The People of Christmas, Part 4

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. (Luke 2:8-20)

(As a departure from the traditional Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, several years ago I did an Advent devotional series on the People of Christmas - The Prophets, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds. I will be sharing these devotions over these four Sundays leading up to Christmas.)

 

The Shepherds 

Like most of the other characters of the Christmas story, we don’t know much about the shepherds. We do know that shepherds were at the bottom of the social pecking order. They spent much of their time out in the fields surrounded by lots of smelly sheep, so they probably didn’t have the best hygiene, not to mention highly developed social skills. They were also probably not terribly well-educated either.

If it had been left to us, we probably would have made a few casting changes for the “Big Announcement” regarding the birth of the Messiah. We might have selected a few choice religious scholars who were well familiar with the prophecies of Scriptures and would surely recognize the signs announced by the angels. Perhaps we would have thrown in a few wealthy civic leaders who would ensure that the new King of the Jews had a great PR campaign. But we’re not God.

God chose the lowliest and most unlikely of people to be the first to receive the good news that a Savior was born. Perhaps it was to show the world that God was not impressed by social status, education, or credentials. Perhaps it was because the Messiah was sent to save the lost sheep of Israel. Or perhaps, it was because they shepherds were just simple enough to actually believe what the angels told them.

They didn’t sit around have a deep theological discussion as to whether the message they heard was accurate, or if it aligned with Scripture, or whether it was some sort of spiritual metaphor. In fact, the only thing they discussed was how quickly they could get to Bethlehem to see this amazing event they had been told about.

Once they had seen the baby for themselves, they didn’t hesitate to tell everyone they met about the incredible events they had witnessed. They didn’t stop to consider that they were ignorant, uneducated, smelly shepherds. They didn’t worry that they might not be qualified to spread such weighty news. I’m pretty sure they also really didn’t care if people thought they were a little wacko – spending too many lonely nights with those sheep, no doubt!

How about us? Are we so quick to tell others about this amazing person named Jesus, who came into the world to save us from our sins? Do we get tongue-tied, nervous and sweaty when we think about having to witness to people we don’t know? Are we afraid that we might not be qualified enough or have the right answers? Or are we simple enough just to take God at His word and excited enough to tell everyone about Jesus, regardless of what they might think about us?

Christmas is the perfect time of year for us to be able to inject Jesus into our conversations and introduce people to the man behind the holiday. After all, it’s all about His birthday, right?

Prayer:

God of all creation, thank you that you didn’t send the Christmas angels to important people of great standing and stature, but rather You chose to reach down to simple people like us. Give us the courage and conviction to tell everyone we meet about the real reason for our Christmas celebration. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David 

The People of Christmas, Part 3

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

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.”

 

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)

(As a departure from the traditional Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, several years ago I did an Advent devotional series on the People of Christmas - The Prophets, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds. I will be sharing these devotions over these four Sundays leading up to Christmas.)

Joseph 

Not much is known about Joseph, other than a few scant details: he was a carpenter who lived in Nazareth, he was engaged to Mary, he was considered righteous, and he had several prophetic dreams. We can infer a few additional details from this passage: he was an honorable man who tried to do the right thing under difficult circumstances, he had a high level of integrity, and he was compassionate.

Faced with the potential scandal regarding Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph wanted to spare his fiancee public humiliation, not to mention, a public execution for adultery. Did Joseph love Mary? This may have been an arranged marriage, which was common in those days. Whether he loved her or not, he felt compassion for her instead of condemnation. Joseph understood the spirit of the law pre-empted the letter of the law. Indeed, he was a righteous man.

So it should not come as a great surprise that he was obedient to the instructions he received in his dream. The message probably sounded crazy to him; after all, how could a woman become pregnant by the Holy Spirit? And who exactly was this Holy Spirit? He’s only mentioned three times in the Jewish scriptures, so He wasn’t exactly a central theme in Judaism. And how could this baby boy save the Jews from their sins? Only God could forgive sins.

But rather asking a lot of questions, or trying to analyze this strange dream, Joseph simply did what he was told. He understood from Scriptures that God’s ways are not our ways. His faith in an unfailing God allowed him to take the risk of doing what flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Most others would have given up on Mary and dismissed her as an adulteress or a whore. Joseph chose to see her as an instrument of God.

We can learn a lot from Joseph’s quiet obedience. It’s interesting that there is not a single word of his recorded in Scripture. Many of us are big on words and little on action. Joseph’s actions spoke volumes; he didn’t need to say anything. When we are faced with difficult circumstances and choices, do we readily allow God to guide and instruct us? Or do we try to do things through our own human understanding?

As we continue to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us remember the example of Joseph, an example of quiet obedience. It’s not important to announce to the world what God has told you to do. In the words of a popular sports slogan, “just do it.”

Prayer:

Lord, help us to develop obedient hearts and attitudes so we can do whatever it is that you ask of us. As we prepare for the celebration of the birth of your Son, and also for His imminent return, may we be found faithful and obedient servants, even when doing so may be unpopular or misunderstood. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David 

The People of Christmas, Part 2

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 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. 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.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-28)

(As a departure from the traditional Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, several years ago I did an Advent devotional series on the People of Christmas - The Prophets, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds. I will be sharing these devotions over these four Sundays leading up to Christmas.)

Mary

The second person of the Christmas story is Mary. Mary was a quiet nobody living in obscurity, preparing to wed her fiancé Joseph. Being a young woman at that time, she was probably used to being told what to do, when to do it, and how. Yet, it seems somewhat strange that she didn’t appear to be too terribly concerned that an angel suddenly stood before and begin speaking with her, telling her what she was about to do.

Mary didn’t ask to be visited by an angel. She didn’t ask to become pregnant out of wedlock. And she certainly didn’t ask to be the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world. But she submitted to God’s will for her life, and became the vessel through which salvation would come to her people as well as the Gentiles.

Mary could have protested. She could have made many excuses why she wasn’t the right girl for the job:

• She was too young
• She didn’t know enough Scriptures to be able to raise the Son of God properly
• Her father or her husband-to-be wouldn’t approve
• Townspeople would talk about this scandal
• No one would believe her if she told them an angel visited her

Maybe Mary was so awestruck by the appearance of the angel that she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Maybe she was too naive to consider the potential risks this situation might pose. Or maybe she was just a willing servant wanting to do whatever pleased her God.

Mary’s response was so simple. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Do we always have such a humble attitude when God calls us to serve Him? Or do we resist and make excuses, or even worse, make false promises? Mary set the standard for all of us. May we follow her example and always respond to God, “I am your servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

Prayer:

Master of the Universe, may we be found submissive and yielding to Your call in our lives, and may we respond with humility and willingness to any task you set before us. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

The People of Christmas, Part 1

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)

(As a departure from the traditional Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, several years ago I did an Advent devotional series on the People of Christmas - The Prophets, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds. I will be sharing these devotions over these four Sundays leading up to Christmas.)

The Prophets

The first people of the Christmas story are the prophets, who foretold of the coming of Christ centuries before He actually appeared. These prophets waited patiently for God to fulfill His promise to send a Messiah, the one who would deliver God’s people from all that oppressed them.

None of these prophets ever lived to see the advent of Jesus. But that didn’t stop them from looking forward to the day that He would come, knowing that even if it happened after they were gone, it would still be for the benefit of future generations.

We, too, should learn to wait patiently for God to fulfill His promise to us: that one day, whether in our lifetime or afterward, He will send Jesus back to take us home to Heaven, where we will spend eternity with Him. Let us never lose sight of that promise as we labor here on Earth.

Prayer:

God of our past, our present, and our future, we thank you that you have promised to come back for us, so that we can live in expectant anticipation of the day when we will be with you for all eternity. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Good Night, Uncle Bob

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!' " (Matthew 25:21)

Uncle Bob died on Wednesday.

Uncle Bob was the last of my mother's siblings to pass away. He was in his 90s and had lived a long and satisfying life. I hadn't seen him in many years, and don't know much about what his life was like in his twilight. But I know his character, and so I was not surprised that he slipped out of this world the same way that he lived in it - peacefully. He passed quietly in the hospital with his wife by his side. No lingering illness, no need for heroic efforts to save his life. He said he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go to the hospital. Once there, his blood pressure starting dropping rapidly, and within a few hours he was gone.

Uncle Bob was one of the most humble, unassuming men I have ever known. I don't recall ever seeing him angry or raising his voice. He served faithfully as an ordained minister in my parent's church for decades, gently expounding on the scriptures as best as he knew how, almost apologetically, not being a trained seminarian. Ironically, he was a carpenter. All of the ministers in that denomination are volunteers who support themselves in the secular workplace, and he was no exception. But he was an amazing master carpenter, one whom I looked up to and aspired to emulate in my own hobby as a handyman (I have never even come close to doing work as meticulously and nearly perfect as he did).

But this post isn't really about Uncle Bob. It's really about me. And it's about people like me, those of us "baby boomers" who are now entering our 50s and 60s. Our aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, even older cousins, are all starting to die off. Since my mother was born late in life (her mother was in her early 40s), her siblings were all considerably older than she; thus I expected that I would be experiencing these losses earlier than most of my counterparts. However, her family has a notoriously long life span, so most of my aunts and uncles made it into their 90s. Dad's side of the family isn't quite so well-preserved. As far as I can tell, I still have one aunt (Dad's sister) and uncle (her husband) on his side of the family (pushing their 80s, I think). And I have one aunt and uncle (the surviving spouses of two of Mom's siblings) on her side of the family (well into their 90s). I wish I could be more specific, but not having the most close-knit family, sometimes I don't even find out about a relative's death until long after their passing. And it feels weird to ask Dad if so-and-so is still alive (Mom wouldn't know, since she lives in her own little world of dementia and moves fluidly between 7 and 79). So I just assume they're still kicking until I hear otherwise.

But I digress. How does my generation deal with the passing of the former generation? How does any generation do this gracefully? I think now, more than ever, it's almost a surreal experience since we have become such a mobile society (how many people do you know who still live in the town where they were raised?). Unless you're one of those lucky ones who has a tight-knit extended family, where these deaths have a very real impact on your life, the death of a relative thousands of miles away just doesn't seem to register the same. As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't seen Uncle Bob for many years. In fact, I haven't seen and of my relatives outside of immediate family, for I don't know how long. Being geographically isolated from extended family (they're all still in Oregon) makes staying in touch difficult, not to mention that these people haven't been a part of my life for over 30 years. So I don't find myself grieving their deaths as much as I find myself grieving the psychological void they leave behind. I lost my last grandparent in the early 90s, so my identity as a grandchild is little more than a faded memory. And now I am quickly losing my identity as a nephew. This is the second death this year; Aunt Elva, my mother's oldest sister, passed away several months ago.

I have seen elderly characters in TV shows and movies who talk about the fact that all of their friends and relatives are dead. I don't want to be like that when I'm in my 70s, 80s, or 90s. I can't do anything about my relatives and family members preceding me in death. But I can surround myself with friends who are younger than myself, whom I can count on to be there for me as I get older. I choose to invest myself in young people, not only to leave a legacy, but to enjoy their enthusiasm for life and to share in their adventures, if even only vicariously. I always wanted to raise children, but that never happened. As it stands, my dogs are the sole heirs to my estate (not that I'm planning on going anywhere anytime soon). So I want the assurance of knowing that, as I enter into my senior years down the road, I've built up a "family" of loved ones who will hopefully outlast me. I don't know if I will have a devoted spouse by my side, holding my hand as I take my final breath (God, I hope so), but I know that I will have at least one dear friend sitting there, someone who has been with me through the good times and the bad, and who will allow me to slip quietly into my reward.

No one wants to die alone - death is a scary thing. It's the one thing in life most of us don't get to practice. We only get one shot at it, and it can be very frightening to leave this familiar world. I won't go into my theology of the afterlife - I'll save that for another time. But we don't have to face our twilight alone. If you don't have a spouse, or children nearby, I encourage you to invest yourself into young(er) people who can become your extended family. You will never regret it.

Good night, Uncle Bob. Rest in peace. You earned it.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Forgiven But Not Forgotten

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8)

I received an email this week from someone who did me a great deal of harm a couple of years ago. It took me by surprise because I was fairly certain that I would no longer need to deal with this individual. Not only had I forgiven him because I needed to for my own healing and well-being, but I had also blessed him in the process beyond what most any reasonably sane person would have done (this the passage quoted above). As far as I was concerned, our paths were permanently set on a parallel course with a very wide chasm between us, and I would be free to move on with my life without any further involvement with him.

And then the email arrived. The subject line simply said, "Amends". In his message, he indicated that he has been in a 12-step recovery program and has achieved nearly a year of sobriety. He felt that his alcoholism was at the root of the inexcusable abuse that he perpetrated against me. He also indicated that one of the steps to recovery is to seek out those one has wronged while in their addiction, and to make amends whenever possible. He felt that I was at the top of his list and wanted to know if there is anything that he could do or say that would make amends for what he had done.

While I can respect the seeming sincerity of his attempt to right his wrongs, I am also quite familiar with the guiding principles of 12-step groups. The other part of the "amends" step that he seemed to overlook is "except when to do so would injure them or others." The mere fact that I once again had to confront the incredible deceptions, abuse and betrayal that characterized this person's involvement in my life was painful. It opened a wound that I thought had completely healed over. The fact is, there is nothing that he could do or say that could even remotely make amends for what he did. And I'm not sure that I would want him to try, for doing so would require him to once again become a part of my life, however remotely removed and superficial that might be. And I'm not willing to take that risk.

On the other hand, I still don't see a true repentance on his part, or an acknowledgment that the alcoholism was nothing more than a symptom of a much deeper character defect. Alcohol did not make this person do unspeakably dark and malicious things to a fellow brother in Christ. It simply helped numb the guilt that he must have felt as he carried out his elaborate charade. To blame the alcohol is to take no personal responsibility for his actions, or to attempt to uncover the deeply hidden spiritual or psychological roots of his sociopathic behaviors (he was textbook on-spot). This in no way should be interpreted as a dismissal of recovery programs, for I feel that they definitely have value for many people. But I have spent many years working with some very hard-core addicts, and I know that most of them require professional help to deal with the causes of their addictions. Dealing with the addiction in a vacuum is like placing a band-aid on a cancerous tumor.

Obviously, I need to decide how I am going to respond to this request. In my flesh, I could easily reply with a rather vulgar two-word response, but I'm pretty sure that's not the right way to honor the Lord. I could ignore him and not reply at all, but perhaps that would leave the situation open for future attempts at contacting me, which I would rather not have to deal with. Or I could write a very simple response that acknowledges his effort, but makes it quite clear that there is nothing that he can do or say that will ever correct the wrongs that he did to me, and that the best thing he can do for me is to avoid all further contact with me.

As I weighed these options, I wanted to find some principle in Scripture that would apply to this situation. I'm beyond the forgiveness stage, so that's not the issue. Jesus told us to "turn the other cheek," but I'm fresh out of cheeks. And then I remembered this statement from Paul in 2 Timothy 4:14-15:

"Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message."

In these three sentences, there are a three principles that I feel apply to my situation. First, Paul may have forgiven Alexander, but he wasn't willing to forget the harm he did. In fact, nowhere in Scripture can I recall it saying that forgiveness equals forgetfulness. Sometimes we need to remember a grave offense so we can protect ourselves from allowing the offender to repeat their actions. Even the part of 1 Corinthians 13:5 that says that love "keeps no record of wrongs" is probably meant more as a defense against dredging up the past and beating someone over the head with it, than to blindly forget how much a person has hurt you, and thus allowing them to continue to inflict harm. We're called to forgive, not be door mats.

The second principle is that God will ultimately settle accounts with those who seem to "get away with murder." His justice is perfect, and He really doesn't need us to help Him out in that regard. After all, we each need to answer for the stuff that we got away with during our lifetimes as well. Remembering this principle makes forgiveness so much easier. In reality, forgiveness is the act of relinquishing our right to exact punishment on the other person. Let God do it - He's better at it.

Finally, Paul's exhortation to Timothy to be on guard against Alexander tells me that it wasn't acceptable to shun the metalworker or avoid him at all cost. Apparently, Timothy and Alexander were in close enough proximity that their paths would occasionally cross. As Christians, we should be willing and able to extend graciousness to even our enemies, without taking them into our bosoms. I think a lot of God's people don't seem to grasp this concept. If I don't agree with you or like what you do or believe, then I can't have anything to do with you (I grew up in a church that firmly espoused this position). Jesus rubbed shoulders with thieves and prostitutes, but He didn't become one.

I suppose writing tonight's blog has been my way of working through this situation. I apologize if it seems a bit self-serving, but I'm hoping that maybe some of these thoughts may help you one of these days if you find yourself in a similar situation. As for my response to the email, I suppose it will be something along the line of the third option. But not right away. I think I'll let him sweat it out for a few days.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day, and a blessed week!

Pastor David

Honoring Our Parents

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12)

I recently spent a few days in Oregon visiting my elderly parents. This annual trek always come with a mixed bag of emotions. I did not have a particularly happy childhood growing up in a very dysfunctional family. My parents were ill-equipped to raise five sons, and made a lot of mistakes along the way. My brothers and I carry the emotional scars that bear witness to this fact. For years, it was incredibly difficult to live out the Fifth Commandment to honor my parents. Selecting appropriate greeting cards on Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and other holidays was always emotionally challenging. Hallmark doesn't make cards that say, "Thanks for screwing up my childhood. Have a nice day!"

It may sound like a cliche, but my parents got wiser as they aged, and they finally acknowledged that they didn't do such a great job at raising us. But they also claim that they did the best that they could. I accept that, and have moved on, putting the pain of the past behind me.

As they have aged and fallen into poor health, I have started to look upon my parents with pity more than anything else. Regardless of how you feel about your parents, if you have any level of  compassion or empathy, you will find it difficult to watch them decline in their physical and mental capacities. My mother is confined to a nursing home with dementia, where she will spend the rest of her life. My father is on his second pacemaker, and is barely able to care for himself. He lives in solitude at home, after having spent 57 years living with his mate. He visits mom every weekday for a few hours, which takes all of his energy. Being blind in one eye and having limited vision in his other, he shouldn't even be driving to see her, but it's the last vestige of freedom that he has. I figure his guardian angels work overtime every time he makes that trip to see mom.

I used to think that the commandment to "honor your father and mother" meant that we had to act as if they were wonderful people and we could only think good things about them in order to honor them. I no longer hold this opinion. Now, I see honoring my parents as accepting them as they are, flaws and all, as children of God and as the people who brought me into this world. I honor them by giving them a few days of my life once a year (it would be more often if I didn't live so far away). I honor them by not speaking evil of them or wishing ill on them. They have enough of their own demons to battle - I don't need to add my own. I also honor them by not bringing up their past mistakes - there is nothing to be gained by doing so.

Much of what my parents are going through now is self-inflicted. My parents were never very keen on taking care of their physical health. They shunned doctors and preventive health care. Mother never took an interest in activities that would help keep her mind sharp. They both struggled with weight issues, but never watched what they ate or got proper exercise. Now they are restricted to diets they do not enjoy. They take multiple medications to keep they alive. Mom is confined to a wheelchair and can't remember what day it is, or how long she has been at the nursing home. She is trapped in a virtual "Groundhog Day" where every day is a repeat of the one before, and there is no passage of time. She knows that she isn't at home, but she doesn't know where home is.

I have learned a lot from watching what my parents are going through. I learned how important it is to take care of myself, physically and mentally. I have learned the value of maintaining a good diet, watching my weight, and getting plenty of exercise. Perhaps part of honoring them includes taking better care of myself so I can enjoy my senior years when they come.

Parent/child dynamics are complex at best, so I'm not going to sit here and tell you how you should honor your parents, whether living or not. But Ephesians 6:2 reminds us that this is the first commandment with a promise, that we will enjoy long life when we honor our parents. And frankly, life is too short to carry grudges about things over which we have no control. If you experienced pain or abuse as a child, know this: you did not cause that to happen, nor did you have any control over it. The only thing you have control over as an adult is how you will respond to that pain. Let it go. Find a way to honor your parents that works for you. And leave the rest to God.

Have a blessed week!
 
Pastor David