The Messiah?! In Bethlehem?

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. (Luke 2:17 NKJV)

A couple of guys are sitting around the table in the Bethlehem coffee house having their usual morning get together before heading off for their jobs. “Hey guys did you here what the shepherds are going around town talking about?” One of them asks. “No, what are they saying?” One of them asks. “Well, rumor has it that some angles appeared to them while they were in the fields keeping watch the other night. I don’t know but if you ask me it sounds a bit strange.” Another one chimes in, “I tell you what, those shepherds can come up with some stuff. It has to get boring following those sheep all day and all night.” Then one asks, “What did the angels do to them?” “I understood that they gave them a message about the Messiah being born.” The Messiah?! The Holy One of Israel? The Deliverer? Being born here in Bethlehem? Ha! Maybe in Jerusalem but not Bethlehem.” One of them adds, “I remember somewhere hearing that one of the Prophets said He would come from Bethlehem.” Another one asks, “But why would God send His angels to a bunch of shepherds and tell them instead of the Rabbis?” The other says, “Yeah, if God was going to do something like that He would not waste His time or efforts on a bunch of sheepherders. He would send an angel to one of the Pharisees first. That news is what our people have been waiting to hear for hundreds of years so I cannot imagine Him telling it first to shepherds.” They look at their sundials and determine its time to go to their jobs. “Well, I will see you guys tomorrow; Shepherds and angels, what a riot!” One of them comments.

Sound familiar to you? This conversation could take place at Starbucks in New York or Judy’s Diner in Fort Chiswell. The Good News of the Gospel seems to arouse more skepticism than interest. Jesus is not as important to the majority as He is to us. Thousands have heard of Him but few know Him. It is interesting to note that the shepherds went to see what the angels told them was happening. Had they believed that the angels were just a vision from lack of sleep and to much fig tea and never followed through, we would have never known they were the first to be told. God would have got His message out; some other way.

Are we following the example of the shepherds? Are we going about the town telling people about our encounter with Christ? Or, are we following the example of the scoffers. The Christmas season is a great time for Christians to tell others about Christ. Share with someone where you met Christ and offer to introduce them to Him.

Taking On The Giants

I put on the whole armor of God and then headed out the door to shop for all the Black Friday deals! Earlier in the day, much earlier, people of all ages took on the commercial giants of merchandising in order to get bargains that only come about once a year. The giants were prepared as they had their marketing strategists working for months on plans that would baffle the Pentagon war planners. Limited items with low prices coupled with long aisles proved to be a challenge for the giant fighters to overcome. Some were bivouacked on the sidewalk awaiting the trumpet that would sound charge! Weapons varied from pepper spray to handguns. Pushing and shoving, yelling and fussing, pulling and tugging, the giant fighters made their way to the bargains with such savagery that would make a rugby match look like a little girls tea party. Suffering from lack of sleep many of the shopping soldiers feel in the trenches before reaching their prize. Others clamored over one another in order to dive into the bowels of the big box giant in order to lay hold of their pearl of great price. Within hours the troops had retreated with their booty. About midday I walked through the battlefields. It was apparent that the giants had survived. They had succeeded in feeding the bargain starved attackers. The coupon packing, ad carrying, smart phone equipped warehouse warriors boasted of their victories while the giants wallowed in their profits.

I wonder what the Lord thinks about our Black Friday. I am sure He is not against someone getting a bargain; legally of course. I wonder how He views the stores for pitting person against person and how He views the people that participate. I guess that was what Jesus was trying to tell us when He said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). I am glad I did not have to wait until Black Friday in order to get free redemption! I am glad that God did not just make a few redemption coupons available so that we would have to battle one another over them. Thank you God for Jesus!

Thank You Lord For My Belly Button.

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week the focus turns to what we are thankful for. You could name a million things you are thankful for. Then there are those things that we take for granted that somehow we just forget is really a blessing.

Take the belly button for example. Unless you have had it pierced you probably never really paid that much attention to it. The belly button, or navel, as the politically correct medical term for it is, is the left over port where life sustaining nutrients were piped into us as fetuses. Our umbilical cord attached us to our mom and when the time came for us to be set free the cord was cut, sewn shut, and now our closed up port is a constant reminder of our humble beginnings.

Now those of you who know me know that I think different. Things that grab my attention would be looked upon by some of you as just stuff. I do not know if Adam and Eve had belly buttons or not; most likely not. I suppose that Able was the first human to have one. The belly button is a symbol of life. Being designed by our Creator before time began for us. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV), God told Jeremiah. He knew you also. He may not have formed you to be a prophet but He formed you for a purpose. You think you came into existence by the will of two other people that you did not even know. Total strangers until you ended up in the belly of your mom connected by the cord. God knew you though before you were ever conceived. Kind of humbles you a little knowing that your life is more than just the result of an “act of nature” doesn’t it?

When you see it the next time you will think about it different after having read this! The God of the Universe, the Creator of all creation, chose to give life to you. He wanted “a you” and that little indented or protruding button is His proof of that fact. Therefore let us remember the little things this thanksgiving as well as the big ones. Like belly buttons. Just saying.

His Eyes Are On You

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry (Psalm 34:15 NKJV).

I used to play hide and seek with the kids when they were little. One time I was playing with the twins and they hid downstairs in the living room behind the couch. I came down the steps and acted like I did not see them but went about the room saying how good they had hid this time. As I started to leave the room Josh jumped out and said, “I’m right here daddy!”

It is a wonderful thing to know that God sees us all the time. Even when we are not aware of it His loving eyes are watching. Now a skeptic is not able to accept that because it does not align with human logic. “How can He possibly see everyone all the time?” They may ask. The Bible teaches that a person who does not have the Spirit does not accept the truths that come from the Spirit of God. That person thinks they are foolish and cannot understand them, because they can only be judged to be true by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14, NCV). Human logic is no match for the wisdom and ability of God. If God was limited to seeing only a group and not an individual then Jesus would have lied when He said not one sparrow falls from the sky unless God allows it to happen (Matthew 10:29). You are not just a number to God but one in a number. Does He see the wicked apart from the righteous? Of course He does but the second part of this verse distinguishes the difference in how He sees us as compared to the unbeliever. God saw me before I ever came to be saved. It was not that He heard any of my prayers as I was not yet in Christ. If by chance anything I prayed did come about it was because someone had interceded for me! He protected me because Saints prayed for me. He drew me to Him because someone prayed for the lost to be saved.

Friend, you may think that God is nothing more than a higher power but let me assure you today He is much more than a figment of mans imagination. When times of trouble come upon us He sees us. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death; He sees us. When we feel that we are overlooked, over worked, under appreciated, unloved, unheard of, and misunderstood; He sees us and is listening. If you are not one of the righteous, (saved), then look to Him for forgiveness and to Christ for salvation. If you are one of the righteous then jump out from your hiding place and say, “I’m right here Daddy!”

Character of A Savior.

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery (John 8:3 NKJV).

Things were not going well for her this week. She and her husband had been separated for quite sometime. She met a fellow in a local café and decided to go home with him. It was early the morning after when the knock came upon the door. As he answered it the religious leaders pushed their way in and took hold of her. Dragging her out of the house they took her down the street to the temple. A crowd had gathered to hear Jesus of Nazareth teach today. This was an opportunity for them to find out if He was from God or not. He had claimed God sent Him and if that was the case then He would follow Gods Law in dealing with this woman. Interrupting the session they pulled and pushed her right up to where He was sitting and cast her down in front of Him. Her day was getting worse by the minute. She knew she was doomed. Death by stoning was the punishment for adultery. She lay on the floor embarrassed, ashamed and frightened. Trembling in fear and awaiting her judgment something unusual happened; the Teacher knelt down on one knee beside her and begins to write something on the ground. “The Law states she must die by way of stoning” they insisted. Jesus never answered them. “Moses commanded that she should be stoned to death” another said, “what do you say?” They were hoping He would not have her stoned so they would have grounds to accuse Him of breaking the Law and they could kill Him instead for blasphemy. Jesus stood up and looked them all in the eye; “Which ever one of you that has never committed a sin against God can throw the first rock.” He knelt back down beside the woman as if to protect her indicating He was willing to be killed for her.

Sin is ugly and can get us in a lot of trouble. The men that day were forced to acknowledge their own sins. They walked away proving to the onlookers that all had sinned. Jesus then speaks these encouraging words to us and the woman; “I do not condemn you; now go and sin no more.” Her day was looking a little better. From facing a death sentence to being set free. Let go with a warning, a slap on the wrist compared to the electric chair. That is the character of a Savior. A Savior that is willing to forgive even the vilest offender. A Savior that is willing to kneel down beside us when we are in the pit of sin. A Savior that was willing to take our punishment for us: a Savior that died in our place. His name is Jesus. Are you guilty of committing sin and need to be forgiven? He will give it. Need to be comforted? He will do it. Want to start over with your life? Then let Him set you free, then go and sin no more.

Masks.

Halloween has become a tradition for American kids. For the most part the majority of people are not aware of the pagan roots of the day and trick or treating is an innocent time of fun and candy collecting. I went trick or treating as a kid and there was this one old lady in a wheelchair that would sit in her living room and have us kids come in to get our treats from her. I never liked to go there because she would always make us take our masks off. She was afraid of being tricked into giving candy twice to the same kid! What is it with the masks and the costumes anyway? It seems that the historical tradition of dressing up like zombies to keep evil spirits from taking over their bodies has in modern day society become a time for adult dress up and make believe. It gives some people an opportunity to engage in altering their character by putting on make up and costume clothing. Some people become someone different on Halloween as a way of having fun and to escape the hum drum of everyday normalness. There is nothing wrong with having fun but we must always guard against being fooled by the traditions of men that oppose the instructions to pursue righteousness as outlined in Scripture. The Apostle Paul wrote; And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:11, New King James Version).

There is another reason people wear masks everyday, not just on Halloween. Jesus could see behind the masks of those He called hypocrites (stage actors). He was talking to the religious leaders who claimed to be men of God but lived in ungodliness. He said, “You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known” (Luke 12:2, The Message). Halloween affords an opportunity for many to be hypocrites. Death and evil is mocked in the name of make believe. Coffins and corpses become props. When we attend a real funeral it is not fun is it? That is the definition of hypocrite. Jesus knows our hearts everyday. Just as many role play on Halloween many others role play everyday. Wearing a mask of purity and speaking words of flattery. Jesus likened people like that to white washed tombs. Outside were white walls but inside were rotting bones. Tomorrow after all the parties have ended and all the masks and costumes have been put away zombies will be transformed back into regular folk. Jesus taught the same thing will happen to those who wear a mask of religion. They may honor Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. The difference between religion and Christianity is eternal life and eternal death. Quit playing and get real with Christ.

A Spirit of Infirmity

If you had lived during that day in time you may have seen her; the little old lady making her way through the market square. Every Tuesday for the past eighteen years she would come down to get what few groceries she could afford. She was not the only little old lady shopping that day but there was something about her that caught your attention every time you saw her. She was all drawn over, almost double. Holding to her cane and trying to carry her basket with her goods you could tell it was a struggle for her to even walk. You felt sorry for her and wished there was something you could do to help but in that society it was not common place for a stranger to help such a one as her. Under the Law of Moses you could end up being defiled if she had some sort of disease and you touched her. You asked God to help her and then went your way.

The Sabbath finds you in the synagogue. It is your custom to be there ever since you were a child. The Scribes would take out the large scrolls and give it to the Rabbis to read from. Sometimes a fellow citizen would be offered the opportunity to read from it and comment on what he read. This day was different however as you looked behind you into the courtyard there she was, leaning on her cane, all bent over. Then it happened: Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God (Luke 13:11-13, NKJV). Right there in the synagogue on the Sabbath this Fellow that was teaching did something marvelous! He did what you wished you could have done for her, He healed her. Of course the head Rabbi told the crowd He broke the Law because Jesus had done such a thing on the Sabbath. Jesus answered him just as you would have had you had the guts. Calling him a hypocrite because he and others cared more about their animals then they did people. You cheered with the rest of the people at His answer and all of you began to glorify God!

Many people today are in the same shape she was in, not just physically but spiritually. We see them in the market places or at church. They smile with their face to hide the infirmity in their hearts. Worries, fears, anger, disappointments, frustrations, grief, grudges and the like, cause their spirits to be bent. Many of them, like her, have been hurting for years. If only they would hear as Jesus calls out to them; “Come to Me, let Me heal your broken spirit.” Are you one of them? Feel all bent out of shape? The Master is calling out to you; go to Him.