THE KING’S BIRTHDAY

 Galatians 4:4-5

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

                Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in British history. She was born on April 26, 1926. But as a nation, her birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year. That day is set aside as a national holiday. There are many official celebrations that take place on that day. Everyone knows that the second Saturday in June is not her “real” birthday, it is just the day that her birthday is officially celebrated.

                On December 25^th we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Theologians and scholars will tell you that Jesus was not born on that date. It is much more likely that he was born in the spring when shepherds would have been out in the fields with their flocks. So why do we celebrate on December 25^th?

                The tradition of celebrating Christ’s birth on Dec. 25 began in 336 AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor. It coincided with the pagan celebration of Saturn and the winter solstice.  It is likely that the Church was trying to overshadow the pagan holiday and replace it with a Christian holiday.

                Christmas was not always widely celebrated by Christians. The holy days of Epiphany (Jan. 6) and Easter were considered far more important. The Puritans in colonial New England banned the celebration of Christmas. After the Revolutionary War, Christmas was viewed as a British holiday in the colonies and was not recognized. Christmas did not become a national holiday until 1870.

                Some people like to make a big deal out of the reality that Dec. 25 is not the actual date of Jesus’ birth. Some use this to mock Christians, while others see its ties to the old pagan holiday as unspiritual. In reality, both arguments against celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 are, in my opinion, rather lame. The focus of the celebration is not the date, but the child that was born. When the time was right, God sent His son into the world.

                Just as Great Britain celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s birthday on the second Saturday of June, so we celebrate the birth of the King of Kings on Dec. 25. It matters little that it is not the actual date of his birth. What matters is that we recognize the reality that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

                When the angel appeared to the shepherds, his message was one of great joy. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12) The angel didn’t tell the shepherds to write down this date so you can remember it. He told them that they should go and find the child. That message still rings loud and clear at Christmas. The date is not important. What is important is that we go and find the child for ourselves.  

                For most people, the Christmas season transforms their lives, at least for a time. Whether a person is a believer in Jesus or not, they sense a spirit of generosity and good will. Acts of kindness flourish. For a time, the light of hope and joy fills our world. For many people that light fades when the presents are opened and the Christmas tree is discarded. But it doesn’t have to be that way. For those who seek out the King, their lives will be transformed for all of eternity. They will experience the truth that the shepherds discovered on that first Christmas.

    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. (Luke 2:16-18)

    The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)

                Dec.25 is the day that we celebrate the birthday of the King. For those who have actually taken the time to encounter Him, all of life is transformed. Every day becomes a celebration of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Whatever the actual date of the birth of Jesus, He came right on time, just as God had planned it. 

 

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 room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

 

 

UNEXPECTED INFLUENCER

 1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

                 A couple of months ago I received a message from my past. A friend from my days at Stoney Glen Camp reached out to me. I had not been in contact with him since I left High School. It was great to reconnect. I shared with him how much his friendship had meant to me and what a major influence he had been in my life. His response: “I never knew all of that.” His honest response reminded me of a truth that I was taught many years ago. We are never fully aware of who we are influencing.

                I had had a similar experience quite a few years ago. I was at a reunion at Stoney Glen Camp and a young man came up to me. “Do you remember me? I was in your cabin at camp. Your influence guided me to go into pastoral ministry.” I did not remember the young man, or what I had told him. I was totally oblivious to the influence I had had on his life.

                Often, we go through life blind to the impact we are making in other people’s lives. As a pastor, I have always felt the tension of not knowing the outcome of my ministry. Having served in a University town, I have seen many young people come and go through the doors of our church. Yet, in the vast majority of cases, I have no idea what direction their lives have taken. When I retired from that church, many people expressed their thanks for the influence I had had in their lives. I was humbled and surprised by what they said. For the most part I was unaware of the impact I was having on them.

                When I was just a teenager, I attended a leadership training conference for Christian Service Brigade. During one of the talks the speaker made a comment that has remained with me ever since. He told us that we don’t have a choice of whether or not we will influence others’ lives. The only choice we have is whether our influence will be positive or negative. Someone is always watching you and will make life decisions based on what they see.

                When Paul wrote to Timothy, he encouraged Timothy to be an example for all the believers. In essence, Paul was telling Timothy that others were watching him. The way that he lived out his faith would have a major influence in their lives. Like Timothy, we all need to be reminded that we do not live our lives in a vacuum. Whether we realize it or not, others are watching. Their faith will be influenced by what they see in us. As someone has said, you may be the only Bible someone reads.

                What it boils down to is how we live our daily lives matters. It matters to God and it matters in the lives of those around us. We have the opportunity to be a positive, God honoring influence in the lives of those we come in contact with. We may never see the outcome of our influence, but that does not diminish it. We are to be an example, not just to other believers, but also to the “not yet” believers who are all around us. The decisions we make, the actions we take, will speak loudly to those who are watching. And they are watching.

                More than ever, we need to be salt and light in our world. People are discouraged. People are confused. Many people are looking for hope in the darkness. We have a chance to bring the light of Christ into their lives. We can do it by living lives worthy of Christ. We may not know until eternity what a difference we have made in the lives of those around us.

Ephesians 4:1-2

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

 

HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE FINAL OUTCOME

 Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

                I have been rereading Larry Osborne’s book Thriving in Babylon. As a regular part of my devotions, I was directed to read the passage above in Matthew 16. Then I opened Larry’s book and turned to the chapter I was to read that day and discovered that he was writing about the same passage. I don’t think it was a coincidence. It was a divine reminder that God is still in control.

                I have been struggling with the way some people within the church have been responding to our current pandemic. Some have chosen to ignore the warnings from health experts and have continued as if it is business as usual. Others have taken up the conspiracy banner and are claiming that this Covid-19 outbreak is a direct attack against the church by the liberal left. During a time when our nation is radically polarized, some in the church have chosen to pour gas on the flames instead of being salt and light in a dark time. It is time are us all to stop, take a breath, and remember who is ultimately in control of all that is going on.

                Thriving in Babylon is based on the experience of Daniel and his Babylonian captivity.  Judah was carried off into exile not because their army wasn’t strong enough, but because they were being disciplined by God. As Osborne points out, Daniel and his friends were caught up in the backwash of other people’s sins. It is clear that Daniel was a righteous man, yet he still had to go through the trials of being carried off to Babylon. Instead of being devastated by his circumstances, Daniel’s faith was refined. He actually thrived in the midst of this extremely difficult time. Not only did Daniel thrive personally, God used him to influence the entire Babylonian empire.

                Too often, we who live in America, forget who we are in Christ and who is really in charge of our world. We give lip service to the sovereignty of God, but when things don’t go our way, we panic. I don’t know exactly what God has in mind for us during this current situation, but one thing I can say for sure is that God wants to use it to refine and strengthen His church. He wants us to be salt and light during this difficult time.

                There are many people we are looking for some kind of light at the end of the tunnel during this time. We have the key to genuine hope that can weather any storm. It is found in Jesus. But if we panic and circle our wagons, we dim the light of the gospel so that others remain in the dark.  Now is not the time to hide, it is the time to lead the way.

                Larry points out that many us (me included) have had the wrong impression about Jesus’ words in Matthew 16. We often interpret this verse to mean that we will be protected from Satan’s attacks. The reality is the opposite. We have been called to be on the offensive, not the defensive. Satan is the one who is trying to protect himself from behind locked gates, but those gates are no match for the power of God through Jesus Christ. This is not a time to live in fear and doubt. It is a time to be bold and positive. It is time to offer real hope to the many people who feel defeated and hopeless.

                Like Daniel, we may be heading into Babylon, but that is not the end of the story. It is an opportunity for our faith to be refined and strengthened. We know the end of the story. We know the final outcome; we win. That is not is doubt. So we can face whatever will come with confidence and courage. That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. It does mean that we should never panic. Just as God was with Daniel, so He will be with us, no matter what our circumstances look like.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*****************

                I highly recommend Thriving in Babylon by Larry Osborne. It is a timely read for the days we are in right now.

   

Preparing for a Quiet Christmas

 

Luke 2:1-7

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 his 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 room for them in the inn.

                Christmas is a big event in most people’s lives. Many people began planning for Christmas well before Thanksgiving. In a normal year, our calendars are filled with various Christmas programs and pageants. We look forward to spending a festive time with family and friends. Not so this year. The pandemic has put most of our plans on hold, if not postponed until next year. It will be a quiet Christmas this year.

                The circumstances around Mary being pregnant with Jesus were unusual to say the least. But after Joseph embraced Mary as his wife, I am sure that they looked forward with great anticipation to the birth of their first child. The birth of a child was always a festive occasion. The entire community would gather to celebrate. Not so on the first Christmas.

                Mary and Joseph probably wanted a low-key event. Not that they weren’t excited, but the majority of people would not have understood their circumstances. The last thing that they wanted was complications, but that is exactly what they got. Instead of settling in to their home in anticipation of the birth, they were forced to take a road trip to Bethlehem. Instead of welcoming their son into the world in familiar surroundings, they had to make do with the stable at an over-crowded inn. Instead of being surrounded by family and friends, they were surrounded by strangers.

                Christmas will be anything but “normal” this year. It is very possible that we will celebrate Christmas on our own, or with only part of our family. Like most other people, we have decorated our home for Christmas, yet it is possible that no one but us will get to enjoy it. We have been doing the “traditional’ Christmas shopping, but we may not have the joy of watching our gifts being opened. We are anticipating a very quiet Christmas. Maybe that is not too bad.

                Last night we watched Bethel University’s Festival of Christmas. Because of the pandemic, this annual event took place without an audience. Yet the message of Christmas came through loud and clear. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

                From a human perspective, the birth of Jesus was less than ideal. From God’s perspective, it was perfect. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5) God orchestrated every detail of the birth of Jesus to set the stage for His redeeming work in the world. Through the amazing miracle of the incarnation, God became present with us in tangible form.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)

    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

                From our perspective, this Christmas will be far from ideal. But from God's perspective, it may be perfect. This Christmas may be exactly what God has planned for us. 

                I enjoy everything about Christmas. I enjoy cutting a Christmas tree and decorating it. I enjoy buying presents and giving them to those I love. I enjoy the anticipation and excitement of Christmas morning. But all of these things can obscure the true significance of Christmas, if we are not careful. Maybe what we really need is a quiet Christmas, so that we can focus on what is really important.

1 John 1:1-4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

 

   

LEARNING FROM HISTORY

1 Corinthians 10:11

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

                 It has been said in various ways that those who refuse to learn the lessons from history are doomed to repeat them. I believe we are in one of those situations.

                The Korean War took place between June 1950-July 1953. North Korea invaded South Korea. In response, the United Nations sent troops to assist the South Koreans. General Douglas MacArthur was placed in over all command of the UN forces. After some initial setbacks, the UN forces where able to push the North Korean army back. Buoyed by this success, General MacArthur decided to push all the way to the Chinese border, in an attempt to completely eliminate the North Korean threat.

                General MacArthur and his staff were convinced that their enemy was defeated and could easily be overcome. What they did not know was that China had entered the fray with a massive army. In September of 1950, MacArthur ordered his troops to advance at all speed to the Yalu River; the border with China. He sent the First Marine Division north to the Chosin Reservoir. His second in command, General Almond, strung out the Marines over a 30-mile stretch along the one main road north to the border. What General MacArthur and General Almond did not know was that the Chinese army had laid a trap for the Marines, which they sprung with cruel efficiency.

                Throughout the early days of this battle, MacArthur’s staff continued to convince him that the enemy was weak and should easily be overcome. Those on the ground knew differently. They continually sent urgent messages to MacArthur’s staff reporting the overwhelming odds they were facing. These reports were discounted as defeatism. They were ordered to continue to push forward. The outcome was the loss of many lives.

                We are in a battle of a different sort today. We are not fighting an enemy army, but a pervasive virus that has the potential to devastate us. Yet many people today continue to hold onto false ideas about the threat. They want to downplay it and continue to push ahead. They are convinced that enemy is weak and we can overcome it. They are choosing to hang onto what they want things to be like. In the face of this, we are receiving daily messages from those who are on the front lines. They are pleading with us to take this pandemic seriously. The enemy we face of formidable and indiscriminate. Our hospitals and medical staffs are being overwhelmed.

                If General MacArthur had listened to the Generals on the front lines, the outcome of the Chosin Reservoir encounter would have been very different. Because he refused to listen, lives were lost. We all need to stop listening to the wishful thinking of those who tell us that we have nothing to worry about. We need to listen to those who are on the front lines. What they are asking of us may be inconvenient and uncomfortable at times, but if we take realistic steps, we can save lives. It is as simple as that.

                So I want to learn the lesson of the Chosin Reservoir. Listen to those closest to the conflict. Wear a mask in public. Keep your distance from others when you have to go out. Don’t gather in large groups. Stay home if you can. Do your part to stop this enemy from spreading.

Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

  

CAN FAITH WEATHER DOUBT?

 Mark 9:24

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

                 I have often resonated with the exclamation of the father in Mark 9. He had brought his son to the disciples so that they could heal him, but the disciples failed. When Jesus arrived, the father pleaded with Him to do something. In his doubt and disappointment, he expressed his desire. If you can do something, please do it. Jesus responded by challenging the man’s doubts. The man’s response was honest and sincere. He believed that Jesus could heal his son, but he had doubts about whether Jesus would heal his son.

                I think many of our doubts come out of fear and disappointment. We are desperate for God to step in and help us, but we are afraid that He will not. Things don’t turn out the way we want them to, so we are disappointed and doubt that God cares about us. Theoretically we know that our doubts are unfounded, but in the heat of the moment they loom large. I know that God cares and that He is all powerful, but will He act on my behalf?

                I have been reading Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Faith. In the final interview recorded in the book, Lee tackles the question of doubt. His basic question is, can doubt and faith coexist? Does doubt negate faith? The answer that he arrived at is yes doubt and faith can coexist and no doubt does not cancel out faith.

                Ultimately, our faith is based on the character of the object of our faith; Jesus Christ. Knowing what we know about Jesus’ character, we choose to trust Him, even when we have doubts. We don’t have to have all the answers before we act in faith. We just have to have enough evidence to step forward.

                As I think about the interplay of faith and doubt, I am reminded of two major times in my life when I had to step out in faith in the face of fears and doubt. The first was a ministry trip to the Philippines. Just before we were scheduled to leave for the trip, there was a spate of terrorist attacks throughout the Philippines. The question arose about whether or not we should go. Feeling that God wanted us to fulfill this mission, we all decided to move ahead. This step of faith didn’t remove all of the fear and doubt, but it did demonstrate trust in God’s leading.

                The second event happened shortly after 9/11. The question was, should we fly to Ukraine to fulfill our commitment to run Day Camps for our sister churches over there? For me, the fear and doubt did not arise before we left, but on the way home. At the outset of the trip, my mind was preoccupied with all of the details of getting our teams ready and getting them into Ukraine. It was on the way home that doubt crept in.

                I walked down the corridor and out onto the tarmac heading for the plane. I ascending the steps that led up into the body of the plane. Making my way down the cramped aisle to my seat, the thought came into my mind that if a terrorist wanted to take over a plane, it would be at this end of the trip. The flight from Kiev to Amsterdam went smoothly, but when I boarded the plane in Amsterdam the fear and doubt hit me full force. What if there was a terrorist aboard? At that moment, I had to trust God with the outcome. In both cases, even though I had doubts, I cast my lot with faith and trust in God.

                Doubt can play one of two roles in our faith. Doubt can either immobilize us or it can energize us. Many people allow their doubts to defeat them. Because of their doubts, they refuse to act. Instead of stepping out in faith, they choose to withdraw. On the other hand, many people use their doubts as a catalyst to explore their faith more fully. Instead of withdrawing, they dig deeper to look for answers to their doubts. They examine the cause of their doubts. They choose to step out in faith even when their doubts remain. Every person who is afraid of flying, yet still gets on the plane is an example of this kind of faith.

                There are many times in life when God asks us to get on the plane in the face of our fears and doubts. Sometimes our fears are realized, most of the time they are not. Yet even when our fears become reality, faith gives us the courage to continue to move forward. Abram left his homeland out of faith, even though he did not know where God was leading him. Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, even in the face of formidable enemies, because he trusted God. Peter stood up in the Temple courts and preached the Gospel, even in the face of the threats from the very people who had crucified Jesus. Paul traveled throughout Asia Minor preaching the Gospel, even though he knew he would face much resistance. Many missionaries have left their homeland to share the good news of the Gospel in a foreign land, with not guarantee of success. All of these people faced doubts, but chose to act in faith.

                Doubt is a normal part of our faith journey. A faith that never encounters some doubt is a superficial, unexamined faith. God allows us to face doubt in order to strengthen our faith, not to damage it. We can choose to focus on our doubts or we can choose to focus on the one who can overcome our doubts.

Hebrews 11:1-2

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.