12-26-21 “The day after Christmas”

Scripture Isaiah 40:27-31

There is wrapping paper everywhere, broken toys, dirty dishes in the sink, red clothes in the laundry basket, grandpa looking for his glasses that one of the children stepped on, sadness that no one got you that "one thing" you really wanted. It's the day after Christmas.

What do you do with that?

There were angels, a star, shepherds, an inn keeper, and the sound of a newborn baby who was promised to be God with us. The next day, they are all gone, and it is just the tired mother and father with their baby, in a stable in the midst of an overcrowded city, so far away from home with no supplies for them or the baby. It's the day after Christmas.

What do you do with that?

Once, you had found a new faith in Jesus Christ…and a day (or year, or 20 years later) you have read the bible several times, you have served on every committee the church has, you have gone on 3 mission trips and gone to 40 Christian concerts, served on the prayer team, the children's, youth and senior citizen's ministry teams.

Your belief is as strong as ever, but your zeal has faded, maybe your faith too. Belief and faith are not the same. You may believe that God is almighty and can do anything, but you may not have faith that almighty God will do anything. Your spiritual life is not what it once was. It's the day after Christmas - or the day after salvation.

What do you do with that?

What happened? Where did that passion for Jesus and his church go? You still do "stuff" at church but are content to just do it because you have always done it? Or maybe you don’t "do' much anymore - or maybe you don’t even make going to church a priority like you once did.

 

As I was thinking about these things, and how we sometimes grow stale in our Christian walk or our relationship with the church, a book came to mind "Who stole my church?". I grabbed it off my shelf and opened to a page I had dog-eared. (Read top of page 80) He goes on to describe always retuning to the needs and opportunities that caused the church to start in the first place or look at the needs and opportunities of today that may be different and see if realignment is needed.

Grand Prairie & 3rd - need for renewal

Have you ever felt like crying out to God for a renewal or put in biblical terms felt like the one who laments? Lamentations 5:19-22 You, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

I rarely long for the days of old. I love some of the days of old but don't need to go back to them. I long for good new days. Some people cannot let go of the days of old - church members are notorious for this. "My church is not the way it used to be!" That is a true statement. And it never will be - but it can be awesome in its' new day. The church has not changed as much as you and society have changed. Once you were the young families of the church - in a day when most women did not have a job outside the home, so a lot of social time revolved around the church. Now you don’t like driving at night so you wouldn't attend a social event if it were offered? Hmmmmmm. Obviously, I was only targeting a single demographic but we could do the same for every age group and find some truth like I just mentioned - in each one.

If my spiritual life is like the day after Christmas - messy, tired, broken and very lack-luster or stale - what can I do?

Recognize your condition and praying would be a good starting point.

Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:16-17 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

ILLUSTRATION

Jesus said to Martha, ”I AM” the resurrection and the life," not “I WILL BE" or "I WAS." Before Easter morning, Jesus is the resurrection and the life. After Easter, Jesus continues to be the resurrection and the life. Because of Who Jesus is, Easter is ever present with us. Easter is not merely a past event to be memorialized on a single day on the calendar. It is, as He is--ever present.

APPLICATION

As believers, we know this from personal experience. We experience His resurrection power through personal spiritual RENEWAL. We observe His resurrection power in the face of every new believer we meet. For us Easter is ever present. On Easter Sunday, the rest of the world catches up to us.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life . . . '" (John 11:25).

Isa 40:27-31

Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

CAN A LEOPARD CHANGE IT'S SPOTS?

A Sunday school teacher asked her class if a leopard could change his spots. All the children shook their heads no except one little girl who nodded yes.

The teacher asked again if a leopard could change his spots, and again they shook their heads no except the same little girl who nodded yes.

The teacher asked what she meant by that, and the child said, "If a leopard doesn't like his spot, he can just move to another one!"

APPLICATION

The little girl got it right. A leopard who doesn't like his spot can certainly choose to change it. Of course, the same holds true for you and me. If we don’t like where we are, we can choose to change our spot. That doesn't necessarily mean moving physically, but may be mentally and spiritually through renewal.

Romans 12:2 (Mental renewal) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (Spiritual Renewal) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Jon Swanson renewal story

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

12-19-21 “What child is this?” [Do you see what I see?]

Advent week 4 - The Angel Candle

Scripture:  1 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 1:12

Do you know what I know?

You know John 3:1 6   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

You know 2 Timothy 3:16   "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

But do you know 1 Timothy 3:16?     Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

We have what can be considered the very first Christmas carol. This brief verse is by all scholars considered a hymn of the early church, and therefore, based on the very first line, it would be a Christmas carol.

He appeared in a body,                    (The incarnation - Christmas)

was vindicated by the Spirit,            (proven to be right)

was seen by angels,                           (before, during, & after his birth)

was preached among the nations,    (The good news of Jesus - never meant to be kept private)

was believed on in the world,           (belief/faith is the essential response to the preaching)

was taken up in glory.                      (full circle of the incarnation - returned to heaven)

We are to preach (or tell) what the angels have seen - They saw him before he appeared in a body, they saw him appear in a body, and they saw him after he had appeared in a body (was taken up in glory)

Last week we saw the birth of Jesus through the eyes of a shepherd. I have known other dramas or sermons that have looked at the birth of Christ through the eyes of Zechariah, Joseph, Mary, the wise men, even Herod. Have you ever considered what the story of the incarnation - the birth of Christ looks like through eyes of the angels? To look at HIStory through their eyes gives a view we can't get through anyone else.

Said the night wind to the little lamb - Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?)  -

Way up in the sky, little lamb  -  Do you see what I see?  -  (Do you see what I see?)
A star, a star, dancing in the night  -  With a tail as big as a kite  -  With a tail as big as a kite

          Think about this, Angels, like us, are created beings. However, they predate us and seem to already possess eternal life - they appear to have no end. The fallen angel - lucifer/Satan was in the garden tempting Adam and Eve. Cherubim, a type of angel, were immediately dispatched to guard the entrance to the garden to keep the first man & woman from getting back in, and get to the tree of life. Even as the sound of the apple (whatever fruit) was still crunching in their mouths, no doubt the angels were already helping Jesus pack for the journey he would one day be taking to enter humanity.

          Even as angels attend to us unaware - they attended to Jesus out in the open. Even Satan knows that when he says from the top of the temple - "Cast yourself down, for it is written, Matthew 4:6 He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Matthew 4:11  Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

          The angels have seen Jesus way more than any of us every will this side of heaven. Therefore, we should long to try and see Jesus through their eyes. The author of Hebrews reminds us that angels are vital to heaven's work, but they are not greater than the one they serve - Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-12

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

          For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"?

Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?

          And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

          In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."           But about the Son he says,   "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

          He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."

          Considering what the angels have seen, will allow us to see Jesus more closely.

THE ANGELS SAW JESUS IN HEAVEN BEFORE CREATION

          John 1:1-3   In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. Jesus was with God in the beginning. Through Jesus all things were made; without Jesus nothing was made that has been made.  John 1:14  Jesus became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:15-16          He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

THE ANGELS SAW JESUS IN THE MANGER

          DO you think God sent an email to the angel who announced the good news to the shepherds that the Messiah was born and is laying in manger and then God tweeted so all the other angels would know and show up to sing praises? NO! They saw him, they were there. They saw Jesus from the moment he created them and had been worshipping and serving him in the glories of heaven and were there when he steps down from heaven to be born into humanity. That makes their announcement and praise authentic and shows why they seem so excited, as if to say to the shepherds and the world - "Do you know what has just happened? Do you know how much favor has come to you? Do you realize that the one seated on the throne in glory stood up so he could step down to meet you where you are? Do you get that Jesus assumes what is ours, so that we may inherit what is his?

THE ANGELS SAW JESUS AS HE WAS TEMPTED

          Satan tempted Jesus exactly how he tempted Adam and Eve - with food. Him eating would have been a sin because he would have put his human desires above his divine desires. Three times in three ways -he was tempted by every temptation we would ever face and each time he fought those earthly flesh desires in the same way we can - by the strength of God's word. He did not use his God power to defeat the devil in the desert…and the angels saw every moment of this battle and must have been in agony wanting to help him. We read it earlier - let his angels come rescue you so you don’t hurt your foot. He would not allow what we could not use to defeat temptation. We know this by the fact that when the temptations were over, he was physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted - just like we would be. Matthew 4:10-11 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

THE ANGELS SAW JESUS IN THE GARDEN, ON THE CROSS,

HIS RESURRECTION, & HIS ASCENSION

          Imagine the angel who had worshipped the Christ in heaven now hears God the Father tell him- "Go help my son!" Luke 22:41-43 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."  An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

          As he was arrested to be taken to be crucified, Jesus said, Matt 26:53  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? The angels must have been leaning over the edge of heaven ready to rescue Jesus from the cross, but permission was never granted to interrupt God's will.

          Multiple accounts show the angels were present at the resurrection, even so joyously and boldly to roll away the sealed stone and sit on it as if to say - Look, even all the power of man, the devil, and even death itself could not hold the one who came from glory. He is not here! He is risen, just as he said!

            Jesus ascended into heaven and the angels were there seeing it all. Acts 1:9-10 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

            Back in heaven thousands and 10 thousands upon 10 thousands of angels worship Jesus.

THE ANGELS WILL SEE JESUS AND BE WITH HIM WHEN HE RETURNS

          Matt 25:31  When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

CONCLUSION

1 Peter 1 talks about the Holy Spirit giving words of a future salvation to the prophets who wanted to know when and how that would take place. They wrote about what they never saw - salvation through Jesus. Angels, apparently do not need salvation but having seen Jesus from the creation, through his birth, temptation, death, resurrection, and ascension; they now long to see what we have seen - and what Simeon experienced in the temple while holding Jesus - Salvation.  Our salvation experience is the one thing the angels will never know but, oh how they want to see this one thing that we can see.

1 Peter 1:12

It was revealed to them (the prophets) that they were not serving themselves but you (us), when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

          Because we have experienced what they have not - God's grace, mercy and the forgiveness of sins, we are compelled to tell others, not what we assume, not what we perceive, we are to tell people the truth - what the angels have seen - the indescribable gift that came from glory, to assume our life - the life of being human, so that we could inherit life from him - life eternal - life in glory with him and the angels…forever.

12-12-21 “You Stink!”

ADVENT WEEK 3 (The Shepherd Candle)

Scripture                                                    Luke 2:8-20

I performed a first-person drama (with Isaish the shepherd/angel added) of Samuel the shepherd who injured his ankle and can't run. I tell of the life of a Bethlehem shepherd and the tools they use, then my personal story of my wife Rachel, 1 1/2-year-old son Jacob and 6-week old son, Joshua (the Hebrew version of Jesus - who he was named after that was born two weeks before my son. Then told of the birth of Christ interrupted by Isaiah saying Herod was having all baby boys killed 2 years and under. (Best to find the drama on YouTube to get the full effect.)

Luke 2:8-20

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

          Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

          When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

          So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 Isaiah 53:1-12

Who believes what we've heard and seen?

Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?

The servant grew up before God — a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.

There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.

One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried —

our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.

But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him — our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.

We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.

And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.

He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.

Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence.

Justice miscarried, and he was led off — and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.

They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man,

Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true.

Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin

so that he'd see life come from it — life, life, and more life.

And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.

 Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.

Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,

will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly — the best of everything, the highest honors — Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,

because he embraced the company of the lowest.

He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

  

THE WORLD STILL KNOWS 

The night is still dark

          and a procession of Herods still terrorize the earth,

                   killing the children to stay in power.

The world still knows its' Herods,

          but it also still knows men and women

                   who pack their dreams safely in their hearts

          and set off toward Bethlehem,

                   faithful against all odds,

                             undeterred by fatigue or rejection,

                                                                                      to kneel to a child.

 And the world still knows those people

          wise enough

to follow a star,

          those who do not consider themselves too intelligent

                   too powerful

                             too wealthy

                                                                                      to kneel to a child.

And the world still knows those hearts so humble

          that they’re ready

                   to hear the word of a song

                             and to leave what they have, to go

                                                                                      to kneel to a child.

The night is still dark,

          but by the light of the star,

                   even today

                             we can still see

                                                                                      to kneel to a child.

  

INTRO TO YOU SAY:

We stink with sin, and

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing
We stink with sin, and

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

We stink with sin, and

And you say I am held when I am falling short
We stink with sin, and

when I don't belong, You say I am Yours

The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity

Taking all I have, and now I'm laying it at Your feet
You have every failure, God, You have every victory

Through Jesus, we are made clean

Guilt and sin washed away,
And I believe Oh, I believe
What You say of me
I believe

 

SONG: "You Say"

12-05-21 “Journey to Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth”

(The Bethlehem Candle)

Scripture     Matthew 2:13-23

 

          Where is your favorite place to go for a walk? Is it in your neighborhood? In the woods? At a park? Along the lake or ocean shore? Through a creek? In a building? Jesus often taught or even healed people while walking. He might stop for a moment, but it seemed that he was always heading somewhere. It was like he was on a journey and knew where he was going but often got stopped long the way to teach or meet someone's needs.

 

          We have all already taken one of the two biggest journeys we will ever take - it happened the day we were born. We journeyed from the warmth, comfort, and safety of our mother's womb into a cold, daunting, unsafe, and totally unfamiliar world. Some of us came headfirst, some feet, some had to be surgically removed, but we all share that incredibly shocking experience going from our mother's world into this world. Think about what an even greater shocking or traumatic event that was for Jesus. That brings us to the first part of his 3-part journey from heaven to Bethlehem, to Egypt and to Nazareth.

 

BETHLEHEM - Jesus, like all humans is born into a place that is totally unfamiliar - from Mary's womb into a cold smelly barn. Even more so from the majesty of heavenly glory to an insane, sin ridden, violent, anti-god world. Phil 2:5-8 Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, let go of his God equality, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!

 (We come from the womb to the world / Jesus came from heaven to earth.)

 

Despair.com has a poster which reads, “Despair:  It always gets darkest just before it fades to pitch black.” Too many people live without hope, going from one dark event to another.  I wonder if that is how the Jews felt in the time just before Jesus' birth?

They had been a privileged people, one of the only groups allowed to self-rule, to self-tax and to be free from military service in the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar had granted these rights because Judaism was older than Rome itself.  But then came Octavius who instituted a census, which was to occur every 14 years.  So what's the big deal about a census?  Ancient Empires took censuses in order to tax based on how many people, how many sheep, cows, how much land or homes you owned. The taxing was not just for the local authority but the mighty Roman Empire and this taxing changed everything for the Jews. Sleepy little Bethlehem was not that - it was jam packed with people including Roman soldier everywhere.

This simple event was a signal to the Jewish people that their favored status was in the process of being revoked and that they, like everyone else, were nothing more than a conquered, subjugated people.  Simply having Romans in the land would have seemed pretty dark, but having them prepare to tax would have felt like pitch black. It would be a return to slavery, a proverbial return to Egypt.

 

          Jesus is born a king (wise men confirm this), but he is born a rejected king. We are born into the world - but the world rejects us and will give us a finite number of days.

          If the act of birth (in Jesus case in Bethlehem) was not traumatic enough, then the next part of the journey is fleeing for his (for our lives) to a foreign land - that former land of slavery.

 

EGYPT - Jesus' journey to Egypt was unplanned but necessary much like our life's journey is unplanned but necessary. Mary, Joseph & Jesus had to journey to a place that was difficult but ok compared to being murdered. (We journey through this life that is difficult but ok for the time being.)  Let's look at our text for today that describes how this unplanned journey was set in motion.

Matthew 2:13-23

When the wise men had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 [where he stayed until the death of Herod]. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." (Hosea 11:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." This was obviously about Moses and the Exodus from Egypt to the promised land. However, even at the writing of the NT it was unquestionably seen as one of those prophetic words for now and then - it stated what had taken place -the exodus- and what will take place -Jesus needing to hide in Egypt before returning to Israel.)

          16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18 "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." (Here again is a prophetic word for now and then. Rachel gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin and the Benjamites lived in Ramah just north of Jerusalem. Jeremiah says she was weeping because those taken into Babylonian captivity were first assembled in Ramah before being "exiled" to Babylon where they were "no more". Rachel never even knew Benjamin because she died at his birth)

          19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

          21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. (Very possibly was heading back to Bethlehem near Jerusalem where Archelaus was ruling as one of 3 of Herod's sons in different locations) 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." (No prophet mentions this but is a recurring theme among the prophets about the Messiah living in a "no-nothing place" - Even Phillip said - "Has anything good ever come out of Nazareth" which emphasizes Christ's identity with the lowly and outcast.)

 

NAZARETH - Journey to a place that your Father says is wonderful - he calls that place your home. (We go from earth to heaven which God calls our eternal home - we go there trusting.) Who is the one who will get us to the home that is designed for us? Jesus - the rejected king, the rejected messiah, the rejected God who most people turned away form.

Isaiah 53:2-3  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  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.

It is this Jesus who sees Nazareth as an idyllic place to grow up and learn how to build things with his hands, and his spirit, before revealing himself fully to the world as it's redeemer. Nazareth was home, a place of family, warmth, comfort and joy. Others didn't think much anything about Nazareth - Jesus called it home. Jesus has a place like that for us called heaven. He is the baby turned carpenter who is currently building our rooms in his Father's heavenly mansions. He promises to one day come and take us there if we will just believe.

We journey from our Bethlehem (the womb) to our Egypt (a foreign land=life) while we journey toward our Nazareth (our eternal home) and Jesus shares stories of our eternal home while walking with us through our Egypt. The question is, will we be like the disciples on the road to Emmaus who did not recognize who he was and not care about the forever home he describes for us and shares how to get there, or like Thomas who says I will not believe unless I see, or like Mary Magdalene who thinks Jesus is just the gardener outside his empty tomb, or will we like all of them, put our faith in him and see him for who he really is - the King of kings, Lord of Lords, and perfect Prince of peace, bringing salvation not in a manger, but on a cross bearing his broken body so that we might live and complete our journey to heaven?

Into the midst of that pitch black night, the angels brought a blinding light with the good news that "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

 

COMMUNION