12 Days of Christmas

Christmas should remind us that nothing is impossible with God

Luke 1:34–37 (NKJV)


34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”


There are many significant truths about God that were manifested at the birth of Christ and perhaps the most obvious fact is that God has the power to do the impossible. This truth should be something accepted at face value because it is inherent in the nature of God to do the supernatural. Yet from our perspective we have to be reminded of this fact.


In the case of Mary, God sent an angel to tell her that He would create life in her womb. God does not require the natural reproduction process of procreation to give life to a human being. Remember the first man was created from dust (Genesis 2:7) and the first woman was made from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21). So it should not be much of a surprise that God would create life by supernatural means. In fact in our text the Angel points to Mary’s cousin who is with child beyond her natural childbearing age.


Christmas should remind us that nothing is impossible with God, including granting eternal life. (See Matthew 19:16-26)

Purpose Driven Christmas

Rick Warren recently hosted a Christmas program on Fox television. I have to commend him for his gift of communication which is excellent. Rick is someone that could make the life cycle of the tsetse fly sound interesting. A friend of mine asked me if I had seen the program and went on to tell me how much of a blessing it was for them.

There is no doubt that much of what is presented on programs like this is meaningful for many who love Christ. My only reservation is that often they do not go far enough. In these programs the Gospel is often presented in such a weak way that an unbeliever may be left wondering why they really need forgiveness in the first place.
Paul’s message to Timothy is an exhortation that is still desperately needed today.

" I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:1-5, NKJV)

Rick Warren has a great way of communicating concepts, but one should proceed with caution when reading his material. Below I have included two reviews of Rick’s best seller The Purpose Driven Life. One is a brief review and one is a more comprehensive review.

PDL Brief Review

PDL Comprehensive Review

Live Nativity

We had a great time at the Live Nativity hosted by LABC. Special thanks to Darin and Shaunna Linkins for organizing and managing everything. Thanks also to all the members of LABC who participated in the various activities. It was a special blessing for a number of people, many thanked me directly.

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”" (Matthew 1:21, NKJV)

Merry Christmas

"“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”" (Luke 2:14, NKJV)

Today we commemorate the birth of Christ. In the midst of all our gift giving, feasting, fellowship, and goodwill with each other let us remember the source of all joy and happiness. May God bless you as you glorify Him this most holy and happy day. Have a Merry Christmas.

"and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." (Colossians 1:20, NKJV)

Advent?

Advent

Some churches have a tradition of lighting Advent candles. Like a lot of traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation the ritual has lost most of its meaning. Most use this as a time to countdown to Christmas.

There are four Sundays in December prior to Christmas so usually four candles are used. A fifth candle is used sometime to designate either Christmas or Christmas Eve. Some people use blue candles. Most use purple candles to show the worth and value of Jesus since from ancient days purple was a color that signified worth. Many will notice that the third candle in sequence is usually a pink colored candle. The tradition of the pink candle is even more difficult to pin down.

Some think it was developed because a priest in the Roman church offered a rose on the third Sunday. Most now consider it as the candle of joy because of the anticipation of the advent is over the halfway point.

I debated whether to use Advent Candles at LABC. Can there be any meaningful value in this ritual? A pastor that uses an Advent Wreath offered me the following advice.

“I have used an advent wreath for 25 years in the church I serve. It has been a positive way to remind people of the importance of Christ's first advent or coming. Each year the 5 candles can have different meanings but they allow the church as a whole to review some aspect of Christ in a traditional way. This year we are reviewing the lineage of Jesus. The first candle is Abraham, then Isaac, Jacob, Judah and then on Christmas Eve Jesus. An appropriate scripture explaining the person is given. This event allows different people to partake in worship and think all week about the theme they are to represent.” L. Miller

Based on the aforementioned pastor’s recommendation and from the research that I have done on this subject I think it would be meaningful to begin a tradition at LABC that includes the use of Advent Candles. This year our theme will be consistent with the series I am preaching on Sunday mornings, The Birth of the Sovereign Savior. Each candle will remind us of the central truth behind the Old Testament prophecy in Matthews narrative of the birth of Jesus.

1. Sinless Savior: The Incarnation
"“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”" (Matthew 1:23, NKJV)

2. Shepherd Savior: The Good Shepherd
"‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”" (Matthew 2:6, NKJV)

3. Sovereign Savior: The Providence of God
"and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”" (Matthew 2:15, NKJV)

4. Sorrowful Savior: The Consequence of Sin
"Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”" (Matthew 2:17-18, NKJV)

5. Submissive Savior: The Despised Messiah
"And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”" (Matthew 2:23, NKJV)

Merry Christmas! Season’s Greetings! Or is it Happy Holidays now?

Every year it seems the "reason for the season" continues to fade a little more from our cultural awareness. One of the telling signs is that increasingly fewer Christmas cards actually have the word "Christmas" on them. Our society seems bent on removing any mention of Christ from the public arena, even during the Christmas season. Unfortunately most of us are too preoccupied with our hectic schedules and increased obligations at this time of year to give much notice.

If you get a chance to catch your breath this season, it may be rewarding to spend a few minutes considering the real "reason for the season." Perhaps the best summary as to why Jesus came to earth in the first place is recorded in Matthew 1:21 "…she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." The name Jesus means deliverer or savior. The reason Jesus came to earth was to "save His people from their sins."

Even in a beautiful season like Christmas we are never far from the consequences of sin. War, sickness, disease, fear, anxiety, divorce, and death are all the result of sin. Sin is that ugly, corrupting influence that disturbs every relationship whether it is the one with our fellow man or with God. As the apostle Paul stated in Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The ultimate consequence of sin is death. As Romans 6:23a states "for the wages of sin is death…"

Thomas Watson, the great Puritan writer who lived in the 17th century said, "Sin has turned beauty into deformity and the wicked takes more care to have his sin covered than cured." These words still ring true today. People naturally try to look away from the ugliness of sin, yet in this world its presence is impossible to avoid. What is needed is a cure for sin, not a temporary covering.

Christmas is a time that is associated with giving. We give gifts to each other as an expression of our love for one another. In John 3:16 the Bible states that "…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The beauty of Christmas is that Jesus has come to provide the cure for sin. Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that God "…made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

How will Jesus cure your sin? In Romans 10:9 the Bible gives the answer, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." This Christmas you can receive the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ. Call on Him now, confess your sin, and he will give you the gift of eternal life.

Do you hear the voice of God calling you? Jesus said in John 10:27-30 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one."

Jesus also said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32) If you would like to make public your profession of faith please give us a call, send an email or better still stop by next Sunday morning and share with us your joy in Christ.

Have a Merry Christmas!