The Best Gift

What is your favorite Christmas passage from the Bible? Do you love the Luke account with the specific details? Or do you like how Matthew gives the shorter version? Perhaps it’s the amateur theologian in me but I love John’s account…“The Logos (Word) became flesh and dwelt among us.” There are so many amazing parts of all the stories, the prophecies fulfilled, the angels, the obedience of Mary, the star, etc. The story is amazing all throughout, but the theological implication is deeper still.

We can reminisce about the baby being born and the dirty stable, but dwell on it longer. Allow your heart, mind and soul to linger beyond just the immediate and see the eternal. The Creator of the Universe (Colossians 1:15-23) has elected to wrap himself in humanity and dwell among us.

Yeah, I don’t fully comprehend that at first glance either (or after much study for that matter). So we are talking about the Almighty God who is eternal, outside of space and time, holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, and completely other then us entering into our world. No box can contain Him. Our thoughts cannot come close to comprehending Him. Our natural eye cannot bear to look upon His glory and survive. Yet He lowered Himself into our world.

Everyday we turn on the news and hear about how awful humanity is to each other. We hear of rape, murder, suicide, racism, and all kinds of sin. You know what? Humanity hasn’t changed since the Fall. It’s always been that disgusting, and yet the perfect Son of God chose to identify Himself with us.

Forget for a second “all of humanity” and consider yourself; would you want your deepest and darkest moments, thoughts or actions known to the world? If right now I told you that your private thoughts and history were streaming on YouTube, how would you feel? You know your sins. You know the horrible thoughts you have had from anger, to greed, to lust, etc. You know the words you have said that you can never get back. You know the actions you have committed that will leave a permanent scare on your heart. You know the things that make you feel dirty, used, and worthless.

Jesus knows those things about you and me, about all of us. He chose to put on human flesh and move into our lives. He came, unstained from sin, undefiled by this world and set up camp in our yard. He looked past our sins and saw our need for a Savior and entered our space. When you and I cannot go a day without sinning, Jesus went a lifetime for us. When you and I have our moment of despair and give in to temptation, Jesus stood strong every time. When we feel like the world is against us and we use that as a reason to break God’s Law to escape for a moment, Jesus overcame in our place. He did this for us, not to condemn us, but to provide salvation for us.

Have you ever received a Christmas gift that caused you more work? It’s the gift you really didn’t want, at least not as a gift. The kitchen appliance, the shovel, or vacuum cleaner. It’s the gift that comes with the expectation of work that leads to drudgery.

Yet there is another kind of gift. The gift of luxury and not of necessity. The gift that brings joy from using it. The gift that you feel underserving to receive and produces an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love to the giver. That is the kind of gift Jesus came to give when He moved into our neighborhood. He doesn’t want begrudging servants, or slaves whose actions are drudgery. He moved in to give us something we could never get on our own. He gave us a gift of freedom, forgiveness and adoption.

When Jesus came to live in perfect fulfillment to God’s Law in order that He could provide the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Every time we failed, He succeeded for us. He died so we don’t have to. He rose again, conquering sin and death to give us a choice. The choice is yours. The Christmas present He offers is Himself. “Come, deny yourself and follow me,” is His invitation.

He knew our sin and shame, wrapped Himself in human flesh and came moved into our neighborhood. Will you allow Him to move into your life? Will you truly celebrate the true Christmas gift: Jesus Himself? You will never be the same!

Scandalous Joy

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  

Luke 2:10-11

The dichotomy of the first Christmas is that through struggle comes great joy. Pain comes first, but is followed by joy. It’s a story of a young virgin girl who chose to risk everything, the respect of her community, her parents and her fiancé, to be obedient to the Father’s call on her life. It’s a story of a young man trusting the child his fiancé is carrying is a miraculous gift from God. It’s a story of a journey from the comfort of their home to a dirty stable. It’s a story that is all too familiar to every mother who has given birth, the pain of child bearing. Yet this pain and struggle is soon lost in the joy of the newborn child’s cry.

Few things in life bring a greater joy to me then to hold a newborn baby! I love babies! They are a precious miracle, every one of them. I have 5 nieces and 4 nephews in my family, not to mention my church family and my many friends who have had kids. I’ve had the wonderful privilege for some to be at the hospital and greet the new little one on day one. Every time I hold a baby and I see the amazing handiwork of our God, I am mesmerized by the truth that God wrapped Himself in flesh to identify with us and came as a little baby.

Christmas is not just the story of the struggle and joy Mary and Joseph, it begins much earlier then that. We read in the Scriptures that since the Fall of man, all of creation groans for the redemption of all things. We see the struggle of sinful humanity in a lost and lonely world. We see a people called out by God, yet continue to fail Him. We see judges, kings, priests and prophets beg and plead with the people to seek the one true God, yet their message fell on deaf ears. The story we read is humanities labor pains building and hoping for joy.

That moment in time when the voice of a baby crying broke the divine silence brought the hope of joy once again into this dark world. The birth of Jesus Christ is the message of great joy to all people for He is the Savior of the World.

Yet that quiet night in the stable that brought a young virgin mother and her husband great joy, would also be the beginning of another kind of birth pains. The joy of that night would give way to the anguish and expectation of sacrifice. This perfect young baby would grow into a perfect man, completely sinless and impeccably obedient to the Law. Which makes the way in which he died all the more scandalous. Yet He chose to endure struggle, to suffer and die for our joy (Hebrews 12:2). He chose rejection and humiliation knowing that the pain of death would soon give birth to new life for all who believe in His resurrection.

As J.R.R. Tolkien said,

“The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe (good catastrophe) of Man’s history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy.”

The Joy we celebrate on Christmas is not just a baby born more then 2000 years ago, but about a resurrected and living man, Jesus Christ! It is this living Savior who invites you into a relationship with Him. Knowing Jesus bring the greatest joy.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

 

So this Christmas season, don’t allow yourself to be discouraged, but hope in the joy of Christ. In Christ, your suffering is not wasted, but will one day come to a joyful end and He will redeem your pain. Jesus says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). One day sorrow will be done away with, sickness and dieses will be gone forever, tears will be wiped away and our joy will never end in the presence of Jesus.

A Peaceful Melody

I like music. I believe most people like some kind of music. I’ve always had an appreciation for violin music. I love the way it sounds and how it can carry such a wide array of emotions. What I can’t do is play a violin. Actually I can’t really play any instrument, but I can press play on any device and listen to really good music.

If you want an example of what it sounds like when I pick up a violin just watch this video below.

Almost anyone who first picks up an instrument will make awful sounds that can drive you insane. It’s part of the learning cure. Some will just give up before they gain any success. Some will eventually overcome and begin to arrange the screeches and noises into some form of music. Others will work hard and master the instrument.

The difference between a screeching noise that only a very patient mother could pretend to love and the captivating beauty of pitch perfect melodies is huge. Nobody would buy a cd of screeching noise, but cathedrals would fill to hear a master musician.

Why? When someone has learned the technique to harmonize bow and strings into a beautiful melody it inspires the heart and pleases the ears.

Our lives are not so different. We all come into this world out of tune, broken and making a mess of our lives. Some give up. Some work real hard and arrange their lives in some form of rhythm, but never can meet the potential they were made for. But no one can make their lives harmonize into a masterpiece on their own.

Ever since the Fall from Eden, the brokenness that sin has brought keeps us from playing the beautiful melody we were designed for. Our desperate attempts to disguise or mask the screeching noises out of lives will only leave us empty again.

Yet a long comes a promise:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

One would will come who will make things right. A Messiah, the anointed one of God will come to bring peace to all. This promise was fulfilled in the 1^st Coming of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

But what is peace? Some think it is a ceasing of war. Some think it is having a time to relax quietly after a busy day. Others find it when the baby finally falls asleep. Yet our understanding of peace often falls way short of the Biblical understanding of “Shalom,” the peace of God.

Shalom is the harmonizing of everything in our lives for the glory of God. Shalom peace is like a master violinist picking up a bow and playing a perfect song, where all the strings, all the notes and all the rhythms come together beautifully.

When we receive Jesus, the Prince of Peace, He begins a work in our lives to bring harmony to our physical, emotional, social and spiritual lives. These four strings have been given to us to make music on, but too many have grown accustom to screeching noise. As believers we often settle for mediocrity and do not strive for a beautiful symphony. We lose sight of the peace that God has promised and settle for what the world has to offer.

Let’s remember what the peace of God was given for:

Jesus is our peace who reconciles us to God and gives us access to the Father (Philippians 4:4-7). The Peace of God is to guard our heart from the lies and deceptions of this world (Colossians 3:12-17). The God of peace is the one who sanctifies us completely and keeps us blameless in His sight (1 Thessalonians 5:14-24). And the Peace of Go is to rule in our hearts and bind everything in perfect harmony (Ephesians 2:13-18).

In Christ we have everything we need for life and godliness. The Shalom of Christ should bring harmony to our relationships, our jobs, our families, and our lives. If we find ourselves out of sorts, unsettled and crazy, rely on the Prince of peace. What do you have to surrender today to allow the peace of God to rule in your heart?

There is a poem that I love that I believe captures this idea of peace in our lives. We forget the value and importance of our lives, but when Jesus does His work in our lives we become the masterpiece He intended (Ephesians 2:10).

The Touch of the Masters Hand

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understnad what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.

Myra 'Brooks' Welch

Unexpected Plans

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Read Luke 1:26-38

What are your expectations for your life? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Don’t you love these kind of questions? I had to write a paper my senior year of High School on “Where I am going to be in 10 years.” I don’t know about you, but as a High Schooler I put a lot of thought in my future. Would you like to hear the highlights? Ok, but only if you promise not to laugh.

·      Marry my High School crush…name to be left unmentioned J

·      Enlist in the Marine Corp and pursue Engineering, Construction and Demolition.

·      After serving 4 years, finish college with a Civil Engineering degree

·      Start my own company

·      Somewhere in those years have 3 kids

My actual paper was pretty specific. Ironically, the unnamed girl did have 3 children within 10 years, but she married my friend instead of me. What I can tell you is that I believed my course was set, I had full expectation and anticipation to walk this course. Those of you who know me, realize that this is far from what my life has turned out to be, but I wouldn’t change a thing!

God’s ways are not my ways nor are His thoughts my thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Proverbs say it this way, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). It’s good to dream, to plan and to expect, but ultimately our life should be lived for God’s plan above our own. In my life, God’s plan has blessed me more than I could’ve ever imagined.

Unexpected Visitor

So my plans turned out far different then I could have imagined, but what about Mary? Imagine what it must have been like for her being in her mid teenage years and planning for a wedding. All her life she had been planning, preparing and anticipating finding the right boy and marrying him. Yet one fateful night her life and our world changed.

Something unpredictable, and unimaginable took place as the angel Gabriel appeared to her. “You are going to have a baby!” he declares. Whoa didn’t see that one coming! “The baby you are going to have is the Son of God and you will call Him Jesus.”

She was confused, frightened, and uncertain. How can this be? She was still a virgin and she was going to have a baby? “The Holy Spirit will work a miracle in you!” And Mary accepted the call to be the mother of the Messiah.

Expectations Change

Normal life was cast aside. Her engagement almost ended. Her future security was uncertain. Yet she was carrying the very Son of God who would take away the sins of the world.

You could imagine how her friends and family might have responded to her assertion that God miraculously impregnated her and she was till a virgin. In her culture, in that day and age, she would have gone through much persecution and shunning. Yet she was faithful to follow after God’s plan for her.

Though she could never have imagined this course, God worked a miracle in her life that has forever affected all of humanity. No embarrassment, no shunning, no risk was too great for her and the hope of holding that baby boy soon to come. That first Christmas when all the world around was going crazy and oblivious to what was happening in the little stable in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph had front row seats to the King of kings entering this world.

The privilege and honor to raise the Son of God through his earthly life was above and beyond anything she could have anticipated. The joy of knowing the Son of God so intimately superseded any of her former plans before that encounter with Gabriel.

The Hope We Have

You may have hopes, anticipations and expectations for your life. There is nothing inherently wrong about that. Maybe God will allow you to follow the course you have considered, but maybe He will work something completely different.

The hope we have in Jesus Christ is far greater then anything we can imagine. In Christ we have the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with the Father. In Christ we have the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power to overcome. In Christ we have the hope of living a full and abundant life.

So when God begins to do a work in your life plan that is different then what you expected, don’t fear it, embrace it. Look to see that even though it might be tough at times, God is working something in you for His glory and your good!