by Wade Crews | Dec 20, 2017
The Christmas story from Luke 2 is often more recognizable to children as being from Charlie Brown than from the Bible. That is better than the little boy who saw a picture of one of my friends speaking to a senior adult group and asked what he was doing. When I told him he was telling those people about Jesus and asked him if he knew Who Jesus was he replied “No….” I said, “Jesus – baby Jesus – Christmas???” He said, “I know what Christmas is – but I don’t know who Jesus is…”
Sadly, that may be the state of most of the people we run into. Christmas is now a multi-BILLION dollar industry. Many businesses only survive if they do well on Black Friday whose name is derived from getting out of the red for the year on that day. How do we as believers of a different kind of Christmas deal with this material and spiritual challenge? I would suggest we look to the first Christmas for answers. Charlie Brown struggled with the same questions decades ago. Linus helped him out by reciting
Luke 2:1-20:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
In these verses we see the adversity Mary and Joseph faced. We also see God revealing Himself and sending a message. This divine approach through an angel bringing the “Good News” to “shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night” still speaks to us and challenges us 2,000 years later.
The Gospel (Good News) is not only for the special, the rich or the fortunate among us. It is first revealed to the lowly shepherd who has to stand the night watch. It is “great joy for all the people.” This is a glorious moment! The first Noel!
With our ability to flip a switch and have light on demand, we do not understand how much Jesus being the light of the world meant 2,000 years ago. All the bad stuff happened in the dark. The wolves came out; the lambs got picked off; the bad guys did their thing; evil abounded. But at that moment, an angel lit up the sky with the good news of Jesus Christ. Are we angels of light? Do we take the Good News of Jesus to the lowly or reserve just for us, our friends and family or someone who is important enough to deserve our attention?
The shepherds realized how glorious a thing this really was. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” This happens right after the angel tells them how to find Jesus. Why doesn’t that happen today?
Maybe people aren’t being told how to find Jesus anymore. When was the last time anyone was told about the Savior of the world outside of a formal church service? If we don’t realize what a glorious thing Christmas is, why should anyone else?
The Shepherds confirmed the story. “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Here we are challenged to prove what is said to be true. They understood this was from God.
Just as Paul tells us to “work out our own salvation”, the shepherds wanted to see for themselves and verify what they thought they had heard. If we seek out God in our lives, He will make Himself known and His presence will be real to us. “Seek and ye shall find…”
Here we see our final challenge from the shepherds. They told. To be more accurate, they could not contain themselves. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. … The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Imagine that. It was just as God had told them. He is the way, the truth and the life! We have an amazing story that should come bursting forth from an overwhelmed heart that cannot contain it. We are challenged by these “lowly shepherds” to glorify, praise and spread the Word concerning what has been told us about this child.
Who gets amazed by what we say when they engage us in conversation today? Why do we keep this Good News to ourselves? It’s easy to sing praises to God in a church service or glorify Him in a Sunday School class, but what message do we send when we leave the church and enter the world? What does our body language say? Are we joyful? Are people amazed? Do we communicate the glorious event that has taken place in our life? Have you encountered Christ? Does anyone know, or are you able to contain yourself?
by Angela Sanders | Dec 12, 2017
“…And that’s what Christmas is all about!” (Fade out.)
Noooooo, Hallmark Channel heroine! I think to myself for the umpteenth time. That’s NOT what Christmas is all about! You just missed your chance!
Listen, there’s so much more to Christmas than baking cookies, building snowmen, caroling or whatever else gives people the warm fuzzies they crave this time of year, and the world needs to know it!
God sent His cherished Son to be sacrificed so sinners could call Him Father, too, for crying out loud, and whether or not those of us who know, believe and claim to have been changed by this mind-blowing truth ever get the chance to shout it from the rooftops, we should, at the very least, do our best to illustrate it.
How do you do that?
Be generous. With your time, attention, resources, estimation of others and forgiveness. Like the Father, give freely without showing favoritism just as God sent Jesus to rescue all who put their faith in Him for salvation from the consequences of sin (Rom. 2:11, 10:13), letting Him meet the needs of others through you and your needs through others when generosity costs more than you anticipated. When you treat people better than any of us deserve, you reflect a gracious Father.
Be patient. Few things are as urgent and/or important as they seem in the moment, but your behavior always has the potential to make an eternal impact, so focus less on how others’ choices affect you and more on how your responses affect them. When you choose compassionate restraint over immediate gratification, you reflect a merciful Father, Who not only made forgiveness for sin possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection, but even now delays Jesus’ return to give more sinners time to repent and join His family (2 Pet. 3:9).
Express gratitude. The Father knows your needs before you ask Him and is already providing for them (Matt. 6:8, Phil. 4:19), just as He provided Jesus before you ever even knew you needed a Savior. Look for His provision, choose contentment and remember, every good and perfect gift is from above (Jas. 1:17), no matter whose hands pass it along. Wanted or not, tangible or intangible, verbalize sincere thanks for everything you receive. When you honor human givers as conduits of God’s grace, you demonstrate confidence in His wisdom and model the faith and humility necessary for people to accept the greatest gift God’s ever offered, salvation through His Son (Rom. 10:9-10, John 1:12).
Want to celebrate Christmas well, Christian? Leave every soul you meet with reason to believe in the saving, transforming power of the Gospel, which began with sweet Jesus’ birth. The Father will take it from there (John 6:44-45).
by Aaron Hanzel | Dec 6, 2017
This semester I’m taking Cinematography 2 at film school. For our second short film project, we picked a script from the previous semester’s screenwriting class and shot it. I was fortunate enough to be given the task of directing the third week of our shooting schedule.
Now, many directors approach their projects in multiple ways. Some work (at least in my mind) backwards to forwards, communicating their composition of every frame to guide the script. Some map their visuals based on the location of the shoot. Others let their talented staff guide the story while keeping them within the proverbial rails of script.
I grew up appreciating the storytelling methodology of the classics – analyze your script and then form the visuals to promote exactly who and what the story is about. It’s easy to get lost in technique, your actors, the lighting, the location or your camera and lenses. When all those things work in unison to highlight exactly what the script is about. That’s cinema. So that’s what I did when it was my turn to direct. Granted, I’m a bit biased, but I thought it turned out well.
The week we wrapped on the project was the same week of Thanksgiving. Friends, family, turkey and all the fixins’ contributed to the American tradition of looking back and giving thanks. It is abundantly clear that after looking at my life one year ago to where I am now, the Lord has blessed me. Blessed me in my career, my heart for the lost, my knowledge and wisdom of righteousness, my finances, my passion and love for the excellency of His character and for His written word.
I could testify in great depth of these things individually to His glory and still fall short of accurately describing what has been fully done in His name. These eternally-valuable qualities the Lord has blessed me with are more precious to me than anything I possess.
As Thanksgiving has come to an end and the Christmas decorations are hung, I’d like to offer words of encouragement and reflection. Looking back at what God has done in your life throughout 2017, take those treasures to a place of worship. It’s easy to get lost in those specific aspects of righteousness and value. Sanctification is a process that never ceases and should never give the sense of complacency. Choosing one or multiple of those treasures and being satisfied should not be the finish line. Wrap your arms around them, yes, but do not stop there, my fellow beloved. Use these gifts to pour out through the Spirit to glorify God.
Had I focused on my turn to direct our film project, with only the lighting or only the sound or composition or talent, my footage would look or sound nice, but not complete. When the footage uplifts the script and properly executes the message, it looks and feels natural. The message, the script is what it’s all about. Glorify God through His blessing to you.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
by Ryan Smith | Nov 22, 2017
There is a song that echoes throughout the Old Testament. It rings out from Genesis, repeats in the historical books of Chronicles, crescendos in the Psalms, and reprises in the prophets.
It is a simple song with a simple refrain:
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
The culmination of this resounding chorus is Psalm 136, which begins with these words:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
For his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
For his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For his steadfast love endures forever;
To him who alone does great wonders,
For his steadfast love endures forever;”
The psalm goes on to recount God’s magnificent and sovereign hand in creation. It rehearses and reminds of God’s salvation of the Hebrew people from Egypt through the Passover and their walk of faith through the Red Sea.
It continues to recount God’s faithful steps as He led his people to the Promised Land – overthrowing kings and providing a heritage for His people, Israel.
With every verse, every remembrance, and every word of thanksgiving, the refrain is repeated: “For his steadfast love endures forever.”
The Psalm concludes:
“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
As we approach Thanksgiving, and try to steady our gaze amidst the siren calls to move past the season of pause towards greater deals on electronics and big red bows on Lexuses, may Psalm 136 serve as a guide for us.
This Thanksgiving, as you sit at your table with friends and family, when you sit alone in the quiet with the Word of God, in the moments both together and apart, let us recount who God is. Let us remember His good and sovereign hand in a world where goodness seems only like a memory. Let us remember where He has taken us and what He has performed in the past to show us He will be faithful in the future. Let us remember Christ, think on the cross, and pray that God would tune our hearts with the righteous leadership of the Holy Spirit.
And with every brief remembrance, every recalled act of His saving grace, with every word of His goodness and truth, let us also repeat the refrain:
“For his steadfast love endures forever.”
Happy Thanksgiving.
by Caleb Gordon | Nov 16, 2017
The air is crisp. The leaves are such a beautiful and warm color right now.
The mood of our family is full-on holiday mode. It’s an amazing time of year, and I truly do love this time of year for so many reasons. God has truly blessed us as a family. We’ve seen some amazing miracles in 2017.
We’ve walked through some dark valleys, but God’s Word has been such a sweet rock for us to fall on. So when I read 1 Thess. 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” it really has comforted my heart. Honestly, some of the circumstances have been painful, but knowing that Jesus holds this entire thing has been so comforting, it has been a solid rock to stand on. This year more than usual I’m really thankful for where I am at. I’m thankful for the people who are in my life. I’m thankful that God is molding and shaping me to look more like Him.
God tells us over and over again in the Scriptures to be thankful. You and I have every reason in the world to be thankful. Think about this. Jesus has come and has offered to us the ultimate sacrificial system. He took our place on the cross. Sin, death, and hell have no hold or say in our lives. Because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. And because of that, we should look like Clark Griswold’s house at Christmas time. The whole town should know where we stand.
The world around us is looking for answers. The people you work with are looking for hope. We as believers have that hope bottled up inside of us. It’s high time we unscrew that cap and let the grace of Jesus out for the world to see.
So today I want to challenge us as believers to live in a state of showing off the grace of Jesus Christ to the world around us, and, as a result of doing that, thankfulness will be extended. Don’t believe me?
“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 4:13-16).
Be Thankful!
by Angela Sanders | Nov 14, 2017
Cleaning out a drawer this week, I found a card with big, gold letters.
Because you’re my mom, I’ll always have a special reason to believe in the goodness of God.
A very mature sentiment, but I couldn’t remember having received it recently from either of my grown kids. Curious, I looked inside and found the familiar, but almost forgotten scrawl of my precious little ones.
My heart welled, and my eyes stung. Alone, I held the card to my heart for a moment.
My kids hadn’t picked the card. I knew that. They couldn’t have. At the time it was given, they had no frame of reference for the sentiment expressed.
But my husband did.
Seeing who I tried to be and what I tried to do for our little family, my husband had loved and appreciated me and coached our kids to do the same. Oh, I’m sure the kids meant what they wrote, but, in a sense, their scrawl was actually a gift from his heart.
Having been a minister’s wife for almost 25 years now, I understand the strain ministers and their families experience during the holiday season. Sure, the schedule is tough, and you sometimes wonder whether there will ever come a day you can just focus on you and yours, but it’s more than that. It’s a yearning to see people grow to maturity in their faith and offer our gracious Heavenly Father the worship He’s due with sincere and grateful hearts because you know Who He is and what He’s done. You love Him.
Sometimes, it happens—at least, you think it does—and your spirit soars. In those moments, every sacrifice you and your family made in obedience is worth it because you feel sure His heart must be blessed.
Sometimes, though, it doesn’t. Low attendance, apathetic stares and lackluster participation, whatever the underlying causes may be, break your heart and sink it to the pit of your stomach. In those moments, you weigh the results of your efforts against what they cost and wonder whether or not you chose wisely.
You did.
Rest assured, your people will come around in due time, maybe not when you want them to, but they will. Remember, transformation is the Holy Spirit’s job, not yours, and He’ll get them where they need to be when it’s time for them to be there (Phil. 1:6).
In the meantime, take heart. God knows the dust we’re made of, and He doesn’t expect perfection (Ps. 103:14). God of the Harvest, He doesn’t even expect results (1 Cor. 3:7).
Truth? When all is said and done, it won’t really matter how many people attended your Thanksgiving meal, how many shoeboxes and angels were taken, or how ‘alive’ your living Christmas tree actually felt. All that will really matter is whether or not you led your people the way God told you to lead them.
To obey the Father is to love Him (1 John 5:3). Do this and He will be blessed, despite any melee or mess.