It's Christmas and then it's not!

The buildup has almost been unbearable. Some store had Christmas items in stock in July. Last week I walked into one of those retailers and their Christmas section was disassembled and relegated to one short isle both sides. It was almost like Christmas had never happened and there was still a little over a week to go.

Years ago while in college and seminary, I worked retail to help support myself. I think everybody needs to work retail at Christmas one season. It sure does give you a new perspective on people and their “holiday cheer.” Once finals were done I would take on as many hours as possible to earn a little extra. That meant working Christmas Eve until 6pm being off Christmas day and back the day after Christmas for returns and new sales with Christmas money etc. It was busy but I was young. Yet, by the time Christmas Day arrived I was just glad for the day off. That is a sorry commentary on me but it was true. I wish I could say it does not happen still.

This year we have read again the ancient words of Isaiah and others telling us of the Messiah and his birth. We have heard the angels say “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will toward men.” We have seen the shepherds come and witness God wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. We have looked forward to the visit of Magi from the east bearing gifts that foreshadow the life of the Messiah. Yet, here it is Christmas Day and in but a few short minutes it’s over. The presents are unwrapped, the mess is piled up and taken out and…well…we…sit. Maybe somewhere in your mind is the thought, “is that all there is?” It may still be Christmas day but now it’s not Christmas!

It seems like a lot to do about nothing in some ways. If what I described above is all that has happened then it is a lot to do about nothing. But that is not all there is to do nor is that all there is. God moved into the neighborhood not for a visit but to live here with us. To share life and living though us. It seems so simple but we know there is more to it than that. All of this was to change everything. Your Christmas preparations changed the look of your home. The feeling when you are there. Maybe like me you used it as an opportunity to clean up and get rid of some yard “debris” that should have been gone ages ago. Christmas changed the outside and inside of your home. You many have special sweaters or outfits you wear at Christmas or a Santa hat. Even your outside is changed by Christmas but then it’s over. More suddenly than it came on it’s done and soon to be packed away until next year. That is not God’s plan for Christmas.

God’s plan is indeed to change everything. God has come to us. We tried so long to get to him but could never make it. So, God came to us. God is with us Emmanuel, moved into the neighborhood. That changes everything. My question is has it changed you? Is Christ one day or everyday? I don’t think any of the characters of the Christmas story were ever the same. That’s what Christ does or should. But for some of us it’s Christmas and then it’s not. Let’s be honest that is not change. That is NOT why God is here. Christ changes everything. Has he changed you even this Christmas? It’s not too late to jump all in. I do pray so for both of us!

In HIS Service and Yours,                                                                   

Bro G

Merry Christmas

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. ² This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

⁴ And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵ to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: ¹¹ Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. ¹² This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

¹³ Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people He favors!

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶ They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told. Luke 2:1-20  HCSB

Wise Men Seek the King

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

³ When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.
⁵ “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:

⁶ And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the leaders of Judah:
because out of you will come a leader
who will shepherd My people Israel.”

⁷ Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”

⁹ After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. ¹¹ Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route. Matthew 2:1-12 HCSB

Christmas always surprises me!

Each year the four weeks preceding Christmas I use as the subject four characters from the Christmas Story following the Advent emphasis. Honestly, it makes it easier for preaching. The first Sunday Angels, the second Mary, the third the Shepherds and the fourth the Magi. I’ve been doing that for a few years and it’s not like the story is new. However, each year I am surprised at the truth God reveals in the familiar story of Jesus birth.

For me preaching is a love/hate kind of thing. I like doing it and learning through it but I don’t always like preparing for it. The hardest part is what to preach and waiting for God to speak the inspiration. It is a difficult task. A message needs to be accurate to God’s word, inspired in and through me and relative to the time and people who are listening, well at least I think so. Yep, there is a lot to balance in a few moments of speaking. Most times I don’t get all of that and sometimes I don’t get any of that done. It is a little more challenging at Christmas as most are familiar at some level with the story after all it is 2000 years old and there is Peanuts TV special and all. The task is how to make it relevant and fresh and new today?

Recently a well-meaning brother said don’t worry about Sunday you won’t HAVE to preach. What that means to me is I don’t GET to preach. Do you see how it is a love/hate kind of thing for me? But I want you to know God never fails to surprise me. This is especially true of the more familiar stories and Christmas is at the top of the list. It happened last week as I was preparing a message on the shepherds.

Shepherds are outside people. They have to be as sheep are live outside and so therefore shepherds must be outside with the sheep. That means they smell like sheep. It’s not a good fragrance. The nature of the task excludes them from temple worship. If they touch dead animals or birth a lamb they are unclean. They are outcast from their worship in the temple but they are also socially outcast from people. They spend a lot of time by themselves doing what is considered the least of jobs as only the youngest or the very oldest are relegated to shepherd sheep as they are thought to be unfit to do anything else. These folks are out cast from almost everything except well sheep and God. God announces the most important event of all time to shepherds. Using an angel and then a multitude of the heavenly host saying…it must have been…The angel tells them the proof is they will find a baby wrapped in cloths laying in a manger. You know what I saw? A manger is in a stable and a stable is outside. God is outside so outside people could and would could come and meet him. How about that? I have never put that together before. God becomes man and moves into the neighborhood so that we can relate to him. This is not the only instance either.

Look at the Magi, they don’t come to the manger no they come to a house later on. Yes, you thought the manger after all every nativity has wise men at the manger but that’s not the story. Magi are learned, studied important men. They are upper echelon in society, inside people. See that? They are invited by the star to meet God not outside but inside at a home. God is inside for inside people. How about that?



You know that means God will meet you where and when you can and will meet him. He will go to any length to be accessible to you and for you. Are you ready to meet him?

Christmas will surprise you. It has me. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Bro G

Christmas needs to be a week later this year!

When there are only 4 Sunday’s between Thanksgiving and Christmas it sure seems rushed. I am at least one week behind in preparations for the best holiday of the year. When I was growing up we did not start to decorate until after my birthday (Dec. 6). Now that seems so late to begin but we have not begun at our house. Although we have brought the boxes filled with décor in from the storage shed that is about as far as we have come with the decorations. No outside lights or inflatable decorations (maybe tonight) nothing really. It seems like each night has been filled with other adventures and so decorating has yet to be done. It’s easy to put off because we don’t like doing it.

I heard of a service that will come and decorate your house for the holiday. As part of the fee they will return and take down and store all of your decorations after the season. That’s the part none of us like is the setting up and taking down. I think most of us enjoy the transformation our homes undergo for the season. I know I do. It helps remind me that Christmas is a different time of year. The outside is one thing but what about the inside?

How are you preparing on the inside for Christmas? Advent is the liturgical season of preparation for Christmas. It helps us focus on aspects of Christmas one for each Sunday before Christmas by looking at the human characters in the story. It is to help us prepare internally for the celebration. To be honest, I am not prepared for Christmas. I wish I was just a week late internally for the celebration of Christmas. At this point in time I am a little overwhelmed by what all needs to be done. Overwhelmed in such a way as to be paralyzed buy the thought of the energy it will take to do what needs to be done.

What needs to be done? That is the question. What is a need and what is a want? Needs are a requirement for life like food, water, air, God. Those are needs. Cell phones, cable, extra desserts, candy, parties are all nice but not needs for living. Honestly all of those decorations that are sitting in our dining room waiting to be unpacked and hung and not needed to celebrate Christmas. No, what is needed is a celebration beginning internally and exploding onto those I encounter each day as I go place to place. I will contact those who need to know Christmas is about hope for healing, redemption, peace and love that passes understanding. Hope that outsiders are invited and welcome at the manger where God has come to introduce himself to them. In the beginning God spoke all into existence.

The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 HCSB

I need to get busy not with external decorations but with an internal celebration of the best-est present ever given, Jesus.


Bro G