Two Days After Christmas

It’s two days after Christmas. The celebrations are over. The presents have been put up. Another Christmas in the books. Christmas 2024 will now take its place among all the Christmases passed.

I wonder what Mary was thinking two days after the first Christmas. It’s been quite a ride. How could she possibly have imagined a year ago that she would be a new mother. Let’s recap the last nine months of Mary’s life.

It all started with the appearance of the angel Gabriel who announces to her that even though she was an unmarried virgin she was going to have a child. And not just any child, but the promised Messiah who would save the world from their sins. I can imagine her saying to Gabriel, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

And then, some time later, Joseph tells pregnant Mary the distressing news that Rome has called for a census and they will have to take an impromptu trip from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem.  I can imagine her saying to Joseph, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

And then they arrive in Bethlehem and Joseph has some more upsetting news – there is no room in the guest house and they will have to spend the night in the animals’ quarters. I can imagine her saying to Joseph again, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

And then, perhaps that night, Mary awakes in labor. She rouses Joseph and tells him the baby is coming and he will have to deliver him.  I can imagine Joseph saying to Mary, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

And then, the baby is born and they finally get him to sleep and, wanting some rest, Mary and Joseph look for a place to lay the infant down and all they can find is a manger, a feeding trough, and they place the baby there. As they lay the baby down, I can imagine Mary muttering under her breathe, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

Nothing has gone as expected these last nine months and Mary has to be wondering why? But I don’t believe all these surprises were accidents. I believe all these events – the virgin birth, the trip to Bethlehem, the no vacancy sign at the inn, the manger as a crib – all these events were intentional teaching us something about who Jesus is and what kind of kingdom he came to build. Jesus came as a humble king, not as a privileged ruler, to show us how much he loves us and to assure us that we can truly believe that he understands us in all our confusion. He understands us when we have those moments that leave us muttering to him, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

Haven’t we all asked God that question - “You’ve got to be kidding me?” Haven’t we all wondered why our lives have not played out as we expected? But maybe all those unexpected surprises are not accidents. Maybe they are intentional - teaching us something about who God is. And maybe, just maybe, it’s in those “You’ve got to be kidding me?” moments that we really begin to trust in God.

And I think Mary got that. And I can imagine two days after that first Christmas her looking down in that manger at the sleeping Messiah and being in awe that God loves us so much that he came as a humble baby. And I can hear her in her amazement whispering, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

I’m not kidding you. God became man in the person of Jesus to save us from our sins and one day by faith we will be able to thank him face to face. And on that day we will be awed by his love and overwhelmed at the eternal glorious home he has prepared for us. And in our amazement we will say, “You’ve got to be kidding me?"

Smart Phone Theology

Smart phones are really smart. Even smarter than I know. I use my phone for so much more than calling and texting but it’s not uncommon for me to learn new features and abilities my phone has that I previously had never known. Over the years I’ve learned that my phone is a compass, can take video screen shots, can tell me my geographical location and altitude, can scan documents, is a flashlight, is a voice recorder, and so much more. If you only use your phone to call and text hand it over to a teenager and let them loose. They’ll show you things your smart phone can do that will blow your mind. For most of us, we barely tap into the capabilities of this technology.

The same can be said of our smart televisions, our tablets, and even our automobiles. There is so much potential that is never realized. If this is true of our technology maybe it’s true of our spiritual lives as well.  I suspect it is.

I hear Christians say that there are some things they simply cannot do. “I’m an angry person,” someone might say to defend their outbursts of rage.  Or “I guess I’ll always struggle with lust,” someone might say resigning themselves to never overcoming that sin. Or “I’m too shy to talk to someone about my faith,” someone might say to excuse themselves of any attempt of evangelizing. Or “I could never teach a class or lead a small group,” someone might say to rationalize declining every request from a church leader.  And the list goes on.

And I know this to be true because I have done the same thing. We are all guilty of underestimating what the Spirit of God can do in our lives. We may not be gifted in every area but we limit ourselves so much by refusing to believe in the transforming power of the Gospel. Many Christians are like smart phone owners who only use their phones as phones. There is so much wasted potential.

I know there are Scriptures that can be abused and misunderstood, so read these verses and discuss them with other spiritual people, but hear these and start to imagine how much untapped potential there is in you as a Spirit-filled child of God:

• Philippians 4:13 (NIV) — I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
• Ephesians 3:20–21 (NIV) — Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
• 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV) — And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) — No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The Bible is full of reminders that with God on our side we can do so much more than we think we can do. The Bible also tells us so many stories of people who were unqualified and outmatched but did amazing things for the Lord.

There is so much potential in you, in all of us, that is never realized. For most of us, we barely tap into the power of God within us!

Mirror, Mirror

You probably at some time today have looked in a mirror. They’re helpful little devices, aren’t they?

I can think of two reasons why we use them. One is to admire ourselves. This may seem a little vain but haven’t we all stopped and caught a reflection of ourselves and felt pretty good. We go along our merry way ready to face the world.

A second reason is to see if there are any adjustments we need to make. Our hair may be out of place. An article of clothing may need to be straightened out. We may have something in our teeth that needs to be removed. We more or less inspect ourselves prepared to make any changes to look the best we can.

Mirrors can help us see things that we can’t see without them.

I’m preaching through a little letter in the New Testament attributed to James, the brother of Jesus. One of his goals in writing this letter is to help followers of Jesus be the best they can be. And that entails being willing and even eager to see things about themselves that they are not able to see on their own. Things that need to be adjusted.  He uses a mirror to make his point. Here’s what he says:

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:23–25, CSB)

James seems to be saying that God’s Word, what we call the Bible, acts like a mirror. It can help us see things about ourselves that we can’t see on our own.

Sometimes we read the Bible and come away feeling pretty good about ourselves. We’ve been loving and kind. We’ve been strong in resisting temptation. We go along our merry way ready to face the world.

But other times (and I find this much more common) we read the Bible and we see some things about ourselves that are not very attractive. We haven’t loved others as we should. We haven’t responded to needs. We’ve been weak and given in to more temptations than we have resisted.  We see things that need to be adjusted.

This second scenario is the one James is apparently concerned about. And his concern is that we do indeed see those things that need to be changed but as soon as we put down the Bible we forget! We walk away with our hair still disheveled, our clothes still out of order, and big pieces of food still in our teeth.

James refers to this person as a hearer but not a doer. And hearing without doing really has no value for James.

Are you a hearer and a doer? Are you listening to the Word of God and eager to respond? Or do you sit through sermons, Bible classes, and devotional readings only just to put them aside and walk away without any thought about how to respond?   Are you willing to see yourself for who you really are and ready to make changes?

I don’t know of many days I haven’t looked in a mirror. And, more often than not, I find myself making some type of change. Shouldn’t the same be true with the Bible? It’s a clear mirror than can help us be the people we want to be.

If you haven’t already today, you ought to pick one up and take a look. It’s a helpful little device

Joy in Trials?

I’m starting a series of sermons this week from the New Testament book of James. It’s a book I have always been drawn to. This short letter seems to speak to so many things I experience and struggle with day in and day out. Anger, wisdom, harsh language, prejudice, pride, and money are all topics James touches on as he leads believers into a faith that demonstrates itself through the everyday living of life. Our faith, if genuine, must make a difference in how we live and how we navigate all the complexities of being human.

James begins his letter addressing one of life’s most pressing struggles - struggles itself. After a brief greeting, this is what James writes - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  (James 1:2–3, NIV)

No doubt James had seen his fair share of troubles as had most followers of Christ living in a world that was not too accepting of this relatively new belief system. It is believed that confession of Jesus as Lord could lead to social isolation, economic struggles, and perhaps even physical retaliation. Becoming a Christian almost certainly meant inviting trials into your life. I tend to believe that’s not just true of James’s original audience. Trials are not a matter of “if”, they are more a matter of “when.” To think that a life of discipleship comes with a life-long exemption from struggles is a considerable misinterpretation of Scripture.

Trials are an inevitable part of living and, as with all matters of living, Scripture speaks to how we can respond to the turbulence of life as people of faith. And James suggests what seems to be a rather mystifying response to trials – joy!

That’s not my first response. It usually isn’t my second or third either. Anger, complaining, resentment, protest, despair – those are my default reactions to trials. Yet James calls us all to modify our response to one of joy, and then he gives us the rationale. These trials are tests that actually refine us, and when we can face trials with hope and the prospect of growth we can actually find real joy when those troubles come. Note, it’s not the trials that bring us joy but the fruit of those trials.

This response is hard. Joy has still not replaced my default responses, but I’m trying. Perhaps the most important word in his advice is “consider.” James realizes that our initial response to trials may not be joy, so he calls us to “consider.” Instead of simply letting our emotions control us, he urges us to engage our minds and think through the trial. Ask ourselves questions like, “How can this trial make me stronger?” or “How can this difficulty prepare me to serve others?” Look past the trial and see the potential positive outcomes. And with God, there is no trial that does not have a potential positive outcome.

Paul speaks to this truth as he writes to a group of believers who are likewise experiencing suffering associated with their commitment to Christ. He confidently declares, “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 8:28, NIV)

“Consider” your trials with this in mind and maybe, just maybe, joy will bubble up through your suffering.

 

This Life is Just a Rental

In the last few years when our family travels instead of booking a hotel we have used an Airbnb or a Vrbo. If you’re not familiar with this concept it’s basically people renting out their homes to tourists. It’s especially convenient if we have a lot of family to house. We can all stay together, eat meals together, play games together, and generally make someone else’s home ours for a few days.

They have normally served us well and even though they are generally decorated nicely I don’t always agree with their selection of furniture or their choices of paint colors. Sometimes I notice that something might be broken or not working quite right. It’s a little frustrating but one thing I have never done at one of these vacation rentals is redecorate, repaint, or make repairs.   I don’t get very upset if things don’t match or appliances don’t work. Since I’m only going to be there a few days I just live with it. No sense investing worry, money, effort, and time in a place that is so temporary.

I tend to get overinvested in my stuff. Maybe you do too. When something at our house breaks, I get all worried. When my car breaks down, I begin to fret. When the walls begin to crack and the furniture wears out, I start to panic. Naturally I do the maintenance, make the repairs, and buy the replacements, but shouldn’t my response be more like when similar things happen at that vacation rental? Afterall, even the home I’ve lived in for 15 years and hope to live in for many more is temporary. Why do I invest so much worry, money, effort, and time in something that inevitably will fall apart and wear out?

Seems like Jesus was making this same point when he said this:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19–20, ESV)

Sounds like Jesus is trying to remind us that we are all living in vacation rentals. They serve a purpose but they are all short-term. Instead of being overinvested in our homes, cars, clothes and other stuff that will all fall apart we ought to be more concerned with those things that will endure. We ought to be investing in our spiritual selves. That’s what will last forever!

“How am I preparing for heaven?” should be more on our mind than “Does my lawn look perfect?” “How am I serving other people?” should be more important than “Do I have an impressive car or house?” “Am I ready to meet God?” should be more pressing than “Am I the talk of the town?”

I guess it comes down to what you think is really important. That’s where your heart will be and if your heart is devoted to this world you are in for a big disappointment. But if your heart is on heaven you are in for the most spectacular surprise – a home that will last forever!

You’ve Been Summoned

A couple of years ago I had the honor of serving on a jury. It was by no means a noteworthy trial but it was important to the people involved. I felt a great deal of responsibility as the jury deliberated and eventually arrived at a verdict. We all wanted to make the right, fair and just decision and I believe we did. To make that decision we relied on the evidence presented to us by the witnesses. That’s what witnesses do. They help people arrive at a decision.

That word “witness” is used several times in the New Testament to describe the evangelistic work of the early believers. Jesus actually uses that very term as he commissions his disciples to spread the word about him. After his resurrection he flat out told the believers, “You are my witnesses.” It was their lives and their words that Jesus was counting on to convince other people that he is the Son of God and that eternal life is available through Him.

As they were witnesses for Jesus, we too serve the same function. Every believer in a sense has been called to the witness stand. It is our lives and our words that Jesus is counting on to convince those around us that Jesus is who he says he is. So, are you a convincing witness?

The witnesses who were most convincing to me had these qualities – they were confident and they were clear. When they told their recollection of the event in question they didn’t waver on their account. They presented their testimony with certainty and conviction. They also presented it clearly; in a way I could understand. There was no need for technical or complex jargon to help me understand the events.

I’m thinking that if we want to be convincing witnesses for Jesus, perhaps we need to display those same qualities – confidence and clarity.  If we expect others to believe that Jesus is the Son of God then we need to firmly believe ourselves and act like it.

Are we confident and are we clear?

Do people see in you and me a strong conviction that we believe? Do our lives demonstrate a sense of joy knowing we are saved? Do those around us see how much our lives have been changed for the better because we know Jesus? Do people see us living a life of faithful obedience?

Or are we sending confusing and mixed messages by claiming to believe but not really acting like it? Do we remain silent about our faith rather than speak up? Do we waver in our commitment consequently compromising our testimony?

What kind of witness am I? What kind of witness are you?

As a believer, we have been summoned. We are all witnesses and the world around us is the jury. May we be faithful and convincing. Let’s do all we can to help people arrive at the decision that Jesus is Lord.

You will be with me in paradise

Luke 23:32, 39–43 (NIV)

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

What an interesting exchange we have here. Three men on a cross. All of them probably gasping for breath but still able to speak. One insults Jesus. One sees his innocence. One taunts him. One begs for mercy.

That’s what the cross does – it either turns you into a cynical skeptic or a penitent believer. It’s just like Paul says:  1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV) — 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

So today, Good Friday, we are come to the cross. What is our reaction? What is your reaction? Is the cross foolishness or power? Do you mock Jesus or do you come in penitence? What is your reaction? Because our reaction to the cross makes all the difference in the world. We can get what we deserve or we can beg for mercy and find forgiveness.

I find it quite amazing that Jesus says anything at this point. When I am in pain I just want to be left alone. I don’t want to talk to people. I especially don’t want to mediate a dispute between people. I probably would have just remained silent or told them both to just be quiet. If I said anything it might have been something like, “Can’t you see I’m dying here. Leave me alone.”

But isn’t this just like Jesus. He never ignores the genuine cry of mercy. When the leper called out to be healed, Jesus responded. When the apostles cried out in the storm, Jesus calmed the sea. When the hemorrhaging woman touched the hem of his garment, Jesus stopped. Jesus never ignores a cry of mercy.

What is your cry? He hears. He cares. He responds.

And isn’t his response so beautiful – Today you will be with me in paradise.

Paradise. Even on the cross paradise is on Jesus’s mind. I think it was always on Jesus’s mind. And that thought, the thought of Paradise powered him through difficult times. "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame." (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus was obsessed with Paradise even in the pain. Am I? Are you? Is paradise always on our mind?

You see, Jesus doesn’t miraculously free the criminal from the cross but he urges him to look forward. All your pain, all your guilt, all your worry, all your fear, all your unmet needs will soon be a distant memory because you will be with me in paradise.

What is your cry? He hears. He cares. He responds. Hear him say to you today, from the cross and because of the cross – you will be with me in paradise.

The pain may not go away but the promise of paradise – it is more than we deserve and it is more than we can imagine.

Jesus says the same to you as he said to the penitent thief – you will be with me in paradise!