Suddenly Christmas

My daughter Emily and I were in the car the other day listening to Christmas music on 101.1 FM when, what to my wondering ears should appear, but John Denver singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Of course, it didn’t take long until they played Bing Crosby’s, "White Christmas" (and yes, it seems it is only a dream). And then there was Burl Ives, Amy Grant, Natalie Cole, Elvis Presley--which pop singers haven’t done a Christmas album?

So there’s the music of the season. Plus the lights, cookies, parties, decorating, shopping, Christmas cards, seasonal movies and TV pro­grams (my favorite is "A Charlie Brown Christmas"): this must be the most tradition-laden event in the year (at least, it is for our family).

A risk in reenacting such cherished traditions is that we’d lose sight of the big picture; God’s designs for the first Christmas can get buried under piles of wrapping paper as we open gifts around the tree. To push back the steamroller of pleasant customs and recover the God-exalting core of Christmas, we need to pay attention to the details of Scripture.

Let’s take the shepherds, for example (Luke 2:8-20). In fact, the story of shepherds "abiding in the fields" can itself degenerate into a holiday ritual of soothing words and nothing more. But if we prayerfully re-read this account with our eyes and minds wide open, we’ll see some striking details. Like "suddenly" in 2:13: "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'" It isn’t enough to know that first one angel spoke and then many others appeared as well. We must realize that the appearance of the "host" was sudden and unexpected--they burst onto the scene.

What does this imply? That there was energy and zeal and anticipation in heaven to announce the breathtaking Incarnation. God’s great plan had been riveted on this event since eternity past, and now its time had come! So picture the array of angelic singers (and the text suggests a massive company--at least thousands...) all lined up and ready to go; imagine them, as it were, right behind the curtain, all set, on pitch, wait­ing for the cue to explode into visibility. Waiting, still waiting, no not yet, not now, wait, wait, any second, hang on: NOW! Glory to God in the highest!

May your Christmas also bring sudden bursts of praise to Jesus Christ, the Newborn King!

On Temptation

Several things struck me in a recent study of 1 Corinthians 10:1-14. I’ll highlight two of them here.

For one, the sins Paul lists (idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, and grumbling) don’t seem to fit in the same category. Grumbling in particular looks out of place next to an “enormous” offense like idolatry. But perhaps seeing things this way reveals how I (we?) have adopted the world’s and not the Bible’s values. Grumbling, at root, is a way of heaping scorn on the power, wisdom, and love of God—it’s a gesture of “unfaith” and rebellion. Speaking words of defiance against the God who made us and reigns over all things is spiritual high treason. So if you’re in the habit of finding fault, don’t say “That’s just the way I am.” Call on the Lord to forgive you and change your heart!

Secondly, let me offer some steps to take to resist sexual temptation:

· First, agree with the Bible that sexual sin is wrong. This is a big step in a culture that has turned sexual stimulation into a form of casual recreation.

· Admit that you are tempted (pretending to be unaffected, to be “above” such things, only makes matters worse; it cuts you off from those who can encourage you when temptation hits).

· Have a few close Christian friends who will meddle in your personal life and ask you if you’re honoring God with your eyes and your sexuality (and do the same for them).

· Stay away from known danger. Be honest with yourself—you know the places and situations where temptations are especially strong. Run from these hazards (10:14).

· Be especially stringent with yourself when you’re alone. Don’t fall for the lie that “no one is watching.” The Lord sees!

"One Another"

Having close spiritual friendships isn’t just a nice idea: it’s essential for followers of Jesus. We need to give and receive God-focused, faith-building encouragement to avoid being hardened by sin’s deceitfulness and to persevere with Christ to the end (Heb 3:12-14). That's a serious need--not like "I need a new tie," but like "I need food and water." Are you in a small fellowship of faithful Christian friends who love and challenge each other on a deep level, so that you can survive and thrive in your faith?

The Bible calls us to a deep, mature body life in which we bless “one another” in many ways:

Greet one another (Romans 16:16)
Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
Be subject to one another (Ephesians 5:21)
Bear with one another (Ephesians 4:2)
Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13)
Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)
Pray for one another (James 5:16)
Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Confront one another (Colossians 3:16)
Stir one another up (Hebrews 10:24)
Be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Honor one another (Romans 12:10)
Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Love one another (Romans 13:8)

Remember, “one another” means reciprocal care—giving and receiving support. And for that believers need small groups!

Summertime Christianity

During summer, a number of temptations come at followers of Christ with added force. I’ll name three.

For one, there’s the unspoken appeal to lower your priority on the body life of the church and mutual encouragement due to summer’s special attractions: away at the shore / the lake / the cabin / the farm, on vacation, gone camping, off to see relatives, etc. Now, of course, it’s good to get a break—we all need it. And it’s good to reconnect with loved ones who live far away. But a reasonable summer break can quickly slide into a vanishing act in which your brothers and sisters in your church family hardly get a glimpse of you. Don’t snub the body of Christ to keep pace with the summer rat-race!

Another trap along the trail has to do with summer apparel. Are you prepared to glorify the Lord by dressing with modesty and discretion? Modesty may not be exactly in fashion, but there are more important things than dressing in the latest skimpy style. Godly people find it a great relief when those around them don’t make their bodies “exhibit A.” Think about how you can encourage others by how you dress. Think about how you can help fellow believers who are struggling to be faithful to Christ with their eyes.

A third pot-hole along the summer road is the disarray that can overrun your devotional life. A fruit of more predictable scheduling in other seasons of the year is the regularity we can find for the spiritual disciplines (e.g., Bible reading, prayer, fasting, meditation)—we’re creatures of habit, and that has its advantages. So, be deliberate, build protected “space” into your summer schedule so that your spiritual life can flourish!

Love of Money

Nigerian pastor Michael Okonkwo says God provides for his children to be wealthy here on earth: “When I say wealthy, I mean very, very rich…. Break loose! It is not a sin to desire to be wealthy” (Christianity Today, July 2007, p. 23). Of course, there’s no shortage of prosperity preachers in the USA who say the same thing.

When people are telling Christians that longing to be rich is acceptable and good, it’s time to open the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NIV): “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

So the Word of God is clear: wanting to get rich is dangerous. It brings you into “temptation” (e.g., the temptation to find joy and security in earthly things), and you fall into a “trap” (e.g., the trap of self-serving materialism from which you can’t escape). What’s more, the longing for wealth ignites other harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Ponder the term “plunge.” Picture a water slide with a steep drop—it feels like a free fall. Then imagine what it would take to stop mid-plunge and turn around! And think about the outcomes, “ruin” and “destruction”—not vague or subtle terms! Setting your heart on wealth leads to “all kinds of evil,” including wandering away from the faith—from authentic faith in Jesus Christ.

MUCH is at stake when it comes to your heart. Deep down, is your longing to gain earthly riches? I plead with you to ignore the prosperity preachers, set your heart on Christ, and be content (6:8)!

VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS

A very dark cloud has come over the American college community this week. We all saw coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings, watching in dismay and horror. Thirty-two lives ended, just like that: Ross • Christopher • Brian • Ryan • Austin • Jocelyne • Daniel • Kevin • Matthew • Caitlin • Jeremy • Rachael • Emily • Jarrett • Matthew • Henry • Liviu • G.V. • Partahi • Lauren • Daniel • Juan • Minal • Erin • Michael • Julia • Mary • Reema • Waleed • Leslie • Maxine • Nicole.

There is much to PRAY about in the wake of this disaster. Pray for comfort for grieving relatives and friends of the victims. Pray that devastated survivors will run to and not away from God in this hour of great vulnerability. Pray that this shocking reminder of life’s fragility will help many “invincible” people to grapple with the fact of death and come to Christ for eternal life.

Amidst the tumult of emotions and questions, no doubt we all wonder about God’s purposes: what was God up to that morning at VT? Where is God when tragedy strikes—especially when it hits those who are innocent? How can we make sense of this madness?

There are ways of answering such questions that only make things worse. Like supposing God wasn’t able to prevent the suffering (the biblical message about God’s omnipotence is clear; see, e.g., Ps 115:3; Jer 32:17; Dan 4:35; Eph 3:20; etc.). Or imagining that God doesn’t really care enough to meet our needs (see John 3:16; Rom 5:8; 8:38-39). Better to pause, take a breath, and recognize that in some ways God and his designs are beyond us. (When you think about it, how could it be any other way? How could God be God and still somehow fit into our human-sized imaginations and limitations? It is perfectly reasonable that the God of the universe is way too vast to be captured in our fallible human reasoning.)

Let me recommend a resource that I’ve found helpful when pondering these large questions. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, wrote an article after Columbine and then updated it after 9/11 in which he offers twenty-one suggestions for ministering to grieving survivors in the aftermath of tragedy.

God bless you as you seek his face and as you pray for his sovereign ingenuity to overturn evil for good!

GOSSIP AND THE CHURCH

Gossip involves talking behind someone’s back and saying things you wouldn’t say if he or she were present. Talking about rather than to others is like walking on a frozen pond on a warm day in March--dangerous!

Why do people gossip? Because they--we--desire attention and power. Believers who gossip exhibit spiritual immaturity; it shows we’re not satisfied with acceptance by Christ and not ready to entrust our lives to his strong, loving hands. What’s more, when we willingly listen to gossip, it corrodes our conscience and we take on part of the guilt for spreading hurtful talk.

What does gossip do to the church? Like a carbon monoxide leak, it brings deadly consequences. Listen to Proverbs: A gossip betrays a confidence (11:13; 20:19). Gossip separates close friends (16:28). Gossip fans the flames of a quarrel so they won’t die down (26:20). When we tolerate gossip, we’re giving approval to betrayal within the body. By contrast, love for our neighbors means stopping them mid-sentence to say, "I won’t listen to this, and I believe you should speak directly with the person you’re talking about."

Gossip is poison to community. Post a guard at your mouth (Eph 4:29) to prevent the escape of all unnecessary words about people who aren’t present. The only words to let flow freely are complements. Before saying anything else about anyone, ask yourself if the curious listener needs to know what you know. When in doubt, be quiet.

If you have things you truly need to say that concern others (e.g., words of warning, correction, rebuke), deliver them directly to the people involved (Matt 18:15) and not to others--not even to close friends or your spouse. Avoid inflammatory words and exaggeration. And remember to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15).

FORD, BROWN, & SADDAM

A few days ago I saw news headlines about the deaths of Gerald Ford, James Brown, and Saddam Hussein on the same page. An interesting threesome, aren’t they?

Gerald Ford, born in Nebraska, raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eagle Scout, center on University of Michigan football team, law school, in navy during WWII, married and father of four, elected to congress, eventually Vice President and President of the US, dies at age 93.

James Brown, born during the Depression in South Carolina, jailed for armed robbery, later drawn to gospel music, then rhythm and blues, becomes the “godfather of soul,” given lifetime achievement Grammy award, yet never learns to read music, dies of heart failure.

Saddam Hussein, born in Iraq, abused by stepfather, raised by uncle, leaves law school to join revolutionary Baath Party, BP takes power in 1963 coup, he becomes government “strongman,” clutches at land and oil in Iran-Iraq war, lashes out at Kurds, invades Kuwait, deposed in 2003, hanged in 2006 for crimes against humanity.

These men led profoundly different lives, yet they had this in common: their days were numbered. Death can’t be evaded, not by power or fame or wealth or anything. Death is a great equalizer; the small and the great are suddenly the same. And the only question will be whether or not Someone has paid the penalty for your defiance of Almighty God. Do you know and trust in Jesus Christ so that you’re ready for death (John 3:16)? Have you received his gift of resurrection life (11:25)?