Merry Christmas…still

/ The Pastor

Happy 3rd day of Christmas everyone.

In case you forgot…Christmas liturgically lasts 12 days.  It’s not a one day celebration and then we move on.  Actually…the joy of Christmas is something we should celebrate year-round.  I’m not suggesting that you keep your Christmas tree up all year and not change out the Christmas music from your multi-disk CD player.  What I am suggesting is that we remember all year round why Jesus was born for us. It is way to easy to pull down the decorations and move on after the accepted amount of time to have decorations up has passed. You see…the promise of Christmas is not just a one point in time kind of thing.  The promise of Christmas is a light that shines in our dark world 24/7; 365 days a year.  That is something worth celebrating all the time.

Saying “Merry Christmas” to a store clerk in February might produce a strange look but sharing the joy of Christ shouldn’t (but still might). So “Merry Christmas” to you this day and everyday as we bask in the glow of God’s love.

The pastor -|—

Merry Christmas

/ The Pastor

Manger

This is such an exciting time of the year.  I love the worship services and the Christmas preaching.  I love the family gatherings and the yummy food.  I love the Christmas cheer and even the ugly Christmas sweaters. It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year.

This past week I have been feeling anything but 100%. A nasty head cold (with a 101.6 temp a week ago yesterday) made Christmas preparations difficult.  My wife got my yuck on Wednesday and is still recovering. But through it all sermons got written, worships got planned and God was glorified.  Satan did his best to try to derail me but as I wrote about earlier, it was a nice shot but not nearly good enough.  Christmas Eve worship was a blast and I can hardly wait to get out to Belmont to lead Christmas Day worship.

So from me and my wife to you and your family, we hope and pray you have a wonderful Christmas as we give thanks and praise to our great God for the gift of Jesus Christ.  May the Light of the world bring you peace not just today but throughout the whole year.  Let us set aside our differences and seek to forgive as we have been forgiven.  Let us re-prioritize our worship that God through Jesus Christ is the focus and not something/someone of this world.  Let us find strength and hope in the promise of Jesus’ return as we seek to take advantage of every opportunity to share the Good News with all.

God bless and have a very Merry Christmas!

The pastor -|—

What to give Jesus

/ The Pastor

Happy Advent 4 (almost Christmas)!

The Mayans were wrong; and we’re still here (is anyone actually shocked?) And now we get to prepare for a grand celebration as we continue to wait for Jesus.  But don’t worry; you don’t have to run around scrambling to find that perfect gift.  You don’t have to rack your brain trying to figure out what to give the King of the universe for his birthday.  After all…what do you give someone who has everything?  You give him the one thing that we can give and the one thing that he desires the most.

Our worship

That’s what Jesus wants…our worship.  And not just on Sunday mornings (or at Christmas and Easter or other times we find ourselves in a church building) but God wants our worship everyday, 24/7, 365 (or 366) days a year.  Our worship is all that is desired.

It may not seem like much but God is pleased when we give him everything that we are; when we come before him with our songs of praise and thanks; when we lifts our hearts up to him.  For you see…worship is a response of faith; it flows out of your love for God.  And if we are worshiping God with all our being…well…God is excited.

Too many people, though, think that worship is about being entertained…it’s not.  It’s about giving ourselves to God.  And if we are refreshed or encouraged then great…praise be to God.  For anything we get out of worship is a gift from God to be used for his glory; to lead us back to worship.  So in the end, worship is not about how we benefit but rather what we can give back to God.  If you have the mentality that worship is all about you then you’re being selfish.  It’s like going to a Christmas celebration with the sole expectation of bringing a great haul of gifts home.

This Christmas give back to Jesus the very thing he desires from you…your worship.  Praise HIM with all that you are.  Thank HIM for all that he has given you.  And worship HIM always and forever.

Merry Christmas and Amen!

The pastor -|—

Down and out but not done

/ The Pastor

The pastor has been down and out this week.

A 101.6 temperature on Monday night combined with massive head cold symptoms into Tuesday has made the beginning of Christmas week frustrating.  Today is Wednesday and I am feeling better (thank God).  But now I need to buckle down and write three sermons.

It is during times like this when I am most keenly aware of my dependence on and need for God.  It is during times like this when I am not so tempted to get full of myself as to think that I have everything taken care of.  Actually, right now, I am more full of mucus than anything else…but I am sure you didn’t want to hear that 🙂

I also have release time and confirmation this afternoon so today will be indeed interesting.  But right now I am sitting here on my living couch, still hacking up a lung, and excited to see what God is going to get done through me today.  It’s going to be a fun day and I can hardly wait.

But I still need to be careful…

I know the temptation with be there to get over-confident in my limited abilities once things start going well and things get done.

OR

I will get overwhelmed and worried if things aren’t getting done according to MY timing.

And we’ve all been there before ~ haven’t we?  We feel weak, down and out or oppressed and we run to God.  God lifts us out of the mire and off we go (often times without any word of thanks). Or we get frustrated and start blaming our rotten lot in life on God. Either we use God or it’s God’s fault.

But no matter our reaction and treatment of God, God’s will will be done.  Three sermons will get written this week.  The Good News will be proclaimed.  And Christmas will be celebrated.  Satan will not derail my (I mean “our”) preparations this week. God will be glorified.

So I am praying for the faith to see God in action and when I do…to actually say “thank you”; giving credit where credit is due.

Thank you God for the healing you have brought me.  Please increase my faith to see you in action that you may be glorified.  You have defeated Satan through Jesus Christ and I praise you for that.  May your will be done through me.
Amen.

The pastor -|—

Children of the Heavenly Father

/ The Pastor

On Sunday I said some words in response to the tragic shooting in Newtown, CT.   It was difficult to talk about this but I knew that something had to be said.  I shared the hope of Christmas, that God entered this world of suffering and overcame this world in Jesus Christ.  I shared words of peace and Good News.

Following the sermon I asked my small country congregation what hymn they would like to sing next.  And…without missing a beat, someone immediately said, “Hymn #781, Children of the Heavenly Father“.  I had to fight back tears when I heard that.  Here are the lyrics:

Children of the Heavenly Father safely in his bosom gather;
nestling bird nor star in heaven such a refuge e’er was given.

God his own doth tend and nourish, in his holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things he spares them, in his mighty arms he bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord his children sever;
unto them his grace he showth, and their sorrows all he knowth.

Though he giveth of he taketh, God his children ne’r forsaketh;
his the loving purpose solely to preserve them pure and holy.

We are indeed his children who are wrapped in God’s loving arms.  Evil, sin and death may cause havoc now, but they have ultimately been defeated through the cross.

Praise be to God!

The pastor -|—

Rewrite

/ The Pastor

There come times in a pastor’s ministry when a sermon needs to be scraped and completely rewritten at a moment’s notice.

Yesterday was such a time for me (and I would guess most pastors across this land).

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT has left many people in a state of confusion, sadness, fear, anger…and a list of other emotions.  People have been asking that all too difficult to answer “Why?” question.

Knee-jerk responses have been offered.
Political statements have been made.
Rumors have circulated.
Theories have been postulated.

All of which have not been too helpful…but they are natural responses to a horrific event.  But as a pastor, I need to respond in a different way.  I need to share the light of Christ in the midst of darkness; hope in the midst hopelessness; life in the midst of death; peace in the midst of chaos; Good News in the midst of Satan’s reign of tyranny.

We can not remain silent (even though I was not planning on preaching at Salem this morning).

You see…today is Christmas program Sunday at Salem (Belmont has their program on Saturday).  It’s a Sunday I usually don’t say too much because the kids “preach” the sermon.  I usually only offer up a couple words at Salem (preaching a full sermon at Belmont) and that’s it.

Not today

So as I wrote yesterday afternoon I found my fingers hi-jacked by the Holy Spirit as words flew across my lap top screen.  My faith was poured out into words as I reflected on the Christmas story; realizing that everything fit perfectly.  I was not deviating from the message the kids shared; for this is a season of hope.

For you see…Jesus was born into our world of suffering to bring hope.  Death and sin and evil do not have the last word…God does in Jesus Christ.  And that’s where I find comfort in the midst of such tragedy.  There are so many questions to ask and so many answers to seek.  But what we need to cling to is the love of God that was shown to us at Christmas and through the cross.  This world doesn’t make sense but praise be to God – God has overcome the world.  Find strength and healing in God through Jesus Christ and not in knee-jerk, worldly “answers”.

Blessings to you this day as you grieve and mourn with the hope of the resurrection. Praise be to God!

Have a Merry Christmas!

The pastor -|—

Jesus is the answer

/ The Pastor

As I sit here in my nice, comfortable living room; safe and sound; praying and thinking of those who are mourning the death of loved ones in Connecticut, I find myself speechless (or wordless).  I know there are many people out there that have so many questions.  And as a pastor, part of me feels that I need to come up with some wise answer and response to this senseless shooting.

Why did so many children have to die?
Why did anyone have to die?
What could possibly possess someone to walk into a school and start shooting?
What were they thinking?

So many questions
So much fear
So much anger
So much confusion

But the fact of the matter is this ~ We can’t make sense of this.  One thing we can conclude is that this is a sin-fallen world, but even that statement does not bring any healing.  Actually…it might even offend someone who is mourning. So we can’t just say that and stop.  That would be irresponsible.  It would be no different than how many people have tried to explain tragedies and natural disasters in our past.  Some have even gone so far as to say that God ordained such an event as a way to communicate something or announce judgement.  That too would be irresponsible on our part.

So what can we say now?

In the face of tragedy the only answer we have is Jesus.  That’s it…and that is all we need.

Jesus

Jesus came to us in love
Jesus announced forgiveness
Jesus died on a cross and rose from the grave
Jesus has won the victory and that victory is ours through faith in him

That’s what is comforting me right now, but I am still sad.  A tragedy like this will do that to a person.  So in the mean time I will just run to God.  Running hard with open arms.  Running hard with tears of sadness and tears of joy.  Conflicted but victorious through Jesus Christ.

Don’t try to come up with an answer.  Don’t try to make sense of the senseless.  Run to God and listen.  Run to God and know healing.  Run to God and find hope.  Jesus is the answer.  Alleluia!

Loving and gracious God, our hearts go out to those who are mourning the death of loved ones but our hearts are also mourning and breaking.  Please bring us healing and hope that we may find strength in you to share healing and hope with those who are hurting.  Help us to see the victory over this world that Jesus won and gave to us through faith.  May we run to you and not to worldly wisdom.  Loving God, we worship and praise you in and through this storm.  Amen.

The pastor -|—

Nice shot…NOT

/ The Pastor

This is my crazy weird day:
~ Home desk top computer is shot.
~ Home lap top power cord is shot.
~ Church office laser printer shot.
[These first three items brought about 6 trips to my local computer store (spread throughout the day).  The children’s Christmas program is on the home computer so this was a high priority item]
~Worship prep in the midst of a number of phone calls
~ A fun visit with 2 local pastors over lunch
~ A piercing headache
~ Laser printer set-up
~ Met the locksmith about the broken lock on the narthex door

Therefore…

…very little sermon prep got done 😦

Now I am hungry; struggling to focus and other things are planned for tonight. That my friends is what I call Satan’s best shot at derailing this sermon.  But you know what…

…not going to happen.

This sermon will be preached because God’s Word can not be derailed by a plethora of mishaps and to-do items.  It may look like I am procrastinating but the very act of writing about this post is therapeutic.  It is getting the creative juices flowing and allowing me to let go of this crazy day.  I could easily get cranky about my routine being interrupted but I just need to take a step back…take a deep breath…and remember who’s I am.

bullseye

 

Satan took his best shot (I’ll give him credit for that), but it was not good enough.

 
Maybe the sermon won’t get written today (Thursday) as usual but God is bigger and God ALWAYS wins.

The empty tomb is proof of that 🙂

So here I go…diving into scripture again as I eat some supper.  Routine or not; computer failures or not, I will boldly proclaim the Word of God on Sunday morning.

Come Holy Spirit…inspire me 🙂

Praise be to God and Amen!

The pastor -|—

The lighter side of Christmas

/ The Pastor

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There are really no words to explain this picture.  Sometimes you just have to lighten up and have some fun. But replacing Joseph and Mary with Martin and Katie Luther bobble head dolls might be going a little too far though 🙂

Have a very fun and merry Christmas!

The pastor -|—

It’s all about Jesus

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
[Matthew 1:18-21]

Here’s another remind for you ~ It’s all about Jesus.

And how can we dare say it’s about anything or anyone else?  I mean…he will save his people from their sins.  There you have it.  It’s pretty straight forward.  Forgiveness of sins…which means everlasting life.

Wow…that’s pretty awesome.

When Zechariah was met by the angel Gabriel and told of the wonderful news that he and his wife, Elizabeth (who was well beyond normal child-bearing years), was going to have a child, Zechariah was hesitant.

“Give me proof.”

The angel was a little miffed and said that he stands in the presence of God and shouldn’t have to give Zechariah proof.  Therefore Zechariah is struck silent until their baby (John the Baptist) was born.  Then Zechariah sang the praises of God.  Better late than never, but either way, God came through because our awesome and grace-filled God is faithful.

“he (Jesus) will save his people from their sins.”

You want proof?  Look to the cross:

cross-carrying-e1299578788837

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus DID save his people from their sins.

There you have it ~ It’s all about Jesus.  Praise be to God!

The pastor -|—