"Beyond Christmas"

“Beyond Christmas”

 

When my kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews were small I’d sometimes take them on my lap to tell a story: “Once upon a time they lived happily ever after.” When they looked at me strangely  and protested that it wasn’t a story I’d remind them there was a beginning and an ending—the only missing part was the middle. For some reason this usually didn’t fly so I’d have to tell them a “real” one.

We’re in that season when we emphasize Jesus’ birth. Then in three or four months we’ll stress His death, resurrection and ascension. But what about the 33 years in between? Why do we tend to leave Him in the manger at this time of year and overlook the rest of His story?

Years ago Karen realized that the account of Jesus’ birth is the beginning, not the end, of the narrative of His life. She expressed this truth by writing a song called “Don’t Leave Christ in the Manger”:

 

 

  “We think of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem town,

   Of angels, of shepherds, the stable and hay,

   Of events that surrounded the Holy Child’s birth

   On that first blessed Christmas day.

 

   It did not end there on that day long ago,

   There was purpose in Christ’s coming down from above.

   He became in that instant all God and all man,

   And He taught the whole world of God’s love.

 

   He grew up being tempted and hurt as we are,

   And when grown He was crucified on a tree.

   But He rose from the grave to die no more,

   And from sin gave complete victory.

 

   Don’t leave Christ in the manger,

   He grew up from a babe to a man

   To save all mankind from the darkness of sin;

   To provide us with redemption’s plan."

 

Jesus’ birth had been prophesied by Isaiah and Micah some 700 years before “…the right time came, (and) God sent His Son….” (Galatians 4:4, NLT). And at that right time “…by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge….” (Acts 2:23) He died and arose “…to remove the power of sin forever….” (Hebrews 9:26, NLT). This is the completion of the story which began in Bethlehem that first Christmas night. Let God by His grace take you beyond Christmas to the fullness of life Jesus came to bring.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Christmas Presents"

“Christmas Presents”

 Around the second week in December is the busiest time for shopping for Christmas presents, either on line or battling crowds in the brick and mortar stores. The question of what to buy for whom looms over us. Then when we run out of ideas we go for a gift card by default.

Christmas presents come in all shapes, sizes and cost. But is the main thing the value or the thought?

Probably a year or so after Jesus’ birth the Magi arrived in Jerusalem with the question, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). When the guiding star stopped where Jesus was they worshipped Him and brought extraordinary gifts of gold, incense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). As men of considerable means they honored Him appropriately. But what of those whose resources are limited? Shortly before His death Jesus was in the temple watching as the rich brought large donations to the treasury. Then a poor widow presented a “tiny” offering which prompted Him to put things into proper perspective by saying, “…This poor widow has put in more than all the others.” (Luke 21:3). Paul later cited the example of the churches in Macedonia who “Out of…their extreme poverty…gave…beyond their ability.” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). When it’s one’s desire to honor God He has the power to take little and make it much (remember the boy’s lunch which Jesus used to feed 10,000+ hungry people in John 6).

In 1941 American composer and music teacher Katherine Davis wrote a Christmas song called “The Little Drummer Boy” which soon became a standard during the Advent season. Without the “Pa rum pum pum pums” it says:

 

  “Come, they told me, A new born King to see.

   Our finest gifts we bring To lay before the King

   So we honor Him When we come.

   Little baby, I am a poor boy too

   I have no gift to bring That’s fit to give our King

   Shall I play for you On my drum?

   Mary nodded, The ox and lamb kept time.

   I played my drum for Him, I played my best for Him.

   Then He smiled at me.”

 

When we give Jesus the best we can, be it playing a drum, providing a meal for a needy family, making a visit to a lonely senior citizen or underwriting a major ministry project, we are blest. What can I give Him on His birthday in 2017 to make Him smile?

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

 

 

"Broken Silence"

“Broken Silence”

 

In 1814 Joseph Mohr, the son of a single mother in Austria, was ordained to the priesthood. Assigned to a parish in a small town he soon met a musician named Franz Gruber and the two became good friends. During the Christmas season in 1818 Mohr made a pastoral visit to a mother and her infant child which reminded him of Jesus’ birth. On that day he wrote a poem and asked his friend Gruber to put it to music. Since the church’s organ was broken it was sung for the first time at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve with guitar accompaniment. 200 years later it’s still sung in churches all over the world—we know it as “Silent Night”.

That first Christmas night probably started out quietly but once God began working the silence was broken and it became pretty noisy. How so? To begin with, Mary may have cried out with the pain of childbirth and soon after His birth Jesus’ cries were likely heard. And don’t forget the terror of the shepherds when the light from Heaven pierced the darkness of that night—could they have shrieked with fear? Then after the angel’s announcement that “…a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) the angelic host lifted their voices in praise to God (Luke 2:14). Not only was the silence of that night broken but the events surrounding that first Christmas brought to an end “the silent period” when God again spoke 400 years after the close of the Old Testament.

Over the past few decades we’ve bemoaned the secularization of the Advent Season due to political correctness. We’ve remained quiet while society has chipped away at any reference to Jesus’ birth and impact lest people be offended (but offending God’s people seems to be OK). Maybe it’s time for us to break our silence. How? Here are a couple of suggestions: say “Merry Christmas” at every opportunity (even if another “holiday greeting” is expressed to us); send cards emphasizing the meaning of the day we’re celebrating; use decorations conveying what it’s all about; pray for many to understand that Jesus came to fulfill God’s purpose to “…seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

Enjoy singing the beautiful carol “Silent Night” (and many others) but remember that God broke His silence through His Son’s birth.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"The Bridge"

“The Bridge”

(Perhaps the most hectic time of the year is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. During these four or five weeks there’s so much to be done that it’s easy to lose sight of the significance of both days. In the next four essays I’m attempting to direct our thoughts from “holiday busyness” to “The Reason for the Season”. In these frenzied days let’s pray with David: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” {Psalm 19:14})

As we enter December we as a nation find ourselves between the two major “holidays” on the calendar. (In 2017 it’s 32 days.) The time leading up to Christmas is filled with activity but what’s my main emphasis? Is it shopping? Parties? Traveling? Eating (nah!)? All these things require planning on the heels of events surrounding Thanksgiving. How do we move from one to the other without losing our patience, focus and maybe our sanity?

God gives us the answer to this dilemma in 2 Corinthians 9:15 (KJV): “Thanks be unto our God for his unspeakable gift.” To me this represents the bridge between these times of recognizing His many blessings and His allowing His Son to take human form, identify with us and ultimately pay the price for our sin on the cross. We express our gratitude to Him for His provision and presence but the greatest thanksgiving is for the indescribable Gift of Jesus. This is the only place in the New Testament the Greek word, meaning literally not expoundable, is used. Fittingly, Bible Commentator Philip Hughes wrote, “…Human language is utterly inadequate to express…it.”

Some years ago Karen put these thoughts into music in a song called “God’s Gifts”:

   Thanks be unto our God for His unspeakable Gift—

   His Son, on whose Name we can call.

   For by grace we are saved, it is the gift of God.

   He bought us with a price, yes bought us all.

   Every good gift for us and every perfect one too

   Is from our Father up above.

   Our salvation is free through Jesus Christ our Lord.

   There isn’t any greater kind of love.

 

   He gave the gift of His love, the gift of His Son,

   The gift of redemption for my soul.

   His gifts are precious to me, they always will be.

   His gifts changed my life and made me whole.

 

 

Let Jesus be your Bridge during this Christmas season.

 

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan