Christmas Music

Christmas is over, so what's up with the Christmas tunes? As I wander around in warmth of Florida I have can't help but notice that the Christmas tunes are still flowing. At first I had to fight a little "bah humbug" inside that says "enough with the Christmas music". However there is a very positive side to some of the music. Places that do not normally present the message of Jesus play songs that celebrate His birth and that's a good thing. My own "Christmas music fatigue" reminds me that we sometimes treat the message of Christmas the same way. Christmas is a time when we recognize the need to give and show warmth and love. Then when Christmas passes we turn off the music and hit the new year grumbling about everything from losing a few pounds to various other resolutions. Sometimes we are guilty of smugly reminding the world around us that "Jesus is the reason for the season" as if the reason for celebration is limited to His birth. Our attitude and way of life in the days after Christmas is a great indicator of whether or not His incarnation really matters to us.

Glory to God

On the night Jesus was born, the angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14). Their exclamation was an obvious expression of worship. Real worship expresses the worthiness of God to receive our adoration. It shifts our focus toward a magnificent and majestic God. For the past few weeks I have been reminded of my need to shift my focus toward God. Distractions are plentiful this time of year. Yet, none of these distractions is worthy of my worship. I desire to keep Jesus at the center of all I do. I want the Spirit of Christ to invade my life every day. I want His presence to shine through me so that my living glorifies God.

Let Him In

At first, the book of Revelation seems an odd place to find a text for a Christmas message. However, it really shouldn't seem odd. After all the "Revelation" that gives the book its name is all about Jesus and the message of Christmas is all about the "Revelation" of the Savior. What I discovered in Revelation 3 was a strange parrallel to Luke 2. In Luke 2 we are told that the baby Jesus was placed in a manger "because there was no room in the inn". The door to the inn was shut. He as not allowed inside. In Revelation 3, we read a message from Jesus (not as a baby, but as the one who gives life to the church). The message to a lukewarm church at Laodicea is simple. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. If we let Him in, He will commune with us in every part of our lives. His presence will invade the ordinary and transform it. These three words have captivated my heart this week as we celebrate the birth of Jesus: "let Him in".

Worship

The Christmas narrative in Luke evokes several responses from me. As I read about the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem I can't help but wonder what they were thinking. I remember my own anticipation as Lynn and I neared Christmas Eve of 1996 when our son Nick was born. I had a lot of questions about being a father (and still do). But more than anything, I was filled with anxious anticipation. When Nick finally arrived, my anticipation shifted quickly to awe. On the one hand it was surreal. On the other hand it was an overwhelming sense of the greatness and presence of a miracle from God. As I stared at the beautiful little person that God had given to us, I was captured with the miracle of the moment. In Luke 2, the shepherds give us a snapshot of wonder and awe. I'm sure they had no idea what to anticipate as they hurried to find the baby in the manger. But, when they arrived, their anticipation turned to awe. As they left they spread their wonder and awe to everyone who would listen.

Good news and Bad news

There's good news and bad news. Christmas is all about good news. Remember the announcement of the angel. We sing about it every Christmas..."Joy to the world, the Lord is come!" In the Message, Luke 2:11-12 reads this way: "Don't be afraid, I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master". That's good news. So, what's the bad news? The bad news is that we have found a way to mess up good news. Unshared good news is the ultimate oxymoronic tragedy. How can good news remain trapped inside us? Share Jesus.

Swim Strong

"If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming, or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swept downstream."
Francis Chan

The words of Francis Chann remind us that following Jesus is not effortless. At times, it takes great effort - but it is effort that is fueled by our passion for Him. Think of it in terms of the Christmas story. Mary had to swim through her questions. Joseph had to swim through his fears. The shepherds had to swim through their limited understanding. But each one of them was captured by their love of the Savior.

Have you seen Jesus?

I continue to be captivated by the description of the birth of Jesus in Luke. Jesus is born, wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a feed trough converted into a baby bed. The manger seems an unlikely location to herald the arrival of the Savior. Yet, it was a very significant marker for the shepherds. When the shepherds were enlightened by an angel there were given a sign. They would find Jesus "lying in a manger". Sure enough, when they found Jesus (even though it was in a strange place), they recognized Him. How many times have we failed to recognize Jesus this week? In His description of rewards and judgment in Matthew 25, Jesus noted that when we see people who are hungry, thirsty, sick or imprisoned we have an opportunity to see Him.

Jesus in the Manger

Nativity scenes are easy to find around Christmas. They are one of best loved of all Christmas decorations. The baby Jesus is the focal point of worship in the midst of Mary, Joseph, some shepherds and stable animals. Despite the fact that I think the manger (feed trough) symbolizes are tendency to push Jesus out of our lives, the fact that God revealed Himself to shepherds who were willing to find their way to worship Him is powerful. It brings me to a great expression of worship that I read about this week. In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan describes a young blind boy in Uganda as being "totally content and obviously in love with Jesus". I love that description and I think in some way it is the goal of every nativity scene to somehow depict that quality on the faces of those looking at the baby. It's my desire to be obviously in love with Jesus every day of my life.

The Message of the Manger

I am captivated by the message of Luke 2:6-7. Even though Luke's words are written to provide a historical account of the arrival of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, they reveal so much more. Luke tells us that Jesus was born, wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn in Bethlehem. In other words, the person responsible for the Inn refused to make room for a pregnant woman who was on the verge of delivering her first child. Although I have studied this passage every Christmas season, I have never made the connection between Luke's words and the words of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah spoke about our Savior hundreds of years in advance of His birth in Bethlehem. His prophecies prepare us to understand how Jesus would be rejected and despised. They prepare us for the message of the crucifixion of Christ as described in the Gospels. But, surprisingly, Isaiah's prophecies prepare us for the birth of Jesus as well. Read Isaiah's words:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3).
When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, the unborn Jesus was not esteemed by the Innkeeper, or he would have been willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary to make room for His arrival in the world. Isaiah's words not only characterize the humble arrival of Jesus as one who was rejected (even before birth). But, Isaiah's prophecies reveal something beautiful that I have never recognized before. It has to do with my understanding of how Jesus was identified with our sorrows. Usually, I think in terms of the suffering of Jesus during his beatings or crucifixion. Usually, I focus my attention solely upon the stripes on His back or scars in His hands or side and how He suffered for us. But for the first time I have begun to realize that Jesus identified Himself with the sorrows that begin before birth. Chldren who are unloved. Children who are rejected. Children who are born into violence and injustice with little regard for how precious and valuable they are. While it is true that Jesus was loved by Joseph and Mary, I believe the rejection of the Innkeeper reveals a powerful message through Jesus' humble arrival. Recently I spoke with a physician friend who has provided care during many difficult and complicated pregnancies. He spoke of those times when the baby has little hope for survival. And he taught me of the the importance of celebrating the life of the unborn child while yet in the womb. Now as I read Isaiah 53, I understand that the incarnation did not begin with the birth of Jesus. The miracle of His identification with the suffering of the human condition begins before birth. I see that now. The message of the manger helps me to realize that Jesus was rejected - even before His birth. That makes the hope He delivers even more beautiful to me.

Best Gift

It's December now. That means I am another year older(45 if you're counting). It also means that we have entered into the Christmas season. It's a time when we invest too much attention on "gifts" and not enough of our focus on the greatest gift ever given. When Jesus arrived, He was relegated to a manger because there was no room in the Inn in Bethlehem. Luke's description is an accurate commentary on our view of God. Francis Chan's remarks cut to the heart: "We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way...Jesus came humbly as a servant, but He never begs us to give Him some small part of ourselves. He commands everything from His followers".