Packing up Christmas

Christmas Day has come and gone and my living room looks like a toy store exploded all over the place, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So what now? Well, I’ll clean up the blast zone and pack away the lights and ornaments and we’ll finish off the last of the Christmas dinner leftovers. But, where does the Christmas spirit go for the next 11 months?
Where does Joy belong? Certainly not packed away until next year. Joy is a by-product of the indwelling Holy Spirit, not a Christmas decoration. And what of the peace the angels declared? According to Jesus, peace is His gift to me, something the world can’t offer (John 14:27). Joy and peace are not meant to sit in a box in the shed. They belong in my heart. Jesus said that His Joy cannot be taken [or packed] away (Jn 16:22). Paul said that peace is to always rule over me and my relationships (Col. 3:15).
There isn’t a box in my shed big enough for the Hope of Christ. Hope believes that God is who He claims to be, that He is trustworthy and faithful (2 Thess 3:3), that His love is unfailing (Ps. 136), and His promises are as sure as His Name (Heb. 6:13). Hope trusts that His eye is ever on me and His ear is tuned to my cries (Gen. 21:13, 11). Hope knows that one day this wicked world will be turned right-side-up (Rev. 21:5). I am hanging on to hope I need it desperately after the year we’ve been through.
And then there is love – the greatest of all gifts (1 Cor. 13:13). Love slept in a manger (Luke 2:7). Love walked the dirty streets of earth, healing and lifting up the downtrodden (Matt. 8:1-3). Love died on a cross (Mark 15: 37) and Love brought life from death (Mark 16:6). Love must never be packed away for the world needs it more than any other thing. Love – holy love – is the only thing that can save mankind. And it is the only thing that will draw men out of darkness into the light.
I don’t know if your Christmas was merry or jolly or less than you’d hoped, but I know that the spirit of Christmas lives in the hearts of God’s people all year long. Beloved, pack up the decorations but don’t pack away the Joy and peace and hope and love. Keep it out on display – the world needs it now more than ever.

Advent 2023: Mary’s Remembrances

Image: “Mary and Baby Jesus” by Jean Keaton
 https://www.jeankeatonart.com/…/pro…/mary-and-baby-jesus

Of the four gospels, only Matthew and Luke include the birth narrative. Matthew’s perspective is very different from his fellow writer’s. Together both give us a beautiful picture but I love Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth because, according to church tradition, it is Mary’s own recollections. Only Mary could recall intimate details about Gabriel’s visit the remarkable announcement: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (vs. 31-32). She remembered her question “How will this be since I am a virgin?” (v. 34), and the angel’s reply about the Holy Spirit’s part in the conception.
Mary even remembered Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy and her aged cousin’s joyful greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed I the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (vs. 42, 43). And “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (v. 45). Mary shared the song she sang: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . .” (vs. 46-55). Mary recalled the shepherds who told about the angel’s song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (2:14).
Luke included more than just the birth story as Mary also remembered when Jesus was presented in the temple according to the law and the old man and woman who spoke powerfully about her son (2:25-38). She remembered 12-year-old Jesus alone in Jerusalem, and how He amazed the Jewish teachers by speaking with authority beyond His years (2:41-50). His mother recalled him saying, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house? (v. 49).
Luke said that Mary, “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19, 51). I’m so glad she did because she and Luke gave us the most detailed, intimate account of our Savior’s birth and early glimpses of His ministry. I am sure she pulled those memories out as she watched Him die on the cross.
Beloved, on this Christmas Day, amid the fun and presents and family, take some time to read both accounts and thank God for His most marvelous gift of love.

Advent 2023: Christmas is . . .

Despite what my family and friends claim, I love Christmas. I just don’t like what Christmas has become. Beautiful Christmas hymns give way to the ka-ching of the cash register. With all the nicely wrapped boxes, there’s no space left for the manger and the baby under our festively decorated trees. “Merry Christmas” is for sale on blankets, dishes, doormats, toilet seat covers, and ugly sweaters. Every celebrity offers their version of “songs of the season,” delivered in over-produced T.V specials. And do not get me started on cheesy “Christmas” movies. The entertainment industry has done a good job of redefining Christmas for us. Ask most people what Christmas means and the answers are usually:
“Christmas is about caring.”
“Christmas is about sharing.”
“Christmas is about family.”
Christmas, according to the secular world, is about very different things than the biblical story.
Or is it? Maybe that’s good common ground for telling the true Christmas story.
Christmas is about a God who cared enough about His lost creation to offer a rescue plan that would cost His One and Only Son His very life (John 3:16).
Christmas is about Jesus Christ who was obedient to the Father’s will to share His glory with once-sinful men (John 17:22).
Christmas is about the Father in heaven lavishing His love on us and adopting us into His family “that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
For all the ways that we identify Christmas, it always comes back to the Baby in a manger. But we must also look ahead to see to rest of this Baby’s life. We must see the Man on the Cross, otherwise, the story is incomplete – and that is where the culture misses the heart and soul of Christmas. This Baby came to die, otherwise we are without hope. The wise teacher had to go to the grave, else His great words have no power for us. His greatest miracle was more than healing broken bodies and casting out demons, it was rising three days after His last breath.
Beloved, when you tell the Christmas story about a God who cared and shared and calls us His own – be sure to tell the whole story about how He accomplished it all. Tell them that Christmas means more than trees and presents and bad Christmas movies. Christmas means life, forgiveness, and eternity. Above all, Christmas means love.

Do You Know the Rest of the Christmas Story?

There’s part of the Christmas story that we tend to ignore. The dark part with a paranoid king and some wise men from afar. Matthew reports that the Magi followed a star they had seen in the east (2:2) and when they arrived in Jerusalem (2:1) they raised quite a stir looking for “the one who has been born king of the Jews” (2:2). Herod got wind of this and called for the visitors who reported that ancient prophecies (likely passed down from Daniel) said the child would be born in Bethlehem (2:5). Herod ordered the wise men to report back to him after they found the child – saying he, too, wanted to “worship” him (2:7-8).
But that was a lie. He wanted to kill him. He had a reputation for violence and murdered members of his own family whom he viewed as a threat. A Jewish baby was no match for this king. But Herod was no match for this Baby’s Father. The Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod (2:12) and the Lord sent an angel to warn Joseph who took his family and fled to Egypt (2:13-14). The king, in a rage, ordered the murder of all baby boys in Bethlehem two years and under to secure his throne – another clue to the timing of the Magi’s’ visit. (2:16-18).
But who was really behind Herod’s actions? Who planted that paranoia in his mind and murder in his heart? Who would have wanted this child dead more than Herod? Satan. Satan was behind every threat God’s people faced because he knew his destroyer would come from the Jewish nation. Herod was reenacting Pharoah’s hatred when he ordered the death of all Hebrew baby boys born in Egypt. But the Lord called two midwives, a believing mother and even Pharoah’s daughter to save the day (Ex 1:15-22; 2:1-10) . Satan enticed Haman to order the -annihilation of the Jews in Persian, but God used Esther to rescue His people (Esther). You see satan’s evil presence over and over in Scripture – but you also see God’s mighty hand preserving His people and His promise.
Satan is also part of the Christmas story, for the Holy Child in the manger was born to break the curse of evil. He was born to set men free from their sins (Romans 6:18). He was born to bring light and life where death and darkness reigned (John 1:4-5). He was born to set right what had gone horribly wrong (Romans 8:22-24). This little baby was the fulfillment of God’s promise, the seed that would crush the head of the enemy (Genesis 3:15). When this newborn baby’s cry pierced the silent night, all of hell trembled.

Advent 2023: When You’re Having a Blue Christmas

“And He will be called Wonderful Counselor . . .” (Isaiah 9:6)

It is well known that Christmas, the most joyful season of the year, is also the most prone to bring on bouts of depression. I get it. Boy, do I get it. When your family Christmas doesn’t measure up to the Norman Rockwell standard or the Hallmark ideal . . . When the truck repairs take all your Christmas money . . . When your company skips the Christmas bonus and gives you the boot instead . . . When crazy relatives show their worst side . . . When your heart gets broken . . . When you are just tired of the cultural “Happy Holidays!” . . . Well, I think you get the picture. Depression seems worse this time of year because you know you’re supposed to be full of joy, joy, joy but the reality is you’re having a “blue Christmas.”
My friend, you need a counselor – but not just any counselor – you need a Wonderful Counselor. You need a Counselor who knows you inside and out, who knows your past, your present, and your future. You need a Counselor who has perfect insight into your mind and heart and knows what will bring you peace and Joy. You need a Counselor who has invested His whole being – His very life – in you. You need a Counselor who loves you to death – literally. You need Jesus.
He is the Wonderful Counselor because He has perfect wisdom. His Word is full of righteousness with not even a hint of error. His counsel is perfect – He will never steer you in the wrong way. His ways and words are true as He leads you through the darkness and into his marvelous light. His counsel is without cost – in fact – He paid the full price for you with His own life.
And most importantly, He loves you. He lowered Himself and became a frail, helpless baby in the humblest circumstance to bring you into the family of God. He traded His throne for a cross and His crown for thorns so that you might sit with Him in glory.
Beloved, if your heart is not ringing with Joy this Christmas, may I suggest you get into counseling with Jesus? His office never closes and He is never too busy to meet with you. Your Wonderful Counselor is only a whispered prayer away.

Advent 2023 – Christmas Wish List

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
What do you want for Christmas? Jewelry? Clothes? Something for your house? A car or a cruise might top your list. How about a Red Ryder carbine-action two-hundred-shot range model air rifle? (Say it with me: “You’ll shoot your eye out!”) When I was a kid all I wanted was paper and pencils. Or you might prefer the one-size-fits-all cash gift. Then again – maybe your Christmas list is less tangible – something that can’t be wrapped up and put under the tree.
If you wish for peace, Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). Peace in our hearts only comes through Jesus Christ. Maybe you’ve lost your Joy. David wrote, “You will fill me with joy in Your presence” (Psalm 16:11). Joy is found in Immanuel – the God who is with us. If you need hope this Christmas, hear God’s words in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In the Lord’s hands, we have hope – for this life and for all eternity. Do you wish for love? “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1). Not just a little, not even a “bushel and a peck,’” but poured out on you lavishly, without measure and overflowing. If freedom tops your list you can find release – the Psalmist says “O Lord, truly I am your servant . . . You have freed me from my chains” (Psalm 116:16). The blood of Jesus breaks the chains of this world. Maybe you just want a little rest this Christmas. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Just sink back into His arms and let Him carry your burdens and you.
Whatever you long for this Christmas, you can find it in Jesus. There is nothing on your list that He cannot provide. He is the greatest Gift of all and your heart’s deepest longing. This gift is more precious than jewelry, toys, or clothes wrapped in paper and ribbons. He is peace, joy, hope, and love wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Advent 2023: Joy to the World!

“The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name” (Zech 14:9).
Joy to the world!
The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
“Joy to the World” is one of our most beloved Christmas songs, but it isn’t about Christmas at all. Isaac Watts originally penned these words in anticipation of the return of Jesus. Notice that verse 1 above calls Him the King, if you read the full hymn, you will see that verse 2 celebrates His reign, verse 3 tells of the end of the curse, and verse 4 proclaims Him as the righteous Ruler of the world.
We love the Baby in the manger; He is the embodiment of God’s holy love for mankind. But we must let Jesus grow out of the swaddling clothes and into the crown of thorns to understand the full impact of Christmas on the world. We must envision Him on the cross with the weight of your sin and mine pressing down on the nails that held Him there. We must stand outside the tomb and watch the soldiers roll the stone in place. And we must see Him as the risen Lord standing in the Garden and look to the skies as He ascends back to heaven. Only then can we grasp the fullness of His coming.
And still, that is not the last the world will see of Jesus. Paul said “The Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God . . .” (1 Thes 4: 16). And Zechariah 14:4-9 describes the scene: “On that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west” (v. 4).
The world missed His first advent, but there will be no missing His second. “Every eye will see Him” (Rev 1:7)! Christmas brings us Joy as we remember Jesus’ birth, but the greatest rejoicing will come when the King of Kings returns to earth to claim His people and His rightful rule over all creation.
Jesus promises, “Behold, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:7). And so we say with the Bride and the Spirit: “Amen. Come Lord Jesus!” (v.20).

Advent 2023: God in Flesh

Genesis 1 says that when God created the heavens and the earth, He spoke them into existence. “Let there be . . .” light, sky, land, seas, and plants, sun, moon, and stars, fish and birds and animals. Everything except man was created by the power of His Word. John declared that the Speaker/Creator became “the Word made flesh” (Jn. 1: 14). Jesus, the Son of God. He proved Himself as God when the wind and waves obeyed Him (Mk 4:39). He proved His authority over the spiritual realm when He spoke and cast demons out of a tortured man (Mk 5:1-20). He spoke with such authority that a centurion’s servant was healed from a distance (Lk 7:1-10) and a dead man walked out of the tomb (Jn 11). He was – and still is – the all-powerful, all-mighty God of the Universe. Nature, spirits, sickness, and even death have no choice but to obey Him when He speaks.
Yet He came to His creation as a helpless babe in the arms of a peasant girl – the only one who responded to the sound of His voice. Still, I wonder . . . did the wind and waves begin to still at the sound of His cries? Did the demons tremble when they recognized Him cooing? Did the stars shine brighter when He protested the hunger in his belly? Despite his diminutive human state, He was still God. Still the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Still the Author of Life. Still the long-awaited King. Did creation recognize Him, even if His image-bearers did not?
Yes, He was a baby just like any other baby. He needed someone to feed and clothe Him, to carry Him from place to place, to wrap Him in swaddling clothes from the cool night air. But He was a baby unlike any other and I imagine all of heaven was in awe at the sight of God in tiny flesh, so helpless and frail. I believe the creation that obeyed Him “in the beginning” knew that these were no ordinary cries. There was always power and authority and sovereignty in the sound of His voice. It was just small and quiet on that holy night.

Advent 2023: Believe

I remember an old evangelist who told the story of being in the Miami, Florida area to do a revival. He and the local pastor were driving around inviting people to the revival and witnessing to anyone who would listen. They found themselves in a very affluent neighborhood with massive houses and expensive cars. They spied a man out in his front yard and stopped to visit. After speaking to him of the need for salvation, the man spread his arms in a grand gesture of all that he owned and said, “Saved from what?” Then he dismissed them with a laugh. That man was Jackie Gleason – the famed radio, television, and movie star.
Perhaps that is why the angels came to lowly shepherds rather than the kings and religious leaders of the day. People who think they have everything also think they have no need of a Savior. They have so much wealth or power or acclaim that they have no room for faith. Shepherds, especially at the time of Jesus’ birth, were the lowest of the low. Scholars tell us that these shepherds were likely watching over sheep that would be used in the Passover sacrifice. Their job was nasty, smelly, grueling, and demeaning. But they were humble because of their lowly position. These shepherds were just the kind of people God was looking for – people who would receive the Good News with faith.
The Bible tells us that when the shepherds heard the angel’s announcement, they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened” (Luke 2:15). They believed the message and set out to find the baby – not because they wanted proof of what the angels said, but because they had faith that it was true. And when their eyes saw what their hearts believed, they couldn’t help but “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (v. 17)
Do you have faith Beloved? Do you believe what God said about the Baby in the manger is true? Do you believe He is the Son of God? Do you believe that He came to take on your sins and make you acceptable to His Father? Then you can also have faith that this Child is your Savior, your Redeemer, your Hope and Peace, and Joy. Have faith in what God has done and you will see what your heart believes.

Advent 2023: Son of a Woman, Son of God

Wrap your head around this: the baby in the manger was the son of a virgin and the Son of God. The Scriptures say “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son . . . “ Matthew 1:23/Isaiah 7:14. I know – you’ve heard this scripture a hundred times at least. But have you stopped to consider what it really means? We tend to fly over it but we need to give it some time and attention because it is important.
It was crucial that the Savior of the world be spotless, without flaw or error, stain or blemish – perfectly pure. That could never happen with two human parents. Joseph was a righteous man, but he had a sin nature like every other human being. Mary was a virgin and she was“highly favored” by God, but she had the same sin nature. Joseph would be Jesus’ earthly father, but not his “biological father.” Mary, however, would be His biological mother – therefore she had to be a virgin – sexually pure. The Scripture said that Mary was “overshadowed” by the Holy Spirit as the “male party” to conception. The DNA stored in Jesus Christ’s physical body was that of the Lord God! The Father was in the Son.
More importantly, He provided spiritual purity so that the child would be the only human born without a sin nature. Now I am a Bible teacher. I like to make difficult things understandable. But I cannot explain how this occurred. It was a divine action that we must accept with wonder.
Why does this matter? Because you and I are unholy people in need of a holy Savior. The Levitical law declared that “the life of a creature is in the blood,” and “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Lev 17:11). Only holy blood – divine blood – could atone for the sin of all men*. There’s just one problem: God cannot die. That is why Jesus had to be both divine and human. It was the only way to provide the perfect blood sacrifice required to redeem mankind from their sin nature*. It is the only hope you and I have.
Beloved, I encourage you to slow down through the familiar Christmas account. Take in every scene and ponder every word. This is not just a warm, fuzzy story to tell around the tree. This story is life. Eternal life. It is wonder and awe. It is Jesus – the God-man who came to save you. Indeed, it is good news.

*The blood of Jesus is sufficient to atone for all sin for all mankind, but not all men will receive what Christ has done.