumstances of our lives.  In Jesus we know that God has not abandoned us to the consequences of sin, rather He has orchestrated the events of history to bring restoration to His creation.

As we conclude our Christmas journey I want us to reflect for a moment on the phrase: at the right time Christ.  You see Jesus wasn’t God’s back up plan to rescue a world gone wrong, He was the plan from the very beginning.  God’s choice of Abraham, His guidance of Israel, His call of Zechariah and Elizabeth to be John’s parents, and His choice of Mary and Joseph to raise Jesus are all part of God working through history to restore His fallen creation.

I think at Christmas we can take great comfort in the fact that God is not some distant god who demands our worship or he will send us to hell.  Instead God is very concerned about us and desires that we have a relationship with Him.  In spite of our rebellion God took the initiative to do what was necessary to rescue us from Satan, sin, and death.  When the time was perfect, when the world was ready to receive her savior, God set Jesus to us.  Jesus came not to condemn us, but to save us.  What a glorious thought that is for us.

Before you close this short devotional take a moment to approach God in prayer.  Confess the sin that is holding you back in your walk with Christ, humbly offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, and thank Him for not giving up on you and sending Jesus to rescue you from sin.  What a reason we have for celebrating Christmas!

Here is the point I want you to ponder today: Christmas is a time to worship the God who did not give up on us, but took the initiative to save us for sin.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 11

 God With Us

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:23; ESV

In a world filled with sickness, starvation, murder, violence, abuse, war, death, and all sorts of other evil it is easy to wonder: Where is God?  When life doesn’t turn out according to our plan it feels like God has abandoned us.

That certainly was true for the nation of Israel.  They were God’s chosen people, but because of their repeated disobedience God abandoned them and allowed them to be conquered by other nations.  Israel lived through a period of exile, and even hundreds of years later , during the time of Jesus, they were still controlled by the Roman Empire.

In the midst of exile God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write a prophecy about a special son.  A son who would show Israel, and the world, that God had not abandoned them.

This is the message that we still need to hear.  Jesus is the evidence that we need to show us God continues to be with us.  Yes, there are tough patches and things don’t always work out the way we would like them to, but God is still at work in this world.

How is God working in this world today?  God is working through the body of Christ.  One of the images of the church is that of the Body of Christ.  A key feature, according to the New Testament, about Christ’s Body is the presence of the Holy Spirit.  God is still with us, working in this world, through the Church.

One cool night in Bethlehem God became a man and dwelt among people.  This event opened the way for Holy Spirit to come and the Church to be established.  These two realities ensure that God continues to be with us throughout the centuries.

Here is the thought for you to consider today: Christmas is the celebration of the reality that God is with us.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 10

A Journey of Worship

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2; ESV

One of the truths that the Christmas story points to is the truth that Jesus is the King of all the world.  Jesus is not limited to being the messiah, the king, and the savior of the Jews; but he is the king of anyone who will seek Him.  The wise men stand apart from the other people in the Christmas story because they undertook a long journey to find and worship Jesus. 

We face the danger of having the events of Christmas, and even Jesus himself, become so familiar to us that we miss their importance.  Isn’t that what happened to Jews of Jesus’ day?  They had access to the Scriptures that told of the coming messiah, but not only did they miss Jesus’ birth, but they missed Jesus.  The religious leaders were so familiar with the texts and the explanations of those texts that they were unable to see those text being fulfilled right in front of their eyes.

The wise men were not familiar with the Scriptures, but somehow and someway they were looking for something special and God allowed them to make a connection between the star they saw in the sky and the birth of Jesus.  These Gentile scholars may not have been familiar with the Jewish texts, but they were on a search for truth, and that search lead them to Jesus.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas may the wise men remind us to seek Jesus.  Don’t be so familiar with the story that you miss out on Jesus and what God is doing in the world.  Take some time today to pray.  Ask God to lead you on a journey to see the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.  May we look at this familiar story with fresh eyes and hear it with clear ears.

A second reminder that the wise men give is to remind us that Jesus is the savior of the entire world.  I urge you to pray for a missionary working in another part of the world, a country that might be hostile to Christianity, or a people group that needs to hear the good news of the Gospel.  May we not hoard Jesus rather let us share Him with the world.

Here is the thought I would ask you to consider today: Christmas provides us with an opportunity to seek Jesus in truth and love.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 9

 The Pondering Heart

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Luke 1:19; ESV

Much had changed in the life of young Mary.  It began with a visit from Gabriel who had the message that she would become pregnant with the Son of God.  The change continued with a visit to her relative Elizabeth who was also miraculously pregnant.  The change climaxed with the birth of Jesus and the events which surrounded the birth: a stable, shepherds, and angels.

In the midst of this change and the flurry of activity around her Mary paused and reflected about the events that had happened in her life.  The shepherds knew something great had happened and they praised God for allowing them to experience it.  The people in Bethlehem that night didn’t know exactly what to do with the shepherds’ story and they returned home puzzled.  Mary understood the events of that night to be a great treasure.  This was a treasure she would continue to return to as she reflected on what God was doing in the world.

Christmas can be a very busy and chaotic time of year.  The programs, gifts, parties, and special worship times can be overwhelming at times as we are tempted just to go through motions of the Christmas season.  Perhaps this year we need to follow the example of Mary and pause to ponder the events of Christmas.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help you reflect on the true treasure that Christmas is to the world.  Make an iTunes playlist of your favorite Christmas Carols and as the songs play think about the meaning of the words being sung.  Music has the power to direct and influence our thoughts, and so we should use it to direct our hearts to think about the true meaning of Christmas.
A second suggestion to help you reflect on the meaning of Christmas is to carve time out of the day, about fifteen to twenty minutes, and read through the first two chapters of Luke.  When you are finished take a few moments to think about what things must have been like for  Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and finally Jesus (who left the glory of heaven to be born as a human child).  Try to put yourself in their shoes as you reflect on the importance of that one night in Bethlehem.

It is easy to get caught up in the events that surround the Christmas holiday, and that is why it is so important that we intentionally make the time to ponder what happened that first Christmas day. 

The point I want you to remember today is: Christmas provides us with a chance to reflect on what God is doing in the world.

Celebrating One Night Bethlehem Day 8

Peace on Earth

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:13-14; ESV

A group of shepherds were watching their flocks on the hills outside of Bethlehem when they were greeted by an angel.  The angel’s message  was to go into town and find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manager.  The angel declares that this baby, born in humble circumstances, is the long awaited Messiah.

If a visit from a lone angel is not enough the sky is suddenly filled with a host of angels singing about God’s peace to the world.  What is interesting about this is that this is not an angelic choir, instead it is an angelic army.  The Greek means, when literally translated, “heavenly army.”  So the picture of the angels’ visit to the shepherds is that of angelic warriors coming, not to make war on humankind, but to declare peace.  The enmity which existed between people and God because of sin was now going to be dealt with and the relationship between the Creator and the creation would be restored.

Part of the good news we receive at Christmas is that God is the God of grace and not vengeance.  He was within His rights to destroy us because we sided with His enemy Satan to bring chaos and destruction to His creation.  We rejected His Kingdom, His ways, and His purposes in order to pursue our own selfish interests and the result is the sinful and messed up world in which we live.

Thank God that He is compassionate and through it all He desired to have a relationship with people.  He did not give up on us, even though we may have given up on Him.  So instead of sending His army to destroy us He sent them to tell us that God was reaching out to us in peace.

It is impossible to avoid conflict in life.  We have had disagreements and fights with people and the result is that the relationships have been strained.  As we prepare for Christmas one of the things that we need to do is reach out to those people who have hurt us.

Take some time today to pray for those people who have hurt you and ask God to help you forgive them.  I would also suggest that you take it a step further and send them a Christmas card, acknowledging  that you have had differences in the past, but you want to put those differences in the past.  Let them know that you will pray for them through the Christmas season.  Christmas should be a time that we reach out to others in peace and in love.

The point to ponder today is: At Christmas we celebrate the reality that we have peace with God by extending peace and forgiveness to our enemies.

Celebrating One Night In Bethlehem Day 7

It Happened Unexpectedly

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luke 2:8; ESV

The night Jesus was born was an ordinary night.  I am certain that the shepherds watching their flocks of sheep outside of Bethlehem were not expecting anything unusual to happen that night.  Most likely they were expecting a night like a hundred other nights they had experienced out in the fields around Bethlehem.

These shepherds were living out their lives totally unaware of what was happening.  They didn’t know about the birth of a baby boy in town, let alone the significance of that birth.  So these ordinary and unsuspecting shepherds were given the shock of their lives when the angel shows up with a message.  Then to add to the experience the army of angels that show up and begin to sing.

That seems to be how God works.  He comes when we least expect and while we are doing the ordinary tasks of life.  That was true with Moses who was spending another day watching sheep when he encountered God through the burning bush. 

Another example would be Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, who was doing his duty as a priest when God sent an angel to talk to him.  Zechariah was not seeking a supernatural encounter, but rather he was being faithful in the role God had given him to play.

Not only did these three encounters all happen unexpectedly, but each also left the people involved in the encounter with a choice to make.  Moses needed to return to Egypt.  Zechariah needed to raise John according to God’s instructions, and the shepherds needed to go into Bethlehem to find the baby Jesus.

God continues to encounter us.  Sure these encounters maybe more subtle than a choir of angels or a burning bush, but God will still communicates His will to us.  These encounters continue to happen in ways and at times that are unexpected. The most important part of an encounter with God is how we respond to His call.  Will we respond like the shepherds who left their flocks in order to search for and worship Jesus? Or will we follow our desires? Each one of us have that choice to make.

The point I would like you to ponder today is: Christmas is a reminder that God shows up unexpectedly to provide guidance for our lives.

Celebrating One Night In Bethlehem Day 6

Obedient Faith

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
Matthew 1:24; NLT

The one person who I think gets overlooked at Christmas is Joseph.  One reason for this is because we live in a different time and culture than the time and culture of the Gospels.  The result is that we don’t understand the sacrifice that Joseph made to become the husband of Mary and the father of Jesus.

Joseph was a righteous man and therefore he lived his life  according to Scripture.  In the religious culture of Joseph and Mary this made Joseph accepted by the community.  The problem for Joseph came when Mary became pregnant without being married to Joseph.

The punishment for such a thing according to Scripture was stoning, but Joseph found it his heart not to do that to Mary.  He decided he would break the engagement.  Engagement in Joseph and Mary’s culture was a huge commitment, and to break that engagement was a big deal that was equated to getting a divorce.  This solution would enable Joseph to keep his reputation as a righteous man and would allow Mary to keep her life.  Though she would still be shunned as a sinner by the community.

God had not only chosen Mary to raise Jesus, but He had also chosen Joseph.  In a dream an angel told Joseph to marry Mary because she was not a sinner, but was miraculously pregnant by God.  On the basis of God’s request Joseph took Mary as his wife and prepared to help her raise the child.

The result of marrying Mary would be that Joseph would lose his standing in the community as a righteous man.  He would now be labeled a sinner and he would be shunned by the community.  Life would become difficult because the righteous people of the village would not hire the sinner Joseph to do work for them.  The life that Joseph wanted fell apart when he obeyed God.

One of the difficult lessons of Christmas is that a life of faith is not an easy life. There is no doubt that following Jesus is the best way to live, but it is not a guarantee that we will be insulated from the difficulties and pain of life.  It isn’t always easy to follow God, but it is always the best way.  I am willing to bet that Joseph never regretted the decision to marry Mary and help raise Jesus.

The truth I would like you to meditate on today is: At Christmas we are reminded that obedience is often very costly.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 5

God can do the Impossible

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37; ESV

One of the facts of life is that nothing creates nothing.  You cannot take nothing and create something out of it.  In other words it is impossible to create using nothing.

Science tells us that our entire universe came into existence with an event called the Big Bang.  The interesting thing about this event is that before it happened it appears nothing existed, not even time, and yet all of sudden everything needed for the existence of the universe and life appeared.  While science has yet to explain how this happened we know that the Bible says; “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1; ESV).

The creation of the universe confirms the truth that the angel Gabriel told Mary: nothing is impossible for God!

Sarah, the wife of Abraham, was 90 years old when she became pregnant with Isaac, the son God promised to the elderly couple.  Age was not a barrier to what God wanted to do.

In the same way Elizabeth became pregnant with John even though she was no longer able to have children.  What appeared to be impossible to people was not a problem for God.

Mary was a young girl and she had never been with a man before, but God put Jesus inside of her to grow and develop like any other baby.  Experience tells us that there needs to be a father and a mother for a baby to be born, but this was not an obstacle for God, the Creator of humankind.

We shouldn’t find it surprising that the Creator of the universe is able to do things that we cannot explain; things that we consider to be impossible.  That is part of being God.  The God we worship is the God who specializes in doing the impossible.

Here is the thought I would like you to consider today: At Christmas we celebrate the impossible actions of God.

Celebrating One Night In Bethlehem Day 4

A Moment in Time

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Luke 2:1

We like a good story. There is nothing like a good movie to transport us to a different time and place. Many of the stories we like are fiction, and so no matter how realistic a movie seems we know, in the back or our minds, that it isn’t true. 

The Christmas story can, at times, seem like a fictional story.  We may be inspired by it, but it doesn’t seem to have very many implications to our lives.  Luke reminds us that the story of Christmas is not fiction, that it actually happened at a specific time in history.  A significant event happened one night in Bethlehem; an event that would go on to change the world.

Take some time today to examine a nativity scene.  It may not be historically accurate, but each of those figures remind us that the events of Christmas happened to real people who lived in a real place.

Think about what it must have been like to have been Mary, a young girl who was given a huge responsibility.  Think about Joseph, the young man who had his world turned upside down by the announcement that his wife-to-be is pregnant.  Real people who had their lives affected in real ways.

It is easy to hear the Christmas story and forget that is an actual event and something that real people experienced.  The reason this is important to remember is because the fact that it is true is what makes the biggest difference in our lives.  That moment in time changes all the moments after it.  Without the stable in Bethlehem we don’t have Jesus whose life, death, and resurrection are the foundation of our faith.  We also don’t have the 12 apostles, the Church, or the New Testament.  In short, without Bethlehem we are without hope.

Our God is not a god who sits in heaven watching passively the events that happen here on earth.  Our God is the God who intercedes and acts on the behalf of His creation.  He directs the course of history in order to restore that which He loves so much.

The thought to meditate on today is: Christmas is a celebration of the God who intercedes in human history.

Celebrating One Night in Bethlehem Day 3

Day 1: He Loves Us

Day 2: Promise Keeper

Ordinary People

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Luke 1:18

We don’t value the same things that God values. We value things like wealth, beauty, talent, and success. God values things like love, faith, hope, and joy. I think that is one reason we are surprised at the type of people God uses.

Take David for example. He was the youngest son of a large family, he was small for his age, and his brothers seemed to have him beat in the talent and looks department. When the old prophet Samuel came to name the next king of Israel David wasn’t even called in from the field. The one God had chosen to be king was left outside watching over the sheep, because no one on earth considered him to be king material.

The old priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were ordinary as well. There wasn’t anything special about them. They were from a small town, were not wealthy, and did not have any children. Yet, it was this old faithful couple that God chose to raise the prophet John, whom we know as John the Baptist. John was God’s chosen instrument to prepare the way of Jesus.

Joseph and Mary were ordinary as well. They did not have great wealth or power, but rather they came from an extremely small village that other Jews overlooked: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Yet, it was this young but faithful couple God chose to raise Jesus.

I think this is part of the Christmas story that should give us a lot of I think this is part of the Christmas story that should give us a lot of hope.  When we evaluate ourselves against the standard the world uses we realize that we are not superstars.  There are people who are more attractive, have more degrees, have higher IQs, and have more money.  According to the world’s estimation we don’t seem to be very suited to make a difference in this world, but God sees us in a different light.  He doesn’t look at what we have to offer Him, but rather He looks at our heart. God desires people who live by faith and seek to serve Him.  God wants to use ordinary people, people like you and me, to change the world.

This is the point I want you to ponder today: Christmas reminds us that God uses ordinary people to change the world.

Celebrate Jesus

As a Christian Christmas is both a wonderful and dreadful experience. It is wonderful because of the reality behind the celebration. It is dreadful because of the pressure to buy gifts, not because we want to, but because it is expected. Too often, as it has been said time and time again, the wonderful part of Christmas is overlooked and consumed by the dreadful part of Christmas.

The question I often ask myself is: Is it worth it?  Is it worth dealing with the long lines at the mall?  Is it worth worrying about the perfect present?  Is it worth it wondering if you should buy a gift for this person or that one?  Is it worth going to party after party?

Lets face it the things of Christmas often become the focus of Christmas, and when this happens I have admit that it isn’t worth it.  Going into debt to buy presents isn’t worth it.  Running ourselves to the point of exhaustion isn’t worth it.  Standing in line after line isn’t worth.  When we make the things of Christmas the point of Christmas, this holiday just is not worth celebrating.  When Christmas becomes about decorations and gifts then the point of celebration is gone and we might as well forget about this wonderful holiday.

A part of me wouldn’t mind forgetting Christmas altogether.  Jesus didn’t tell us to remember Him by celebrating His birth.  Part of what Christmas is is an example of Christians redeeming a pagan holiday to worship Jesus. 

Since there isn’t a Biblical mandate to celebrate the birth of Jesus means we don’t have to celebrate Christmas.  So I want to give you permission not to feel guilty about not living up to expectations of the holiday.  We don’t have to celebrate Christmas and we can be good Christian people even if we decided not to celebrate the holiday.

With that being said I do think Christmas is an important holiday to celebrate. One of the reasons I feel this way is because of the fuss that was made over Jesus when He was born.  Let me give you three examples of what I am talking about.

The first example is found in Luke 2:8-20.  There were some shepherds out in the fields watching the sheep, and then an angel shows up and tells them about the birth of a special baby in Bethlehem.  Then, and here is when it gets interesting, the armies of heaven show up, praising God.  This really is significant when we connect this to Revelation 12 where John tells us about a woman giving birth and the dragon who tired to destroy her son as she gave birth, and that there was a war in heaven and Michael and his angels defeated Satan and his demons.  A great spiritual war surrounded the birth of Jesus.

The shepherds, only aware of what the angel said, found the baby boy just as they were told. They worshipped Him and then told everyone they met what had happened.  Though because they were shepherds they weren’t trusted (shepherds were considered to be untrustworthy).  A fuss was made over Jesus when He was born.

The second example is found in the rest of chapter 2 of Luke.  According to Jewish custom the baby Jesus needed to be presented at the Temple and be dedicated to the Lord.  Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple and they encountered an old man.  This old man was named Simeon and was a very righteous man.  God had revealed to him that he would not die until he was able to see the Messiah.  When he saw baby Jesus he took Jesus from the arms of His parents and praised God, saying:

29 “Master, now you are allowing your servant to leave in peace
according to your word.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you prepared for all people to see—
32 a light that will reveal salvation to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.” (ISV)

Mary and Joseph were amazed at what was being said about their child, but if that wasn’t enough there was also an old lady named Anna.  This lady was a prophet and basically lived at the Temple.  And while Simeon was praising God for Jesus Anna began telling people about Jesus and how He was the Messiah, the long awaited king of Israel.  A fuss was made over Jesus at the Temple.

The last example is found in Matthew 2:1-18.  Some wise men from the east saw a star.  Because they had study some Jewish teaching they connected this star with the birth of the Messiah.  They began to travel west in search of the promised King.  They could have been traveling up to two years in search of this special child.  When they finally found this small family in Bethlehem they presented the tiny King of Kings with special gifts.

Angels, shepherds, special prophecies, a long journey by gentile scholars, and expensive gifts are but the tip of the iceberg of the fuss that have been made about Jesus.  From the Biblical text it is apparent that a fuss was made about Jesus at His birth because people believed He was special.  I believe that the same is true today.  The only way we will cut through all the distractions of Christmas and focus on Jesus is if we believe He is worth the effort.  If not we will continue on with the traditional Christmas rush and wonder why we even bother.

Celebrating One Night In Bethlehem Day 2

 Day 1: He Loves Us

A Promise Keeper


Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3; ESV

One of the results of a promise is hope.  If a father promises his son that he will attend the son’s basketball game the son has hope that he will see his father there.  Promises give people hope.

This is very important to remember because life without God is a hopeless experience.  We live in a world that is messed up with evil, sin, and death.  In a world without God death is the ultimate reality for all of us, and that is true no matter how rich or how moral we are.  Death will eventually rob us of all that we have.

We have to understand the hopelessness of life to appreciate the hope found in God’s promise.  The promise God made to Abram (whose name was changed to Abraham) is that all the nations of the earth will be blessed through his descendant.  This was not a promise that was limited to a few people, but this was a promise for the entire world.

The Old Testament is the written account of God using one specific nation to bring about His promise.  A promise that God fulfilled one night in the small village of Bethlehem when angels proclaimed the birth of that descendant of Abraham through whom God promised to bless all the nations of the world.

The promise God gave to Abraham provided the people of Israel hope that one day God would come and make everything right. Even in exile there was hope because the prophets reminded the Israelites of God’s promise. 

The fact that God kept His promise by sending Jesus gives us hope that one day Jesus will return and we will finally experience life the way God intended it to be lived.

This is the point I want you to ponder today: At Christmas we celebrate the promise God kept.

Celebrating One Night In Bethlehem Day 1

He Loves Us

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16; ESV

Why does one night, which happened over 2,000 years ago, in the tiny town of Bethlehem matter to us?

There is a lot of effort put into celebrating this event.  We put up decorations, buy gifts, attend numerous parties and events, and eat a variety of yummy food. I think we can agree that Christmas is a wonderful time of year.

The problem that many of us face is that with all the effort we put into the celebration and all the money we spend to show our love to friends and family the true reason for the season seems to escape us.  Year after year Christmas seems to become more about the festivities rather than the true purpose of the celebration.

Over the next twelve days I want to help you to be intentional about focusing on the reason why one night in Bethlehem is worth all this effort.  Christmas is not worth celebrating because we have the joy of giving and receiving gifts or because we have fun with friends and family.  The reason we celebrate Christmas begins with the wonderful reality that God loves us.

I know we have heard it a hundred different times, but it is true, and ultimately it is God’s love that is reason behind Christmas.

Imagine what it means for God to love you.  The image the comes to my mind is the image of God putting an arm around my shoulder and whispering in my ear, “I am proud of you!”

What is the image that comes to your mind?  Is it God inviting you to sit on His knee? Is it God running towards you with His arms open wide? How do you long for God to reveal His love to you?

The image of God’s love that we receive at Christmas is the image of God giving us the most precious gift, the one thing that we truly needed, His One and Only Son.  Jesus is the personification of God’s love.

This is the point that I want you to meditate on today: Christmas is a celebration of God’s love.

A Promise Kept

A Christmas Devotion

Christmas is a time of tradition. Each family, and sometimes,each individual has different traditions that they hold dear when it comes to Christmas. In the United States some of the common traditions that are shared between families are gift exchanges, brightly decorated trees (though more and more are artificial), parties with family and friends, Christmas programs at church.

For me, some of my cherished Christmas traditions are Dad reading the Christmas story from the Bible (I am partial to the account in John 1; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…) before opening presents, oyster soup (though it is an ongoing debate whether it is soup or stew) on Christmas Eve before going to the Christmas Eve service, watching Christmas with the Joker with my nieces and nephews (nothing celebrates the birth of Jesus like a little Batman); and buying books for my nieces and nephews to help pass on my love for reading. I think one of the reasons we like Christmas is the security we have in our traditions.

We live in a time, especially in the Church, where tradition isn’t always appreciated. There is nothing wrong with traditions. Traditions can play a very important part in our lives, for they can help focus our attention when we are distracted. That is why God provided the Israelites with so many holy days and feast, to help them focus on what was important. God has even given the Church two important traditions to help us focus on what is important: baptism and communion. When used properly traditions play a very important part in our lives.

That is is the key: when used properly. We know that the Israelites fell into the trap of focusing on the tradition, rather than looking beyond the tradition to what the tradition was pointing towards. I think the same danger plagues Christians when it comes to Christmas. We get so caught up in the traditions of Christmas that we forget that ultimately Christmas is to remind us of the God who keeps His promises.

From Genesis 3:15 through the Old Testament we read of God’s promise to do what was necessary to make things right. Abraham, Moses, David, and all the prophets played significant roles in reminding the people of God’s promise. It was a long time in coming, but eventually, at just the right time, God kept His promise.

In Matthew 1:22 we read these great words: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. Christmas should point us to God, and the fact that He has been working through history to restore His creation. The birth of Jesus is evidence that God has kept His promise in the past, so we can trust Him to keep His promise in the future.

Don’t allow your Christmas traditions distract you from worshipping the promise keeping God to believe in. Take some time during the holiday rush and focus on God and the evidence of His promise kept: Christ Jesus our Lord.

Why Celebrate Christmas?

A Christmas Devotion

As a Christian Christmas is both a wonderful and dreadful experience. It is wonderful because of the reality behind the celebration. It is dreadful because of the pressure to buy gifts, not because we want to, but because it is expected. Too often, as it has been said time and time again, the wonderful part of Christmas is overlooked and consumed by the dreadful part of Christmas.

The question I often ask myself is: Is it worth it? Is it worth dealing with the long lines at the mall? Is it worth worrying about the perfect present? Is it worth it wondering if you should buy a gift for this person or that one? Is it worth going to party after party?

Lets face it the things of Christmas often become the focus of Christmas, and when this happens I have admit that it isn’t worth it. Going into debt to buy presents isn’t worth it. Running ourselves to the point of exhaustion isn’t worth it. Standing in line after line isn’t worth. When we make the things of Christmas the point of Christmas, this holiday just is not worth celebrating. When Christmas becomes about decorations and gifts then the point of celebration is gone and we might as well forget about this wonderful holiday.

A part of me wouldn’t mind forgetting Christmas altogether. Jesus didn’t tell us to remember Him by celebrating His birth. For crying out loud we don’t even know what time of year Jesus was born. The reality is that Christmas is an example of Christians trying to redeem a pagan holiday for their own use.


Since there isn’t a Biblical mandate to celebrate the birth of Jesus means we don’t have to celebrate Christmas. So I want to give you permission not to feel guilty about not living up to expectations of the holiday. We don’t have to celebrate Christmas and we can be good Christian people even if we decided not to celebrate the holiday.

With that being said I do think Christmas is an important holiday to celebrate. One of the reasons I feel this way is because of the fuss that was made over Jesus when He was born. Let me give you three examples of what I am talking about.

The first example is found in Luke 2:8-20. There were some shepherds out in the fields watching the sheep, and then an angel shows up and tells them about the birth of a special baby in Bethlehem. Then, and here is when it gets interesting, the armies of heaven show up, praising God. This really is significant when we connect this event to Revelation 12 where John tells us about a woman giving birth and the dragon who tired to destroy her son as she gave birth, and that there was a war in heaven and Michael and his angels defeated Satan and his demons. A great spiritual war surrounded the birth of Jesus.

The shepherds, only aware of what the angel said, found the baby boy just as they were told. They worshipped Him and then told everyone they met what had happened. Since they were only shepherds they weren’t trusted (shepherds were considered to be untrustworthy). A fuss was made over Jesus when He was born.

The second example is found in the rest of chapter 2 of Luke. According to Jewish custom the baby Jesus needed to be presented at the Temple and be dedicated to the Lord. Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple and they encountered an old man. This old man was named Simeon and he was a very righteous man. God had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. When he saw baby Jesus he took Jesus from the arms of His parents and praised God, saying:

“Master, now you are allowing your servant to leave in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared for all people to see—a light that will reveal salvation to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel.” (ISV)

Mary and Joseph were amazed at what was being said about their child, but if that wasn’t enough there was also an old lady named Anna. This lady was a prophet and she basically lived at the Temple. And while Simeon was praising God for Jesus Anna began telling people about Jesus and how He was the Messiah, the long awaited king of Israel. A fuss was made over Jesus at the Temple.

The last example is found in Matthew 2:1-18. Some wise men from the east saw a star. Because they had studied some Jewish teaching they connected this star with the birth of the Messiah. They began to travel west in search of the promised King. They could have been traveling up to two years in search of this special child. When they finally found this small family in Bethlehem they presented the tiny King of Kings with special gifts.

Angels, shepherds, special prophecies, a long journey by gentile scholars, and expensive gifts are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the fuss that has been made about Jesus. From the Biblical text it is apparent that a fuss was made over Jesus at His birth because people believed He was special. I believe that the same is true today. The only way we will cut through all the distractions of Christmas and focus on Jesus is if we truly believe He is worth the effort. If not, we will continue on with the traditional Christmas rush and wonder why we even bother.

Experiencing the Impossible

The God we serve specializes in doing the impossible. He is the God who creates a universe out of nothing by saying a Word. He is the God who turns water into blood, dust into gnats, and parts the Red Sea. He is the God who causes a donkey to speak, the sun to hold still, and an axe head to float. He is the God who delivers His people from the land of Egypt; defeats tens of thousands of Midianites with 300 men who have clay jars, trumpets, and torches; who defeats a monster of a man, a seasoned warrior, with a young shepherd boy. God makes the impossible possible.

I truly believe we miss out on God making the impossible possible in our lives because we think we have God all figured out. Several years ago Erwin McManus was lecturing at a seminary and when he was finished, a young student shared with him how she had planned to go to the Northwest to help start a new church. She continued to explain that in the process she had discovered it was not the will of God. Erwin McManus asked her how she came to that conclusion, and she said, “The money never came through.” He went on to ask her who told her that lack of finances was proof that it was not God’s will. She said her pastor and her parents. They told her that if God wanted her to go, everything would be provided before she left (Seizing Your Divine Moment, p.64).

Somehow we have gotten it into our heads that if God wants us to do something than He will “open the door” to make it happen; that everything will be provided before go. We want to risk as little as possible, and in the process we miss the impossible God wants to do in our lives. Here is what I want you to understand: God wants to do the impossible through you. Just as God has used Noah, Moses, David, Esther, John, Paul and many more to do great things God wants to do great things through you. I don’t care if you 99 or 1 it is God’s desire to make the impossible possible because of your life.

How can we live a life which leads us to experience the impossible? I think the answer is found in the Christmas story. God is once again working to make the impossible happen and this time it involves as young girl.

26 Now in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” 29 She was startled by his statement and tried to figure out what his greeting meant. 30 Then the angel told her, “Stop being afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather David. 33 He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had relations with a man?” 35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come over you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. Therefore, the child will be holy and will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen! Elizabeth, your relative, has herself conceived a son in her old age. This is the sixth month for the woman who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing is impossible for God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Truly I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you have said happen to me.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38, ISV)

Mary exhibits two traits of a person who is ready to experience the impossible.

1. Obedience

When we receive a word from God there are only two ways to respond. The first way we can respond is to reject God’s word.

Earlier in Luke Chapter 1 we read the story of Zechariah. Here are a few things to consider about Zechariah: One is that he was just one of 18,000 priests. He wasn’t a superstar or in a position which demanded a lot of attention, he was just one of many priests. The second is that Zechariah is righteous. He prayed and he followed the Law, which means when he did sin he did what was necessary to take care of it. He was religious. Being a priest he was part of the assembly which kept the religion in Israel moving. When Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, the aging priest decided to reject the angel’s message. It’s not enough that an angel personally delivered the message, but Zechariah wanted a sign as proof: “How can I know this?” He asks. “I am an old man and my wife is well along in years” (Luke 1:18).

Isn’t this the exact same reason why we want to make sure God “opens a door” before taking a big step of faith? We want to know for sure that things will work out the way we want.

But that is not faith. Faith is seen in obedience when God reveals His will. Faith is Abram leaving his homeland to follow God into the unknown. No map, just following God’s lead. Faith is Jonathan taking his armor bearer and going to pick a fight with 30,000 Philistines, because God wanted the Philistines out of Israel (1 Samuel 14). Faith is Ruth leaving her family and homeland to follow her widowed mother-in-law back to Israel. Nothing but a life of poverty could be promised because of her decision, yet she ends up being an ancestor to David, and ultimately Jesus. Faith is not about guarantees; it is about doing what we know God’s will to be.

We can reject God’s word, but we also can accept it. Mary’s statement in verse 34 is significantly different from Zechariah’s statement: Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had relations with a man?”

First, we note that Mary doesn’t ask for a sign. She isn’t sure how this is going to be possible, but she doesn’t doubt that it will happen. Second, she wants to know her role in making sure this miracle happens.

When we attempt to do God’s will our way, bad things can happen. Remember Abraham? God promised him a son, and Abraham waited and waited and nothing happened. Abraham and Sarah decide that they would help God out and Abraham has a child with Sarah’s maidservant. That was not God’s plan, and it cost Abraham, and it is still costing the people of the Middle East. Abraham was to have a child with Sarah, and he was to wait for God’s timing to make it happen.

Mary had to be wondering how this would happen, since she was not yet married. Was it going to happen after she married? Was she supposed to go tell Joseph that she didn’t want a big wedding and that they should elope instead? If Mary simply went with her understanding on how babies are born, then things would have been a disaster. It was essential for Mary to clarify how God was going to make this happen. Mary wanted to do God’s will.

James 4:11 reads:

Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it (NLT).

We are not to sit in judgment of God’s will, but rather, when we understand what God’s will is we are to obey it.

2. Humility

Humility is not about ignoring talent or degrading our abilities, but it is about a proper evaluation of our talent. Without a proper evaluation of our talent we either end up like the horrible singer trying out for American Idol or the talented person who wastes their talent because they didn’t understand what they had been given. Each of us has talent. We might put different values on the talent we have, but we all have abilities which can be used to expand the kingdom of God.

Humility is not minimizing your talents or the successes you have in your life. Humility is all about understanding who we are. Romans 12:3 reads:

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith (NASB).

We need to honestly look at ourselves and the gifts God has given to us. Humility then isn’t about think lowly of ourselves, but understanding who we are in relationship with God.

Mary had this understanding: Then Mary said, “Truly I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you have said happen to me.” Then the angel left her. Mary had surrendered her life to God, and she was willing to do anything that He wanted her to do. Humility begins when we realize God is God and we are His servants.

Sometimes we forget this and we want to bargain with God about the details of our service. “God I will start a quiet time with You as soon as things settle down at work.” “God I would be willing to help a week at church camp, but I can’t afford to take time off right now.” “God, I would go visit John in the hospital, but I have this deadline I have to meet.” So much of what God wants from us will inconvenience us and result in personal sacrifice.

Poor Mary didn’t have a choice, she was inconvenienced. She had no idea how Joseph would react to the news that she was pregnant, if he divorced her it would lead to a life time of shame. Even if he didn’t people would always talk about the fact her oldest child was conceived before she was married. I don’t think we can fully understand the “inconvenience” God was giving to Mary.

The amazing thing is that she accepted the responsibility without complaint or guarantee. She could have no idea how people would respond to her, but she probably understood what happened to girls who turned up pregnant without being married. God did not guarantee that Joseph would stand by her side or that she would have the support of her family. God turned Mary’s life upside and did not promise a smooth ride. Mary simply said; “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” That is humility, understanding who you are compared to God.

I believe God longs to do the impossible with your life. He wants you to experience His power at work, to use your life to do something incredible, and to make the impossible a reality in your life. Yet we miss out on the impossibilities becoming possibilities because we haven’t put ourselves in the position to make it happen.

God used J. Edwin Or mightily around the world in the area of spiritual revival. He was an ordinary man who experienced God working repeatedly in his life in extraordinary ways. God invited him to travel across Europe, preaching and spreading awareness of the need for revival. Orr was not a wealthy man, but he concluded that if God called him, God would provide. As he obeyed his calling, Orr witnessed a tremendous response. Wherever he went, people united together to pray for revival.

He arrived at Londonberry late in the evening of January 29, 1934. His funds were exhausted and so was he, but he knew of no place to spend the night. A Christian man at the YMCA told Orr he would take him to a comfortable lodging place. When they arrived at a luxurious hotel, Orr felt uneasy because he knew he could not afford such first-class accommodations. Nevertheless, the proprietress set a hearty meal before him, then ushered him into a spacious room.

The next morning Orr prayed silently all the way to the front desk, prepared to be shocked by the extent of his bill. To his surprise (and great relief) he was told there would be no charge. The owner explained that she was a Christian. That morning during her devotions the Lord had clearly instructed her that she was not to charge her guest for his stay because he was God’s servant. She had resisted at first, planning to charge just enough to recoup her costs. However, the Holy Spirit so convicted her of this attitude that she relented and chose not to ask for a penny.

In Ireland, Orr went to the train station without the funds for a ticket, yet convinced God was directing him to a nearby city. As he neared the ticket booth, a stranger suddenly appeared and handed him a ticket to his destination. On another occasion Orr was in Glasgow, Scotland, when he was encouraged to attend a rally that was taking place in Stirling, thirty miles away. Orr sensed God leading him to attend, but he barely had enough money to purchase a one-way bus ticket. Since he was committed to preach in Glasgow that evening, Orr knew it was imperative that he make the return trip that same day. At the close of the afternoon service, people began to leave the meeting place until Orr was left almost entirely alone. He began to pray that God would provide for his need.

Suddenly a stranger approached him and introduced himself as Austin Stirling, pastor of the Baptist church in Cumnock. When Orr introduced himself, the man’s face lit up. He had been praying that God would allow him to meet Orr! Stirling urged Orr to accompany him home but was informed of Orr’s commitment in Glasgow that evening. Suddenly, his new friend had an idea. “I simply must have an hour’s conversation with you,” he declared. “Would you mind not using your return ticket to Glasgow? I’ve got a car around the corner. I’ll motor you to Glasgow, and then we shall have our talk.” God had provided yet again, and again the provision came after Orr proved his faithfulness by obeying God’s specific directive. (Henry and Richard Blackaby; Hearing God’s Voice; pp. 55, 56)

When I hear or read stories such as this one about J. Edwin Orr I become very skeptical. After all it doesn’t quiet fit my image of God, “God doesn’t work like that!” I think. My experience with God is not anything like what J. Edwin Orr experienced. Orr experienced the impossible, but my life is filled with what I have managed to accomplish.

Could it be that the reason we haven’t experienced a life of the impossible is because we haven’t put ourselves into the position to see it happen? J. Edwin Orr was a man of obedience who realized that he was just a tool in the hand of God. He made the decision, not only to keep the moral teachings of Jesus, but also to obey the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.

We are not in the position to experience the impossible in our lives because we have limited obedience to obeying the moral teachings of Jesus. Our great concern is living right and not expanding the Kingdom of God. While we may recognize God’s power, we haven’t humbled ourselves and submitted our entire lives to God. It is still about our dreams and desires, not what God wants to do through your life.

God, the Creator of the Universe, wants to do the impossible through you. Will you put yourself into position to make that happen?

• Point to Ponder: God wants to do the impossible through you.
• Passage to Remember: Luke 1:26-38
• Question to Consider: How have you prevented God from working through your life?