December 25, 2018

The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Monday, January 16, 2012

God Brings Good From Bad

But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” -- Isaiah 43:1

Who is your family? Are you one of those fortunate people with many siblings, parents who are still together and many, many aunts, uncles and cousins? Or are you an only child with few family members?

Each of us came from somewhere. We have a mother and father. We may or may not have other siblings or other living relatives. Sometimes we have family we’d rather not claim and other times we long for a family to call our very own.

Did you know that Jesus had a family here on earth? I’m not just talking about Mary and Joseph. The Bible tells us He had brothers and sisters. Yes. They were half-siblings but they were family just the same.

(I do realize as I write this that some of you may not agree that Jesus had siblings. Some faiths maintain that Mary remained a virgin her entire life. I don’t believe that’s what the Bible tells us but I also respect your point of view.)

Can you imagine finding out that the man who played with you when you were children, who ate beside you, who maybe even slept on the mat next to yours, was the Messiah? They didn’t realize that. They tried to reign Him in. They believed He was out of His mind. They mocked Him.

Yet, Jesus’ brother James went on to write the book of James. He became a believer. I guess it’s hard not to when you’re staring at the resurrected Lord. What a shock! This man James thought was out of His mind, was actually the One sent to save us all.

The Old Testament tells the story of Joseph. He came from a large family. His brothers didn’t think too highly of him either. They were so jealous that they sold him into slavery. It worked out okay. God has a knack for turning the ugly into good. Joseph later became the second highest official in Egypt and, when a famine lingered on, he took care of the brothers who rejected him.

Sometimes siblings are close and always seem to get along and see the best in one another. But that’s not always the case. It wasn’t that way for Jesus and it wasn’t that way for Joseph. But time -- and God -- changed their views.

We rarely get to choose our families. Most of us are born where we remain, with all the pain and stories that entails. If we’re fortunate, time softens the rejection and sibling rivalry and replaces it with a new appreciation for family. And if we’re unfortunate, time merely widens the gap to the point of destruction.

God heals old wounds. God builds bridges over mounds of destruction. God’s claims us as His own. We are God’s children. So don’t be afraid to trust Him with the joys and sorrows of your birth family. Let Him heal the hurts. Let Him wash away the anger and the pain. Let Him renew bonds you thought broken. Let God create a bridge between a past that can’t be undone and a present filled with possibilities.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Are You Righteous?

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. -- Matthew 1:19

How would you define a righteous man? The dictionary tells us that to be righteous is to be morally right or morally justifiable. So a righteous man is one who is morally right.

I always think of Abraham when I think of righteousness. In Romans 4, Paul tells us that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Did Abraham stumble along the way? Absolutely. But he was a good man, a righteous man who loved God and sought to follow Him.

The Bible tells us very little about Joseph. We know he was a carpenter. We know God chose him to be Jesus’ earthly father. But what else do we really know about this man who played such an important role in our Savior’s life?

We know he was a righteous man. A good man. A man of faith. A man of mercy.

Joseph was pledged to be married to a woman who was pregnant. How do you think he felt when he found out? Angry? Humiliated? Betrayed? He could have accused Mary publicly and watched as she was stoned to death. But he was a righteous man and he chose not to expose her to public disgrace.

How would you have reacted? Probably not the same. Not if you’re normal and you’re honest. We’re human and we want to punish those who hurt us. But not Joseph. He offered mercy when others would have demanded vengeance.

It was after this that an angel from God appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel explained that Mary’s baby was conceived from the Holy Spirit and that Joseph should go ahead and marry her. Joseph believed and he did. Joseph was a righteous man. A man of faith.

We don’t know a great deal about Joseph. But we know he showed mercy rather than seek vengeance. We know he demonstrated faith rather than walk away from something that seemed so unbelievable.

Joseph was a righteous man. What about you?

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

God Is With You Always

But the LORD was with Joseph there, too, and he granted Joseph favor with the chief jailer.

-- Genesis 39:21

Our lives are journeys that alternate between mountains and valleys and all the paths in between. We rarely have seasons of sameness, though I have learned to cherish those times as only someone who has felt the depths of despair can. Joseph always reminds me that God can use anyone, in any circumstance, for His glory and His purpose.

If you’ll remember, Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous older brothers. But God was with Joseph and He used Joseph to save His people. That’s the key. God was with him. Just like God is with us in all circumstances.

When we climb to the top of the mountains, God celebrates with us. When we plummet to the valley, God holds us close and carries us when we can no longer stand. He guides us along the paths of life -- if we’ll let Him.

Often we try to do things all by ourselves. That generally doesn’t end up so well because sooner or later we’re going to get in over our heads. At some point we’re going to end up in a place we never intended to go, facing a crisis we can’t fix. Not sure about that? Think you’re always in control and can handle anything? Talk to someone facing inoperable cancer. Speak to the person who just lost his job and has no prospects for another one. Hold the hand of an elderly person who put his trust in the wrong person and lost his life savings.

Then talk to those same people after they’ve felt the Presence of God. Let the person facing death tell you about God’s peace and the heaven that awaits. Ask the person without a job how it feels to find a bag of food left anonymously on his doorstep. Hear the elderly person speak of the love he feels as his family and friends embrace him and care for him.

God shines no matter where we are, no matter what the circumstances. He is with us always. He uses us to care for and bless others. Yes. God uses people like you and me. He calls us to pray for those who are sick and hurting. He tells us to encourage those beaten down by life. He asks us to reach out to others, sharing the blessings He gives us with those around us.

God is with us always, no matter the circumstances. And we should be with others, no matter their circumstances. So hold a hand, give a sincere compliment, pray for someone hurting and afraid. Visit a person who is alone and feels forgotten. Share a meal with a homeless person. Put a little extra in the offering plate at church. Show others that God is with you, lives within you, and directs your actions day by day.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Forgive Others As God Forgives You

“But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.”

-- Genesis 45:5

Joseph had every right to hold a grudge. His jealous brothers had placed him in a cistern, then sold him into slavery. Joseph had suffered greatly before he became the second most powerful person in Egypt.

Now Joseph was in a prime position to retaliate against his brothers. They had come to him for food. He could have denied them. He could have ordered them killed. Instead, he gave them grace and forgiveness. Much like Jesus has given to us.

One important thing to remember about this passage of Scripture is that Joseph’s brothers hadn’t asked for forgiveness. Were they sorry? Absolutely. They were also terrified. This brother they had so greatly wronged held their fate in his hands. They, no doubt, were thinking that he would exact revenge as they would have done were the situation reversed. They didn’t expect Joseph to embrace them in love.

This isn’t to say Joseph was perfect. He wasn’t. Nor did he extend forgiveness immediately, as Pastor Meghan recently pointed out. The first time they came to Joseph -- not knowing that this powerful man was their brother -- he put them all in prison for three days, vowing they wouldn’t be allowed to return home until their youngest brother was brought to him. Joseph wanted to see Benjamin, the other child of his mother.

The brothers spoke among themselves, not realizing that Joseph could understand them. They still saw him as a powerful Egyptian. They blamed their fate on their decision to “murder” Joseph years before. Scripture tells us Joseph had to leave the room and find a place where he could weep.

What must he have been thinking? He was finally in a position to harm the brothers who had wanted him dead, to exact revenge they certainly deserved, and all he wanted was to be reconciled to his family. It was a difficult thing. Forgiveness isn’t so easy when your heart is broken.

Joseph finally relented and allowed all but Simeon to return home. Simeon would remain a prisoner until the others returned with Benjamin. Joseph also had their payment secretly included with the grain he’d given them. They discovered this after they already left. They were terrified but continued home.

Time passed and Joseph’s brothers were forced to return to Egypt for food. They brought Benjamin, as commanded. And it was then that Joseph revealed his identity to them. He’d had an opportunity to work things out within himself. He was ready to forgive.

Pastor Meghan said that forgiveness means to acknowledge that some wrong or injustice has been done and to choose not to hold it against that person any longer. It’s not about whether they repent and admit their mistakes. It’s not about them asking for your forgiveness. It’s about you letting go of the wrong they have done and moving toward reconciliation.

Who do you need to forgive today? Who has done you wrong? Who has hurt you and tried to bring bad things down on you? Let it go. Give it to God and put it behind you. Forgive them as God has forgiven you, not because they deserve it but because it’s the only way to truly grasp what God has done for you and me.