The Day After Christmas

I am reading slowly through Luke in my morning devotions. Yesterday I just happened to be reading the traditional Christmas story. It's familiar and warm, like a comfortable sweatshirt or an old pair of slippers. Images of famous paintings of the Nativity, candlelight church services and Christmas carols seemed to rise up from the page.

Today was different. Luke 2:25-40 tells of them bringing the baby Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated. Simeon spotted the family at the Temple. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that this little baby was the long awaited Messiah. He told Joseph and marry that their baby was the salvation of God, a light for the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.


All parents think that their baby is the cutest, but to have these words spoken about your son must have been a strange experience for Joseph and Mary. What would they say in return? Would they be filled with pride? Awe? Hope? They might have even wondered what their role in all this might be. Would they have front row seats at the coronation?


Then Simeon added words that made me sit up and take notice this morning: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."


In a flash, the warm fuzzy feeling of Christmas were gone. Here was something ominous. Like a fast-moving thunderstorm descending on a summer picnic, these words ruined the idyllic moment. Warm, fuzzy thoughts were replaced with fear and anxiety. Their child was to be controversial. He was going to expose the hearts of people and that exposure would not be popular. He would be spoken against. He would bring pain as well as joy.


This is understandable. Jesus was God-in-the-flesh. God is not someone that most people want to deal with. Sure, they might say they believe in God, but usually the "God" they believe in safe and kept at a distance until needed. He is merely a concept, not a person. God-as-a-concept might be a good idea. God-as-a-concept brings hope in times of trial. God-as-a-concept brings comfort to the mourning. But God-as-a-concept is never in control. We control God-as-a-concept.


God-in-the-flesh is something else again. Suddenly God is a reality that must be dealt with. God as-a-reality calls the shots. Jesus will expose what people really think about God. He is God. How people respond to Him exposes what they think about God. Sometimes that exposure isn't pretty at all. It would lead the religious to demand his crucifixion.


As a pastor, it is easy to fall for the "God-as-a-concept" mentality. If God is merely a concept, then I am in control. I get to guide what happens. After all, as pastor aren't I responsible for the flock? Leadership books are full of tips and techniques for controlling what happens in church. They fit in well with the God as a concept mentality. It seems much safer and much more secure.

This morning I prayed that I would never fall into the "God-as-a-concept" mentality, as peaceful and reassuring as that might be. Instead, I want "God-as-reality" or "God-in-the-flesh." I want God to truly guide me and lead me. Even if that means feeling like I'm out of control at times. Even if that means being unpopular or controversial.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always a special time. As I sat in our Christmas Eve service I couldn't help but think about the wonderful church we have and how great it is to be surrounded by so many friends and to have such a tremendous family. In case you missed it, here were some of the highlights for me:

• My seventh grade son played the prelude on the piano. Sure, I've heard him practicing at home, but it is always a thrill to see one of your kids using their gifts to glorify God.
• Amy K. came up to me minutes before the service started saying that she was unable to copy the backup music for her solo onto a CD. We scratched it from the order of service, but then she decided to sing it without any accompaniment. Wow! Can Amy ever sing! The song even included a key change, which is hard enough to do with music playing, but she did it flawlessly without instrumentation!
• Little kids are always a blast during the children's sermon. I asked them "What's your favorite thing about Christmas?" and one shouted out "Dinosaurs!"
• As I sat and listened to the choir sing, I was amazed at how good they sounded. I also couldn't help but think about how special each person standing up there is to me.
• When I stood up to preach I noticed that we had to bring in extra chairs in the back of the Sanctuary...a good problem to have.
• For the ?th year in a row the slide for "The First Noel" was wrong. Several years ago I typed, "Born is the king of Bethlehem" rather than "Israel." Each Christmas Eve I think, "I've got to fix that." Every year I forget. Every Christmas Eve day when I put together the slides I double check them. Once again, I messed up. After the service I suggested to my wife that I change it to "Born is the king of Nashwauk." It was vetoed. I guess it will probably stay "Bethlehem." I probably won't remember to fix it this week.
• Seeing my sister was another highlight. She came up with her daughter and my mom and a bunch of other family members. I thought about "calling her out" during the sermon, but she has a much quicker wit than just about anyone I know. I decided that anything I might say would be quickly turned around and used against me.
• Closing the service with Silent Night always brings a tear to my eye.

All in all, it was a great Christmas Eve. I hope that you enjoyed the service as much as I did. I'm looking forward to the coming year. I think God has a lot of great things planned.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt

Occasionally I find a sermon that has much to chew on. Paris Reidhead's sermon "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" has a message that is incredibly relevant to our day and age. I highly recommend that you read it and ponder its message.

As you begin to read it, you might think that it is aimed only at pastors, but that really isn't the case. Instead, it deals with the issue of what true Christianity really is. So many times I see people who view religion as a utilitarian thing. If it works, great. And by working they mean that they want to know if religion helps them get what they want...a new car, a better marriage or a leg up on the competition then religion is fine with them. These people see religion as a buffet table. You take a little of this and a little of that, and pretty soon you have a fantastic meal. It kind of reminds me of the TV commercial for buying a car on the internet. You pick the model, color, options, press a button and Presto! there's your new car!

The reality is that we don't get to pick what God is like. He is God. The question then is not, "what do we want our designer "god" to be like?" but "what has God revealed Himself to be like?" The answer to that question is found in Bible and in the person of Jesus Christ, God-come-in-the -flesh.

Read the sermon. Its a good one.

The Judgment Seat

As a pastor, one of the things that I am committed to is the systematic teaching of God's Word. Over the years I have found that this provides a balanced diet for the people of the congregation. There is no temptation to dress up the same six sermons in different clothes or to preach on my favorite themes over and over again. It causes us to deal with difficult issues and hopefully I stay true to the Bible.

Sometimes, though, it can make for some interesting moments for people who are visiting the church. This coming weekend is no exception. There will be people in town for Christmas, but as we work our way through 2 Corinthians we find ourselves in chapter 5 verse 10:

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

That's not what most people are expecting to hear two days before Christmas! At the same time, it is a passage that is incredibly real to me right now. Last night Celinda Johnson, who had recently started attending our church, was killed in an accident not far from our house. Earlier this week I was stopped in traffic on 169 while officers cleaned up after a head-on collision. Earlier this month I blogged about almost sliding into 169 after picking up one of the boys from basketball practice.

The truth is you never know when your days will come to an end. Hebrews 9:27 says that "it is given man once to die and after that to face judgment." Everyone needs to be ready for that day...our "day in court."

I also know that most people will not think about what might happen. To cause people to think about their day of judgment takes an act of God. John 16:8 says that the Holy Spirit will "convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." That's what I'm praying for this Sunday: that the Holy Spirit will convict people and apply a "pre-test" to let them know where they are standing now in light of that day.

Take time to read 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 and 1 John 5:11-13 and pray that people would be ready for that awesome day when they stand before Him.

Opening Presents Early

The end is in sight! I've been reading through the Bible this year and can see the finish line. It's been a great discipline for me. I've had a direction and goal as I sit down with the Lord each day to read and pray. In an earlier post I talked about trying to decide what to do in my devotions after the first of the year. I've elected to start in the gospel of Luke and simply spend time meditating on the life of Christ. I'm really excited to get started, but that has created a problem.

Reading through the Bible in a year has become a habit. There have been days I have forced myself to read. There have been other days I have forced myself to stop. Over the last 350 days there have only been a handful of days that I haven't done the "required" reading. Now I just have a few of the little Old Testament prophets to read and I will reach the finish line.

This has created a silly internal struggle. I want to race through the prophets and get on to Luke. I feel like a kid at Christmastime. "Can we open the packages early?" "How about one package now?" "Do we have to wait until Christmas?" Mom and Dad always said no. The disciplined part of me that has forced me to read each day says no. The carefree part of me asks, "Why not?" The peacekeeper in me tries to settle the argument by suggesting to myself that I sit down and read the rest of the Old Testament today and have fun with Luke tomorrow.

Like I said, it's a silly struggle, but it does show the power of habits. My routines drive me in certain directions. Having developed the discipline of running, my body actually hurts now when I don't run...it expects, needs and even demands running in order to feel good.

This silly struggle has caused me to think a little bit about some of my habits. If my habits drive me in certain directions, what would I like to change? For example, I have a habit of heading to the kitchen for a snack whenever I come home from anywhere. Why is that? Do I really need a snack after the church potluck? I keep talking about wanting to spend more time with friends, but can I create a "routine" like having someone over after church every week that would make it feel strange not to be spending time with friends?

I've decided that when it comes to my devotions it's okay to do both. I will continue to read through the Old Testament and finish the Bible on December 31. I am also going to start Luke now. There's nothing wrong with that! In fact, the greatest habit I want to reinforce over the coming year is spending time with Jesus. It hurts when I don't spend time with Him. What was it the psalmist wrote? Oh yeah, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1).

A New Church

One of the advantages of reading this blog on a regular basis is that sometimes you can be one of the first to know about new things that are happening in and around the church. This morning I shared with the elders an exciting development that is taking place in Hibbing that I believe the Lord wants us to play a significant role.

Tim Maki, a frequent speaker here and a friend of many, has announced that he is going to step down from his position in the disctrict as Director of Church Planting. That's bad news for the district. Tim has done a great job and we have seen numerous churches started around the state under his leadership. He will be hard to replace, but God has something else in mind for Tim.

Tim is going to be starting a new Alliance Church in Hibbing! Tentatively called North Star Church, the church will be designed to reach the unchurched and will have as part of its foundational vision the starting of other churches around the Iron Range.

I believe that Nashwauk Alliance is called to be a part of this effort. Prayer, finances and people will all be needed to make this new church a reality. We will be having Tim come to share his vision after the first of the year, but you are now "in the know" and can begin laying the foundation in prayer.

You may be asking, "Why a new church?" Here are some facts to consider:

• According to recent studies 85% of the people in St. Louis county are unchurched. (Itasca county is at 80%).
• 40% of the workforce at the mines will be retiring soon. This will bring new families to the area as these businesses seek to replace retiring workers.
• MSI's impact will be felt throughout the western range bringing 2000+ jobs.
• Church planting is one of the most effective ways to do evangelism.

There is plenty of room for another church targeting the unreached!

I don't want to steal any of Tim's thunder, but I am excited about what God is doing and challenge all of us to be in prayer so that the foundation of this new church will be well-laid.

A New Building

I walked around the new church building this morning. It was Saturday, so the workers were gone and I had the place to myself. What an incredible experience. The holes for the windows are framed. The doorways are framed. I could picture the Sanctuary completed and could almost smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen.

I would have stayed longer, but it was cold. Ten minutes of walking around was enough for me before I retreated to the warmth of my car.

But then I thought for a moment about the workers who have been out working on the building for the last several weeks. The temperatures have been bitterly cold. The wind on the top of the hill never stops blowing. "Fun" and "exciting" are probably not words that the carpenters are using for describe their days when they get home at night. Sure, its rewarding to see the progress being made, but there is a discipline involved in "getting it done."

I think that's true of ministry as well. There are a lot of people who enjoy a warm building, but fewer that are willing to do the work of erecting one in the winter. There are many people who would love to see people find Christ, but fewer that are willing to do the work of building relationships and sharing the gospel. It can be hard work trying to reach those who are far from God. Discipling them is rewarding, but demanding.

Sometimes I want things to be easy. I want to take the path of least resistance. I want to be entertained. I want church to be "fun" and "exciting." When it isn't I wonder why.

It struck me that God is looking for the types of people who are willing to get out in the cold and do the difficult and demanding work of building the church (which is people and not a building). They don't demand that every moment be "fun" or "exciting". Instead, they know the call of God and are doing it, regardless of what it might cost them or the pain it they might experience.

Those who are simply looking to be comfortable and to be catered to are not going to qualify for the blessing that God wants to impart to those who are willing to step out in obedience to do the radical work of building the church. No, the Lord is calling us to be a part of something greater than being entertained. God is calling is to be a part of building something for His glory. Again, I'm not talking about a physical building, but a spiritual house made up of living stones.

That's what I want to be a part of building.

How about you?

Treasure in Jars of Clay

One of the things that I am constantly aware of as I study 2nd Corinthians is that Paul's perspective on life is radically different than mine tends to be. His is healthier. His is sustainable.

For example, Paul talks about the ministry in terms that make some sense to me. He calls us the "aroma of Christ" and says that we "reflect the Lord's glory." It is easy for me to think about trying to "shine my light" when things are going well.

But then Paul talks about having this treasure in "jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4:7). That the weakness, troubles and problems of life are part of the deal. In fact, sometimes the trials come so that it can be more plainly seen that it is God who is working in our lives. The confidence we have knowing that God is in control dazzles people without Him. When tragedy strikes and we truly find our comfort in God, his presence shines through us. When the job is lost and we rely on God for our provision and he meets our needs, his hand is most clearly seen.

Sometimes people wonder why the difficulties of life come their way. Could it be that in the midst of the the troubles God wants to shine our light the brightest? No one notices the light of the lighthouse during the day. But when the wind is howling and darkness has fallen, then the light penetrates the darkness and points the way home. Could the storms of life be designed by God so that your light will have the greatest impact?

I'm not saying that God wants us to suffer, rather that in the final scheme of things the suffering that we go through here is momentary in comparison to the joys of eternity. Could it be that God allows us to go through trials in part so that others may see that He is at work in our lives? When the trials come, isn't it best for us to continue to look to Him...and to let others see that we have an "invisible means of support"? Sure it is.

Thinking this way helps me deal with the troubles that come my way. I try to look at the problems and pray, "Lord, let me shine for you through this." And usually he helps me to keep bobbing on the surface of the water during the storm. Sometimes, though, it feels like I'm going under and I wonder what's going on. In Paul's terms I feel "hard pressed and perplexed" (2 Corinthians 4:8). In the midst of it though, God truly is in control. I'm learning that I can trust in him. And even when I'm wondering where He is and feel like I am going under He is using me to shine His light to others.

What's the Plan?

December is here and the 2007 calendar is almost used up. Last year I decided that I was going to attempt to read through the Bible in a year. For the first time in my life, I think I am actually going to accomplish the feat. I usually get bogged down after a few weeks, fall hopelessly behind and give up. I don't stop reading, but the "get through the Bible in year" usually doesn't work for me.

Now I am trying to decide what to do with 2008. I know one pastor who reads through the Bible one year, and then studies a Biblical theme the next year. This year he is studying the term "bless/blessed/blessing." He's gained a lot of insight from this approach, but I'm still wondering what I should do. Here are some of my ideas:

• Meditate on the life of Christ in the gospels. Simply slowly read through the four gospels again and again...spending time with Jesus.
• Memorize the book of Colossians. I've done other books before, and its a great way to go deeper in a book of the Bible.
• Read through the Old Testament in a year. Meditate on various New Testament books.
• Meditate on passages related to the various fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 (love, joy, peace, etc.).
• Meditate on passages related to how we are to treat each other (love one another, bear one another's burdens, etc.).

I'm not sure what I am going to do next year. But I know that having a plan helps. It gives direction and a sense of purpose to my devotional life. At the same time, I want it to be God's plan for me. So I am holding these things up before him and suspect that as the days of December wind down, there will be some clear direction from Him.

What's your plan?

It Can Happen in a Flash

It is amazing how quickly things can change in life. Last night I picked up one of the boys from basketball practice at the Middle School in Bovey. He got in the car and we turned left, headed out of town and we visited about practice. As the town's lights faded in rearview mirror, I accelerated to highway speed. Well, not really. The roads had a little snow on them in places so I was taking it easy. I consider myself to be a safe defensive driver. I probably qualify to wear an "old man's hat." I was paying attention to the road.

Suddenly, there was a totally unexpected Y in the road ahead of me. I was confused, but knew that the left was oncoming traffic, so I veered right onto the snow-covered fork that was fading quickly to the right. I hit the brakes and started to skid, struggling to maintain control and avoid ending up in the ditch.

My headlights suddenly illuminated a stop sign. It was then that I realized what had happened. In the midst of my routine of picking up kids from school and heading home, I had forgotten about the new Bovey bypass and had headed out of town thinking that the road was the same as it was the hundreds of other times I'd picked up the kids. Only now the "old highway out of town" is the "new entrance." So new that they haven't put up any warning signs. There were no "stop ahead" or "keep right" or "curve" signs erected yet. The first clue that I wasn't on the old highway was the Y in the road. And the stop sign confirmed the harsh reality: I was skidding and spinning toward Highway 169 at 5:30 in the evening.

This was not good.

I looked to the left and saw oncoming traffic coming in the distance. If I came to a stop in the highway I doubted that I could make it back to safety before they t-boned me. Now the snowbank became my friend. I used what little control I had to try to hit the snowbank hoping that it would stop me from sliding onto the highway. Fortunately, the back of the car hit the snowbank and we came to a stop pointing back into town without sliding into the oncoming cars. Exhaling for the first time in what seemed like an hour, I looked at my wide-eyed son and said, "That was close."

What struck me was how suddenly everything could have changed. A few more feet and we would have been in a serious . Perhaps even life-threatening. In a flash, the whole ballgame could have been different if not over.

I thought of a couple of things last night. I thought about the security that I have in Christ. How good it is to know without a doubt that I am going to heaven. How good it is to know that He will provide for my family regardless of what happens to me. How good it is to know that He is in control.

The other thing I thought of was other people. On Sunday we talked about people that we are trying to share the gospel with that seem unresponsive. Last night I thought about the fact that their lives can change in a moment. I'm not talking about the real possibility of , but about how circumstances can change and suddenly open a person's heart to the gospel. Tragedy, sickness, marital strife may be in the future for your friend.

Perhaps that's why God is bringing you close to that person now...so that you will be there then. Perhaps that's another reason why we should not lose heart and give up even when we are discouraged about the hardness of heart of the people we are trying to share the gospel with. You never know when they will face an unexpected Y in their road that will make their eternal destination suddenly seem extremely important. When they do, will you be ready with your light and your salt (Mt 5:13-16)?

(update: I picked up the boys tonight...and there is a "stop ahead" sign, So I was wrong about there being no signs. However, the intersection is confusing. For example, there is a "right lane must turn right" sign immediately before the apparent Y in the road. I wanted to turn left onto 169 so what was I to do? One youth group member's parent took the "left fork" and went zooming down the one way...the wrong way! Anyway, it looks to me like an intersection that needs improving before someone gets hurt).