Jesus…..Chose US!

We have been reflecting on the choices we need to make if we want to see Jesus this Christmas season or any time.  But have we ever considered that Jesus first had some choices to make if we were ever to be able to see Him?  

These choices involved the two most significant events of his life – his birth and his death. Without one, the other would have been meaningless. His birth alone could not save us; his death alone meant nothing if he were not born as one of us.

As we close our time together, I invite you to spend a few minutes reflecting upon these two choices and what they mean for you.

Jesus chose to become one of us.

Philippians 2:6-7

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

Have we ever considered what it meant for Jesus to come to earth as a baby? What He gave up? Not his divinity, of course. He remains fully God. But He chose to become fully human with all the physical limitations that involves. He chose to experience pain, hunger, exhaustion, temptation so that we would have an example to follow.

 

¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God...      ⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:17-18

 

What a gift for us! Take a moment to reflect on what this gift means and what you might give to Him in return. It might be your choice to obey, to change your mind, to overcome some fear or to believe His promise. Or it might be something else altogether.

When you have decided, take a piece of colored paper, write the gift you are giving to Christ on it. Find a place to put this paper - under your Christmas tree, in the wreath on your door, in your manger scene - wherever you will see it and remember your gift to Him.

 

 

Jesus chose to die on the cross

so that we might live.

John 10:17-18

¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

 

Jesus chose to suffer and die for us. It wasn’t a choice that was made lightly. We know that He struggled with what this decision meant. Luke 22 tells us that He agonized, sweating drops of blood as He wrestled with this decision. Yet He chose…..us.

 

Why did He do this? One reason and one reason only….Love.

 

¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends... ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants … Instead, I have called you friends…                   John 15:13,15

 

Today I invite you to celebrate, not only Christ’s birth, but His death and resurrection that demonstrated His unconditional love for each one of us.

 

Many of you will celebrate communion during your Christmas Eve service at your church. As you do, remember that Jesus chose you!

 

If you would like to celebrate communion now as part of your reflection, I invite you to find a piece of bread, cracker or cookie and something to drink, juice, water or pop and follow the instructions below:

 

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”                  Luke 22:14-16

 

What would you have thought when you heard these words? How would they have made you feel?

  

¹⁹ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”                  Luke 22:19

 

Take the piece in your hand. While you hold it, think about what it meant for Jesus to go to the cross. As you eat it, thank him for offering his body to be broken for us.

  

 

²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.^”                            Luke 22:20

 

Pour the juice or other liquid into a cup. Think about his life blood pouring out for us, washing away our sins, bringing us new life. As you drink, thank him for being willing to give his blood for us.

 

Sit quietly for a few moments and think about the choice that Jesus made. Because He chose us, we can see Him and have a personal relationship with Him - not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives. All we need to do is...

 

     choose to obey

 

               choose to change our minds

 

                         choose to overcome our fear

 

                                   choose to believe His promise.

 

 

 What will you choose?

 

 

 

 

May every blessing

of this Christmas Season be yours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wise Men ……..

Chose to Believe the Promise

 

Matthew 2:1-11

 

The wise men were men of great learning, rich and held in high esteem by their society. Perhaps they were wise men from Babylon, descendants of those who served under King Nebuchadnezzar during Daniel’s time. 

Today we would call them astrologers. In their day, astrology and astronomy went hand in hand – science and superstition. The wise men followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They had seen an unusual new star in the sky and knew that it told of the birth of a special king -  a promise for all who would see.

No one really knows what this new star in the sky was, although there are many theories. Perhaps it was a comet, a supernova, a conjunction of planets or… something supernatural. Whatever it was, it ignited hope in the hearts of the wise men, and they followed the star.

What are you hoping for this Christmas? Do you hope that your family will get along and you can enjoy the family gathering? Do you hope that you won’t be alone?

 

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

 

The star the wise men saw offered the promise of the birth of a King. We don’t need to look to the stars today for our promises because we have the Bible that is filled with God’s promises for us.

Believing the promise for the wise men meant taking a risk – setting out on a journey that some say took years to complete and was filled with dangers from robbers, weather and terrain. Yet, they persevered and determined to hold on to the promise.

 

What promise has God given to you?

 

What risk or journey will be required of you to see the promise fulfilled?

 

What if the journey takes years?

 

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

 

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

 

King Herod was upset when he heard the promise. Matt 2:13-18 describes what Herod did to prevent the promise from being kept.

 

Have you shared the promise God gave you with anyone? What was their reaction?

 

If their reaction was negative, what will help you hold on to the promise?

 

⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.                                               

The wise men brought gifts with them because they believed the promise – the birth of a king.

       Gold – a gift for a king

 

      Frankincense – incense used by priests

 

      Myrrh – perfume used to embalm bodies

            

Each gift represented a fulfillment of a promise:

            Jesus is our King.

      Jesus is our High Priest.

      Jesus is our Sacrificial Lamb.

 

Take a few moments. Think about the promise God has given you.

 

What gift could you offer to God that would demonstrate your belief in His promise?

 

Because the wise men chose

to believe the promise, they saw Jesus.

Will you?

 

Next time, we will consider the choices Jesus made so that we could see Him.......

The Shepherds…….. Chose to Overcome their Fear

Luke 2:8-20

The words, “shepherds watching their flocks by night,” paint an idyllic picture of peace and beauty that we associate with the Christmas season. The reality of  shepherds’ lives during Jesus time, however, was far from idyllic. 

Shepherds were the social outcasts of Jesus’ day. They were considered thieves and blamed when sheep came up missing from the flock. Living out of doors 24/7 meant they were filthy and smelled like sheep and all that goes with them. The duties of their job brought them in daily contact with insects, blood, feces and carcasses of animals which made them ceremonially unclean.

Being rejects, losers, mistrusted and despised, it is not too hard to imagine that they might have had much to fear from life and others around them.

 

What is your greatest fear this Christmas? Do you fear the expense, the tension of seeing certain family members or perhaps you fear buying the wrong gift?

 

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  

Sometimes as we go about our daily life, God steps in and does something that surprises or even scares us. That’s what happened to the shepherds

How has God surprised you recently? Has this “surprise” been a welcome one or has it caused you to be fearful of what it might mean? In what way(s) are you afraid?

 

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

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.”

The angel’s first words to the shepherds were “Do not be afraid.” Those are God’s words to us, also. The shepherds did not need to be afraid because the angel had great news for them.

Is it possible that God also has good news for you? What good might come from the “surprise” God has given you?

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

The shepherds heard the news and decided to act upon what they heard. In spite of their fear, they chose to see if what the angel said was true.

 What will you do about the “surprise” God has given you? How will you find the good news that God has for you?

  

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

           

The shepherds found that God’s word, spoken through the angel, was true. They celebrated by telling everyone they met.

 

How will you respond when God’s word comes true? Will you share the good news with others?

 

Because the shepherds chose

to overcome their fear, they saw Jesus.

Will you?

 

Next time we will see what the wise men had to choose…

 

 

Joseph…..Chose to Change His Mind

Matthew 1:18-24

 

As a boy, Joseph learned to read and write at home. Around the age of five, he started his formal education at the synagogue under the guidance of the rabbis. There he learned the history of his people, the promises, the covenant, the gift of the land and the law. When his formal education was over, he started working in his father’s trade that he had learned at his father’s side.

 

Joseph was a carpenter. At least, that is what we have always thought. In Matt 13:55 the people say of Jesus, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” In our minds, we picture Joseph working with hammer and saw, chisel and rasp crafting fine furniture, creating useful household items or maybe building homes.

 

Perhaps Joseph had a different occupation. The Greek word tekton translated as carpenter simply means a person who works with his hands. This, of course, could be a carpenter, but it could also be a stone mason or even a day laborer in the field.

 

How does it change the Christmas story to think that Joseph might have worked at something other than carpentry? What ideas do you have about your Christmas celebration that God might want to change?

  

 

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 

What a dilemma Joseph faced. Here was Mary, his wife according to Jewish custom, pregnant with a child that was not his. He knew what the law required in such a case – death for Mary and the child she carried. But he loved her. Despite his heartache and bitter disappointment, he did not want Mary to die. So he came up with his own plan, his own solution.

What dilemma are you facing? What situation has you searching for a solution?

 

Have you decided what to do? What plan have you made?

 

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

God sent the angel to Joseph to give him new instructions and to encourage him to do what God said. Sometimes we think it would be easier to listen to God if an angel would appear and talk to us. But we have the Holy Spirit who promises to  give us wisdom.

Have you asked the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom about your dilemma? If not, take a moment to ask Him now.

 

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

 

God had another plan for Mary and Joseph – one that had been set in motion long before their betrothal…even before they were born…in fact, before the world was created.

God has a plan to solve your dilemma. It might be different from the one you have chosen. Like Joseph, you might need more information to understand God’s plan.

Are you willing to consider that God might have another plan? Ask Him to show you if there is something else that you need to know.

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

                                                            

Joseph changed his mind. He listened to what the angel had to say and took Mary as his wife, rather than divorcing her quietly.

 

Do you need to change your mind? Will you?

 

Because Joseph chose to change his mind, he saw Jesus. Will you?

 

Next time we will see what the shepherds had to choose….

 Christmas is a special time of year for me. There are many reasons for this that I won't take time to share here. A couple years ago, God began to speak to my heart about what I really wanted during the Christmas season. It finally came down to the question, "Do you want to see Jesus?" From that question, God led me to write a series of reflections. A year ago, I had the privilege to prepare an afternoon service based upon that question for the New Salem Church of the Brethren where I was serving on a preaching team. Now God has put the question on my heart again and so I would like to take a break from my postings about the Dominican Republic to share those reflections with you. While your experience will be different than if you had been there in person, I hope these reflections will help you to see Jesus during this Christmas season.

 

 

It’s Christmas time. Already the lights are up; the trees stand tall covered with tinsel and sparkling glass bulbs; the stores are playing Christmas carols and running specials. The air is crisp and cold as we hustle here and there collecting what we need for another Christmas celebration.

For Christians, the challenge is to see Jesus in the midst of all the other activities. But we aren’t the only ones. Years ago another group of people – a nation – wanted to see Jesus. Only they didn’t know him as Jesus. They were looking for Messiah – the Warrior/King who would set them free and establish a throne and kingdom. Although many prophecies spoke of the Suffering Servant and the Sacrificial Lamb, this is not the One they were expecting.

If they were to see Jesus for who He was, there were choices they needed to make. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wise men represent the choices the nation of Israel faced. We are faced with these same choices today if we want to see Jesus – whether at Christmas time or any time of the year.

 

 

         Mary...................... Chose to Obey

        Joseph..................... Chose to Change His Mind

        The Shepherds..... Chose to Overcome their Fear

        The Wise Men....... Chose to Believe the Promise

You are invited to spend time reflecting upon these choices and how they relate to your own life. Not all the reflections will apply to your life situation, but my prayer is that at least one will touch your heart and bring you closer to Jesus. Feel free to spend as much or as little time as you like with each one. We will begin with Mary:

 

Mary …….. Chose to Obey

Luke 1:26-38

 

Mary was a young woman of Galilee. She lived in a small family house of stone and mud-brick. She worked like any young girl, grinding wheat and barley into flour, preparing dishes of beans, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and occasional chunks of mutton. Wool had to be made into clothing. Bread had to be baked. A few chickens and a donkey had to be fed.

 

Almost daily she carried a large jar of water from the town well for washing and cooking. The well was a favorite spot where women talked and traded bits of everyday news. Here at the well Mary listened closely to stories about married life.

 

For Mary was betrothed to Joseph. The marriage contract had been signed. Excitedly she went about her daily chores while eagerly anticipating the day he would come to take her to his home. Plans for the celebration occupied her mind as her hands busily prepared what she needed to set up her own household. All the while her imagination soared…..

 

 What are you looking forward to this Christmas season? What plans are you making; what are you busily preparing?

 

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

 

Can you imagine Mary’s shock when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and spoke? What would you think if that happened to you?

 

³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

  

Perhaps you have heard a message just as troubling as Mary’s that has caused you to wonder what God means. Maybe it wasn’t an angel but a Bible verse or something in a sermon or perhaps the still small voice inside.

Perhaps He is telling you not to go into debt this Christmas. Perhaps He wants you to reach out to that impossible person at work or in your family. Perhaps it has nothing to do with Christmas at all. Whatever it is, what you have been asked to do seems impossible. Like Mary, you ask, “How will this be?” And like Gabriel, God has replied, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

 

What has God asked you to do?

 

What are your questions, your doubts, your fears?

 

 

The angel promised Mary that obedience would bring a great reward – a son who would do great things.

 

What reward might your obedience bring?

 

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

                                                                  

Surely Mary, as a good Jewish girl, knew what she would face if she became pregnant before Joseph took her as his wife – shame, rejection, perhaps even death. Yet Mary chose to obey, to trust that God would honor her obedience and work everything out.

 

What difficulties will you face if you choose to obey God?

 

Will you believe Him? Will you trust Him?

 

Because Mary chose to obey, she saw Jesus. Will you?

 

 

Next time we will see what Joseph had to choose.......