O Holy Night

A Series on Advent – The Christ Candle

John 1:1-5; John 3:16-17

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-5%2CJohn+3%3A16-17&version=NIVUK;NLT

 

Advent is a time to meditate on the meaning of Christmas; the birth of Jesus; the birth of Immanuel, which means God with us.

 

Traditionally, churches light a candle each of the four weeks before Christmas, remembering a different aspect of Advent. Hope, peace, joy, love, and tonight, The Christ Candle.

 

At the church I attend, the Christmas Eve service always includes a touching rendition of “O Holy Night”. Usually it is done by a soloist, but this year the choir is singing it. As we rehearsed, I realized that I had never really paid close attention to the words.

 

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

It doesn’t paint an idyllic picture of a baby laying in a manger swathed in rags. It doesn’t conjure up images of an angelic Mary with her loving husband Joseph and their newborn baby in a sterile stable. It doesn’t describe the three wise men traveling from the east to bring him gifts.

 

But it does paint a picture of a world, weary from sin; a world that desperately needs a savior; a world that has nowhere else to turn.

 

We received a Christmas card this year from some good friends. The card had one of those idealistic pictures on the front. But the message said it all with a poem by Roy Lessin titled, “God’s Gift”.

 

Little baby on the hay
soon there'll be another day
when nails shall pierce
Your hands and feet
as you provide our sin's defeat.

This poem reminds us that Jesus came as a baby, but died on the cross for our sins. It truly was a holy night.

And how should we respond over two thousand years later?
 

Fall on your knees
O hear the angels' voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born

You can listen to O Holy Night as sung by Carrie Underwood by clicking on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxJxU6VYkUY&app=desktop

 

 

 

Won’t You be My Neighbor?

A Series on Advent - Love

Isaiah 9:6; John 3:16-17; John 1:14; 1 John 4:9-10

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%209%3A6%2CJohn%203%3A16-17%2CJohn%201%3A14%2C1%20John%204%3A9-10&version=NIV;NLT

 

If you haven’t seen the movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” - you should.

 

 

There is a scene where Mr. Rogers is having lunch with a journalist by the name of Lloyd Vogel in a busy New York City restaurant. Vogel has been driven throughout his life by his deep seated anger towards his Father, who deserted his Mother when she was dying.

 

During the conversation, Mr. Rogers leans over the dining table, looks him in the eyes and says this to Lloyd Vogel, “Take a minute to be still, and to think of all the people who loved you into being”. As he did this, the whole restaurant grew quiet; as did the theatre.

 

When I took a few minutes to think about Mr. Rogers’ advice, my parents came to mind. My Mom always supported me and believed in me no matter what. Like a momma bear with her cub, my Mom would have defended me to the death. She loved me without limits.

 

My Dad didn’t really know how to express his love, but he did provide for me. And, he took me places on Saturdays. He took me to the bank; to his office; to sporting events. It may not sound like much, but that was how he showed his love.

 

Christmas is a good time to think about “who loved you into being”. Psalm 139 tells us this.

 

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.     NIV

 

Indeed, He did create us into being, and yet something is missing in our life unless we have discovered the truth of Christmas.

 

⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.           NLT

 

The lyrics from the theme song from Mr. Rogers’ TV show begin like this:

 

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor?

 

That’s what Jesus is saying to you this Christmas. Won’t you be his neighbor?

 

¹⁴ So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.            NLT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy to the World

A Series on Advent

Luke 15:1-32

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A1-32&version=NIV;NLT

 

Something has really been bugging me this week! First, I should explain that I’ve been collecting coins recently; not a serious collector, just when I get change.

 

This week I found two older dimes and brought them home. But when I went to put them in my “collector’s box”, they were nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere… twice; on my desk, on the dresser, in the car, at the office. Everywhere.

 

Then today after work, I put on my jeans and low and behold, the dimes were in my pocket. I went running out to tell my wife. My coins had been lost, but now were found. I felt great joy to have found my coins.

 

Sometimes joy is hard to find. Maybe because we look for it in the wrong places. Or, maybe because we define it incorrectly. If joy is defined by our circumstances, those can change in an instant. True joy, the joy that we sing about at Christmas, is something much deeper.

 

Jesus loved to tell stories to teach a lesson; to teach people spiritual truths. On one occasion, Luke wrote how because “tax collectors and other notorious sinners” were listening to Jesus teach, and even eating with him, the religious leaders complained. So Jesus told them three stories.

 

The first was how one lost sheep out of one hundred, was so important to the shepherd that he left the rest of them in the wilderness, and went looking for it. When he eventually found it, he carried it back on his shoulders and told all of his friends how happy he was to have found his lost sheep.

 

No doubt, the listeners in the pastoral society of Jesus’ day, could easily relate to this story. However, you may need to think in terms of lost dimes or a wedding ring or relationship or job. In this story, Jesus is explaining why he came to earth as a baby, and what Christmas is all about. It’s about the joy of finding lost sheep.

 

Sir Isaac Watts wrote the famous carol, Joy to the World which echoes this same spiritual truth.

 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
…Let earth receive her King
    …Let every heart prepare Him room
        …And Heaven and nature sing.

 

There is true joy when your heart; my heart; any heart; prepares to receive your King. So don’t let your joy be lost this Christmas; don’t tell him there’s no room in the inn; don’t settle for the joy of finding a lost dime. Instead, prepare Him room in your heart, and receive your King.

 

 

 

Peace on Earth

A Series on Advent

Luke 2:8-15; Philippians 4:4-9

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

 

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

      Luke 2

Where do you go to find peace on earth?

 

The Advent season is a time of preparation; of reflection; of contemplation on the true meaning of Christmas. Unfortunately, the reality of Advent is far from that. Instead of being “the most wonderful time of the year”, like the song goes, often times, it’s the most stressful time of the year. And for many, the most depressing.

 

So how do we experience peace in our lives?

 

Growing up, I used to draw mountain scenes during art class. Silhouettes of one mountain range in front of the other. If I was to analyze why I liked drawing those scenes, I think it might have been because it was so peaceful that it brought me peace.

 

As an adult, many years ago, I was going through a time of transition where I was leaving my twenty year career with a youth ministry. I decided to go away for a twenty-four hour retreat by myself. No phones, no TV, no interruptions; just meditating on God’s word and prayer. When I returned, I was a different person. I had peace about the decision that I was about to make.

 

Paul had a significant insight into peace.

⁵ Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  ESV

This is sound advice that Paul gave to the church in Philippi. And it still applies to us today. When I went away for that overnight of prayer and meditation, it brought me peace, not only for my decision, but for my life.

 

Therefore, during this time when peace on earth is talked about a great deal, may you actually experience the peace that “passes all understanding”. Not only now, but throughout the year.