Stand in the Light

 

I am sitting here at my dining room table this morning, prayerful, thoughtful, looking out my window at a sky that is a reflection of the world: dark, threatening, ominous.  We have bravely faced many storms this year. We have tried in many way to deal with the chaos. Have you, like me, arrived at this Eve of Christmas, emotionally spent?

Last night, I laughed, more from frustration than amusement, when I checked the delivery date of a gift ordered two weeks ago, now scheduled for December 29. Even the post office which once boasted that “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” can get it right these days.   

We pastors have valiantly tried to minister through the gloom with cameras and webcasts, but who’s kidding us?  A flickering screen is a poor substitute for a room full of worshippers. The weird, the hard, the disappointing is part of all of our lives in ways big and small.

And yet …

There is a Light in the darkness, a Reason for Hope. God sent His Son and John says of Him - "Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:4-5, NLT)

By faith we can encounter the Holy, find renewal in the Promise, know the goodness of God’s love. We choose to stand in the Light. Some will surrender to the darkness, giving in to despair. I will not!

I read an essay in the NY Times written about the inadequacy of virtual worship, the difficulty of finding God’s Presence while staring at the screen in the living room. The author talked about his family’s choice to dress as if they were going to church, that they put their chairs in rows like pews, that they followed along with the responses … and eventually found it tiresome, attention lagging. But, I loved his conclusion. 

“One recent weekend we gathered once more for Zoom church. My wife logged on from her military outpost and I logged on with the kids. I settled into my role at tech support. Two of the younger kids lingered on the couch happily coloring. As I followed along in the service, something surprised me. I looked up from the computer and saw my daughter standing in the middle of the living room. Her tender, beautiful voice resounding throughout the space. She was singing. I found myself ushered into the presence of something that defies description.”  (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/opinion/zoom-church-christmas-covid-loss.html)

In this line, he expresses one way that his family has chosen to stand in the Light. “We stay because attendance is not about what the church gives us; it is our way of offering something to God. It is a small rebellion, a way of saying that there is more to life than simply the acquisition of more.”

This Christmas let’s choose to look up, to confess our faith in Jesus, to simply accept His promise, even if we are feeling only soul fatigue.

Let’s choose to stand in the Light that the darkness of sin, COVID, political strife, racial strife, and personal pain cannot extinguish. 

Regardless of our circumstances, this is the TRUTH of day.  "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, (radiance, light, splendor) the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV)

Tonight when we come to the quiet of Christmas Eve, be it in a church sanctuary for some, in the living room for others, or even somewhere alone – bring this declaration to mind.  "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV) 

Confess aloud, “I choose to stand in the Light.” And He will dispel the darkness. 

I look forward to ending our Christmas eve service, no matter how few are in the building, with our traditional passed of the light, candle to candle, a symbol of our calling to be people of the Light, who share Him with our world.

My prayer is that God will give you Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love by His Spirit this Christmas, that you will know the sweet comfort of Jesus in your life.

Merry Christmas!

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Silent Night

 

Silent night holy night

All is calm all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

 

Silent night holy night

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heav'nly hosts sing alleluia

Christ the Savior is born

Christ the Savior is born

 

Silent night holy night

Son of God love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus Lord at Thy birth

Jesus Lord at Thy birth

 

Silent night holy night

Wondrous star lend thy light

With the angels let us sing

Alleluia to our King

Christ the Savior is born

Christ the Savior is born

 

Franz Xaver Gruber | John Freeman Young | Joseph Mohr

© Words: Public Domain

That Name!

 

I’ve had three names.  As a child I was called “Dane.”  Allegedly, my maternal grandmother saw me in the hospital nursery with red hair and fair skin and said, “He looks like a little Dane.”  She was referring to the obvious DNA of my paternal grandfather who was an immigrant from Denmark. The handle stuck until I started high school in a new location and decided the childhood nickname needed to go, and so I became “Jerry” which is drawn from my given name, Jerald, which I never much liked.   

For much of my adult life I have been addressed by a majority of people as “Pastor Jerry,” or the shortened version, “PJ.”  Pastor is a Latin word for ‘shepherd,’ which is both a title and descriptive of my vocation. Even after 4 decades of pastoral ministry, I treasure that honor of serving as a shepherd for the people of God and I am reminded of His grace each time I hear someone say, “Pastor” to me.

There is a Name that I speak more than any another, Jesus.  His Name is often on my lips in the dark of the night, shapes my private worship, and is spoken in times of great joy in praise and in times of sorrow as a one-word prayer. “Oh, Jesus,” is never a curse or an oath on my lips, but it is frequently a simple statement of faith.

So why that Name? 

It is a God-given Name for His Son. Matthew tells us that "after he (Joseph) had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21, NIV)   Luke includes this note - "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived." (Luke 2:21, NIV)

“Jesus” is a New Testament form of the Hebrew word, “Joshua,” which means “God is salvation.”  It was a name that was commonly used in that era. But, when made a compound, “Jesus Christ,”  that Name is a statement of the unique identity of the Man who was God Incarnate. The Name tells us why He came – “to save His people!”

“Jesus” brings God close to us. I seldom pray using the word “God” though I may address my prayers to the One who is ‘my Father,’ but I close those more formal prayers saying “in Jesus’ name.”  Why? Because Jesus is our Intercessor, the One who has made it possible for us to enter God’s presence confidently.  He has given God a face and revealed His heart.

“Jesus” is a powerful Name, for He defeated sin, death, and Hell in His death and Resurrection. When I invoke His Name in prayer I speak with a borrowed authority to the demons of darkness and they must yield to Him. When we receive Him by faith, His Name is written on our hearts and there is an eternal transformation. John says it this way - "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31, NIV)

Eternal life comes when we come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians are invited to go beyond a creed to know a Person on an intimate level.  Oh yes, He is the Lord of Glory and when we see Him in His majesty, we will find ourselves in joyful, heart-deep worship.  Come and see Him, experience the joy that comes to those who know Him! 

Jesus is inviting you by name to come to Him – the Baby in the manger, the Man who walked the roads of Galilee, the One who healed the sick, the Teacher who revealed God’s plans, the Savior on the cross, and the Lord of Eternity who opened Heaven’s gate to us when He emerged alive and victorious from the tomb.

If we will come to Him with faith, if we will let our minds yield to Him with humble obedience, when we surrender to His love – we come to know “Jesus,” who saves His people from their sins.

Jesus is my Friend, my Savior, my Lord.  Is He yours? Do you know Him?
When you say His Name is it like saying the name of someone you know, a name wrapped up with images, memories, emotions, and affection?

The word from the Word comes from Peter’s spirited defense of his Lord when he was first arrested and called to account for a man’s healing.  "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ”‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12, NIV)

This Christmas, give yourself to Jesus, and you will join Peter in the declaration - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

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There's Something About That Name

( a simple song of adoration )

 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
There's just something about that name!
Master, Savior, Jesus,
Like a fragrance after the rain!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Let all heaven and earth proclaim!
Kings and kingdoms may all pass away
But there's something about that name.

 Gloria Gaither | William J. Gaither © 1970 William J. Gaither, Inc. (Admin. by Gaither Copyright Management)

CCLI License # 810055

 

He knows how you feel

 

Physically it is reality that at age 65 I cannot do what I did 20 years ago. Sometimes pride overcomes good sense and I attempt same kind of work at the same pace. When evening comes my sore shoulders and aching remind me of my foolish denial of my age. I see some of the same kind of pride at work in me in this pandemic when I convince myself that I need not wear a mask or push back against the directives of health authorities because “I am capable of taking care of myself, too strong to be subject to this.” Granted, the messages we have received have been confusing and sometimes the directions seem baseless.

But there is a real struggle in the acknowledgement of our fragile humanity; that we are “frail children of dust and feeble as frail.”  Ultimately, we break down, our body’s part of a world of decay, and death comes to all.  Don’t leave me now. It will get more hopeful in a moment.

Against that dark backdrop there is the amazing message of Christmas!
Our God shared in our humanity. This is the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation. 

John says "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV)  Paul tells us that Jesus, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV)

The ’how’ of all that is beyond my capacity to reason. How did the God of the universe confine Himself to a body born of Mary? I believe and accept this declaration by faith. I do know the ‘why.’ It was because of LOVE. He came to be with us, to share life with us, to offer Himself the final sacrifice for a sinful world that we could be, once again, the children of God.  "Although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came." (John 1:10, NLT) "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12, NLT)

Jesus knows our HUMANITY fully. The Baby needed His mother’s milk. As He grew, He took direction from Joseph and Mary. He felt aching muscles after a long day of labor. When He worked in the hot sun, sweat poured down His face, just like yours. And yes, as He faced death, He cried.  His body was not different from ours.  If He lived in 2020, He would be subject to the virus that stalks us all, within the permission of the Father’s will, just as we are.

In our worship at Christmas, let’s not gloss over the amazing truth of the Incarnation. Yes, that Jesus became fully Man is important in the plan of God for the salvation of the world, but that is not my focus today. It is also important to us personally, strengthening our faith to trust our Savior, our Friend, our Heavenly Priest.

We are foolish to deny the weakness of the ‘flesh,’ to think that somehow we are stronger than the temptations that come to us through the appetites of our body, that we will somehow elude the eventual decline that comes with age, that we are above sickness. If we think we are facing these things alone or only in our own strength, we will be fearful or we will vainly attempt to overcome the inevitable, leading to a kind of despair too common among the elderly and infirm.

We can confidently face life and death because we have a
Savior and Lord who walks with us,
One who knows the fragile state of our physical state.
Christmas celebrates God’s participation in His own creation,
not from a distance, but as one of us! 

Meditate on the weighty words from Hebrews about the nature of our Great High Priest in Heaven, Jesus. Find comfort and strength in Him, hope that because He lives, we will live eternally, too.  

"Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:5-7, NIV)  "We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV)

Are you fearful of the weakness of your body? Tell Him.
Are you struggling with acceptance of aging? Let Him help you.
Do temptations of the ‘flesh’ come over you?  Carry them to Him, He knows.

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:36-37, NIV)

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What Child Is This

 

What Child is this who laid to rest

On Mary's lap is sleeping

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet

While shepherds watch are keeping

This this is Christ the King

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing

Haste haste to bring Him laud

The Babe the Son of Mary

 

Why lies He in such mean estate

Where ox and ass are feeding

Good Christian fear for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading

Nails spear shall pierce Him through

The cross be borne for me for you

Hail hail the Word made flesh

The Babe the Son of Mary

 

So bring Him incense gold and myrrh

Come peasant king to own Him

The King of kings salvation brings

Let loving hearts enthrone Him

Raise raise the song on high

The Virgin sings her lullaby

Joy joy for Christ is born

The Babe the Son of Mary

 

William Chatterton Dix

© Words: Public Domain

Like An Angel!

 

Joy. It isn’t exactly in abundant supply this season of 2020.  Most of us are dealing with both the truly awful and difficult that comes from the pandemic and as well as the inconvenient, like delayed packages before Christmas.  Last night, at our church, our children’s ministry met for our Christmas party. The joy of those kids was infectious. At the end of the evening my spirits were lightened by the laughter, the hopefulness, the smiles of children who found delight in the simplest things.

Our God invites us to find His JOY.  In the fields outside of ancient Bethlehem an angel announced the birth of Jesus which was an event of JOY "for all the people!"   The words came to a rough lot of men, shepherds. They were, to our way of thought, an odd lot to tell of the Messiah’s birth. They probably were not well versed in the prophetic texts, nor were men careful to attend to Temple rituals. And still God choose to make His announcement to them. 

The message wrapped in that is this - God's desire was to bring all people – even shepherds - to worship the Savior.  In that worship, they found joy. Luke says "The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said." (Luke 2:20, NLT)

Want to find joy, in the middle of this mess we call life? 

Finding God’s joy starts with worship, looking beyond our trouble, setting aside the pre-occupation with the ‘stuff’ that clutters up our lives, to offer ourselves to the Lord. Worship does not have to be noisy, or in a special building, or accompanied by some sort of spiritual ecstasy. We can pause, wherever we are, to acknowledge Him, to praise Him. True joy this Christmas will be found in less “Santa” and more “Savior.”  There is a choice for JOY that each of us can make. It is a mistake to wait for JOY to arrive. We find it when we go to Him.

Joy is also found in serving others. There are a hundred ways to do this. A simple pause in the rush to acknowledge another human being with a sincere “Merry Christmas” can be a gift. Making a phone call to a friend to remind them of how much they mean to you is another.  Put yourself at God’s disposal, inviting Him to make you a messenger of joy. In giving we can find joy.

Take charge of your schedule these days leading up to Christmas. Make time for personal worship, time to pray, time to be in God’s Presence. This will allow you to at the holy day refreshed by Him, rather than exhausted. And you will share in the mission of bringing “joy to the world.”  

Christian, we are ambassadors of the Heavenly Kingdom.  We have the awesome privilege of leading others to Him, sharing with them the Hope we have found.  I pray that we will be like the angel, able to sincerely announce God’s message of "great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11, NIV)

A word from the Word, urges us to this high calling.  On this Monday that starts the holiday week  remember that "God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. " (2 Corinthians 5:18-21, The Message)

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Angels we have heard on high

(sung by one of those virtual choirs so common in COVID era!)

 Angels we have heard on high,

Sweetly singing o'er the plains;

And the mountains in reply,

Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

 

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

Say what may the tidings be;

Which inspire your heav'nly song?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

 

Come to Bethlehem and see,

Him whose birth the angels sing;

Come adore on bended knee,

Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

 

Angels We Have Heard On High

Chadwick, James / Barnes, Edward Shippen

© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055