Luke 2:8-14

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” vss. 10-11

Many people, even those whose faith is sketchy, try to make time for going to church on Christmas Eve. It’s a family ritual and, along with a traditional meal and opening gifts, is a “must do” for the holiday. And while they might not see their action as worship, there is for some a deeper meaning. They may not believe in angels or virgin births, but they can’t help but hear good news in the gospel. The message is as clear as the Christmas bells: what happened in Jesus is for all the people! In him the Messiah, the Word of God, became incarnate and divine love is poured out upon all flesh. It’s sad that regular worship is not habitual for such Christman/Easter types, but it’s wonderful that on this night they do hear that angelic proclamation of God’s unconditional love. And when stray tears are seen in their eyes as they sing “Silent Night” we know that the Spirit of God has been present and that love has touched their hearts. What a blessing Luke has given in his birth story of Jesus! Through its images of sleeping shepherds and singing angels the message of God’s love is made crystal clear and will persist for all generations.

Thought for the Day: What feelings do I have when I hear Luke’s birth story?

Luke 2:1-7

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”  vs. 7

We don’t know if Luke embellished his story of Jesus’ birth, it’s certainly different from Matthew’s, but we love the picture he painted, and nativity set depictions of the scene can be found in nearly every home at Christmas. St. Francis began the practice when he got permission to set up a manger in a grotto, complete with an infant and sheep, about 1223, and the practice has become universal. Creches now abound–children love to play with them and move the figures around–but they’re more than decorative, and certainly more than playthings. They are a testimony to Jesus’ humble origins and a reminder that there was nothing remotely royal about his background or his ministry. He was as totally human as anyone could possibly be, and he did not come from a family of privilege or power. Throughout his life he mixed freely with ordinary people, a man well acquainted with poverty and exclusion. Luke could have written a treatise about Jesus’ origins, but he did something better, he told a story, one that has captured our hearts and cemented itself in our imaginations. Now nearly everyone everywhere knows about the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay–it’s a marvelous origin story for the One who would be the Savior of the world!

Thought for the Day: What part should Santa Claus play in our Christmases?

Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly…” vss, 11-12

The book of Titus reflects the conviction of early believers that God’s saving grace had been showered upon all humanity in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That’s a truth worth holding close to our hearts, especially in these times of religious division and controversy. Too many folks like to divide humanity into two groups, the saved and the unsaved, when in reality there is no separation in Christ. All are saved! Now that doesn’t mean that all people are believers. In fact there are many who want nothing to do with any kind of religion–some of us have such folks in our families. But it should give us comfort to know that in Christ salvation has come to all. That’s why Christmas has such appeal even to irreligious people. All kinds of folks have been spending these last weeks being pumped up by the holiday spirit–people love the decorations and cookies and celebratory parties–most also get into the gift-giving rituals. For them it’s the happiest time of the year. And a lot of them are going to show up for worship this weekend. They’ll sing the familiar songs with gusto and maybe even shed a tear or two during Silent Night. They know in their hearts that the Christmas story is for them and that God’s grace and love knows no boundaries!

Thought for the Day: If all are saved, why do some behave so poorly?

Psalm 96

“For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” vss. 4-5

Human beings seem to have a god gene as part of their DNA that drives them to set aside time and energy for worship as a regular activity. Sometimes the object of that worship was found in nature, perhaps a particular mountain or rock feature. Later worship included the erection of pillars or altars in sacred spaces, and ultimately the building of temples and the crafting of stone or metal images. The psalmist makes the claim that all of these efforts had been in vain and that only the Lord God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, was worthy of praise and worship. It’s a bold and audacious statement, one that continues to be affirmed by billions of people. Of course there are some who believe that the evolution of knowledge has rendered all notions of God obsolete, but most people persist in believing and are persistent in worship. And for many, even though the one God is cloaked in mystery, there is a conviction that this unknowable Mighty One has actually become known in Jesus Christ, and that’s what we’ll be celebrating this weekend. We might even sing together, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,” as a musical confession of faith. The Lord of the Universe is real, and is present in our world.

 Thought for the Day: What happens if the “god gene” is absent?

Isaiah 9:6-7

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” vs. 6

Early Christians knew the Hebrew scriptures like the backs of their hands, and after Jesus’s death and resurrection they found dozens of references in the law and the prophets that verified their conviction that Jesus was the messiah. This little verse from Isaiah was well known to them and they quickly connected it to the stories of Jesus’ birth that had arisen among them. In their eyes the Christ was indeed the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and, above all, the Prince of Peace. Many of us know these attributes, not so much from scripture, but from Handel’s Oratorio, arguably the most popular performance piece of the holiday season. Hearing these verses sung by a gifted choir can send chills up our spines and fill our hearts with gladness. The beauty of the choruses makes the popular Christmas songs of our culture seem obscene–there’s no silliness here, no Frosty or Rudolf–Handel’s Messiah is majestic and powerful, a fitting homage to the God-Man, Jesus Christ. We’ll be ending our Advent remembrances this weekend with worship that will most certainly feature the best efforts of our choirs and whole-hearted congregational singing. We may not be able to match the Herald Angels but our songs will come from the heart, and even the tone-deaf will be joining in! It really is the most joyous time of the year!

Thought for the Day: What is my favorite Christmas hymn?

Isaiah 9:2-5

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” vs. 2

This little verse from Isaiah is familiar to folks who worship on Christmas and is often used as an introduction to the liturgy. Yet in recent years there are some who maintain that the light/darkness metaphor has contributed to the continuing problem of racism. They say that when light represents good and darkness represents evil it affirms common racist convictions regarding skin color. Of course many consider such observations to be pure poppycock and evidence of runaway political correctness. At the same time we must certainly agree that the issue of skin color has had enormous significance in our country. For hundreds of years it has determined a person’s place in the American caste system. It has nothing to do with intelligence, beauty, aptitude, or ability. On the surface it’s a ridiculous way to evaluate a person’s worth, yet skin color has been used exclusively to determine where people fit in. Historically, white color skin gives you a spot at the top. If you’re any shade of black you’re at the bottom. We can agree that this is not right, pass laws against discrimination, and still the problem persists. Perhaps those who see the light this holiday season will be able to agree that there is beauty in darkness, and then work to root out all remaining vestiges of racism among us.

Thought for the Day: Where do I fit in the American caste system?

Matthew 1:21-25

“When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife…” vs. 24

Joseph took dreams seriously! Four different times Matthew tells us Joseph woke up in the morning and did whatever he had been commanded to do during the night. His obedience was impeccable! Sometimes that’s how it works for us too. We might have been wrestling with a decision for some time, unable to make up our minds, and then decide to sleep on it. And when we wake up our direction is crystal clear–we do as we have been directed by our night visitors. There’s something refreshing about that reliance on the Spirit of God for direction. So often we tend to believe that we’re the ones in charge of our destiny and make decisions accordingly. We decide what we want to do and then do it! We end up chasing fame and fortune and never give it a second thought–and then wonder why a spirit of dissatisfaction accompanies us through life like a little black cloud. Paul described himself as a slave of Jesus Christ and expected that he would be guided by the Spirit of Christ as his mission continued. The resurrected Jesus is a living force in our world, and if we are his slaves, we should expect to get orders along the way! And blessings abound when we obey, even when the instructions come while we’re sleeping!

Thought for the Day: How does Jesus command me?

Matthew 1:18-20

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” vs. 1

If all we had was Matthew’s account of Jesus’s birth, Christmas wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. In fact there probably would even be any Sunday School Christmas programs without Luke’s singing angels, watching shepherds, and the baby in a manger. In Matthew there’s only Joseph the Dreamer, and he pretty much runs the show. Matthew’s only concern is to show that Jesus came from the line of David and was born in David’s city through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. He wanted all his readers to know that in Jesus God had broken into human existence in a decisive way–this had not been an ordinary birth! Matthew didn’t write a theological treatise about the God-Man, he simply told the story of a man, a woman, and the birth of a baby. His story may not be as heart-warming as Luke’s, and it might be a bit patriarchal for some tastes, but his point is crystal clear. Jesus was the messiah and the incarnation of the Creator God, and in him there is salvation for all humanity. His name in Hebrew was “Yeshua,” or “Yahweh delivers,” and he would save his people from their sins.

Thought for the Day: In what major ways does Matthew’s story agree with Luke’s?

Romans 1:5-7

“through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name…” vs. 5

With the gift of grace Paul had also received what might be called a “calling.” He had been made an apostle, one who is sent as an emissary, in order that Gentiles might also become believers. Essentially, Gentiles were outsiders, anyone who was not a Jew, and it was a big deal when Paul and others realized that the good news of salvation was intended also for them. As a missionary Paul traveled from city to city bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would listen and praying that they would respond with what he calls the “obedience of faith.” His choice of words is important. He’s telling us that faith is more than assent or saying “yes” to the good news–it is also an act of obedience. It actually calls us into a relationship with Jesus. In faith we bow down before Jesus and acknowledge him as our Lord. Grace has gotten us on the team. In faith we are called from the sidelines and enter the game. How is it that some hear the good news and remain unmoved while others joyfully begin to actively serve? Pastors and parents have pondered this mystery for centuries and have no good answers. It’s just the way it is. But when faith does happen it’s truly a time for celebration! 

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to obey the gospel?

Romans 1:1-7

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,” vs. 1

Paul actually calls himself a “slave” of Jesus Christ but since people are uncomfortable with that designation, translators have accommodated and usually substitute the word “servant.” But Paul meant “slave”! He considered himself to be owned, body and soul, by Jesus Christ, with a call to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. Many of us are uncomfortable using that designation–we much prefer calling ourselves “followers” of Jesus. There is a difference. As followers or servants we think of Jesus as being our ethical and moral guide for living. We tell others that we walk in the way of Jesus–we follow his teachings as opposed to those of Confucious or the Buddha. Now obviously that’s not a bad thing, but that doesn’t come close to the dynamic involved in being a slave. Being a follower keeps Jesus at a distance, the rabbi from Nazareth who lived and taught centuries ago. To be a slave is to recognize Jesus as a present power in our lives, a master who is very much alive now, and not just as our guide but as our captain! It’s not so much remembering and following his teachings as it is recognizing his Spirit as a dynamic daily presence. Jesus owns us, as surely as he did Paul, and he has called us to go with the gospel into every corner of our daily lives.

Thought for the Day: Am I a follower or a slave of Jesus?