Bob’s Blog

The new life in Christ as Jesus-followers will be increasingly exciting in each season of life if we place Christ first in our lives.

The seasons of life—we all go through them.  Someone has said that there are four seasons of life: childhood, youth, young adult, and “you look marvelous!”  We know we have reached middle age or beyond when people say “you look marvelous” instead of “Hello.”  The ambiguous comment may cover a multitude of wrinkles and gray hair.

Being able to enjoy the season of life we’re in is not easy.  So much of life is lived in anticipation of the next season. Experts in human development tell us that if we skip a period of natural growth and experience, we spend the rest of our lives trying to recapture it.  The popularity of all the “life passages” books indicates that we all long to understand why we react the way we do at each season of our development as people.  There are some of us who are old in attitude and reaction long before our time, and others who never grow up.  To be mature in our growing years and viably youthful as we grow old is the challenge of adventuresome living.

What is true for enjoying the human developmental seasons of life is also true for the spiritual seasons of life in our relationship with God and others.  The Apostle John wrote to groups of Jesus-followers in the churches in Asia.  Let’s note his words in 1 John 2:12-14…

12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young people, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

We can observe in these verses that John addressed three groups of Jesus-followers: dear children, the young people, and the fathers.  The usual approach of interpretation of this passage is that John wrote to three different groups.  But let’s shift the sails a bit, to catch the winds of the Spirit about this passage.

Let’s imagine for a moment busy streets lined with billboards, each with a person’s name on the top, that continually flash images—the true, uncut contents of that person’s heart.  If we have Jesus Christ in our lives, there’s no need to be nervous.  The things at our core of our character are headed in the right direction. God is light; God is love; God is life; God is joy; God is purity.

God liberates our heart from the secret condemnation that poisons and shames every human being. We follow those new instincts; and like the apostle John, we will practically itch to lead others into that kind of freedom and kinship with God.  Our spiritual senses will sharpen, leading us to seek people in darkness, letting God use us to “work on” them until they know God like we know God. 

Seasons of Spirituality

Every church has newborn babes in Christ, those who are the energetic growing Jesus-followers, and others who are the mature, seasoned saints of God.  The tragedy is that we lose the best of all three seasons.  We often lose the excitement and dynamic warmth of the first experience of being loved just as we are.  We can remember when we first experienced the joy of falling in love with Jesus Christ.  How easily the delight of the new birth is lost in routine forms of religion without experiencing the deep faith of our traditional Christianity.

It has been said that “traditionalism is the dead faith of the living saints, and tradition is the living faith of the dead saints.”  All too often form takes precedence over function.  So there must be a quality of discipleship which takes Jesus seriously.  We want to follow Christ and communicate his love to others.  And then, truly mature Jesus-followers who know the Lord in depth, and know from experience that they are faithful in all life’s circumstances, is a work of God—beautiful to behold and know.

John shares these seasons of spirituality with a challenge.  This challenge is to keep together the excitement of becoming a Jesus-follower, the daring of growing up in Jesus, and ripened depth of mature personality under the control of Jesus.  We need the best of all three seasons of spiritual growth.

John is trying to capture the basic ingredients of each season of spiritual growth and urges the Jesus-followers to never lose the best of all three.

1.  Always beginning

12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name… 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father.

John addresses the dear children. Forgiveness is the quality of the dear children in the faith which we should never lose.  The experience of forgiveness is the nutritious milk for new babes in Christ.  We are set free of the sin and failure of our old life.  Acceptance by God through Christ and the cross helps us grasp the amazing fact that the old is gone and we have made a new beginning.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17…

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

I can still remember the freshness and freedom I felt when I accepted Christ as my Savior and surrendered my life to him.  Life began for me that night as a Junior Higher.  It was a triumphant transition in which I became a new person in Christ through the power of forgiveness and liberating grace.  At a tender age of 13 I was filled with enthusiasm for Jesus, I wanted the whole world to know the joy of being a new person in Christ.

So as dear children Jesus-followers are always beginning!

2.  Constantly adventuring

13 … I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the evil one.      14 … I write to you, young people, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John addresses the young people. Babies are lovely, but it would be a terrible tragedy if we remained a baby all of our lives.  The same is true in the Christian life.  Growth in the implications of the Lordship of Christ is demanding and sometimes painful.  The thrill of being one of Jesus’ followers also means the cost of following him.  John knew the challenges of making Jesus as Lord.  He understood the testing of the adolescent and young-adult seasons of growing in Christ regardless of the age at which we are “born again.”  The implication is not that the battle is completely over, but that there are specific evidences of victory which should give hope and strength to future conflicts.  Each new battle is engaged with the knowledge that, if we trust Christ and what he has accomplished on the cross, we too will have victory.

Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2…

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It didn’t take but a few years before the experience of Jesus as my Savior flamed into the challenge of following him as my Lord.  My mind had to be renewed around Christ’s mind; my emotions needed healing and release; and my will had to be taught the ways of obedience.  As a college student I soon had to come to grips with the power of evil in me and others, and in my world.  I needed to understand that spiritual adolescence, regardless of my chronological age, is a necessary and unavoidable part of my growing up in Christ.  I am never finished with it.  I had to grow strong with the word of God living in me. It was during this season of my spiritual growth that I accepted a call into ministry.  I was young and strong, seeking the Word of God to live powerfully in me.

So as young people Jesus-followers are constantly adventuring!

3.  Forever secure

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning…  14 … I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

John addresses the fathers. The danger is that we are tempted to think that the growing years of our Christian lives can be finished.  Our Lord is at work helping us to be pilgrims all through the years of our lives.  We are called to be adventuresome, vigorous, daring followers of Jesus right up to the end.  John seems to expect that there should be a discernable result of knowing Christ through the years.  That forces us to question the ways in which we are different because of companionship with Jesus through life’s agonies and ecstasies.  Paul challenged people to grow up to maturity so we would no longer be like children hurled back and forth by false teaching and crafty ways.  Maturity in Christ is becoming like Christ in thought, action, and reaction. 

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:13-15…

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ.

So I have discovered over the years in my walk with Christ that age does not insure my maturity.  I need to be childlike in my later years, but not childish.  I do not want to experience “spiritual senility.”  I can major in the minors and cripple the movement of the local church.  So I choose to grow up, not merely old emotionally and spiritually.  I will always be eternally grateful to God for members and leaders of my congregation who are mature in years and Christian character.  A long life in Christ has produced an admirable combination of unfailing hope, ready-for-anything openness, discernment salted with love, and inclusive receptivity to new people and innovative ideas.  They are examples to all of us of what God can do with a person who is completely yielded to the Lordship of Christ. 

So as fathers Jesus-followers are forever secure!

Now let’s see the perspective of these three seasons of spiritual growth with the following diagrams:

The spiritual life is traditionally seen as moving from developing faith to fruit-bearing and finally to full maturity…

        Developing Faith                                Fruit-bearing                                Full Maturity

           Childhood                                   Young Adulthood                    Older Adulthood

This view tends to compartmentalize spiritual life into three clearly defined dimensions.  Although each of these life periods contains a mixture of developing faith, fruit-bearing, and full maturity, these elements tend not to be balanced or blended.  Let’s look at another diagram…

            Fruit-bearing                              Fruit-bearing                           Fruit-bearing

            Full Maturity                                                                                 Full Maturity

        Developing Faith                   Full Maturity

                                                             Developing Faith                    Developing Faith

            Childhood                                Young Adulthood                      Older Adulthood

William Barclay, in The Daily Study Bible, has a vital summary of John’s seasons of spiritual growth:

All Christians are like little children, for all can regain their innocence by the forgiveness of Christ.  All Christians are young men, with glorious and vigorous strength to fight and win their battles against the tempter and his power. All Christians are like fathers; like full-grown, responsible men, who can think and learn their way deeper and deeper into the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  It seems…that indeed is John’s wider meaning.

The Christian life is always beginning, constantly adventuring, forever secure.  It is for each of us to decide in which season we presently live in our Christian life.  Some of us may still be babes and need to grow up.  Others are in the heat of the battle to be faithful and obedient as disciples of Jesus.  Still others are enjoying the security of having grown to maturity in Christ.  We must have the desire to keep the best of all three seasons for all our years.  If we become more mature in every day we are privileged to live, we will have the abundant life Christ lived, died, and is with us now to make maximum.  The new life in Christ will be exciting all the way through the seasons if we put him first in our lives.

King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3:1…

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

I would like to pass on three important objects to you before I bring my final message to a close: a staff, a compass, and binoculars.

The staff represents that a new undershepherd is coming to Christ First in God’s timing.  Accept this undershepherd, love and follow the lead of Christ’s shepherd to you.

Isaiah 30:21                                                                                                                          21  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

The compass represents the Word of God.  It will lead you in the right direction.  Continue to rely on God’s promises for you lives as you take the light of his Word with you along your paths.

Psalm 119:105                                                                                                                        105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 

The binoculars represent the vision of the church.  Continue to bring the things that seem far off into focus with the vision of allowing God to show you “new things.”

Isaiah 48:6    6 You have heard these things; look at them all.  Will you not admit them?  “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.”

Now a final word and a promise.  The principles and examples I have shared with you in my messages over the years are tools to help you focus your energy on what God has for you to accomplish in the seasons of your spiritual life.  As you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, the eyes of your understanding will be opened and God’s vision for you will be revealed.  Take the vision God shows you and bathe it in prayer.  As you faithfully apply the principles you have learned, you will find yourself moving from where you are to where God wants you to be.  God has something better ahead for you if your future is centered on Christ and his Word.  Press on and fight the good fight of faith, laying hold of everything God has for you, because God’s best is yet to come!

Jeremiah 29:11                                                                                                                              11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Prayer: Creative Lord of growth and new life, we praise you for all three seasons of life. Help us to keep all three as we live our days.  We long to stay fresh and vital with daily experiences of forgiveness.  Give us the power of your Spirit to confront and overcome the frustrations of life.  And enable us to grow up to full maturity in every aspect of our faith.  Thank you for calling us to a faith journey in which we are always beginning, constantly adventuring, and forever secure.  In Jesus our life and Lord.  Amen!                                             “Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much”

Jesus-followers are God’s solution to a troubled world but we can only share that solution if we do go, making Jesus the Christmas choice.

We gather together this Christmas Eve to reflect upon the Christmas choice that each of us needs to make as we approach this Holy Day.  This Christmas choice is welcoming Jesus into the center place of our Christmas celebration.  Many of us are ready for Christmas.  The Christmas tree is decorated, our presents are beautifully wrapped under the tree, the pine needles are beginning to fall from the tree, and the house is decorated.  We may be ready in the external preparations for this holiday, but are we ready in the inner recesses of our lives for a Holy Day?  Have we made the Christmas choice of welcoming Jesus afresh and anew in our hearts?

It’s not easy as well to keep Jesus in the center of our lives as we enter a new year.  Following Christmas there is the usual deluge of sales, the finishing up of left-over turkey, a few days of holidays, New Year’s and then it’s back to school or work.  Christmas is over for another year.  And just as we were getting into it, too!

But the Christmas choice of placing Jesus at the center of our celebration doesn’t have to end.  It was not meant to end.  Christmas is, rather, the beginning of something big.  The birth of Jesus was the beginning of something big for the shepherds who long ago tended their flocks by night on a Bethlehem hillside.

Let’s read a portion of the Christmas story from Luke 2:8-20…

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 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 of great joy that will be 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.

 Just because the world around us treats Christmas as a shallow façade of a holiday that wears off by January 1 does not mean that we need to sell out on the celebration of Christmas throughout the year.  We can put the tree and decorations away, but that does not mean that Christmas should be forgotten in our hearts.

The shepherds on that Christmas Eve long ago certainly didn’t put Jesus away after they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  They spread the world concerning what had been told to them about the baby Jesus.  They returned to their places of routine, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.

Christmas, in its essence, is about God entering our world—God coming to live life as one of us as flesh and blood just like us.  This reality is not something we should only celebrate for a couple of weeks every year.  Rather it is something we should celebrate every day of the year.  In fact, if we want Christmas to be meaningful for us, it is the rest of the year that helps us appreciate the true spirit of Christmas.

In our text this evening, we find the shepherds who attended and cared for sheep discovering that Mary and Joseph would attend and care for their baby.  There is a startling contrast with this imagery.  The shepherds were to present in the Temple the unblemished lambs for sacrifice.  Mary and Joseph would present to all people the unblemished Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

God discloses to us in the gospels John the Baptist knowing what is the real meaning of Christmas in John 1:29…

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

“Look,” John says pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God.  After John’s testimony, two of his followers—Andrew and Peter—left to follow Jesus.  But why go?  What did these two followers expect to get by following Jesus?  What led them to follow this man?  They believed they had found the Messiah, the Savior, but so what?

Perhaps they expected to obtain wealth, or power or prestige, or honor?  Perhaps they thought it would be fun—a good experience?  Hardly!  As Jewish men, they knew all about the Old Testament passages which told about the Lamb of God.  They knew all about the Passover Lamb.  They had been taught all about the suffering servant songs in Isaiah and the illustration of a lamb being led to the slaughter.

To call someone the Lamb of God as John had called Jesus was not an illusion to worldly power or riches.  The two men who left to follow Jesus expected none of these things.  Perhaps these Jewish shepherds on Christmas Eve knew all about the Lamb of God as well as these future followers of Jesus.  So why go?  If these shepherds in the likeness of the Jesus-followers did not expect wealth, power or prestige, or honor, why follow?  Why indeed?

They simply followed because they were called to go.  They went because they knew that life would be unfulfilled unless they gave themselves completely to God.  They knew the illusions of fulfillment which the world offers, that those things of wealth, power, family, and prestige are just that, illusions. For the shepherds, they did not know where God would take them, but they knew that by following, they would find fulfillment.  The fulfillment came, not because of what happened to them, but because they were following God.  They went away from Jesus praising and glorifying God because they knew that there was no other road that offered fulfillment.

This evening we hear that Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  How do we respond?  Christmas has come.  Jesus has entered our lives.  How do we respond to that reality of God becoming flesh?  Do we go or not?  Do we follow Jesus—not necessarily in the sense of packing our bags and leaving home—but definitely in a sense of living our lives for God?  How do we respond?

1.  It is a choice of perspective

How we respond depends on how we see God.  Many of us have fallen into an illusion that contentment comes from wealth, from family and from the social and economic values which we take from the culture around us.  For these people, the call of God makes us uncomfortable because we see it as a call to fanaticism.  We see it as a call to give up everything that we value.

2.  It is a choice of price

We will believe in God only so long as there is not commitment, no cost, no sacrifice, no challenge to our false illusions of contentment, and no call to “Go!”  If the price tag is too much to pay then we will forfeit the committing everything that we value.  If we are ever asked for more, then we are tempted to put away our faith just as easily as we put away our Christmas decorations.

These two responses keep us in our comfort zone.  So comfortable are we in the life we have built that we are more prepared to live an illusion than in accepting the offer of real fulfillment.

But there is a third response.

3.  It is a choice of purpose

There are also those among us who, when they are introduced to the Lamb of God, set down everything and go.  Their fulfillment comes from walking with God.  Their meaning and existence are wrapped up in the fact that they do not journey through life alone. God is their guide.  God has given them a purpose for living, a journey marked before them with intention and direction.

Their joy comes when they proclaim the Lamb of God to others through their words and actions.  Their lives are not consumed by some false illusion, but rather they are filled with a closeness to God. Like the shepherds, they simply share with others what they have heard and seen.  What have you heard and seen this Christmas?

Oh, you say, had I been there at Bethlehem that night I would have heard and seen. I would have understood. I would have known it was the Christ child. Would you? There is a way of knowing:

Ask yourself what you have heard this Christmas Season?

Did you hear only the blast of music and carols, or did you hear the silent sighs of the lonely and the bereaved who may be dreading Christmas because it accentuates their loneliness, their loss of a loved one.

And in the midst of the sounds of honking horns and people arguing over parking places, did you hear faint sounds of laughter coming from church missions’ projects because you furnished shoeboxes, food and toys for families and children.

Ask yourself what you have seen this Christmas Season?

When you watched the 6:00 news did you see chaos and strife, or did you see sheep without a shepherd.

When you went out to do your shopping did you see only hordes of people in the stores, or did you notice the worried expressions on some of their faces–worried because they are facing this Christmas without employment or enough money and they don’t know how they are going to make ends meet.

So often what we hear and what we see is not dependent upon the event but upon us. If we did in fact hear the cry from the lonely, the laughter of poor children, if we saw the sheep without a shepherd, then, and only then, might we have noticed the events that took place in Bethlehem that night. If we lacked that spiritual hearing and seeing then we probably would have been with the 99% who were present but who heard or saw nothing out of the ordinary.  In the end perhaps one of our carols, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” words it best: No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin. Where meek souls shall receive him still, the dear Christ enters in. 

There are people for whom Christ enters in and lives on at Christmas.  “Look, the Lamb of God.”  Christ has entered our world at Christmas.  Now is our opportunity to decide how we will respond.  We are invited to follow.  We are invited to walk with God.  We are God’s solution to a troubled world but we can only share that solution if we do go.  “Look, the Lamb of God.” Let us follow him because Jesus is the Christmas choice, not only this Christmas Eve but also after Christmas!  Amen.

[Drama—“Lamb of God.”  The angelic voices announced the Radiance of Light—Jesus, the Lamb of God.  Let’s listen to what a young shepherdess recalls the night she first met Jesus, the Lamb of God.]

God is always in the midst of great darkness and suspicion, and when hatred and hostility rule, he brings love through the light of Jesus.

Many people today, even Jesus-followers, have lost sight of the simplicity and serenity of the Christmas season.  Jesus offers hope, joy, peace and love for the hurting and eternal life for those who are willing to accept the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  This Advent message series helps to remind us all that Christmas is not about us—Christmas is Jesus!

We are living this Christmas in a culture that is caught up with too much concentration on self.  We are driven to guarantee that our desires are met in the activities and relationships of our lives.  Besides, self-absorption impedes any true love of others or for that matter, any true celebration including Christmas. We want our desires to be met before we sense the needs of others.  Like our children, we want the gifts and perks of the Christmas season. We become infected with what may be called “life-rage.” “Life-rage” is an irritation that surges through our spirit when anyone or anything impinges upon our “space”.  For example, we are overcome with “road-rage” when another driver cuts us off on the highway as we enter a crowded mall. We even feel “parking lot rage” when a shopper blocks our “right-of-way” and takes away our parking place at that mall.

 Now that I am older and slower I sometimes feel rage welling up inside me when the young rush by riding their skateboards or bikes on the narrow sidewalks, oblivious of my presence, sometimes brushing against me as they crowd together, obviously more interested in each other than in me. Over time I am beginning to realize that this is but an aspect of a more general rage, a “geezer rage” at their being young and vigorous while I am growing old and wobbly.

We are centering our focus upon four key declarations concerning darkness and light:

In the darkness of DESPAIR Jesus is the light of HOPE

In the darkness of FEAR Jesus is the light of JOY

In the darkness of ANXIETY Jesus is the light of PEACE

In the darkness of SUSPICION Jesus is the light of LOVE

The first Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us hope from despair through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Traditionally Christmas is seen as a time of hope, but for so many people despair is the controlling emotion of their lives.  And that despair can bring a suffocating darkness.

The second Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us joy from fear through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of joy, but for so many people fear is the compelling emotion of their lives, and that fear can bring a paralyzing darkness.

The third Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us peace from anxiety through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of peace, but for so many people anxiety is the constraining emotion of their lives, and that anxiety can bring a troubling darkness.

The fourth and final message focuses on the fact that God brings us love from suspicion through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of love, but for so many people suspicion is the critical emotion of their lives, and that suspicion can bring a disbelieving darkness.

Suspicion = to have a feeling of distrust or perceived guilt for someone or something.

There are many people today who suspect that something is wrong without proof or on slight evidence.  Suspicion causes a state of mental uneasiness and uncertainty.  This uneasiness and uncertainty even carries over into our value or belief system.  Therefore, many people today cannot believe that God would enter the world in the miracle of the Incarnation.  “God becoming flesh” causes suspicion—this feeling of distrust for believing in the true essence of Christmas.

So it is obvious that such suspicion delivers a death-blow to the possibility of displaying authentic love with others. Such attention to self is the root of a destructive pride whereby we believe that we are better than everyone else, or that we take on a disbelieving suspicion when it comes to trusting others in their pursuits of life. We are enraged when others do not seem to recognize our superiority. We, the self-proclaimed philosophers, are infuriated by the utter ignorance of those around us. Love them? They are lucky that we do not sweep them out of our way!

We will discover in this message that Herod embodied a “life-rage,” a suspicious nature toward anyone who would challenge his superiority as king. 

Let’s center our attention on the gospel writer’s account in Matthew 2:1-12…

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 make a careful search 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.

We can observe in these verses another important contrast in our message series.  We see the suspicious nature of Herod unwilling to acknowledge Jesus’ right to the throne—in essence, the throne of people’s lives.  Alongside this suspicion is the loving nature of the magi that willingly serve as a positive model of response to Jesus.  These foreign visitors come expectantly to the house where the little family lived.

God took the darkness that caused suspicion in Herod, and ushered in a worshipful spirit of trust in the lives of the magi.  In the likeness of our previous messages, God took the  suspicious and distrusting situation of Mary and Joseph, he took the things that made no sense at all and out of that darkness and suspicion, he brought light and love…not just for the magi, but to all who will allow Jesus to rule on the throne of their lives.  We affirm once again that it’s just like God to take what’s weak, worthless, uneasy and dark and use it to bring light and love to the world.

The Greek word agape (love) seems to have been virtually a Christian invention — a new word for a new thing (apart from about twenty occurrences in the Greek version of the Old Testament, it is almost non-existent before the New Testament). Agape draws its meaning directly from the revelation of God in Christ. It is not a form of natural affection, however, intense, but a supernatural fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). It is a matter of will rather than feeling (for Christians must love even those they dislike — Matt. 5:44-48). It is the basic element in Christ-likeness.  We can read 1 Corinthians 13 and note what these verses have to say about the…

Primacy of love (vv. 1-3)    

Profile of love (vv. 4-7)

Permanence of love (vv. 8-13) 

During the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, sentenced a soldier to be shot for his crimes. The execution was to take place at the ringing of the evening curfew bell. However, the bell did not sound. The soldier’s fiancé had climbed into the belfry and clung to the great clapper of the bell to prevent it from striking. When she was summoned by Cromwell to account for her actions, she wept as she showed him her bruised and bleeding hands. Cromwell’s heart was touched and he said, “Your lover shall live because of your sacrifice. Curfew shall not ring tonight!” 

As we approach Christmas Day, many of us may be called to sacrifice our own lives like this young woman for the sake of those we love.  We are living in the midst of suspicion.  However, these magi will teach us that we can place the longing in our hearts upon the baby Jesus and worshipfully seek his lordship this Christmas.

A Twofold Outcome

We can affirm one last time the fact that God is not afraid of the dark. Out of darkness God can bring light and love where otherwise suspicion would rule.  No sooner was Jesus born than we see a twofold outcome in which people are always to be found in regard to Jesus Christ.  Through Herod, we can perceive what it means to harbor suspicion and distrust.  Through the magi, we can discover what it means to seek Jesus—gladly bow down in his presence in adoring worship, and welcome him with our gifts not only as Savior but also as our Lord.

The birth of Jesus and the subsequent journey of the magi unfold for us a twofold outcome:

1.  The reaction of hatred and hostility in the midst of royalty

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

It came to the ears of Herod that the magi had come from the East, and that they were searching for the little child who had been born to be King of the Jews.  Any king would have been suspicious at the report that a child had been born who was to occupy his throne.  But Herod was doubly disturbed.

Herod was concerned that this little child was going to interfere with his life, his place, his power, his influence, and therefore his first instinct was to distrust and destroy him.  He even summoned the chief priests and scribes.  However, they were completely indifferent to Herod’s distrust.  They were so engrossed in their Temple ritual and their legal discussions that they completely disregarded this babe from Bethlehem.  He meant nothing to them.  So Herod was unrestricted in his suspicion to react with hatred and hostility.  The Jewish leaders were non-players in this drama of the Incarnation.

It’s never enough to know who Jesus is.  Those who acknowledge his supernatural birth, but fail to commit themselves to him as Savior and Lord, are very much like Harod. There are still those people today who would gladly destroy Jesus Christ, because they see in him the one who interferes with their lives. They wish to do what they like, and being a Jesus-follower is based upon selflessness—not doing what they like. So many would dismiss Jesus as a Savior and Lord of their lives.  Jesus-followers are those who have ceased to do what they like, and have dedicated their lives to do as Jesus likes.  The outcome: like Harod, suspicion is embedded in our minds.

2.  The response of humility and homage in the midst of sovereignty

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.

Alerted by the appearance of an unusual star, the magi traveled to Judea to honor One born to be King.  We’ve noted that their arrival caused consternation, and Herod demanded to know where such a Person might be found.  The magi traveled a great distance to witness this child with his mother Mary.

As a side light, do we know what would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men? They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole and brought disposable diapers.

When the magi arrived at the house (not a barn in Bethlehem), they bowed down in humility and worshiped Jesus.  The gifts recorded are the traditional gifts given to One in authority—gold, frankincense and myrrh.   More significant, however, is the pattern we see here in the magi.  They worshiped Jesus first, and then they opened their treasures and presented Jesus with gifts.  In humility, the response of adoring worship was the desire to lay at the feet of Jesus the noblest gifts which they could bring.

Too often we worship our treasures.  Money, or the things money can buy, becomes the focus of our lives.  When we worship wealth we have no room for Jesus, or for others.  We suspiciously hold close our treasures, unwilling to part with them for any cause.  Worshipping Jesus frees us from materialism.  Our “treasures” lose their grip on our hearts, and as we discover the blessing of serving Jesus, we willingly present our material treasures to him as gifts.  The outcome: like the magi, love is engraved upon our hearts.

Jesus provides a remedy for this darkness of suspicion.  Let’s note some of Jesus’ words…

Mark 12:30

30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

John 14:15

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.”

John 14:23

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

Matthew 6:24

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Matthew 25:40

40 “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.”

When God is involved, out of darkness comes light.  Out of suspicion comes love.  This truth is tenderly illustrated by the care given to an unsuspecting child—one considered like Jesus to be the “least of these.”

Ted Stallard undoubtedly qualifies as the one of “the least.” Turned off by school. Very sloppy in appearance. Expressionless. Unattractive. Even his teacher, Miss Thompson, enjoyed bearing down her red pen — as she placed Xs beside his many wrong answers. If only she had studied his records more carefully. They read: 1st grade: Ted shows promise with his work and attitude, but (has) poor home situation. 2nd grade: Ted could do better. Mother seriously ill. Receives little help from home.  3rd grade: Ted is good boy but too serious. He is a slow learner. His mother died this year.  4th grade: Ted is very slow, but well-behaved. His father shows no interest whatsoever.

Christmas arrived. The children piled elaborately wrapped gifts on their teacher’s desk. Ted brought one too. It was wrapped in brown paper and held together with Scotch Tape. Miss Thompson opened each gift, as the children crowded around to watch. Out of Ted’s package fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet, with half of the stones missing, and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker. But she silenced them by splashing some of the perfume on her wrist, and letting them smell it. She put the bracelet on too.  At day’s end, after the other children had left, Ted came by the teacher’s desk and said, “Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother. And the bracelet looks real pretty on you. I’m glad you like my presents.” He left. Miss Thompson got down on her knees and asked God to forgive her and to change her attitude.

The next day, the children were greeted by a reformed teacher—one committed to loving each of them—especially the slow ones. Especially Ted. Surprisingly, or maybe, not surprisingly, Ted began to show great improvement. He actually caught up with most of the students and even passed a few.

Time came and went. Miss Thompson heard nothing from Ted for a long time. Then, one day, she received this note… Dear Miss Thompson: I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my class. Love, Ted.

Four years later, another note arrived… Dear Miss Thompson: They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it.  Love, Ted.

And four years later…Dear Miss Thompson: As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year. Love, Ted.

Miss Thompson attended that wedding, and sat where Ted’s mother would have sat. The compassion she had shown that young man entitled her to that privilege.  Let’s have some real courage, and start giving to those considered the “least of these.” They may become like a Ted Stallard. Even if that doesn’t happen, we will have been faithful to the One who has always treated us—as unworthy as we are—like very special people.

What will be the outcome for you this Christmas?  Will you allow suspicion to rule your mind through a reaction of hatred and hostility?  Or will you allow love to embrace your heart through a response of humility and homage?  You may be in the darkness right now, restless with suspicious thoughts concerning the events surrounding your life.  If suspicion describes your mental and emotional state, your life—then I want to encourage you with the Christmas story.  It is a story of God taking suspicion…the suspicion of hatred and hostility, and out of that suspicion bringing LOVE.  God will do the same with your suspicion.  That’s what God does best.  In the darkness of SUSPICION Jesus is the light of LOVE! Amen.

God is always in the midst of great darkness and anxiety, and even through life’s troubling times, he brings peace through the light of Jesus.

Many people today, even Jesus-followers, have lost sight of the simplicity and serenity of the Christmas season.  Jesus offers hope, joy, peace and love for the hurting and eternal life for those who are willing to accept the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  This Advent message series helps to remind us all that Christmas is not about us—Christmas is Jesus!

Why do we call “rush hour” “rush hour”? Nobody rushes anyplace. Life is like that—too much to do and not enough time to do it. Trying to keep up and seemingly falling behind. The holiday season only seems to make this worse with even more things to do. And emotions—everyone is suppose to experience contentment at Christmas. We sing “Silent Night”, and we’re not silent.  We’re just trying to keep up. Many will see empty chairs at the family table—loved ones who are missed. Anxiety is a way of life this holiday season.

The circumstances of our lives and families—the economy, the world we live in—are constantly working to rob us of our peace. We constantly struggle to feel safe, less anxious, more in control of our lives. Where is the peace of Jesus in all this?  That word “peace” is crucial for our lives.  It’s crucial because we long for peace. Crucial because it is so hard for us to really know peace. With all the efforts of all the philosophers, all the governments, working to solve the deeper issues that plaque humankind, are we any closer to peace than the night when Jesus was born? How can we truly share the peace of Christmas when we are “wrapped up” and “tied up” in such a hectic pace called “rush hour”?

We are centering our focus upon four key declarations concerning darkness and light:

In the darkness of DESPAIR Jesus is the light of HOPE

In the darkness of FEAR Jesus is the light of JOY

In the darkness of ANXIETY Jesus is the light of PEACE

In the darkness of SUSPICION Jesus is the light of LOVE

The first Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us hope from despair through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Traditionally Christmas is seen as a time of hope, but for so many people despair is the controlling emotion of their lives.  And that despair can bring a suffocating darkness.

The second Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us joy from fear through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of joy, but for so many people fear is the compelling emotion of their lives, and that fear can bring a paralyzing darkness.

The third Advent message focuses on the fact that God brings us peace from anxiety through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of peace, but for so many people anxiety is the constraining emotion of their lives, and that anxiety can bring a troubling darkness.

Anxiety = a feeling of uneasiness or apprehension,                                                            cued by a future threat to something held essential.

When we were little, we lived in a world that seemed mostly safe and relatively secure. Our biggest worry was likely the monster living under the bed, waiting to pounce at “lights out.” As adults, we graduated to bigger worries — finances, illness, relationships and jobs, to name a few — and the world didn’t seem quite as safe anymore.

From the time the alarm rings in the morning till we crawl under the covers at night, we are faced with a multitude of choices, responsibilities and unknowns that add up to fatigue, stress and sometimes, chaos. The pressure of everyday life is only worsened by modern technology’s ability to beam play-by-play satellite pictures of political events and natural disasters wreaking havoc around the globe. Is it any wonder, then, that many of us find ourselves living with anxiety on a daily basis?

Despite our best attempts at positive thinking — amidst a cultural landscape abounding with counselors, therapists and self-help books — we often find ourselves plagued with both tangible concerns as well as seemingly unfounded feelings of uneasiness or apprehension. We wonder if it’s possible to find calm and peace anywhere.

Perhaps the answer to the question begins with taking a look again at the understanding of the origins of fear and anxiety. The common ground between the two is a threat, whether real or perceived, to security and safety. Fear and anxiety differ in a profound way, however. At its core, fear stems from an instinctual desire to survive and to recoil from the pain of outward circumstances. In contrast, anxiety stems from mental thought patterns in which safety is perceived as being jeopardized. Our mind becomes fixated on the future, possible events that may challenge our well-being or bring pain — whether that focus is three days or three minutes in the future.

Anxiety is characterized by “What if …?” thinking.

What if … I disappoint someone?

What if … my spouse leaves me?

What if … my boss lets me go?

What if … (Fill in the blank)?

The problem with “what if” thinking is focus. Fear sees the present danger and says, “It is happening, now!” Anxiety, on the other hand, pulls our focus away from the present, fixates on the future and says, “What if it happens someday, maybe?” The future does not yet exist, and may never exist the way we envision it in our mind. It’s likely that most of the things we’ve become anxious about over the years have never come to pass.

Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: 1) the absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in feeling discontent. 2) Not living in the past or drawn to the future. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures or potential problems leading to depression. 3) Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions we cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it. 4) Force ourselves to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress. 5) Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands us a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune. 6) Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues–love, humor, compassion and loyalty. 7) Do not expect too much of ourselves. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and our ability to meet the goals we have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable. Find something bigger than ourselves to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.

Paul warns Jesus-followers about being anxious in Philippians 4:6-7…

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul reminds us that we can do something—we can do the most effective thing when facing anxiety.  We can place the problem squarely in the hands of the one Person in the universe who can deal with every threat.  It is by prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  It is our affirmation of faith that God will surely deal with the situation we have just handed over to him.

Why does the peace of God “transcend all understanding”?  Larry Richards writes…On the surface, our circumstances will not have changed.  Something we hold dear will still be threatened.  We’ll still be out of work.  Or our child will still be bullied on the playground.  Or our spouse will still face a battle with ill health.  We could explain the peace we feel to others if we could announce, ‘I have a new job’!  Or if the bully was kicked out of school, or the doctor announced the illness cured.” 

The thing that is special about the peace God gives, and the thing we can never explain to those who have never had the experience, is that we experience peace before the situation changes in any way.  God’s Spirit calms us, and whispers in our hearts.  “It’s all right now.  I will provide.” Many people, of all walks of life, of all faiths, of all experiences find themselves apprehensive in the darkness of anxiety so deeply that they are restless and nervous.  Yet, out of the darkness of anxiety, God brings Jesus—the light of peace.

To understand this peace, let’s look again at the continuing message announced to the shepherds on a hillside outside of Bethlehem. This time it was a calming message declared to them by an angelic choir that God would bring to them peace on earth.  It’s a contrast of restless shepherds with the peaceful message of God’s glory in the highest heaven.  It is the light of peace when God chose to bring his Son into the world.

This angelic encounter with the shepherds is recorded in Luke 2:12-17…

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,

We can observe in these verses that the angelic choir, in similarity to the message of joy, appeared to shepherds in fields near Bethlehem.  In Christ the Savior, our deepest anxiety is met.  Through Christ, God’s goodwill is poured out on all whom God’s favor rests!  

But that is exactly what God did.  God took the darkness that caused nervousness in these restless shepherds.  In the likeness of our previous messages in the series, God took the despairing and terrifying situation of Mary and Joseph, he took the things that made no sense at all and out of that darkness and anxiety, he brought light and peace…not just for sheepherders, but upon all whom God’s favor rests.  We affirm that it’s just like God to take what’s weak, worthless, uneasy and dark and use it to bring light and peace to the world.

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.  The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.  As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.  A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner. The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace? A turbulent waterfall cascaded down a rocky cliff; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a small, thin tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil. 

Peace is more than absence of conflict. It is inner quietness, deep stillness in the soul, serenity of the spirit, a state of order, harmony, and wholeness. A peaceful individual lives in the midst of conflict without inner turmoil and anxiety. Peace does not depend on outward circumstances but on an inner relationship.

As we venture deeper into this Christmas season, many of us may feel like that little bird.  We are living in the midst of stormy surroundings.  However, this angelic choir will teach us that we can place our contentment upon the Lord and remain undisturbed in our stormy surroundings, manifesting peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.

A Threefold Peace

We affirm once again the fact that God is not afraid of the dark. Out of darkness God can bring light and peace where otherwise there would be none.  Let’s return once more to Luke’s narrative concerning the message of peace from this angelic choir to these restless shepherds.

Through the angels, God tells the shepherds the meaning of this most significant event in cosmic history.  The meaning of peace; Jesus’ birth is to bring peace, shalom, blessedness, fullness.  This is the message from the angels to the shepherds and through them to us.  Christ’s coming means peace.  Not the cessation of war necessarily, but a different kind of peace. 

The angelic announcement of peace to these anxious shepherds proclaims a threefold blessing or fullness:

1.  The forecast of peace in troubling times

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven…

The angels predicted this peace will come when we give glory to God in the highest. The peace does not come when wars among nations end.  Peace will not come with arms or nuclear limitations treaties.  Peace does not come when a general flow of goodwill wells up and we all feel high-minded about our neighbors.  The angels give us the precondition for peace—that we give glory to God in the highest.  This peace has nothing to do with whether or not we win the war.

The tragedy today is that we have made war glorious and peace dull and uninteresting.  We have glamorized war and all its pursuits and have missed the excitement of the ultimate cause which is peace.  It is a gift only God can give us, and it is the one thing for which our hearts yearn.

The lesson God has for us here is that we need to make peace with God.  That’s where peace begins.  We may be running because we are keeping a hectic pace which keeps us from settling down before God.  We may simply be caught up in our own busyness.  We can come home this Christmas.  We belong to him.  We give glory to God in the highest.

2.  The favor of peace in unsettling times

14 “…and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  

How surprising that this profound message of peace was entrusted to shepherds.  We noted in our last message that these shepherds were likened to a despised class of people, outcasts from all respectable society.  Their honesty and integrity was so questionable, not only were they banned from the Temple, they were not even allowed to testify in a court of law in those days.  Now these particular shepherds were a part of an outcast group through whom God chose to reveal the meaning of Christ’s birth.

In giving this message to the shepherds God bypassed the professional peacemakers.  He gave the message and its interpretation to amateurs. We need amateur peacemakers.  The great diplomats and ambassadors of two thousand years ago, the councils that met and the peace treaties that were signed are mostly forgotten.  But the world still reverberates with the peacemakers like the apostle Paul and Luke himself.

The next lesson God has for us here is that we need to make peace with our neighbor.  We need reconciliation between the advantaged and the disadvantaged in our cities and in our land.  America is a nation of the advantaged like no other nation.  We are called to reconciliation in families, between husbands and wives, between parents and children.  We are called to effect political reconciliation between right and left, liberal and conservative, the minority and the majority.

3.  The form of peace in disquieting times

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

The form of peace is manifested in a child—a baby lying in the manger.  This baby Jesus meets our deepest need for peace.  In the shepherd’s search for peace they found Jesus.  They didn’t find this peace in the right situation or circumstance.  It was experienced in a personal encounter with Jesus—the light of peace.  Peace within was one of the greatest needs for the shepherds.  The same is true today for those who are disquieted and “wrapped up” with the hectic pace of life.  The peace that Jesus offers is contentment—accepting God’s sovereign control over all life’s circumstances.  Real peace hinges on what’s happening inside us, not around us.  We are all tempted to believe the lie that our peace hinges on our ability to control what is going on around us.

To experience real peace, we need to experience Jesus firsthand.  God will meet all our needs for peace in the form of a baby.  God is going to take good care of us.  When circumstances rob us of our peace, we must take responsibility.  We must acknowledge that we are looking to what we cannot control to provide us with our peace.  Only then can we begin to look to Jesus for our true form of peace.

The final lesson God has for us here is that we need to make peace with ourselves.  The only way we can find harmony with ourselves is by experiencing peace with God through Jesus Christ.  There is the old saying: “Know Jesus, know peace.  No Jesus, no peace.”  This real peace comes when we are willing to receive personally the babe of Bethlehem as Savior and Lord of our lives. An important dimension of peace comes to us when the head and heart and all our conflicting emotions come together in Jesus.

This Prince of Peace provides a remedy for this darkness of anxiety.  Let’s note some of the comforting words of Jesus…

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 20:21-22

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 5:4, 9

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted…   9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 6:33-34

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

When God is involved, out of darkness comes light.  Out of anxiety comes peace.  This truth is vividly illustrated by a young college graduate who was traveling overseas and needed to get home in time for Christmas.

The first time I remember sensing the peace of God was when I was traveling in Europe after graduating from college. I had taken the trip with my younger sister. When we got to the London airport to catch our flights back to the US, her plane was ready to leave as

scheduled, but my flight was delayed. I found out that my plane could not leave because it

was presently not permitted to land in US airports. The plane was a DC-10, and there had been a major accident involving that type of plane a few days earlier. Since I had paid for a charter fight, the airline was under no obligation to pay for any food or lodging expenses incurred from the situation. I had little money left for expenses, and the information from the airlines was that the planes might not be allowed to land in the US for a week or more. Christmas Eve was only three days away, and I desperately wanted to be home with my family.  Soon, my sister’s flight departed and I was left alone on my first major trip overseas. I could not get in touch with my parents through a collect phone call. The situation scared me and I could not think clearly about what to do because I was so upset. I spent the rest of that day and all of the next trying to get help—with no results. In desperation, I prayed for God’s help. Soon after I prayed, I sensed that I would be OK and make it home with the small amount of money I had.  I experienced a sense of peace that had no rational basis in light of what I had been told by the airlines.

The assurance I sensed turned out to be correct. I called the airline again and learned that they had arranged for the passengers to fly on other airlines—at no additional cost. My connecting flight in New York City had left a few days earlier, but when I explained the situation the ticket employee wrote “involuntary reroute” on the ticket and told me I had a seat on the plane. I had to spend only a minimal amount of money to eat at the airport and arrived home safely the next day just in time for Christmas!

The Christmas story is a beautiful story from a growing darkness of anxiety to the light of peace.  I don’t know what anxiety you may be dealing with in your life from unsettling turmoil or stormy situations this Christmas season.  I don’t know if it’s just a shade of darkness or if it’s apprehensive anxiety.  Whatever anxiety you are dealing with in the ever changing and challenging circumstances of life—whatever the situation you find to be anxious, I know that God isn’t afraid of the dark.  I know that, just as he did on the night outside of Bethlehem to some restless shepherds, God will take that darkness and anxiety and he will bring light and peace…it’s what God does best.

You may be in the darkness right now, restless with anxious thoughts concerning your future.  If anxiety describes your emotional state, your life—then I want to encourage you with the Christmas story.  It is a story of God taking anxiety…the anxiety of troubling times, unsettling times and disquieting times, and out of that anxiety bringing PEACE.  God will do the same with your anxiety.  That’s what God does best.  In the darkness of ANXIETY Jesus is the light of PEACE! Amen.

God is always in the midst of great darkness and fear, and when all life seems lost, he brings joy through the light of Jesus.

Many people today, even Jesus-followers, have lost sight of the simplicity and serenity of the Christmas season.  Jesus offers hope, joy, peace and love for the hurting and eternal life for those who are willing to accept the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  This Advent message series helps to remind us all that Christmas is not about us—Christmas is Jesus!

Let’s face it, the Christmas season is a time that is loved by many and hated by just as many. Yet, regardless of which side of that issue you fall on, this much is true: the Christmas season is a time filled with many mixed messages and with pagan and worldly rituals. This is supposed to be the one time in the year when the world remembers the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, and every year we muddy the waters of truth by allowing the Scriptural meaning of the season to be mingled with other messages that have their origin in the world.

Now. I enjoy Christmas.  It is my favorite time of the year.  But I just want you to be aware that there are some terrible misconceptions surrounding the true meaning of the season. To many people it’s all about money, commercialism and greed. Others see it as a time for parties, meals and get-togethers. Many children know Christmas only as a time for Santa, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and other equally misguided fairy tales. As a result, some children have no idea what is the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus is up against good old Santa. And tragically, Santa captivates their hearts and minds.

Some one has compared Santa Claus and the Lord Jesus in a piece called “Santa Versus Jesus.”

Santa lives at the North Pole. Jesus lives everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh. Jesus rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes once a year. Jesus is an ever present help.

Santa comes down your chimney. Jesus stands at your heart’s door and knocks.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies. Jesus supplies all your needs.

You have to wait in line to see Santa. Jesus is as close as the mention of his name.

Santa lets you sit in his lap. Jesus holds you in his arms.

Santa has a belly like a bowl of jelly. Jesus has a heart of love.

Santa’s little helpers make new toys. Jesus makes new lives.

Santa puts gifts under your tree. Jesus became our gift and died on a tree.

Christmas is Jesus, not Santa!

We are centering our focus upon four key declarations concerning darkness and light:

In the darkness of DESPAIR Jesus is the light of HOPE

In the darkness of FEAR Jesus is the light of JOY

In the darkness of ANXIETY Jesus is the light of PEACE

In the darkness of SUSPICION Jesus is the light of LOVE

The first Advent message focused on the fact that God brought us hope from despair through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Traditionally Christmas is seen as a time of hope, but for so many people despair is the controlling emotion of their lives.  And that despair can bring a suffocating darkness.

The second Advent message focuses on the fact that God brings us joy from fear through the Father’s gift of light—the birth of his Son.  Christmas is seen as a time of joy, but for so many people fear is the compelling emotion of their lives, and that fear can bring a paralyzing darkness.

Fear = an emotional response to external threats and danger when facing the uncertain circumstances of life. Fear should be distinguished from anxiety, which typically occurs without any external threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats which are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable.

Paul warns Jesus-followers about putting out the Spirit fire through fear in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19…

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.

Putting out the Spirit’s fire is stifling or limiting him.  Fear seriously restricts the Spirit’s control of our body which God would otherwise strengthen and use.  Instead of fear, we should be able to rejoice.  The word rejoice means to return to the source of joy.  This joy is initially experienced when we first received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives.  This joy is strengthened as we live day after day by faith in God’s love, and God’s plan for our lives.  This keeps us rejoicing through the Spirit in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves.

When fear instead of joy controls our lives, we become like turtles.  Dr. Maltz in his book, Psycho-Cybernetics says: “To live creatively, we must be willing to be a little vulnerable.  We must be willing to be hurt a little, if necessary, in creative living.  A lot of people need a thicker and tougher emotional skin than they have.  But they need only a tough emotional hide or epidermis—not a shell.  To trust, to love, to open ourselves to emotional communication with other people is to run the risk of being hurt.  If we are hurt once, we can do one of two things.  We can build a thick protective shell, or scar tissue, to prevent being hurt again, and not be hurt.  Or we can ‘turn the other cheek,’ remain vulnerable and go on living creatively.”

“A turtle is never ‘hurt.’” Turtles have a thick shell which protects them from everything.  They are isolated when they retreat into their shell.  Turtles are secure, but not creative.  They cannot ‘go after’ what they want—they must mostly wait for it to come to them.  Turtles know none of the hurts of emotional communication with their environment—but neither can turtles know the joys.

As Jesus-followers, once fear has been faced as a violation of trust in God rather than excused as a behavior pattern, we are well on our way to recovery provided we are willing to submit ourselves to the continual leading or prompting of the Holy Spirit.  Many people, of all walks of life, of all faiths, of all experiences find themselves paralyzed in the darkness of fear so deeply that they are robbed of joy.  Yet, out of the darkness of fear, God brings Jesus—the light of joy.

To comprehend this joy, let’s look at the message announced to the shepherds on a hillside outside of Bethlehem. It was declared to them by an angel of the Lord that God would bring to them good news of great joy.  It’s a contrast of terrified shepherds with the joyful message of a Savior being born.  It is the light of joy when God chose to bring his Son into the world.

This angelic encounter with the shepherds is recorded in Luke 2:6-11…

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.  8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 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 of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

We can observe in these verses that the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds in fields near Bethlehem, praising God.  Rather than limit the promise of joy to people of good will, the angelic shout proclaims a grace of God that is Good News and the promise of joy to all!  In Christ the Savior, our deepest need is met.  Through Christ, God’s favor is poured out on all who will but believe.  

But that is exactly what God did.  God took the darkness that paralyzed these terrorized shepherds.  In the likeness of our first message in the series, God took the terrifying situation of Mary and Joseph, he took the things that made no sense at all and out of that darkness and fear, he brought light and joy…not just for sheepherders, but for the entire world.  We affirm that it’s just like God to take what’s weak, worthless, fearful and dark and use it to bring light and joy to the world.

There is a cartoon of the freckle-faced, Dennis-the-Menace-type toddler standing outside his parents’ bedroom door.  This toddler’s pajama bottoms are unsnapped; his Pampers are soaked and sagging; his teddy bear’s nose is torn off, and its one remaining button eye is dangling.  From the looks of things, this child could definitely keep six healthy adults hopping.  But in front of him, hanging from the doorknob, is the sign his exhausted mother has printed: CLOSED FOR BUSINESS.  MOTHERHOOD OUT OF ORDER!

As we enter this Christmas season, many of us may feel like that parent in the cartoon.  “Closed for business.  I’m out of order.”  Life is coming unsnapped, and our spirit is sagging.  However, the angel of the Lord will teach us that we can set our gaze upon joy, and how we can find the way through life’s circumstances with an unmistakable confidence in Christ. 

Joyful Reasons for the Season

We affirm once again the fact that God is not afraid of the dark. Out of darkness God can bring light and joy where otherwise there would be none.  Let’s return to Luke’s narrative concerning the angel of the Lord’s message to these terrified shepherds.

The angelic announcement of joy to these lowly shepherds proclaims three joyful reasons for the season…

1.  A command of stillness in a stressed out world

10 “Do not be afraid.”

This stillness is founded upon the understanding that joy is an assurance in God’s leading and security in his never-failing love.  The shepherds needed to hear this message of joy in a stressed out period of time.  The shepherds would care for the unblemished lambs that would be offered in the Temple as sacrifices before God.  But the shepherds themselves were prohibited from entering the Temple courts.  They needed this message of stillness—do not be afraid.  Don’t be fearful of the uncertain circumstances of life which foster the emotional responses to threats and danger.

So when we feel that we are stressed out—closed for business and out of order—when life is coming unsnapped; when our spirit is sagging—we gaze upon the light of joy in the Lord with unmistakable stillness.  Do not be afraid.  This command of stillness is ordered at least 365 times in scripture—one for each day of the year!

2.  A commencement of gladness in a disheartened world

10 “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Many of us have been raised to believe that joy and happiness mean the same thing.   What is the difference between joy and happiness?  Joy is a supernatural delight in God and God’s goodness.  And it is a very different thing from happiness.  Happiness is our translation of the Latin word fortuna, and it is closely related to chance.  Thus, if things happen to work out in a way which we approve, we are happy.  If they do not so happen, we are unhappy. Happiness is circumstantial, but not joy.  Joy is an inner quality of delight in God, or gladness, and it is meant to spring up within the Jesus-follower in a way totally unrelated to the adversities or circumstantial blessings of this life. 

So the angel of the Lord inclusively announces to the shepherds good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  This good news isn’t just offered to a select few, but it is even extended to those who are considered second rate.  If we are able to receive what God wants to give, the message of joy is for each of us.  Would that it were for all.  It is available for all, and when and if we receive what God wants to give us, we have joy.

We’ve already affirmed that joy is stillness in God’s leading and security in his never-failing love.  So to rejoice in the Lord does not mean to ignore our responsibilities; neither does it mean to evade obvious issues.  Rather, it means to be fully mindful of the situation, fully prepared to deal with it responsibly, and fully convinced of the power of the Lord to give wisdom, grace, and courage to deal with what comes along.  This is why the angel announces the good news of great joy.  And this good news is Jesus Christ, the light of joy, coming into the world!

In essence, happiness is found in circumstances that are subject to change, while joy is rooted in our ever-constant Lord.  Happiness is gladness in the gift, while joy is an abiding delight in the Giver!

3.  A claim of uprightness in a depraved world

11 “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

The angel told the shepherds this joy was to come by a Savior who is Messiah, the Lord.  The angel used two names to identify the one who would bring this joy.  First was Savior, a Hebrew word meaning rescuer; then Messiah, a Greek word for the anointed one, the chosen one. So Jesus was to be the rescuer and the anointed One—the bearer of this joy.  When living in a depraved world, we need a Savior who comes to rescue us.  One who is anointed to save and bring joy in the midst of the darkness of fear.

This baby who has been born to us has a threefold claim: he is a present Savior, a promised Savior, and a personal Savior. 

A Present Savior—Today

A Promised Savior—In the town of David

A Personal Savior—Born to you

This present, promised, and personal Savior provides a remedy for this darkness of fear.  Let’s note some of the reassuring words of Jesus…

John 6:19-20

19 When they had rowed about three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”

John 14:1-3

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 My Father’s house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.          29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Luke 5:10

10 Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

Acts 18:9-10

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

When God is involved, out of darkness comes light.  Out of fear comes joy.  This truth is beautifully illustrated by the following example of a time when a young, fear-stricken mother loaned her son to a total stranger at Christmas time.

There came an appeal from the local newspaper: Is there any place where we can borrow a little boy three or four years old for the Christmas holidays?  We have a nice home and would take wonderful care of him and bring him back save and sound.  We used to have a little boy, but he couldn’t stay, and we miss him so when Christmas comes.—N. Muller.

As I read the above appeal in our local newspaper, something happened to me.  For the first time since my husband’s death, I thought of grief as belonging to someone else.  I read and reread the letter to the editor. 

Some months before, I had received word from Washington that my husband had been killed in the service overseas.  Fear-stricken, I had taken my little son and had moved back to the tiny village of my birth.  I’d gone to work to help support my son and time had helped to erase a few scars in my heart.  But there were special times when the ache would return and loneliness would engulf me—birthdays, our wedding, anniversary and holidays.

This particular Christmas, the old paralyzing fear was returning when my eyes caught the appeal in the newspaper column… “We used to have a little boy, but he couldn’t stay and we miss him so…” I, too, knew what missing was, but I had my little boy.  I knew how empty the sparkle of Christmas is unless you see it in the joyous eyes of a child.  I answered the appeal.  The writer of the letter was a widower who lived with his mother.  He had lost his beloved wife and his little son the same year. That Christmas, my son and I shared a joyous day with the widower and his mother.  Together, we found a joy that we doubted would ever return.  But the best part is that this joy was mine to keep throughout the years and for each of the Christmases since. You see, the man who wrote the letter, months later, became my husband. –Mrs. N.H. Muller.

The prophet affirms the truth of the darkness of fear turning to the light of joy in Isaiah 51:3…

3 The LORD will surely comfort… and will look with compassion… Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

The Christmas story is a beautiful story from a growing darkness of fear to the light of joy.  I don’t know what fear you may be dealing with in your life from outside circumstances this Christmas season.  I don’t know if it’s just a shade of darkness or if it’s a paralyzing fear.  Whatever fear you are dealing with in the ever changing and challenging circumstances of life—whatever the situation you find to be fearful, I know that God isn’t afraid of the dark.  I know that, just as he did on the night outside of Bethlehem to some fearful shepherds, God will take that darkness and fear and he will bring light and joy…it’s what God does best.

You may be in the darkness right now, quenching the Spirit of God.  If fear describes your emotional state, your life—then I want to encourage you with the Christmas story.  It is a story of God taking fear…the fear of stress, the fear of sadness, the fear of a depraved people and out of that fear bringing JOY.  God will do the same with your fear.  That’s what God does best.  In the darkness of FEAR Jesus is the light of JOY! Amen.