What Gift Will You Give?

As we look back on Christmas, I hope we didn’t let all the presents crowd out the presence of God.    So often the presence of God gets lost in all the activity and gift giving.  I came across this quote about the over indulgence of gift giving at this time of year.  Twenty-five years ago, Christmas was not the burden that it is now.  There was less haggling and weighing, less quid pro quo, less fatigue of body, less wearing of soul; and, most of all, there was less loading up with trash.  Sound familiar?  We often feel like this today when it comes to gifts, but this quote came from Margaret Deland in 1904.  In 113 years, things haven’t changed – they may have only gotten worse. 

The presence of God isn’t the only thing we miss in this holiday season, we also forget why we give gifts at Christmas in the first place – which is a really good question?  Why do we give gifts?  For some, gift giving is a reminder of the gift God gave the world in Jesus.  Jesus came to give us the gift of God’s love and grace and giving gifts to one another is a symbol of the gift God gave to us.  Other people say the reason we give gifts is to remind us of the gifts given to Jesus by the Magi.  Matthew 2:1-12. 

So the magi brought gifts to Jesus and while we often poke fun at gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh as not being particularly appropriate for a baby or a new mother, the truth is that they actually were appropriate.  The star that the Magi saw in the sky told them that a king had been born in Israel, so they were not giving gifts to a baby but to a king and gold, frankincense and myrrh were gifts fit for a king.  God was a symbol of royalty and usually given to kings.  Frankincense was an expensive perfume often worn by kings and myrrh was used in oils that anointed kings.  Historical documents even show that these gifts were given to kings and royalty in other nations at the same time as Jesus, so they were appropriate gifts for a king.

I have also read some interesting articles about the healing and restorative powers of frankincense and myrrh.  These are spices that have been used to help ease inflammation, stop the flow of blood and even lift people out of depression, which means they would have been useful gifts for a woman who had recently given birth.  Along this line, some people speculate that the gold may not have been actual gold but a golden spice, such as turmeric, which is widely known for its positive health benefits as an anti-inflammatory.  While we often laugh at these gifts being given to a mother and child, the truth is they may actually have been welcomed by Mary. 

The gifts have also been seen as symbols of Jesus life and mission.  As a symbol of royalty, gold tells us that that Jesus came to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is worthy of great riches.  Frankincense was used by the Jewish priests in the worship of God in the Temple which tells us that Jesus came as God in the flesh and is worthy of our worship.  And while myrrh was an anointing oil it was also used in embalming so it has been seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross.  In many ways, Jesus was born to die, to die for our sin, so this gift was also appropriate for Jesus. 

While gold, frankincense and myrrh were appropriate and symbolic gifts for Jesus, they aren’t really the gifts God wants us to give today.  The gift that God wants from us is a changed heart and life.  The gift that God wants is something that will help us live more faithfully.  God wants gifts that will help us trust him more fully and love him more deeply.  Terry shared with me a few thoughts about the Magi and their gifts that I found compelling.  He said that while the Magi came and bowed before Jesus as a king and gave him gifts appropriate for a king they didn’t make Jesus THEIR king.  They were right there but they missed it. 

The Magi returned home by another road so we know that they honored what they heard from God in a dream but beyond that there is no evidence the Magi made Jesus their King and there is no evidence that the gifts they gave changed them.  They were there.  They heard the story of Jesus amazing birth from Mary, they felt the power of God and maybe the love of God but they missed making Jesus their God.  My hope is that we don’t miss it. 

Many people celebrate and give gifts at Christmas and they hear the story and feel the love but fail to make Jesus their Lord and Savior.  Like the Magi they were there but missed it.  What helps us not miss it is giving gifts that will change us.  So what gifts do we need to give to Jesus that will shape our hearts and deepen our faith?  What gifts will help us trust Jesus more and help us live a new life?  As we look ahead at 2018 and set new goals and resolve to live a new way, the three gifts of the Magi give us some insight and direction to what gift we can give to God. 

Our gold is actually a fitting gift to give because giving our financial resources to God actually does deepen our faith.  Because our money is often what we trust in more than anything else, when we begin to give that God it loosens the grip that money and greed has on our lives and it helps us trust God more.  As we begin a new year can we commit to giving the first fruits and the full tithe of our finances? 

From the very beginning, people have given an offering to God out of their financial resources.  For Cain and Able it was a gift of livestock and grain because that is what they had.  What separated Cain and Able’s offering was that Able gave the best potions of his meat from the first born of his flock.  He gave the first and the best which showed his faithfulness and trust.  God doesn’t want what we have left over, he wants us to give to him first as a sign that we trust him above all things and that we think of God and thank God first, last and always.  Giving to God first is how we learn to trust God and it changes our hearts and lives. 

From the time of Moses we have also seen that a tithe, or 10%, given as an offering, has been seen as a faithful way to give to God.  While God called for this to be given, many people did not give this way and so through the prophet Malachi God challenged people to give a tithe so that they could see how faithful God would be in return.  Malachi 3:8-12

Can we give the full tithe to God and can we set this aside first so that we show God our commitment to him as King of kings and Lord of lords.  The Magi gave once but we don’t see that gift really changing them.  God calls for us to give continually because it is the constant giving of a tithe that helps us trust God day after day.  If you have already been doing this and experienced God’s faithful blessing in return, then consider increasing that percentage.  The tithe was never given to be a limit on giving but more as a place to start.  When Jesus saw a woman put 2 small copper coins into the offering at the Temple he commended her, not because she was giving her tithe but because she was giving all she had to live on.  She trusted God completely and that is what God wants from us. 

Worship is another gift that God wants because God knows it will change us.  Frankincense was used in worship at the Temple and our worship of God is still fitting but worship only changes us if it is an ongoing part of our lives.  Certainly making Sunday morning worship a commitment and priority is important, but worship is not just an event, it really is a way of life.  Worship can take place as we give thanks during the day for food and family and friends.  Worship takes place as our hearts and maybe our voices sing to God in praise for who he is and what he has done.  All through the book of psalms we are told to sing to God and our hearts and minds can sing without words or music because songs can really be attitudes and reflections of our hearts and lives. 

Worship is also confessing our sin and humbling ourselves before God when we realize that we have failed or fallen short of who God wants us to be.  Psalm 52 says that God does not take pleasure in burnt offerings but what God delights in is a broken and contrite spirit.  Confession also changes us.  It helps us be real about who we are and who we want to be.  It helps us change our hearts and actions and opens the door for God to forgive and heal.  James 4:10 - Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.  Humility and confession changes us and gives God the opportunity to lift us up to a new life. 

The third gift we need to give that will fundamentally change who we are and help us become the people God wants us to be is the death of our self.  We need to put to death our pride and give up our need to be in control.  Myrrh was a symbol of death and we need to remember that what Jesus asked of all those who followed him was to carry a cross and die to ourselves.  Can we die to our need to be in control of all things so God can take control of all things? 

This is so much easier said than done.  In life we need to take responsibility and work to move ourselves and our families forward.  We need to be intentional, hardworking and plan for the future.  We need to make sure we are taking care of things and the people around us so we need to be in control but we can never forget to keep God at the center of it all.  Giving God control of our lives doesn’t mean we stop thinking, planning and working – it means we look to God for wisdom and direction.  Letting God take control means we add the step of prayer into our lives before we act so that God can guide us. 

Jesus shows us what this looks like.  On the night before his death, Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray.  He knew that soldiers were coming to arrest him and that he would be handed over to the religious and political authorities who would put him to death.  Jesus didn’t want to suffer and die on a cross – but more importantly Jesus didn’t want to be in control of his own life – he wanted God to be in control so he prayed, not my will but thy will be done.  This is the prayer of one seeking to have God be fully in control of their lives.  This needs to be our prayer and this really is the gift God wants from us in the New Year.   

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement had his own prayer for giving God control that is also a great way for us to pray in the New Year.  We have included this prayer on the next steps and I would invite you to keep it and place it somewhere where you will see it and be able to pray it each day. 
So what Gift will we give to God in this New Year?  Will we give our Financial Resources in a way that helps us trust God more?  Will we give our daily worship of God that will help us love God more?  Will we die to ourselves and give over control to God each and every day so we can be the people God truly wants us to be?   The Magi gave gifts that point us in this direction.  We don’t know if this is how they gave, but if this is what we will give we won’t miss the opportunity to deepen our faith and trust in God in the New Year.  Let us give the gift of our lives to God in 2018 and let us start today. 

Would you join me in prayer as we give ourselves to God: 

Almighty God, I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
exalted for you, or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.


 
NEXT STEPS
What Gift Will You Give?

Read the Story of the Magi in Matthew 2:1-12.

1. Gold was a precious, expensive gift fit for a king. 
• How can you order your financial giving in 2018 so that God will receive your best and first gifts?
• What percentage are you currently giving to God?  Can you increase this in 2018?
• How can all of your financial plans honor God?

2. Frankincense was a spice used in perfumes and the burning of incense in worship.
• Commit to being in worship every Sunday in 2018.
• Set aside time each day to praise God?
• Humble yourself in confession and prayer each day. 

3. Myrrh was used embalming.
• How can you die to yourself in 2018?
• What area of control do you struggle to give to God? 
• What would it look like for you allow God to be in control of this area?

Don't Miss The Light

In the beginning there was only darkness, but then God spoke – let there be light and light was born.  Then that word and light of God became flesh in the person of Jesus and that is what we celebrate in this season.  Don’t miss it.  Don’t miss the light.  While we can’t miss the lights on all the houses and trees this time year, we can miss the light of God in the darkness.  We can miss the comfort and peace and joy that God’s light brings which is why we need to pay attention and make sure we don’t miss it.

As we have heard, most people missed the birth of Jesus because they were either too busy to notice, or they were so familiar with the story of the coming of the Messiah that they failed to give it any thought, or they were too empty of hope that a Savior would ever come to free them, so while there were signs and songs all around them – they missed it.  They missed the light and continued to live in darkness.  People lived in the darkness of fear, fatigue and failure.  They lived in the darkness of despair, division and death.  They lived in the darkness of unmet expectations and unfulfilled dreams.  They missed the light of God.

We still live in the darkness of fear, fatigue and failure.  We still live in the darkness of despair, division and death.  We still live in the darkness of unmet expectations and unfulfilled dreams but we don’t have to because we don’t have miss the light of God, we can open our eyes and our hearts to receive the gift of Jesus who is the very light and word of God.  John 1:1-5, 9, 14.

There are two images that John uses here that are tied together, the word of God and the light of God and what we need to understand is that it is God’s word that brings forth light and life.  In the darkness God said, let there be light and there was light and that light brought life into the world.  Generations later that word became flesh and blood in Jesus and so through Jesus we not only have the word of God but a light that brings us life.  God’s light and word are here for us today – don’t miss it.

The word of God that brings light into our darkness are all the promises of God and while most people missed out on these when Jesus was born, there were a handful who did not.  If we don’t miss it then we can experience the fullness of God’s promise, a promise that brings confidence into the darkness of uncertainty.

Life is fragile and uncertain.  Whether it is our health, our jobs, our finances or our relationships, we don’t know what tomorrow brings.  We all know people who have felt just fine and then suddenly get a diagnoses of cancer or suffer a heart attack.  Or people who go into work one day only to find that the business is being sold and their jobs phased out.  While this year has been great year with the stock market – we remember those days when the market dropped and our retirement plans suddenly changed.  Every facet of life has its own uncertainties but into this darkness God promises us a confidence that helps us face the future unafraid.  This confidence doesn’t come from a promise that everything in life will stay stable and strong, our confidence comes in knowing that whatever we go through – we do not go through it alone.  God is with us.

Hebrews 10:19-25.  Jesus gives us confidence because it is through Him that we are connected to God, so no matter what is going on we do not need to be afraid.  Joseph didn’t miss this.  Joseph was in a pretty dark place when he first heard that Mary was pregnant.  There was great uncertainty about the situation and what he should do.  He was faithful and so the law said he should punish Mary, but in love he didn’t want to hurt or shame her.  He faces an uncertain future and into that darkness God speaks.  Do not be afraid, Joseph, to take Mary as your wife.  Be confident Joseph.  Know that what is taking place is the work of God.  Joseph took hold of that promise and the light of God pierced his darkness and gave him the ability to move forward.

What I love about this passage from Hebrews is that while it tells us we can find confidence and courage in our relationship with God, it also says we can experience the presence of God in the life of the church. (Hebrews 10:23-25)
When it is hard to draw confidence from God alone – we can turn to the people of God for that power.  Confidence in faith and courage in life is a gift we can receive from others if we will continue to stay connected and not neglect meeting together.  This is why worship and service and small groups are so important. 

The second promise we receive in Jesus is strength in the darkness of weakness.   Mary didn’t miss this promise.  When Mary was told that she was going to be the mother of the Messiah she asks – how can this be?  Mary felt weak.  How was she going to do what God was asking of her?  Have you ever faced a situation and asked yourself something similar?  How can this be?  How can I possibly do this?  I don’t have what it takes, I don’t have the strength, I don’t have the ability, I don’t have the faith.  When we experience this kind of darkness, we need to remember that God promises to be our strength.

The Apostle Paul struggled with some kind of weakness in his life, he called it a thorn in the flesh, and he asked God to take it away, but God’s answer wasn’t to take the problem away but to be Paul’s strength in weakness, to be Paul’s light in the darkness.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  God’s grace is what makes us strong when we are weak.  God’s grace was what held Mary together and helped her do what she thought was impossible.

The story of God is always the story of God’s power being seen in those we are weak.  Abraham, Ruth, David, Mary, Joseph, Paul – they were all people who didn’t have what it takes to accomplish God’s plan on their own.  They each lived in their own darkness and had to ask God to be their light and strength.  Jesus has come to be the light of strength in our darkness of weakness.  He has come to help us do more than we ever thought possible.  Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  When we get to that place where we feel in over our heads – that is the very moment we need to remember the promise that God is with us to be our strength.  Don’t miss it.
The third promise of God that brings light is the goodness of God in the darkness of sin, brokenness and evil.  The shepherds didn’t miss this light.  They were living in the darkness of brokenness and sin.  They were often separated from others and living isolated and alone, out in the fields at night – in darkness, but the light of God appeared and shone around them and it literally brought them good news of great joy.  The goodness of God came to them first and told them that sin and brokenness and evil were going to be defeated in Jesus and that his light would bring peace on earth, good will toward men and women.

The shepherds didn’t just experience this light and goodness in Jesus, they shared it.  After they saw the baby Jesus, Luke tells us they returned to the fields praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Luke 2:20.  They were now the light of God’s goodness in the darkness of the world and God calls us to be this light.  Jesus said, you are the light of the world and so the church needs to be a light of goodness in a world of evil.  The Bible says we are to be the aroma of Christ in a world that is dying, the image of goodness in a world of evil.  The goodness of the church is a reflection of the light of God and is a reminder of the promises God makes to be with us.

I am thankful for all the ways Faith Church has been the light of goodness this year.  We have been a light to the church in Sierra Leone by making sure every UM pastor will get paid.  We have been a light to all those people effected by Hurricanes and floods and earthquakes by providing flood buckets.  We have been a light to those hungry and hurting in our own community and in our offering this evening we will be a light to those who are hungry and hurting on the other side of the world.  Tomorrow we will be the light of God to those who have no family, no place to go and need food and love and hope on Christmas Day.  We are a light shining in the darkness and you are part of sharing this promise of God’s goodness.  As we share it we also experience it, so don’t miss what God is doing in you and through us.  Don’t miss being that light in the darkness.

The last promise we are going to talk about has to do with an actually light that appeared in the sky when Jesus was born because that star gave direction in the darkness of confusion.  The Magi from the east literally followed the light of a star to Israel and while they went to Jerusalem to find the king, assuming the king would be there, the light eventually led them to Bethlehem and then to the very place where Jesus was living.  The light of God gave them direction in their confusion.

God’s word still guides us in life.  Psalm 119:105 says, God’s word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.  God’s word illuminates our path and can guide us through the confusion of life.  As we enter into the New Year we need to read and reflect on God’s word every day.  Make this a promise to yourself to allow God’s light to shine into the darkness of your life and to give you direction.

So in Jesus we have the light of God’s word which is full of promises that are ours.  In Jesus there is the promise of confidence, strength and goodness and in Jesus there is a light that gives direction to our lives.  These are all gifts given to us in Jesus, but they are no good unless we use them.  I’m curious… how many of you have a gift card on you right now?  How many of you have purchased a gift card to give as a gift this season?  How many of you think you will get one?  Gift cards have become very popular but how many of you have ever thrown one out without using the entire amount given?  Do you know how much money is thrown away in unused gift cards each year?  About 1 billion dollars! 

God’s gift of light and God’s promises are similar to those gift cards.  We have them, these promises are for us to use and they bring light and hope and power to our lives but we forget or discard them and never receive all that they offer.  We miss the light of God’s promise and live in the darkness, this year, don’t miss it.  Don’t miss the light.  Don’t miss all the promises God gives us in his word and in the word made flesh – Jesus.

Next Steps
Don’t Miss the Light

Read John 1:1-9

Jesus is both the word of God and the light of God in the flesh.  This means all the promises God makes are gifts given to us in Jesus

1. The gift of confidence in the darkness of uncertainty.
• The story of Joseph.  Read Matthew 1:18-25
• What uncertainty are you facing today?
o Health, Job, Relationships, Finances?
• How does knowing God is with you give you courage?

2. The gift of strength in the darkness of weakness.
• The story of Mary.  Read Luke 1:26-56
• When was the last time you said, “I can’t do this?”
• What was the situation?
• How did God get you through?

3. The gift of goodness in the darkness of evil.
• The story of the Shepherds.  Read Luke 2:8-21
• There is a lot of evil, brokenness and sin we see around us.  What evil troubles your heart the most?
• How can God shine His light into this darkness?
• How can you be a light of goodness in this situation?

4. The gift of direction in the darkness of confusion.
• The story of the Magi.  Matthew 2:1-12
• Where do you need God to guide you in 2018?
• Commit to a reading plan for 2018 that can help you read God’s word daily.

Don't Miss The Chance

When I go Christmas shopping I will often see things that I think would make a great gift but I then convince myself that I can either find something better or else I’ll find the same thing somewhere cheaper, so I won’t buy it.  I’ll do this until December 23 and then I’ll rush back to the stores where I found the gifts I wanted to give and find the shelves empty.  I missed it.  I missed my chance to buy that gift and then I’ll have to scramble to buy something else.  I’ve done this all my life so I know what I’m talking about when I say Don’t Miss the Chance, but please understand I am not talking about missing the chance to buy the perfect gift, I’m talking about missing the chance to receive the gift of Jesus.  Don’t miss the chance to receive the grace and love that God offers us in Christmas.  Don’t miss the chance to live a new life. 

Listen to this part of the Christmas story from Matthew 1:18-25. 

I hope you didn’t miss it.  One of the reasons God came to us in Jesus was to forgive us.  Matthew 11:21.  Joseph was to give his son the name Jesus because the word means deliverer.  Jesus came to deliver us from sin, he came to forgive us and this forgiveness saves us and brings to us new life.  When we accept this forgiveness and allow God’s love and grace to enter our lives we are put back into a right relationship with God.  While our sin separates us from God, through Jesus we are restored and this is the chance we can’t miss. 

There is nothing else that can save us.  There is nothing else that brings us back to God.  On our own there is simply no way we can live a perfect and holy life that makes us acceptable to God who is perfect and holy.  The Bible says that there is no one who is perfect for we all sin and fall short of the glory of God.  On our own we cannot be saved and as hard as we might try we cannot restore ourselves into a relationship with God.  We need Jesus.  Look at Ephesians 2:4-10.

The reason Jesus came into this world was to rescue us from sin.  Christmas is all about forgiveness.  In Jesus, God took on our sin and on the cross he died our death – but God defeated the power of sin and death and we know this because Jesus rose from the dead and as Paul said, it is through this resurrection that we have been made alive.  Through Jesus, God has rescued us from sin and death which gives us the chance to live a better, more fulfilled and peaceful life.  This is the gift of God given to us in Jesus and it is this chance to be forgiven and redeemed and restored that we can’t miss in Christmas. 

Joseph didn’t miss it.  Joseph was one of the first people to truly accept Jesus into his heart and life and it changed him.  Accepting Jesus changed Joseph from an ordinary man to a faithful servant whose actions changed the world.  Accepting Jesus meant Joseph was now an important part of God’s plan for all human beings.  Joseph went from a simple man of faith to a man whose faith opened the door for all men and women to have faith. 

We are given that same chance – when we accept Jesus into our hearts and lives, when we allow God to rescue us and bring us back into a right relationship with God – our own life’s story is changed.  Like Joseph, God now has the ability to use us for his plan and purpose.  We go from being ordinary men and women of faith to people whose lives can change the hearts and lives of our family, friends, community and world.  When we accept Jesus we are not only forgiven but that forgiveness and God’s grace gives us the chance to make a significant and eternal difference in the world.  Don’t miss the chance at new life.

But being reconciled to God and the new life that God offers is just half of the gift God gives us in Jesus, being one with God opens the door for us to become one with others.  Through Christ we are reconciled to God but in Christ – living in Christ – we are reconciled to one another and once again we see this in Joseph.  Joseph accepted Jesus and once he made this decision he was also reconciled with Mary.  Matthew 1:24. 

Up until this moment, Joseph and Mary were divided.  Mary’s pregnancy had broken their trust and relationship and Joseph was ready to dismiss or divorce Mary quietly.  But once Joseph accepted Jesus – God’s grace helped him reconcile with Mary.  Once we accept the grace of God we are given the chance to be reconciled with others.  Let’s go back to Ephesians 2:13-16. 

In Christ, we have the chance to be reconciled with one another.  When we accept Jesus and live in the new life that God gives us we are given the chance to be restored into healthy and whole relationships with one another and I’m not just talking about broken relationships with those we may love, I’m talking about the healing of relationships that are hostile and divisive.  When Paul talks about two groups and a dividing wall of hostility separating them he is talking about Jews and Gentiles. 

The division between Jews and Gentiles goes back generations, centuries even, and this division was so strong that most people assumed it would never be reconciled, but the power of God’s grace given in Jesus makes that kind of reconciliation possible.  What this means is that in Jesus we have the chance to restore all our broken relationships and even our divided community. 

The divisions we see today are pretty hostile.  We have Trump vs. CNN.  We have Trump vs. ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, The New York Times… well you get the picture.  We have strong and very hostile political and social divides.  Democrat vs. Republican.  Progressive vs. Conservative.  Black vs. White.  Rich vs. Poor.  Male vs. Female.  We are a divided people and the dividing wall of hostility is strong – but in Jesus we have the chance to be healed, to be reconciled. 

The gift of God we can receive in Christmas, in Jesus, is a chance at reconciliation with one another because once we are restored into a right relationship with God the door is opened for us to be reconciled with one another, but this doesn’t just happen, we have to work at it and it is by living in Jesus that we learn how to become one.  Living in Jesus and following him teaches us how to love and care for one another and once again it is Joseph who shows us what this looks like.

It says that Joseph took Mary home to be his wife but did he completely trust her in that moment?  Did they never argue or see things differently?  Did they live happily ever after or was theirs a journey of learning how to become one?  My guess is that like all of us they learned to become one by every day taking the chance God was giving them to love one another and forgive one another and serve one another. 

Joseph had to change his heart toward Mary.  He then had to listen to her and hear more about what God had shared with her.  He then had to serve Mary by helping her on a trip to Bethlehem.  Helping her as she gave birth and then leading her and their child Jesus to safety after he was born.  Joseph learned to be one with Mary and Mary learned how to be one with Joseph.  They understood the chance God was giving them to not only find peace with God but to live in peace with one another and offer the gift of peace to the world.  This is the chance we get in Jesus – Don’t miss it. 

Let me share with you three things we learn from Joseph about how to live in healthy relationships with one another.  The first thing is to Pray First – Act Second.  While asking God for direction before we act is always an important thing for us to do, what Joseph shows us is that prayer also involves listening to God.  Joseph was about to act first, but then he heard from God in a dream.  He listened and prayed and what he heard in prayer changed his heart and mind and gave him the chance to experience the power of God’s love and grace.  Prayer is always needed when we look at broken relationships.  We need to ask God what we have done to cause the divide and how our hearts need to change so we can help solve the problem.  So we need to pray first and act second.

The second thing we need to learn is to Be Quick to Listen – Slow to Speak.  Let’s be honest, this is hard because we want to speak.  We want to share our point of view because most of the time we think we are right.  This is a real struggle today because social media and technology makes speaking so easy.  We not only need to listen before we physically talk but we need to listen before we text, tweet or post.  Too many people are getting in to too much trouble because we are quick to respond and slow to listen and forget completely to pray before we act. 

Listening is a lost art and a true gift.  I have no way to verify this but I think Joseph excelled at listening.  Joseph listened to God before he spoke with Mary and he listened often and allowed what he heard to guide his life.  Because we don’t have any recorded words of Joseph I think he knew how to listen first and then speak.

It is important for us to learn to really listen today because while we have so many different ways to speak, people are not really being heard and most people want to know that their lives matter and their thoughts and ideas are worthwhile.  Children want to be heard by their parents and parents want to be heard by their grown children.  Partners in marriage want to be heard, friends want someone willing to listen, coworkers want to their views valued so can we be quick to listen in every situation we find ourselves and slow to speak.  After all, God gave us 2 ears and only one mouth because listening is twice as important as speaking. 

The third thing we learn from Joseph that helps us in relationships is to Receive Grace – Release Grudges.  We need to receive God’s grace first because as we begin to experience the joy and power and freedom that comes with forgiveness we will be more willing, have more of a desire and the ability to let go of the grudges we hold.  Joseph did this.  He received God’s grace, he accepted Jesus into his life which gave him the ability to let go of bitterness and resentment and disappointment that may have entered his heart. Receiving God’s grace helped Joseph truly reach out to love Mary. 

When we experience God’s forgiveness in our own hearts and lives, we are humbled and inspired to offer this grace to others.  While we always need to release grudges and offer forgiveness the strength to do this doesn’t come from us but from the grace God gives us.  We need to receive grace first so that we can release the grudges that weigh us down.

These three keys to restoring relationships are not an exhaustive list, but it is a place to start.  Prayer, listening and receiving God’s grace is what gives us the chance to restore our relationship with God and others.  This is what we are given in Jesus, this is what Christmas is all about.  Don’t miss it. 


 
Next Steps
Don’t Miss The Chance

The birth of Jesus gives us the chance to be restored into a right relationship with God and with one another. 

Read the story of Joseph in Matthew 1:18-25.
Read about the reconciliation God offers us in Christ in Ephesians 2:1-22.

Three keys to healthy relationships:
1. Pray First – Act Second
• Pray for yourself.
Ask God to forgive you. 
Accept Jesus as your Savior.
• Pray for others.
Who have you hurt or sinned against that you need to ask for forgiveness?
Who do you need forgive? 
Pray for opportunities to bring peace and forgiveness to your family, place of work, community?

2. Be Quick to Listen – Slow to Speak (Post, Reply, Tweet)
• Listen to God in prayer.
• Listen to your family this week.
• Listen to friends and coworkers as they share their joys and sorrows.
• Pray before you speak (post, reply, tweet)

3. Receive Grace – Release Grudges
• Thank God for the forgiveness of your sins.
• Thank God for the new life that He gives.
• Who are you having a hard time forgiving? 
Pray for them.
Listen to them.

Don't Miss The Song

What is it about Christmas music that we love so much?
Is it the memories it evokes? 
Is it the power of the music?
Or maybe the simple beauty of a song?

For those that may not have recognized what we just heard.  The first was White Christmas by Bing Crosby  – not only the best-selling Christmas song of all time but the best-selling song of all time.  We also heard Kenny G and Mannheim Steamroller whose albums are number 2, 3 and 4 on the best-selling Christmas albums of all time.  The number one Christmas album of all time had this song on it.

But in the digital age the number one Christmas song over the past 20 years has been this one.  And I know this will surprise you but the second most downloaded Christmas song in the digital age is not a song I would consider a Christmas song, but if you have kids you know it.

No matter what your taste is or what generation you are from, there is Christmas music for you.  In fact, every musical genre has Christmas albums and while I am not recommending these

Twisted Sister,

Jethro Tull,

Bad Religion

and Eminem















 have all put out Christmas albums – that’s just scary.

It’s interesting that we love Christmas music so much because songs have been part of the Christmas story from the very beginning.  On the night Jesus was born there was music from the heavens as a host of angels sang about the good news of great joy that had come in Jesus.  Actually, let’s be clear, the Bible does not say that angels sang this message.  We say this in the carols we sing like hark the herald angels sing and angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plain.  We like to think of the angels singing, but this is what it says, Luke 2:8-14.

OK, so there was no music, but there was a song, or a message, and while many people missed that message and didn’t hear that song – the shepherds didn’t miss it.  Last week we talked about how too often in our celebration of Christmas we get so busy that we miss what Christmas is really all about and so this year we are telling people – Don’t miss it.  This week we want to say, don’t miss the song.  Don’t miss the message of the angels because what they had to say was good news and it still brings great joy and here’s why, the gift of love they sing about is for all people.

I am glad that Christmas music spans the musical world from Bing Crosby to Eminem because it shows us that the message of Christmas is for all people and to make sure that all people got to hear this message of God’s love, God chose some of the least likely people to first hear it.  The message of Jesus’ birth was not given to the religious leaders or rulers of the day.  It was not given to those who were socially acceptable and proper, it was given to the lowly and poor.  It was give those everyone else looked down on, it was given to shepherds.

Working with sheep and living in the fields not only made shepherds physically dirty but ceremonially unclean.  Shepherds were not able to worship in the Temple because their jobs made them unclean or unpresentable to God.  Through the years shepherds got a bad reputation and were notorious for being liars and cheats.  This was the least likely group of people for God to choose to give such a powerful message of hope and joy but by choosing them first, God is telling the world that his message – his gift of love and salvation in Jesus - was truly for all people.

Another song that tells us that God’s love is for all people is the song of Mary. The night the angel Gabriel told Mary that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah, Mary sang a song.  OK, once again she probably didn’t sing, but the lyrics or the message of the song is powerful because what Mary says is that God had seen Mary as a humble lowly girl and yet still blessed her with His love.  God’s love is for all people.  Luke 1:46-55

Mary was an unlikely candidate to be the mother of the Messiah because she was just an ordinary working girl.  She was not from a royal family, she was not from a wealthy family and there was nothing in her history or character to suggest that she should be given this honor.  When God chose Mary he was making a statement that the Messiah was coming to and for all people.  When God choose a young girl who was poor, weak and vulnerable, God was sending the message that He is for all people.  The song of Christmas that we can’t miss is that God has come for all people which means that God is here and He is for you and me. 

But what do we mean when we say God is for us?  The first thing it means is that God loves us.  God loves all people.  John 3:16 says, for God so loved the world, not just a few people, not just his chosen people, not just the nice and acceptable people but all people.  The choice of Mary and the shepherds shows us that God is truly for all people and wants all people to know and experience his love.  And when we talk about the love God has for us we need to understand that we aren’t talking about a casual impersonal love but a love that is lavish, unconditional and abundant.  A personal love that is literally poured out upon us and into us.

In Romans 5:5 it says that God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  The love of God doesn’t drip into our lives, it is not rationed by God or given grudgingly or sparingly, it is an ongoing, eternal fountain of grace poured generously into us.  The question is, do we believe that God loves us this much?  Forget love, do we even think God likes us or wants to be near us and spend time with us?

I often think that God has to love me because that’s who God is but does God like me?  Does God favor me or even enjoy my company and the truth is – God does.  God favors, loves and takes delight in each and every one of us.  Zephaniah 3:17  The Lord your God is with you, the mighty warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.  
This is one of my favorite passages because it tells us 3 important things.
God is with us.   
God saves us.   
God delights in us.
It also tells us once again that there is singing that takes place with God’s message of love – God rejoices over us with singing.  The love of God is so much greater, deeper, higher and wider than we can fathom.  Jesus told a story that gives us an example of just how ridiculous the love of God really is.

In the story there is a son who asks his father for his inheritance before his father has died.  This would have been a slap in the face to the father but the father shows his love by giving his son the money.  The son spends the entire amount on wild living and then at the lowest point in his life when he has nothing left, he decides to return to his father and beg his forgiveness and see if he can return home as a servant.  We pick up the story in Luke 15:20

What the father does here is crazy.  Dignified men did not run and they certainly didn’t run out to welcome home disgraced children.  The son is not only physically dirty after working with pigs but he has made himself unclean but the father doesn’t care, he embraces and kisses his son.  This is a picture of God’s love for us.  We are the ones underserving and disgraced but God runs out to greet us.  God pours out his love upon us and God welcomes us into his presence and forgives us and gives us life.  This is the song of Christmas that is for all people.  God loves all people and God’s love is powerful, forgiving, life giving and eternal.

God’s love for us also means that God shares the pain of all the people.  God knows what we are going through in life and he shares our burdens and knows our sorrow.  Psalm 34:18  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and he saves those who are crushed in spirit.  God’s love moves Him to literally come and be near us.  One of the songs we sing in this season is the simple carol, Away in a Manger and one of the verses says, be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray.

This is what God does through Jesus.  He comes to be near us and to walk with us and even carry our burdens and pain.  God really does understand the pain we go through.  God knows all about disappointment and betrayal.  God knows weakness and physical pain.  God knows what it is like to be alone and lonely, hungry and hurting.  Look at Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted and during his life he experienced every pain, sorrow and disappointment that we do which means that God really does share the pain of all the people.  We can approach God with confidence because we know that God understands the fullness of our lives.  God knows what we are going through today and he offers his love to help.

God’s love not only means that God shares the pain of all people it also means that the sacrifice of Jesus is for all the people.  God offers salvation to all people.  1 Timothy 2:4 says God our Savior wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.  The song of salvation heard by the shepherds was a song of salvation for all people and because God chose shepherds and simple people like Mary and Joseph, we know that God’s offer of salvation is for everyone.  Jesus offers a relationship with God to the entire world and we can’t hold that song back – we need to share this good news of great joy through the song of our lives.  While we need to sing it in the carols, maybe more importantly we need to share it through our words and actions and invitations.

We want to encourage you to invite someone to worship with us on Christmas Eve.  Ask God to lay on your heart the name of someone who might need to hear God’s message of love and hope and peace.  Pray for that person and then invite them to worship with us on Christmas Eve.  Invite them sit with you and sing with you.  This is one way we can make sure we don’t miss the song because the song was not just given to be heard it was given for us to sing.


Another way to make sure we don’t miss the song is to sing of God’s love in places where hope and help are needed.  God chose to sing among the poor, the outcast and needy.  Throughout his life, Jesus chose to walk with the poor, the outcast and the needy, so how can we sing this song of Christmas among the poor, the outcast and the needy in our community and world.  God is with those who are marginalized and forgotten in this season, are we willing to join God in those places.  Can we serve the poor and give to those in need?  Can we visit those who are sick and shut-in?  Those who have given up hope and are feeling isolated and alone?  Can we encourage those who are grieving and invite those who feel left out in this season of family and friends?

I want to remind you that two great ways to help and serve are by supporting the Christmas Dinner with your time and donations and setting aside some money for our Christmas Offering which will go to help those who are perhaps most marginalized, victimized and forgotten in our world today, the over ½ million Rohingya people living in refugee camps in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Don’t miss the song in this season.  Listening to the music of the holidays is great, but don’t miss the message that God’s love is for all people.  God’s love is for you.  God knows your pain.  God offers you grace and mercy.  God rejoices over you with singing and has come to be your Savior.  This is the good news of great joy and it truly is for all the people.

 
Next Steps
Don’t Miss The Song

1. Read the Song of Mary in Luke 1:46-55 and the Song of the Angels in Luke 2:8-15.
• There is also the song of Zechariah in Luke 1:67-79.  (Zechariah was Mary’s relative and the father of John the Baptist)
• What song would you want to sing for God?
• How would your song tell of God’s goodness and grace at work in your life?

2. God’s love is for all the people.
When you hear Christmas songs this week recite John 3:16 as a reminder of why we sing and why Jesus came.
• Read Zephaniah 3:16.  How does God delight in you?
• Read the story of God as a loving father in Luke 15:11-32.  Note all the ways the father shows his love to both his sons.

3. God shares the pain of all the people.
What pain or disappointment do you need to share with God?  After you share this with God read Psalm 34:18.

4. God’s sacrifice in Jesus is for all the people.
Read 1 Timothy 2:4.  Pray for those who need to hear God’s message of peace and love.

5. Who can you invite to worship on Christmas Eve?  Invitation Post-cards are available in the lobby.

6. How can you share God’s love with all the people?  Consider making a gift of your time or money to the Christmas Dinner or to this year’s Christmas Eve Offering.  Take time to learn about the work of Partners among the Rohingya people at www.partners.ngo.

Don't Miss the Moment

Have you ever sat back on Christmas morning after all the presents have been opened, the dinner eaten and the dishes washed and asked yourself – where did this season go?  Why didn’t the holidays bring anything more than exhaustion, depression and debt?  Why didn’t I feel the love, hope, peace and joy that we so often talk about in this season?  What happened during the past four weeks to make me feel emptier now then I did on the first Sunday of December?  What happened?  I can tell you what you happened –we missed it.  We didn’t miss Christmas, the holiday comes no matter what, we missed Jesus, and too many of us miss it year after year – which is why this year we are saying, Don’t Miss It.

But why do we miss it in the first place? Why do so many of us miss what this season is all about?  The first answer is that our lives are too full and for 2,000 years this has been the main reason why people have missed Jesus.  Our lives are too full, our schedules are too busy.  Think back to the night Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem looking for a place to stay.  The city was crowded because of the census.  Everyone was in town and so every Inn, home and spare room was full.

The city was full.  Homes were full.  People’s lives and schedules were full and here’s the thing, they were all filled with good and important things.  The census meant that there were many extra people in the city and so people’s homes were already full when Mary and Joseph arrived.  Family members had taken in their relatives and everyone had been kind and gracious and generous and made room for the people who were already there.  So people’s lives were full of good things but they still missed out on Jesus.

We often miss Jesus because our lives are too full and our schedules are too busy and just like the people of Bethlehem we might be full and busy with good things – but those good things still can keep us from experiencing Jesus.  Maybe your holiday season will sound something like this…

Ouch.  That is really painful to listen to because it is so true.  All of those things are good.  Family is good.  Friends are good.  Work is good and working hard is good.  Food is good gift giving is good and church is good and carols and cookies are good – so our lives are filled with many good things but if these good things keep us too busy and too full then we run the risk of missing the reason for this season – which is still Jesus.  The danger for us is to celebrate Christmas and yet miss Jesus.  The danger is to fill our lives celebrating the season but then end up more empty and disappointed than ever.

Another reason we miss Jesus in this season is because the story of God coming to earth as a child in Bethlehem is just too familiar.  We have heard it so many times that it just doesn’t make the same impact, or hold the same truth, or speak to our hearts in the same way.  The saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt and while contempt might be too strong for how we feel about the story of Jesus’ birth, we often find ourselves complacent.  Either way, the familiarity of the story can cause us to miss it.

2,000 years ago there were also people who missed Jesus because of how familiar they were with the story of the Messiah.  When the Wisemen from the east saw a star in the sky they knew it meant that a King had been born in Israel.  They traveled to Jerusalem to find this king and asked where this Messiah was to be born.
Matthew 2:3-5.

Did you ever stop to ask yourself why those religious leaders never went to Bethlehem to see if a king had actually been born?  Bethlehem is only 6 miles from Jerusalem so it would not have taken them long o go and check things out, but they didn’t go.  They heard that a star appeared and a king had been born but they never went to check it out because the story had become so familiar that it just didn’t seem real.  The story held no truth and it held no power for them.

The danger for many of us is that the story of Jesus birth is so familiar that it fails to really speak to us.  We know all about Mary and Joseph, a stable and a manger, angels and shepherds, wisemen and stars.  We know the story but we don’t know Jesus.  We know all about the birth of baby but the reality of God coming to us in human form to live our lives and take on our sin so that we can know God just doesn’t speak to us anymore.

The people for whom this is a real problem are those of us who grew up in the church.  This is a story we have heard our entire lives and sometimes it just doesn’t inspire us or move us and so we miss the presence and power of God in this season.  The danger for us who grew up in the church or have been following Jesus for years is that all the stories of God can become too familiar.  When we start hearing a story and suddenly tune it out saying, I know that one – we miss it.  We miss God trying to meet us in the moment.

So we miss it because the story is too familiar, or our lives are too full and sometimes we miss it because our hearts are too empty – too empty of hope.  How many people in Israel at the time Jesus was born had just given up hope that a Messiah would come to save them.  How many people had given up on God hearing their cry for help, and their hearts cry for love?

How many of us have given up as well?  When relationships fall apart it is hard to have hope that the God of love is real and able to hold us together.  When sickness seems to prevail it is hard to have hope that the God of healing and life is real and able to help us.  When the world is dark and divided it is hard to have hope that the God of peace can make any kind of difference.  Sometimes we miss it, we miss Jesus, because we are empty of hope.

Too full.  Too familiar.  Too empty.  That’s why we miss it, so how do we make sure we don’t miss it?  What’s the answer to full lives, familiar stories and empty hearts?  The first answer is to STOP.  Can we do less in this season and create time and space to meet Jesus?  Can we take one thing off our schedules to make room in our hearts and homes for God to enter in?  Can we learn to say “no” to some things in order to say “yes” to God?

Doing less and saying no requires learning how to set the right priorities because for most of us our lives are full of good things.  While there may be some things we need to say no to, there are many things we need to keep in our schedules and there might actually be some things we need to add in.  For example, saying no to worship and not attending small group and church activities might open up our schedules but it will also take us away from those times and places where we might be more open to experiencing Jesus.  So we need to learn how to set the right priorities and evaluate our activities.  Does what we are doing bring us closer to God?  Does it provide us an opportunity to meet Jesus?

Not everyone missed Jesus when he was born, there were 2 people who did meet him and even got to hold him and that was Simeon and Anna.  They were faithful servants of God who spent most of their time in the Temple.  In other words, they never missed church and they gave themselves to all the things of God.  Because they set that priority, they were there when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated.  There are many things we might need to remove from our schedules and learning to say no is important but we can’t do it haphazardly – we have to do it faithfully and make sure that we put ourselves in those places where God can meet us.

Once we stop and create some time and space we need LOOK and LISTEN for God.  The wisemen were looking at the skies which is why they saw the star.  They looked for this new king which is why they finally found Jesus with his mother in Bethlehem.  If we will look for God – we will find him.  God said, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord.  Jeremiah 29:13-14

When we look for God we will find him and in this season there are a few places where we can look.  We can look for God in his word and maybe you want to commit to reading God’s word every day.  We have more of the reading plans available that help us focus on the names of God.  Or you can do family devotions with an advent wreath and candles or you can read the gospel of Luke during this month.  One chapter a day will get you through by Christmas and every day you will be looking at Jesus.

The wisemen ere looking and the shepherds were listening which is why they hear the angels singing over the hills of Bethlehem and then they acted on what they heard.  It is important for us to listen for God in this season of the year.  Can we really listen to the music and maybe take a moment to respond to the message we hear.  Can we not just listen to songs of peace on earth goodwill toward men but like the shepherds can we act on what we hear and be agents of peace extending love and goodwill?  Can we join our voices and hearts and hands to the songs we hear and tell it on the mountains and in this community that Jesus Christ is born and more importantly that he is here, now among us.

Stop.  Look.  Listen.  This is the answer to being too busy and feeling like the story is too familiar the answer to being too empty of hope is to open our hearts to what we see and hear.  When we slowly start to see Jesus and when we hear God’s message of love and grace we know that we are not forgotten and that we are not alone.  The God of love is here.  God is with us and he hears the cry of our hearts and he reaches out with love.

Don’t miss it.  Stop doing so much, listen to the story and open your eyes and ears and hearts to the hope and joy that comes with Jesus.  We need to start this today or we will end Christmas Day thinking that once again we missed what was most important about this season.  Let’s make a change today so that we Don’t Miss It.

Next Steps
Don’t Miss The Moment

1.  Too Busy
• What is one thing you can take off your schedule?
• Is there one less gift you can buy?  One less cookie you can make?  One less decoration to put up?
• Prioritize the events of this month and make sure you keep in your schedule all the activities that will help you experience the presence of Jesus.

2. Too Familiar
• Read the story of Jesus birth (Matthew 1 and Luke 2) in a different biblical translation.  Try a new translation like The Message to hear the story in a fresh way.
• Look for the presence of God in the world.  There will be a super moon visible early Monday morning before sun rise.  It’s not a new star but it is a spectacular display of God in the heavens.  Don’t miss it.
• Look for God in weekly devotions with your family or read the gospel of Luke during Advent.

3. Too Empty (of hope)
• Listen to the music of this season to hear a message of peace, joy and goodwill to men and women.
• Read the words of your favorite Christmas carols and reflect on what the message means for you and your family.
• Allow God to love you and fill you with His spirit as you offer love and support to someone in need.
• Pray and ask God to fill you with hope.

Giving Thanks ~ Remember, Repeat, Return

I have to say that I like that this year we have an extra Sunday between Thanksgiving and the start of Advent.  While this past Friday kicked-off the official Christmas season with Black Friday and then we had Small Business Saturday and not to be left out tomorrow is Cyber Monday, at least in the church this year we don’t have to start the Advent and Christmas season this weekend, instead we can actually take one more week to give thanks.

If you were with us for the good life series we just finished, you will remember that we learned the single most important key to living the good life was gratitude.  The more we give thanks – the better perspective we have in life, the better we feel about ourselves and the healthier we are physically.  So it is good that today our focus can still be on gratitude.  Even if you have already jumped into the Christmas season with shopping and decorating and getting a tree, this can still be a moment of giving thanks and learning how to develop a lifestyle of thanks-giving.

To live a life of thanks-giving we need to focus on three things, the three R’s of giving thanks – Remember – Repeat – Return.  We find these steps from a psalm of David found in 1 Chronicles 16.  David wrote this psalm when the Ark of the Covenant was first brought to Jerusalem.  The ark had traveled with God’s people during their time in the wilderness and then had been cared for by the priests in the town of Shiloh.  At one point when Israel had been defeated by the Philistines the ark was captured and held for several months but then it was returned to Israel and for 20 years it was housed in the town of Kiriath-Jearim.  When David became king and made Jerusalem the capital city he moved the ark there and on its arrival they gave thanks to God using this psalm:
1 Chronicles 16:8-36. 

While the psalm was written for a very specific occasion, it shows us how to create a lifestyle of giving thanks and the first thing we need to do is Remember.  Look at 1 Chronicles 16:8-9.  Remember what God has done.  Remember God’s wonderful acts.  But we also need to remember who God is.  Remember God’s holy name.

There are many different names given to God in the Bible and each name tells us something about who God is.  God is known as Yahweh which means I am who I am.  This was the name God gave himself when he met with Moses at the burning bush and it tells us that God simply is.  As the I AM, God is eternal, God is ever present and God is the author of all things.  Since God is the great I AM, everything we have comes from God and so for all we have and who we are, we give God thanks.

Another name for God is El-Shaddai which means God Almighty.  This name tells us that God is the source of all power and strength and that we are nothing without God.  While being the Almighty, we do not need to stand in fear of God because Jesus told us that we can call also call God Abba which means Father.  Actually a better definition would be Daddy.  Jesus gave us this name for God which tells us that God is relational and loving and wants to be near us and lovingly care for us as a father cares of his children.  This too brings about thanks and praise for who God is.

Another name for God is Elohim which means Strength.  God not only is strength but this name tells us that God is the one who gives strength.  This is so important for us understand because so often in life we try to be strong in ourselves or think we need to be strong by relying upon our own wisdom and ability and our own inner fortitude, but trusting in our own strength will not get us very far.  We will come up empty every time.  We need to remember that God is strength and so if we need strength we need to ask God for it and find it in him.  In fact, the children’s song Jesus Loves Me tells us this.  We are weak but He is strong.

That song also gives us one more name for God which is Love.  1 John 4 tells us that God is Love.  God is the source of all love so if we want to experience love in our lives and love one another we need to turn to God to find this love.  All the names of God remind us who God is, which in turn causes us to give thanks, but David also tells us to give thanks for what God has done.  1 Chronicles 16:12

The ark was a visible reminder of all that God had done for his people and as they watched it carried into Jerusalem they would have remembered Gods work as creator, sustainer and redeemer.  In the Ark of the Covenant was the rod of Aaron which was a staff carried by Moses and Aaron to do miracles when the people of Israel were still in Egypt.  Moses used the staff to bring on the miracle of the plagues and to part the red sea and so the staff reminded the people that it was God who heard the cry of his people and it was God who took his children and created a nation.  The ark reminded the people of the work of God as creator.

Inside the ark was also a jar of manna which reminded the people that it was God who sustained his people for a generation in the wilderness.  The manna was a symbol of God’s daily provision and the constant guidance and patience that God showed his people.  And the ark itself was a symbol of God’s redeeming work.  It reminded the people that God delivered them from slavery.

So the ark was a symbol of God’s work as creator, sustainer and redeemer and we develop a lifestyle of thanks-giving when we remember God as our creator, sustainer and redeemer.  God is our creator, the one who gives us life and put us in the midst of the splendor and beauty of the world.  This psalm draws our attention to this when David says,1 Chronicles 16:31-33.  All the earth has been created by God and sings God praise and when we remember this it moves us to lift our voice and give our thanks and praise.   

We also need to remember that God is our sustainer.  Every day God gives us what we need for life.  God gives us light and air and food and family.  God is the one gives us the ability to work and serve and love which sustains not just our bodies but a life of purpose and meaning.  God sustains us and this helps us give thanks.

God is also our redeemer, the one who offers grace and mercy so that we can experience forgiveness and new life here as well as the promise of eternal life to come.  David reminds us that God is our redeemer in 1 Chronicles 16:34-35.  David specifically says when we remember that God has delivered us it will cause us to give thanks.

It is also important for us to remember what God has done for us personally.  How has God moved in our own personal lives?  Where have we seen God move in our family or in our friends?  When we can name what God has done for us, when we can give this kind of personal testimony, it moves us in real ways to give thanks.  On this weekend of giving thanks, I invite you to once again name something that God has done for you that you can identify and give thanks for.  Remembering what God has done will open the door to a lifestyle of thanks giving.

We need to remember who God is and what God has done but we also need to remember what God will do or the promises God has made.  David tells us this in 1 Chronicles 16:15-18.  David is asking the people to remember the promises God had made with the people.  God promised to give his people land, God promised to be a blessing to the people and God promised to be present with them forever.  The people did have a part to play in this covenant – they were to worship God, but even if the people failed – God would not.  God was, is and always will be faithful to his promises.  God remembers and fulfills his covenant and when we hold on to those promises it will cause us to give thanks.

One promise God has made is that he will never leave us nor forsake us.  Jesus said, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age, and in the psalms God says that there is no place we can go where God is not there.  If we go to the heavens – God is there.  If we go to the depths of the earth – God is there.  If we think the darkness and failure of our own lives will keep God away it says that the darkness shines as bright as the day.  God is always with us.  This is the promise God has made that we need to hold to and when we realize we are never alone – it causes us to give thanks.

So as we remember all this it moves us to give thanks.  When we remember who God is, what God has done and the promises God has made and what God will do in our future, it fills our hearts and minds with gratitude and creates a lifestyle of thanks-giving.  Remembering all this is so important that God says, do it again, and again and again.  Remember is actually the command given most often in the Bible which means that to create a lifestyle of thanks giving we need to remember and then Repeat.  David puts it this way, 1 Chronicles 16:23.

Day after day we need to proclaim God’s work of salvation and sing God’s praise.  Day after day we need to remember God’s glorious deeds among the people.  Day after day we need to thank God for what he does in our lives and how God is working in our world.  Daily repetition is important and this is a disciple we can establish.  To help with this, we have put in the lobby a handout of Praying the names of God for 30 days.  Each day gives a different name for God and helps us remember who God is and what God has done.  This can help us repeat the act of remembering for a month which helps create a habit or lifestyle of remembering and giving thanks.

Remember, repeat and Return.  The last step in developing a lifestyle of giving thanks is to return to God with an offering of our hands and our heart.  David says, bring an offering and come before him.  Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness - 1 Chronicles 16:29b.  We are to bring an offering and worship the Lord.  We are return to God with the gift of our hands and the gift of our heart.

In this season of gift giving - what gift we can give to God?  What offering of our hands and heart can we give to God in this Advent and Christmas season?  The gift of our hands may be a gift of food, a gift of time, a gift of money, a gift of serving others or our community.  There are so many ways we can make an offering to God and today you can begin by signing up to give or help with the Christmas Dinner.  I am always encouraged by the outpouring of support and help that we see through the dinner and it is a wonderful opportunity for us to give back on Christmas Day to the one who gave himself for us on that first Christmas Day.

Another offering we can make is to our Christmas Eve offering.  Each year we give away our entire Christmas Eve offering and invite people to make a gift to some of the most vulnerable and needy people in the world. This year our offering will be going to an organization called Partners that works with refugees we don’t often hear about which means they often don’t get help and support.

The people we are helping this year are the Rohingya people who have been forced out of their homes in Myanmar.  While we seldom hear about their situation on the evening news, these people are being systematically killed and the UN has said it is a text book example of ethnic cleansing.  These refugees are living in camps on the border of Myanmar and Bangladesh where Partners is serving them.  You will be hearing more about this but this is one way we can return to God with an offering.

While an offering of our hands is important, an offering of our hearts is probably even more vital.  Worship the Lord, David says and worship is the practice that truly can shape our hearts and lives and lead us to a lifestyle of thanks - giving.  While this season of the year is always busy, I want to invite you to return to the Lord and worship with us every Sunday during Advent. 

Don’t Miss It.  Don’t miss the moments God gives us to remember who he is.  Don’t miss the opportunity to love God and be loved by God.  Don’t miss the music of this season which tells us of the wonderful things God has done.  Don’t miss the presence of God in this season of buying and giving presents.

Remembering who God is, what God has done and the promises God has made is essential for a lifestyle of giving thanks – but that remembering needs to be more than thoughts and prayers, it needs to be turned into the actions of our hearts and hands.  So yes, we need to remember and repeat but then we need to return to God with the gift of our hands and our hearts as an offering to God.  This is the lifestyle of giving thanks.  Let us close the way the people did generations ago:  Let all the people say:
AMEN!  
Praise the Lord!


Next Steps
Giving Thanks
1. Remember:
• Who God Is.
o What names for God do you know?
o Pray 30 Names of God during Advent.  (handout in the lobby)
• What God has done.
o God is creator, sustainer and redeemer.  What does this work mean to you?
o Identify what God has done in your life or the life of your family.
• The promises of God.
o Name some of the promises of God.
o What promise of God do you need in your life today

2. Repeat:
• Use an Advent Calendar to not only look forward to the celebration of Christ’s birth but as a reminder to name who God is, what God has done and to give thanks.

3. Return:
• Your hands
o What offering can you give to God in this season of the year?
o Consider giving to the Christmas Dinner or this year’s Christmas Eve offering to help refugees.
• Your heart
o Commit to being in worship each week during Advent.
o Consider serving others by helping at our Christmas Eve worship services.  Stop at the connection table or contact Cassie.

The Good Life - Relationships and Trusting God

This month we have been asking ourselves what it is that makes for a good life.  We have seen that the world often tells us that more possessions or more money is the path to the good life, but those are really counterfeit roads that at best come up empty, or as Solomon called it – a chasing after the wind, but at their worst they lead to destruction (remember Adam and Eve).  Instead of seeking more in this world we have learned that the good life comes with gratitude and living with purpose, it comes with simplicity which creates margins that leads to giving.  Today we are going to explore one more path that the world says will lead us to a good life but will come up empty and that is success. 

The message we are told is that success brings the good life, but how do we define success?  One definition that I found said: success is the attainment of popularity and profit and this what we usually think of when we think of someone who is successful.  When we think of successful entertainers we think of those who are most popular or those who have sold the most records or the most tickets.  Success is counted by the number of awards you win or the likes, views or retweets you get on social media.  Success as the world defines it equals fame and fortune.

When I searched for the most successful musical entertainers of all time and I found the same list in several places.  The most successful by most accounts was The Beatles.  #2 was Elvis.  #3 was Michael Jackson.  Did their success bring them the good life? Elvis died alone, face down in his bathroom of a heart attack brought on by drugs and Michael Jackson led a somewhat tortuous life and died of an overdose.  Did fame and fortune bring them lasting peace, joy or fulfillment?  Those two aren’t alone.  The list of those the world defines as successful in all areas of life is full of people who have ended up alone and empty. 

Let’s go back a generation and think about one of the most popular movie stars of all time, a success in many ways, Marilyn Monroe.  Did her success bring the good life?  She died at age 36 from a drug overdose.  Or what about Howard Hughes?  He was one of the most successful men of his generation – wealthy beyond measure but he ended his life living as a recluse, often never leaving his residence.  In the last month we have seen one of the most successful producers in Hollywood and several actors at the height of their career fall from grace to a place where they may never work again.  Did their success bring them a good life? 

Worldly success – popularity and profitability, fame and fortune, do not bring the good life.  Success as the world defines it doesn’t last and it is not fulfilling which is why Jesus rejected this path three times.  Immediately after Jesus was baptized, he went into the wilderness to pray.  While praying and thinking about his future, the devil came and offered Jesus great success.  Matthew 4:1-11.

Three times the devil offered Jesus worldly success.  The first temptation to choose success came when the devil told Jesus to turn stones to bread.  While this would certainly have met Jesus own physical need, think about what else would have happened.  Every person’s physical need for food could have been met which means that Jesus could have simply given his life to meeting our every need.  This would have made Jesus very popular and the reality is that huge crowds did follow Jesus because he met their need for food and healing – but was this the path for Jesus?  Would this offer of success be the path to true life – the good life? 

The second offer of success came when Jesus was told to throw himself off the pinnacle of the Temple, which was the highest point in all of Jerusalem, in order to have the angels of God swoop in at the final moment and rescue Jesus before a foot hit the ground.  Now if this happened in the crowded city of Jerusalem it would be like a video going viral in a matter of moments.  The world would be a buzz about the spectacular abilities of Jesus and his fame would spread.  Would this offer of success be the path to true life – the good life?

The third offer of success came when Jesus was offered all the wealth and power of the world.  This would make Jesus successful by any standard of the world, but would this success lead to true life – the good life? 

Each one of these temptations and offers shows us how the world defines success.  Money, power, fame, popularity, prestige, authority and riches – Jesus was being offered it all and yet he knew that it was all empty and instead of that counterfeit path to the good life Jesus shows us that true life is found by trusting God. 

Each time Jesus is offered success in worldly terms he turns away from that offer and back to God.  He turns to God’s word.  He turns to God’s promises and he turns to true worship and humility.  Success, when it is defined as profits, popularity and power, do not lead to the life God wants for us.  Instead Jesus shows us that what is needed for the good life is a relationship where we trust God.

Now here is what is important to remember about trusting God, it won’t always lead us to profit, popularity and power and trusting God doesn’t mean our problems go away and that the good life will be defined as carefree and easy.  What trusting God does mean is that strength, courage and peace are offered to us during the good times and the bad and King David is a great example of this. 

David was known as a man after God’s own heart.  He trusted God and yet that did not mean everything went well for him.  After he was anointed king, David’s enemies attacked from all sides and he had to run.  He didn’t have worldly success at that moment, he had nothing.  David often ran for his life and hid in caves, but he would find strength and courage and peace because he even during difficult times he put his trust in God.  Look at Psalm 13:1-6.

The first 4 verses show us the difficult time David was having.  He wasn’t popular at this moment, he was feeling alone.  He wasn’t feeling strong and powerful because his enemies were beating him.  Things weren’t going well and yet David was experiencing the good life – Psalm 13:5, I trust in your unfailing love. 

There was a woman from my congregation in Altoona who battled MS most of her life.  When I arrived at the church, Shirley was confined to bed and couldn’t move.  The world would not look at her and see a woman living the good life – but let me tell you – she was.  She was faithful, she was joyful and she was an inspiration because of her trust in God.  I never saw Shirley without a smile and a kind word.  I never heard her anxious or worried or complaining about her condition.  In so many ways she was living the good life because she knew peace and even purpose in her condition and she lived this way because she trusted God. 

So the good life comes not when we think we need everything the world offers but when we trust that everything we need for life comes in a relationship with God who loves us and is present with us.  This brings us to the final key to the good life.  The good life isn’t just found in our relationship with God, it is also found in our relationship with others.  Relationships bring quality to life.  Relationships bring love which enriches life.  Relationships provide strength when we are weak and peace when we are troubled and relationships are truly what makes our lives good and brings about a good life which is why God spends so much time talking about how to have good relationships with one another.

Think about the 10 Commandments.  While  four of the commandments deal with our relationship with God, six give direction to our relationships with one another.  Honor your father and mother and do not commit adultery address family relationships and do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony and do not covet all talk about our relationship with others.  These commandments provide boundaries so that our bonds of relationships can be strong.  God doesn’t give these laws to control us, he gives these laws because He knows this is the path to good relationships which in turn is a key to the good life.

Jesus chose the path of relationships over success.  After he said no to the devil, Jesus left the wilderness and started his public ministry and the first thing on his agenda was calling people to work with him, it was to build relationships.  Matthew 4:18-22.

By leaving behind the fame and fortune of success that the world offers and building relationships with others, Jesus shows us the real way to the good life is in our relationships.  Family and friends, the church and the community are all relationships that lead us to the good life and once again, it is not just the Bible that tells us this, studies continue to show that the good life is found when we have positive relationships.  The world happiness report (yes, there is a yearly report that looks at where people are the happiest and what makes them happy) says that one of the key factors to happiness is positive relationships and perhaps the most important relationships for us to focus on are in our families.

God created us to be part of families which is why God spends a lot of time talking about family relationships.  These primary relationships are powerful in our development and important to our wellbeing.  Infants need parents to hold and love them.  Literally, babies need to be held and touched and loved if they are going to survive and thrive.  Children need parents to instruct them and guide them.  In time, parents need children who will support them and care for them.  The Bible is filled with guidance on how we need to develop healthy relationships in our families because these relationships lead to the good life and none of this has changed.  We need to stay focused on spending time with our families. 

I shared this last week but let me say it again.  As we enter into this Christmas season and our thoughts turn to gift giving, can we think less about presents to buy and more about giving the gift of our presence.  A couple shared with me last week that their grown children said that their grandchildren had everything they need and so they don’t want them to buy any more gifts.  This Christmas they asked their parents to give their grandchildren the gift of an experience. 

Could they go somewhere together?  Do something together?  Spend time together?  And this doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, it can be the commitment of simply spending time together each week.  Time is the greatest gift we have to give.  To all the parents and grandparents out there – give the gift of your time which will strengthen relationships and lead you and your families to the good life. 

Families, however, are just one of the relationships we need to focus on.  At some point in our lives our family may not be physically with us or our families may be broken – but we still need relationships so can we develop friendships that will lead us to the good life.  Proverbs 18:24

There are times when it will be our friends who will stick with us and support us and so it is important for us to invest in friendships.  When Jesus made a priority out of inviting people to walk and work with him in life he showed us that relationships with people of faith are important and that the church can be a place to develop these relationships.  It is often here that we find lasting friendships that nurture us and encourage us and help us experience the good life. 

Friendships, however, take work and so giving the time to get to know those in this community is important.  Small groups, Sunday School classes, ministry teams and serving together are all ways to develop relationships that can bring us the good life.  The Bible talks a lot about how we develop friendships and these are called the “one another” passages and there are dozens of them in the bible.  For example we hear:

Be at peace with one another
Bear with one another
Forgive one another
Love one another
Serve one another
Carry one another’s burdens

How we interact with one another will determine the kind of life we live.  The good life isn’t found in fame and popularity which are shallow relationships that can’t hold up when problems and pain come along.  The good life is found in honest relationships of love and faith with both God and others

God has shown us what makes for a good life.  It is not more possessions, more money or more success – the world says that’s the way to life but it is an empty life that in time destroys us in body, mind and spirit.  The good life is found with
Gratitude
Purpose
Simplicity 
Giving. 

The good life is found when we
Trust in God 
Love one another. 



Next Steps
The Good Life – Relationships and Trusting God

Success
How do you define success?  Who do you know that you would say is successful?  What makes them a success?

Read the story of Jesus’ wilderness temptation in Matthew 4:1-11.  In what ways was the devil trying to give Jesus his version of “the good life”?  What did Jesus choose instead?


Trust in God
In what ways are you trusting God? 

In what areas of life is God asking you to trust him?

Read and reflect on Psalm 13.


Relationships with Others
How can you strengthen your relationships with family?
What relationships need to be healed or mended?

How can you strengthen your relationships with friends?
What relationships need to be healed or mended?

How can you serve others during this holiday season and with whom can you serve? 


Thanksgiving
Take time this Thanksgiving holiday to give thanks to God for all that God has given.  Spend quality time with family and friends.  Commit to making this Christmas season simple and full of purpose.  Give in ways that reflect your faith and trust in God.  This will lead you to the good life.