O' SHEPHERD, UNTO YOU A CHILD IS BORN!

      In Biblical times, shepherds were looked down upon. They were nomadic wanderers who were always ceremonially unclean. Like prostitutes and tax collectors, they were frequently in contact with people, land, and things that were considered unclean. They were immersed in uncleanliness- so completely that being clean again seemed impossible. Like lepers and others who were unclean, shepherds were isolated from their families and communities... and in addition to all of this, shepherds were unclean in the ordinary sense of the word because they spent their entire lives with sheep, seldom bathed, and always had caked dirt and dung on the sandals.

      No one would invite a shepherd to join him or her for dinner. No one would reach out to a shepherd... or want much to do with them... except God... who announced the birth of His Son to shepherds first. Unto you, he said, a child is born. Unto you and shepherds like you- unto the poor and outcast, unto those who are shut away, shut down, shut in, and shut down, unto those who are unseen and unheard, unto those whom others don't respect or treat with dignity... unto you a child is born! It was an incredible proclamation... and then, they were invited to join the holy family for the first Christmas! It was an outrageous, irreligious act, even though its radical message is lost on us. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem (now a Palestinian town), the invited "guests" were not grandma and grandpa, or uncles and aunts, or Mary's BFF... but the lowly shepherds- who stood around with wide eyes, unclean hands, and dung on their sandals... as the baby Jesus laid in a cattle trough. Yes, in an act that radically redefined what it means to be "holy," Jesus was born in a backwater town in an obscure little country... to an unwed teenage girl...in front of her trusting finance', a cow or two, and an assortment of unkempt shepherds. Merry Christmas!
      Think about this for a moment and it will blow your mind. Let the shepherd within you embrace the words- unto you a child is born- and your heart will burst into song! Unto YOU a child is born. Unto you Christ is born. If you're not shapely or svelte, he is born unto you; if your teeth are not as bright as they could be, or even if you're missing teeth, unto you a child is born; if you get your hands dirty when you work, or do the work that others won't do, unto you a child is born; if your background is shady, if you're burdened with sin, if you're sure that people wouldn't love you if they knew you, unto you a child is born; if you stumble over words and never quite say the right things, unto you a child is born; if your head is filled with secrets and doubts, unto you a child is born; if you find it hard to hope and never quite believe, unto you a child is born; if you are, in the depths of your heart, absolutely convinced that you are unloved and unloveable... UNTO YOU A SAVIOR IS BORN! 
      UNTO YOU A CHILD IS BORN... and you will never, ever be the same... because He will change your life forever. When the next morning came, the shepherds were still shepherds... but they were shepherds... with hope. People continued to shun them... but they knew that they were worthy! People continued to treat them as nobodies, but God had invited them to attend the birth of a king! They still had missing teeth, but they smiled broadly. Their lives would still be spent in the hills and they knew that they would never be invited to see anything grand, but it didn't matter at all, because THE CHILD HAD BEEN BORN UNTO THEM. They would continue to struggle to feed and protect their sheep. They would continue to struggle with life,...but after Mary's boy was born... they would never struggle without hope. 
      It didn't matter if they never received another invitation in their lives... because they had been invited to the first Christmas! God had emptied himself of divinity and come to earth to save a broken, desperate, foolish, and unclean people. The shepherds saw it first, but YOU ARE INVITED to Christmas as well. Never let anyone tell you that you have to be or do, say or buy, certain things... so that you'll have a "good Christmas." For unto you a Savior is born... all you have to do is respond! Amen.

HAVE A MERRY AND BLESSED CHRIST-MAS HOLI-DAY!

      Years ago, when we attended a large church in Omaha, Nebraska, it became clear to my wife... that our pastor did NOT believe that Christ was divine in any way. To give him the benefit of the doubt, we invited him to our home and asked him directly. "No," he said, "I don't believe that Christ was born to a virgin. I don't believe that he came down from heaven either," he added. "Instead, I believe that he was a godly man who lived an exemplary life... and that we should all follow his teachings on love and peace." The Christmas message in the Bible then, to the good Reverend, was (and is) just a story-no more real than Santa Claus. In his view, there were no angels who sang about a baby, no unwed Jewish teenager who gave birth to God's child,, no shepherds who gathered around an cattle trough, no astrologers who followed a star, no promise of a new world in which the meek will be blessed and the last will be first. Christmas, in this minister's view (and he's not alone) is an occasion for families to gather and exchange gifts in the spirit of harmony and love. For him, Christmas is a time for people to "slow down" and reflect on how things would be if... they would be more loving and follow the Nazarene's teachings.
      To our former pastor, Christmas is NOT about Christ breaking into our lives with a radical message of grace and obedience. It is NOT a transformingly divine moment, but a completely human moment that invites us to be gentler and more caring. Now-to be clear- there is much to be said for being less judgmental and more loving... and I am the first to confess that I love Christmas. I love Christmas! I love the fact that families who ordinarily don't gather together, come together on Christmas. I love the fact that people who don't give much of themselves or of their treasure during the year, take the time to serve food to the hungry and drop money into the Salvation Army's red kettles. I love the fact that people who haven't experienced worship in months... will once again worship God in a church of their choice. I even love the sharing of gifts, and I love the joy that these gifts give to others even more. Christmas is a wonderful holiday... but it is NOT a Holi-day without Christ! Indeed, when we urge others to "put Christ back in Christmas," we are understating the matter... because Christ is the very essence of Christmas!
      Without Christ, we can wish one another a "happy holiday"... because the secular trappings of the holiday affect Christians and non-Christians alike. It is a time of joy for millions of people, Christians and non-Christians alike, and it is good to celebrate that... but we can"t prepare for his coming if we don't believe he is coming, and we can't embrace a new king if we don't believe that he is our king. In short, although I can celebrate the joy of the holiday season without believing, it's hard to see how I can honestly wish someone a "merry Christmas"... unless I take him, his ministry, and his Lordship seriously. The Bible says that there were "wise men" who followed a star to worship the Christ-child... because they took Christmas seriously. And that there were Shepherds who worshiped him in joyous wonder because they took seriously. Even Herod took Christmas seriously and he was a madman. Indeed, wise men and women still take Christmas seriously because they know that God Incarnate- Immanuel- a Savior born unto us- is much more powerful and life-changing- than a gentle snow and a sentimental song!
      May the Christ of Christmas be very real to you and your loved ones this year. May he shower you with grace, may he mend your heart and heal your wounds, and may you invite him into your life as Lord and Savior. Amen.

ON SHOTGUNS, BOWLING BALLS, AND CHRISTMAS

      Well, its Christmas time and I'm a little nostalgic again. I think about the Christmases my brothers and I had when we were growing up. They were traditional and festive. Mom and dad tried their best to give us a good Christmas and mother made sure that the dollar amount spent on each one of us was exactly the same. Dad was around more on Christmas... as we gathered with family and friends to celebrate and open our gifts. Since we weren't a religious family, Christmas, for us, was a time when we gathered together, had fun, and opened gifts.
      There was more drinking than there needed to be, but Christmases were good for my brothers and me because we always got more than enough presents. As a kid, I looked forward to Christmas, but I was concerned that things were "just right." It was up to me to give just the right gifts to others, and I had lot of anxiety about receiving  just the right gifts myself. Even as we gathered to celebrate, I had a secret fear that I would disappoint someone... or be disappointed myself... which brings me to the Christmas when I received a shotgun instead of the bowling ball. I was bowling in league at the time and I wanted my own bowling ball. My father, on the other hand, wanted me to join him and my brothers on their hunting adventures. He didn't take many days off, but sometimes, he would get up extremely early and hunt pheasants in a farm field... or take a day trip to his duck blind. I'm sure that he saw hunting as a right of passage and as something we could bond around because he wasn't into sports... but I hated hunting and my heart was set on a bowling ball.
      I made my wishes known for weeks before Christmas, but come Christmas morning, there it was- a brand new shotgun. My number one, central gift, was a stupid shotgun... and I was devastated! My Christmas was ruined because it didn't meet my expectations. It didn't play out as I had envisioned it and I was heartbroken. I was fixated on what I wanted and I couldn't appreciate what I had actually been given. Christmas, it seems, was all about me. I couldn't let go and celebrate the joy that others were experiencing. And I kept struggling to accept things as they were until I first believed! Yes, until I first believed. When I accepted that God had sent his Son to save my soul, I felt loved for the first time in my life. A peace that I had not known before came over me, and knowing that I had been accepted by grace... freed me to accept others. Now, I look forward to Christmas without anxiety because I am focused on Christ instead of myself. Indeed, once I had got out of the driver's seat and "let God," the ride became much more enjoyable, and I know that Christmas will be good because things are good when God's in charge!
      My brothers are gone now and I would give anything to see them at Christmas. Mom and dad are gone too, and it's been over 60 years since I received a shotgun as a present... but if I could do it over again, I would say, "Thank's for the gun, dad. It's beautiful. Do you have time to take us out shooting later this week?" Amen.

THE FIRST GIFT EXCHANGE

      I love to give gifts and it's my guess that you do too! This year, we had an early Christmas with our grandson and great-grandson and it gave me great joy to see Donald Ray open the dinosaur that we gave him. He tore the package a little, and a little more, and when he saw that it was a walking dinosaur... with a remote control... his eyes became as big as saucers and he frantically got rid of everything that was in his way. It was the same with Archer, of course... and with my wife, Sherry, who loves every gift she has ever received. I love to give and it's easy for me to share in the joy that the gift brings. Giving comes easy to me, and to most of you I'm sure... but I'm NOT a particularly good receiver. It makes me feel vulnerable and uneasy... so I've been known to hastily open my gift out of turn, when no one is looking. I don't know why I'm this way. Perhaps I'm afraid to disappoint others- I don't know- but I do know that Christmas is at least as much about receiving as it is about giving. In fact, Christmas is mostly about receiving... because we're not in charge. God is. God's in charge... and through his Son, he offers us a life of purpose, joy, and deep, abiding peace.
      Christmas has always involved giving AND receiving and it began as a gift exchange... between two unequal, but necessary, participants. One of them was God, who spoke through an angel, and the other one was a teenage, Jewish girl named Miriam. "Look," the angel said, "God has a gift for you. A baby boy, whom you will give birth to, watch over, and rear until he becomes a man... and begins his ministry." "What do you say?" "Look," the angel said, "You'll become pregnant with God's child and he will give you joy, even though your fiancee' will consider leaving you... and people will talk about you throughout your life. What do you say, Miriam?" "Look, Miriam, God is offering you the chance of a lifetime- of all time really- but you'll have to offer him your life- all of it. What do you say?' "Oh listen, Miriam, God is offering this broken and hurting world... a Savior... and a champion ... a Shepherd who will lead them to green pasture and turn the whole world on its head... but he needs you to say, 'yes,' Mary. What do you say?" "Are you ready to embrace your Son as God's purpose and plan for your life? What do you say?"
      Mary, what would you say? Judy, what would you say if God offered you the riches of eternity? Would you say, 'yes,' or 'no thanks. "I've got my eye on some lakefront property?" Jim, what would you say if God offered you the gift of forgiveness? Would you say, 'thanks,' or "you shouldn't have, Lord, because I don't need to be forgiven?" Jack, what would you say if God offered you immense joy? Would you say, 'thanks,' or, "no thanks, I've got my hands full of wine, women and song." "Jane, would you like a Savior so that you will never be imprisoned by sin and self again!" Would you say "yes," or "no thanks, Lord. I know that I need a Savior, but you want too much in return. I was hoping for cheap grace. I was wanted an easy going Lord, who wouldn't want to run my life."
      God is coming to you. What will you say? Will you be afraid to receive his gift... or will you join Mother Mary in saying, "Let it be, Lord. Let it be according to your grace-filled will." Friends, I hope
that you will give this Christmas. Give, give, give. Give until people roll their eyes. But remember that God is offering you new life and a new name through his Son! It's his gift to you... and there's only one string to the offer- you need to accept it, embrace it, and surrender to it, no matter where He leads you, no matter what it costs. Consider what it really means when God shows up. That's what Mary did. At first she was troubled, but then she said, "Let it be." Oh, let it be according to your word, Lord.
      Two vulnerable participants discussed the first Christmas gift exchange. God and a teenager. God offered a Savior ... for her obedience. A new beginning... for her surrendering. Eternal life... for living  this life for Him. God and the teenager exchanged gifts... and the first Christmas was on! Amen.

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT

      When the Baptist cried, "Come on in, the water's fine," they came to the river in droves, where they underwent a baptism... of repentance... for the forgiveness of sin. When the angels broke the silence of the night... with their words, "Unto YOU... a child is born," the shepherds ran to the Birthday party. Come morning, they would still be lowly shepherds, but they'd never be shepherds without hope again because they had experienced Christmas! When mother Mary sang her song about her boy, it must have been amusing to the powers-that-be. When she said that her boy would scatter the proud and send the rich away empty-handed... the Caesars of the world must have thrown back their heads and laughed! But it was true. The puppet kings and petty tyrants were through because our God is a promise keeper!
      Friends, Christmas is coming and in the secular world, it butts up against and even intrudes on Thanksgiving. Indeed, we're already preparing for an event which will please ourselves and our loved ones. We are preparing for Christmas by wrapping gifts that we purchased, by engaging in traditions that our families embrace, and by serving meals that we prepare. In the world's view, Christmas is focused on gifts and family- both of which I applaud- because joy, giving, and family time are hard to find- but in the church world, we have the season of Advent. In some ways it's an awkward time because we long to sing our carols and because it includes Christ's incarnation and his anticipated second coming. Advent is, in the world's view, "in the way" of Christmas, but for people of faith, it is a time of preparation... for the coming of the Lord!
      Advent invites us to focus on Christ and both of our passages do just that. Matthew 3:1-12 invites us to undergo a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, and Isaiah lifts up the grandeur and the transforming power of God's gift to us, whom he saw as the "stump of Jesse." Jesse, as you may recall, was the grandson of Ruth, the son of Obed, and the father of David, who was Israel's greatest king. David ruled Israel at the height of its success, but things deteriorated badly after David... and in 722 BC, the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and scattered ten of its tribes forever. It was a bloodbath... that flew in the face of God's promises. How could the chosen people of God end up in such a dark place? Things seemed hopeless. The great tree that was David had been cut down... but Isaiah saw a stump... and he prophesied that out of this stump... new and more abundant life would come forth. He saw a branch- a person- who would be blessed with the spirit of the Lord, who would delight only in serving and pleasing God...who would judge the poor with righteousness and handle the meek with equity. He saw a man who would not fall for appearances or rumors, but judge the inside of a person and treat everyone with the greatest respect. Through tearful and terror-filled eyes, Isaiah saw a redeemed people... and a peace that passed all understanding. He was either stark-raving mad, or on to something... because he said that the day will come... when the wolf will lie down with the lamb and a nursing child will play over the hole of an asp.
      Friends. if you're poor, or poor in spirit; broken or burdened with sin or addiction; in exile, or in a dark place; if you're empty on the inside; if every day seems like the day before... look and see that there is a healing, life-giving, life-changing branch...shooting from the stump of Jesse... because our great God is a promise-keeper. Indeed, Christmas is all about this stump of Jesse, who is the Christ of Christmas. Have a great time this Christmas. Eat and drink, laugh and hug, give and receive a hundred gifts... but make sure and pick up the gift of salvation that God has given to you. Open it, embrace it, surrender to it... because the Christ-child will set you free to be the person whom God wants you to be. For God so loved the world that he came down, down, down to earth- to serve, teach, love, and die- to atone for our sins and he rose again in victory over death, so that we might claim this victory for ourselves. Oh friends, Christmas, Christ-mas, is an opportunity to show the love and grace that we've already received for ourselves... or to receive God's gift of forgiveness and renewal for the first time. It's a big deal which has nothing to do with shopping, football, or even family gatherings. Life in the midst of death, light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair, peace- not a truce or lack of violence- but deep shalom- in the midst of uncertainty and war- these are the gifts that God offers. Christ Jesus- this is the gift that God presents at Christmastime. The stump of Jesse- Mary's Son- this is the gift that we prepare and wait for on this first Sunday of Advent. Amen.

THE WAY THINGS WERE IN '56

      Well, the election of 2016 is over... and it's easy to see that the results have driven people wild. Like many of you, I know (and love) many people who are broken-hearted... and I know (and love) many others who are utterly filled with joy. Those who are broken-hearted feel that their march toward a more inclusive and global America has been threatened, while those who are elated... feel that America has finally come to its senses. Those who are outraged are surprised because they thought that they had established a "new normal," which others would have to accept, even if they didn't embrace it. They thought that their battle had been won, but those who are elated believe that they are on the brink of gaining control again. They remember a time when men and women had fixed roles. They remember an age when men- black and white- fed their families by working blue-collar jobs... and they remember a world that was orderly, settled, heterosexual, and Christian. The world they grew up in was a simpler world, and it stayed that was until 1956... when Elvis appeared on stage and the stores opened on Sundays.
      Change had been unleashed... and a world, which had remained more or less the same for decades, began to heave and convulse. The lines between the acceptable and unacceptable began to blur, as did the lines between the ordinary from the sacred. It began with an unprecedented generation gap and violent protests over the Viet Nam War, but it didn't stop there. There were riots in our cities and our heroes were assassinated. Abortion became legal and then acceptable, affirmative action began to gain attention, and women marched for equality, Nativity scenes were banned from the public arena, politically correct language became the only language we were allowed to speak, and individual rights began to outweigh concern for the whole. All of this was coupled with a stampede to worship at the altars of self and wealth, a growing divide between urban and rural America, and a love affair with international trade.
      The times really were changing... at blinding speed. The "new" was in and the "old" was out, and  those who didn't embrace the "new" weren't heard. They were dinosaurs with outdated ideas, and they were seldom even mentioned in the public dialogue. They weren't driving the bus, but they weren't invited to ride along either. They were predominantly- but by no means entirely- white... and they made their living in blue-collar jobs, or farmer's overalls. Or at least they did at one time, but in recent decades they've lived in the shadows of abandoned factories and closed-up store fronts. They've become angrier and angrier with both political parties, and they developed an "attitude," which was exacerbated every time they saw a "Happy Holidays" sign (instead of Merry Christmas) in the mall or pressed the "English" button at the ATM!
      Over the decades, as people on both coasts were getting drunk on their own wine, a new silent majority began to form. It encompassed the religious crowd that Falwell talked about, but it was broader than that one... because it included many others who felt left out too. Good people throughout the midwest and the rural areas of America begin to feel as if they weren't welcome in the country anymore. If they were mentioned at all by the national media, they were mentioned in a mocking way, and they felt as if they were being ridiculed for embracing the values that had made America great. Some of the values that they embraced were wrong-headed, some of them needed to go, but they became increasingly frustrated when elitists labeled them as hateful bigots, angry white men, and religious fanatics. Neither political party paid any attention to them and the media gave no voice to their fears and frustrations. A huge segment of the country felt as if they had been silenced...until Donald Trump came down his escalator! It was an ugly campaign, with enough ugliness to go around. The media tried to mock and make money off Trump at the same time. They gave him non-stop coverage, but since they themselves were part of the coastal in-crowds, they rooted for his collapse. Toward the end, they were sure that America's new agenda would win out. They seemed certain that the coalition of enlightened people would carry the day and that the disgruntled masses of middle America would have to accept the fact that their time is over. But it did NOT happen. The other side won! The crowd who embraced the way things used to be- blue-collar employment, a Biblical foundation for America, anti-abortion laws, and in some cases, white power and male dominance- carried the electoral vote, revealing an America that is almost entirely red throughout its middle. This result was a shock to those who hadn't seen it coming, and they are upset and afraid. They are crying now...and flailing at the darkness, while country's "other half" believes that they have regained control.
      In time, America will digest all of this and come to rest... but it will take time and many more tears. In the end, those who are championing change will prevail because we can't return to a social order that holds some people down and leaves others out. The new will prevail because the world has already changed and it will never be the same. However, in our rush to move on, we cannot leave others behind- not even if they're conservative white men who have blue-collar jobs and love Jesus. We cannot forget about them because they are part of the whole, and we cannot ignore the values that made us great because they are part of who we are!
   
   

POLITICS AND THANKSGIVING DINNER... DON'T MIX

      In just a few days my family will gather for Thanksgiving, and I'm looking forward to it. We're planning a couple of big meals and we've set aside some time for a presentation of our family's genealogical tree. There are two little boys in our family and we will give them some early Christmas gifts since we won't have the chance to congregate again before Christmas. It may even be warm enough to get in a little golf. We may do any number of things- it's hard to say- but I am praying that we don't have a political debate... because I love them all.
      Every member of our family is strong and kind. They keep their word and care about other people. They're good people who do what they can to make our world a better place... but they don't share the same political views. Some of them think that, as a country, we still have a lot of work to do... if we are to achieve a society in which all people have real access to wealth and power. Other members of our family think that America has gone mad in recent decades and that we've lost the traditional values that made our country great. They feel that America's working class has been abandoned and forgotten, and that we need to reclaim the Biblical foundation that used to undergird our country. Our family represents the millions of people who are politically divided in America at this time, and in advance of our Thanksgiving gathering, I would offer these thoughts:
1. Family and friends are much more important than political positions. The latter can and should be discussed in a civil manner... but loved ones should be loved unconditionally;
2. As a pastor and as a citizen, I will continue to pray for our elected leaders because I believe it is a Biblical mandate. I prayed for George W Bush. I prayed for Barack Obama, and I will pray for Donald Trump;
3. Certain fundamental rights cannot be compromised! Every American has an inalienable right to pursue happiness and an absolute right to freedom, opportunity, and dignity! These things are higher and deeper that political views and they are non-negotiable;
4. The needs of all Americans are legitimate, and this includes the millions of men and women, both black and white, who used to make decent livings with their hands. These are good people who should not be forgotten or dismissed as dinosaurs;
5. Change will win out. It is inevitable... and some people will be left out. However, ways must be found to find real opportunities for those who are caught up in the change... and each of their voices must be heard and respected;
6.  Put finger-pointing and name-calling aside... and do what you can to make America the country that you think it ought to be. If you think it ought to be more prayerful, pray; if you think it ought to be more tolerant, be tolerant; if you think it ought to be more welcoming, welcome others. Practice what you preach and set an example;
7.  America is a land in which people have always been encouraged to worship their God in their own way, or not to worship any God at all. This right must always be protected, but as a country, it is also true that we live and work under God... who has blessed us in many and varied ways. Each of us. All of us. Amen.