JOY

This morning I get to celebrate the Second Sunday in Advent with my brothers and sisters at New Life Fellowship. We who celebrate Christ's Advent get to seize the Joy of this season. Joy isn't about happiness - for happiness depends upon happenings. Joy is that settled confidence that God is in charge...all is going to be ok.

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)
2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

I love the way the Prophet Isaiah explained it - Isaiah 51:11 (NIV)
51:11 The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.


The famous Christmas classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" captures the essence of this passage - a ransomed Joyful overtaking...and sorrow and sighing fleeing away - when George comes home at the end of the movie, now aware that the debt and shame of the money is not what matters. What matters is his family and friends. He ends up surrounded by them and they sing together "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the New Born King..." That is not happiness on display, that is JOY! The Joy of a ransomed everlasting Joy upon his head.

May we discover JOY in the Lord as we worship him today, and throughout this Advent.

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Husband and Wife - Faith Partners

As I thought ("mused") on the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, I couldn't help but wonder how the two of them "together" came to this place of "settled faith". What I mean is that their togetherness speaks loudly about a husband and wife being convinced as one, the way the scripture defines a marriage, about what God wants to do in their lives.
Here's the passage again, read it aloud and slowly, catch the togetherness:

Luke 1:57-66 (NIV)
1:57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

Zechariah had been quiet - mute - throughout this whole period. Elizabeth and he spoke a language together of the Spirit of God. It came to them that God was at work in their marriage, in their family, in each of their lives - together.

My brothers and sisters, if you are married, can you believe that God has a work he wants to do through the two of you as a couple? Do we believe that the "one flesh" that God said would be a marriage is still the goal of striving "in" our marriage?

I am concerned as I see so many couples struggling to keep their marriage alive and with a desire to be a couple doing God's will together. It's become all to frequent that couples settle for being "married singles". Married? Yes, but only in ways that are legal and social...we live together, we share finances, we have a family to raise, we serve God, we even are intimate with each other...but, all of this is not leading to oneness and I've heard to many couples say "we're not together".

Elizabeth and Zechariah discover this oneness when they mutually together say "God has done this and therefore together we will walk this out in faith". Faith Partners - a couple who understand that God is at work in "them", to do and to will of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12,13). Oh that we had churches full of faith partners.

If you're not married, and would like to be, this is the mate you're looking for. One who strives for oneness in God. One who wants God to be the Lord of the marriage and Lord of the direction of living that out in faith.

May Advent be for all of us who are married a time of renewal of being faith partners.

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Elizabeth's Quiet Faith

The Christmas story in Luke begins with the priest Zechariah, and before the first chapter ends, Mary is pregnant with Jesus. In between there is Elizabeth.
Luke tells little about her.

Luke 1:5-7 (NIV)
1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Zechariah has his visitation in the temple service by the angel Gabriel...and he walks out without the ability to talk - not so much a punishment, but a divine sign that something happened to him in the temple, and perhaps his lack of affirmation was God's way of saying, "Then just watch".

Zechariah comes home to Elizabeth...and he isn't talking. More than one wife can relate to that, but in this case his lack of talking isn't his tired, worn out emotions and body, but rather it's the Lord's doing. What did Elizabeth know? What did she understand? What did she do? It's obvious, something has happened to her husband, and she doesn't get to "hear" it from him...it is merely acted out. They made love... Luke 1:23-25 (NIV)
1:23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

It seems very strange for us "moderns" to understand just what it meant to a woman in her day to be "barren". It is a frustration that many a woman can identify with when they "try" over and over to have children without success. But, for Elizabeth it was more than just frustration...it was "disgrace". "What's wrong with her?" "What has she done that God will not allow her to have a child?", and more.

There's only one more link to Elizabeth and it comes after Mary is visited by the angel and is herself now pregnant. Luke tells it like this...Luke 1:39-45 (NIV)
1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Elizabeth is mainly a quiet figure in the story. But to Elizabeth we see a faith that goes beyond human emotion.
1. She points out the defining characteristic in Mary - "Blessed are you who believed that the word God spoke would indeed be fulfilled".
2. She speaks out the quality of Mary's blessed state - "she believed the Lord"
Remember the words of Jesus later...Luke 11:27-28 (NIV)
11:27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Elizabeth...quiet, full of faith, and understands what's going on.

May our Advent be a time of "watching", "waiting", "seeking understanding" in all that God is doing around us, and through us.

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The Christmas Lights

Our trees - yes trees - one inside we cut last weekend, and the one outside that stands large and tall in the front yard are both lit, and as well, there are also lights around the house. We love Christmas decorations, especially the Christmas lights. A couple of nights ago I saw the lighting of the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on TV.
It was Martin Luther almost 500 years ago that came up with the idea of lights in the Christmas tree. He was walking in the dark near his home and noticed the stars twinkling through the evergreen branches. He felt as if the hand of God had touched his soul and he came up with the idea of putting candles on the tree inside of his home. For centuries to follow candles were developed with special holders to place on Christmas trees. This made for two things: 1) It created beauty in developing decorations for Christmas; and 2) extreme fire hazards as every year not only trees, but houses would catch on fire. It was an employee of Thomas Edison, who developed the first electrical lights, that would come up with the idea of stringing electrical bulbs together to decorate his own Christmas tree. Edward Johnson's idea caught on the 1880's, and newspapers sent reporters from far off places to get stories on this new invention. Yet, it was expensive. It was not until after WW I that General Electric and Westinghouse would produce Christmas tree bulbs that the average American could afford to purchase. The evolution of Christmas tree bulbs has continued to this day.

Why do we decorate the tree this way? While tradition is linked back to Luther's idea, it had it's roots in scripture.
John 1:1-5 (NIV)
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Even there, John is thinking back to an Old Testament Prophet who talked of the Messiah's coming in terms of light - Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (NIV)
9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned...
9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

The promise of the Messiah is that he comes as light in the darkness of the world. The promise of the Messiah is that "the light shines in darkness, but the darkness doesn't understand (recognize) it..."
Think about it...Jesus says to us: Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

"The Light has come and the darkness can
Never be the same, O hallelujah"

May the lights of the Christmas reminds us always that Jesus Christ has come, and that before he comes again, WE are his lights.

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Listening - An Art

We began to decorate our home two weeks ago. This last weekend, the best Christmas tree we've ever had (and I say that every year) went up in our living room. We've decorated the rest of the house the way we wanted to over the last few days...why? Because decorating our home is an external action of our internal desire. NOW, don't get me wrong, I don't think that people who do minimalist decorating only have a little desire. I just mean that our decorating is a part of the season we are celebrating - Advent, a preparing for our King.

But, what if we're not preparing? What if we've come to that place in life where it seems week in and week out not much changes. It's the same old, same old. Life chugs along and there is no expectation of God being involved in anything in my life?

I would urge a less hectic rushing around, and a more deliberate "slowing", "listening", "watching", because there we will more likely encounter God.

Here's the passage for today's Advent Reading:

Luke 1:5-20 (NIV)
1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Zechariah didn't anger Gabriel, and in that further sense, didn't anger God. Zechariah received a gift...silence. It is as if the Angel Gabriel said, "Zechariah you're struggling to believe that somehow life as you know it...and life as you have come to believe won't ever be different...could somehow be different. I want to give you a gift and allow you to watch, observe, catch the gift of what I am about to do...be amazed, you are not alone, God is right there in the midst of your life...even though you don't see it."

Listening to God is an Art. Take some time to be silent today...intentionally, prayerfully, deliberately and ask God to show you what he is doing. My prayer is you'll be amazed.

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Day 3 - You're Not Alone

Who we are is not nearly as important as Who We will become. We are not living today without a sense of our past, but it is not the past that "must" frame our lives - as if to say that we have "always been such and such" therefore we will always continue to be that.
One of the beautiful things about being a Christian is that I believe God is present in my world, and that he "manifests" that presence from time to time, just to make it clear that I am not alone.

In Advent, we see that very clearly. Take the story at the beginning in Luke's gospel: Luke 1:1-7 (NIV)
1:1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
Zechariah appears to be a rather "hidden" priest in Israel's history. Scripture records the name Zechariah over 30 times, so his name doesn't stand out. But his name means something = "Yahweh Remembers". The beginning of Advent is with God... Remembering...Zechariah...Insignificant...Elizabeth...a wife...Both of them good people of faith...but unable to have a child.
The scripture has several stories of impossible situations like this. Perhaps the most amazing is Abraham, who at 99 years of age hears the word from God, "...and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis 12:3
It's God's way of saying to Abraham, "You have no idea of what I can do through a person, even if they don't think they are anything at all."
Zechariah and Elizabeth begin the story of Christmas in Luke's gospel. They appear to be no-bodies, unnoticed...maybe even looked down upon because they couldn't, seemingly, have a child. But God knew, and God remembered, and God entered in...and when God is involved that changes everything.

So, on this Advent day, let's remind ourselves: "I am not alone". No matter where my life is at, no matter how difficult the days may be, and there will always be times of great concern and struggle, even suffering...I am not alone!

"Lord, remind me today of your presence. Help me to see you in my life, and in the lives of others. I am concerned this day for ___________________. Please help me/help them. Yet, I will say today...I trust you Lord. I love that you are a God of goodness and grace, and that my life counts before you...thank you Lord, Amen."

ACTION: I just saw a Christmas Movie (yeah, I'm a sucker for Christmas movies) about a guy in the military who receives a Christmas Card from someone he doesn't know, who writes just to say "thank you" for serving our country and for making a difference over there. This morning I ran across an article that Linda showed me and think it's a great Advent idea. It's a story about Amy Grant, who is a spokesperson for the Red Cross' Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which distributes holiday letters and cards to troops and wounded veterans all over the world. The link to the site is at: http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=3f8dab0de3d64210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD
The address is on that site and it's a great way of reminding the guys and gals overseas serving our country in the military that they are not alone either.

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Where We Are From!

Matthew 1:1-16 (NLT)
1:1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
12 After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Akim. Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

When I read this passage this morning I started thinking about how complete the record is. I don't have anything to recall past a few generations. I am the son of Lyle, who is the son of William, who is the son of ???, who is the son of ???
My grandfather's family came here from Germany in the 1860's. He, supposedly, was born in 1872. No one has the date for certain, but it was somewhere's in that time. He was born in America, the first in his family if I got the story correct. My father was born in 1913, and my mother in 1915. I was born the 6th (ok, my twin brother was 5th and I was right behind as 6th) out of a family of 7 kids.

I can remember the modern record, but I don't have the generations in reverse...not like Matthew did for Jesus' line. There are 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Exile, and 14 from the return from Exile to Jesus...impressive!

The people in Jesus' day longed for a Messiah, one who would relieve them of their bondage under the Romans. They wanted someone who would make them proud of who they were and reclaim the dignity of God's chosen people. Don't we all want to know and feel that relationship connection?
We don't get it by genealogical backtracking to see where we came from. It's fascinating to discover, but not essential to faith in Christ. It is enough to be linked by faith to our "birth in Christ".

Matthew said "Jesus is the son of David, the son of Abraham." Didn't Matthew know that Abraham came before David? Of course, but his purpose is to say Jesus is the King, who's glory lies in the promise to Abraham: "Genesis 12:3b (NIV)
"...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

It's Paul who writes later: Galatians 3:16 (NIV)
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

SO, this Advent day #2, let us stop and give thanks for our heritage. Our physical heritage of family, and our spiritual heritage of Christ. In Jesus we see God's purpose - a bring all of the families of the earth together into his Kingdom, and for his Son to reign as King. We are children of the King! That is where we are from.

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