Christmas Peace

Waiting is hard, isn’t it? In our fast food society with instant gratification and next day shipping, we are not used to having to wait for anything. The more serious the event, the harder the wait. As a child waiting for Christmas was hard because it seemed like December 25^th would never get here (and as parents we can’t believe how quickly it comes back). But think about how hard it is to wait to see if you got the job you applied for, or to see if the cancer has spread. While we wait it is hard to be still or comfortable because there is something major hanging over us. We need to realize that is how people lived throughout the Old Testament, waiting for God’s Messiah to come. 

From the day that God told Eve her seed would crush the serpent, humans had waited with baited breath for the Promised One. There could be no real peace until He came. That is why in Luke 2 a multitude of the heavenly hosts joined in singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will toward men.” Peace on earth is available because God finally came in the flesh. 

Like the Psalmist who said, “I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry (40:1)” the world waited in a profound way for the Messiah to come be the Deliverer. The Jews wanted primarily peace from their enemies—whether the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, or Philistines in the Old Testament, or the Romans in the New Testament. We need to understand that peace is more than just the absence of conflict. Peace is more than just national tranquility. As Americans we have not had a real threat of being defeated since World War II, so we might not fully appreciate their desire for national peace. 

But the bigger idea is about us being at peace with God, with fellow man, and with ourselves. Philippians 4:7 says the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We need this peace of God in our hearts and minds. 

First, we need peace with ourselves. So many people walk around feeling bad about themselves because of their faults or mistakes that they render themselves useless in the kingdom work. We need to appreciate the beauty of forgiveness. Hebrews 10:22 says we can have our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience. God wipes the slate clean when we confess and repent. We need to do our best to live right, but we can walk upright knowing we are clean. 

We also need to be at peace with others. Leviticus 3 describes the peace offering as part of the law. This was also known as fellowship offerings because they were designed to keep peace with God and others through fellowshipping together. This offering was unique in that the family bringing the sacrifice got to take home most of the meat (normally the priest kept most of the meat). The idea is that the family takes the meat home and have a fellowship meal with other people. The New Testament is filled with commands to be unified with fellow believers, and reconciled if the relationships have gone south. Christmas is a great time to heal hurts. 

Finally, we need to be at peace with God. This is mankind’s greatest need. 2 Corinthians 5:18 says God has reconciled us to Himself. He fills the God-shaped void. We have real peace when we are at peace with God because we were created to be in a right relationship Him. Maybe this Christmas season you need to make peace with God or someone else. 

Christmas Joy

As we inch closer to Christmas we often hear the word joy thrown around, and there certainly should be joy at Christmas. But our secular society has hijacked this word. I did a simple online search using the word joy in Christmas advertising, and among other things I found a Starbucks ad that said “Share Joy With Buy One-Get One” drinks. Gadbury had an ad that said “Unwrap Joy.” GameStop’s ad touted “Joy to the Players.” Dollar Tree invited shoppers to “Spread the Joy” in their stores. Big Lots promised “Joy is in Store.” I don’t blame the advertisers for these tactics; they are doing business. But they operate from a dishonest premise, telling customers that their products will bring joy. They may bring a minute or more of happiness as we drink the coffee, eat the chocolate, or play the games, but that is not real joy. 

Joy should be associated with Christmas because the birth of Christ brought the real reason for joy. In Luke 2:10 the angel told the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” Why? “For unto you a child is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” We can have real joy at Christmas because of Christmas. The great joy of which the angel spoke is that Jesus was born into the world to be our Lord and Savior. 

I believe it is important for us to have a good definition of real joy. John Piper has defined it as “a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.” A simpler definition would just be a good feeling deep down that has nothing to do with circumstances. The world can’t give joy, and neither can it take it away. Starbucks, Gadbury, Big Lots, and the others cannot give us joy, no matter how good their products may be. 

If joy doesn’t come from a store, then where can we find it? Piper said it comes from the Holy Spirit, and he is right. Galatians 5:22 lists joy as being fruit that the Spirit produces in the life of a believer. It is possible to be sick, sad, or tired, and still have joy because Jesus is still Lord and Savior. If your sins have been forgiven, if Jesus is preparing you a home in heaven, then you can have real and abiding joy. 

We get joy from the Holy Spirit, but also by being connected to Jesus the Vine. In John 15:11 He told the disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” This was in reference to the disciples being the branches and Jesus being the vine. So long as we stay connected to Him, we can have joy even in difficult times. 

The shepherds had joy at that first Christmas, and so did Mary. In the Magnificat of Luke 1, Mary sang, “My spirit rejoices (has joy in) in God my Savior (v.47).” Even if our circumstances are not what we want them to be (remember, Mary was unmarried and pregnant), we can still have joy at Christmas because of Christmas—because God broke into our world to bring salvation to all who call upon Him. That is plenty of reason to have joy this Christmas! 

When the Last Present's Been Opened

I really enjoy Christmas. I always have, and I hopefully always will. Whether it is the nostalgia from watching childhood Christmas specials, the excitement of our own children, or the tastes of the season’s dishes, I try to slow down and take it all in. Have a cup of hot chocolate. Watch a cheesy Hallmark movie. For as many Christmases as I can remember, the buildup is exciting, and there is always a touch of sadness when the holidays are over.

Putting away the decorations means I won’t see them for eleven more months. I won’t be signing along to Bing Crosby until after Thanksgiving. The joy and excitement that dominated the previous month quickly dissipates as we settle back into the grind of life, the not-quite-as-jolly routine that is January through mid-November.

But there is good news. Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean that what we celebrate is likewise over. If you are like me and get a little down after Christmas, just remember what Christmas is about. The birth of Jesus continues to change us throughout the year, not just in December. I want to share with you a poem I wrote called “When the Last Present’s Been Opened.”

Stores are overcrowded, fights are breaking out.

I’ve got so many things to do, I just want to stop and shout.

But it’s OK because Christmas time is here;

In the midst of all this chaos, there’s still holiday cheer.

The gifts are piling up underneath the tree,

Children shake them eagerly, wondering what they might be.

The entire Christmas season always goes by fast,

And it won’t be long at all until the season is past.

When the last present’s been opened, and the gifts are given away,

The decorations have come down; there’s no “Merry Christmases” left to say.

There’s no more “Season’s Greetings;” no more Christmas cheer.

The spirit of the season won’t be back for another year.

When there are no more Christmas parties, no more carols left to sing,

Take joy in knowing this: Jesus is still the King!

May we continue to celebrate the Savior all year.

The Christmas Bells

In 1863 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem he called “Christmas Bells.” The poem was written on Christmas Day and was a reflection of the emotion that Longfellow was feeling at the time.

The poem was shortened considerably and made into a Christmas carol in 1872, and it has been a favorite of many ever since. Here is the original poem in its entirety: 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day,
their old, familiar carols play,                                   
 and wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom                         
Had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
the world revolved from night to day,                                 
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
 the cannon thundered in the South,                 
 And with the sound the carols drowned of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
 the hearthstones of a continent,                                       
And made forlorn the households born of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;                           
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;          
The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men."

The poem begins with the happy thoughts of Christmas, with the joy brought about by the bells. But the joy turns to sorrow before finally ending in joy again. The references to the cannons in the South and the hearthstones of a continent being rent remind us of the Civil War, which was dividing the Country when this poem was penned.

But the emotion that Longfellow was feeling was born from something deeper than a nation at war. Longfellow’s son Charles, a lieutenant for the Union, was mortally wounded that November in the Battle of New Hope Church in Virginia. 

The sound of his son’s death no doubt drowned the carols of peace on earth, good-will to men. 

And in despair he bowed his head. But his grief was not only for the loss of his son. Longfellow’s wife died tragically a year and a half earlier when she caught her dress on fire. Part of Henry died that day; he later wrote that he was “inwardly bleeding to death.”

While Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, you may well relate to Longfellow, who in despair once thought, “There is no peace on earth.”  Maybe you are a widow who wishes Christmas felt like it used to. Perhaps you are recently divorced and feeling lonely this time of year. It could be that Christmas coincides with the anniversary of the death of a loved.

There are a number of reasons that Christmas can really stink. Many people feel like they have to “just get through” the holidays. But it doesn’t have to be that way if we can see the big picture. I love how Longfellow concluded his poem.

The Christmas Bells rang with a stronger message than simply indicating the coming of Christmas; the message of the bells was a reminder: God is not dead nor doth He sleep. The Wrong, which breaks our hearts at times, will ultimately fail. The Right, which may feel far away, will finally prevail. 

Christmas can be sad and lonely if family, presents, or anything else gets the primary focus. While those things are great, we need to remember that Christmas is a symbol of the birth of Christ, which drawn out, takes us to the cross and empty tomb, where our sins can be forgiven. If you are a believer, then you are never alone because you have a relationship with God Himself. 

That should give us all a reason to join the voice, the chime, the chant sublime, of peace on earth, good-will to men.

Was Mary Really a Virgin?

One of the most common facts about the Christmas story and the birth of the baby Jesus is the miraculous nature in which He was born—to a virgin.

In both Testaments of the Bible the virgin birth is mentioned; it is prophesied in Isaiah 7:14, then fulfilled in Matthew 1:23. The word virgin is peppered throughout Matthew and Luke’s account of the birth, as well as in Isaiah’s prophecy. 

Some like to point out that the word virgin doesn’t just refer to a person who has never had intercourse, but that it can also simply mean a young girl or bride. Does this present a problem to the biblical account? If Mary was not a virgin then the birth of Jesus doesn’t involve the supernatural elements of divinity. 

But the truth is that it really doesn’t matter what the word virgin means. Consider a few things.

First, since it was against the law for any unmarried people to engage in intercourse, all young girls were virgins. The terms were interchangeable, and Mary would have been both an abstinent virgin and a young girl. 

Second, the prophecy in Isaiah was actually about a young girl, not a virgin. The prophecy wasn’t about Mary at all. Isaiah gave this prophecy to King Ahaz as proof of his message that God would destroy the king’s enemies. The sign of the promise would be that a virgin (or young girl or bride) would have a son and name him Immanuel—“God is with us.” Matthew saw the birth of Jesus as the second fulfillment of this prophecy. If Isaiah’s prophecy were only about Mary, she would have named her baby Immanuel instead of Jesus. Jesus is rightly thought of as Immanuel because God came to mankind, thus making Matthew’s reference all the more meaningful. Isaiah’s prophecy was not a miraculous virgin birth, but a natural birth to a young bride.

Third, Mary referred to herself as a virgin when she asked the angel, “How can this be, seeing I have not known a man (Luke 1:34)?” Forget what the word virgin means for a second—Mary had never slept with a man. We can debate the original word all day, but Mary had never been with Joseph or anyone else. 

Finally, if the Bible only teaches that Mary was a young bride and not a virgin, then why did the Holy Spirit place the baby inside her (Luke 1:35); why did Joseph seek to divorce Mary (Matthew 1:19); and why did Joseph refuse to sleep with her until after the baby was born (Matthew 1:25)? Each of those events points back to a virgin birth. Joseph knew he had not impregnated Mary, and he chose to not sleep with her until after Jesus was born so that it could still be a virgin birth.

Skeptics can play word games to undermine God and His Word, but there is no merit to the claim that the Bible teaches anything other than the virgin birth.

Pictures With Santa

We took Reagan to Spartanburg to get her first pictures with Santa this week. It is about a 40 mile drive from our house to the mall, so we brought along a dress for her to change into once we got there. However, once we got there we realized that the dress had been left on our couch back home.

We knew going back home for the dress wasn’t an option, so we hit a few stores in the mall until we found something “Christmasy” for her to wear. That situation made me think of the illustration Jesus gave in Matthew 25 about the 10 young ladies waiting on the groom. Half of them were wise and brought oil for their lamps, and the other five were foolish and brought none. When the groom came calling at midnight, the five with no oil were not able to go in the dark. Jesus concluded by saying that we need to be ready since no one knows when Jesus will return.

Are you ready for the return of Jesus? In this illustration Jesus says that it is wise to live your life ready for His return, and it is foolish if you do not.

By the way, my daughter was terrified of Santa, and she just cried the whole time. Those tears also reminded me of the emotion that the five ladies must have felt, and the way all people who are left behind will feel. Be wise, and be ready today.

Matthew 25:13—“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man will come.”

New Truck

For Christmas Alicia surprised me with a new pickup truck. When I say new I of course mean new to me—it is a ’92 Ford Ranger she paid $400 for. I had been wanting an old truck I could use to haul trash to the dump or transport tables and chairs around the church, but what I ended up with was so much better than that.

She secretly got some people together to restore the truck. It got everything from new tires, to a transmission, to the best paint job in the history of trucks. It is Gator blue with an orange pin stripe. Needless to say, I love it.

The transformation that happened with that truck is exactly what Christ does with all who choose to live for Him. II Corinthians 5:17 says that “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus can take an old sinner—drunkard, homosexual, immoral, disobedient, ungodly, etc.—and make them something new. Once we come to Christ we are no longer sinners but saints. Could you imagine if I went out and started sanding my truck because I missed the old shade of green? That would be crazy, and so it is when any saint runs back to his old life of sin.

Just Like Us

There is a great little verse in the book of Hebrews that gives us a glimpse into the character of Jesus. In the 17^th verse of the 2^nd chapter we see that Jesus “became like His brethren that He may be a faithful and merciful High Priest.”

     We will often talk about the birth of Jesus in the Christmas story, but we have to remember that His birth was not His beginning, Jesus existed before this world was ever created, and He lived in a heaven where He never needed anything. No bad days. No sickness. No sin. No cross.

     But Jesus chose to leave behind all of that and become a man—like His brethren. What kind of High Priest would Jesus be if He knew nothing of what we go through? It is true that Jesus came to earth for the crucifixion; He was born just to die. But there is also a great truth here in that Jesus also came to experience everything that you and I face.

     At Christmas we celebrate Emanuel—God with us—but it is also God like us.

     So next time you talk to the Lord in prayer, remember, He knows exactly what you are going through, so He knows how to give you exactly what you need.