Wonderful Beginning

Christmas is interesting.  It is an ending, a present-time drama, and a beginning.  Do you remember the series, The Lord of the Rings?  J.R.R. Tolkien wrote 4 books, The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers,  and The Return of the King, all part of the larger story ... The Lord of the Rings.  Each book is its own story,  but each book is part of a larger story.  

The Bible is an unfolding story.  It has an origin, which one must know to understand the rest of the story.  It has a respite that speaks of the foundational wisdom upon which the structure is built.  It has a dramatic prophetic middle that foretells (specifically sometimes, and vaguely sometimes) another "story."  And then the event ... the birth of Christ and the record of His story on earth.  

But then, after Jesus' death, the story continues.  The early Church struggles with life, following their calling, and battles powers and principalities here on earth.  We are still in that part of the story, I think! Finally, there is an ending ... set sometime in the future.  

There is a dramatic event that is foretold by the title of Tolkien's book, The Return of the King, and spelled out in God's word by the Holy Spirit Himself.  God reveals the end of the greater story and the beginning of an eternal story of God's people, the Church.  The King does return!

The greater story stretches eternally backwards and forward.  Because it is about God, it is eternal, just as God is eternal.  And we are thankful eternity has stepped into time to consider His creation.

We celebrated a wonderful beginning this week.  But that beginning is only part of a bigger story.  That story is planted in your heart, in your place in the Church, and your part in the "Great" story.  Are you in?  Are you ready? Are you willing?  I pray you, and WE, are! AMEN, Merry Christmas, and a Christ-filled New Year!

Now and Later

Some of you might remember the taffy candy called Now and Later.  The name was a marketing ploy used to describe the long-lasting nature of the candy, and the claim that the flavor was here both now and later.  I say this from 2nd party information, because I am not a taffy fan.  But I knew people who liked those candies (I gave mine away at Halloween).

But Christmas, and Scripture, is very much a Now and Later thing.  It is alive ... always moving ... always applicable both now and later.  But unlike the candy, Scripture is full, active, and moving toward a beautiful purpose, now AND later.

In Luke 2, Jesus is presented at the Temple according to Jewish law, and a man named Simeon was there.  Simeon had waited devoutly for the coming of the Messiah who would save Israel.  Simeon "took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.  I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel.'"

Messiah predicted (past).  Messiah here ... "I have seen your salvation" (now).  Messiah's future ... "He is a light to reveal God to the nations" (later).  The Scripture says that Mary and Joseph were amazed at what was being said about Jesus.  Beautiful and hopeful, right?  Yes!

But then, with apparently the same hopefulness and fervor, Simeon says this (verses 34-35) ... "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise.  He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him.  As a result, the deepest thought of many hearts will be revealed, and a sword will pierce your very soul!"  So much for beautiful and hopeful.

The "reveal" is in Simeon's 1st statement.  "He is a light!"  Light reveals.  Light purifies.  Light kills some bad things (some bacteria and some fungi).  Light causes some things to rise out of the ground and grow.  And light was predicted as the nature of the Messiah (the people who walk in darkness will see a great light [Isaiah 9:2]).

In the aftermath of the birth and the beauty of the Christmas story, Simeon gives us some stark truth.  Yes ... the light has come.  Yes ... God's glory is revealed.  But like Isaiah realized (Chapter 6), when God's glory is revealed, we are either destroyed or we are transformed.  Enjoy the NOW ... bit be changed, and reborn by who Jesus later is revealed to be ... the one true living God, and the salvation prepared and available for all people.

God's Final Word

I remember when I was a little boy, and my brother and I would get into an argument.  We would bicker, sometimes fight, and always hold our meaningless positions on the subject until ... until Dad spoke.  When Dad spoke, it didn't really matter which of us thought we were right.  It didn't matter which of us had the moral high ground.  It just didn't matter.  Because when Dad spoke, the final word had been announced, and that is what held the day.

We live in a society with lots of opinions.  Which 'side' is right?  Whose argument is the most compelling?  Who has the most votes?  What is most popular?  Does anyone ask, what does 'Dad' say?

There is a beautiful Michael Card song called "The Final Word."  One line says, "His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one!"  What is our response?  Jeremiah 7:27 predicts a day of societal deafness.  "Tell them all of this, but do not expect them to listen.  Shout your warnings, but do not expect them to respond!" Are we in that day?

Here are some thoughts about God's (Dad's) final word (from the Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55):

1. God notices the lowly, and how they live, especially His servants (v:48);

2. God speaks great things into existence for those who serve Him (v:49);

3. God is merciful to those who fear Him (v:50);

4. God has (and will) scatter the haughty (v:51);

5. God has (and will) exalt the humble (v:52);

6. God gives the hungry good things (v:53);

7. God remembers His servants (v:54);

8. God doesn't forget His covenant (v:55).

God's promise is the personification of love, light, and life to the world.  He has spoken through His word, His son, and His Spirit ... and our petty opinions and arguments really (in the overall scheme of history) don't matter.  As "Dad" spoke at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), "This is my Son whom I love, with Him I am well pleased ... listen to Him!"  AMEN

Bringing Home The Point

Sometimes preachers have difficulty bringing home the point.  Parishioners are probably saying, "Land the plane!"  I get it, but still I have my moments.  God doesn't!

The Christmas story in Luke 2 is all about God doing 2 things.  First, God "lands the plane" of fulfilling numerous Old Testament prophecies.  Words from Genesis, Isaiah, Micah, and even Leviticus become fulfilled (completed) in the birth of Jesus.  He brings to fruition what we, in the Church, have been discussing for weeks (we lit the candles of Hope and Peace over the past two weeks), as angels sing about the Hope of the Messiah and Peace on Earth.

But God also does something that we might not see.  Luke 2 isn't just an arrival ... it is a departure.  Yes, God lands one plane, but He also sends all of creation on a new journey.  Jesus calls it the coming of the Kingdom of God (on earth as it is in heaven).  John the Baptist announces, "The Kingdom of God is at hand (Jesus is walking up, Mark 1:15)."  Then, Jesus begins to tell us "the Kingdom of God is like ... 

Do you get it?  Do you see it?  The message ... the point ... is that Jesus both brings the Kingdom to earth and is getting up a load of believers who will be part of His eternal Kingdom that will have heaven descending ot earth (Revelation 21:2)."  And WE (the Church) get to be part of that majestic and beautiful plan!

So, for those of you who are in the throes of the daily grind, or in the busyness of the Christmas season ... never forget that "Greater things are still to come (John 14:12)."  Not my words, but God's!

Peace Through Strength

When you read the above phrase, you might think of an American Foreign Policy standby. The idea is that we can create the environment for peace by being the strongest, most well-funded, and most technologically able fighting force in the world. The idea has mostly worked, though the current environment of terror-warfare is much more of a moving target than we would like.  Still, we are the top dog ... for now.

But battles come in many forms.  Our world is full of what Paul called "powers and principalities" ... all ready and willing to take us from relying on God to relying on self, stuff, wits, and our own understanding.  The Bible warns us to avoid reliance on these things, but every day we are tempted, encouraged, and even expected to depend on everything but God.  The battles become ours, so we strengthen ourselves in cultural ways, and we wonder why we seem to be losing the war.  It is frustrating for sure.  And ... it is NOT peaceful!

Let's ponder, just for awhile, another path of peace.  A lasting and persistent peace.  One penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1863, on Christmas Day, still mourning the loss of his wife in a fire, and the severe wounding of his son in battle.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day, Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,the belfries of all Christendom, Had rolled along the unbroken song, Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime, Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth, The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound the carols drowned, Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent, the hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn the households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, and mocks the song. Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail,    The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

Longfellow found his peace ... not through his own strength ... not in his sorting out earthly chaos ... for these things do not bring peace.  But the God who lives, and does not sleep, is a place and a peace we can rely upon.  Our wits, our strength, our stuff, will always fail us.  Our God will be with us, "even to the end of the age!"  AMEN!