When Angels Start Talking Matthew 1:18-24

Angels and dreams have a big part in the Christmas story: for both Joseph and Mary God's messengers brought change into their lives. The angel in Joseph's dream was God's representative bridging the space between humanity and our creator. Artist conceive of Angels as tiny children or great warriors. I think the image of the Warrior seems most faithful to scripture; but the Angels shape and size are not as significant as who they speak for and what they have to say.

Angels came in the months leading up to Christmas as the first messengers of transformation. When God's plans begin to unfold our lives take new shape. Angels come to announce the new beginning and the promise of a fresh start and resurrection. In our day it's the Word we call scripture and the dreams God gives to us of a better day when we live for God and God's glory that move us ahead.

It's in the moment when God talks when things start happening. It's been that way from the beginning. When God breathed out the word light it came into being. God works just this way--speaking creation into life. When he spoke to Abraham he called him out one nation to become the father of a great nation. God works just this way giving people a promise and in that promise a new identity for future generations too. When God spoke to Moses he called out of bush and made promises of deliverance for a people in chains. God works just this way hearing the cries of the poor and hurting.
God's speaking through other beings is part of the Christmas story. It was an angel who spoke to Mary. It was angels speaking to shepherds keeping watch over their fields by night. It was angels who spoke about something coming that hadn't yet been seen. May the wonder Jesus the one whom the angels promised fill us with hope and joy this Christmas.
Peace and thanks for reading

What do you hear and see? Mattew 11:2-11

John, the forerunner of God's kingdom, sat in prison. He sent his followers out to ask Jesus, are you the one? (Matthew 11:2-3) Imagine John waiting in prison. He may have looked out of place but he didn't act like he was out of place. He wasn't used to confinement. He likely seemed limited and even vulnerable to his captors. The crowds knew him as strong, untamed, and faithful to God--imagine that man in a cell. When the king brought him out of his cell John preached the same unvarnished message as before he was imprisoned: repent of your sin, the kingdom of heaven is coming near. Even in prison John was no mere reed blown in the wind (Matthew 11:7-9). Jesus echoing Malachi's words 5 centuries earlier said,

This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’ Matthew 11:10 ESV

The king, Herod, liked to listen to him; but he wouldn't turn from his sin and change his lifestyle. And so it went for John up until his death confined but still faitful to his calling to prepare the way for the Lord.
John was the messenger prophets saw coming first(Malachi 3:1). And now he sat waiting for the one would come next. Jesus responded to John's question, "are you the one?" telling John's followers to report of what they saw and heard (Matthew 11:4-6). Jesus fulfilled the promises made by prophets like Isaiah envisions centuries before (Isaiah 35:5-6). He open blind eyes and unstopped deaf ears. He healed making broken people whole. This was the report that Jesus wanted to go back to John in prison. This is the news we as a church have to share this Christmas with the world. God has come and he has brought healing for this hurting world.
Are you the one? This is a great Christmas question to ask of everything you place high up in your life. Whatever it is you are passionate about, ask are you the one. You might ask it later this week as you sort through possible presents for your kids, a coworker who's name you drew for the gift exchange, your spouse, or your parents. Are you the one? Are you flashy video game or shiny trinket the one that might satisfy the deep soul needs of a person in my life? Are you semi-precious object the thing that will convey words of love to someone I can't say? Are you the one flashy tablet or computer that will satisfy the deep needs of a soul that yearns to be loved by God and the people nearby. Christmas is a great time to look at all the things we have and give. The truth is no object no matter how cool or technically advanced or expensive can ever cut the mustard. They simply aren't enough.
What we need today is Jesus. What we need today is a God who is enough. Paul spoke to the Church in Corinth about God's grace being enough 2 Corinthians 12:9. Jesus is the one who meets our needs. Giving his love at Christmas is the one thing that we can give that will last and make a lasting difference in our lives.
Peace and thanks for reading, John
PS a prayer request. I am looking forward to a day in court as part of a divorce proceeding. Please pray for my 3 girls, their mom, and me in the days ahead.

Joseph's Christmas Story an Advent Conversation

Who was Joseph? He was Jesus' dad, but God the Father, was Jesus' Father. There's no way around it, the Christmas story's messy. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's real life complications mirror many people's stories. And that's no accident. God comes at Christmas for the world. Joseph's part in the Christmas story shows God's work in the real world where sin, death, and evil are all at work.
Matthew's tells the Christmas story,

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19 ESV)

The facts seemed very clear to Joseph. He was engaged to Mary. He counted on her faithfulness. He learned she was pregnant. Joseph knew one thing for certain, the child growing inside Mary wasn't his. His plan was simple--end this relationship with Mary and get on with his life. What do you think of Joseph at this point in the story?
Think about it: Joseph's trust in Mary just evaporated. He took Mary's faithfulness for granted. But something happened. The evidence was clear for everybody to see. Joseph lost trust--an essential part of any lasting relationship. Some argue Joseph, in his day, had reason to seek Mary's life. She dishonored him; but he sought to quietly walk away.
How can a person who's broken trust become trustworthy again?
Remember Joseph's plan was to quietly end his commitment to Mary. But somebody had a different plan for Joseph's life. Matthew tells the story this way,

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV)

Digging deeper There's no question, Joseph had a change of heart. His attitude and actions towards Mary and the child growing inside her change after meeting the angel. The facts of the situation hadn't changed: but his attitude did. Mary was still pregnant, they weren't yet married, he wasn't this babies father, and people were likely still talking behind their backs about what had happened. But Joseph saw things differently. He stopped looking for a way out of his promise to Mary stepping forward instead to help her raise this child. How would you explain Joseph's change of heart to somebody who knows about Christmas trees and Santa Claus but has never heard the whole Christmas story?
A visit from an angel changed Joseph's attitude. And God keeps speaking today through His Word read in scripture, sung about in psalm, hymns, and spiritual songs, heard from friends and family who share God Word with us. God's Word changes how we see things. At a funeral we see a dead body; but faith in God's Word helps us see new life for believers who die. The circumstances haven't changed on this earth; but a heart of faith sees something different. How does God change hearts today?
How important is Joseph's change of heart to the whole Christmas story?
Jesus finds us in the middle of our lives and dreams with both broken and healed parts of our souls. Looking at Joseph's part in the Christmas story leaves no question, our attitude towards our circumstances makes a huge difference. What would it take to change your perspective to see people you dislike as someone God very much cares about? Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. John

2 things to know first Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus spoke of the end times with two distinct lines of thought:

1. only the Father knows the hour of the end Matthew 24:36
2. the end will come like thief catching people unexpectedly Matthew 22:42-44

Any faithful conversation about the end of times will include the unresolved tension between these 2 equally valid teachings of our Lord. 2 millennia later Jesus' Words remain held in tension by believers. These 2 teachings both remain equally valid and equally essential to Christian faith and life. In short you can't have one without the other if you take Jesus' Word seriously.
Over the past 2000 years some have loudly insisted they knew the hour when the end was coming. Almost universally those who "know" the hour have insisted it is near by, almost at hand. Some have even gone so far done the road of error and confusion that they have published dates and timelines announcing the end. They have convinced others of their error; and those who are confused by them believe with them that this one interpretation of the signs and times is right.
For 20 centuries of Christian history this same confusion has existed and it still exists today. People believe they can crack the code hidden deep in prophecy and know the day. They will say that Jesus spoke of signs and the end coming quick. They will rightly say that our Lord Jesus called people to be prepared. And some will read the signs and believe they can see the end. But if they will be honest for even a second with Jesus they will say they can't know for certain. Unless they have access to the inner council of God the Father that the angels and the only begotten Son of the Father don't have they are just guessing. And they are at best only sharing their guesses and confusion with others.
The centuries are full of examples of teachers who believed they had decoded God's Word and read all the signs so that they knew that the hour was at hand. And Jesus Word remains true and good. The Father knows and we don't. Even as teachers come and go announcing that a particular economic or geo-political development is a sign Jesus Word remains good and true: only the Father knows.
Anytime you meet someone who wishes to speak of the end of times bring them back from their speculations about current events and their interpretation prophecy to the solid Word of Jesus Christ.

No one knows when that day or time will be, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows Mt 24:36 NCV

Anytime you meet someone who insists they know bring them back out of their speculation to the solid Word. Instead of preparing for a particular day Jesus is inviting us to live everyday as a day at the end of time.

"“So always be ready, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come. Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time of night a thief was coming, the owner would watch and not let the thief break in. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time you don’t expect him." (Matthew 24:42-44, NCV)

The Kingdom of Heaven is coming. When Jesus walked on earth he said that the Kingdom of Heaven drew near to those who heard him 2000 years ago. The truth is his kingdom comes close when we live at the Father's direction. The kingdom comes when we place the love of God and the love of our neighbors above self love.
Maybe we forget what we are asking God to do When we pray, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done..." We are asking to be part of the Kingdom coming not far away but here in our church, homes, and work. When we pray we asking for Our Father to hear us. That means we are stepping into a relationship of trust in the Father that God wants to share with us from here until the end of time.
Today I give thanks that God the Father is near, and that all things and all time are in His care,
Peace and thanks for reading, John

God the Father of Christmas: Part 1 of an Advent Conversation

God the Father and Christmas? Most people can name 3 people in the Christmas story. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. But there was a fourth individual who was part of the story long before Joseph and Mary: God the Father. Think back to the first chapter's of Genesis. God made the world and after finishing making people God said the creation—but especially people were more than good—they were very good. Women and men had been made in God's own image and likeness. 

But the story twists. A snake enticed Eve and Adam. They ignored God's directions and ate food God had forbidden them to even touch. Soon after Adam's and Eve's son Cain killed their other boy Abel. The creation that was very good changed: sin, death, and evil are present in our lives even though the Father hadn't planned the world to work that way.

Talk it over: How do people experience sin, death, and evil in our world today?

DIGGING DEEPER: The Father's reaching for us. Christmas is part God the Father's plan to rewrite the human story sending his Son straight into our world. God the Father eliminated any distance between us and Him. Jesus was God's son—his direct and personal way back into our our lives.

The prophet Malachi spoke on God's behalf to his people. God understood their questions and sent Jesus as the answer.

Malachi wrote: The Lord said, “I have loved you.”

But you ask, “How have you loved us?”
Malachi 1:2a NCV

Talk it over: In what ways do experience God's love?

Why might some people think God is distant and doesn't love them?

Malachi wrote: The Lord All-Powerful says, “A child honors his father, and a servant honors his master. I am a father, so why don’t you honor me? I am a master, so why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’
Malachi 1:6-7 NCV

Talk it over: In what ways do people disrespect God?

Malachi Wrote: You have tired the Lord with your words.

You ask, “How have we tired him?”

You did it by saying,

“The Lord thinks anyone who does evil is good, and he is pleased with them.”

Or you asked, “Where is the God who is fair?”

The Lord All-Powerful says, “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way for me. Suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his Temple; the messenger of the agreement, whom you want, will come.”

Malachi 2:17-3:1 NCV.

Talk it over: What does God's “messenger” have to do with Christmas?

3 Advent Conversations

A writing project waits on this pastors to do list.
It's a fun project: write 3 conversation sheets for young people and mentors. These are more than sheets of questions. The goal: start 3 significant conversations about God's coming to earth in the person we call Jesus. One mentor asked to have all this available with time to think things through in advance. So over the next 7 days my goal is to create a starting point for 3 Advent Conversations.

1. God the Father's plan for us at Christmas
2. Why God's plan meant a turned over life for Joseph
3. Mary's whole self participation in God's plan

Please check back in and let me know what you think.
thanks, John