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We have all, well… most of us anyway, have read Dr. Seuss’ “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” At the end of the book, the Grinch comes in on Christmas Eve night and he steals all the presents, the Christmas Trees, the decorations, and all their food.  He takes it back to his lair thinking that he had stolen Christmas.  After all, without the presents, the decorations, and food for the feast, there can be no Christmas. 

Do we ever fall into that trap, thinking that there can be no Christmas without the presents and the food for the feast?  What if we woke up on Christmas Day and found our presents stolen and our fridge and freezer empty?  Or would we be like the Whos from Who-ville? 

As the Grinch is basking in his glory, looking down on Who-ville, having stolen Christmas, he waits to hear the screaming and the wailing from the people when they find everything gone; especially the tree in the center of town.  And then “he heard a sound rising over the snow, it started in low and then it started to grow.”  The sound wasn’t sad, it was merry!  The Grinch was confounded, the whole town of Who-ville was singing.  He hadn’t stopped Christmas at all…  When I think about this book, I’m drawn to Habakkuk.

The prophet Habakkuk writes (3:17-18): “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, thought the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in my God and Savior.”

Habakkuk wrote this passage shortly after the Babylonian invasion.  It was an extremely traumatic and hopeless period for Israel.  The Assyrian army had already destroyed several cities, killing many. All the places where Israel found security and measured their wealth and power were destroyed; livestock, crops, and food stores were all destroyed.  Places of worship had been ravaged; the temple and with it the articles of worship taken as plunder.  Those not killed were taken into exile. 

It is just during this time of hopelessness that Habakkuk writes, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in my God and Savior.”  For Habakkuk, for the faithful in Christ, and, yes, The Whos in Who-ville; we are reminded that wealth and presents do not make Christmas, nor do they determine our joy.  Each joyful day dawns with the Light of Christ.

Prayer: Gracious Father, help us to see clearly Your Glory.  Allow us to be humble and gracious in those times of plenty and faithful and joyous in times of want and grief.  Help us to see your absolute sovereignty in our lives and find peace, hope, joy, and love in You.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

With Christ’s Joy, Pastor Brett

How many of you have watched the movie “Hoosiers?” It is about a small school in Indiana (equivalent to a class D school in Michigan) that wins the state basketball championship.  Keep in mind, for years Indiana had one champion, there were not four champions based on school size like Michigan.  There was not a lot of hope for little schools until Milan High School (the real Hickory Hoosiers) won it all, defeating the much larger Muncie Central.  The coach did everything he could to convince them that everything was the same; the height of the basket, the length of the free throw line, etc. Then before the game started the local pastor read the story of David and Goliath, hoping to provide the boys encouragement and hope.

Do we ever feel like an underdog in life?  Do we ever get the feeling that we are not equipped to do something or others have given up because they don’t see us as equipped?

The Bible is loaded with these types of stories and people; unlikely heroes God uses.  One only has to look David, Ruth, Joseph, Moses, Noah, Abraham, and one of my favorites, Gideon. We know and see them after the big win, but we rarely remember them before.  God chooses and uses people the world often looks past.

So, let’s look at Gideon.  When the Lord called him to save Israel, Gideon replied: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:14-15)  No one expected much of him, sounds just like David whose father didn’t even bring him into the house for the prophet Samuel to consider to anoint as king.

Gideon is the least, not just the runt of the litter, but the runt of the least litter.  When God promised to be with Gideon, Gideon still wanted proof from God (read Judges 6 & 7) before he would step out in faith.  At this point one can’t help but wonder what God saw in Gideon; the only response I can give is the same thing God sees in us, FAITH!

God sees what we too often don’t see, both in ourselves and others.  God has great hope in us, even when we don’t have confidence in ourselves. 

Last week in worship we lit the candle of HOPE.  Let us look at all these unlikely Biblical heroes and know that there is great HOPE for us when we humbly and courageously and even cautiously follow Him. 

Prayer: Father, through Your Holy Spirit living in us, show us the way of Hope.  Encourage us, empower us with Your strength.  As we read stories about Gideon, Ruth, David, Moses, and others; take us back to when they were not confident so we can see how You worked in them. Give us hope Father to see ourselves and others as You see us, heroes You want to use.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

There is a story about two men riding a tandem bicycle. They were ascending a long steep hill. After great effort, they finally reached the top of the hill and they stopped for a minute to catch their breath and get a drink.  The front rider turned around and said, “That was one tough climb.”  The second rider replied, “Sure was, had I not kept riding the brake, we might have slipped backwards.”

Do we ever do that in life?  Do we ever look at circumstances and solutions differently? 

I laugh at the picture of one person straining at the pedals and the other straining at the brake, both thinking they are doing the right thing. 

We face challenges in life with our spouses, our co-workers, our friends, and our family.  We often look at these challenges differently.  Some people when faced with challenges want to peddle right through them, looking up toward the goal ahead and willing to take a chance to make it happen.  Yes, we might find ourselves straining, we might even lose ground, or worse yet crash. Those thoughts cause some people to apply the brakes, not wanting to take the risk for fear of slipping backwards. The struggle is this, if one is always applying the brakes, one doesn’t get very far or it requires the person in the front to work three times as hard to make things happen. 

Our faith is like that too.  While everyone often shares and desires the same goals; when facing the hill or perceive obstacle, some peddle while others hit the brakes.

Jesus faced this uphill climb; sometimes the disciples wanted to hold him back.  Remember Peter who recognized Jesus as being the Messiah and Jesus called him the rock upon which He would build His church.  The next minute Peter was holding Jesus back, saying that Jesus must never endure suffering and death.  Peter didn’t realize that Jesus was going to have to endure the cross on the hill in order for salvation to come.  Peter wanted to hit the brakes, but by faith Jesus went to the cross knowing it was the only way.  Peter couldn’t see God’s plan, he only saw the cross.  The same thing happened with Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration; Peter didn’t understand what was happening and wanted to build three tents and just stay there, but Jesus knew there was much to do.

This is the Christian faith, it requires action.  The church did not grow without sacrifice, we know that from Jesus and the work of the disciples. 

Prayer: Father, we are grateful that Jesus strained at the pedals overcoming our sin.  Thank you for the example of the disciples who after being taught, encouraged, and given the presence and power of the Holy Spirit did the same.  As we prepare to meet Your Son, help us to take our feet off the brakes.  Father, forgive us when we make you merely a co-pilot in our life, for you must be the pilot always.  Help us to follow your lead in the front of the bike and pedal with you from the rear.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

John 8:2-11: Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.  The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”  They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one,sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

If one has ever wondered why Jesus came into the world, I would probably pick these two stories as part of my answer; this story along with the conversation between Jesus and the criminals hanging on the cross.   This story truly illustrates the love of Jesus Christ and how He came to change the world. The Law of Moses was very clear here; the woman was caught in adultery and the penalty was stoning (I always ask – what about the man – takes two to tango).  The law was clear and the penalty was clear, but Jesus came to make us think differently about the way we judge people.  Jesus told all the people gathered to look at their sin first before judging others.

Jesus wants us to see clearly, that He is the only one who had the right to judge.  We do not have that right because of our own sinfulness.  Only Jesus can judge.  How does He judge? Jesus judges with grace and mercy.  This story paints a clear picture of the transformation from the law being a burden to the law being grace.  Infidelity and adultery, both are still sins along with a multitude of other actions, including judging others without judging ourselves.  Jesus is calling us to act as He did, judging with mercy and grace and the call to repent and sin no more.

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, let us look deeply into the heart and mind of the Man, the Savior we celebrate and show that same grace and mercy, knowing that we could and should be judged just as harshly.

Prayer: Loving Father, what a blessing to see in a story like this just how You want me to love another.  Forgive me when I have judged someone for their sin and not looked at my own sin.  Help me to see sin and not to overlook or affirm it, but to reach out in mercy and grace just as Your Son Jesus did.  Help me to be humble enough to share with another person my sin and forgiveness in order that they will seek the peace, hope, joy, and love that I know in Jesus Christ.   It is in His name I pray, Amen.

With God’s grace and mercy, Pastor Brett

I remember the first play I ever saw in Chicago.  I was on our performing arts group senior trip.  We went to see “Godspell.”  I can still picture John the Baptist coming in and singing, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord. I could not get that song out of my head – I think I sang that for weeks. The lyrics were difficult to memorize, it repeats the phrase “prepare ye the way of the Lord” twelve times. 

I caught myself singing this song just yesterday and I thought, what am I doing singing this song of Lent in the middle of Advent? Most of us have Christmas carols, songs, and hymns on our lips this time of year. 

Usually we think of John the Baptist at Lent.  In reality though, this song fits great with Advent. After all, we are preparing room in our lives for Jesus. 

It is funny to think of us being in the wildness with John the Baptist, but that is exactly where we are right now.  On the one hand we are forgiven, we celebrate Jesus’ birth and live in hope because of His love.  We have been redeemed, our sins have been forgiven and we live in that right now.  We still find ourselves in the wilderness because as we look around us, we see the stark reality of this world.  Things on the earth are not perfect, and in this wilderness we are called to stay vigilant, for Jesus will return.

There is a little known Advent Hymn, “Bride of the Lamb” and the first three verses certainly convey this thought well of active Advent waiting, preparing the way of the Lord.

Bride of the Lamb, awake, awake!

Why sleep for sorrow now?

The hope of glory, Christ, is thine,

A child of glory thou.

 

Thy spirit, through the lonely night,

From earthly joy apart,

Hath sighed for One that’s far away

The Bridegroom of thy heart.

 

But see!  The night is waning fast,

The breaking morn is near;

And Jesus comes, with voice of love,

Thy drooping heart to cheer.

Prayer:  Father, we cry out to You now.  Hear our voices singing your praises, preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts – both today and tomorrow.  We look forward to the day when we will see your face and gather together as one church to celebrate our wedding supper with you.  Help us to see Your light shining out calling us in the midst of our busy days.   Come Lord Jesus.  Amen

Enjoying preparing with you,  Pastor Brett

A little girl was pushing her mother to the limit.  Together they had cleaned, shopped, baked, wrapped, and had returned home from delivering a couple items to the church.  The little girl wanted some time with mom and all mom wanted to do was get her bathed and in bed.  Both wanted rest.  They finished reading a book and they knelt down to say their prayers and the three year old decided to change things: “and forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us!”

We can laugh, but there is some truth in that, or we wouldn’t be laughing.  We’ve talked a lot about holiday stress this year. I know I’ve enjoyed the time writing each day; yes it has added a couple hours each day to my schedule, but it has allowed me two hours each day of devotion unrelated to a sermon or Bible Study. I’m grateful for time to be still and talk with God.

During the World War II years a boy looked frequently at a picture of his daddy on the table. His father had left for Europe when the boy was  young. After several years the boy had forgotten him as a person but he would often look at the picture and say, “If only my father could step out of that picture and be real….”  

The question posed with this story was, if only Jesus could step out of the Bible and be real?  The great thing is, Christ did and does each day.  He is real in the heartfelt note enclosed with a Christmas card, real in the smiles of the Salvation Army Bell Ringers, he is real in the faces of people serve meals and provide company to someone who is lonely. Jesus is real in the person who visits the nursing home and prison, sharing the peace, hope, joy, and love of Jesus Christ. 

He is real in us, because His Holy Spirit is real and living in us.  Let us also remember the words of John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  God did not want to remain apart from us, but wanted to dwell with us and in us.  He didn’t just write the words in the Bible, He lived them out for us. 

While we can never become God, we can help God to step out of the picture and witness love in a very present way.  We can reflect the light of Christ in the deepest darkness.  As Jesus urges in Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Prayer: Father, you are our light and our salvation.  Help us to never fear the darkness of sin every again.  Help us to rise up today and reflect the light that You have shined on us.  Give us opportunities to step out of the picture and share the love of Jesus with someone today.  It is in His name we pray, Amen.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Brett

Wayne Brouwer in his book “Being a Believer in and Unbelieving World” shares the writing about a women honored by her company. She was attending an awards banquet with roughly 3000 people from the company she worked for.   She walked to the podium to receive the company’s top honor and stood with the trophy smiling, but in reality she was focused on one person; her supervisor named Joan.  The award winner began to share that she had some difficult times years before; personal problems that caused her work to suffer.  This in turn caused many to steer clear of her, seeing her as a liability and going nowhere.  She felt like a loser and had gone to Joan several times with her letter of resignation. Joan would reply, let’s wait a little longer or let’s give this one more try; each time encouraging with words like, “I never would have hired you if I didn’t think you could handle it.” Encouragement one doesn’t often hear in an age where it is easier to cut your losses and move on.

At this point the award winner’s voice broke, tears streaming down her face, she said, “Joan believed in me more than I believed in myself.”

Brouwer suggests, “Isn’t this the message of the Gospel?” 

I must agree.  From the time of the Old Testament until now God always believed in His people.  God sent prophets to pursue, to discipline, to encourage and draw His people back to Him. Just when people were  likely giving up on themselves, God would draw them to Him.  When people thought God was gone, having not heard His voice for a long time, God sends Jesus Christ, His Son, to save the world.  God never gives up on us.

Have you ever found yourself in the same position where someone believes in you more than you believe in yourself?  I think we all have at one time or another. 

I hope this Advent Season we can all spent some time thinking about how much God loves us and believes in us.  I hope as well that we can all find some Joan in us and share our belief and encouragement with others who have little belief in themselves. 

Prayer: Father, thank you for believing in me even when I haven’t believed in myself.  Provide me an opportunity to be like Joan, who not only gave second and third chances to someone ready to give up on herself, but encouraged her all along the way and was rewarded.  Guide me through Your Holy Spirit living in me to be merciful and provide encouragement and hope to others in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God’s Blessings to you, Pastor Brett

Remember all the Charlie Brown specials surrounding the different holidays?  Poor Charlie Brown, nothing quite works out for him – from the football being pulled away from him, Lucy always disappointing him on the baseball field, and  a rock when trick or treating.  As a junior in high school I was fortunate to play the part of Linus in “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.”  Poor Mrs. King who had to work with me on the singing part… Loveable Linus, he couldn’t let go of his blanket, he gave the term security blanket a whole new meaning.  He tried, but he could not let his blanket go.

I’ve sure we’ve all had the pleasure of watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  Charlie Brown again disappointed when the tree he chooses for the school play draws everyone’s ridicule.  In response Charlie Brown laments and says, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” 

Linus steps up, blanket in hand, and says; “Sure, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were sore afraid.  And the angel of the Lord said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people… (Luke 2:8-14) Have you ever noticed what happens when Linus says the words, “Fear not”?  He drops his blanket; he drops his perceived security blanket as if to say, I no longer need this.

Do you have a security blanket; something you think you have to have to survive, you just can’t live without it?  Do you have things you fear and cannot seem to overcome?  I think we can all learn from Linus and his reaction as he narrated the story of Jesus’ birth.   We are blessed to have a Savior who can overcome all our fears and bring us peace.

I’m grateful that Charles Schulz included this.  As the story goes, the producer was fearful, stating it was dangerous to talk about religion now.  Schulz replied, “If we don’t, who will?”  I encourage you to watch this with your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and take a moment to read Luke 2 to them as well.

Prayer: Father, help us to trust you and drop our fears knowing you are always with us.  Give us the same courage Charles Schulz had over 50 years ago to make sure every child who watched his Christmas special would hear what Christmas is all about. Please bless us with the opportunity to share this story with a child and remember our security is always in Jesus Christ.  It is in His name we pray, Amen.

God’s Blessings, Pastor Brett

The people of Israel had abandoned God’s ways for their own ways.  They had abandoned the one true God for idols and false gods (small g) and found themselves living in exile.  Isaiah 55 is written to God’s people in exile who were uncertain if God had abandoned them. For those Jewish people who sought to remain faithful while in exile, it had to be difficult.  There was no place to worship (no synagogue), no temple in which to sacrifice for forgiveness of sin; instead false gods (small g), idols, and false prophets abounded.  God wants them to have hope and Isaiah’s words (God’s Words) were intended to provide that hope.

So the question to ask is this: Do we ever wonder if God has abandoned us when we sin?  Do we ever think God has abandoned us when things aren’t going particularly well in our lives?  Today’s passage is meant to dispel those thoughts; to remind us that God wants us to be restored and renewed, especially during those times when we feel most alone. 

Through Isaiah, God tells His people who are in need to seek Him.  In other words, those very times when we seem most uncertain, when our sin makes us feel apart from God, God is there saying I’m here and I am close, come near to me. God is saying I am going to come to you, be with you, and restore you.

God uses images we are familiar with to express His promise of renewal, restoration and rebirth.  He says (Isaiah 55:10-11), “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.”

The rain and snow fall from heaven and provide water that will again give life.  Likewise the Word of God comes down from heaven to provide forgiveness and restoration. Yes, one day I will send the Messiah to earth to restore, renew, and forgive my people.  Jesus, the Word made flesh, came down from heaven and He did not return empty. He returned with ransomed sinners (the first being the criminal who was crucified with Him and confessed) after he took on the cross and accomplish exactly what the Father willed.  Through Christ we have been restored to God.  Please find peace knowing that God always seeks to restore us to Him.

Prayer: Father, thank you for never abandoning us even when we depart from You and Your Word.  Thank you for the blessing found in these words of hope.  Give us the courage to express this same hope to others by providing grace to everyone we know.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Brett 

I remember when I was a kid we had an Advent calendar on the wall in our house.  It was hand stitched with 24 pouches each containing a hand stitched ornament with Velcro on the back and every morning whoever woke up first would put that day’s ornament up.  It was always a contest to see who would get to put the ornament up.  We also had an Advent candle wreath we would light every Sunday evening.  The same is true today and all these items are designed to help us wait and prepare during Advent.  Most of these items are designed to help us prepare for Christmas, but the Advent candle scripture and daily devotionals often point to Jesus’ second coming; a healthy balance for Advent.

Waiting is never easy and if we don’t take some time each day to slow down, Advent can become an anxious time.  Advent was never meant to be an anxious time.  After all, consider the Advent Candle themes: hope, peace, love, joy, and Christ. 

None of these wonderful Advent themes (based upon qualities that God seeks for us) should bring about worry or anxiety. It is all the cultural and earthy trimmings of the season that bring about worry, anxiousness, and envy.  What do we worry about; the perfect gift, making sure the traditional baking and meals are perfect.  We stress about getting Christmas cards out on time. All this stress to celebrate the birth and second coming of the Prince of Peace – rather ironic isn’t it. 

I’ve talked before about joy versus happiness, they are not the same. Happiness is an emotion as is sadness, while joy is a choice. We can always be joyful in spite of certain things in life that may cause us sadness.  Peace, hope, and love are like that too.  We can be at perfect peace in our hearts even when we are in the midst of grief, chaos, and uncertainty.  We can always have hope even when things seem very dire in our earthly lives.  What does the Bible tell us about love? “Love never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” Love will never end, not matter what, because the source of all love is in God who will never die.  Our hope, peace, and joy are found in that love as well.  With God living in us, in His Holy Spirit, no matter the circumstances of life, we will always have love, hope, peace and Joy.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for love.  Please allow us to know and share the love of Jesus with everyone we come in contact with. Provide us someone today to just smile at, say hi, and Merry Christmas to. That simple gesture might be just what they need to help life them up in a busy day.  Remind us of Your presence, You living inside of us, speaking truth to us. We thank You Father for the few minutes spent reading about Your qualities based in love that never fail us. May these qualities be a blessing for us today and help us to be a blessing to a stranger today.

God’s love, joy, hope, and peace to you and yours today, Pastor Brett