BEGINNING WELL

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

                Every part of a race is important, but beginning and ending well is critical. If a person has a poor start or stumbles over the finish line, it really doesn’t matter how the rest of the race went. This is true of all of life. If a person fails to give their best effort at the beginning, they spend the rest of their time trying to catch up. This often leads to a poor finish.

                 We measure our lives by years. Although the beginning of a new year is an arbitrary designation, it does mark a benchmark in life. At the beginning of each new year, we get a chance to make a new beginning. We can determine to live a better, more productive life in the year to come. When we string a series of these “best efforts” together, our chances of finishing well increase.

                 Another way of looking at this is to think of life as a series of seasons. Sports revolves around set seasons. We are coming to the end of the football season. For many teams, their season is already over. Every coach is looking ahead to next season and how they can strengthen their team. Every team wants to end their season well and then carry that success into the beginning of the next season. The period in between seasons is a time to evaluate and prepare for the next season.

                Beginning well is all about developing the proper perspective. The more that we understand our purpose and goal, the better we will perform. As followers of Christ, it is important for us to look at our lives through a set of three filters that help us to run the best race that we can.

                 We first need to look through the filter of our end goal. Who do we want to be and what do we want to have accomplished by the end of our race. Looking at the end goal can keep us on track and help us to avoid dead ends that can hinder our progress. As Paul looked at his life, he always kept the goal of truly knowing Christ before him. Paul clearly articulated that goal in Philippians 3:7-11.

                But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

                 We next need to look at the seasons of our life. What season am I in right now? What are the pluses and minuses of this time of life? How can I best use this season of my life for the cause of Christ? Each season of life comes with challenges to face and opportunities to grasp. Knowing what season you are in can help you to make critical decisions about what is most important right now.  Although in every season of life, there will be times of intense activity and times of less activity, we can never afford to put our life on auto-pilot and just coast. Again, Paul expressed this well in Philippians 3:12-14. 

                Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

                 The third filter is the present year before me. What do I need to do this year to move me toward my desired goals as a believer? How can I use this year to grow spiritually and to bear fruit for Christ? It is important, at the beginning of each new year, to set realistic goals that can motivate us to keep striving toward the ultimate goal. Every year counts. The way we live our lives in the present will shape who we become and how we will end our race. Paul challenges us to be intentional about how we live today.

                Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

                 As we launch into a new year, it is important that we begin well. We can set a pace for genuine, spiritual growth in the new year. At the beginning of the new year, it is important to put things into proper perspective. To put it in sports terms; we need to look at the game, the season, and the legacy. Each game (year) builds toward a successful season. Each season builds toward an enduring legacy. What kind of a legacy do you want to build toward this year?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV)

STILL AMAZED

 John 1:14 (NIV)

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.

               I confess that I have always been sentimental about Christmas. Even as a young boy, I would get choked up when we sung certain Christmas carols. Unfortunately, that has only gotten worse as I have grown older. We attended our grandchildren’s Christmas program recently and when we were asked to sing Silent Night with the children, I found it hard to sing. I think the reason I get so emotional at Christmas is because of how amazing Christmas really is. Christmas celebrates the most amazing event of all of human history, the very creator of the world entered our world in the form of a baby. What could be more amazing than that?

               There are many things about the Christmas event that still amaze me. I am amazed at how God orchestrated events so that Jesus was born at the right time in the right place.

Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)
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.

               The prophet Micah had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. God used Caesar Augustus to move Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem in time for Jesus to be born there.

               I am amazed at the response of both Mary and Joseph to this entire event. Mary willingly took on the role of being Jesus’ mother, even though it meant that she would be misunderstood and possibly shunned. Joseph, in the same way, took Mary as his wife, knowing that the child she bore was not his own. Yet, when the time came, Joseph claimed Jesus as his own.

               I am amazed that God chose to send Jesus as a baby, with all of the inherent risks that went along with that. The infant mortality rate at that time was 50%. There were no vaccines, no pediatricians, no health care as we know it. It was quite a risk. Also, Jesus grew up in a dangerous time, as Rome solidified its hold on the Middle East.

               I am amazed at the indifference of the very people who were looking for the coming of the Messiah. Mathew’s gospel tells us that when Herod inquired of the chief priests and teachers of the Law where the Messiah was to be born, they gave the right answer. What is more amazing is that they did nothing with it. Herod sent the Magi to seek out the child, but the chief priests and teachers of the Law stayed home in Jerusalem.

               John tells us that when Jesus came into the world, the very people who had been prepared to receive him failed to do so. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. John 1:11 (NIV) After looking forward to the coming of the Messiah for centuries, they failed to recognize Him when He arrived.

               I am amazed that God chose to reveal the reality of the Messiah coming to unexpected people. He announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds. Shepherds lived on the fringe of society. Because they had to care for the sheep and often had to deal with dead animals, they were barred from participation in worship. Ironically, the shepherds we cared for the sheep that would eventually become sacrifices at the temple, could not enter the temple themselves. Yet, God chose to reveal the truth of Jesus’ birth to them.

Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)
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 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."

               If that was not enough, God revealed the birth of Jesus to Magi from the east. These Magi were both spiritual and political leaders in the Medo-Persian empire. No one could sit on the throne without their blessing. God showed them a sign that a new king had been born in Israel and so they made the long journey to acknowledge and worship him.

Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

               Still today, God reveals the reality of Jesus to those who are available and open to His message. The message of Christmas, that a Savior has been born to you, is still for all those who will joyfully receive it.

John 1:12-13 (NIV)
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

               I am still amazed every Christmas that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus into the world. Christmas is the greatest gift that the world has ever received. Many have received that gift with joy. Many have still left that gift unwrapped and unappreciated.

Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."

GOD STILL SPEAKS

 Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

               One of the things that stands out to me about the Christmas season is how hard it is for people to ignore Jesus. There is a new Christmas movie this year about a genie entering our world at Christmas. In the promo for the movie, there is a dialog between the main character and the genie. The genie asks the man what Christmas is all about. He tells her that it is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. She announces that she knew Jesus. Then the man says that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The genie is taken aback and states, I thought he was kidding. I think there are many people who embrace the Christmas story as a nice story, but don’t take it seriously.

               I have been reading a book by J.I. Packer called God Has Spoken.  It is a defense of the Bible. Packer makes the case that God has spoken in the past and is still speaking today through His word and through His church. Twice a year the reality that God is still speaking to our world comes to the forefront: Easter and Christmas. On both occasions the world tries to hide the true meaning of these events by overlaying them with superficial mythology. But God continues to speak all the same.

               On my drive into church, I pass four different billboards, which declare that Jesus is the true center of Christmas. I was in a store the other day and next to Jiggle Bells and I’ll Be Home for Christmas I heard Away in a Manger and Silent Night being played. As I drive through various neighborhoods I see snowmen, reindeer, and nativity scenes all missed together. People cannot ignore Jesus, even though they try.

               We can choose to not listen to God’s voice or we can tune in to what He is saying to us. All around us, God is declaring His glory and inviting us to join Him. The world He created shouts about His power, creativity, and ingenuity. The Bible invites us to get to know the character of God in a personal way. Not only is He a God of power and justice, but He is a God of love, grace, and mercy. Jesus came on that first Christmas to fully reveal God to humanity. He came to make the unknowable knowable, the untouchable touchable, the distant near, the eternal finite. As Hebrews tells us, The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

               Almost everyone is drawn to a baby. When our first son was just a baby, we took a trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior. Everywhere we went total strangers would come up to us and comment of our baby. He acted like a magnet that drew people to us. God knows the human heart. He knows how to get around our defenses so that we can encounter Him. So He chose to enter our world as a baby. If He had come as a warrior or a king, we might have revered Him or bowed to Him, but we would not have gotten close to Him. But when He came as a baby, He invited us to come near and to experience His love. Each year at Christmas, God sends the same message to the world. God is still speaking for those who have ears to hear and hearts that are open.

Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)
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 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."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men 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.

A TIME FOR PEACE

 Luke 2:14 (NIV)

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

               As I drove into the office this morning, I heard the latest report from Gaza. Israel continues to push its military advance against Hamas. There is no peace in Israel today. The war in Ukraine continues to grind on. There is no peace in Ukraine today. Throughout the world there is turmoil of all kinds. Although there is peace where I live, there is little peace on earth.

               The Christmas season is supposed to be a time of joy and of peace. Yet for so many people there is no peace. So, has the message of the angels failed? The answer to that question is a resounding NO! The message that the angels gave to the shepherds is still valid today for all who will seek the Prince of Peace.

               The peace that the angels declared was not the absence of strife, but the reality of a new relationship with the Living God. The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. It means inner peace, well-being, blessing even in the face of difficulties. There is a peace that passes understanding and it is found in the babe born in Bethlehem.

               We can have peace even in a time of turmoil and upheaval. It is a peace that comes when we take our eyes off of our circumstances and put them on God. In Philippians 4, Paul challenges us to place our confidence in the one who can sustain us no matter what.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

               No matter what is going on around us, we can hold onto the reality that the Lord is always near to us. Jesus promised that he will never abandon us or forsake us. Because the Lord is near, we can take all of our concerns to Him with confidence. And He promises to replace our anxiety with His peace.

               The Psalmist put into words the confidence we can have in the Lord, especially in difficult times.

Psalms 46:1-7 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

               He ends this Psalm with words of confidence and hope. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Psalms 46:10-11 (NIV)

               For many people, the Christmas season is a positive time of joy and hope. It is a season to set aside all of the turmoil in the world and experience peace, if only for a short time. For many others, the Christmas season is a time of heartache and grief. It is anything but a time of peace. Paul again speaks to both groups. True peace is not temporary or out of our grasp. It is available to all who will personally encounter the babe born in Bethlehem, just as the shepherds did.

2 Corinthians 4:6-10 (NIV)
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

               Jesus knew full well that the world we live in would be filled with trouble and hardship. He knew that because of sin, there would be little political peace in our world. But He promised us that through Him we can have peace even in a world in turmoil. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

               The message that the angels gave to the shepherds is still true. God has come into our world in the form of a baby to bring genuine peace to all who will seek Him. That baby grew into a man who revealed the true nature of God and who willingly took upon Himself the sin of the world, in order to set us free and to give us lasting peace.

Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.