Category Archives: Christmas

Scary Christmas

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His scream was blood-curdling.  But there was nothing I could do.  It was the middle of the night, the house was dark, and just as I approached the bathroom door, my little brother came out and saw me standing there.  He woke the whole family.  You should have seen what Dad looked like when came flying out of his bedroom…   I got thinking about that night as I read these familiar lines:

” 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.” (Luke 2:8-11)

Understandably, before the angel said anything about good news or about the Christ child being born, He said “Don’t be afraid!”  Don’t freak out, I’m not going to hurt you.  He probably was trying to stop all the screaming.  Can you imagine how the shepherds felt, out there in the field, minding their own business in the middle of the night, when suddenly they get lit up with a search light from above?  “Don’t be afraid!”

I’ve never seen “Don’t be Afraid!” on a Christmas card but maybe we should start adding that phrase to our Christmas greetings.  “Don’t be afraid – Merry Christmas!”  What do you think?  I sense a lot of fear out there concerning the Christmas message.  People seem to want to make Christmas go away.  Perhaps it frightens them?  It used to frighten me, back when I was a confirmed doubter.  I didn’t want to be a sucker and buy into any false legends.  I was afraid to believe – kind of like a little kid on the end of a diving board for the first time.

I know better now.  Come on in, He won’t hurt you!  Don’t be afraid!  Merry Christmas!

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Just Wonderful

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Blow-up snowmen on the front yard look really festive at night, but the next day you drive by and, deflated, they look like a heap of old construction plastic, blown onto the lawn.  Doesn’t have quite the same effect.  The word, “awesome,” has become deflated by overuse and now lies, lifeless and ineffective.  Mostly, things called “awesome” don’t begin to fill us with awe.  Likewise, the word, “wonderful.”  Originally, that word meant something that would fill our hearts and minds with gaping wonder!  Something “wonderful” would take your breath away and cause your knees to fail.   When an infant opens her eyes for the first time, when she begins to try to imagine where she is and what is happening, she is seeing something “wonderful.”

Hang on to that full meaning of “wonderful” and read this portion of the Christmas prophecy of Isaiah:

“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 …” (Isaiah 9:6a)

Lots of people laid eyes on Jesus, but not all of them had the “eyes to see” Him.  His disciple, Thomas, didn’t “see” Him fully until after the resurrection when Jesus invited him to touch His wounds from the cross.  Something clicked for Thomas at that moment.  He saw that Jesus was “Wonderful.”

“Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”” (John 20:28)

Crossing over from looking at Jesus to truly “seeing Jesus,” knowing He is “Wonderful,”  is sort of like opening a valuable Christmas present.  For days you have seen it, wrapped, but you didn’t know what it was or even if you would like it.  Every now and again, you open a gift and discover that what’s inside is beyond anything you might have imagined.  When that happens with Jesus, you will call Him “Wonderful!”

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

The Costliest Gift

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Hammacher Schlemmer offers a slot car race track for $125,000!  I wonder who will be getting one of those for Christmas.  What is the most extravagant gift you have ever received?  How about the most extravagant gift you have ever given?  What did it cost?

Chances are pretty good that you have a Christmas card, sitting in the pile, that contains these words:

“For to us a child is born…” (Isaiah 9:6a)

The hope and joy expressed in those prophetic words make them a favorite for the makers of Christmas cards.  Isaiah knew Who was coming and wrote those words 700 years before they came to pass.  But the familiarity of those words might obscure the angst of the next phrase:

“…to us a son is given…”    (Isaiah 9:6b)

Brand new parents are fun to watch because they barely touch the ground.  They radiate joy and excitement and intense possibility.  But, as I remember well, a new father becomes instantly protective in a fierce way.  He is possessed by an instinctive and powerful readiness.   It’s like a one man Secret Service detail.  I cannot imagine what it would take to willingly give a newborn son.  The young mothers who give up their newborn babies for adoption, do so at unspeakable cost.  I honor them as heroes.  Perhaps they, more than any other, know how to read this phrase:

“…to us a son is given…”

The Father gave His only Son – gave Him to you and me – knowing from eternity past how that Gift would be eventually rejected and mistreated.  Amazing love…

“…to us a son is given…”   

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Just the Name

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Iraq and Iran attacked the northern part of Israel, trying to conquer it.  Israel fought back, after making an alliance with a part of Syria.  To strengthen their forces they also asked Judah to fight with them.  Who?  Judah was a small part of the original nation of Israel, the only part left after the north seceded in a civil war.  They even lost the name, Israel, to the north.  Anyhow, when they won’t join the fight, they get attacked by their former brothers.

Sound like the future?  Nope, it was the past – roughly 2750 years ago.  The more things change…

Anyhow, the King of Judah decides to join forces with Iraq (then called Assyria) to protect himself from Israel and Syria (then called Aram).  He calls for his Secretary of What God Says to Do (wouldn’t it be great if we still had one of those?), a guy named Isaiah, who tells him, “God says don’t do it; He will keep you safe.”  The armies are marching, and the King is getting nervous.  And skeptical.

So Isaiah says, “God offers to prove it to you; ask Him for a sign – anything!”  The King thinks this has gotten weird; he is wasting time.  He’s got to strike a deal with Assyria before its too late.  So he says, “Thanks anyway…”

So, the Secretary of What God Says to Do says,

“...If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ ”” (Isaiah 7:9b)

And then this:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

The king did not “stand firm in his faith” and missed the sign. Eventually both parts of Israel were wiped off the face of the map.  For a time.

But you don’t need to miss it.  You don’t need to know all the history, Just the name of the child.  You just need to know Who He was.  “Immanuel” means, God has come to live with us.

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Chrismystery

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Consider this:

King David of Israel:

  • Was born in Bethlehem
  • Was considered too little and too young to fight with the big boys and instead was assigned to shepherd his father’s sheep.
  • By the power of God, and against all odds, rescued the nation from an unstoppable threat (Goliath – cool name, huh?).
  • Became the best king Israel ever had.

Jesus

  • Was born in Bethlehem – a town considered too small to play any important role in the affairs of the nation.
  • Came as a tiny, homeless, poor baby – a descendant of King David.
  • Became a Shepherd for His Father’s flock.
  • By the power of God, and against all odds, saved His people from an unstoppable threat (Satan).
  • Will be revealed to be the King of Kings forever.

You might think this was mashed together by revisionists, after the fact, to make Jesus seem more important.  In truth, the synchronicity of those two men was mysteriously designed by God as an object lesson for His people and was explained by the prophet, Micah, 700 years in advance of Jesus’ birth!

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.  (Micah 5:1-5)

A Mary Christmas

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Like most kids, I had heard about Niagara Falls.  I”d seen pictures of it and believed it was there.  But then one day, my family took a trip and I saw and heard Niagara Falls.  Standing on tip-toes, hanging over the rail, gaping at the awesome power, vibrating with the thunderous noise of it, feeling the mist – the tiniest particles of moisture from a deadly powerful flow of water – for the first time, Niagara Falls became real to me.

I suspect something like that happened to Mary, the day the angel, Gabriel, showed up and told her:

“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 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. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30b-33)

Mary had been told about God and believed in Him, but on this day He became undeniably real – so real that she couldn’t pretend or play along as though the message was some kind of prank.  Mary knew, because it was real, she didn’t qualify; the angel had the wrong woman:

 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)

Her response shows she was taking this seriously, it was real to her.   In reply, the angel told her that God’s Spirit would enter one cell in her body and complete it, bringing it to new life:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

Mary’s next response reflected her faith, her humility (she didn’t argue or suggest a better plan) and her full surrender:

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)

You have heard that story.  You have been told about God and Jesus.  But one day, you will probably have an experience like Mary’s.  The details will differ, but one day you will go from believing about Jesus to suddenly knowing He is real.  No matter how that happens for you, I encourage you not to turn away.  Press up to the rail on tip-toes. Stretch out and get as close to His thundering, awesome power as you can.

Here’s why:  If you respond as Mary did, with humility and surrender, God’s Spirit will enter into your soul, complete it, and bring it to new life – His life.  To know Jesus is real, is to know He is God, to know He became human to reach you in a way you could understand and that He died to square all your debts with God forever.  And for you to say to Jesus, “Let it be to me, just as You have said,” is to receive from Him full forgiveness and eternal, “living water” life.

That’s the way to a Mary Christmas!

PS – If you would like more information, on the right column of this page, you can select posts by topic.  Select “The Good News of Jesus” and read through those.  Questions?  Send me a note.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Promise

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Here’s a word association test:  If I say “government,” what’s the first word you think of?  Ooooh, nasty…   but, truth be told, I feel the same way.  Don’t get me wrong: I’d rather live with our government in the USA, than, say under the rule of that psychopath in North Korea.  And let’s take Putin…   actually, let’s not.  But, even though our government is so much better, it still is broken.  We humans need governing, but we don’t do a very good job of it.

That’s what excites me about this Christmas prophecy from Isaiah:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.   (Isaiah 9:6a)

Isn’t that just a figure of speech?  Nope.  Isaiah goes on to say,

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.  (Isaiah 9:7)

Obviously, this has not yet happened, so why should we believe it?  We can believe it because Isaiah accurately predicted the rise and fall of kingdoms in the Middle East – hundreds of years worth.  He nailed it.  Imagine accurately predicting what will happen in the Middle East next week!  It was because Isaiah and other prophets were so accurate that people were looking for the coming of Jesus when He was born and where He was born.  Nailed it again.  Not only that, Isaiah foretold Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.  Obviously Isaiah had “inside information.”  He knew what he was talking about.

We can count on it when Isaiah says Jesus will return as “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  And that His government will be characterized by perfect righteousness and justice.  The world has never experienced a government like that.  But this Christmas promise says you can count on it.

My money is on Isaiah.  Which is  to say, I’ve bet my life on Jesus.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Travel

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When some genius suggested that they allow cell phone use on airplanes, the push-back was instantaneous and unanimous.  Which makes me wonder: If everyone is upset about it, then who would actually want to make the calls?  (All God’s people say, “Not me!”)  The consensus is that flying, in terms of discomfort and inconvenience, is about one notch down from getting a colonoscopy. Having to put up with inane cell phone conversations as well, might just push people over the edge.

Have we become a bunch of wimps?  I wonder how we would have felt about travel by donkey – in the last few weeks of pregnancy!  Christmas rapidly approaches at the speed of a commuter train.  As I’ve been revisiting some of the passages in the Bible that pertain to Jesus’ birth, I’ve been struck by how inconvenienced Mary and Joseph were by travel.  Mary was greatly favored by God but that meant she was going to have to endure travel – tough travel.

The angel comes to Mary and tells her:

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  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. (Luke 1:3032)

We can only imagine Mary’s astonishment, to be told that she, a virgin, was pregnant with the Son of God.  But on top of that, she had to travel.  First to see her relative, Elizabeth.  Then back home.  Then up to Bethlehem.  You’ve heard what happened there and what a hassle that turned out to be.  But then more travel, this time to Egypt.  And then back to Nazareth.

It’s true that Mary didn’t need to submit to an xray search, remove her shoes or explain the nature of her carry on lotions.  She was not jammed between two people whose moment of fame on TV was a brief video taken from the neck down.  But donkey travel was no picnic.  Mary was traveling as a pregnant woman and then with a baby.  I wonder why, in God’s wisdom, He decided that Mary and Joseph should spend so much time traveling, so much time away from the comforts of home.

Of course, that is what Jesus decided to do as well – endure tough travel away from His home.  Jesus left the glory of Heaven and came to earth, not as a highly respected dignitary, not as a powerful king, but as a homeless traveler.  If you chew on the “why” of that, you will see glimpses of how God’s love is revealed in tough circumstances.  God allowed some of His favorite people to endure discomfort and travel because He loves us.

God has also allowed some His favorite people in Lyons, Colorado to be forced from their homes this year.  They are facing months and years of tough work, just to get back home – so to speak.   If you would like to help with the flood recovery efforts, please visit the website for The River Church:  http://therivercolorado.org/    I have been humbled and amazed to see how this small church has been blessing the community, while experiencing their own travels and troubles.