Christmas Lights John 1:1-5

In Celtic times before they came to know Christ, people celebrated the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. There sun God would regain his strength and bring life again. People would decorate with evergreens and celebrate the coming spring. Cutting down a small tree and decorating it with cookies and other goodies and the exchange of presents were part of the celebration. Christians forbid the Christmas tree until Martin Luther turned the pagan holiday into a celebration of Christ birth called “Christmas”. The tree became the Christmas tree. But Christmas trees did not become popular until the 1800’s. Now some kind of tree can be found in homes, churches, and public parks.

Light is important to Christmas as well. The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Burning candles reminded people of the coming light of spring. Kathy and I went to a wonderful light display in Duluth on Friday, what a magnificent display it was.

Today our celebration of Christmas has a tree, decorations, presents and lights.

When John was writing his Gospel light was very important because it was a word used by Gnostic’s who claimed special enlightenment or spiritual knowledge that made them more spiritual. So John uses their words to express the truth of Jesus. So you find our passage in John the Word, became the light of men that shines in the darkness. In 1 John 1:5 “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” In Mathews Gospel tells us that Jesus called believers the “light of the World.”

In the Gospel there is a tree, John tells us Jesus started out caring His cross, and Luke tells us in chapter 23:26 that when Jesus could no longer carry it the guards laid it on Simon of Cyrene. The roads were decorated by people who were mourning and lamenting. I can see a man with a withered handmade whole, a man healed of leprosy, men who were blind now see their healer taken to the cross. So many lives changed and touched by God.

In the Gospel there are gifts, John 1:9-14 through Jesus God gave the gift of salvation, the right to become children of God.

In the Gospel there is a tree, made into a cross, decorations made of people whose lives had been changed, and gifts of the Spirit of God. So long ago just outside the city of Jerusalem there was a tree, there were decorations, gifts and lights.

Our Christmas today has a tree, shaped like a cross, it is the place where we are healed and new life begins. A tree of hope, a tree of healing, a tree of promise, a tree of life.

There are decorations made of the things God has done, in the lives of people we have known, lives saved and touched by God, each and every one a beautiful work of art by God.

There are gifts of the Holy Spirit, gifts to be used to build God’s kingdom, gifts of healing, forgiveness and encouragement. Many gifts waiting to be unwrapped.

But most of all there are the lights. You are God’s Christmas lights, set upon a hill, placed upon a stand, meant to give light to world around you.

The winter solstice has passed, soon decorations will be taken down and put away. But God’s Christmas we must never put away. We must leave it out for all to see, every day. Remember every day.

There is a tree. There are decorations. There are gifts. And you are God’s Christmas lights! Burn brightly my friends.

The Christmas Story

Part 1

Christmas began even before Time it’s self for;

¹  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²  He was with God in the beginning. ³  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

 

For God knew mankind would need to be rescued from itself. So before God said a single word of creation the decision was made that Jesus would come.

²  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ³  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. ⁵  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

⁶  And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” ⁷  So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. ⁸  God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. ⁹  And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰  God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the Second day.
²⁶  Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
²⁷  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ²⁸  God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” ²⁹  Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰  And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.  

But just as God had known from the beginning mankind lost its way.

 

⁵  The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. ⁶  The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

 

But there is nothing to fear for God had a plan to rescue us formed before the very first day.

²³  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

¹  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ³  And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. ³  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
⁵  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁹  The true light that gives light to everyone came into the world. ¹⁰  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Part 2

The time had come for God Himself, Jesus, to step into the world to save us. Mary and Joseph had no idea the importance of the Baby they cared for in the manger in the dark. Near Bethlehem that night;

there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks. ⁹  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.¹¹  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ¹⁵  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.” ¹⁶  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 

 

part 3

A group of Magi, astrologers, who pursue wisdom and magic, who lived in Persia, saw a star over Israel. Perhaps they remembered Balaam’s prophecy found in Numbers 24:17; “A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Or maybe God granted them the knowledge of a Kingly Birth. So they set out on a 40-day journey to find a king. Mary and Joseph were in a home in Bethlehem.

¹  After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
²  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
³  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
⁴  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
⁵  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
⁶  “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
⁷  Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
⁸  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
⁹  After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
¹⁰  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
¹¹  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
¹²  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

But this is not the end of the story.

 

Part 4

The Christmas Story is not finished. Jesus’s rescue of us all continued as He grew, as He taught and healed crowds of people. Jesus gathered people around Him called disciples and taught them of God’s love and plan to save us. When the time was right Jesus told His disciples that He die on the cross to save us and gave the symbols we use to remember His sacrifice. Later they listened to Jesus while He hung on the cross.

 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
²⁹  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.
³⁰  When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 

After 3 days Jesus arose from the dead and some time with His disciples helping them understand the rest of God’s plan that started before God said let there be light.

¹⁶  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
¹⁷  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
¹⁸  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
¹⁹  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

So the Christmas story continues with them gift of grace passed from disciple to disciple, generation to generation, until some how it came to me and you. The Christmas story will continue on until there are none left to rescue, none left to receive God’s Christmas gift. Today the gift is for you. “if we confess our sin, Jesus is faithful and just and will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is God’s Christmas gift to you. And it all started when God said. “Let there be light!”

The Gift From a King

What is so important about the Wise men, other than they brought Jesus cool gifts? Who are these travelers and why is all Jerusalem upset? Why did they bring the gifts?

1.       Wise Men
a. Magicians, Astrologers
b. From Persia
c. Going around town asking dangerous questions.
d. they bring gifts to Jesus

2.       They get it wrong also
a. we think the Magi get it and bring gifts
b. Gifts for a king
c. They look, they rejoice and then they go home
d. The star in the sky lead them to Jesus not so they could give gifts but that they could receive a gift.

3.       Getting it wrong today
a. We focus on gift giving
b. It’s all about receiving a gift
c. forgiveness, healing, redemption, life, another chance
d. our lameness walking, our blindness seeing, our brokenness made whole.
e. what is the gift you really need?
f. it’s not about giving, not even about the gift of a king, it’s about the gift from the King.

There is a gift for you today. It could be forgiveness and the promise of heaven. It could be release from a sin that has kept you captive, an abusive memory, a broken worn out body or a broken heart. Jesus know the gift you need and the right time for you to receive it. Will you look for that gift, believe in that gift? There is a gift for you from the king of heaven and earth, please don’t miss it.

luke 2:8-20

Shepherds, on the quite hillside in the night, so peaceful that we would like to climb into the picture and sit with them for a while. As we are sitting there the sky lights up and song burst forth, “Gory to God in the highest!” A Voice thunders out, “Fear not! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy!’ The shock wears off and we all start to talk. Uh, you see that? What did you see? After we are sure of what we saw and heard we might ask why us? Why would God send angels to shepherds, working class people like you and I? Today I want to look at why shepherds?

The prophets are filed with imagery of God as the shepherd and Israel as the sheep. Psalm 23 paints a wonderful picture of God as the shepherd caring for his sheep. Israel’s king David was a shepherd. Most of all is the prophet Zechariah’s picture of the shepherds in Zechariah 11. Here is a picture of the sheep doomed to slaughter.

1.       Zechariah

a.       Shepherd who devours the sheep vs 15&16

b.       The flock doomed to slaughter, sold out, vs 4&5

c.       Ezekiel 34:1-10 The priest and the leaders of Israel

2.       Another shepherd

a.       Isaiah 40:9-11

b.       High on the mountain herald of good news!

c.       Behold your God!

d.       He will tend the flock and gather the lambs

e.       Ezekiel 34:11-24

f.        God searches for the sheep

g.       Gives them good pasture

h.       Strengthens the weak

i.         Rescues the flock

3.       Jesus the good shepherd

a.       Vs 1-5 the voice of the true shepherd

b.       Jesus is the door to the goodness of God vs 7-10

c.       The shepherd who lays down his life vs 11-16

4.       We are the shepherds

a.       John 21:15-17 feed my sheep

b.       Do you love Jesus, really? Feed his sheep.

c.       Whose voice do they hear?

d.       do we use the tender voice of God?

e.       Do we go and gather them gently into our arms and carry them home?

Jesus came as the shepherd to the shepherds. Jesus has called you and I to be the new shepherds to call and find the lost. Whose voice do they hear? Is it the gentle voice of the savior seeking them out? Who’s arms wrap around them? Is it the strong gentle arms of Jesus picking them up and carrying them home? You and I are God’s shepherds of the sheep.

A Christmas Message

I read a story about a woman who collected dolls. She kept them in display cases in her home so visitors could look at them. The woman had a friend visiting who noticed three dolls on the mantel over the fireplace. She asked about them and the woman explained that these were her most valuable dolls. Her friend understood the value of two of the dolls, for they were very beautiful. But the doll in the center of the mantel was a rag doll with a torn dress, an eye missing, and an arm coming off. The friend asked about why this doll was where it is? The collector of dolls told her that this was the most valuable doll of all. And then told her the story of the doll.

This doll was her first doll, which she had lost when she was a little girl. She looked for it everywhere but could never find it. Then when her grandmother died a few years back she was cleaning out her grandmother’s house and found the doll behind some boxes in the attic. The woman looked at her friend and said some things are loved because they are valuable, but this doll is valuable because it is loved.

When I see a manger scene I often think of the doll story. I usually start with the question why? Why would Jesus leave all the splendor of heaven to be born in a cattle stall? He grew up in a common laborer’s home and then died a criminal’s death. The Bible tells us that the resurrected Jesus still bears the scars of crucifixion and will for all eternity. How could it be for you and I? In Psalm 8:4 we read “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” The Bible says that “all like sheep have gone astray” and “There is no one that is righteous, not even one.” Each and every one of us is flawed, sinful, and broken in some way. So why would God value you and I enough to come into our world that first Christmas day?

The answer is in the doll story; we are valuable to God because we are loved by God. God has chosen to love us. We don’t understand it when we look at all our flaws and brokenness but God has looked beyond these things and declared us to be special in His eyes. Because God chose to love us, there is a baby in a manger, a carpenter’s son, a man on the cross, and a lamb that was slain in heaven.

We will most likely receive gifts this Christmas, and we will place a value on these gifts for various reasons, but only one gift will place a value on us, God’s love. Because God loves us, we are valuable. Because God loves the rest of the people in this world, they are valuable to God and should be valuable to us. With all that goes on during Christmas keep in mind that you are valued enough for Jesus to come and save you, to come and find you. With all the gifts you receive treasure the gift that treasures you, God’s love. The baby in the manger, the carpenter’s son, the man on the cross, the lamb that has been slain, all for you. The best gift is the gift that makes you valuable, God’s love.

Luke 2:1-7 “No Room For Jesus”

 

Mass shootings, protest, and terrorist attacks fill our news, our world. Revelation 6:1-4 the white horse of the conquer has come and gone. The red horse which takes peace from the earth so people kill each other is now here. Politicians and news people debate what the answer is, gun control, back ground checks, surveillance, and other ideas. Everything but Jesus. Bethlehem is known as much for its violence as it is for being the Birthplace of Jesus.

1.       No Room for Jesus

a.       No room at the inn

b.      John 1:11 “He came to His own...”

c.       At his trial Luke 23:18 the crowd called out for Barabbas

d.      Acts 4:16&17 the Council warns them not to speak of Jesus

2.       Making room for Jesus

a.       Guest vs residents

b.      Your favorite famous person came to your home

c.       Personally each day, reading, prayer, some action that reflects Jesus

d.      As a family

e.      In your world, work or school

f.        The only way to bring peace to the world is to bring Jesus to the world.

Who’s decorations are on the walls of our life? Is there truly room for Jesus? Is Jesus at home in our life or just a guest? Do the people we meet each day know that Jesus lives in our life? In a few minutes we will take communion which reminds us that Jesus gave His life on the cross to make room for us. Let us commit ourselves to make more room in our lives for Him.

Matthew 2:6 “No One Was Looking”

 

1.       No One Was Looking
a. Vs 5 shows they knew where the messiah was to be born.
b. Yet the wise men announce it. (could they not see the star)
c. They noticed when Jesus healed someone
d. disciples picking grain
e. yet they were not looking for Jesus.

2.       Jesus Is Coming Again
a. Matthew 24&25 Jesus tells of His second coming
b. John 14:1-3 I will return
c. Every parable and story has a coming day
d. Don’t get caught unprepared
e. Fruit, oil, talents

3.       Being Ready
a. Live looking for Jesus
b. Live like Jesus is looking at you
c. Not rules but gratitude

On Jesus’ first coming the people who should have been looking were not. They were told by strangers. Are you looking for Jesus? Do we live our lives looking for Jesus? Fruit ready, lamps filled and trimmed, and His gifts to us fully invested. Let each one of us live Looking for Jesus.

Philippians 4:5-7 “Seeking Peace In A World Falling Apart”

Philippians 4:5-7   “Seeking Peace In A World Falling Apart”

It seems like the world is falling apart. Bombings and terrorist shootings. Protest over police shootings. Troubled relationships, lost jobs, physical limitations, faltering retirement accounts, dogs and cats living together! Anxiety is killing us and taking our joy. How in such a troubled world or troubled life can we find joy and peace again?

1.       We all face anxiety, worry, from time to time.
a. Abram Gen 15:2-3 Abram worried
b. Moses worried Exodus 4:10-17
c. spies brought a bad report Numbers 13:31-33
d. Elijah is overcome by anxiety 1 Kings 18:38-40 19:1-4
e. It is nothing new.

2.       The substitute for anxiety
a. Put something else in anxiety’s place. (but in everything)
b. the idol mind wonders to anxiety

3.       Prayer and Petition
a. equal time prayer
b. plead with God
c. start a petition to God

4.       With Thanksgiving
a. thanksgiving for what God has done
b. remembering the power of God.
c. thanksgiving for what He will do
d. James 1:6-8 ask with confidence in God.

5.       Anxiety is replaced with
a. a peace we cannot understand
b. a guard for our hearts.
c. Romans 8:37-39

If we are to overcome anxiety we need to replace it with prayer and thanksgiving. We must remember the power of God in the past. If we do this, somewhere in the conversation anxiety is overcome by faith, and we will find peace.

Philippians 4:1-5 “Get Over It”

Could you imagen the excitement a letter from Paul would bring to the Philippian church? The whole church is assembled to hear it. You can hear whispers “I wonder what he will say”, What did he think of our gift?” “Does he mention me? Am I in it?” Then they start to read and what a wonderful letter it is. Then you hear your name and you bustle up with pride until the rest of the sentence is read. These two women’s squabble over something is immortalized forever in the Bible.

This argument is not about faith matters or Paul would have given them a solution to the debate. This is something serous like what time to have the potluck, or whether the pews should be square to the front or diagonal. Something important like what color robes the choir was going to wear.

If we are honest we must admit that many more churches fail to grow, fail to carry out the work of Jesus in this world because of squabbles over personal preferences than over good or bad theology. The favorite hymn of a dead church is “Have my own way”. Paul’s answer to these squabbles is get over it. But how do we do this?

1.       Focus on the work to be done.
a. they have labored side by side with Paul for the Gospel
b. we have a job to do
c. people are lost, broken, hurting and headed for hell
d. whatever is keeping you from the work of God, get over it.
e. put it in perspective of importance.
f. stop fighting each other and start fighting the devil

2.       Your names are in the Book of life
a. isn’t salvation enough?
b. isn’t God’s love enough?
c. isn’t heaven enough?
d. we are on the same team.
e. we are both in the Book of Life!

What will our church be a year from now? Will we be doing the work of Jesus in this world five years from now? It will most likely depend on how we treat each other. How we talk to each other. Seriously “Get over it” and get to work for Jesus.

Citizens of Heaven Philippians 3:17-21

United States Citizenship, in many countries it is more valuable than life. People will pay unreal amounts just to set foot in our country. Then they go through the rigorous process of becoming a citizen of the United States. These people dream of safer and better life, filled with opportunity. Yet it is sad to say that many of the people born and raised as citizens of the United States, take it for granted and never think of it at all.

Equally sad is that many Christians have forgotten where their citizenship lies.

1. Citizens of Rome
   a. the power of Roman citizenship
   b. Persecution of Christians
   c. My Kingdom is not of this world John 18:36
   d. We have no king but Caesar John 19:12-16
   e. For 100’s of years the Christians claim of citizenship in Jesus’s kingdom
2. Citizens of Heaven
   a. The Right to be called Children of God. John 1:9-13
   b. A place for us. John 14:1-3
   c. Interceding for us Romans 8:34
   d. Confidence to enter the Holy Place Hebrews 10:19
3. Transformed and transforming
   a. Transformed from our lowly body..
   b. our weakness, our brokenness, fallenness
   c. Conformed to the likeness Rom 8:29
   d. be transformed Rom 12:1&2
   e. will be changed 1 Cor 15:51

Rom 13:11 Salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. Whatever you face remember your citizens of heaven, and your King is Jesus. Your place will be prepared and waiting for you. Take advantage of every opportunity your citizenship affords you. Proudly and boldly live as Children of God.

Philippians 3:12-16 "Will We Make It"

Kathy and I were in Casper WY and visited the wagon trail west. Settlers would come to Casper where they would cross the plat river. As wagon trains came west they reached independence rock. If the wagon train made it to independence rock by July 4^th they would make it across the Sierra Nevada Mountains before the snow came. This was no guarantee. After reaching independence rock they had to keep the same pace they have been keeping all along. To relax, even at this point would mean death.

This is the attitude that Paul shares with us in this passage. Paul will not say “I’ve made it, I have done well enough, now I can rest.” He says “I press on” toward the goal. Paul warns the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 about idleness.  This holds true for spiritual idleness as it does for physical laziness. Proverbs 6:10 says “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hand to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

In 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 warns us that we may not lose our salvation but we can still suffer loss.

How do we do this?
Forget what lies behind
Gumball Rally “the first rule of Italian racing”
A trail of necessities.
Stop thinking I was and start thinking I Am.

Straining for what is ahead.
Many of us are on the last hill to glory
Packers Lacy
if all you can do is take a step and then fall, fall forward.

Our Church
We are in danger of not reaching the goal
The church is not to end at your grave
Some will say but we want, or we always have, or I don’t like this and that
How’s that been working for us?

Keven and I crossing the river, Stop fighting I am trying to save you.

What are you willing to leave behind? How far are you willing to strain toward the goal?
Will you reach the goal? Will you stand before a pile of ashes when your life is tried by fire?
Will there be a church here reaching the lost?

Phil 3:1-11 What do we trust

The old man looked around his study. There were pictures of him and well known people. Pictures of races, events, awards and trophies he had won. Through the years his identity had changed from the high school football player, to the college graduate, to the daring business man, to the proud father. Each replaced by a new identity until none of them described him anymore. His job today was to collect his most important things to take to his small senior apartment. His eyes caught the old Bible on the edge of his desk with it’s worn cover and beaten edges. The old man thought about the day he asked Jesus to be his savior and became a Christian when he was in Jr.High. Funny he thought that all the important things that lined the walls and covered the shelves had come and gone. I ams replaced by I used to bes. The only “I am” left was his faith in Jesus. He picked up his Bible walked out of his study and closed the door. Someone asked him if he was finished with that room, he replied I got the only thing that’s me.

At the time Paul writes Philippians some people wanted Christ Followers to be another sect of Jews. They were insisting that Christ Followers be circumcised among other things.

1. What are we counting on?
   a. Paul’s Jewish status
   b. physical strength, looks, money, awards, influence, popularity, knowledge or intellect?
   c. good theology, the right church?
2. Two bank accounts
   a. earth bond national
   b. heavenly trust
   c. coming bank failure
3. Closing the old account
   a. changing your deposits
   b. learning to count again

What are you counting on? When you stand before God and he says why should I let you into heaven? What will you say? The only thing that will matter as you leave this world and close the door is Jesus.

Phil 2:12-18 “Can They See You”

Phil 2:12-18 “Can They See You”

Gun control debate, shootings in Oregon, Arizona, and many other places. Bombings in Turkey that killed 95 people.  Realistic video games that glorify and reward killing. TV shows that put people inside the thoughts of sociopathic and psychopathic killers, while desensitizing us to blood and gore. Our courts do not seek to raise the moral level of society but seek out the most debase level of human existence. If we trained a dog with these methods it would become a monster. Philippians 2:15 calls it a crooked and twisted generation.

What are we to do?
1. Live together without grumbling or disputing
a. a team at odds with its self cannot win
b. little changes so far, soon bigger changes must come.
2. Children of God without blemish
3. Holding fast to the Word of Truth

Shine as lights in the world
1. Most Christians do not have contact with Non-Christians (friendships)
2. Most Non-Christians do not have contact with a true Christian. (friendship)

The statue of Liberty
1. Can they see you?
2. Can they see us?

People addicted to drugs, alcohol, or porn, can they see you?
People homeless and abused, can they see you?
People lost and loaded with guilt, searching for salvation, can they see you?
Will we stop grumbling and disputing? Will we call ourselves to live to a higher moral standard? Will we seek to be unblemished Children of God? Will we hold fast to the Word of Truth?

Can they see you?
Can they see us?

Philippians 2:1-11 The way up is Down

Philippians 2:1-11 The way up is Down

Presidential races

Old songs like “have thine own way Lord’…….
Newer songs like “Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me……
express the desire to be used by God. And we want to be used by God in some significant way.
In this passage Paul tells us of the strange shaped spiritual ladder.

1.       The desire for significance
a. vs 9-11 part of the glory
b. touchdown pass, a scoring kickoff return, or the winning field goal
c. in our hearts we want to be used by God, important to the kingdom
d. how do we get there? THEREFORE

2.       The same mind as Jesus
a. vs 1&2 same mind and same love as Jesus
b. vs 5 This mind which is in Christ Jesus

3.       What mind
a. vs 3 selfish ambition
b. conceit
c. humility
d. count others as more important than self
e. other interests not self-interests
f. emptied himself, humbled himself, obedient even to death.

Do you want your life to have meaning, accomplish something great for God? Remember on God’s ladder of success the way to the top is down. The way to be exalted is to humble yourself in service. To save your life you must give it up. For the way up is following Jesus, down.

Philippians 1:27-30 Caught in the War

Philippians 1:27-30 Caught in the War

                Kim Davis, a court clerk in Kentucky, sits in jail today because she is a Christian. She will not compromise her faith by approving same sex marriage. As the law stands the clerk’s office cannot issue a license without the clerk’s signature on it. The law and her faith are in conflict and she has chosen her faith.

                Floweriest, bakers and others are being sued because the will not work for same sex weddings. Who would have thought that this issue would become a thing that brings persecution to Christians who desire to practice Biblical Faith?

1.       Real Life
a. “standing firm” “striving for the Gospel” “opponents” “suffer for His sake” “engaged in conflict”
b. we have battles going on around us. Battles for our minds, our hearts, our families, our marriages, our faith.
d. 1 Peter 5:8

2.       Real faith
a. standing, striving, not afraid, suffer for His sake, engaged in the conflict.
b. one mind, side by side,
c. a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ

 

3.       A Real War
a. Every day on the news we see the casualty’s
b. broken lives, refugees, killings, rapes, broken families, addictions
c. What will we sacrifice for the sake of winning this war?
e. What will we do to win the battle around us?

 

Paul’s joy in Jesus was not in the absence of conflict, but in knowing that in the midst of the conflict people’s lives were saved. Saved not for the moment but for eternity. His joy came from the privilege he had to suffer for Jesus as Jesus had suffered for him. Are you engaged in the battle or hunkered down in a fox hole waiting for the battle to pass?

Philippians 1:19-26 What Will You Choose?

Philippians 1:19-26 What Will You Choose?

In the 17 and 18 century thinkers like John Locke and Henry Rousseau came up with the blank slate theory of psychology. That people are the product of their environment. Many people have the same idea about joy. The idea that joy is the result of your environment, the situation and event of your life is held by so many people today. If I only had more money, if I only had a different job, if I only had a different spouse, I could have joy. As we look at our scripture Paul shows us Joy is a choice.

Paul’s situation
in prison in Rome, set up by underhanded men.
Shipwrecked, beaten with rods, thrown off a cliff, and stones thrown at him until he left for dead.
Paul also endures an affliction he describes as a thorn in his flesh.
Paul’s environment would dictate that he should be joyless and miserable.

Paul chooses joy
vs 18 “Yes, and I will rejoice.”
Paul chooses to believe
vs 23 “My desire is to depart” he is worn out and physically hurting”
vs 19 “this will turn out for my deliverance”
vs 20 “I will not be ashamed”, Christ will be honored
vs 21 “To live is Christ to die is gain”

How can we do this?
Joy sucking people and events
Choose to want joy
Work camp Jackson Miss
believe in your deliverance, your situation is temporary
Look to honor Christ, Change your goal
Live for Jesus and not for yourself.

What will you choose today? Will you focus on your discomfort, you lot in life, or your physical conditions? Will you let the joy suckers win? Rejoice with Paul, Jesus saved you and loves you no one can take that away. There is a better place for you at the end of the road. Each day you can live to bring glory to God. Choose that Christ will be honored by your life. Then regardless of life’s situation you are a winner. What will you choose.

Wyoming Sunset

I am working on a painting of a Wyoming sunset. There is a dark gray piece of sky at the top and there is a dark brown at the bottom. But there is a place of beauty and wonder where heaven and earth meet. This place is filled will blues, yellows, oranges, and bright reds. This place where the sun meets the mountains send those colors through the sky driving back the darkness.

What a picture of faith. We can live with our focus on heaven and God in a theological or philosophical way that becomes drab and even boring. We can on the other hand spend our life focused on earth and all the darkness that is the world without God. Two dark gray areas that bring weariness and boredom. But there is another place where we can live, a place that is alive and bright, filled with joy. There is a place where Jesus and our lives can meet. In this place, the power of God can explode in the very substance of our lives and send showers light and color into the world we live in.

John 1:4&5 describe Jesus as “In Him is life, and the life is the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” In John 8:12 we read that Jesus called Himself “the light of the world.” When the light of Jesus meets our lives, that light explodes in us. In Matthew 5:14 Jesus calls those who believe in Him the “Light of the world” and told the disciples, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

In John 15:5 Jesus tells the disciples “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears mush fruit.” Galatians 5:22 tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” The Fruit of the Spirit are the things that bring light and color to our lives and our world. When we allow Jesus to touch our lives and change the way we live God light truly shines out driving back the darkness.

This beautiful explosion of light, life, and color does not happen because we attend church or we have asked Jesus for forgiveness. This wondrous transformation only happens when we truly allow Jesus to touch and change our lives on a daily basis.

Does your spiritual life seem boring and drab gray? Does the life you live at home and work dark and lacking the joy, hope and peace you want to experience? Perhaps it is time to stop keeping Jesus in the clouds, and time to stop living dark gray of life untouched by God. There is a place of light and color, a place where the power of God explodes into your life and drives out the darkness. This wondrous place is where the sun touches the mountains, it is the place where you allow Jesus to touch and change your life each day.

Philippians 1:12-18 Why Me

Philippians 1:12-18 Why Me

Why do things, events or situations steal our joy? Is there a way past them to find joy again? This is what Philippians is all about, finding joy again.

1.       Life is unfair
a. Paul is in prison

b. because of his witness for Jesus

c. some seek to harm him even there vs 15, 17

d. physical

e. financial

f. work, school, ect.

2. looking past the situation
a. joy vs comfort
b. vs 12 to advance the gospel
c. encourage others to be bolder (Nelson Mandela)
d. 18 in every way and even with bad motives Christ is proclaimed

3. Getting past it
a. You have a right to be broken and angry
b. I understand I have been there
c. break the cycle of depression
d. stop asking how, why, and who
e. start asking how can God use this?

Paul found joy because he saw his goal of telling people about Jesus was being carried out even by those who meant to hurt him. If we are to find joy we must look for what God is doing and can do even with our suffering. Until we can do this joy will elude us.

July times

Sitting on my desk is a piece of Lava Rock that I picked up on a hike across a lava flow near Split Rock Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Superior. Before this, I never thought about how volcanos helped to build the Great Lakes. Volcanos erupting are not usually considered a great thing to happen. They can kill thousands of people, damage property, and even change the climate.

Our lives have volcanos erupting from time to time. The doctor says it’s cancer, your spouse says it’s over, your bank says it’s empty, there are thousands more to be named. Some of these volcanos of life are big and some are small, but all of them are uncomfortable to endure.

Back to my walk across the lava flow on a sunny day by Split Rock Lighthouse. I was looking for colorful stones called Agates. Agates form in air bubbles in the lava. As the Lava cools water and minerals fill the bubbles and crystalize forming a very shiny smooth stone. I wanted to collect a few of them. Not only did I find some agates, but I also found some iron ore and some copper ore. Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are filled with iron and copper mines; much of the area was settled because of mining.

Many wonderful things come up with the lava during eruptions, iron, copper, tin, gold, diamonds, and lots of pretty rocks. While life’s volcanos bring pain and difficulty they also bring valuable things to our lives. It could be a life lesson, a new friend, a deeper faith, a new outlook on life, and many other things. Some of these we can walk along the lava of life and find for ourselves, for other we may need help.

Here in the north-woods people worked together in iron and copper mines to dig the valuable ore from the lava that brought it to the surface. Some of the ore required digging deep into the ground to reveal it. It was not easy work, but they got it done.

Romans 8:28 says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This does not mean that the volcanos of life are going to feel good or their pain go away. What it means is that along with the horrible and destructive lava, valuable things have come as well. Gems of diamonds, agates, gold, iron, copper and tin are all to be found in the volcano’s flow.

Some of these gems are on the surface and easy to find on your own, while others will require some help. This is one of the reasons I believe every Christian should have a church home, a church family. Each of us will have days when the lava of life is to much for us and we will need someone else to dig us out. There will be days when together we will find diamonds of faith only because we dig for them together.

When we find the gems in the midst of the lava we need to remember they are a gift of God and thank Him for those little wonders. James 1:17  reminds us; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

The volcanos of life will come. What will we have when they are done? Hot lava, and destruction? Or will we find diamonds, gold, copper, iron tin and even agates. Anyone can find lava, but if you want the good stuff you will have to look for it, dig for it, stop and pick it up.


Times June

You would not know it to look outside today with the ground wet by two days of light rain, but most of our country is in a horrible drought. In our greatest food producing state, California, things are getting dangerous. Reservoirs once filled with what seemed an endless supply of water are already dry or will be soon. Farmers have not planted crops because they know they will not have the water needed to bring them to harvest. In the cattle states like Texas ranchers have sold their herds and shut down because there is not enough water to keep the herd alive. You would be a rich person if you could have figured out that people would be paying $2.00 for a bottle of water to drink.

Interestingly, I read in one of my backcountry hiking books a report that said most people in the USA live in a constant state of dehydration. People just do not drink enough water so their body can function correctly. Dehydration affects your kidney function, muscle function, your cognitive abilities, and even your ability to fight off diseases.

 All this got me to thinking about how many people live in a spiritual state of dehydration? How many would describe their spiritual life as dry, lacking energy and empty. This spiritual dehydration also affects the rest of our life, just as physical dehydration does.

Jerimiah 17:7&8 says “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Psalms 1:1-3 says “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”  

The spiritually dehydrated person’s life is filled with fear during difficult times, withered and dry leaves as well as a lack of fruitfulness. For the spiritually dehydrated life does not feel prosperous, like its going somewhere; life feels like a struggle to stay alive.

I think we all feel spiritually dehydrated at times. If we take time to reflect on the passages from Jeremiah and Psalms we find that we are not putting our confidence or trust in God or His Word. That’s not something to beat yourself up about but is something you want to change. It is time to refocus our trust in the Lord and His word.