"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:14 (NKJV)Long before the first Goodwill Thrift store opened its doors God has been in the not for profit business of goodwill. Sometimes we forget just how vast the goodwill of God is. But when the voices of a multitude of angels shook the countryside they were proclaiming the ultimate expression of God’s goodwill towards all of mankind, Jesus Christ.I learned something new (please hold your snide comments and show me some goodwill), in accounting goodwill is a business’s value beyond its tangible assets. That’s being worth more than you’re worth because someone assigns you that worth, and that is exactly what God has done to us in and through Christ. In fact our spiritual assets are not just zero but in the red. All of us, all of mankind, every last one is spiritually bankrupt, we are all sinners, we are creatures of not just goodwill but also of ill-will. God sent Christ not because our balance sheets neatly balanced out our good and bad, rather God in his love and goodwill through Christ assigned to as unfathomable and undeserved value. No wonder the angels started with, “Glory to God in the highest!”It baffles me how often God gets a bad rap, is accused of ill-will. Why are we so prone to begin anywhere but ourselves? I don’t think I am exaggerating in assessing our collective human ill-will as staggering, and that without including the neglect of goodwill. “I am not as bad as ___________,” is a poor excuse for not being as good as I should be. And how often do we devalue others, are unwilling to account them some goodwill but rather insists on only seeing and talking about their lack of assets.The lack of peace on earth illustrates this further. Why is there a lack of peace? Just this past week a Chinese and an American warships engaged in a game of chicken – why? You cannot ascribe the lack of peace on earth to any failure of God; he has given us a capacity for peace and peacemaking. It is us who chose otherwise. History is a long indictment when it comes to our lack of peace with each other and with God, it is a long record of both ill-will and a lack of goodwill.I suppose if it were up to us we would have pulled the plug on the humanity a long time ago, at least we would have withdrawn our goodwill. This is how we operate if we cannot see some results to our goodwill, we move on. Fortunately you and I are not in charge. Fortunately God did the exact opposite, rather than withdrawing from our brokenness and abandoning us to our bankruptcy, he simply poured out more goodwill. Actually in Christ he opened the floodgates of goodwill, he flooded eternity with goodwill so eventually all ill-will will be drowned. No wonder the angels shouted over the fields, “Glory to God in the highest.”It is because of the goodwill of God you and I received the gift of today. It is in the goodwill of God human worth and dignity are rooted. It is in the goodwill of God forgiveness and salvation has come to us through Christ. It is in the goodwill of God hope and mercy are offered to sinners whose balance sheets are wanting.Intuitively the shepherds, who heard the angels’ praise, understood that this wasn’t about just hearing some words, but an invitation. An invitation to discover God, to find peace, to experience the goodwill of God – “Let’s go,” … “Let’s see,” was their Christmas response. What is yours?Merry Christmas, to God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Your Christmas Temerature
He (Jesus Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word 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. John 1:10-14 (NIV, parenthesis mine) For Don Pedro and its Central California location it has been cold, all the way down to the low twenties (-4 to -6 Celsius). I know that for some of you who hail from colder climates that might be considered downright toasty, but for us it is cold. I remember working a shift in the freezer at Alta Dena Dairy, it was kept at - 40 (-40 Celsisus), needless to say I was happy to return to my regular job in the cooler. Then again all these freezing temperatures are downright warm compared to what was recently reported as the coldest recorded temperature on earth, a whooping -135.8 (-92.3 Celsius ). You have to breathe through a snorkel that warms the air or else you’ll freeze from the inside out. I wonder if you pour out a bucket of water in that kind of cold if it freezes before it hits the ground. I certainly would not want to get hit with a spit-wad?Since cold, like all temperatures comes in varying degrees, we have different labels for it like chilly, frosty, bitter-cold, bone-chilling, or extreme cold. And generally we like to get out of the cold. Being left in the cold is not a good thing, neither is a cold-heart, or an icy cold stare, or being given a cold shoulder, or worst of all, encountering somebody cold-blooded.Cold is what God encountered when he became incarnate (embodied) in Jesus Christ. Doubt, apathy, arrogance, and outright cold-bloodedness are what he encountered. But don’t just believe me, read Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 and check for yourself.Why are doubts, apathy, arrogance, and outright vitriol such common reactions toward God and Jesus Christ? Why is it so difficult to warm up to the truth of one true and almighty Creator God who loves us and has revealed himself in and through Jesus Christ? Why do we rather shop than worship? Why are we more comfortable with “Holidays” than “Holy Days?”What will your spiritual temperature of this Christmas be? Will the chill of doubt, apathy, arrogance, even cold-bloodedness toward Jesus Christ be felt? Will Christmas be about anything except God, his Son, and his love? Or will God and Christ find in you warmth, welcome, and worship?To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
A Dream Worth Living For, a Vision for a Better World
A Dream Worth Living For, a Vision for a Better WorldGod spoke to and directed Joseph, Jesus step-dad and Mary’s husband, through dreams (Matthew 1:20; 2:13, 19-20, 22). That’s after his dream of being happily married was blown to pieces by Mary’s confession of her pregnancy.If we are not careful as we get older we will dream less because Joseph is not the only one who had a dream die. So when a New Year rolls around we dream more and more cautiously, and then maybe not at all. How many dreams died at the end of a gun in Newtown CT this past week? And not only dreams but the capacity to dream, the willingness to dream?Joseph didn’t know, he was too busy dreaming his own dreams, but God was working on His dream, not just for Joseph’s life but for all of humanity, all of creation. No one knows history better than God, no one is more aware of human brokenness/sinfulness, no one desires salvation, redemption, and restoration more than Him.Have you ever asked yourself what our world would be like without killing, without murder? What would it be like with no one stealing, no one taking anything that belongs to another? What about a world with healthy families, no dysfunction, no abuse, no divorce? What about a world in which people trusted and honored God, not gods and religions of our own making, but in the One who gave us life and breath and who loves us too much to quit dreaming, as broken and sinful as sinful as we are? That’s the dream God described when gave the ancient Israelites the “Ten Commandments.”Maybe your objection is that this is typical preacher fluff or disconnect from reality? Maybe you think the answer is more guns, more procedures, more surveillance, higher fences, armed teachers, six year olds with survival training, more government control, armed guards and police everywhere, more jails, more...? Where will that end?God invited Joseph into His dream, His vision for this world and Joseph joined in. It didn’t make his life easier but he became a participator in the redemptive work of God. God is still inviting people to join, broken people, devastated people, hurting people, sinners - people who recognize their own need for redemption and our world’s/humanity’s need for salvation and redemption. This is why God asked His own Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life. If you wonder where you begin joining in God’s dream for you and our world the answer is Jesus Christ.“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV).God has dream, join. Merry Christmas.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Christmas - obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love
If you haven’t heard, Prince William and his wife Kate of Great Britain are expecting a baby. The United Kingdom is abuzz with the news. Pregnant Kate wound up in the hospital and the press is covering every detail. I imagine it will only get crazier for that poor couple. Can you imagine the day that little princess or prince will be born?No one of earthly importance noticed Jesus’ birth. Not a single paparazzi was there to take pictures of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No one was covering the very incarnation of God. Of course since then the birth of Jesus has been the most reenacted birth of all time. The best reenactments, in my opinion, have been those that have taken place in obscure places around the world and had children for their casts. Nervous directors, bath-robed shepherds, funky props, and the doll playing baby Jesus dropped on its heads innumerable times. Messed up lines, made up lines, forgotten lines. Squirming, fits, accidents, and plenty of sickness decimating the cast. Embarrassing moments, hilarious improvisations and glitches, proud and frazzled parents, and a good time had by all, at least most everyone, especially afterwards.Obscurity, humility, simplicity, love - somehow a high dollar, super polished, performance struggles to embody those realities of the God coming to us in the flesh. The Son of God, the creator and sustainer of all, chose to meet us, engage with us in obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love. And I believe He calls us, those would love and live with God, to embrace them as well. Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, is not something God wants us to just know about, but to engage in.My prayer for you and me, for William, Kate, and their baby, is that we embrace Jesus Christ fully, worship Him faithfully, and imitate what He chose to redeem us – obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love.Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 (MSG)Merry Christmas, love you, Pastor Hans
A Fine Time and Christmas
Lucille picked a fine time to leave, skipping out on four hungry children, a husband, and don’t forget the crop in the field. But undoubtedly Kenny Rodgers had a fine time singing about it all the way to the bank.It seems when our kids were little they had a knack for picking a fine time to get sick, for having us make hospital runs in the middle of the night.Our cars also seem to be very adept in picking a fine time to break down, usually waiting until there is little money and some form of high stress.Like most kids, my brothers and I became very adept in figuring out when things around home qualified as a fine time or wrong time. But the thing about a dysfunctional home is that a fine time can blow up in your face any time.So much in life depends on figuring out the right time, and even more importantly responding right regardless of whether or not it is the right time, fine time, or outright wrong time.If you would have asked when to set up a Christmas tree before I came to the USA I would have told you, “Christmas Eve, of course!” One thing’s for sure, most stores seem to be utterly confused about the right time to put out the Christmas goods.Maybe this is a fine time to actually get to the point of this pastor’s note. Christmas is about the “right time,” “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, …” Galatians 4:4 (NLT).In fact all of Jesus Christ’s life, work, and even his death happened at the right time. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6 (NIV).We have made Christmas into a fine time to go shopping, to give presents, to take time off and have a holiday. But for God Christmas is about redemption, hope, forgiveness, and salvation. Christmas is a fine time to unwrap the reality of Christ, the meaning of his incarnation, the depth of his love. As far as God is concerned, today is not only a fine time, but also the right time, to commit your life to Christ, to call on His name for the forgiveness of your sins, to receive His gift of salvation and eternal life, “God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation”. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT).This 2012 Christmas season is indeed a fine time to embrace Jesus Christ, to make a new beginning with God, to return to living for God, to pray, "Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:9-10 (NASB), and then live that prayer.It would make for a fine time Christmas.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Why?
… "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. Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)Why?Why bother? Sometimes it’s so much easier to start over, to replace, to get something new. It might actually be much easier and cheaper than fixing it, not to speak of it being faster.It has always been so with us, from the earliest of times people dumped things, broken things, obsolete stuff, junk, garbage, and people. Archeologists love finding old dumps, they tell a lot, as do graves. No one knows how to dump things like we do; we are experts in discarding, replacing, and not bothering to fix things.Nothing is more difficult than fixing humanity, people, you and me. And why bother? Help one; ten others will take his or her place. There is no corner of the earth where you won’t encounter human brokenness, need, suffering, and evil. It is utterly amazing that in spite of the incredible intelligence, creativity, and capacity contained within humanity, that in spite of our ability to love, care, and do good, human brokenness has not diminished. We rewrite the same story over and over, and in the big scheme of things the vast majority of people are utterly disposable, not worth fixing, way too expensive for making a profit, and way easier to use and use up than to really care for.So why does God bother? If anyone has the capability to start over, to replace, to trade in this failed model for a new one, surely He is it. Why does God care about you and me, us? Why is He so patient with us, our brokenness, our stubbornness, our sinfulness? Why does His heart especially beat for the most needy, the insignificant, the helpless, and the hopeless? And why does He pursue us, invite us to be changed, changed into people who care, who bother like He does?Christmas, the first coming of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God is good news, glad tidings, and great joy because it testifies to the love God. God could not have bothered, He could have started over, He could have abandoned us to our self-created misery, lostness, hopelessness, and corruption, and be perfectly justified. Instead He loves us and offered, and gave His one and only Son to do for us what none of us can do ourselves. Namely, to save us, change us, to grow us into men and women who would love like He does, to become utterly incapable of saying, “Why bother?” and instead say “Why not?”Merry Christmas, to God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Who
WhoYou wouldn’t think that God’s company would be offensive. After all can you think of anyone better to be around? Anyone smarter? Anyone more interesting? Anyone more amazing? Anyone more genuine, more honest, wiser, imaginative, creative, artistic, kinder, and loving? Right, I can’t either.Now I am not just talking about any god, but rather the one, the only true and living God. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” Acts 17:24-25 (NIV).The reality of Christmas is that, “… The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us” Matthew 1:23 (NLT). Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, in human form, He is God incarnate, “… in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body” Colossians 2:9 (NLT). Strange how He wasn’t all that welcome, still isn’t, not in academia, the media, politics, business, and our personal lives.I have to admit, the company of God is challenging, you just automatically have to watch yourself, even your thoughts. It is also hard to do anything you want, accountability goes way up. The powerful are threatened, the wealthy are humbled, the proud are exposed, the educated are not near as smart. You can’t impress Him, you can’t fool him, you can’t entice Him to anything that isn’t good, or loving, or holy.What is most amazing is that God would seek our company, that He would care to not only live among us but actually invites us to walk with Him. If you are a sinner like me, living in a community without a zip code, that’s really good news. For the most part the vast majority of us just get to see the who’s who of the world on TV. Most of us have to stay behind the ropes of the red carpet; we do not have the credentials to mingle among the VIPs. If your or my name were mentioned in those circles the collective question would be, “Who?” Not so with God, He never has to ask, “Who?” He knows you and me by name.Christmas is God’s invitation for us to really know Him, to know, and worship who He is. Most settle for their own or someone else’s idea of God, which always ends up as no god at all. Admittedly it this is much less offensive, much less intimidating, much less challenging. The way we spend Christmas, celebrate Christmas tells much as to who we are and who we know God to be.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans