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Monday, December 19, 2016

The Birth of Christ



The Birth of Christ
Introduction
Advent is the season Christians prepare for Christmas and the coming of Christ.  This year for Advent, I decided to do something different to prepare spiritually.  I paraphrased the biblical story of Christ's birth in my own words.  It was an insightful exercise.

Let me share my method.  First, I selected the Gospel passages I wanted to use.  Then I arranged them in chronological order.  Next, I copied the passages from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) into the left column below.  Then, I made a column on the right side to hold my own paraphrase.  I put a column in the middle for notes--footnotes from the NRSV and any notes about my own paraphrase.  I worked mainly from the NRSV to create my paraphrase.  However, I also consulted the Message, the New Living Translation, the New International Version, and the King James Version.  I also consulted the original Greek on a number of occasions using the word study function on my Olive Tree Bible App.

Working on this paraphrase gave me a deeper understanding of the events associated with birth of Christ.  It also gave me knew respect for the work of biblical scholars who translate the Bible from the original languages or who paraphrase the Bible into their own words.  Most of all, it was a humbling and spiritually enriching endeavor.  I prayed often for God to guide me and speak to my heart as I pondered the meaning of each passage and thought of how I would say it in my own words.  I share the results with you below.

 
NRSV
Notes
Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase
John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,a and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.b
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,c and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,d full of grace and truth.15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”)16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,e who is close to the Father’s heart,f who has made him known.












aOr 3 through him. And without him not one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In him was life






bOr He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world

cOr to his own home














dOr the Father’s only Son






eOther ancient authorities read It is an only Son, God, or It is the only Son

fGk bosom
John 1:1-18
1-5 The Word was the very beginning.  The Word was there in the beginning with God.  The Word is God.  He brought everything into existence.  Nothing came to be without him.  He brought life, the light of life to everyone, everywhere.  His light shines out in the darkness and the darkness doesn’t have a chance.
6-9 God sent a man named John to point people to the light so they would know who to trust.  John wasn’t the light; he was just there to point to the light.  THE LIGHT, which makes it all clear for everyone, was about to come into the world.
10-13 He came to the very world he made, but the world didn’t recognize him.  Most didn’t want anything to do with him, even though they were his own handiwork.  But anyone who welcomed and trusted him realized they were God’s children--not the results of some biological conception, but--chosen by God as his very own.
14-18 The Word became human in every sense, living alongside us and experiencing everything we do.  We saw his glory, the glory of the only son God ever conceived.  He was so full of grace and truth.  (John told people about him, saying, “He’s the one I was talking about when I said, ‘The man who’s about to come is so much more important than me because he existed long before I was even a thought.’”)  He gave us so much undeserved love from his never ending supply.  Moses gave us the rules to follow; Jesus gave us grace and truth.  No one has ever seen God directly; but if you’ve met Jesus, it’s the same exact thing.
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”g 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”h 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be borni will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.




1Elizabeth was John the Baptist’s mother and Mary’s cousin



gOther ancient authorities add Blessed are you among women



















hGk I do not know a man



iOther ancient authorities add of you


Luke 1:26-38
26-27 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s1 pregnancy, God sent the angel, Gabriel, to visit a virgin named Mary in a town in Galilee called Nazareth.  Mary was engaged to Joseph.  
28-29 When Gabriel found her, he said, “Greetings! God wants to give you something very special!”  Mary was so confused and didn’t know what to think of this strange encounter.  
30-33 Gabriel told her, “Don’t be afraid.  God has taken a special interest in you and wants to give you a great blessing.  You are about to conceive a son in your womb and will soon give birth.  You will name him Jesus.  He will be great, will be called ‘God’s Son’, and the Lord God will give him the spiritual kingdom of his ancestor David.  He will rule Jacob’s House forever. There will never be an end to his kingdom.”  
34 Mary told the angel, “I don’t understand how this can happen? I’ve never been with a man.”  
35-37 Gabriel replied, “The Holy Spirit will enter you and the Highest Power of All will overwhelm you.  And so, the child you bear will be the Holy Son of God.  Your cousin Elizabeth is already six months pregnant, even though she was old and infertile.  You see, nothing is impossible for God.  If God did that for Elizabeth, He can do this for you.”  
38 Then Mary surrendered and said, “I am the Lord’s servant.  I will do whatever He wants.”  Then the angel left her.
Matthew 1:19-25
19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do 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 as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
   and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son;j and he named him Jesus.










































jOther ancient authorities read her firstborn son
Matthew 1:19-25
19-22 Mary’s husband, Joseph, was an upstanding and compassionate man. He didn’t want to endanger Mary or her reputation.  He was considering how to break off the engagement secretly without making a scene when the Lord’s angel spoke to him in a dream!  
“Joseph! You are David’s ancestor!  Don’t be afraid to wed Mary, for the child she carries came from the Holy Spirit.  She will have a son and you should name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”  This all happened to fulfill what the Lord said though the prophet:
23 “You see, a virgin will conceive and have a son,
and they will name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”  
24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord said through the angel in his dream.  He took Mary to be his wife, but he didn’t lay with her until after her boy was born.  He named him Jesus.
Luke 2:1-38
1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 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.
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before 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; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,k the Lord.12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,l praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”m
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;n this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.o 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeonp came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law,28 Simeonq took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servantr in peace,
   according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
   and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeons blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Annat the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the childu to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.





















































kOr the Christ






lGk army







mOther ancient authorities read peace, goodwill among people
























2The religious law code God gave to Moses in the Old Testament
























nOr the Lord’s Christ






oOr the Lord’s Christ

pGk In the Spirit, he

qGk In the Spirit, he



rGk slave



























sGk Symeon












tGk Hanna













uGk him

Luke 2:1-38
1-7 This all happened while Caesar Augustus was making a list of everyone he could tax in the Roman Empire.  This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  Everyone had to go to their family’s hometown to register.  Joseph had to travel from Nazareth in Galilee to his ancestor David’s hometown, Bethlehem, which is in Judea.  His fiance, Mary, went with him even though she was nearing her due date.  While they were in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor.  She had a baby boy, her very first child, and wrapped him up in a blanket.  She put him in a manger because there wasn’t enough room in the inn.
8-9 There were shepherds nearby guarding a flock for the night.  God’s angel came to them in a glorious light and the shepherds were terrified.  
10-12 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid.  Look, I bring good news full of tremendous joy for everyone:  This very day in Bethlehem, David’s ancestral home, a Savior was born who is the Chosen One from God, the Lord of all.  This is how you will know you’ve found him.  He will be wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger.”  
13-14 All of a sudden, a vast army from heaven appeared with the angel praising God and saying,
“Glory to God all the way up in heaven,
and peace to everyone he has blessed down on earth!”
15-20 When the angels were gone, the shepherds discussed it.  “Let’s go to Bethlehem right now and see what this is all about.”  So they ran and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  When they saw it was all true, they told everyone they could find what they’d heard about the baby.  The story amazed everyone, but Mary quietly wondered about the story in her heart.  The shepherds went back to their work, praising and glorifying God for all they had seen.  It was just as the angel proclaimed.
21 The child was circumcised when he was eight-days-old.  They named him Jesus, the name the angel gave before he was conceived.
22-24 When the time was right, they presented Jesus to the Lord for purification in Jerusalem in keeping with the Law of Moses2.  (God’s law commands: “Every firstborn son is to be given as a special offering to God” along with a sacrifice of “two doves and a pair of young pigeons.”)
25-26 There was a very good, devout man in Jerusalem at the time.  Simon was full of the Holy Spirit and patiently waiting for God to comfort His suffering people.  The Holy Spirit had assured Simon he would not die without seeing God’s chosen Savior.
27-28 The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple the same day Jesus’ parents brought him in to fulfill the ceremonial law.  Simeon cradled the child in his arms and praised God, saying:
29-32 “Lord, your servant can rest in peace now.  I have seen the Savior You sent with my own eyes, just as You said I would.  You sent Him as the glorious light of your people to lead everyone Home to You.”
33-35 Mary and Joseph were amazed by Simeon’s proclamation.  Simeon blessed them and then said this to the mother, “God sent this child to see the whole order of things flipped downside up.  He will be a target for all who oppose God and it will be clear where everyone really stands.  However, their viciousness toward your precious son will be as painful as a sword piercing your own soul.”
36-38 The prophetess Anna was also there, the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher.  Anna was very old.  She was only married seven years when her husband died and then she lived eighty-four more as a widow.  She worshipped and fasted day and night and never left the temple area.  As Simeon was speaking, Anna joined the group and started praising God and she told everyone in Jerusalem who was looking for redemption about the child.
Matthew 2:1-23
1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise menv from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,w and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiahx was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
   who is to shepherdy my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise menz and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,a until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped,b they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Josephc got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,d he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.e 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
   wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
   she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 Then Josephf got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”



vOr astrologers; Gk magi




wOr in the East










xOr the Christ















yOr rule





zOr astrologers; Gk magi












aOr in the East


bGk saw the star




























cGk he













dOr astrologers; Gk magi







eOr astrologers; Gk magi
























fGk he

Matthew 2:1-23
1-2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea when Herod was king.  Astrologers (called Wisemen or Magi) from a foreign land far away in the East came all the way to Jerusalem asking, “Where can we find this child who was born to be the king of the Jews?  We saw a star rise in the eastern sky that signaled his birth.  We want to worship and adore him.  
3-4 King Herod was very disturbed to hear this, along with everyone in Jerusalem.  He summoned all the most important Jewish priests and scholars and asked where God’s Chosen Savior was supposed to be born.  
5-6 They told him, “In the town of Bethlehem in the province of Judea, because that’s what the prophet wrote:
‘You, Bethlehem of Judea,
are a very important place because a ruler will come from you
who will lead my people, Israel, like a shepherd leads sheep.’”
7-8 Herod hatched a treacherous plan.  He asked the eastern astrologers in private when they first saw the star signalling the baby’s birth.  He sent them on to Bethlehem saying, “Go search for the child and don’t give up until you find him.  Then send word where he is so I can go worship him too.”
9-12 After speaking with King Herod, the eastern astrologers started out for Bethlehem and the star was right there leading the way straight to the child.  They were overjoyed when the star stopped above the child’s home.  They came in and saw him with his mother.  They knelt reverently and worshipped him.  They opened their treasure chests and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Since they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they took a different road back to their home in the East.
13 After they left, Joseph dreamed God’s angel was telling him, “Get up!  Take the child and his mother and run away to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you to leave.  Soon Herod will come looking to snuff the boy out.”  
14-15 Then, under the cover of night, they fled to Egypt and stayed there until Herod was dead. This all happened just as God said it would when the prophet proclaimed, “I called my son out of Egypt.”
16-17 Herod was livid when he realized the Eastern religious scholars had outsmarted him. He ordered the murder of every last boy 2-years-old and younger who lived anywhere near Bethlehem. He figured the child must be about that age because of what the Eastern religious scholars had revealed.  This all happened just as God said when the prophet Jeremiah declared:
18 “A sad cry was heard in Ramah--
wailing and mourning.
Rachel is crying for her children,
refusing comfort,
because her children are dead and gone.
19-20 When Herod died, God’s angel came to Joseph in Egypt in a dream and said, “The coast is clear. The people who wanted to kill the child are dead.  Now you can take the child and his mother back to Israel.”  
21-23 So Joseph listened and took his family back to Israel, but avoided Judea because he was afraid of Herod’s son, Archelaus, who he heard was ruling there.  So Joseph took them to Galilee after he was warned in a dream.  He settled down in a town called Nazareth.  This all happened just as God said it would when the prophets revealed, “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Luke 2:40
40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Luke 2:40
40 The child grew big and strong and was very wise; and God helped him every step of the way.


Monday, December 12, 2016

Follow the Star, Part 3

Introduction
            Christmas is a time of signs and symbols.  The miraculous virgin birth of Christ was a sign that this child was very special and here by God’s design.  For Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
God sometimes gives signs to show people the right way.  Have you seen signs to guide you through life?  Some signs can be subtle and hard to notice.  Other signs are obvious, maybe even frightening.  Regardless, when we really want to know God’s will, we grow when we respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading with obedience. 
Today, I want to focus on understanding what God wants from you.  Suppose he has given you a sign.  How do you interpret it?  How do you understand what it means?

Matthew 2:13-16
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.

A Clear Sign
            Joseph received a clear message from God.  God sent an angel to warn him in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and baby Jesus.  If we accept what the scripture says, there weren’t any symbols to interpret.  Joseph didn’t have to struggle with what the dream meant.
There was another Joseph—in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis—who also had dreams.  That Old Testament Joseph’s dreams were strange and full of symbolic meaning.  Do you remember?  There was one dream in Genesis where the sun, moon, and stars bowed down to Joseph.  It was a symbol of how Joseph’s brothers—along with all the known world—would one day bow down to Joseph when he became Pharaoh’s second in command.
But the Joseph in our story this morning—Jesus’ earthly father Joseph—had a different kind of dream.  It was much clearer.  “Get up right now and run away to Egypt!  King Herod is trying to kill the baby Jesus.”  No symbols there.  The meaning is plain and urgent.
Sometimes God comes to people in a dream.  People have dreams all the time.  Usually, there’s nothing to them—just random synapses firing in the brain while we sleep.  But when God comes to you in a dream to give you a sign (or in any other way), you will know it’s something special you need to pay attention to.  If God wants you to get the message, you’ll be left with the distinct impression that this dream (or sign) is something important to which you should pay attention.

A Sensitive Ear
Now, if you make a habit in your life of tuning God out, you might not notice God’s voice.  (I know some husbands who have learned the art of tuning out their wives and kids.  The house could be on fire, and they still will not notice if the game is on TV.  Piece of advice:  if you do that too much, you won't have a wife and kids for very long.)
If you’re the kind of person who goes through life dismissing God’s voice—“Oh come on! God doesn’t speak to people.  I don’t believe in all that superstitious nonsense..."—you’re probably not going to notice when God speaks to you.  But if you believe God can and does speak to people, and you make a life-long practice of asking Him for direction, listening intently for the Spirit, and obeying when He speaks, you will notice when God sends you a clear message.
You know, a lot of people envy Joseph’s message from God.  God spoke so clearly to him:  “Get up!  Run to Egypt!”  We say, “Why can’t God just speak to me that clearly ?”
Do you realize, Joseph was a godly man?  He didn’t just wake up one day with the ability to hear God’s voice.  His whole life, Joseph was practicing and preparing his ‘God-ears’ to hear God’s voice.  Matthew 1:19 tells us Joseph was a righteous man.  That means he trusted God.  He worshiped God.  He prayed to God.  He had a relationship with God.  He went through life listening and trying to obey God.  So when God came to Joseph in a dream, Joseph already had the ears to hear.
What about you?  Do you trust God?  Do you worship God?  Do you pray to God?  Do you have a relationship with God?  Do you read the Scripture?  Do you believe God can and will speak to you?  Do you try to listen to God and obey?  The more you do, the more sensitive your ears will be.
But that's not what most people want, is it?  We would rather God only speak to us when we have a question or when we want something.  Then, once we get what we want, God can just go get back in His box and be quiet.  We'll call Him when we want something. 
What is that?!?  We've got it backwards, I think.  God is the Creator of the universe.  He created us, not the other way around.  We don't get to tell Him when and when not to speak.  Nor should we want to.  We should count every word that comes to us from Him a blessing and a privilege.  We should be at His beckoning call.  But we are sinful, selfish people and so we've got it all mixed up.

Importance is Important
Let me give you some important advice about interpreting God’s signs.  If you see a little something that might be a sign from God and it encourages you, just accept it.  Don’t question it.  Be encouraged.  For example, if you’re driving home from work and you see the most beautiful cloud formation in the sky and think, “Wow!  It’s almost like God painted that just to tell me He loves me.”  Well, maybe He did. (God does love you, so you can be sure that's true.)  Maybe it wasn't really a sign from God, but what’s the harm in just accepting that it might be?  I mean, God does love you and we’re not talking about selling your house and moving to China here.  We’re just noting the wonder of God’s creation and getting a little encouragement.  So why question it?  Just accept it!  It’s a small sign.  Give it the benefit of doubt.
This can apply to bad feelings too.  Suppose you are out late at the gym and it’s dark outside when you get done.  You go to walk out to your car to go home (like you do every other night in December), but you get this ominous feeling like maybe you shouldn’t walk to your car alone tonight.  I say: trust your instinct.  Maybe God is trying to tell you it’s not safe out there tonight.  Maybe you should wait inside until someone can walk you to your car.  What’s the harm in just accepting it as a sign from God?  Again, we’re not talking about selling your house and moving to China here.  All that’s at stake is a few minutes of your time and maybe asking someone for help. 
Now if you are having persistent feelings of doom and gloom, fear, depression, paranoia, distrust, etc. that are going on for weeks at a time, I suggest you talk it over with an experienced and trustworthy Christian friend.  God doesn’t want us to go through life afraid and paranoid.  If we are, there might be more going on we need to address.
The point is, the potential consequences the sign has on your life is important in how seriously you take it.  If it’s just a small thing, just accept it and thank God for it.  However, if the sign is pointing you toward a really important decision that will have lasting consequences, you ought to take a little more care in understanding it. 

Let me give you 4 tips that can help you discover what God Might saying to you.
            Tip #1 - Talk it over with a spiritual advisor.  If you feel like God might be trying to tell you something, talk to a trusted Christian friend, family member, Sunday school teacher, or pastor.  You may even want to discuss it with a professional Christian counselor.  These are people who can give you insight about what God might be saying (or if it's God speaking at all).  They can also encourage and give you support. 
            When I felt God was calling me to be a pastor, I talked with several people over a period of time:  my mom, by best friend, my wife, and my pastor.  They helped me understand and verify God's call and it just made me feel better to have people I trusted walking with me on that journey.  Even now, after years of experience walking with God, I still practice my own advice.  I talk to people about what I think God might be saying to me.  It is tremendously helpful (essential really).
            Tip #2 - Ask, " Does what I think God is telling me match up with the Bible?  The Bible is the foundation of what we believe and the last word in everything we do.  God gave us the Scriptures to guide us and He's is not going to ask you to do something contrary to His own Word in the Bible.
            In South Carolina in 2012, Tammi Estep stabbed her husband.  She said she did after, "Jesus and Mary told me to kill him because he is Satan's spawn!"[i]  Well, how many wives have not thought there husband's were the spawn of Satan at one time or another…  Seriously though, God is not going to tell you to murder someone.  Nor is He going to tell you to do something that contradicts what He's already said in Scripture.  If you feel He is, I would point you back to Tip #1 - Talk to a spiritual advisor.
            Tip #3 - Does the sign intend to lead you or others closer to Christ?   The Great Commission from Jesus to His followers is:  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" (Matthew 28:19 ).  This is our mission.   Remember, life is not about you.  This isn’t the story of your life.  This is God’s story and you are just one actor in the movie.  You don’t even have that big a roll.  So remember, if God is talking to you--directing you in some really important matter that will have life-long, lasting consequences--it will probably be linked in a large way to leading you or others closer to Christ.  If it isn't, if it's linked more to you own self-centered interests, it's more likely not God speaking to you.  Either way, I would point you back to Tip #1 - Talk to a spiritual advisor.
            Tip #4 - Ask the Holy Spirit to verify it for you.  It's OK to ask God to help you be sure.  People did that in the Bible many times.  There was even a man named Gideon in the book of Judges who made a kind of experiment.  God sent an angel and told Gideon to go fight some people who kept raiding Israel.  Gideon asked for a sign to verify it.  He said, "I'm gonna lay out a piece of wool fleece on the ground.  If there's dew on the fleece in the morning, but not the ground, I will know You were speaking to me."  And in the morning, there was dew on the fleece and not the ground.  But Gideon wanted to be sure, so he repeated the experiment, but this time he said, "Alright.  If it's really You, this time there will be dew on the ground all around, but not on the fleece." And it happened just like that!  In the morning, there was dew on the ground, but none on the fleece!  So Gideon knew it was God talking to him and he went off and defeated his enemies.
            It's OK to ask for a sign to be sure it's really God speaking to you.  But some might point out what Jesus said in Matthew 12:39, “It is an evil and adulterous nation that looks for a sign.  No sign will be given…”  Jesus' frustration in that instance was with those who had already seen sign after sign after sign that proved Jesus was indeed the Son of God.  He'd healed the blind and deaf, made the lame to walk, walked on water himself, and even turned water into wine.  What more would it take to convince people?  Enough signs had already been given.  Some people didn’t want to believe and so they just kept asking for more signs.  Then they would pick apart every sign given with sinful cynicism.  They weren't going to believe no matter what Jesus did. 
            So you can ask for a sign, but once you know God is told you to do something, it's time to act.  We probably all have had times we knew what we were supposed to do, but didn't want to do it.  Don't keep asking God for signs as an excuse to put off obedience.  Get busy.  And, oh, did I mention you should see Tip #1 - talk to a spiritual advisor?  You should. 

Conclusion
            I want to end this blog with a few guiding questions as you contemplate what God might be saying to you now.  Listen for God’s voice as you pray about the following:
  • Have you been listening to God?  Have you been exercising your spiritual ears?  Have you been trusting Jesus?  Have you been praying? Have you been reading your Bible?  Is it time for you to start today?
  • What has God been trying to say to you?  Has He been nudging you?  Has He been shouting?  Have you been ignoring Him?
  • Do you need to talk to a spiritual advisor—trusted Christian friend, family member, or pastor?
  • Is it time to “Get up and go” do what God’s been telling you to do?  What’s stopping you?




[i] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/14/tammi-estep-stabbing-south-carolina_n_2130765.html

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Follow the Star, Part 2

Luke 2:8-14
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Introduction
            Sometimes God gives us signs to show us the way.  If you believe in them and really want to know God’s will for you, you might be able to see and follow the signs to Jesus’ will for you.  Sometimes the sign may just appear—one bright star in a sky filled with twinkling stars.  Are you watching for the star?  Will you notice?
            At other times, God’s sign to you might be big and dramatic.  It might even be frightening—like an army of angels singing to the shepherds on a cold Bethlehem night.  It that case, the challenge may be—not so much noticing the sign, but—deciding what to do with it.  What will you do when God sends a sign so big it stops you in your tracks and shakes you to your very core?
            The shepherds could have run away and hid in fear.  They might have been frozen with fear and done nothing.  But instead, their fear turned into a blessing because they obeyed and went to Bethlehem and found Jesus.

A Cold, Dark Night
            Night time can be an eerie occasion.  It probably was for the shepherds.  I remember a cold, dark and eerie night when God gave me a big (and frightening) sign.  I was only 18-years-old.  I was driving from my mom's home in Macon back to college in Marietta.  Now I don't know about you, but when I have a long drive like that by myself, I like to turn up the radio.  And since I'd driven that route so many times, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was. 

'84 Mercury Marquis
            Then, my '84 Mercury decided to die.  Smoke billowed from beneath the hood.  The car decelerated and I pulled off to the shoulder.  The car shut off and would not start.  I found myself on the side of I-75 at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night somewhere between Macon and Atlanta and I had no idea where.  This was before cell phones so I needed to walk to a gas station to find a payphone.  The problem was, I didn't even know if I needed to walk forwards or backwards!  I chose to go forward.
            As I walked forward in the dead of night, cars speeding by at 65, 75, 85 MPH, it dawned on me--for the first time in my life--this could be my last night on earth.  All it would take was one of those speeding cars to swerve slightly off the road and hit me.  I'd heard of things like that happening before.  Or maybe, some serial killer decided to pull over and abduct me and cut me up into little pieces just for fun.  I'd heard of things like that happening before too.
            I realized that night that I was not ready to die.  "Why not?" I thought.  "I'm a Christian.  I gave my life to Christ.  I will go to heaven when I die.  What's keeping me from being ready?"  Yet I still felt I was not ready to die.  Something was left unfulfilled in my life.  I realized I walked that lonely dark road I was not walking the road God wanted me to walk in life.  And that dark road became a frightening sign to me that I needed to do some things different.  I needed to change the direction of my life so I would be ready when my time came.  God's sign to me helped change the course of my life.

Other Signs
            I have heard of dramatic signs in other people's lives too.  When I was in seminary, I volunteered as a chaplain for The Carpenter’s House, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.  I heard several recovering addicts share how their addiction landed them in the hospital or nearly ended their lives.  They realized they had to change or else their addiction would kill them.  God must have saved their life for a reason so they better get busy finding help to overcome their disease.
            I have seen others signs too.  I had a church member once who had a heart attack.  He realized he needed needed to be there for his daughter as she grew into a young adult, found a mate, and got married.  He started walking and exercising and eating healthier.  His heart attack was a sign.
            Perhaps you lost your job.  It was hard--not only because of the money, but--because your job was an important part of your identity.  Maybe God is trying to tell you your job is not your identity; find your identity in Christ.  Maybe God is telling you to trust money less and trust God more.
            Maybe someone you love dies unexpectedly.  That can be a sign from God.  One of my former church members died this past weekend--Jim Ham.  Jim was a father grandfather county commissioner, and he was only 54 years old.  He died in a single car crash.  No one saw it coming.  Unexpected deaths like this can be a tragic sign that reminds us to cherish those you hold dear.  They jar us out of our complacency and teach us to take full advantage of the present moment for we never know how much time we have; nothing is guaranteed.
            What if someone you love looses faith?  When my brother came home one Christmas many years ago saying he no longer believed what he'd learned about Jesus in church, our family was very concerned.  Furthermore, Nelson seemed to know so much more about the Christian religion and what the Bible says than I did.  This was a big sign to me that I needed to make the effort to know what I believed and figure out if I was just taking for granted the things people had told me about Christianity over the years.  Perhaps when someone you care about has doubts about their faith, it is a sign to you to take your beliefs and how you live more seriously.  Maybe it's time to get serious about your own faith and GRO a little.
 
Slide – G.R.O.
            If you want to get serious and grow in your faith, you need to G.R.O.
            Growth can only come when you are committed to growth.  I hope you will commit to personal growth throughout your life. True Christianity doesn’t mean we get saved and then hide in a corner for the rest of life.  We are constantly growing to become more like Christ.  Growth should occur in all areas of our life--spiritually, intellectually, and physically.  These areas are all interrelated and you cannot be truly healthy in one area if you are lacking in the others.
            Respond.  In order to grow, you have to respond to the Holy Spirit.  You are responsible for your growth.  that doesn't mean you make yourself grow.  The Holy Spirit makes you grow.  However, when the Holy Spirit guide you to do something, you are able to respond by doing it.  So you must respond because you are responsible.
            Obey.  You grow when you are obedient.  You can't expect to grow if you disobey the Holy Spirit.  But if you respnd with obedience you will grow.  If the Holy Spirit guides you to study your Bible, you will grow spiritually.  If the Spirit tell you to exercise and you obey, you will improve your health.  But if you disregard or disobey, you will not grow.

Are You Ready to GRO?
            Sometimes God gives us a really big sign to shake us to the core.  If God has done that for you, I hope you will Grow by Responding with Obedience to what the Holy Spirit has said.  Perhaps God's sign to you was more subtle, but if you're paying attention, you can still see the sign like the star shining for the Wisemen.  Let God get your attention and ask Him to reveal what he wants you to do.  Next week we will discuss how you can interpret the meaning of Gods signs.

Holy Communion (AKA The Lord's Supper or the Eucharist) is a tremendous sign of God's love and presence with us.  The bread represents the body of Christ God gave us.  The wine represents the blood Christ shed for us on the cross to forgive our sins.  This simple meal reminds us of Christ's loving sacrifice for us and also his living presence with us today.  When have you last received Holy Communion?  Do you see God's sign to you in this sacrament?

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Homesick

The Truth As Far As I Can Tell…
 
John 14:1-4 – Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
 
This Title Max Pawn Shop in Macon, GA used to be a
Gabby's Diner, where my wife and I had our first date.
I traveled to Macon, GA for a funeral this week.  Going to Macon often gives me a bittersweet feeling.  You see Macon is the hometown where I grew up.  It’s where I went to school, made friends, met my wife, and got married.  Going home to Macon is bittersweet because it has changed so much.  Most all of the places are still there.  I can point them out.  There is the old neighborhood, Burghard Elementary, Ballard A Middle School, and Southwest High.  There is the place I worked my first job. 
As I said, the community has changed a lot.  Everything is older.  It seems worn out and run down.  Gabby’s Diner, where Kelly and I had our first date, is a Title Pawn now.  Even if everything was the same, I’ve changed.  So, home just isn’t the same.  Those days of my youth are gone.  I can’t go back to them.   So it’s kind of bittersweet to go home to Macon because it feels like home has sort of been lost.  I can remember it, but I can’t go back and I don’t even know if I’d want to.  The Truth is, the good ole days weren’t necessarily that good anyway.
This bittersweet feeling reminds me that Home—our true Home, Home with a “capital H”—is not a place we go back to.  It never was.  Our real Home, the place our soul really longs to be, is somewhere we are going forward to.  You see, Home is not the house you grew up in.  Home is not Grandma’s house over in Bloomfield.  Home is not even the old church you went to as a kid.  Home—our real Home—is the place we learn about from Jesus when we read the Bible, when we worship in Church.  Our eternal Home is the reward awaiting all who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
That is the Good News of the Christian faith.  We believe that those who follow Christ as their Lord and Savior have victory over sin and death.  Being a Christian doesn’t mean we are perfect.  You don’t have to be perfect to come to Jesus.  Actually, Jesus came to save us from our sin—to forgive the mistakes we’ve made (no matter how many times we’ve made them)—and to enable us to make a brand new start.  Jesus loved us when we didn’t deserve it, when we were totally unlovable.  He laid down his life for us on the cross so we don’t have to pay the price for our sins.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We have something great to look forward to after this life is over.  We have eternity.  Home is not a place we go back to.  Home is a place we go forward to.  Of course, I’m no expert and I certainly don’t claim to know everything, but that’s the Truth as far as I can tell…
 
Remember, God loves you and so do I!







Follow this link to hear a great song called "Homesick" by Mercy Me.