The True Christmas Gift

“but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” – Luke 2:10-14.

Despite man’s efforts to take Christ out of Christmas, He just won’t go away. Despite society’s best efforts to keep Him out, God intrudes. That first Christmas, there was no room for Him in the inn. The world never wants to make room for Christ at Christmas and in everyday life. Man killed Him and sealed the tomb with a huge stone to shut Him out of our lives once and for all. But God removed the stone to prove Jesus will not be shut up or shut out of His plans.

Christmas was never meant to be an event or a season. There are some things that could be changed when it comes to Christmas. For example, take out all the materialism. But we should never take the gift out of Christmas. After all, how can we take Christ, the true gift of Christmas, out of Christmas?

The question is why would people want to take Christ out of Christmas?  He is Immanuel, God with us. Jesus, the one who saves us from our sins. What a gift. His resurrection gives us life after death. That’s a gift. His death on the cross offered forgiveness for sins and a fresh start with God. That’s a gift. His grace offers the assurance of a secure future with God. That’s a gift. These are gifts we don’t deserve, but God desires us to have them. And the One guaranteeing the gift is the One who created all things and defeated death by rising from it. Christ is The gift of Christmas that no other gift can surpass. Jesus brings joy to the world and hope to our lives in the message of Christmas.

Today we face the danger of turning our attention away from the Gift of Christmas. You should never want to take Christ out of Christmas. He is The gift of Christmas that no other gift can surpass. Worse than taking Christ out of Christmas is leaving Christ out of your life. The gifts Jesus Christ offers are the things we need the most.

Discussion Question:

  1. Christmas was never meant to be an event or a season, it was meant to be a gift. Agree or disagree and why?

Midlife Blues

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” –  1 Peter 1:6-7

Can I be middle-aged already? Really? Middle age” has been described as that period of life that you never want to enter and you never want to leave. Midlife brings new insecurities and awakenings to long-dormant regrets. Many of us face empty nests and the prospect of, in effect, starting over with spouses. Many of us face the reality of aging parents and any fears or worries or responsibilities that come with that. And of course, we daily face the reality of lost youth, waning strength, and more difficult processes for maintaining health. Time moves a lot faster the older you get. Doesn’t sound all that good, does it?

Joshua 13:1 (KJV) addressed this subject: “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” The “old and stricken” is not very reassuring, but it does remind us there is a lot left to do regardless of our age. Psalm 92: 14 confirms this: “Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” In midlife, as in every stage of life, there are things we wish we had done. Fortunately, Christ doesn’t change our past, He redeems it. He is faithful to do that. He does not judge us by our actions but by His own, freely given to us in love.

In midlife, Christ is a companion through all the worries and stresses. As we get more serious about our health each decade we don’t have the strength and energy we did at 25. But Jesus is as strong as He’s ever been, and wherever we have to go or do, He will go with us. He will never leave me or forsake me.

In midlife, we have the opportunity to transfer some of our hard-earned wisdom to those coming along behind us. There are younger people seeking their way in life that we can mentor or minister to. They will benefit from people who can share their life experiences.

If you’re reaching middle age, work to continue strengthening your relationship with Jesus. He’ll be always there, waiting for you. Imagine yourself in those days of thinning hair, stubborn paunch, creaky bones, and joints, callouses of hand, and scars of heart, walking closely with the Lord.  It will make middle age something to savor.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your fears about old age? You can get wiser as you get older. What mistakes do you recall making in your younger days? What did God teach you? What would you do differently now?

Don’t Miss Christmas – Part 3, Herod

“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. – Matthew 2:1-3.

The third person who missed Christmas was Herod. It is very hard to find anything good about him. Basically, Herod was a selfish and evil man. We could probably call him the first Scrooge.

The Bible tells us that Herod called the religious leaders to find out where the future king should be born. He was told “Bethlehem.” After that, he called the wise men and asked them to report to him if their search in Bethlehem proved fruitful. God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod so they returned home by another route.  Herod was enraged and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem.  Joseph and Mary had already fled to Egypt.

The palace of Herod was brimming with wealth and luxury at the time Jesus was born. Fast forward to today. All that “Herod the Great” ever owned lies in the broken ruins and dust of the Middle East. There are no hospitals built in Herod’s name. No colleges or universities claim Herod as their inspiration. No charities rally people to a good cause by remembering Herod’s influence. Herod’s picture doesn’t adorn anyone’s building, home, or jewelry. If it weren’t for the Christmas story, most of us would have never heard this man’s evil legacy.

On the other hand, there is Jesus. In the beginning, Jesus was born in a homeless set of circumstances, while Herod enjoyed his choice of palace beds. In the beginning, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus ran from Herod. While Herod had enormous wealth, Jesus never had a penny. Herod had palaces, but Jesus had simple lodging. He probably slept on the ground, or in borrowed beds more than his own bed, during his ministry. To the untrained eye, in that day, Herod and his kind were in control, had the power, and left a great legacy.

In the end, however, Herod lay dead, and Jesus lived. Even after His death, Jesus lived again, and today, the world is a changed place not because of Herod “the Great,” but because Jesus lives.

See the baby Jesus in a new and fresh way this Christmas season. Give us ears to hear the angels singing. Give us feet like the shepherds to go swiftly to Bethlehem. Give us hands like the Wise Men to offer Him the best that we have. Give us hearts of love to worship Him.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think God included Herod in the Christmas story?
  2. What can we learn from the story of Herod?
  3. What can we do this season to ensure we don’t miss Christmas?  

Don’t Miss Christmas – Part 2, Religious Leaders

“He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” – Matthew 2:4-6.

The story of Christ’s birth is full of characters who effectively missed the first Christmas. The innkeeper was one and the religious leaders were another. Matthew 2:4-6 describes the scene. Herod gathers all the leading priests and teachers and asks them where the Messiah was to be born. They tell him Bethlehem, citing Micah 5:2 which says, ”But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”

The chief priests and scribes knew exactly where Christ was to be born. These were the theologians, the minds, the brains, the religious elite of Israel. The Jewish people had been looking for their Messiah/Deliverer for a very long time.  They were waiting eagerly to end the Roman occupation and oppression.  Yet the religious leaders could not make the effort to go to Bethlehem to see if this was truly the Messiah.

The fact is, out of the entire population of Jerusalem and Judea, only a few shepherds came to see the Messiah. And do you remember what they did? After encountering Him, they joyfully told everyone about their experience until everyone in the Judean countryside heard about the birth of the Messiah. But even then, there is no record that anyone else, including the religious leaders of the day, came to see Jesus.

They probably figured they didn’t need Him. They were self-righteous. And they were indifferent. They thought they had it all figured out. But they didn’t. And neither do we. How can we take God – the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and put Him in our box? Do we think we have God so figured out that He becomes predictable or worse familiar to us?

Like in marriages, familiarity leads to complacency and eventually we take each other for granted. Relationships with our spouses like with God are an adventure. We seek out new things to learn of the other. We do the same with God. He is knowable to a point, but He is still God.

The Christmas story centers around this truth from John 1:14 (MSG): “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” That is the real message of Christmas. May we, in this busyness we call Christmas, not miss out on our Savior as the religious leaders did.   

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it easy or tempting to miss Jesus during the Christmas season? Why or why not? 
  2. How does the familiarity of the Christmas story make it hard for us to be challenged by its message?
  3. What can we do this week to ensure we don’t miss Christmas?

Don’t Miss Christmas – The Innkeeper

“One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper was not hostile; he was not opposed to them, but his inn was crowded; his hands were full; his mind was preoccupied. This is the answer that millions are giving today. Like a Bethlehem innkeeper, they cannot find room for Christ.” – Billy Graham.

Christmas is the most anticipated, celebrated, and advertised holiday of the year. To some, it’s a secular holiday, focused on giving and receiving, long in coming and short in true celebration, leaving little in its wake but exhaustion, debt, and disappointment. To the believer, Christmas is one of the most precious times of the year. Christmas reminds us that “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11).

You’ve read this story a hundred times. You’ve heard it sung, and talked about it to the point you could recite it in your sleep. But during the very first Christmas, there was a person that missed the opportunity to be part of one of the greatest events of all time. The Bible doesn’t tell us the name of this man, but Christmas was literally out his back door, but he missed it.

He met a pregnant woman with a child but he had no room for them. He wouldn’t make room for them. Surely he could have rolled out a mat on the floor of his own home had he been willing to inconvenience himself. But he wasn’t. The One who is the most famous Man in all of history, and more than a Man, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace who gave us Christmas, who is Christmas, could not find a room to be born in. And so the innkeeper missed Christmas.

He wasn’t an evil man, and he probably wasn’t unloving or unsympathetic. He wasn’t angry or belligerent. He wasn’t even indifferent. He was just busy. Too busy. We are so busy at Christmas that even as you read this you are probably thinking of all the things you need to be doing. And you probably don’t think that you have any time for Jesus in your life. The problem, however, isn’t that you don’t have room for Jesus. It’s that you haven’t made room for Jesus. In order to experience the power of Jesus in your life, you need to make room for Him. The reality is that if you need to make room for anything in your life, it’s Jesus!

If the innkeeper had known he had God in his stable, we can be sure he would evict every other customer and given Mary and Joseph a run of their whole place. But he didn’t know just as many people today do not know who Christ is, or that He is here, with and among us.

In this advent season think about your life. Have you spent more time shopping or decorating or baking than you have loving and serving others? Have you spent more money on stuff, than you have on investing in His Kingdom? Have you given more of your time and energy to the busy pursuits of life than to building relationships with people?

The innkeeper missed Christmas. Let us not miss it as well.

Discussion Questions:

  1. It is common to be too preoccupied to make room for Jesus. What about you?
  2. What are some excuses that we might offer for missing Christmas?

Some Good News Amidst The Bad

“For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.” – Psalm 112:6-7 (ESV)

Have you ever had to tell someone bad news? It isn’t very fun. It is no fun to let your parents know you got in big trouble at school or to tell a good friend the harsh truth.  We seem surrounded by bad news these days, in our local churches, in our homes, and in our own hearts.

We live in a broken world, and try as we might, we can’t hide from bad news or heartache by turning off the TV, ignoring it, or in a Netflix binge. None of those things will ever bring us peace because peace comes in the form of a Person: Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

That’s the good news about bad news: simply put, when the news seems all bad, there is good news. God is in control of history and anyone who acknowledges his need for God in Christ holds the key to inner peace and security. For in Christ, whether we live or die, we can’t lose. Christ gives us the key to eternal life and living this life victoriously.

God reminds us in His word that peace will not naturally just come our way. Psalm 34:14 says, “Turn away from evil and do good; search for peace and work to maintain it.”  There is no shortage of ideas on how to obtain peace. There are numerous books on the subject. They include suggestions such as – getting away for a few days, relaxing, being happy, taking a vacation, tuning out, just don’t think about stressful stuff, and searching for your inner place of peace. But these are all superficial fixes, that are at best temporary.

The peace of God is different. It’s lasting. Confident. Real. It gives us deep reassurance in the midst of all that we face in our past, present, and future.  Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace all who trust in, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.”

No matter what we go through in this life, or what we’re up against today, we don’t have to be shaken. We’re safe with Him. At rest. At peace. He sent His only Son, the pure essence of Peace Himself, to give us lasting freedom and peace that only He can give.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you react to bad news?
  2. How can you turn bad news into peace?
  3. What are practical ways we can trust God for peace in our lives?

God The Father

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”  – Ephesians 3:14-19.

“Daddy” is a powerful word. The word often describes the man you look to for love, strength, courage, and wisdom. The term “dad” stirs up a variety of feelings and memories in all of us. For some of us, our dads were a dominant presence in our homes. For others, our dads were people we barely saw. Many dads do not live up to the ideal.

But unlike human parents, God is perfect. He does not make mistakes like earthly fathers do. He loves us more than a human father could comprehend. God wants us to see Him as the perfect Father who loves us unconditionally. The Lord’s Prayer begins with “Our Father.” We are not praying to a distant, uninvolved, abstract thing called “god.” We are praying to the “… God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15)

There was a feel-good story on the news about a single dad raising several kids. The mother was no longer in the picture, but the dad was determined to make a go of it, something his sons noticed and appreciated. The oldest child choked back the tears when he said his dad had two different full-time jobs. The child paused for a few seconds and said, “he works two full-time jobs for me…for me.”

God our Father, as revealed in the person of Jesus, loves us like that single Father, with commitment, steadfastness, and sacrifice. God the Father loves you more than you can imagine. 1 John 3:1 says, “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.”

I hope you see the privilege and the joy to call God Father today. He is the perfect Father we’ve always longed for and desperately needed.

God is our Father not only in that He is our Creator but that He is also our Redeemer; this is what distinguishes the Christian’s relationship to God and what allows us to relate to Him as Father.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you feel comfortable addressing God as Father? What hesitations (if any) do you have about thinking of God this way?
  2. Which particular aspect of God’s fatherhood (nearness, care, and provision) brings you the most comfort today? Why?

The Truth About Jesus

 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6.

If you asked 100 people to imagine how they view God, what would their answers be? A few may imagine a lion. If so they must have watched the Narnia movies. Maybe a few would say, Morgan Freeman. If so, they watched Bruce Almighty or Evan Almighty. Some picture God as a baptist, or catholic or presbyterian, or methodist. And some would say they saw Jesus. For some people, Jesus is a figure from the past—someone to be admired as a great teacher, even a prophet. For others, He is someone to call upon in a time of crisis who will wipe our tears away.

What adjective would you use to describe Jesus? Holy, perhaps; powerful, definitely; world-changing, that cannot be denied. People grow up thinking of Jesus as meek and mild, the guy who was born at Christmas and died at Easter. But if we look at the Gospels, however, a totally different picture emerges. Here is no “gentle Jesus meek and mild,” but a person so dynamic and so inspiring that hardened fishermen, tough tax collectors, Roman soldiers, and a man who started as an enemy—the apostle Paul—were all prepared to put their reputations and their lives on the line in order to follow Him.

They did this because they concluded as Peter memorably did, that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). The disciples who worked with Him for three years would have seen and heard the extraordinary claims He made for Himself. They would have heard His teaching, so authoritative that even the Jewish temple guards had to say, “We have never heard anyone speak like this!…” (John 7:46).

And all the miracles demonstrated His power: healing people.  He could calm a storm or change water into wine; over evil spirits; and finally, over death itself.  The evidence is overwhelming. Only God could do all this.

Setting our minds free requires us to be a sponge for the truth. A life that honors God with daily living requires a knowledge of God’s truth. A spiritually healthy soul that overflows with love, joy, and peace requires truth as well.

The ultimate truth is found in a person, Jesus Christ. This truth is revealed in the Bible. It takes faith to believe, but in a world where the truth is increasingly blurred, I urge you to begin with Jesus and His Word, and you will always know the truth.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How have you wrestled with questions about the truth in your own life? Has your knowledge of Jesus resolved those questions? How?
  2. Many times Christians are criticized for being arrogant in their claims to truth or in the way they talk about the truth. Do you think these criticisms are valid? Why or why not? What do you think it looks like to be full of grace and truth?
  3. If your goal is to free your mind by focusing on God’s truth, where do you start? 

Having A Peacemakers Identity

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:13-16.

How would you respond if you were asked to describe your identity?  Who are you? Your identity in Christ is far different than your personal identity which is commonly defined by your family role or job description. It also includes your personality traits, hobbies, likes and dislikes, etc.  But when you think of your identity, do you think of being a peacemaker? Probably not.

Peacemaking is a divine work. God is the author of peace. And, Jesus is the supreme Peacemaker. Jesus came to establish peace; His message explained peace; His death purchased peace, and His resurrected presence enables peace. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Just before He was crucified, Jesus’ last will and testament was, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27) When the Lord returned after the resurrection, His first words to the disciples was “Peace be with you,” (Luke 24:36).

If being a Christian means following the teachings of Jesus Christ, then by definition there are practical implications and effects on our life and faith. One of those is to be a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker does not mean that you avoid all conflicts and confrontations. Nor does it mean that you are laidback, easygoing, relaxed, and passive and that you defend a “peace at any price” philosophy.

The idea of a peacemaker is to make peace. Romans 12:18 says, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” James 3:18 adds, “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” A peacemaker is a person who works to settle quarrels and diminish conflict. Peacemakers are accepting, tolerant, and refrain from being negative.

Solomon has a lot to say about peacemakers: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1) “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24). Peacemakers are slow to anger and are humble and trusting.

Our world desperately needs peacemakers who know the peace that only Christ can bring. Peace in homes where there is constant fighting and bickering. Peace in churches that are sometimes torn apart by conflict. Peace in cities where violence has broken out. Peace in our troubled hearts.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does a “peacemaker” mean to you? 
  2. How can we be more of a peacemaker this week? 

Blessed Is The Peacemaker

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9

The Beatitudes contain a well-known phrase: “Blessed are the peacemakers…” What Jesus calls good, and who Jesus calls blessed, is striking because His values seem to be upside down from our own.  Peacemaker…what does that mean?

It is not too bold to say there is a great deal of conflict to go around, and the question we should consider is how we Christians should respond to it. Unfortunately, it feels like we have been caught in the same mire as the rest of the world. Peacemaking, I’ve heard some Christians say, is not practical.

Is being a peacemaker the same thing as being a peacekeeper? Many people today pursue a “peacekeeping strategy,” hoping to prevent conflicts and crises that sometimes result. But since conflict is often inevitable, the peacekeeping mission does not always succeed. What we need is a “peacemaking” strategy. Psalm 34:14 says: “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

A peacekeeper simply avoids conflict. When there’s a disagreement, they retreat. A peace-maker is aiming for much more: they’re aiming for reconciliation.  And reconciliation is active, not passive. It means working through our disagreements in a healthy way. It means listening and understanding each other’s feelings. It means developing solutions together.

Can you see the difference? There is no name-calling. They talk through the issue, and at the end of the day, learn new things about each other. The people in a conflict may discover they were on the same page. Talking it through brings feelings out into the open and the peacemaking process can go forward.

We need to take Jesus’ words seriously. If a peacemaker is to be called a child of God, we should want to be one. To be one, however, will take some work. The pursuit of meaningful relationships is essential to peacemaking. Many of our divides exist because we do not actually know each other. That’s because we tend to see conflict as something to be avoided: so if we disagree, one must submit, or else the conflict will keep going. But what if all conflict is not win-lose? What if handling conflict effectively means that you each find a win-win? What if the conflict can actually be one of the routes to a reconciliation of the relationship?

Peacemaking will not be easy, maybe not even possible. However, we are still called to seek it. We remember Paul’s words for peacemakers in the Bible, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18, NIV)

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker in your mind?
  2. Is it realistic to think you can keep the peace all the time?
  3. Do you believe that one person has to submit in order to solve a conflict? Does one person have to lose? Why?
  4. What can we do this week to be a peacemaker?