Longing for Joy

Christmas is a season of joy, but today we look at joy in the life of a Christian. Maybe you can relate to those things that steal joy from us. We’ll be looking at some of those today. Listen to “Longing for Joy” now…

Longing for Hope

In our study of Longing for a Savior, we will look at Mary’s life and the hope of her life. In the midst of her circumstances, the hope of God was embedded in her heart and soul. We pray that the hope of God will embed itself in your hearts and lives, too. Listen to “Longing for Hope” now…

Longing for Peace

As the Gospel of Luke begins, God had been “silent” with Israel for 400 years. In this sermon, Pastor Lane shows us how Israel continued to be faithful to what they knew about their faith and their God during this time. Turn it around to today: What do you do when God’s voice is “silent” in your life? Do you stay true to what you know about him? Listen to “Longing for Peace” now…

An Unassumed Entrance

Christmas is a special time. The celebration captures the hearts and minds of more people than any other time of the year. The message has such broad, sweeping appeal that it transcends mere hope of the moment and speaks to the hopes and dreams of all people of all times. At the center of the celebration and message is the greatest gift; God become man in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

When a gift of great worth is given, its wrap and presentation typically resembles that same value. This was not so with the birth of Christ. In every way, the event of his birth was the antithesis to his worth, value, power, and importance for all humanity. But that is exactly as God the Father planned in revealing himself through his entrance into humanity, unassuming in every way.

Unassumed Entrance
The way God revealed himself was simply unacceptable to some. Those who claimed to anticipate the coming of the promised Messiah were not looking in this direction for the entry of their king. The way Jesus was born was unexpected by most. The vast majority of people were much too consumed with life to care or even notice this obscure birth. Jesus’ birth is unthinkable by modern-day standards for royal or high-ranking officials. It has been said that for the President of the United States to leave the property of the White House requires over 800 people to plan, organize, and orchestrate. Jesus didn’t even get a small-town radio personality to blare his name over a poor sound system to a stadium of locals.

Jesus’ birth was unassuming in every detail. Mary and Joseph were poor. She a peasant virgin and he a manual laborer who held a socio-economic status far below most accepted norms of society in that day, much less by today’s standards. The details that surrounded the birth are unimpressive to say the least. Royalty was not the standard for planning this birth. It didn’t even beckon upon the basic necessities for human rights, being relegated rather to a cave reserved for livestock. This is surely not befitting the hopes and dreams of an expectant mom for where she will first cradle and nurse her newborn baby. The only people that the birth site was fitting for were some of the first guests, shepherds fresh from the fields. At least the smell of livestock was maybe not as offensive to them. Finally, this babe would be from an unknown village that would continue this unassuming theme throughout his life until the time of his earthly ministry. Nazareth was most noted for its lack of couth, culture, and moral character. Unmentioned in the Old Testament, it would become known only by its attachment to Jesus.

Proclamation of Good News
Unassumed entrance stands as an understatement for how God chose to reveal himself to the world. Most would agree that this is an accurate description of his status once upon the earth in human form. But that Jesus was born into poverty is really only significant by earthly standards. The greatest humility displayed in Jesus’ birth is that God became man. No amount of royal planning could have adequately prepared to rightly celebrate the entrance of God. God become man is the inconceivable yet fully-revealed truth proclaimed in Jesus Christ.

This good news is the irony of ironies. God, who is infinite in glory, power, and wisdom, who has no nature of need for humility but is fully worthy in every way, willingly and freely humbled himself to become the Savior for a sinner like me. And I, who by nature and being, am finite in every measure of life, even in the reality of my own understanding though maybe concealed by my outward appearance or persona, struggle to cease trusting in self and release control over life to receive what God has already done for me. The obvious question would seem to be, “Can I do enough to please God so he will accept me?” The real question is, “Can I release the pre-conceived visions of grandeur and glory for my life and the pretenses of sin that blind and deceive me to trust and receive the good news of this God-Man?” Every part of my nature fights against the goodness of every part of God’s gift and plan for me. But though my nature opposes God’s goodness, my heart and soul desperately long for the hope, peace, and joy that he proclaims.

God’s promise in Jesus Christ is the salvation for my soul! In Christ, God proclaims good news to the poor, liberty to the captives and the oppressed, sight to the blind, and the favor of the Lord. He has met every need for both now and all eternity in Jesus Christ. He ransoms from eternal damnation and rescues from hell. He renews my spirit to know and love him. He reconciles to my Father and redeems my life. The good news of Christmas is that God has made complete provision for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Invitation to Eternal Life
Many great gifts have been passed over because the wrapped presentation did not seem to reflect a gift of great value. Life teaches, even in small ways, that the gift cannot be measured by the wrapping or the presentation. But God’s gift is not like the world’s at all. The power of God’s gift is in its presentation as well. When God humbled himself, he modeled the means by which we must come to him, not in measuring up, but rather in bowing down. There is no one who is exempt from this invitation, except those who continue to perceive themselves to be above or beyond need for God. His invitation unto eternal life remains for now but will not remain forever. When the invitation is heard is the time it is to be received. Today, as you hear his invitation, do not harden your heart. Bow before him, repent of your sin, and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. Receive the gift of eternal life in the way God has revealed it, in humility. Experience the full power of the gift as only God can give it, for all eternity beginning today. May Jesus consume your life and may his birth be the good news of new birth in your life. I pray this Christmas season will reveal God’s gift of greatest worth for your life. I pray you will receive and worship Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

The Humility of the Gospel in Christmas, Part III

The power of the nativity is the power of the gospel. It fully represents not just the coming of Christ but the full picture of the good news that is Christ. Today we’ll consider three observations in the nativity story. Listen to The Humility of the Gospel in Christ, Part III now…

The Humility of the Gospel in Christmas, Part II

Humility is the first lesson of the gospel, and in the life of Joseph we see why God chose him to Christ’s earthly father. As we study Joseph and his humility, there are four questions to help us live gospel humility. Listen now…

The Humility of the Gospel in Christmas, Part I

In these weeks leading up to Christmas, yes, we’ll look at the characters of the nativity, but we’ll largely focus on expanding our perspective and studying what God was doing by bringing his son to earth so he may save his people from their sins. Listen now…

Families and Seniors Still in Need of “Adoption” This Christmas

Least of These has received applications from 400 families and seniors who need assistance this Christmas, and we still have over 150 that need to be adopted by families or small groups throughout the community. Each family or senior has provided a “wish list” for Christmas, which can be faxed or mailed to small group coordinators. Gifts and/or donations can be given directly to our families and seniors or may be dropped off at Least of These no later than December 15.

We’re also accepting donations for the Christmas season. We most need gift cards to Walmart, winter coats for children, and gift cards to Battlefield Mall.

If you can help, please call Least of These at 724-2500.

How to Avoid Being a Grinch

by Heather Myer

Plastic pine trees hit Sears early in August. Borders promoted the new Josh Groban holiday CD in September. Wal-Mart sold ornaments and holiday lights in October. Halloween had not fully been displayed before tree toppers made their grand appearance. Can Christmas really be considered seasonal when merchandising is promoted for 1/3 of the year? Does the hustle and bustle preceding December take away from the special feelings and fond memories tied to the 25th? The early sales of wreaths and jingle bells have made Scrooges out of many of us.

End of the year shopping can be a rather unpleasant experience. Cart fights, deep sighs, and angry glares are often arise from weary shoppers even before they enter Price-Cutter. Virtues such as patience and kindness are forgotten after lengthy quests for a parking spot at the Battlefield Mall. Does avoiding tackling wish lists until the day after Thanksgiving increase your enjoyment of Target? Do long lines while listening to endless renditions of Hanson, Chipmunks, and Mariah Carey singing carols sprinkle extra magic on sprees at Toys-R-Us?

Allow yourself to slow down and rest for a moment. Consider all that you are busily preparing. Santa is irrelevant. Iridescent plastic trees that change colors are needless. For now, stockings, bows, bells, mistletoe, and holly can remain unhung. Cider, cocoa, and eggnog are best unsipped. Leave the feasts unplanned. Let the toys and clothing remain unwrapped. For this moment, do not be concerned over things, sights, sounds, smells, or tastes. These are meaningless. Sweep all of these distractions under the tree skirt. They are unimportant. Instead, focus your mind on the birth of Christ. Christmas is in remembrance of our Lord, our Promise, our Redeemer, our King. Allow your heart to be renewed and your spirit refreshed in the freedom that we have as believers. We have the promise of eternal life through our Savior. It is in remembrance of his birth that we are preparing to rejoice with family and dear friends. In celebration of God’s greatest gift, perhaps we can be a bit kinder to strangers and show love for one another. Park at the back of the lot to allow the elderly a more convenient parking spot. Make eye contact with the Salvation Army bell ringer. Smile at a stranger and let them pass you in the aisle. Allow an anxious businessman to go before you in the checkout line. Hold a door open for a mother struggling with a cart full of children and bags. While decorations and holiday cards can wait, good will to others is something that should not be confined to the 31 days of December.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace, good will toward men!” —Luke 2:13–14