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?