The Sparkle of Christmas

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Let the Light of the Glorious Gospel Shine!

The Sparkle of Christmas

Noelle[i] is a new Disney movie about the daughter of Santa. Her brother, Nick, was destined to become the new Santa, but he didn’t have the “sparkle”. He knew all there was to know about Santa, but he didn’t get it!  Breaking the mold of a 2000-year old tradition, Noelle “sparkled,” and ultimately changed everyone’s pre-conceived notion of who the real Santa would be.

Noelle’s sparkle was the result of living out Christmas 24/7, by caring for others and putting other people above herself. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

Jesus came, forgoing the expression of His position as the God of the universe, humbling Himself as a servant, sacrificing Himself as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world, and offering eternal, abundant life both now and forevermore! [ii]Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

This incredible gift is for everyone who believes! Not just for those who have been “good”, but for everyone, no matter what a person has done!

The one stipulation is that you must believe. I don’t mean the belief of assenting to God’s reality, but one must truly believe, like the child who believes in Santa. To believe unto salvation is to completely trust that Jesus is who He says He is and did what only He could do.  To know and understand that apart from Him, there is no hope for salvation. True belief can be compared to the small child who believes implicitly that Santa will deliver the longed-for gift on Christmas morning, and that apart from Santa, the gift is an impossible dream.

To believe in Jesus for salvation is to recognize that apart from God, we can never receive the gift of abundant and eternal life described in the Bible. To believe in Jesus is to repent (turn away) from who we are apart from Him – that is sinners who can never measure up to God’s standards. To believe in Jesus is to change directions, (turn) to God, to agree with Him. This kind of belief impacts who we are and everything we do because of WHO HE IS. The child believes Santa is watching every day – that Santa “sees when you are sleeping, knows when you’re awake, knows if you’ve been bad or good…” so the child acts differently. True belief in Jesus is believing that Jesus is changing you and bringing glory to God through your life. HE makes you different. He makes you a new creation![iii]

The difference between the child who tries to measure up by being good and the individual who believes in Jesus is the recognition that we can’t measure up to God’s standards by ourselves. The child acts differently because he believes Santa will reward him for being good. We act differently when God mysteriously changes who we are through the power of His Holy Spirit. As we immerse ourselves in His Word and follow Him in our daily lives, Jesus shines in us, making our lives to “sparkle” so that others may [iv]“see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.”

Chambers writes that we must never substitute the [v]“power of the Gospel” with our “knowledge of the way of salvation” lest we “hinder the reality of redemption” in others. It is the “sparkle” of the Light of Jesus, the Light of the World, that causes people to recognize the power of the Gospel to transform lives.

[i] https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/wp/1NOwi3epkH6X

[ii] II Corinthians 9:15 NASB

[iii] II Corinthians 5:17 NASB

[iv] Matthew 5:16 NASB

[v] Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest (Updated for Today’s Language). “Not By Might Nor By Power” (December 7). Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. 1992.

It’s ALL Good…

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It’s All Good…

“It’s all good, until it’s not,” commented my friend regarding the reality of church ministry. In my mind, I thought, “This has got to be the title of my first book!”
We were newbies with a big vision, no experience, and little if any knowledge and understanding of pastoral ministry. We knew that God was going to use us in a great way in this little, rural mill town. It was all good. God literally opened this door for us as we stepped out of teaching school and stepped into the doors of pastoral ministry in this small-town church. We were certain that God was confirming His plan for us as we took this step of faith and obedience to His call. Everyone was nice, and they liked us. The people complemented my husband’s preaching, asked me to play the piano, and loved on our babies. Life was good…until it wasn’t.

A situation arose that put my young pastor husband in a very difficult position. In hindsight, after thirty-five years of ministry experience, we would have handled the situation very differently. But at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. I have since learned that there are rarely only two choices. Somewhere in between there are usually other options to guide people toward better, more biblical solutions. In this situation, one family wanted to talk to us about something that had happened, and they didn’t want anyone else to know. It involved another family (church leaders and personal friends of ours). Basically, we were sworn to secrecy. I know…there are several “red flags” and “we should have known’s” that come to mind.
We kept that confidence at a very high cost. Ultimately the truth did come out, as it always does. The un-informed family felt betrayed and blamed us. Sadly, it deeply affected the church over the next year and personally drained our family emotionally and spiritually. The people who had been friends turned against us, and it was hard and lonely. Those friends would not look at us or speak to us for the next year. They were very angry, and we were very hurt. No one in the church stepped in to help. Most people just avoided us. It was one of the most painful seasons of my life as a pastor’s wife.

Through that first excruciatingly painful ministry experience and many other difficult seasons of ministry that would come, we learned wisdom in loving and serving God’s people in better and more productive ways. We learned that suffering produces character. We learned that anger and bitterness will destroy us if we don’t let go of them. We learned the importance of forgiveness. We learned the imperative of perseverance in the life of the follower of Jesus, especially those of us in ministry and leadership positions.

After all these years I can say, “It’s all good” because God uses the “until it’s not” times to conform us to the image of His Son.

The desire of the righteous is only good,…Proverbs 11:23

It Was Not A Good Weekend!

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Enderby Parish

Good Friday has passed. I have never understood why this day is called “good.” It was the saddest day in history from a human perspective.

Eleven years ago, I spent Easter week in England with a group of teens from The Kings Christian School in Cherry Hill, NJ. The Saturday before Easter was a cold, rainy – and snowy day, typical for England during this time of year. We were serving in the tiny village of Enderby. Our teens and the youth group from Enderby Mission Church partnered with another local church for a special “Good Saturday” outreach for the children of the community. At least one hundred children came, and there was an outdoor barbeque (even in the rain!) There were games, candy, and a program for the children. After the festivities, we went inside the historic Enderby Parish Church, first built around the year of 1230, where our team led in worship and presented a puppet show, followed by a clear presentation of the gospel story. It was a good day.

But that Saturday following the crucifixion of Jesus, the Sabbath for the Jewish people, was anything but good. The disciple’s rabbi was dead. Mary’s child had been brutally “killed”. Mary Magdalene’s Savior and Lord was gone from her life. All of those who loved this great Teacher, who believed He was the Messiah were devastated. He was dead. He was gone. Hope was gone. It was the worst Sabbath that they could ever have imagined.

By Saturday morning, the initial shock of the crucifixion had become the tragic reality of their lives. When they woke up that morning, they realized it wasn’t a bad dream. It was real. Jesus was gone. The horrible Friday had turned into an even worse Sabbath. Their hope of Messiah was dashed, like a glass struck against a stone.

As the grief stricken followers of Jesus went through the motions of the Sabbath day, I wonder if the ancient words of the psalmist in Psalm 22 or the message of Isaiah 53, penned by the prophet and copied by the scribes through the centuries of Jewish history, briefly swept across their minds.

Did any of them remember, even for a single moment, the words spoken by Jesus just days before. He had taken his disciples aside, away from the crowds, saying to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him…” (Luke 18:31-33) Did any of them think, “Could He have been describing Himself? Was He trying to prepare us for this moment?”

If He was speaking of Himself, if the psalmist and the prophet were describing what would happen to Jesus, then He was truly the Messiah. But, what did He mean when He finished describing His own death, when He said, “and the third day He will rise again?” Was it possible that He would come back to them?

If they did think of this at all, they would have remembered the events of the past three years. He had raised the little girl who had died, even if no one believed she really was dead. What about the young man whose body was being taken for burial? Jesus had raised him up. They had seen it with their own eyes. And of course, there was Lazarus. Jesus had spoken just three words, “Lazarus, come forth.” And Lazarus came forth all wrapped up in the white burial cloth. He came hopping out of the grave and they had to unwrap him so he could even walk.

But Jesus was dead. How could He raise Himself? It couldn’t be true. He must have been speaking about the final resurrection, like Martha had mentioned to Him prior to Lazarus’ resurrection. But it couldn’t be true, could it?

Jesus was gone, and His family and His disciples could not understand. Somehow, with all that Jesus had taught them, “the truth was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.” (Luke 18:34)

It was not a good Friday or a good Saturday, but Sunday was coming, and everything would change!

Speaking into the Tragedy

Opinions abound about WHY the horrific tragedy in South FL occurred. We are bombarded on social media with explanations on how to fix the problem. More gun control laws, armed security in every school, bringing back moral instruction, allowing Bible reading in schools…some folks blame it on the media, others on the culture, video games, or parents…Citizens blame the government. Parents blame the schools. Schools blame the parents. Young people blame the older generation. Older people blame uncontrollable, undisciplined teenagers. The left blames the right. The right blames the left. Communities blame the culture…And Christians blame the world.

People seem to use these tragedies to promote their own agendas. And it’s not just the media or those with different political views! It’s Christians, too. One post, written by a prominent Christian leader, blames society, bringing in the topic of national sins including abortion and the abandonment of Bible reading in public schools. But Scripture speaks toward a different reason.

II Chronicles 7:14 states, “If…My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Recently I attended a conference for pastors and wives. Dr. Jim Jeffrey, former president of Clark Summit University, and a pastor, said this. “We need to allow the world to judge the church.” Maybe the root of the problem is not the media, the culture, video games, or the government.

Maybe the problem is us! Maybe the first solution toward change is the church.

The book of Proverbs offers this truth: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) This righteousness must begin with God’s people. Peter writes, “It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” (I Peter 4:17-18)

God has not promised healing for our land. The promise of II Chronicles 7:14 was for Israel, but the principle remains. We, as the church of God, the bride of Christ, need to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways. Israel’s predicament was a result of their sin. Could it be that our predicament is a result of our sin as the people of God?

Isaiah recognized this principle later in Israel’s history as he beheld God’s glory in Isaiah 6. Isaiah had not rejected God’s commandments, but his people had. Isaiah wasn’t worshipping false gods, but the people were. Yet he includes himself in this prayer of repentance, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” We cannot expect godless people to recognize God’s glory.

“A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (I Corinthians 2:14) In the book of Romans, Paul further explains, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God…, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful…” (Romans 1:28-31)

Remember, Jesus never promised peace in this world! Instead He told his disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Paul told Timothy not to be surprised by the wickedness of the culture. “Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (II Timothy 3:13)

So why are we so surprised by these tragedies? Why do we believe that human solutions will solve spiritual issues?

Jesus taught us how to respond to tragedies such as the Florida school massacre. He didn’t blog about the evils of society.  He didn’t preach vengeance on the Roman government. He didn’t use his time to engage in politics as the means to make His world a safer place. Instead, we read, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

We speak into the tragedy, not with our own words, but through our lives. We speak into the tragedy, not with our own opinions or judgments, but with the good news of the Gospel – that Jesus loves the world and gave His life that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Through Him there is HOPE. Through Him we have peace. Through Him we have life.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul… (Hebrews 6:19)

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:40)

 

 

 

“NO” New Year’s Resolutions in 2018

Changing … Improving …Letting God Change My Life ME in 2018

New Year’s Resolutions rarely work because we can’t ever really do everything we plan to do, or be all we hope to be. We are human, prone to failure. The things we want to do we don’t do, and things we don’t want to do, we tend to do anyway. That’s nothing new. (Rom. 7:14-15)  I’m fifty-seven years old. You would think I would have learned this by now.

I always strive (there’s a phrase I need to re-evaluate) to be the best at whatever I do, which is not always a bad thing. The Bible says that whatever we do we are to do it “heartily” – whole-heartedly, enthusiastically, energetically according to my thesaurus …(Col. 3:23). But I realize I’m kind-of a perfectionist.  Since I was just a little girl, I always envisioned myself accomplishing great things for God in my life.

So, I continually planned, worked, sacrificed to do whatever it took to succeed. Maybe it was because I thought God wouldn’t accept me. This was never a conscious idea. I knew from Scripture that God loves me unconditionally no matter what. But maybe ingrained deeply in my sub-conscious I believe that God doesn’t really accept me as I am. Maybe because of rejection and abandonment as a child. Who knows?  It really doesn’t matter WHY I have spent my life striving. It matters that I need to stop striving and let God change in me whatever needs to be changed, instead of trying to change myself. This doesn’t mean I should be lazy and do nothing. Whatever I do I should do heartily, but not for acceptance by God or others. Not for my own personal satisfaction. Not out of pride…I am to do whatever I do in Jesus name, for Him and for the glory of God. (Col. 3:17, 23: I Cor. 10:31)

Lord, this past year has been challenging with much change, many uncertainties, and some disappointments. I don’t feel like I have lived up to my own expectations. I certainly don’t think I have walked as close to You as I should. But You have blessed me abundantly, provided my needs, and given me opportunities to serve You above and beyond what I could ever have hoped for.

However, there are some areas in my life that I truly want to change in 2018, but I can’t change myself or make myself better. You have been teaching me how little control I really have apart from You. Your Word tells me that You are faithful (I Thes. 5:24), and You will accomplish Your purpose in my life. You began a good work in me when I was just a little girl, and You promise that You will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 1:6) You will do this, not me, because I can’t do anything to make myself better. Help me to let go of my striving and let You change not just my life, but me.

Make me more JOYFUL (Phil 4:4)

Help me LAUGH more often (Psalm 126:2, Proverbs 17:22)

Show me how to be more BALANCED (Eccl. 2:17-23)

Help me learn to live more SIMPLY! (Luke 12:22-24)

Prompt me to PRAY more fervently about everything (James 5:16)

Give me patience to WAIT on You expectantly (Psalm 27:13-14; 37:5-7))

Help me to LOVE others better (John 13:34-35)

I’m sure there are many other things that need to change in my life! But for today as the year of 2017 ends, will You take these areas of my life (and others that I may not even be aware of) and will You change me? In 2018, I have no resolutions except to let You do Your good work in me.

 

CHRISTMAS: THE MYSTERY SOLVED!

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When I hear celebrities on TV, and even many in the church, people who know Jesus, as they attempt to define Christmas, I wonder where this definition comes from, and I think to myself,

“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Most definitions go something like this, “Christmas isn’t about the gifts and decorations and food, I think it’s about family…about being together, spending time with those we love and care for.” Sounds sweet and good and right, doesn’t it?

But what about people who are alone this Christmas? What about the family whose little one came way too early and died in his mother’s arms just hours after his birth? What about the family whose son and brother died suddenly the weekend before Christmas? Instead of travelling for a family Christmas celebration, they are traveling across the country to attend a funeral. What about the parents who are alone this holiday season because it’s the year that their kids are spending with the family of their spouses? What about the widow or widower who is grieving and missing the love of their lives, those who will spend the day alone?

What about the family of the church leader in South America who took his own life because of the deep pain of rejection and failure he experienced after decades of faithful ministry? What about those dear people whose families aren’t kind or loving or good? What if being with family is painful and hurtful? What if that person has been completely rejected by a parent or spouse or child and faces the holiday dejected and without hope? What about the dad who lost his job and wonders how he will tell his wife or make the mortgage payment or cover the electric bill or buy Christmas gifts for his children?

What about the soldier alone and in danger in Syria or Afghanistan or Iraq? Or the church members in Pakistan who are stunned by last Sunday’s terrorist attack that left at least five of their friends and loved ones’ dead? What about the orphan living on the street in India or Honduras or NYC? What about the prisoner alone in a dark, dank prison cell in China or North Korea? What about the child who was stolen from her parents and sold as a sex slave with no hope of seeing her family again?

How does this sweet, feel-good, message about Christmas – spending time with family – resonate with these dear people?

I have a secret: IT DOESN’T!

If the “real meaning” of Christmas is not true for just one person on this earth, then the truth of the matter is that this sweet, good, “right-sounding” definition of Christmas is a lie.

And if it’s a lie, it is NOT from God. If it’s not from God, it is from the ultimate liar and deceiver, Satan, the devil, the evil one.

The one who wants us to believe a lie…The wicked one, who does everything to distract us from the TRUTH…The enemy of God who turns the truth into a lie.

I know a secret, which is no secret at all.

When I was teaching at Baptist High School in Haddon Heights, NJ, there was one tradition at the school that some thought a little cheesy, but it became a favorite of mine because it was a simple reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. Every year on the last day of the school year before the Christmas holiday begins, the entire student body gathers for the Christmas Chapel service, and every year the morning concludes with the 1965 movie A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Linus had it right – he knew the secret – when he responded to Charlie Brown’s question,

“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Linus answered with the best answer that could ever be given – the truth

 “For behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord…”

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Before Christmas came, the truth of Christmas was kept a secret…a mystery…

Then Jesus came, but people did not listen to His message, and they asked Him,

“How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)

The real meaning of Christmas is not really a secret, if folks would just take the time to listen.

Jesus was the secret revealed. Messiah (the Christ) was the mystery solved.

He is the “mystery” described by the apostle Paul in Colossians 1:26-27:

“the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles…

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

I received a Christmas card from EMM (Eastern Mennonite Missions) this past week. On the card was a quote by the 15th century church reformer Jan Hus, from his 1413 Christmas sermon. The real meaning of Christmas is no longer a secret since the Savior came over 2000 years ago. The truth of Christmas continues to this day, even as it was spoken by the angels in the book of Luke and preached over 1,400 years later by Jan Hus. It remains the reason for Christmas, the solution of the mystery, the revealing of the secret, 600 years after this sermon was preached. And the message resonates for all people, everywhere, at all times.

Let’s not keep the secret of these “good tidings of great joy…for ALL PEOPLE!” The Savior has been born for ALL people in ALL situations EVERYWHERE. The mystery of Christmas is solved, and we can be joyful because we know the secret…we know what Christmas is all about!

Be joyful that today God has become bread for the hungry and refreshment for the weary, that there may be peace on earth…

Be joyful that the rich Lord of the universe lies in a manger as a poor person in order that he may make all needy people rich…

Be joyful that today is born one who can free us from all misery.”

 

 

HOPE for Him!

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Disappointed? Let down? Shattered expectations? Brokenhearted? 

There is HOPE! 

Messiah didn’t come the first time as His people expected…

Israel wanted a King. They expected deliverance.

But it didn’t happen that way – and the people were disappointed, because they missed this part of the prophecy.

“With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.” (Micah 5:1)

THEN, Micah tells the people of the promise regarding the least of the villages of Israel, “From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel…” (5:2)

The first time the Promised One came, the Jewish people expected the RULER, but instead got a poor little Baby in a manger with a few shepherds who came to welcome Him into the world

But a time is coming when “He will arise and shepherd His flock…in the majesty of the name of the Lord…” (5:4)

Thomas Kinkade writes in his Advent devotional, Christ the Light of the World, “Because you live in a fallen world…you can more or less expect that things will go wrong…

And yet we serve a God who is in the business of setting things right…

We can expected that God will keep His promises – though not necessarily in the way we have in mind. That’s where faith comes in.

…If we keep our eyes and hearts open, we really can expect to meet Christ in the unfolding of the Advent and Christmas season. Not necessarily as we expected…but as He is…Immanuel…’God with us.'” (p. 27)

There is HOPE!