I sure hope you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! I know our family did and we are enjoying the opportunity to have some downtime together.
This coming Sunday we will commemorate and celebrate the Epiphany, otherwise known as the visit of the Magi, or Wise Men. You can read this account in Matthew 2.1-12. Epiphany occurs on January 6 and marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas. The word, epiphany, means a sudden comprehension or awareness of reality. So when we celebrate the Epiphany and the visit of the Wise Men we are called to realize two distinct things: (1) that Jesus is the Son of GOD and (2) that in Jesus, GOD is for all people.
It is important to bear in mind the image that GOD deliberately gives us at Christmas. Jesus is born in apparent scandal to a poor and unwed teenage girl. He makes His entrance to the world not in the posh comfort of royalty, but in a feeding trough in a stable or cave. Yes, angels announced his birth and a star shone brightly overhead, but it was a group of shepherds and dignitaries from a non-Jewish people who came to pay homage to the newborn King. Where the cries of “no room in the inn” were echoing through the Bethlehem night, GOD was declaring that Jesus was born and sent for all people. And if the Son of GOD can come in such a scandalous and humble fashion, then there is no such thing as a person caught up in the same who cannot come to GOD. Period.
The Bible tells us that when the Wise Men made their pilgrimage to Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were indicative of Jesus’ royalty and the fact that He would suffer for our sins and bring forth salvation. Though Jesus could provide a preeminent case of what-kind-of-gift-do-you-get-the-person-who-has-everything, the Magi knew just what to bring to mark this momentous occasion. For us today, we can turn to the sentiments of the beautiful Christmas song, “In The Bleak Midwinter” and say, “what I can I bring him; bring Him my heart.”
As we prepare to usher in a new year this weekend, I want to encourage you to think about how you will bring GOD your heart to mark this year’s Epiphany. Will you allow GOD to bring you a sudden realization that He is Lord? Will you allow GOD to break into your life and show you that He is for you, despite what you might think or feel? Perhaps you did that a while back and need to recommit to living for Him and His purpose for your life…New Year’s Day provides us that unique annual opportunity to acknowledge GOD’s loving sovereignty in the world and in your life.
May you enjoy this blessed Christmas season and prepare for a very Happy New Year. If you are in town, I hope to see you in worship on Sunday as we celebrate a New Year and learn about how we are taking seriously our call to be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth.
This IS indeed the most wonderful time of the year, so may we commit, or recommit as the case may be, to living for the Lord!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Change
I saw a list of ten things identified by Forbes magazine that our kids will never have to worry about. The children being born right now are part of what Forbes calls the Information Generation. Here is that list:
(10) No instant connectivity to the Internet
(9) Sending letters
(8) Having to search for content in resources like dictionaries
(9) Sending letters
(8) Having to search for content in resources like dictionaries
(7) Buying and storing music in formats like 8-tracks, records, cassette tapes, or CDs
(6) Renting a movie from a store
(5) Waiting on pictures to be developed from film
(4) Using a pay phone or paying a long distance bill
(3) Buying encyclopedias
(2) Paying bills with checks
(1) Taking a typing class
It is interesting to me that many of the things on this list were actually taught as courses or lessons in school. I can remember going to the library and learning how to research in a library. I can remember learning how to handwrite letters. I have owned recordings by The Beatles in all of the formats listed above, in addition to a digital format on my iPod; and yes, that includes an 8-track! It's pretty funny to me that much of what I learned in school is essentially irrelevant (saying nothing of course about subjects like biology, geometry, political science, or recess).
There is no doubt that the world has changed more quickly and more dramatically in the past 25 years than likely at any other time in history; and some could argue the past five with the proliferation of smartphones like BlackBerrys and iPhones. It is amazing what having seemingly instant access to information has done to change the world. When I think about what we are gearing up for this week, however, I am not so sure that the internet, and instant access to it, is really what ushered the greatest change.
This weekend we will once again celebrate the coming of GOD into our world at Christmas. I love how Eugene Peterson describes it in the Message when he writes that in Jesus GOD moved into our neighborhood (John 1.14). GOD so emphatically wanted us to know His heart, love, and desire for relationship with us that He sent His one and only Son that we might believe and be saved. Friends, this is information that changes the world and it happened over two-thousand years ago! It is information that changed the world and it can change you!
My life has changed pretty dramatically due to technology in this past month. Due to some extreme generosity and some shrewd saving, I have gotten a new iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Let me tell you, I love these new devices! They have definitely changed the way I conduct my business and go about my day, but they have not changed my life...only GOD can do that! And He does that through the saving love of His son, and our savior, Jesus!
May this be the information that changes us this Christmas! Despite what may be wrapped under a tree or being loaded onto a sleigh, may we know that the greatest gift of Christmas came that very first one. There were no tweets, Facebook posts, 4-Square check-ins, or Linked-In connections made, but in Jesus, GOD moved into our "neighborhood" to show us His heart and to let us know He wants us to be saved. It changed the world! May it change your celebration of Christmas. May it change you, too!
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark
(6) Renting a movie from a store
(5) Waiting on pictures to be developed from film
(4) Using a pay phone or paying a long distance bill
(3) Buying encyclopedias
(2) Paying bills with checks
(1) Taking a typing class
It is interesting to me that many of the things on this list were actually taught as courses or lessons in school. I can remember going to the library and learning how to research in a library. I can remember learning how to handwrite letters. I have owned recordings by The Beatles in all of the formats listed above, in addition to a digital format on my iPod; and yes, that includes an 8-track! It's pretty funny to me that much of what I learned in school is essentially irrelevant (saying nothing of course about subjects like biology, geometry, political science, or recess).
There is no doubt that the world has changed more quickly and more dramatically in the past 25 years than likely at any other time in history; and some could argue the past five with the proliferation of smartphones like BlackBerrys and iPhones. It is amazing what having seemingly instant access to information has done to change the world. When I think about what we are gearing up for this week, however, I am not so sure that the internet, and instant access to it, is really what ushered the greatest change.
This weekend we will once again celebrate the coming of GOD into our world at Christmas. I love how Eugene Peterson describes it in the Message when he writes that in Jesus GOD moved into our neighborhood (John 1.14). GOD so emphatically wanted us to know His heart, love, and desire for relationship with us that He sent His one and only Son that we might believe and be saved. Friends, this is information that changes the world and it happened over two-thousand years ago! It is information that changed the world and it can change you!
My life has changed pretty dramatically due to technology in this past month. Due to some extreme generosity and some shrewd saving, I have gotten a new iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Let me tell you, I love these new devices! They have definitely changed the way I conduct my business and go about my day, but they have not changed my life...only GOD can do that! And He does that through the saving love of His son, and our savior, Jesus!
May this be the information that changes us this Christmas! Despite what may be wrapped under a tree or being loaded onto a sleigh, may we know that the greatest gift of Christmas came that very first one. There were no tweets, Facebook posts, 4-Square check-ins, or Linked-In connections made, but in Jesus, GOD moved into our "neighborhood" to show us His heart and to let us know He wants us to be saved. It changed the world! May it change your celebration of Christmas. May it change you, too!
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark
Thursday, December 15, 2011
"Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room"
Are you getting excited about Christmas? I know I sure am!!! Last week, Tiffany, Ethan, and I had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World for my birthday. There is little doubt in my mind that this is indeed the “happiest place on earth.” As always, we enjoyed the rides, shows, food, and just the immersive Disney experience. This time of year, however, Disney is extra special as all of their parks are decked out for the Christmas season.
As you could probably imagine, the majority of Disney’s Christmas celebration is what some would call more secular in nature. There is an emphasis on Santa Claus and the fun festive attributes of Christmas. This, however, is not exclusive, though, and that is what helped make the weekend so special. There was a noticeable balance between secular Christmas music and traditional Christmas carols. For every time “Jingle Bells” was heard, there was an “O Come All Ye Faithful.” I often found myself walking through the streets of Disney World singing beloved Christmas carols with enough gusto to embarrass Tiffany and Ethan.
One of the highlights of the trip, however, occurred on Saturday. We had gone to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see their spectacle of dancing lights. If you have not seen it, it is amazing! There are five-million lights on ten miles of wire adorning all of the structures in one area, and when certain songs come on, the spectators are treated to a choreographed dancing performance of the lights. All of this while snow falls from the sky on an 80-degree day. It’s truly magical. But that alone is not what made the experience.
In the midst of this exquisite spectacle of dancing lights, there is a gorgeous nativity that sits at the front of this one building. It might not be front-and-center in the display, but it is by no means minimized or hidden. There in the midst of this gaudy display is a visual reminder of that very first Christmas, where Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus were in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. It caught my eye and warmed my heart to be basking in the glow of American extravagance and see a prominent display of what Christmas is truly all about!
As it caught my eye from across the way, I found myself light up with Christmas cheer and drawn to that place. Sure, Disney is a world-wide phenomenon that has a vast multi-cultural appeal, but for that one moment in time, the thing that impressed me the most is they include the true meaning of Christmas in their celebration. True, it might not be as “in your face” as some would like, hope, or expect, but when mega retailers shy away from wishing someone a Merry Christmas (despite the fact that nearly 75% of their annual income is earned during the Christmas shopping season), I find it quite encouraging that Disney will still wish someone a Merry Christmas, play sacred music, and proudly display a nativity scene. Could this help make it the “happiest place on earth?” Well, I guess it cannot hurt, can it?
All of this begs the question for me…how are you preparing yourself for Christmas? Are you decking your halls with decorations? Are you filling the air with festive scents and sounds? Is your heart being filled with the true meaning of Christmas? It is easy for us to get sidetracked by the commercial celebration of this season, but in the end, it is still about the fact that GOD so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. Despite cultural cynicism, this truth has the power to melt even the coldest of hearts.
This coming week in worship, we will be asking you to contemplate if you are making room in your heart for Christmas. This Sunday, as we explore the love of Advent, we must seriously, open our hearts to receive the Christ child and the gift that He gives. It is what changes the world and begins with a change in your heart.
I want to leave you today with a line from the famous song, “Joy to the World.” Though this song was not initially intended to be a Christmas carol, it has been adopted as such. In that song, the advice is given, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” As we prepare for the last Sunday of Advent and the glory of Christmas, may this be what orders our prayers. May every heart prepare room for the Lord Jesus, and may it begin with yours!
Merry Christmas!
As you could probably imagine, the majority of Disney’s Christmas celebration is what some would call more secular in nature. There is an emphasis on Santa Claus and the fun festive attributes of Christmas. This, however, is not exclusive, though, and that is what helped make the weekend so special. There was a noticeable balance between secular Christmas music and traditional Christmas carols. For every time “Jingle Bells” was heard, there was an “O Come All Ye Faithful.” I often found myself walking through the streets of Disney World singing beloved Christmas carols with enough gusto to embarrass Tiffany and Ethan.
One of the highlights of the trip, however, occurred on Saturday. We had gone to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see their spectacle of dancing lights. If you have not seen it, it is amazing! There are five-million lights on ten miles of wire adorning all of the structures in one area, and when certain songs come on, the spectators are treated to a choreographed dancing performance of the lights. All of this while snow falls from the sky on an 80-degree day. It’s truly magical. But that alone is not what made the experience.
In the midst of this exquisite spectacle of dancing lights, there is a gorgeous nativity that sits at the front of this one building. It might not be front-and-center in the display, but it is by no means minimized or hidden. There in the midst of this gaudy display is a visual reminder of that very first Christmas, where Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus were in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. It caught my eye and warmed my heart to be basking in the glow of American extravagance and see a prominent display of what Christmas is truly all about!
As it caught my eye from across the way, I found myself light up with Christmas cheer and drawn to that place. Sure, Disney is a world-wide phenomenon that has a vast multi-cultural appeal, but for that one moment in time, the thing that impressed me the most is they include the true meaning of Christmas in their celebration. True, it might not be as “in your face” as some would like, hope, or expect, but when mega retailers shy away from wishing someone a Merry Christmas (despite the fact that nearly 75% of their annual income is earned during the Christmas shopping season), I find it quite encouraging that Disney will still wish someone a Merry Christmas, play sacred music, and proudly display a nativity scene. Could this help make it the “happiest place on earth?” Well, I guess it cannot hurt, can it?
All of this begs the question for me…how are you preparing yourself for Christmas? Are you decking your halls with decorations? Are you filling the air with festive scents and sounds? Is your heart being filled with the true meaning of Christmas? It is easy for us to get sidetracked by the commercial celebration of this season, but in the end, it is still about the fact that GOD so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. Despite cultural cynicism, this truth has the power to melt even the coldest of hearts.
This coming week in worship, we will be asking you to contemplate if you are making room in your heart for Christmas. This Sunday, as we explore the love of Advent, we must seriously, open our hearts to receive the Christ child and the gift that He gives. It is what changes the world and begins with a change in your heart.
I want to leave you today with a line from the famous song, “Joy to the World.” Though this song was not initially intended to be a Christmas carol, it has been adopted as such. In that song, the advice is given, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” As we prepare for the last Sunday of Advent and the glory of Christmas, may this be what orders our prayers. May every heart prepare room for the Lord Jesus, and may it begin with yours!
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
“Oh hush the noise you men of strife and hear the angels sing!”
I am sitting in my home office as I type this message. I am listening to one of my favorite Christmas carols, It Came Upon The Midnight Clear, on one of my favorite Christmas albums and I am thinking about everything that I have to get done before I can enjoy Christmas. Believe me, it’s dizzying, yet, a line in the song jumps out of the speakers and seemingly slaps me in the face: “Oh hush the noise you men of strife and hear the angels sing!”
The overall message of this beautiful song is about how in Jesus, GOD came down to earth to bring us His hope, peace, joy, love, and light – the very things we look to in Advent. As I think about the “men of strife” line, I cannot help but think about all the things wrong in the world. Still, the true essence of that line is captured in my heart when I think about my own strife. I am prone to worry. I am prone to pessimism. I am prone to cynicism. I am prone to the very things that fly in the face of true hope, peace, joy, love, and light, and that is precisely why I need Advent to help me prepare for the blessed glory of Christmas.
All of our worship services this season have been focusing on hospitality. As we consider hospitality, we must remember that in the biblical languages, hospitality means love of stranger. We often think of it as entertaining our friends and family – you know, the people we love, like, and/or tolerate – but to GOD, hospitality is about sharing our lives with everyone so we can introduce them to the love of Almighty GOD. If we commit our lives to a sense of hospitality that includes those who we do not (yet) know, then we are fulfilling the desires of Christ who welcomes us into His holy family even in spite of ourselves.
As I sit at my desk listening to Christmas music and admittedly wrestling with what it means to share love with strangers, I am struck by the significance of the first Christmas present I am to wrap this year – a pair of tennis shoes for a teenager that we picked off of the church’s Angel Tree. When Tiffany told me that we picked shoes, I was actually quite happy. Shoes are seen by many young people as a status symbol. As I thought about providing a pair of new shoes to a young person in need, a smile was brought to my heart, because I knew that with this one simple gift, our family would not only help keep someone’s feet warm and protected, but able to meet a need of a different sort.
Beyond the basic needs of food, shelter, and safety, we humans have another driving need…the need to belong. Think about that and allow it to sink in. With all the harshness in the world, we need to know that we matter to someone and that our life makes a difference. This can come from seemingly trivial things like sneakers, but is found in something far more significant. Friends, this is precisely what GOD wants you to know: you matter to Him and your life can make a difference for Him! Amazing, isn’t it? Even in spite of your own worry, pessimism, and cynicism, you matter to the One who created you for Himself and delights in the very beating of your heart. This is a powerful message and one that has the power to change the world.
So as we make our way through this Advent season, focusing on the message that we matter to GOD and GOD’s people should matter to us, I need to ask, how are you living out that message in your daily life? We need to hush the noise of strife that we experience for a myriad of reasons so we can hear the singing of the angels proclaiming GOD’s love and favor for us! In the birth of Jesus, GOD shouts that we matter. As we celebrate Christ’s birth, may our lives also shout the message that others matter, too. May this be the light that we shine this Christmas, the life that is the very light for humanity! (John 1.5) Know you matter and belong to GOD. Go and make it a point to share that with someone else. Do it today!
The overall message of this beautiful song is about how in Jesus, GOD came down to earth to bring us His hope, peace, joy, love, and light – the very things we look to in Advent. As I think about the “men of strife” line, I cannot help but think about all the things wrong in the world. Still, the true essence of that line is captured in my heart when I think about my own strife. I am prone to worry. I am prone to pessimism. I am prone to cynicism. I am prone to the very things that fly in the face of true hope, peace, joy, love, and light, and that is precisely why I need Advent to help me prepare for the blessed glory of Christmas.
All of our worship services this season have been focusing on hospitality. As we consider hospitality, we must remember that in the biblical languages, hospitality means love of stranger. We often think of it as entertaining our friends and family – you know, the people we love, like, and/or tolerate – but to GOD, hospitality is about sharing our lives with everyone so we can introduce them to the love of Almighty GOD. If we commit our lives to a sense of hospitality that includes those who we do not (yet) know, then we are fulfilling the desires of Christ who welcomes us into His holy family even in spite of ourselves.
As I sit at my desk listening to Christmas music and admittedly wrestling with what it means to share love with strangers, I am struck by the significance of the first Christmas present I am to wrap this year – a pair of tennis shoes for a teenager that we picked off of the church’s Angel Tree. When Tiffany told me that we picked shoes, I was actually quite happy. Shoes are seen by many young people as a status symbol. As I thought about providing a pair of new shoes to a young person in need, a smile was brought to my heart, because I knew that with this one simple gift, our family would not only help keep someone’s feet warm and protected, but able to meet a need of a different sort.
Beyond the basic needs of food, shelter, and safety, we humans have another driving need…the need to belong. Think about that and allow it to sink in. With all the harshness in the world, we need to know that we matter to someone and that our life makes a difference. This can come from seemingly trivial things like sneakers, but is found in something far more significant. Friends, this is precisely what GOD wants you to know: you matter to Him and your life can make a difference for Him! Amazing, isn’t it? Even in spite of your own worry, pessimism, and cynicism, you matter to the One who created you for Himself and delights in the very beating of your heart. This is a powerful message and one that has the power to change the world.
So as we make our way through this Advent season, focusing on the message that we matter to GOD and GOD’s people should matter to us, I need to ask, how are you living out that message in your daily life? We need to hush the noise of strife that we experience for a myriad of reasons so we can hear the singing of the angels proclaiming GOD’s love and favor for us! In the birth of Jesus, GOD shouts that we matter. As we celebrate Christ’s birth, may our lives also shout the message that others matter, too. May this be the light that we shine this Christmas, the life that is the very light for humanity! (John 1.5) Know you matter and belong to GOD. Go and make it a point to share that with someone else. Do it today!
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