Conflict

This time of year can be conflicted. It is almost time for spring and “Spring Break,” and yet the weather is anything but spring-like here in North Texas. You know it is coming, but it has not yet arrived. We have to wait a bit longer. We also find ourselves in the season of Lent, which presents a different kind of  conflict. We spend time reflecting on what it was that put Jesus on the cross—our sins—all the while knowing that His resurrection is a certainty. Our celebration of that is coming, but first we need to go through this season and remember that He died and remember why He died. Even in conflict, we rejoice in knowing that Jesus has made peace with God for us by His perfect life, His passion, suffering and death in our place.

Snow

White stuff falling from the sky again in North Texas! What do you think about that? If memory serves, this is the fourth time this winter that we’ve had enough of that fluffy, frozen precipitation to cover my lawn with a gleaming, clean looking coat. Not enough to play in or build forts or men, but it does alter the way things appear. When I looked out this morning to once again see that sight, it brought me a feeling of joy. I know folks further north may not share my sentiment, because they have been inundated with the stuff this year. When it comes in this neck of the woods, it never stays around very long. So I like to see it.

 And every time I see it, I am reminded of God’s promise through the prophet:  “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”  (Isaiah 1:18 NIV) That’s what God did for us through the blood of Jesus, poured out to cleanse us from our sins. When you put your faith in Jesus, it alters the way God sees you. He now sees you as completely covered with the goodness of Jesus, allowing you to be His forgiven child. It can be easy to take that for granted. I wish it would be as fresh in our minds as the covering of snow on my yard this morning.

That’s what I think of when I see snow.

Enemies?

I had someone get very upset with me one time because of something I said in a sermon. I spoke about some people being “enemies of God,” and this individual thought I was being uncaring and insensitive.

 First of all, the Bible clearly identifies some as being enemies of God.

 James 4:4  You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

 

Phil 3:18  For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

But the more important point, and the one I was trying to make in my message that day, is how we should treat those who are enemies of God. As members of the body of Christ, if someone is an enemy of Christ, he/she is our enemy. This is what Scripture says we should do to our enemies:

 

Romans 12:20 “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

We are told to love and pray for our enemies. The only thing that might be considered “offensive” is when we share the Gospel with them. We were all enemies of God as one point. We want those who still are to be reconciled to God as we have been.

 

Romans 5:8-10 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

The reconciliation that God provides for all people in Jesus makes all the difference.

The Safest Place to Be

Someone recently sent me this helpful information:

 

• Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.
• Do not stay home because 17% of all fatal accidents occur in the home.
• Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.
• Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation.
• Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals. So above all else, avoid hospitals.

You will be pleased to learn that only. 001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church!

Bible study is safe too. The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less.

FOR SAFETY’S SAKE – Attend church and read your Bible … IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Now that we are a week into this New Year, many of our resolutions have already gone by the wayside. Don’t think that means you have to wait until next year to resolve to do better. Today is a perfect time to resolve to spend more time in worship and fellowship with other believers. It would serve us all well to spend more time in God’s Word. The message that you find there will save your life.

Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me… ” (John 5:39, ESV)

God’s Word tells us plainly that the one whose birth we celebrated came here to be more than a baby in manger, more than a smart kid in the Temple, more than a wise teacher and a prophet. He was not simply one more philosopher spouting new ideas and theories. He came to save us from our sins. That is even what His name, Jesus, means: Savior. He would accomplish this by living a life free from sin and then offering that life on the altar of the cross as the sacrifice to pay for the sins of everyone. And the promise is that anyone and everyone who believes that He did that will get the benefit of everything He did.

You don’t have to take my word for it. Take God at His Word. It’s all in there. Check it out for yourself.

A Christmas Welcome

A family was experiencing hard times one Christmas. The father was out of work and the mother had a low-paying job. But they were determined to have a happy Christmas, so that was what they did. They got out all their usual decorations and even managed to scrape together enough to purchase a few small gifts. The day after Christmas, father went job hunting, mother returned to work and the children were left to clean up the house. As one daughter was sorting the leftover wrapping paper and ribbons, she found an envelope addressed to her father. He opened it when he came home that night and found a generous check inside. Somehow it had been lost in the Christmas wrappings. Don’t let the best gift get lost in all the “wrappings” this year: A Savior has been born who is Christ the Lord!

He Came to Be Near You

Over one hundred years ago, a shipwrecked crew washed up on Rodrigues Island, a tiny speck of land in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Australia. They developed an illness called Java River fever. However, one of the officers determined that it was instead Yellow Fever, which was terribly feared in the southern seas. Upon being found, a French doctor, whose job it was to inspect all infested vessels, was sent to examine them. He entered a small boat, stayed offshore at a distance, and examined the patients through binoculars. He did not want to get too close. In terror of the possible disease, he prescribed for them from his boat, not taking that chance that coming into contact with them would cause him to be infected. (New York Times July 10, 1897)

How different that is from the way that God dealt with us.

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (ESV)

In spite of our complete corruption and infestation with sin, He didn’t remain distant. He came near. He got close. He came to live among us as one of us. He did not stay away, but came and got messy. He came here in order to meet all the requirements of the law in your place and shed His blood as the sacrifice for your sin. In this way, He earned forgiveness for you and for all people. He saved you from eternal death. All you have to do to claim that forgiveness is believe that He is your Savior.

What a wonderful example He gives us. While we cannot achieve the salvation of others like He did, we can offer ourselves in service to our neighbors. We can go to them in spite of whatever “messy” situation they may be experiencing and share our care and love and concern. We do all this knowing what Jesus was willing to do, and in fact did for us. We are called to be His hands and feet and voice to our fellow man. In so doing, we will also hold out for them the Good News of our Savior.

As you celebrate His birth again this year, may you rejoice in the knowledge that He did not stay far removed. He was willing to give up the glory of heaven, laying aside His power and authority, so that He could go to the manger and to the cross. He came to get close, to be near you.

The third stanza of “Away in a Manger” summarizes what should be the desire of our hearts:

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray.

Bless all the dear children in your tender care,

And take us to heaven to live with you there.

I Don’t Remember

Jack was praying to God, confessing his sins and asking to be forgiven for Jesus’ sake. As he was praying, he remembered a man named Frank who had wronged him.  Frank was a member of the same church Jack attended. Jack figured that Frank would also talk to God and confess his sins, so it occurred to him to ask God a question. Jack said, “God, I know that Frank prays to you every day and confesses his sins. I was wondering, God, can you tell me what he told you?” Jack was thinking it might be good to have some ammunition to use against Frank if he needed it. God said, “Let me get back to you on that tomorrow.”

The next day Jack was praying again and asked God, “Remember what I asked you yesterday? Did Frank confess his sins to you?”  God said, “Yes, he did.”  Jack asked, “Can you tell me what Frank’s sins are?” And do you know what God said? “I don’t remember.”

That is what God says about the sin of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. “I don’t remember.” We know that Jesus paid for sins so that we would not have to. That’s the reason He came into this world. The author of the letter to the Hebrews was making this point when he quoted a passage from the prophet Jeremiah: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) God says that to all those who believe that Jesus took our place in punishment.

We rejoice in the knowledge that we have this forgiveness. It enables us to live with confidence. We would do well to share it with others. We like knowing that God does not remember our sins, but we do not forget what others have done to us. We admonish each other to “forgive and forget,” yet we know it is just about impossible to do so.

No doubt you have heard, “To err is human, to forgive divine.” Many think this is from Scripture, but it was actually written by Alexander Pope in “An Essay on Criticism.” The point is valid. An attribute of our fallen human nature is to err. We all do this daily. But when Jesus came to earth and became a true human being, he was able to live without sin. He did this to accomplish forgiveness for everyone. When we forgive others, that is a reflection of what God has done for us in Christ.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness for Jesus’ sake will share that forgiveness with others. And may God enable us to imitate His divine forgetfulness so that we say of the sins we have forgiven, “I don’t remember.”

Being Neighborly

I read an article about the warm reception a man named Bruce received upon moving to a new neighborhood. One neighbor in particular, Gene, went out of his way to be neighborly. He even insisted on getting up at 5:00 a.m. to take Bruce to the airport for a 6:00 a.m. flight. A few days later, Gene came by and announced that he and his wife decided they wanted to be in prayer for the people living in the 10 houses closest to them, and asked Bruce what they could be praying for.

 

Bruce happens to be a Lutheran church worker. Gene is a Baptist. They share a faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. They know that He died to pay for their sins and rose again in victory over death. Gene had a powerful impact on Bruce because he had established a relationship with Bruce and shared his faith in the context of that relationship. Gene didn’t lead Bruce to faith, because he already believed. But he did give Bruce a lesson in how to share your faith in a kind, loving and natural way.

 

Something I’ve noticed more and more in recent years is that many people don’t even know the names of their neighbors. We have become a society of individuals that tend to insulate and isolate ourselves from the world around us as much as possible. That situation is not very conducive to sharing your faith. The people most likely to listen to you when you share your faith are those who know you and have a positive relationship with you. If you are the neighbor known for yelling at kids to stay off your property or threatening to shoot your neighbor’s dog, that probably won’t translate very well into an opportunity to speak of Jesus. However, if you are a person who takes the time to visit with your neighbors and show them acts of kindness, that will open the door for you to tell them about the hope that lives in you because you know that Jesus is your Savior.

 

When someone new moves into your neighborhood, you have a unique opportunity: people are most open to invitations to a new church after a move. Here’s a list of suggestions Bruce shared in his article for when someone new moves in near you:

 

• Take the first step. Don’t wait for the new move-in to come and meet you. Go and meet them.
• When you see your neighbors outside, stop by to chat with them.
• The day a moving van arrives, take a meal or invite them to eat at your house.
• Sit down and give them directions to the Post Office, local schools, banks, restaurants, etc.
• When you bake, bake a little extra for your new neighbors.
• Ask them if there is something they’d like you to be praying about.
• Invite them to attend church Bible Class, a small group Bible Study, church socials, or church athletic events with you.
• Invite them to worship with you. Offer to give them a ride.

 

Remember, you have the responsibility and possibility of representing Jesus to those you meet!

A Note From Pastor Mattil

The Holidays. The way they are being extended, it won’t be too long before July 4 becomes the beginning of the “Holiday Season.” It is part of the bigger, newer, better, faster, flashier everything mentality that has overtaken our society. During this time known as “The Holidays,” we invite you to take some time for quiet reflection on the gift God sent to you wrapped in swaddling clothes in a Bethlehem stable. We will be doing that in our worship here at Grace, and would love for you to join us.

The Sky Is Falling

Do you remember the story of Chicken Little? An acorn hits her on the head, setting off on a hysterical rant telling everyone “The sky is falling!” That phrase is used today to describe a situation where people jump to conclusions with little evidence, following mistaken notions and overreacting to the situation.

I’ve thought of that often over the last few weeks. Consider the frenzy over H1N1 or “Swine Flu” or whatever they want to call it. CDC reports led to School closures and UIL cancellations here in Texas. Words like “pandemic” escalated the fears of a lot of folks until we finally heard, “Oh, never mind, it is not as bad as we thought.”  Yet some are quick to add, “It could still get bad later on!”

One thing revealed by all of this panic is that there are a lot of scared people out there. I heard a story about a local woman who visited a nursing home. While there, she was told that someone in the nursing home had swine flu (which was not true). That woman called an ambulance to take her to the emergency room because she was afraid she had been exposed to “Swine Flu” and thought she was going to die if she did not seek out immediate medical assistance.

There are a lot of scared people in this world, some of whom let their fears take over and control them. I believe that presents a wonderful opportunity for the followers of Jesus Christ to share with them the peace and confidence that comes from believing in Him as Savior. The certainty that Jesus died to pay for the sins of everyone and rose from death to announce absolute victory gives us peace, confidence and hope. That is what we have to share with all those scared people out there.

Our God invites us to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We know the one who is in control. He asks us to remember that we know Him and come to Him with our concerns. Remembering He is in control gives us assurance and peace, because we know how much He loves us.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)

Through faith in Jesus we can confidently proclaim with St. Paul, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, (including ‘Swine Flu’)  will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear… 1 John 4:18

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