A Ridiculous Way To Start a Revolution

Each year at Christmas one of the grand traditions of the Church is to read the birth story of Jesus from Luke 2. I have read it so often (and heard Linus recite it so many times on A Charlie Brown Christmas) that I pretty much have it memorized. Some of it almost seems normal now, when in fact there is not a single normal thing about the story. And the part that always gets me is when the angels appear to the shepherds. The big announcement that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was coming to earth was delivered in a field outside of a no-name village to a bunch of stinkin' sheep-herders. Absolutely ridiculous.

I mean, if God really wanted to make a splash with this birth you would have thought the angels would have appeared to the Roman rulers or the Jewish high priests. God might have tried a huge fireworks display and sky-writing event over downtown Jerusalem. That would have gotten the word out big-time. That could have made the rich and the powerful head for the stable that night, bringing honor and glory to the newborn King. Heck, they probably could have even gotten Joseph and Mary a room! But shepherds? Scripture tells us that they were "abiding in the fields" when the Heavenly Host (Is it just me or does that sound like a jazz band to anyone else?  Gabriel on trumpet, of course...) showed up. Of course they were! You know why? Because they smelled so bad no one wanted to be anywhere near them. Shepherds weren't even allowed in the temple in those days, because they were too nasty to go through the ritualistic purification required to worship there. They spent all of their days and nights in the field with sheep because no one else would have them! But when it came time to announce to the world that God was sending the Son to save us, God turned to this smelly bunch of uneducated Hebrew rednecks. And they obeyed. They went to find the baby in a smelly barn, surrounded by smelly animals and laying in a disgusting manger- no doubt with animal slobber all over it (as a side note, I hope moms everywhere will note that Jesus and millions of other kids lived very healthy lives BEFORE the invention of the disinfectant wipe.  I'm just sayin...). And in the midst of all of this smelliness, hope was born. The world was saved, though no one knew it yet. When those stinkin' sheep-herders bowed to worship that baby, they represented us all. We are all totally unworthy of being in the presence of God, and yet because of the man that baby became we are all invited. How ridiculous!

The Jesus Revolution was going on right from the very beginning. God used a no-name girl from the least respected town of a pitiful little province to bring his only Son into our world. God had him born in the most humble of circumstances, and sent the angels to the least likely witnesses anyone could think of- shepherds. Before ever speaking a word, Jesus told the world that everything was about to change. Power, wealth and prestige were going to give way to the weak, the poor and the smelly. And yet so many of us have still not heeded that message. I encourage you today to be willing to get a little smelly for Jesus. Find ways to connect with those who are "abiding in the fields" and are being ignored by our society. They have much to teach us. For the Jesus Revolution to take hold in this world, we all need to be more like the shepherds. My friends, it is time to get out there and stink, because the Creator has shown over and over again that God uses the smelly to change the world. How totally ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as sacrificing your only Son to save a bunch of sinful humans...                                   Amen and Amen.

My Deliverer is Coming,

Advent: Child of Bethlehem

Today is the 4th Sunday in Advent, and today we light the candle of Peace. Pease is a very complicated word in our world. There is so much violence all around us, and most people talk about wanting peace and praying for peace- but very few us actually work towards it. We tend to confine the concept to a large scale, to things like wars and riots and shootings, and when we think that way peace often seems like a wishful dream. On the hilarious old SNL skit that advertises a collection of songs called A Dysfunctional Family Christmas, one of the song titles mentioned is "Peace on Earth? Where?"  I think many of us would ask that question. And yet, today, we remember that the coming of the Christ-child was all about bringing us peace. Has God failed us?

Let's look at what we know. Hundreds of years before that night in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah announced the coming Messiah would be called (among other things) The Prince of Peace. When the angels appeared to the smelly shepherds they said to them, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace and goodwill towards men." Jesus, in his most important sermon, said that those who work for peace would be blessed and called children of God. Peace is important to Jesus, and so many of us claim to be his followers. So where does it all go wrong?

I know you didn't ask, but here is my take on that question. When we think about peacemaking and praying for peace, we start in the wrong place. We pray for the big stuff, the major events, the real tragedies of violence- as we should. But that is NOT where peace begins. It begins in our hearts. God sent his Son on the first Christmas so they we could have peace in our relationship with God. With the coming of Jesus, a bridge was built and we were forgiven and forever connected to the Creator. The Christmas gift should bring peace to our souls. But it can't stop there. The earthly teachings of the Messiah focused completely on one word- LOVE. We are to love ourselves as God's creation; we are to love God with all of our strenght; and we are to love each other no matter what our differences and our circumstances. Peace is so often absent from our lives because we are just so bad at those three things. We dislike ourselves, which gives us bad attitudes and lots of feelings of hostility and jealousy. We are not fully devoted to following Jesus, so we miss out on his call to be radically different. And we seem to constantly be in search of new reasons not to love other individuals- or entire groups of people- in our daily lives. Peace begins with a relationship with The Prince of Peace and spreads through loving the way Jesus taught us to love. If we cannot forgive, overcome differences and face our fears in our families, our neighborhoods, our schools and our workplaces then we have no chance of being peacemakers on the world stage. None.

James Ward is a musician who (for too many reason to list here) also happens to have been a huge influence on my ministry. The first time I ever met James was 1982. He looked like James Taylor, but when he opened his mouth it was more like Stevie Wonder came flying out! That same year he released his album Faith Takes a Vision, and the first track was a song called Child of Bethlehem. I still break it out every Christmas. In it, James asks interesting questions. What is it we are allowing Jesus to be in our lives? Savior? Teacher? Prince of Peace? God sent his only son to die for us so that each of us would be transformed, and in turn would then be transformers of our world. For over 2000 years world peace has escaped us. But what about the peace in our hearts? My prayer today, with only 4 sleeps left before Christmas, is that we would commit anew to loving the way Jesus loved. That is the path to peace. Enjoy the song, and ponder the question- "Child of Bethlehem, will you be the Prince of Peace?"  Have a blessed Sunday.

My Deliverer is Coming,

Advent: Unspeakable Joy!

Today is the third Sunday in Advent, a time for many congregations around the world to light the candle of JOY. We talk a lot about joy in this season of the year. We sing Joy To the World. We talk about the joy of being with family and friends. We share in the joy of Christmas parties and special worship services. But let's be real for a minute. Sometimes the joy we speak of is hard to find during the holiday season. There is merriment, festivity, laughter, happiness and excitement- but often very little joy. My favorite definition of joy is "a contentment that satisfies the soul and clears the mind." In all of the stress of Christmas time that kind of joy is often in short supply. We worry. We want too much. We expect too much. We try to please too often. We search for happiness-  and we lose the joy.

When the angels appeared to the smelly shepherds in Luke 2, they made it clear that the arrival of the Christ-child was all about joy. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people!" The Wise Guys saw the star in the east and "rejoiced with exceeding great joy!" It seems that that they knew instantly that life had changed forever. Jesus would later explain what that kind of joy really meant in John 10:10- "I came that you might have life, and life abundant!" Joy is not about emotions or feelings- joy is a lifestyle! It is understanding that because love came down on that first Christmas, EVERYTHING changed. Our search for things that make our hearts tingle may never end, but our search for things that give us that contented soul could be at rest. Jesus is our joy.

A fairly obscure 1970s recording artist named Lobo wrote a very obscure song called Stoney- which of course is on my iPod. In the chorus it has this great line- "The joy that you can find in living everyday, Stoney how I love your simple way." To my mind, that is the abundant life Jesus talked about bringing us- living each day with joy and purpose. Life is seldom what we want it to be. Some days it just flat out sucks. But in every day- even the suckiest ones- we can find joy in loving our family and friends. We can find joy in serving those who need our help. We can understand that joy is often not in the destination, but in the journey. And we can discover the joy- the unspeakable joy- that comes from knowing that each of us is so loved by the Creator of the universe that God sent his Son to be our guide, our friend, and to forgive our sins before we had ever committed them.

Today is a great day to be alive. And tomorrow will be as well. Find the simple joy that Jesus brings in living everyday. If we understand that Christmas is all about a story that brought good news to ALL people,  then the Nativity will fill our hearts each day of the year. And that, my friends, is a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Have a blessed Sunday.

My Deliverer is Coming,

It's Christmas Time

"In the town of Bethlehem

See the stars shine

Fall down and worship Him

It's Christmas time..."

I love everything about Christmas. I love the religious celebrations of the birth of our Savior.  I love reading from Luke 2 (just like Linus!).  I love the decorations, the trees and Santa Claus. I love the movies and TV specials. And I love the music. I know that they start playing it way too early for most of us, but when it it time I am sooo ready for it! I love it.  And I love a wide variety of Christmas tunes. My play-list includes everything from traditional carols to rock anthems to singing vegetables. In fact, the first VeggieTales Christmas CD is a traditional favorite for us. And I love sharing some of my favorite Christmas music with you. 

Today's selection may be a little obscure, but it also is one of my very favorite contemporary Christmas songs. It comes from the 2002 album City On A Hill: It's Christmas Time.  This album featured various contemporary Christian artists including Third Day, Caedmon's Call, Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer. The title track, It's Christmas Time, was written by Terry Scott Taylor and Steve Hindalong. Taylor's roots in CCM go all the way back to the beginning at Calvary Church in southern California. He has been a prolific songwriter and member of the bands Daniel Amos and Lost Dogs.  His songwriting has been listed as an inspiration by artists as varied as U2 and Michael W. Smith. Hindalong received a Dove Award for his production work on the City On A Hill albums. He was in the classic CCM band The Choir, and with Taylor in Lost Dogs. He is perhaps most noted as a drummer and percussionist, having played on numerous albums for various artists over the years. This song (for me) sets the mood for the celebration, joy and reverence that the Christmas season should be all about. It is sung by an all-star choir, including Dan Haseltine (of Jars of Clay), Mac Powell (of Third Day), Michael Tait (of dc Talk and now Newsboys), Leigh Nash (of Sixpence), Caedmon's Call and Out of Eden. I trust the God will use it to move you as much as it moves me. The celebration of the birth of our LORD is coming quickly. Let's prepare ourselves now for the coming of the hope of the world. Enjoy the song!

My Deliverer is Coming,

All is Well

Today's Christmas song of the day is All Is Well, from Michael W. Smith's first yuletide album simply entitled Christmas. It has long been one of my favorite songs about the birth of Jesus, even though you will notice that MWS seems to be missing from the singers. This song is all about the message.

People have been using the phrase "all is well" to describe situations and conditions for hundreds of years. In colonial days the Town Crier used to announce "11 o'clock and all is well!" Of course he didn't really mean it; he simply wanted to assure the villagers they were not being attacked. There were still things that were not well. In the movie Animal House there is a scene where the town is involved in a riot, and a very young Kevin Bacon stands in the middle of the street yelling "All is well!!!" It wasn't. And how many times has a politician looked directly into a TV camera and announced that "all is well" when in fact things were falling apart? The phrase carries very little weight in our world, because all is such a big word and we know that something, somewhere is not well.

There have been numerous times in my life when I was convinced that "all" would never be "well" again. During my morning quiet time around one Christmas several years ago it occurred to me that I was focusing on the wrong "all." It was quite true that things happen in life and we are never the same again. It is also true that there are times when we hurt people and wonder if they can ever forgive us. But God already has. God sent his Son to earth through Mary, a very young woman who at times must have been certain all was NOT well- and yet it was. And as I thought about that story, this song came to mind. The birth of the Christ-child was God's announcement to everyone that "all is well." And when God says it, "all" really means ALL!  Life will never be perfect, but how can it be anything but "well" when you are secure in the knowledge that the God of the universe sent His Son to save you- and ME! And that is what the song is all about.

Life is still hard. Things go wrong. People disappoint us. But because of Jesus, there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do to make Him love you less. I don't know about you, but to me, that truly means all is well...

My Deliverer is Coming,

An Ornament Story: Big Balls

When I was growing up in Greensboro, NC as an only child our family Christmas tree was decorated primarily with garland, lights and round glass ornaments. At some point my Dad purchased a new set of ornaments that were larger than the ones we usually had on the tree. They quickly became known as the Big Balls (and this was years before the TV show Wipeout). I loved them. Dad loved them. Mom was never a fan. As the years passed, new ornaments were added. Glass balls were broken and replaced. But the Big Balls lived on. And every year the argument continued- were the Big Balls too tacky for our tree?

After moving to Florida in 1995 my folks downsized their tree and a number of the ornaments they had traditionally used were left in the box each Christmas. Marilyn, Will and I would always spend Thanksgiving at their home and help them decorate the tree, and then guys made sure that the Big Balls tradition continued- now with Marilyn also fighting them tooth and nail.  

In 2006 my Dad passed away, and for the next several years Mom didn't put up a tree because she was spending Christmas at our house. All of her ornaments sat unused. Then in 2011 she brought a box of classic ornaments to us, and much to my surprise a few of the Big Balls had survived. She and Marilyn refused to allow them on our tree, which is dominated by Hallmark ornaments and Disney collectibles. Will and I complained, but to no avail. And so the Big Balls waited.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving weekend, 2012. I am fresh off of toe surgery, sitting in my recliner and removing ornaments from boxes as Mom put hooks in them and Marilyn and Will place them on our tree. I come across the box containing the Big Balls, and Will decides to take charge. Before anyone can react, Will has placed them on the tree. It is a major victory for us...and for my Dad, who was no doubt smiling down on us. And after a bit of battling, they remained on the tree that entire season.  

But this story has an epilogue. On Christmas morning of that year I was given a new ornament for the Jones family tree. It's an ever BIGGER ball, which is pictured here hanging in a place of honor on the 2014 version of our tree. It joins the remaining vintage big balls as a great reminder that Christmas is full family traditions- and not all of them make sense to anyone else. In fact, those are often the very best ones!  

I hope that all of you cherish your traditions during this festive season and celebrate the birth of the Christ-child with warm memories and loving family. From the Jones family, we wish you an early Merry Christmas! And Big Balls...

Advent: Love Has Come

"Love has come

For the world to know,

As the wise men knew

Such a long time ago.

And I believe that angels sang

That hope had begun,

When the God of Glory,

Who is full of mercy,

Sent His Son."

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and if you attend a church that is using an Advent wreath then today they will light the candle of love. (I love my church, but they don't do a Advent wreath. In fact, they seldom mention Advent. Uh-oh- I feel a rant coming on! We attend a very "non-traditional church" and I love many of the things they do in worship. The music, the message, the dramas and the technology all help make it a large growing church that preaches the gospel and serves the community in the name of Jesus. But in their attempts to be "non-traditional" they often eliminate tradition completely. Not only just Advent, but this year I am still waiting to hear about Lent, and Pentecost as well. It wouldn't hurt to say the Lord's Prayer or the Apostle's Creed on occasion. Some old hymns were better in their original arrangements. And Moses H. Cone, could we just sing a normal Christmas carol at least once this year? Thus endeth the rant...and by the way I am to be at church today!) You have no doubt heard it said that love came down at Christmas time. The lyrics from the song Love Has Come at the top of this page, written by Amy Grant, tell a similar story. Scripture tells the story in a most familiar yet meaningful verse: "For God so loved the world that He sent his only Son..." Let there be no doubt- God's love has a name, and that name is Jesus.

So as you prepare your heart for the coming of the Christ-child this Christmas season, remember that love has come. Show grace and forgiveness to those around you. Find a way to show love to those who are hurting, under-resourced or different. And take time each day to thank God for the love He has shown you in sending Jesus to bridge the gap between our sinful nature and his perfect peace. Make this Christmas season one of true expectation, remembering that the coming of Christ changed the world. We are called by the Babe of Bethlehem to do the same in our world...

My Deliverer is Coming,

Advent: You Had To Be There!

In the late 1970's Jimmy Buffett was just another artist trying to make a living. This was before there were Parrotheads, before he became a best-selling author, restaurant owner or tequila guru. But even way back then, his concerts were not shows- they were events. The late Dan Fogelberg, a friend of Jimmy's, was once asked to describe what it was like to see him live. Fogelberg responded that no explanation could possibly do it justice. He couldn't describe it.  Dan said,  "You had to be there!" Jimmy liked that so much that it became the title of his 1978 live album, which was the first (of MANY) Buffett albums I have owned.

Over the years those words became a sort of personal mantra for my student ministries. We never wanted the teenagers who went on trips or attended events at the churches to feel like we were just going through the motions. We wanted them to feel like they were a part of something unique, something special, something that had not happened before and might not happen again. I wanted them to walk into school on Monday morning and talk about how amazing youth group had been the night before. And when their friends asked for explanations, I wanted them to feel like words were not adequate. All that could be said was, "You had to be there!" Right or wrong, it always felt that any method of reaching students that was predictable or too tame was destined to fail. Jesus himself was always unpredictable and always pushing the envelope of what was acceptable. As the Jesus Revolution gained momentum throughout the region in those three years Jesus spent preaching and teaching, you just know that as the word spread from town to town about this amazing Rabbi people were at a loss for words. How could they describe what they were seeing? I suspect that more than one person fell back on these words- "You had to be there!"

Today is the first day of Advent, a day when many churches will light a candle of hope. It is a time when our churches need to help our communities experience that hope through the awe and wonder of the coming of the Christ child. We need to help our world see that Jesus was not just a baby, but the most powerful agent of change ever to come into this world. He came to bring hope to the hopeless and rest to the weary. The power, love and grace of the Messiah cannot be contained in a manger. The story of the first Noel should inspire awe and wonder. Because I guarantee you that a few days later, as the town of Bethlehem was still buzzing and attempting to figure out what had happened, someone asked one of the smelly shepherds who witnessed the whole event to explain. And it seems likely that the shepherd thought a moment, smiled, and then said to anyone who cared to listen- "There is no explanation. You just had to be there!" This Advent season may we remember the miracles and the blessings of that first holy night, and the hope that Jesus brought into each of our lives. Amen & Amen.

My Deliverer is Coming...

God Noticed

In the first chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, there is a tiny little verse hidden away. Actually it's not even a whole verse, it's a phrase. As we arrive at this final Sunday of Advent, I would suggest that it is a phrase around which the whole Christmas season should revolve, and to which we should pay great attention. Stay with me for a few moments and see if you feel the same way...

The phrase is found in what is known as the Magnificat, Mary's response to her cousin Elizabeth's confirmation that Mary was pregnant with a holy child. In Luke 1:48 the good doctor records the words, "for God took notice of His lowly servant girl..." And isn't that what Christmas is all about? Remembering that God took notice of us and sent His Son Jesus to save us all from ourselves is at the heart of the holiday. And God did this not because we earned it, not because we had somehow been cheated of the opportunity before, and not because we are important. God took notice of us and showed us His love because He loves us! John 3:16 does not say "for God so loved the good people, the important people or the rich people that He sent his Son." It says that God so loved the world- and that is why Christmas happened. We needed to be noticed, and God reached out in love.

We need to do the same. The Jesus Revolution calls on us to reach out in love to those around us, but it also calls on us to do more. Who is it you need to notice this Christmas season? Who in your life needs to know that they are loved, not because they have earned it but simply because you want to share God's love with them? There have been few people in history less significant than the young girl from Nazareth we know as Mary, but even fewer have played a larger role in God's plan. God notices the insignificant, which is great news for you and for me. The true meaning of Christmas is that the love of God whose name is Jesus came down so the world would understand that God is indeed love. So take notice of those around you. This Christmas season, give them the same gift God gave us all on that first Noel. Give them Jesus.

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

The Deliverer Is Coming

Mark 8:1-8

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,  as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

   “I will send my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way”—
 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
   make straight paths for him.’”

 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John the Baptist knew the deal from the very beginning. He would preach repentance and salvation. He would have many followers. But he was just a messenger.  He was NOT the man. He knew, and lived so that others might know, that the Deliverer (Jesus the Christ)  was on the way. Today it is my prayer that I will live in such a way that others will understand that the Messiah came to deliver us from sin and death. The Messiah came to bring peace to our hearts and to our world. This is our season of anticipation. Our Deliverer is coming! It is up to each us to prepare the way of the LORD this Christmas season. The celebration of the coming of the Babe of Bethlehem is only 9 days away. Let's get busy, so that the world may know!

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

A Smelly Way To Save the World

It's the third Sunday in Advent, and I have come to a realization. I am obsessed with shepherds...

Each year at Christmas one of the grand traditions of the Church is to read the birth story of Jesus from Luke 2. I have read it so often (and heard Linus recite it so many times on A Charlie Brown Christmas) that I pretty much have it memorized. Some of it almost seems normal now, when in fact there is not a single normal thing about the story. And the part that always gets me is when the angels appear to the shepherds. The big announcement that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was coming to earth was delivered in a field outside of a no-name village to a bunch of stinkin' sheep-herders. Absolutely ridiculous.

I mean, if God really wanted to make a splash with this birth you would have thought the angels would have appeared to the Roman rulers or the Jewish high priests. He might have tried a huge fireworks display and sky-writing event over downtown Jerusalem. That would have gotten the word out big-time. That could have made the rich and the powerful head for the stable that night, bringing honor and glory to the newborn King. Heck, they probably could have even gotten Joseph and Mary a room! But shepherds? Scripture tells us that they were "abiding in the fields" when the Heavenly Host (Is it just me or does that sound like a jazz band to anyone else?  Gabriel on trumpet, of course...) showed up. Of course they were! You know why? Because they smelled so bad no one wanted to be anywhere near them. Shepherds weren't even allowed in the temple in those days, because they were too nasty to go through the ritualistic purification required to worship there. They spent all of their days and nights in the field with sheep because no one else would have them! But when it came time to announce to the world that He was sending His only Son to save us, God turned to this smelly bunch of uneducated Hebrew rednecks. And they obeyed. They went to find the baby in a smelly barn, surrounded by smelly animals and laying in a disgusting manger- no doubt with animal slobber all over it (as a side note, I hope moms everywhere will note that Jesus and millions of other kids lived very healthy lives BEFORE the invention of the disinfectant wipe.  I'm just sayin...). And in the midst of all of this smelliness, hope was born. The world was saved, though no one knew it yet. When those stinkin' sheep-herders bowed to worship that baby, they represented us all. We are all totally unworthy of being in the presence of God, and yet because of the man that baby became we are all invited. How ridiculous!

The Jesus Revolution was going on right from the very beginning. God used a no-name girl from the least respected town of a pitiful little province to bring His Son into our world. He had him born in the most humble of circumstances, and sent His angels to the least likely witnesses anyone could think of. Before ever speaking a word, Jesus told the world that everything was about to change. Power, wealth and prestige were going to give way to the weak, the poor and the smelly. And yet so many of us have still not heeded that message. I encourage you today to be willing to get a little smelly for Jesus. Find ways to connect with those who are "abiding in the fields" and are being ignored by our society. They have much to teach us. For the Jesus Revolution to take hold in this world, we all need to be more like the shepherds. My friends, it is time to get out there and stink, because God has shown over and over again He will use the smelly to change the world. How totally ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as sacrificing your only Son to save a bunch of sinful humans...   Amen and Amen.

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

How To Keep Christ in Christmas (it's not what you think!)

 My dear Quaker friend Edith Shepherd posted this quote on Facebook Wednesday. With all of the talk about a "war on Christmas" and keeping Jesus the "reason for the season" I could think of nothing that felt more appropriate to share today. While we complain about Santa taking over and too many people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, the world wonders what all the fuss is about. People are starving for love, and we are supposed to be the ones who show them that love. His name is Jesus! If we want Christmas to be about Jesus, then we need to be about doing the WORK of Jesus. Hear these words...then DO them!!!

“Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.” 
― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

Because of Jesus,

Christmas Memories of Springfield Friends Meeting

The average church-goer has no idea the madhouse a church becomes during the Christmas season- especially for church staff. You think Black Friday is crazy for retailers? That's a one day sprint. Working at a church in December is a marathon. It's nuts. It's ridiculous. And it's the most wonderful time of the year! Every church I ever served had wonderful traditions for the Advent and Christmas seasons, even if some them did wear me out. But I love the memories that were made over the years. And some of the very best times were at Springfield Friends Meeting (1986-1994).  

Quakers don't actually do Advent in the traditional sense, but the preparations were much the same. I have never seen a worship room that looked better when decorated for the Christmas season than the one at Springfield. It was simply gorgeous every year.  In those days the first weekend of December was set aside for Friend Day, a major outreach event for the church. It required a fair amount of planning, and it was tempting to breathe a sigh of relief when it was done. But in fact, the runaway snowball that was Christmas at SFM was just beginning. Over the following weeks every adult Sunday class would have a dinner party. Every women's "Circle" would have a party- including the epic Cookie Exchange that had my wife and her friends each baking 12 dozen cookies to share in what now seems like a completely insane event! People we never saw any other time would throw parties. And the Pastors (myself and Max Rees) and our wives were not merely invited. We were EXPECTED to be at every party. It was quite a marathon, but it was a labor of love.

And this was just one couch full of youth...

The party season usually ended for us when we would host the youth ministry Christmas party at our home. Our home was beyond tiny, yet we would cram nearly 50 people in for an evening no one ever wanted to miss. In the later years, after the first party would end a second party would break out for the youth group "alumni"- those who had graduated and were home for the holidays from college or wherever. It was always one of my favorite nights of the year.

And then the season's grand finale came with the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Springfield was not a large church, so there was one service at 7 PM. I would put luminaries around the sidewalks and the parking lot. There would be amazing special music. a homily from Max, and then the candle lighting. The entire gathered group would circle the meeting room, united as the family of God in celebration of the birth of the Christ-child. It was always the perfect finish to a wonderful month. No matter where I am on Christmas Eve, I am still aware of my Springfield family and the worship taking place in High Point, NC. 

There are many who lament the busyness of churches this time of year, concerned that the institution just adds to the hustle and bustle of the season and draws attention away from the true meaning of Christmas. And they are at least partly right. But all of the parties and gatherings also help solidify relationships and build connections among church members and the staff that serves them. I may have occasionally complained back in the day about attending a Christmas party thrown by 70 year old women, but I would not trade anything for the great times we shared. The first Christmas was loaded with hustle and bustle too- that's how Mary and Joseph ended up in a barn. It's just part of the deal. And I PROMISE you this - the connections built in my years at Springfield are still so strong almost 20 years after I left that if I could hop in my car and be there for Christmas Eve, I would. In a heartbeat. Just to be part of the circle of candlelight and to be able to say "Merry Christmas" to some of the best people I know. So I'll say it here instead- Merry Christmas, Springfield family! I love you guys.

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

Peace on Earth

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and I want to talk about the candle of Peace. The prophet Isaiah, when listing the names of the coming Messiah, said that He would be called the "Prince of Peace." And in fact, Jesus does bring a spirit of peace and love to the hearts and souls of many people each day. But when it comes to peace in our world, those same followers of Jesus have often done precious little to help the cause. The Christian church has often been at the forefront of causing divisions in our world rather than helping to heal them. We are so quick to point out our "superiority" and the faults, flaws and differences in others that we fail to grasp the fact that the love of God is meant to bind us together, not separate us.

Over the past 30 years or so, the evangelical church has often supported political positions that make us seem like war-mongers. We worry about being safe from communists, terrorists and others who wish USAmerica ill, so we build vast armies and greater weapons.  We live in a world where some defense is needed, I suppose. But we too frequently use violence as a first choice instead of the final option. This shows an incredible lack of faith in God. The great Tom Leher once wrote about Israel, "The Lord's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case- we're gonna' build a bomb!" Our strength should be found in our faith, not in our weapons. We ignore Jesus' teachings about being peacemakers because they do not fit in with our fears. On the world stage the followers of Jesus have too often failed to honor the Prince of Peace with our actions.

Why is this? I believe it is because we fail to be peacemakers as individuals. I grew up knowing too many "church" people who talked of peace- and were willing to fight with anyone who disagreed with them! We cannot bring peace to the world if we can't bring it to our homes and relationships. I cannot have anger and hatred towards my next door neighbor and expect to bring the love of Christ to the larger stage. I cannot reach out to a hurting world if I don't make peace with my own family. When I was in the 8th grade, the school chorus I was in sang a song at our Christmas program called Let There Be Peace On Earth. The message was simple- if there is to be peace on our planet, it must begin with each of us. One relationship at a time. I have heard the song hundreds of times since, and it never fails to move me. The angels left the shepherds with a promise of "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" on that most holy night we celebrate at Christmas time. If peace is to begin with you, then who is it you must make peace with? Who must you forgive? Who must you ask for forgiveness? Who must you compromise with in the name of love? Read the lyrics to Let There Be Peace On Earth (or click that link to hear it on YouTube) and decide- in a country where we spend endless hours discussing our differences, what will YOU do to bring us together? It's Christmas. Light the candle of peace in your soul- choose to make a difference. Choose peace. 

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father

We are family.

Let us walk with each other

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment

And live each moment

With peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Jesus, the only hope for me is you...and you alone!

"He didn't look like a Messiah..."

Curt Cloninger

In my old friend Curt Cloninger's wonderful one man show Witnesses, the first character we meet is the famous/infamous innkeeper of Bethlehem. Curt portrays him some years after the blessed event, explaining how Mary wound up having the baby out back of the inn. He jokes about not knowing that she would "bingo with the baby that night," or he would have given her a room. He speaks of missing marketing opportunities, because had Jesus been born in his inn he could have posted "the Messiah slept here" signs all over the place. But mostly he defends himself. And his primary defense is this: "He didn't look like a Messiah- he looked like a baby!" Had he known who Jesus was, he implies, he would have found a room for Joseph and Mary. Instead, as we know, the Prince of Peace was born in a barn because there was no room in the inn.

Today, as we continue in the season of Advent, I ask this question: Has anything really changed? We still, far too often, claim not to recognize Jesus. We warp his teachings. We don't love like he taught us to love. We hurt people in his name. And at Christmas we are quick to embrace the baby in the manger, but slow to recognize the things he would come to stand for as a man. Peace. Love for everyone. Forgiveness for all. How often, when we come face to face with Jesus in our own lives do we send him out to the barn, declaring that we have no room for his radical teachings and demands on our lifestyles? Just like Ricky Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights, we are much more comfortable with the non-threatening, cute little baby than we are with the One who came to save the world.

My prayer today is that I will remember that while Jesus may have come to us as a baby, he was always the Messiah. Help me be like the shepherds who recognized him that first Christmas and told the world what they had seen. Help me to "go tell it on the mountain" that the Messiah has come and the world will never be the same. He did look like a baby- but that baby would grow up to change the world. That cute little manger that served as a cradle pointed directly to an ugly wooden cross where he would save us all. May we always have room for him in our hearts.

Jesus, the only hope for me is you...and YOU alone!

Exceeding Great JOY!

Luke 2 8-18 (The Message): There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."  At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: "Glory to God in the heavenly heights,  Peace to all men and women on earth who please him."

On an episode of the TV show Rules of Engagement a few years ago one of the main female characters was beginning a new job. As she visited with friends over breakfast, one of the male leads, commenting on her low cut dress, wondered aloud if her new job was in "the world's oldest profession." Another male friend, Adam (who is a little slow on the uptake), chuckled under his breath. He then said, "HA!  He just called you a shepherd..."

Shepherds have long been laughed at. It has always amazed me that God chose to make His big birth announcement to shepherds.  Uneducated, smelly and all alone out in the fields, loved only by the sheep they looked out for, shepherds were pretty much at the bottom of the social barrel. It certainly seems an odd choice, and their initial reaction- "they were terrified"- must have had them looking for places to hide. But it was to them that the angel appeared and explained where to find the Christ-child. It was to them that the angel choir sang the magnificent words "Glory to God in the highest!" And it was them who ventured into Bethlehem to worship the newborn King and spread the word of His birth.

But of course God knew exactly what he was doing and chose exactly the right people. He chose people who were faithful. They listened to the angels and responded. They understood the exceeding great joy this announcement would bring to the people. And perhaps most importantly, they were common, unimportant and needy. They represented the very people to whom God was sending the gift of his Son. Jesus did not come just for the rich and the powerful- He was a gift to us all. The fact that God chose shepherds as his target audience for the only "flashy" part of that holy night speaks volumes. They were the very kind of common folk with whom Jesus would spend most of his life.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. During the next 4 weeks we will light candles representing peace, hope, love and joy. Once they got past being terrified, the shepherds certainly felt great joy. And today, those who understand the gift we were given that night so many years ago know that joy as well. We live in what is so often a joyless world. To know Jesus is to understand that we can find joy even when we don't know happiness. To follow Jesus is to understand that there is joy in the journey. As you go through this season of Advent, remember that the message of the angel's visit to the shepherds is that no matter how unimportant, powerless or smelly you feel, Jesus came for you.  Despite my sin and failures, Jesus was born so I could know God's love.  Talk about exceeding great joy...

Jesus- the only hope for me is you...and You alone!

Christian Chicken Gone Wrong

We have only reached the weekend before the weekend before Thanksgiving, but already Christmas is everywhere. The music is everywhere. The commercials are everywhere. The sales are already underway. And the decorations are starting to dot the landscape of our cities. Surely in this time of commercialization that kicks off the Christmas season far too soon there must be some last bastion of hope.  In the midst of all the Black Friday muggings still to come at your local Wal-Mart, all the Miley Cyrus holiday specials and all of the neighbors trying to make their house look like the home of Clark W. Griswold, there has to be one place we can count on to #SaveThanksgiving and help us keep the Christ in Christmas.  One place that will take a bold stand for being grateful in November and celebrating Jesus in December. One stalwart institution that will say NO to commercialization and YES to praising God. The home of all things pure and good.  The home of conservative family values.  The home of Christian Chicken.  Chick-fil-A!

But wait...last night our local Chick-fil-A on Waters Ave. here in Tampa (NOT the one where Will works!) did something awful.  The home of Christian Chicken succumbed to the evils of a VERY EARLY secular Christmas.  There were lights everywhere.  Some of them depicted (GASP!) Santa Claus.  You can see it in the picture above- Santa, a Christmas tree and the holy Chick-fil-A sign.  All of these pictures were taken in a previous year on the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving.   Seeing that they were starting last night startled me. I was so confused.  If Chick-fil-A has gone over to the dark side of the holiday season, what chance do the rest of us have?  What chance do we have to #SaveThanksgiving and honor the true meaning of Christmas?

I hope by now you have felt the sarcasm in my writing today. If the heart of Thanksgiving is praising God for the many blessings we have in our lives and the love we feel in our hearts, then there is nothing some Christmas decorations and barking dogs doing Jingle Bells can do to stop it!  The campaign to #SaveThanksgiving is not about fending off the early onslaught of the Christmas season- that ship has sailed. It is about reminding ourselves that this is a season of praise and gratitude- and it leads to the season of celebrating the thing we should be most thankful for in life- the gift of the love of God whose name is Jesus!!! The lights at Chick-fil-A, whether they be lit last night or on Halloween, can do nothing to change the way we keep Thanksgiving in our hearts. It is also my firm belief that we can enjoy the trappings of the Christmas season without forgetting Jesus.  In fact, if we are that easily distracted, we need to re-think our commitment to the Child of Bethlehem. There is a battle to be fought about remembering the "reason for season."  It's just that the battle is not with stores, restaurants or Santa.  Our struggle is not with those who choose to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." The fight is not about arguing with the world over "saving Thanksgiving" or keeping the "Christ in Christmas."  The battle is in our own hearts.  Do we live like are we thankful for all God has given us? Do we live like we know Jesus? If we do those things, then the "battle" can be trusted to God. And I like His chances of winning...

So enjoy the turturkeykey (a small turkey stuffed inside a larger turkey...it's going to be a thing!) and the football. Enjoy the lights. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the shopping. But sing your PRAISE to the LORD and WORSHIP Jesus!!! It truly can and should be the most wonderful time of the year.  Even at Chick-fil-A...    

Because of Jesus,