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 

Where? (Advent)

Where?After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the East arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, 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.” When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 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.” Matthew 2:1-6 (HCSB)“Has anybody seen my keys (wallet, glasses, …)?”“Where do remember having them last?”“If I’d know that I probably wouldn’t be asking!”“Where is that blasted 10 mm wrench? I just had in my hands.”“Where is your brother (sister, father, mother, …)?”“Honey, where’d you say the lunch meat was?”“Third shelf, right behind the mayo?”“I looked there, but I don’t see it?”“(I swear that man is retarded) You’re gonna make me get up and look for it, aren’t you.”“Well, I can’t find it (If she wouldn’t keep hiding things I wouldn’t have to ask).”“Look, it’s right here where I told you!”“No way! I looked all over the fridge, twice.”“Just where do you think you’re going?!”“Where did we/I go wrong in all of this?”“Where is God in all of this?”We often get confused when it comes to “Where?” We misplace things, get lost, find ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings, are in need of help, get our lives off track, … So we ask “where?” God is never confused when it comes to “where?” That’s why it is so smart and wise to walk through life with God, it eliminates a lot of confusion and feeling lost. As you prepare for Christmas the written Word of God (the Bible) challenges us to think about:Where were you? (Job 38:1-4, 40:1-4) Do we really understand who God is?Where are you? (Genesis 3:9) Are we hiding from God?Where will you be? (John 14:1-6) Are you prepared for eternity?To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans