The First Of Two Angels

John 1:6-8 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John 1:9&10 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

The day-after-Christmas sales were in full swing yesterday. I tried to avoid the crowds at the return lines. I had to go to the home improvement store to pick up a set of wire clippers and "found" a bargain in the form of an angel holding a dove. It was on sale (50% off the normal price). I could not resist. I now have two angels. One with a candle and one with a dove to stand on either side of our fireplace. Very pretty reminders of a couple of biblical truths. Jesus the light of the world, and the Holy Spirit that descends from the Father to give comfort and faith.

Christmas 2012 has come and gone.  All the preparations for the big Christmas Eve three-worship-services at Grace Lutheran resulted in three beautiful reminders of the birth of a savior.  The world desperately needed and still needs that same savior Jesus Christ. The scriptures, the messages, the nativity scene, and the music all glorified God in the Father-Son-Holy Spirit. The most interesting aspect of the services for me personally was when some people I casually know, who worship at another church and as far as I know have never been to Grace, attended one of our Christmas Eve services. I have been reflecting on this for the past couple of days. It was a real puzzler for me, and then at 5:00 AM this morning it came to me. (I have to be honest, I do not appreciate God's sense of humor at times. He gives me these spiritual shoves when I would rather be sleeping.)  But the truth of why is humbling and insightful.  We, (Grace Lutheran & You & I,) are to be just like John the Baptist.  Our role is not to glorify ourselves in what we do in service to the Lord. Rather, our role is to point to the true light of the world in all that we do.  People in our world need to see the light of Christ just as much as when he has born in a manger in Bethlehem.  Our world is every bit as broken now as it was in biblical times.  Sin still exists, nothing new there. Same world where some do not know God, some still try to earn salvation, and some worship false gods.  Yet there you and I stand with an opportunity to share the light of Christ.  We may not be as brilliant as the star over Bethlehem pointing the Magi to the manger.  Yet each of us in our own way, with gifts from God the Father, have a role in sharing the light.  John 1:9&10  tells it as it was and still is today. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  There are people in this world who do not know Christ. There are people who know a false Christ.  And it is our job to show the lost and confused the real Christ in all that we say and do.  We are a witness, just as John bore witness to Christ.  We need to share the love and light of Jesus because others before us have done so in service to the Lord.  Having my angel with the candle reminds me of that very simple truth and imperative.  Just go out and share the light.

PRAYER: Father, Your Son came into this world to bring light into a world lost in the darkness of sin. The darkness did not overcome him. And we are forever thankful for that simple truth.  Help us Father to share that truth and the light of Christ with a world that remains lost.  Guide us in fulfilling Your will in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. We ask this in the name of the light of the world, Jesus Christ, Amen.

No Place For them In The Inn

Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

            Have you finished your Christmas shopping? It is probably Christmas Eve or maybe even Christmas Day when you read this. I hope and pray that you have finished long before now. The stress level of shopping at the last minute can completely distract a person from remembering why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season.

            Is there room in your heart for Jesus at Christmas?  Is there always room, or is it a hit and miss thing?  This Christmas it maybe especially challenging to keep the reason for the season at the forefront of our thoughts and prayers. In addition to the “normal” distractions, we are still in shock over the Sandy Hook School massacre.  Our hearts are heavy, and our prayers are filled with love for those who lost loved ones. It can be difficult.  The flurry of activities can distract us.  And our attention can be diverted. We can be in the position of having no room for Jesus in our heart.

            What can we do?  When trying to make room in your heart for Jesus, maybe we can take on the heart of Jesus during the Christmas season.  There are many opportunities to have the heart of Jesus at Christmas. Volunteering at the Salvation Army, or the food bank are a couple of ways. Participate in a Christmas for disadvantaged families program. Drop a few dollars in the red kettle.  Help out at church.  Okay, you may have noticed there are a lot of “do” items. The reason for that is Jesus was more than just words. Jesus was a doer. He helped, healed, taught, shared, fed.  And when we remember we are already saved by grace through faith, the weight of doing deeds to earn salvation evaporates into thin air. Jesus had a heart of love, and we need that same heart not just at Christmas.  Come on, go out and do something for someone.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

            PRAYER: Lord, we need Your love this Christmas more than ever. Help us Father to share Your love with those we know, and with those we do not yet know. Help us to have the heart of Your Son in our lives. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

May The Lord Direct Your Hearts

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

I have to admit that I have little in the way of patience for those who seek to elevate their "cause" on the backs of human tragedy. To me it cheapens the suffering of those lost and the families & friends left behind to mourn their. And what really irritates me is how pundits will jump to a conclusion even before the facts, as determined by a thorough investigation, are known.

In the wake of tragedy, often we are quick to ask the question of why did this happen?  And just as quickly pass judgment upon someone. There is a desire to quickly assign blame to someone. Our society just seems to need a scapegoat.  As in days of old after all the sins were laid upon a goat it was sent out into the wilderness or the goat was slaughtered as a sacrifice.  And so our world looks for someone to blame for all manner of evils that have been created over a long history. For example, when there is a shooting in the mall people are quick to condemn guns and their owners. Or they may chose to place blame on the violence of popular movies from Hollywood or the proliferation of violent video games as the reason. Seldom is there a willingness to accept that a failure to love our neighbor as we love ourselves is the real cause.  This last approach makes many uncomfortable.  It implies we as a person, a group of people, or a society have failed to look after one another.  We too often forget in our rush to pass judgment the very principles of Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. Blaming an inanimate object borders on ludicrous. It is only when we look within and ask what could we have done that truth can be revealed.  It is only when we accept that we are in fact our brother's keeper that real change can become possible. Until then, we heap judgment upon ourselves.  We forget to direct our hearts into the love of God. We lose patience rather that wrapping the patience of Christ around ourselves.

I do not seek to shift the blame from those who have committed the atrocities that fill our headlines. Nor am I offering excuses for their actions. Their actions will be judged by God himself.  But I do want us to begin to have the dialogue about what are we not doing to help a person who is in such a desperate need.  The root cause is not the weapons of choice. It rests in the failure to truly love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  If we fail to provide help, if we fail to care, we are without love. Where are our hearts directed? Are our hearts directed to pass judgment?  If the Lord is directing our hearts, then the answer is NO!  And until we align ourselves with the will of the Lord, we are missing the opportunity to do what the Lord desires.  Please, let us all take time to pray for the will of the Lord to be revealed to all of us. And then we can love as our Father loves and offer help with the patience of Christ.

PRAYER: Lord we are broken, and we live in a world that is broken. Too often we chose to judge those who act inappropriately. And all to often we fail to reach out. Or we fail to support those who can reach out. Forgive us for our weakness. Help us to change ourselves in a way only you can. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we would be the people You would have us to be, and not the people we are. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus who healed those who were troubled. Amen.

I Kneel Before The Father

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Seasons greetings is an odd phrase. Actually when you stop to think about it, what does it really mean? Is it "Greetings to you friend in the light it being cold and snowy and almost the end of the current calendar year"? Could it be another way of telling someone "Merry Christmas" in a secular manner intended not to offend anyone? Personally I think it just plain misses the mark regardless of what the intent is. Merry Christmas says it all.

           

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians makes no bones about the purpose of his life and ministry. He just lays it out there for all to see and comprehend. He starts off by showing humility with verse 14. For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  Paul acknowledges the superiority of the Father and the place and all mortals have in relation to the Father. God was before all mankind. He created mankind and we, just as Paul must remember or place in the hierarchy of things. God is God and we are not. 

Paul goes on with "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  With Christ dwelling in our hearts, and being rooted and established in love, that we may have the power to grasp Christ's love for us. That is the crux of Paul's prayer to God our Father. I find this a wonderful, powerful and complete prayer that Paul offers on behalf of the Ephesians.  Friends this should be our expression of love for one another in the faith. It also serves as a reminder that this wish extends to all those outside the faith. That all would come to know Christ is what Christianity is all about. It's not just about giving gifts, attending pageants or concerts, or having a live Nativity scene. Rather, it is about reaching out in word, deed and prayer not just at Christmas but every day of the year. Please join me in sharing Paul's prayer today and everyday. That's a great way to show love!

PRAYER: Father I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen all with power through Your Holy Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in all hearts through faith. And I pray that all people, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that all mankind may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

He Sent Me

            John 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.”

            There is a statement one family member may say to another in hopes of obtaining something. “If you loved me you would (fill in the blank______)” is the phrase in question.  Have you ever heard that one?  You could call that conditional love.  Show me I am loved by doing something is the line of reasoning driving that phrase.  It is just so drastically different than the love we see displayed in the manger in Bethlehem.  We sometimes forget, minimize, or take for granted just what we were given. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is what was accomplished first in the manger and then on the cross.  We are hopelessly broken. We live in a broken world. We are surrounded by broken people. And sadly, things are not getting better.  The headlines are filled with graphic illustrations of just how broken this world really is.  The Apostle Paul in Romans 5:6-8 shares a great perspective on this situation. It really cuts to the heart of any argument that Christ dying was no big thing.  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.  He was in heaven with God the Father, and was sent by the Father.  He was born in very humble surroundings. Jesus lived a very humble life. Jesus tried to change the hearts of people who were so locked in their way of thinking regarding the path to righteous they could not see the obvious. (Sounds just like how people are today.)  Christ suffered the cross so that all mankind could be forgiven. And the interesting thing about what He tells us in John 8:42 is just so completely clear and obvious that so many miss the point. If the world embraced God as it’s Father, then the love for Christ would be a natural thing. Why is that point so often missed? Oh that’s right, people do not need God. They are doing just fine all by themselves.  How often has the opportunity to say “So how is that I don’t need God thing working for you” come along when you encounter someone who is lost or struggling with life?  My guess is it’s a frequent occurrence.  We must remember to share the news that God gave His only Son so that you, me, the person next to you or I, and so on would not perish. Jesus was sent By His Father, He did not come of His own accord. Jesus obeyed the Father and it’s a lesson for all of us to take to heart. So much good can follow with that in our heart.  He sent Jesus, and he sends you and I when we go out into the world sharing His love.  Go, share.

PRAYER: Almighty God, You sent Your Son to save us poor sinners. You sent Your very best because Your love for all mankind is boundless. We are humbled by this love.  The depth of that love often escapes our comprehension. Help us Father to hold dear in our hearts Your profound love. This we ask in the name of the Son You sent, Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.

Our God Forever and Ever

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.

If you stop and think there are few things in our lives that are permanent.  Change is a constant. Chances are the town, or part of the city you grew up in has changed. People move out and move in to where your “neighbors” lived.  Your parents probably have moved to another place. The neighborhood you grew up in probably has changed.  People come into and out of  your life.  Coworkers you have known and worked with for years retire and move on.  In a world that is temporary at best, we desperately seek a sense of permanence. In our search for “permanence’ we can be led to pursue other seemingly permanent things.  Some will be tempted to follow in the path of a faith where change and revelation constantly adjust the path the ‘faithful” are to follow on the road to righteousness.  Others will cling to the earthly treasures in desperate hope they will see them through to the end.  Even civilizations and empires are temporary at best. Personally I wish people would just give up this Mayan worship thing. After all, if a civilization died out, just how reliable can their calendar be anyway? J

But the Lord is the one element of our life that is permanent. The Lord is the rock we can stand on today, tomorrow, and until the day we die.  He was there at the beginning of creation. Genesis 1 tells us how God created the heavens and the earth. He was, is, and always shall be our God.  That friends is an important point. He is there for us now, and He will be there at the end of what we call this life.  Psalm 23 is a great source of comfort in times of sorrow as it clearly gives us the hope we desperately seek in our hour(s) of need.  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When we are troubled or in despair we need to remember the simple truth found in Psalm 48. We have a God and He is our God forever and ever. We can all find comfort in that, no matte what the world or this life may seek to throw at us.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Life You were there at the beginning of creation. And you are with us today. We are assured that You will be with us at the end of this life waiting for us to come home to You. We thank You for Your love, peace and grace that gives us hope when all around us seems to be crumbling. Your Spirit gives us the faith and comfort to endure all things. Your Son gave us the redemption we could never ever achieve on our own. The Good Shepherd has gathered His flock. For this we give thanks, Amen.