Category Archives: Christmas

Am I prepared?

More than the question, “Am I prepared?”

Am I preparing the way? Am I communicating Christ in compassion? Am I lifting up hands that hang down?

Am I allowing my heart to be ready for the coming of Christ?

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matt. 3:1-12, NIV)

Time Wasters

I had finished my message for Sunday morning when I ran across this great column by Mark Galli. I wish I had come across it before writing my message. I could have printed this off and just read it!

My text for the day is Luke 2:22-40, the story of Simeon and Anna. Here are two people who simply wasted time with God. No big results. No huge ministries. No great accolades. They simply worshiped. They hung out with God. And in that hanging out time, they were incredibly privileged to hear the voice of the Spirit speak to them one day in the Temple. In that moment, the voice could speak because they could HEAR, and that voice pointed them to a young couple with a little baby. The voice could say, “That one,” and they KNEW what it meant.

We need to be better time wasters with God. No agendas. As a pastor, I resonate with Galli’s frustration. People sometimes get frustrated with me if I don’t give enough “how to” in my message. Well, I must confess I get frustrated trying to tell everyone “how to” do something! Just hang out with God! Find out for yourself! It’s a great journey! Frustrating at times, but FUN.

May I waste tremendous amounts of time with God in 2010!

Christmas Eve and Weather Outside IS Frightful!

We made the trek to my family in Kansas a day early (Tuesday as opposed to Wednesday) because we were leery of the travel conditions in Iowa. Now, on Christmas Eve, we were certainly glad we made the choice because weather is horrible every mile of the journey between our home and Kansas. Our hometown of Minneapolis is getting hammered with snow and Iowa is snow and ice. We are thankful for small decisions the Lord helps us make. Now… to see if we can get BACK to Minneapolis!

Family is coming into Kansas and the roads are cooperating so far, so we are thankful! It’s great to be with family at Christmas.

Looking ahead to 2010, one of the resolutions I made earlier was to try the HCSB for the year. As I have wrapped up a semester of teaching, and another year of preaching, I have decided I need to stay with the TNIV, using the NRSV on occasion when I need to consult the Apocrypha. It’s simply this: I have come to truly like the TNIV and will hope that when the 2011 NIV is complete, it will be much more like the TNIV than the old NIV. So, I need to stick with what I’ve used. I teach from it, preach from it, and it is comfortable. No need to switch unless the next revision disappoints me completely.

Taking Our Stand

This past Sunday was my attempt at preaching from the Apocrypha. I used I Maccabees as my text, re-telling the story of the Maccabean Revolt and introducing the story of Hanukkah.

In the story was the lesson of Mattathias. I have become fascinated by his incredible faith and boldness. When his village was confronted with sacrificing a desecrated offering or dying, Mattathias chose the possibility of death. The order from the soldiers was to sacrifice an improper sacrifice to show loyalty to the empire. Mattathias, as village elder, bluntly refused. His people were radically monotheistic and there was no way on earth he was going to go back on that belief. Not after hundreds of years of getting it wrong as a nation. Not after 70 years of captivity to learn the lesson. NOT NOW.

Another Jewish elder didn’t mind. He would have rather lived in compromise of faith than die for his God, his people, and his faith. Turns out he died anyway because Mattathias killed him on the pagan altar.

There needs to be a call in our day. We are people of Jesus Christ. We love him. We serve him. We serve no other god. Not in this nation, this culture, this world, or this age.

In this Christmas season (and YES, I know Jesus wasn’t born in December), I want to declare my love for the Savior of this world. In this season I want to declare my radical allegiance to my Savior. I don’t want the gods of this world any more. I want to know Christ fully. My life needs to be attached to him. He is the Master Teacher. I am the apprentice.

Merry Christmas!

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 all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome [a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and [b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:1-18, TNIV

Merry Christmas!

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 all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome [a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and [b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:1-18, TNIV

Amazing Grace in This Christmas Season

This article from the StarTribune shows some incredible grace in this Christmas season. I am so thankful for God’s provision when tragedy strikes!

Merry Christmas!


Preparing the Way of the Lord

This week’s message is on John the Baptist and preparing the way of the Lord. We need to be ready for his SECOND coming! We will also reflect on 2 Peter 3:8-15. I actually came up with an acrostic to help develop my message this week. (This truly shows it is the anointing of the Spirit!)

PREPARE

P — Ponder the future
R — Repent of the wastefulness in our lives
E — Eliminate things that block the voice of God
P — Pray for the power to live God’s will
A — Actively seek God in his Word
R — Reach for holiness and godliness in a way that pleases God
E — EXPECT his return!