Light

12 Jesus spoke to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 13 Then the Pharisees said to him, “Because you are testifying about yourself, your testimony isn’t valid.” 14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, since I know where I came from and where I’m going. You don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge according to human standards, but I judge no one. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I’m not alone. My judgments come from me and from the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the witness of two people is true. 18 I am one witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me is the other.” 19 They asked him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You don’t know me and you don’t know my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” (John 8:12-19, CEB)

When you have light the darkness backs away. A single candle will expel darkness.

The darkness can not stay in the light and when the light comes toward the darkness it is confused and fights to keep the light away.

Allow Jesus to shine in and through your life.

Loving People. Loving God.

Stay Alert

32 “But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son. Only the Father knows. 33 Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. 34 It is as if someone took a trip, left the household behind, and put the servants in charge, giving each one a job to do, and told the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know when the head of the household will come, whether in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows in the early morning or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!” (Mark 13:32-37, CEB)

No one knows except the Father. Jesus doesn’t know when he is coming back.

We need to be aware and watching ready at a moment’s notice.

We do not know what will happen, all we need to be sure of is that God is always with us. So while it might seems fearful to not know, we can rest in the promise of God always being with us.

Loving People. Loving God.

God’s Temple

10 I laid a foundation like a wise master builder according to God’s grace that was given to me, but someone else is building on top of it. Each person needs to pay attention to the way they build on it. 11 No one can lay any other foundation besides the one that is already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 So, whether someone builds on top of the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, or hay, 13 each one’s work will be clearly shown. The day will make it clear, because it will be revealed with fire—the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work survives, they’ll get a reward. 15 But if anyone’s work goes up in flames, they’ll lose it. However, they themselves will be saved as if they had gone through a fire. 16 Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy, which is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:10-17, CEB)

You are God’s temple and the Holy Spirit lives in you.

And not only you, but every other person you see.

So when you say that someone is not worthy of love because they are different from you in any way you are saying that God is not worthy of love. Because that person is the temple of God and the Holy Spirit lives in them.

Who are you to say that the temple of God isn’t worthy of love?

We are laying upon the foundations that were done by Christ and everyone before us to show God’s love to the world.

Love everyone as God loves you.

Loving People. Loving God.

Holy innocence

13 When the magi had departed, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon search for the child in order to kill him.” 14 Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I have called my son out of Egypt. 16 When Herod knew the magi had fooled him, he grew very angry. He sent soldiers to kill all the children in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding territory who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. 17 This fulfilled the word spoken through Jeremiah the prophet: 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much grieving. Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were no more. (Matthew 2:13-18, CEB)

Herod fooled by the visitors tried to eliminate Jesus by killing every male child that would fit into the age range of when the visitors came and asked for the king born in Bethlehem. Herod was so hung up on power he was willing to slaughter innocent children to make sure he stayed in power.

And we think about that and say how terrible when we really do the same thing. We do whatever we need to to keep the status quo. We will hold people down and not allow for rights to keep the way we have known life. We need to give up the power we think we have and fight for the innocent.

Unless we are actively working to change the status quo we are not upholding the down trodden.

Don’t be Herod. Live knowing that everything is in God’s hands.

Loving People. Loving God.

Follow me.

19 He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me.” 20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. This was the one who had leaned against Jesus at the meal and asked him, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw this disciple, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you? You must follow me.” 23 Therefore, the word spread among the brothers and sisters that this disciple wouldn’t die. However, Jesus didn’t say he wouldn’t die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. (John 21:19b-24, CEB)

What difference does it make what I do with other people? That has nothing to do with your faithfulness to me. You must follow me. The Greek word here clearly means to follow behind, not walk along side or anything else, you will see the back of my head.

And all of this comes after Jesus just asked Peter if Peter loved Jesus three times, for each time Peter betrayed him when Jesus was on trial.

We need to follow Jesus, and not worry about what others have from God. Because God is giving us what we need and others what they need and those will never be the same because we are all different people.

Loving People. Loving God.

after 3 days…

41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom. 43 After the festival was over, they were returning home, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know it. 44 Supposing that he was among their band of travelers, they journeyed on for a full day while looking for him among their family and friends. 45 When they didn’t find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!” 49 Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he said to them. 51 Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother cherished every word in her heart. 52 Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. (Luke 2:41-52, CEB)

After three days…

Can you imagine missing a child for 3 days? I had a child run away and she was missing for about an hour, which felt like way more and I was about to lose my mind. When I saw her, I hugged her and told her I loved her.

I honestly didn’t know if I would ever see her again, and a part of me was actively dying. I wouldn’t know what to do I can not imagine the mental anguish Mary and Joseph were going through.

Three days…

Jesus spent three days in the tomb…

Jesus spent three days in the temple…

Where do we spend our time?

What are we focused on this Christmas season?

Are you focused on God and what God is leading you to do?

Loving People. Loving God.

tented…

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being 4 through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. 8 He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. 9 The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. 11 The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. 12 But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, 13 born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14, CEB)

The Word became flesh and made his home among us. Or in the NRVS the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Made his home is a better understanding of the word. The word in Greek literally means tented. Jesus came and pitched a tent to stay awhile. He want to be a part of this world so he set up a residence for a stay.

Jesus was God, and is God and in the midst of everything happening the plan was for God to come to earth as one of us and help us know what it is to love.

Honor God today as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Love your family, even those who are of a different political party than you.

Love your neighbor, even the one that pisses you off.

Love the world, because that is what God did when he stepped down into the manger to show us what love is.

Loving People. Loving God.

considered them carefully

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 5 He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom. 8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” 15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. 18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. (Luke 2:1-20, CEB)

What would you do if you were one of the shepherds here?

You are watching your flocks and suddenly there are angels singing above you about a baby born this night. Would you go and see or run in terror?

But they went and found Mary and Joseph and the baby and told them everything that had happened. And Mary committed it all to memory and considered it carefully.

Do we commit the wonders of God to our memory and consider them carefully?

This night as we celebrate the birth of Jesus let us commit this wonder to memory and consider it carefully.

Loving People. Loving God.

not a story

16 We didn’t repeat crafty myths when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quite the contrary, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to him from the magnificent glory, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 In addition, we have a most reliable prophetic word, and you would do well to pay attention to it, just as you would to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Most important, you must know that no prophecy of scripture represents the prophet’s own understanding of things, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will. Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:16-21, CEB)

We are not just telling a story when we talk about Jesus coming in a manger and going to the cross. With all the details in between.

It isn’t a myth, or a tale, or something we spun out of our own creation. Only the Holy Spirit can lead us to speak this truth.

This story is a lamp for the darkness of the world. One we must share.

So go shining a light and sharing the good news of a baby in a manger that goes to a cross, so that all may live.

Loving People. Loving God.

brought near

11 So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised. 12 At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God. 13 But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. 15 He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. 16 He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God. 17 When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. 18 We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. 19 So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. 20 As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. 22 Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22, CEB)

We were once a people with no hope and no God. But thanks to a baby in a manger that showed us how to love, we have been brought near.

Jesus is our peace. Jesus has made all people into one body. There we must break down hatred and divisions of all kinds. Jesus canceled the old rules that divide us and made us be one.

The baby we await has given us all life and brings us all together.

Live in a way that brings together.

Loving People. Loving God.