Jesus is not the reason for the season

 
Do I have your attention?  I think that so often we hear, "Jesus is the reason for the season," that we do not actually stop to think about it.  In the sense that most people mean it, it is a truism.  People do need to sometimes be reminded that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate Christmas.  It is not the presents, or the parties, or the ugly sweaters.  It is Jesus that we celebrate.  But I think that Christians have a problem.  After Thanksgiving they immediately start proclaiming that Jesus is the reason for the season while they put up their Christmas lights and decorate their tree.  They proclaim it while shopping.  They say it while ordering coffee.  And then the celebration comes and goes.  The gifts are given.  The parties are over.  The lights and the tree come down.  And they we say, "Happy New Year!"  Notice that we do not say, "Jesus is the reason for the New Year."  We go on and say, "Happy Valentine's Day," instead of "Jesus shows us true love."  We move on with life.  Jesus is not just the reason for the season.  Jesus is the reason that we have everything.  He is the reason we have life eternal.  He is to be our mind - and therefore He is simply our reason.  Not JUST the reason for the season, but the reason for everything that we do.  

So, this year, do not forget about Jesus after Christmas.  He is the reason for all of it!  Of everything.  Even the new year!

Christmas is Coming

 Not sure where you are on the Christmas shopping - as for me, I have a few stocking stuffers yet to buy, but my wife does most of the heavy lifting, so I am close to done.  Not sure how many parties you have already been to - my count is presently still at 0.  Not sure how much decorating you have done, or have yet to do - mine was done even before Thanksgiving!  (I love my wife!)  Not sure how many Christmas movies you have already watched, or yummy Christmas goodies you have already consumed, how many carols you have sung or listened to.  But one thing I do know.  Christmas has nothing to do with any of those things.  

Sure, we choose different ways to celebrate, and none of the celebration is in itself bad, but it sometimes takes the place of the true celebration.  We are remembering the coming of Christ to earth in human form to save the world from their sins.  This is what is announced to Joseph, to Mary, to the shepherds and proclaimed to all who would listen.  When we read the Biblical accounts they all talk about the central truth - God with us - God came to earth to save us so that we could again be with Him and be so for all eternity.  

I know it is cliché to say it.  But will you remember with me this year the real reason why we celebrate.  And as I was reminded recently - this is a great time of year for evangelism.  It is easy to start a conversation about Jesus when we prepare the whole world for a celebration.  And more than Christmas coming, we know that Jesus is coming again and we know why He is coming again!  And this is the foundation for our great hope!  Celebrate - Jesus is coming!

Thanksgiving is now over?

 Well, in my family all of the Thanksgiving work is done.  We have been to the in-laws house and had a delicious meal.  We have been to my parents house and had a delicious meal.  Two turkeys in one week - I think I am still slowly getting over all the tryptophan!  Now what?  I think that for many of us we move on so very quickly.  This weekend is an interesting one.  Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday - each day added to what was already a move past the idea of thanksgiving and into spending money.  Sure we could say that we are spending for the benefit of others - to get them gifts, etc. but I wonder if we don't just move past Thanksgiving all too quickly.  

Though it would really throw things into a loop - I sometimes think to myself that we should actually celebrate Christmas first and then do Thanksgiving.  After all, the biggest thing that I have to be thankful for is that my Creator sent His Son, Jesus, to take care of a sin problem that was mine and yours and He lived and died for me to have life.  The incarnation of Christ is the biggest point of gratitude that we all should have.  And if you are not thankful for it, then you have not truly considered the deep nature of your own sin problem and the great work of Christ to pay the penalty for your sin.  

I know that in reality our American Thanksgiving holiday is celebrating something different, and there is a good reason that it comes in November.  And I know that there is reason that we celebrate Christmas in December.  But maybe it would help me, and help all of us, if we did not just quit on Thanksgiving and move on.  Let us hold onto the heart of Thanksgiving a bit long - not the turkey, but the Thanks.  

The importance of doctrine

 Each of us live our lives in a state of perpetual belief.  There are certain things that we hold to be true even though we do not have any necessary reason to hold them as true.  Allow me to demonstrate this fact.  I have no idea who built my house.  I bought it 7 years ago from a couple that I did not know.  I think they may have actually been the ones who hired the people who built the house, but I am not positive on that.  It was built over 60 years ago.  In all likelihood, the people who built it have died and I could not, even if I wanted to, ask them about the process.  I have no idea what the foundation looks like.  I have never seen it.  I have never torn off the interior or exterior of my walls to ensure that the materials built upon the foundation are solid and good.  And yet each day, I come home.  Each day I rest.  Each night I go to sleep unthinkingly confident that my house will stand.  

If I examine this objectively, I know that there are people who have homes who do not stand.  Homes that fall.  In many respects this is what faith is.  But when it comes to Christ, faith, while critical is never blind.  It is not unknowing.  It is an examining faith - a faith that looks to Christ and to His Word for answers and for certainty.  Every one of us believes something, but what we believe is critically important.  If I am coming home to bed each night in doctrinal uncertainty, I have my hope in nothing but hope itself.  And that is no hope.  But if I come home each night to my sure Savior.  To the One who died in my place.  To the One who was born of a Virgin.  To the One who lived a perfect life.  Suddenly, even though I do not have to think about each of these things in every moment, I have a foundation that I can be confident in.  That I can welcome others into.  

My prayer is that my faith in Christ is not in any way like my faith in my house.  Both have a foundation.  But one I know to be solid.  My house I only hope is solid.  One I know to stand true and straight.  My walls I only hope are built of good material.  One has been tested and has stood the test of time.  My house has only been around for about 60 years and will at some point fall apart and need repair.  Take the time to get to know Christ.  Examine Him through His Word.  And may you find Him Glorious!

Thanksgiving

 At our church we are doing something different this year.  Leading up to the Thanksgiving Praise Service that we hold annually (on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving day) we are asking for a few people to give a brief testimony of praise.  It is interesting to me to think about my own life and what I would say, but more interesting to me is why this kind of thing seems to come up only around the holiday.  

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples."  (1 Chronicles 16:8, NASB)

We have a responsibility to tell people what God has done, and not just "our" people - the church, it is a responsibility to tell the world about the things that God has done.  If we took this as part of our personal job description, how well would we grade ourselves.  Does your neighbor know of the good that God has done for you?  Does the teller you see at the bank each week?   What about your unsaved friends?  Are we telling the world that God has done good things for us?  Or do we bottle it up and keep it to ourselves, maybe sharing it at church?  Make it a personal challenge today to make known what God has done for you among the people of the earth!

A prayer for teens

 I have three teenagers at the moment.  And so I love Kathleen Nielson's book, Prayer of a Parent for Teens. (P and R Publishing) In truth, the whole 4 book series is good and highly recommended, but I am in the teen phase of life right now and so for me and my wife, this book in particular has a lot of meaning.  Today I want to simply share an excerpt of one of those prayers - "For Identity in Christ" with you. 

"May she know you knew her from before creation, Father God, and that your perfect hand knit her together in the womb.  May she understand her fallenness, and may she know your Spirit breathed new life into her heart, creating her anew, and clean from sin, through faith in Christ.  And may she know the Spirit as your constant presence with her - Spirit of the risen Christ who lights the meaning of your Word and gives us power to obey." (p. 19)

Prayers for students and teachers

 As school is starting back up, I thought it would be fitting to remind us to be in regular prayer for the students and teachers within the context of our local churches.  Schools have been a battle ground for ideology for some time and it would seem that our culture is striving at a younger and younger age to indoctrinate our children and so they are using the schools as a place to fight for lies and for what the Scripture calls evil.  

I believe that this is in line with what the Scriptures say will happen in our world, and so we as Christians do not need to respond with panic or alarm, but we can respond with the calm assurance that all that God has promised He will do is going to come to pass.  But as we watch His plan unfold, He calls us to lift up one another in prayer.  And so we pray for our students - that they would be able to tell right thought from wrong thought.  That they would have boldness they have seen in us to proclaim that which the Scriptures say is right.  That they would have courage to go against the grain.  That while they do this they would do so with love and respect so that no one can speak ill of them.  

Pray for our teachers.  Pray that they would have moments when they can speak the truth to the lives of kids who are misled by so many others.  Pray for courage and boldness when these moments come.  Pray that God would provide for their families and take care of their needs should they lose their job over a stand that they have taken.  

May we as God's people be faithful to lift up those on the front lines of the battle, and may we realize that the battle is in our schools, in our homes, and even in our churches.  God strengthen us for the task ahead.