Christmas Story

The Return of Jesus

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.           2 Peter 2:12 ESV

Last year the nativity scene at the entrance to our community was hit by raiders who must have decided that it would be a great joke to make off with the baby Jesus, leaving an empty manger. The rest of the Christmas season Mary, and Joseph remained along with a few sheep and camels but the child did not return even for Christmas Eve.

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When December of this year rolled around I looked forward hopefully to a reunited Holy Family. But my hopes were dashed when I saw the same lonely group appear forlornly kneeling around an empty place on the hay. And then this morning Jesus made His appearance. No doubt this Baby in the Manger is firmly anchored and watched over by security cameras.

Just like last year’s manger robbers, some of our lives have been robbed of a Christmas joy and are facing the holiday alone, tired and maybe even bored with the entire ritual. But we have a hope and a far better one than the replica of baby Jesus in a manger scene.  We have God’s promise that just as wise men traveled thousands of miles with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, Jesus has promised to return with His gifts of forgiveness, peace and eternal life. So whether we live alone in an apartment, lie in a hospital bed or are blessed with a loving family: we have hope. Our King will certainly return and when He does He has promised to fill forever that empty place that waits for Him in our hearts.  Nativity

Visiting Jesus This Christmas

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And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40 ESV

“Kin you afford to lose this?” Alice said as she fingered the blue sweater that I had thrown over her shoulders as she sat shivering in her wheel chair. I smiled and nodded in assurance and then she began to tell her story. “I dun know how I ga heer! Awl I know is I wuz waitin’ fer the bus an’ I fell an now am heer.”

Alice’s story is so like that of a thousand others. She could remember clearly growing up in Ireland and often reminded me, “New one az soffered like the Irish people.” But Alice did not know that she was in a nursing home understand why she was there, or what had become of her family. This year as Christmas is approaching remember Alice’s story. It may take only a sweater, a plate of cookies of a few heart-felt Christmas carols to unlock the secrets of those who are especially precious to Jesus. Maybe He calls them brothers and sisters because like Him there has no room been found for them at the inn.

Why not ask God to help you share the love and message of Jesus Christ with them this year? It doesn’t matter whether we come with costly gifts like the wise men or with only praise like the shepherds. Jesus sits by their sides and He will counts it all as done for Him if we will simply choose to come! If you have been praying about it and just are not sure how to get started, I have included a short video that may help you put feet to your prayers.

Keeping Our Eyes on the Star

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After listening to the king, they went on their way and behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9 ESV

A funny thing happened to the wise men on their way to Bethlehem. Though they had followed God’s star for hundreds of miles across deserts and mountains, when they got close to their destination they decided to ask King Herod which way to go. “Now why would they do that?” we might ask. The fact is that all of us do the same thing at times. We begin in the right direction on something we know is God’s will in our lives, but somewhere along the way we begin to waver. Maybe we begin to wonder what in the world we were thinking about when we started out. No one else seems to be able to see the star we are following. Then when we doubt a strange thing happens. Our star disappears for a while.

But the same God who revealed His star to the wise men in the first place was willing to show it to them again. As soon as they left Herod’s palace the star appeared on the horizon and led them directly to Jesus Christ. So if your world seems dark and frightening the good news is that same star is still shining over the place where Jesus is today. The only difference is that the God’s star is not shining in the sky but from the pages of a book called the Bible. His promises now don’t depend on us wandering across a wilderness trying to keep it in view. Now we can trust God’s promise that He loved us so much that He sent us His Son. All we need to do is follow that star and it will lead us right to Him!

In the middle of your Christmas preparations maybe this quiet carol can bring a bit of the gentle calm of His presence for you today.