December 15, 2009

"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

This Tiger Woods thing has been hard on me. I admit that I bought into the image and the hype. Being a big fan and an admirer, I never saw this coming.

Golf is a very hard game. I know how hard it is. No one completely masters it but Tiger has come as close as anyone. That is why I admire him.

Few things are more difficult in sports than hitting a good golf shot under pressure to win a match or especially a tournament. I have done it a few times, Tiger does it all the time. Probably no one has been better at executing winning golf shots under the most extreme pressure than Tiger Woods. I can't help but admire that.

In addition to the physical skills involved in golf there is a mental aspect that is equally as difficult. Golf requires concentration and confidence like few other sports. It requires imagination and creativity. If you can't mentally envision a shot, you won't hit it well. When you stand over a game winning shot, if you are not completely committed to how you want to execute it and absolutely convinced you will do it, you won't hit the shot. Tiger has done that better over the past decade than anyone. In fact, it is his mental game that has probably separated him from all the other great golfers on the tour. Knowing how hard that is, I admire how he has mastered that aspect of the game.

Also, to compete at a high level in golf you have to be able to control your emotions. You have to get past a bad shot or an unfortunate bounce. Golf requires you to stay calm and even-tempered throughout the four hour round. Championship golfers don't have huge emotional swings during the game. When Tiger was "in his zone" you would see very little emotional expression at all for eighteen holes. That is another thing I admire.

It was those last two things, especially, the mental and emotional discipline he possessed that made it hard for me to believe that he had allowed his personal life to get in such a mess. I assumed that he applied the same focus and discipline to his closely watched and carefully crafter private life.

Obviously, he didn't. I can't admire that.

Only time will tell how well Tiger will recover from this. His image is forever tarnished. I only pray he will learn and change. There are a number of fine Christians on the PGA Tour. Hopefully one of them can come along side Tiger and point him to faith. I pray that his marriage will survive and his family remain intact.

Although it is a fluid situation and still developing, two things have become abundantly clear in the fallout from it. Both are good news: Character still counts and morality still matters. If Tiger ever doubted those two truths, he doesn't now. Hopefully others will learn from this painful lesson. I pray he will learn and change.

How does all this relate to Christmas? Christmas means there is redemption available for anyone of us. Because God sent Jesus and because Jesus was born of a virgin, He could die as an atoning sacrifice for sin. Your sin. My sin. Tiger's sin.

In golf, at the level Tiger plays, there are no mulligans. When you hit a bad shot, you take the penalty. But because of Christmas. Because God Sent Jesus and Jesus died for our sins, God will give Tiger a mulligan in life.

I pray Tiger will take the mulligan. I pray that at some point in the future he will tee it back and play a different course. I will admire that.

December 14, 2009

"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." Matthew 1:24-25

I have been making the case for my claim that Christmas could have been called Christ-yes, because of the number of hard decisions that were required for the events of Christmas to happen.

If Jesus would not have been willing to commit to sacrificial obedience, Christmas could not have happened.

Then, Mary had to agree to forego all of her plans and dreams to be obedient to the will of God. A "yes" to God meant a "no" to her big church wedding.

One more principle needed to sign on the dotted line. That was Joseph.

God was asking a lot from Joseph as well. Basically, God's request of Joseph was this, "I want you to give up everything that you want to do in order to do everything I want you to do and you won't get much credit for any of it.

Would you make that deal? Who would?

Joseph did!

A "yes" from Jesus, and a "yes" from Mary, and a "yes" from Joseph allowed Christmas to happen!

That is why I made the statement, "Christmas could be called Christ-yes."

Their obedience allowed Christmas to become a reality.

You cannot enter this Christmas season without being confronted with the call to obedience. What is God calling to to do? Where is your point of obedience? What will you decide? What great thing could God accomplish through you if you would give Him an unconditional "yes"?

December 13, 2009

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38


Christ-mas could also be Christ-yes!

I mentioned in my last post that for Christmas to happen there where several who had to answer God in the affirmative. Had any one of them refused to cooperate with the will of God, Christmas would not have happened.

The first One who had to be willing to submit to God's incredible plan was none other than God's Son, Jesus. We talked about His attitude yesterday.

This morning I want to focus on Mary. God's messenger came to this teen-aged girl with the amazing revelation of the role she would play in redeeming mankind. It was hard to believe. She, a virgin, would become pregnant and give birth to the Son of God. Nothing like this had ever happened before - or since!

If she was to believe this story and if she was to agree to allow it to unfold, she would be required to make some serious sacrifices. Without her Christ-yes there would be no Christmas!

When the angel made this announcement, Mary was knee-deep in wedding plans. She was looking forward to getting married to her fiancee Joseph and beginning their life together. If she said yes to God, all of those plans would change. Was she willing to take that risk?

How would this affect her relationship with Joseph? He was such a good young man who had been working so hard to make it possible for them to have a life together. What would he think? How would he respond? Was she willing to live the rest of her life without him?

Saying, "Yes" to God's plan meant saying "no" to all of hers. Saying, "Yes" to God's plan meant putting her relationships and her future at risk.

She didn't have a lot of time to think about it. She didn't get to make a phone call. She didn't get a night to "sleep on it". The angel stood there in front of her waiting for an answer.

Christmas depended on her Christ-yes. All of Heaven was waiting and all of earth hung in the balance.

Her response?

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Your walk with God is a series of "yes" or "no" answers. Everytime you say "yes" to God and "no" to yourself, you move closer to God and allow Him to move through you.

What is the next "yes" you need to give? Will you say "yes" to Him right now?

December 12, 2009

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name," Philippians 2:5-9

Christmas could also have been called Christyes.

What do I mean by that?

I mean that Christmas could not have happened without several willing "yeses". Over the next few posts I am going to show you what I mean.

The first "yes" was out of this world! It had to come from Heaven because the first one Who had to say "yes" was Jesus, the Son of God.

Our Scripture text assures us that He did.

When Jesus said, "Yes" to Christmas, He was saying "no" to all the safety, security, and splendor of Heaven.

When Jesus said, "Yes" to Christmas it meant saying "no" to eternity and stepping into the restrictions and limits of time.

When Jesus said, "Yes" to Christmas he also said "no" to the power, the privilege and the paradise of Heaven.

When Jesus said, "Yes" to Christmas in order to come as God's gift to the world, it meant He had to give up everything that was special or advantageous about being equal to God.

When Jesus said, "Yes" to Christmas He was saying "no" to the peace of Heaven and facing the pain of an evil planet filled with wicked people.

Christmas was not an easy "yes" for Jesus. It required saying "no" to some pretty precious privileges. Christmas would be no holiday for Jesus. He would leave all that was holy, and familiar and deserved, to live among sin and strangers and sacrifice.

Christmas was actually Christyes. It could not have happened unless several people were willing to "yes" to God and "no" to all that was comfortable or convenient to them. The first among that group was none other than Jesus Christ Himself!

In view of all the hard things that Christ said, "Yes" to for you, what are you willing to Him?

December 11, 2009

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:14-15

Jesus became just like us - except different!

Jesus became just like us so we could become different!

Here is some more great news about Christmas, God got personally involved in our world - in your life!

Think about this, the God Who is omniscient (possesses all knowledge) didn't settle for second-hand knowledge. If you believe that God has all knowledge and knows everything, then you must be impressed that knowing about the human condition, God chose to get personally involved.

Are you ready for some more mind-blowing truths?

God put on flesh and came to earth in the Person of Jesus - that is amazing in itself, isn't it? But as amazzng it is that He humbled Himself and came it is even MORE amazing why He came!

He came to be tempted! You and I hate to be tempted but He came TO BE tempted! Why? So that He could more completely identify with you and what you face every day!

Why would He do that?

Because one of the roles Jesus fills is as a High Priest Who intereceeds for you and me. By experiencing first hand the temptations you face on a regular basis, He can know how to more accurately interceed for you!

He did that for me?

Yes! In fact, it is playing out in heaven right now. That temptation you are struggling with right now? He is praying for you about that right now before His Father! And He can because He knows because He faced it, too!

Secondly, He came to suffer! Just as you flee from temptation and do your best to avoid it, you also do your best to avoid suffering. BUT HE CHOSE TO COME AND SUFFER!

Why would He do that?

Same reason. He wants to be able to identify with you in your suffering. Why? So He can comfort you and strengthen you because you will never suffer more than He did.

He also came to suffer so He could die to atone for your sin! He took your sin upon Himself so that you could be delivered from the penalty and the power of sin! He left His Father and was alienated from His Father so that through His sacrifice you can come into fellowship with God. Now when you face temptation or when you suffer you never have to do it alone! You can have His presence and His power!

God got personally involved in your struggles! That is the great news of Christmas!

Now it is up to you - will you get personally involved with Him?

December 10, 2009

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:8-11

Christmas means so many things to so many people in so many different ways. Some are very happy and some are very painful. All are very meaningful.

But this morning I want to focus on two things Christmas offers that everyone should welcome because they are in short supply - "good news" and "great joy".

In a culture that has been negatively shaped by the 24/365 cable news cycle, bad news constantly assaults our consciousness. Even as one who is a "news junkie" I would get overwhelmed by the bad news were I not firmly ground in the "good news". So, in a very real and powerful way, Christmas is the antidote for CNN, MSNBC, HNN, and even FOX cable news outlets.

What is that "good news"?

The "good news" or the "gospel" is that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He bridged the moral/spiritual gap that separated a sinful fallen race from a Holy God. Thousands of years of religion could do it. Centuries of recycled philosophies could not do it. Political power and might couldn't do it. Even the prophets, the promised land and the prosperity of God's people couldn't do it.

But God did it and the angels announced it, "Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." The good news is that God sent us a Savior! We could not save ourselves because we were the problem! We needed to be saved FROM ourselves!

So how could that be accomplished? How could the great moral/spiritual gap that separated God and man be closed when we could not reach up to God? THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS!

God reached down to us! God became like us to provide us a shot at becoming like Him! God's Son emptied Himself of all the privileges and rights of the Godhead, checked out of Heaven and slid from eternity into time! Why would someone do that? UNCONDITIONAL LOVE! THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS!

This unique and miraculous incarnation was the only possible way to reconcile God and man. And only God could pull it off! Come on, only God could think of it! THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS!

So, what about the "Great Joy"?

That is what happens when you receive the "Good News"! That is the result of believing the "Good News" and being reconciled to God! That is what happens when you get so fed up with the bad news of sin that you repent and turn to the "Good News". "Great joy" is the proof that you have received the "Good news"! It is confirmation that into you a Savior has been born!

How is your joy this morning?

December 9, 2009

"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife." Matthew 1:24

I was giving a children's sermon one Sunday and had all the kids gathered in the front row. I had told a story about the importance of obedience and asked a question about being obedient. One of the little girls raised her hand and I called on her. She said, "Pastor Brad, we don't go no 'bedience at our house!" Out of the corner of my eye I saw two red-faced parents enduring an uncomfortable moment.

Fortunately for all of us, when Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream, there was obedience in the house.

Christmas could not have happened without obedience. There are several things that can be learned about obedience through studying Joseph.

Obedience is Imperative!

When God's will is revealed to you you basically have two choices, obey or disobey. Obedience allows God's will to be accomplished and many to be blessed. Disobedience is sin. It is that simple, you can obey or you can sin. There is no third option. There is no negotiating or dealing or compromising - there is obedience and there is sin.

Joseph was a righteous man. That means he was committed to doing what is right and for him, what God said through the prophets and the sacred writings and - in this case, the angel, was right. He didn't decide what was right for him, he left that to God.

Joseph was saved by his obedience and so were we!

Obedience is not an option. It is not multiple choice. If you have chosen to be a Christ-follower you have committed to obey Him, His Word, and His expressed will - every time! To obey is righteous to disobey is sin.

It is that simple and that imperative.

Obedience Is Immediate

The second important thing we learn about obedience is that it must be immediate. As soon as you know what God wants you to do you should do it.

I love what the Bible says about Joseph, "When Joseph woke up...." Joseph acted in obedience the moment he awoke. He didn't wait until later in the day or until the next day, he sprang into action on the first opportunity he had! That's obedience!

Joseph probably knew that delayed obedience is disobedience. Which it is. And disobedience is sin. Being a righteous man, disobeying was not an option.

I heard a story about a missionary family in Africa who had children. As believers they where doing their best to raise their children in the right was. One day the mother came out into their yard to hang up laundry and saw her little son playing at the edge of their lot. She also saw something else that alarmed her. In a very stern but calm voice she said to her young son, "Timmy, I need you to come here to me right this moment." He looked at her, dropped what he was doing and hurried toward his mother. The moment that he did, a huge boa constrictor fell from the tree branch above him. Had Timmy not obeyed immediately, he would have been crushed by the snake.

Immediate obedience saved him from the snake.

Joseph's immediate obedience saved him from the snake - and through his obedience, we can be saved from the snake.

As you celebrate Christmas this year I hope you will let it serve as a reminder that Christmas is about obedience - and obedience is imperative and it must be immediate.

Let me ask you a question, "Do have some 'bedience at your house?"

If you are a follower of Christ obeying Him is imperative and it must be immediate. Otherwise, you are sinning.

Have you been treating obedience as an option?

Where do you need to be obedient?

Will you do it now?