More than Words

While there may be a short supply of many commodities, one thing you can depend on is that there will never be a shortage of opinions. No matter where you are, the decision you are facing, or the choices you have already made; someone will be glad to let you know what they think about it. From what you are wearing, to your career choice, to how you are raising your children; it seems that there are always people who just can’t wait to let you know what they think about it.

These days not only can you count on a endless supply of opinions from your family, friends, and total strangers at the mall; you can turn on the television and anticipate an endless parade of personalities sharing their “expert” opinions on everything from the global economy to school lunches. And perhaps you have noticed that most of the news networks have adopted the policy these days of inviting at least two “experts” to share their opinions at the same time. When they are not talking at the same time, you learn they often have completely different opinions about the subject they been asked to comment on.

If that is not enough opinions for you, the steady stream turns into a torrent when you go to the internet. More than 800 million people are on Facebook, and about half of them log in everyday to share something about their life or comment on something one of their friends has posted. Many people regularly post their views about everything from recycling to fiscal policy on their blog. If you are wondering whether you should buy a particular automobile, appliance, or new electronic device; there may be dozens—if not hundreds—of reviews scattered across the web.

So many opinions may not be a problem for some people. In fact, some people seem to make a hobby of shopping around for opinions that support their own. It’s the way they choose their friends, decide which news programs to watch and which politicians they will support. Sometimes, it’s the way they decide where they will worship.

Let me admit that much of what you may hear in a church—even from the pulpit—is not much more than someone’s opinion. The truth is that has not changed much over time.

When the people came to the synagogue in Capernaum the day Jesus showed up, they were expecting to hear from one of their local teachers (see Mark 1:21-28). They had heard many of them speak before. They shared lots of interesting opinions. It gave the folks something to talk about for the rest of the week. This time Jesus spoke; but it was different. He spoke with authority, and then he acted with authority. It amazed the people then; and I believe that when the church puts its words into action, it will still amaze, excite, and transform those who witness it.

Now’s the Time

Thanks to the careful planning, clear direction, and hard work of a great group of folks, our congregation can celebrate the success of our chicken barbecue. It is so encouraging to see so many people willing to do their part to make a project like this a success. This is just one more reason I am pleased to serve as their pastor.

Things went pretty well last year, and overall the event was a success; but a few members of the team remember how embarrassing it was to have to tell people that their chicken was not ready. It was lunch time. They had purchased a ticket. They had shown up at the time they had been told we would have something for them to eat; but somewhere, somehow, we had miscalculated. It was tough to ask people to leave and come back later.

I have a bad habit of waiting until a deadline is closing in before I really get serious about some projects. I usually guess pretty well how much time it’s going to take; but every once in a while, something unexpected happens. It throws a monkey wrench into my schedule and leaves me scrambling. I usually get by, but I feel bad that I have not done my best. Sometimes I also find that I need to go back and apologize to someone who “got in the way” as I was sprinting toward the finish.

As Jesus began his ministry he announced, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom!” (Mark 1:15, CEB). A few men heard his call and responded to his invitation to follow him and learn from him. There were lots of other things they could have done. There were lots of reasons they could have put off their decision. Instead, they immediately left what they were doing—and who they were doing it with—and followed him.

The writers of the New Testament do relate a few occasions where Jesus invites someone to follow him and that person makes his apologies for why this is not a good time for him. Sometimes I wonder how many other people were also invited to follow Jesus and did not accept the invitation. We know Jesus spoke to some crowds that numbered over five thousand. It is left to our imagination to wonder how they felt when they realized the opportunity they had missed by failing to recognize that “now is the time!”

It is a privilege to thank everyone who responded “on time” to the invitation to help with the preparation of the meal we served on Friday. As you move into this new year, let me ask you to listen carefully for God’s invitation, and encourage you to be ready to respond immediately to the opportunity to be a part of the great project God has planned.

In the Beginning

When a new movie is released, are you one of those people who line up for the midnight show on the opening weekend? If you received an invitation to a preview night at a new restaurant, would you feel special? Have you ever “preordered” a book so that it would be in your house the same day it went on the shelves at the bookstore?

There is something fascinating—even exciting—about being a part of the beginning of something new. I have to admit that one of the reasons I decided to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon was because it was the “inaugural” race. If it had already been going on, I might have made a different choice. Being able to say I was there when it all started is something that can never be taken away from me (and I was in Johnson Square for the public announcement that Savannah would be hosting the race. . . and months later at Fleet Feet for the unveiling of the course).

If you are one of those people who like to be there at the start of something new, then that is one thing you share in common with God. All four gospel writers agree that Jesus’ public ministry began with his baptism by John. Even more significantly, they all note that when Jesus was baptized God spoke and the Holy Spirit showed up.

If that sounds familiar, perhaps it is because you remember hearing the Genesis story about the creation of the heavens and the earth. As the story opens, nothing much is going on. It is chaos and darkness. But the Holy Spirit is there and God speaks and, well, as they say, “the rest is history.”

It is a history that is marked by the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a history that reveals God’s continuing conversation with the people he created. Through the Spirit’s presence and with God’s gentle voice, it is a history that is full of new beginnings and limitless possibilities. Furthermore, it is the history of every believer.

It is no accident that Jesus told his disciples to baptize those who believed in him. Baptism is a sign that God is present as a person begins their life as a member of the community of faith. Whether we see it or not, we affirm that each person receives the Holy Spirit even as the water is applied.

God wants to be a part of all of your new beginnings. As you continue to move into this new year, open your heart to him. Invite God to speak into your life. Listen for God’s voice. Recognize the Spirit’s presence. Prepare for great blessings.

To Worship Him

If you attended a Christmas pageant at some time over the last few weeks, the wise men probably showed up on stage before the shepherds had left. In fact, the wise men almost certainly didn’t make it to Bethlehem for quite a while. Not only had the shepherds gone back to their fields, but the folks who took all the rooms in all the inns in town had returned to their homes, as well. So when they arrived—whether it was a couple of weeks or a couple of years after Jesus’ birth; the wise men found Joseph and Mary and the baby in a house—not a stable.

Although it is interesting to consider when and where they found the Christ child, what is more important to note is what they did when and where they found him: they worshiped him. They told Herod that was the purpose of their trip. “We have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). There is wisdom in seeking the newborn king, but those who are truly wise worship him.

As you move into a new year let me encourage you to renew your commitment to worship the Christ. Admit that there are many things that keep God from being the first priority in your life. Ask God to help you recognize and resist those things that lead you away from him.

Acknowledge that God—the One who has revealed himself to you as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer—is the only God, and the only One worthy to set the agenda for your life. God loves you and gave Jesus as the only way and means of coming to him. If you have any reservations about accepting Christ, lay them aside. The only merit any believer has is the righteousness of Christ.

Realize that a life of worship will not be easy. Jesus warns his followers of opposition, ridicule and suffering. He also assures them that the lessons he has taught them will lead them to a life filled with love and joy.

That’s what I pray for you in this new year: a life filled with love and joy.

Letting God Have His Way

Someone may have recently encouraged you to follow your dream. You had shared some of your goals with them, and they knew you were struggling to make progress. They didn’t want to see you give up, and you sure didn’t want them to think of you as a loser; so you hunkered down and pressed on. Perhaps another voice was calling you to a different response.

Consider this testimony from Judson W. Van DeVenter:

For many years I had been studying art. My whole life was wrapped up in its pursuit and the thing farthest from my mind was active Christian service. My dream was to become an outstanding and famous artist. After graduating from college, I studied drawing and painting under a well-known German teacher. To help me financially, I taught school and eventually I became supervisor of art in the public schools of Sharon, Pennsylvania.

It was during this period in my life that a revival was held in the First Methodist Church of which I was a member. I became very interested in these meetings as a personal worker. The Spirit of God was urging me to give up teaching and to enter the evangelistic field, but I would not yield. I still had a burning desire to be an artist. This battle raged for five years. At last the time came when I could hold out no longer and I surrendered my all—my time and my talents. It was then that a new day was ushered into my life. I wrote "I Surrender All" in memory of the time when, after the long struggle, I had surrendered and dedicated my life to active Christian service for the Lord.

Sometimes God calls people to give up their dreams because God's plan for the world is bigger than anything they can imagine. Mary and Joseph had plans, but when God announced a new course for their lives they responded with faithful obedience.

May God give you the strength and the courage to respond to his call to join him in the work he is doing, so that all people may come to know of his faithful love.

Rejoice Always

When faced with the challenge to quote a verse of scripture from memory, many people have at one time or another turned to John 11:35—a verse that is well-known for being the shortest verse in the King James Version of the Bible: “Jesus wept.” While this verse is an important sign of Jesus’ compassion for his friends—Mary, Martha and Lazarus; it is not an accurate indicator of the predominant tenor of Jesus’ emotional state. Indeed, one of the chief complaints the religious leaders had about Jesus was that he was always going to parties; and even worse than that, they were parties where people seemed to be having fun.

Jesus’ life is marked with joy from its very beginning. Even before either of them is born, John leaps for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. Mary breaks into song as her heart is filled with joy.

When the angel appears to the shepherds in the fields outside the village of Bethlehem, he proclaims, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10). When the shepherds told Mary and Joseph—and anyone else who would listen—about their experience with the angels, they were amazed . . . and the shepherds couldn’t help but praise God for everything they had heard and seen.

When a group of wise men showed up in Jerusalem looking for a new born king, it disturbed Herod—which disturbed most of the other residents of the city. Nevertheless, once they got their bearings and turned their gaze toward Bethlehem; they spotted the star again. “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!” (Matthew 2:10).

During his last few hours with his closest friends, Jesus reveals the purpose of all the things he has taught them: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

It is no wonder then that Paul would tell the early followers of Jesus to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Joy has always been one of the marks of the people of God.

So if this season begins to wear on you, and you feel your joy beginning to fade; let me suggest you commit another scripture verse to memory. It is nearly as short as John 11:35—just two words. Here it is: 1 Thessalonians 5:16—“Rejoice always!” And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you as the one who was born in Bethlehem fills your life with joy.

Remembering Saint Nicholas

As we prepare our homes for the visit of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, many people around the world are preparing to celebrate the feast day of Saint Nicholas on December 6. Children around the world know and love Saint Nicholas, even though he is known by different names and looks different from place to place—for he brings gifts and treats in December.

Nicholas was born during the third century in the Greek village of Patara. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of Saint Nicholas' life and deeds. One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters were destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home—providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold—tossed through an open window or down a chimney—are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes as they eagerly await gifts from Saint Nicholas.
Other stories tell of Nicholas saving people from famine, sparing the lives of those innocently accused, even calming the sea. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith. He was exiled and imprisoned. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea—called in 325 to preserve the unity of the church which was being threatened by competing claims about the nature of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Nicholas died December 6, 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, Saint Nicholas Day. Today he is venerated as patron of a great variety of persons—children, mariners, bankers, pawn-brokers, scholars, orphans, laborers, travelers, merchants, judges, paupers, marriageable maidens, students, children, sailors, victims of judicial mistakes, captives, perfumers, even thieves and murderers! He is known as the friend and protector of all in trouble or need. As we remember his example, let us renew our commitment to befriend and protect those who are in trouble or need.


For more info on Saint Nicholas, check out www.stnicholascenter.org