December 13, 2013

"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15

I have been challenged and convicted by the obedience demonstrated by these two teenagers Who God trusted to care for His Son.

What a stark contrast to our expectations of modern teens!

Recently I have been showing how Joseph demonstrated the essence of obedience in his responses to the call of God. Joseph's example of obedience shows:

1) Obedience means surrendering your will to God

2) Obedience means surrendering your weaknesses to God

3) Obedience means surrendering your way to God

If you took those three criteria for obedience and measured them against the great heroes of the Bible such as Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, St. Paul and even Jesus, you would find they would also apply.

Give it a try!

But I see three other definitive insights into obedience from the life of young Joseph. I want to share those with you over the next few posts.

First, obedience must be intentional.

Joseph was visited by an angel in during a dream. The angel gave him a clear and specific command from God. 

Once Joseph knew what God wanted him to do, he had to decide if he would do it. 

God did not design you or me or Joseph to be robots or automatons. He doesn't desire mindless conformity, He wants us to make well-reasoned willful decisions to obey Him. 

Joseph did exactly that! And he did it not only this time, but every time God spoke to him! He took Mary home to be his wife and God instructed. He gave the baby the name "Jesus" as he was told.

Obedience must be a willful decision to do what God has asked you to do!

How obedient are you?

Obedience is not an accident. Neither is disobedience!

December 12, 2013

"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15

"After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,  and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:19-23

Christmas is the favorite time for most people. There is so much that is good about it and so much to like!

As followers of Christ, we rejoice in the birth of our Savior and all blessings He brought to us! 

As family members it is about sharing love and spending time and surprising one another with gifts!

But the first Christmas was a clinic on what it means to be obedient and the blessings obedience brings. Borrowing from the example of Joseph we have so far seen that obedience means surrendering your will to God and it also involves surrendering your weaknesses to Him.

Our lesson on obedience today involves surrendering you way to Him. That is what Joseph and Mary did!

What does it mean to surrender your way to the Lord?

Simply, your way is how you live or your way of life.

That would include your affections. What do you love the most?

Joseph loved God more than anything or anyone else.

That would include your agenda. What drives you and energizes you?

Joseph was driven to please God and protect his family so he fled to Egypt in the middle of the night rather than heading back home to Galilee.

It would include your attitudes. What is the condition of your heart and mind as you navigate through life?

Joseph was so guided by his desire to please God that whatever God asked of him he did promptly and positively.

Finally, surrender to God directs your actions. Surrendered people serve.

Joseph put his preferences and plans aside to do what God wanted Him to do. His actions and activities were directed by the word of God.

Obedience involves surrender and surrender requires:

* putting God's affections ahead of yours

* placing God's agenda ahead of yours

* preferring Godly attitudes above yours

* practicing God's actions instead of yours

Joseph got it!

Do you?

December 11, 2013

"But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." Matthew 1:25

Obedience is the big "O" in the Christmas Story. Obviously, the story could not have happened unless two humble Hebrew teens had chosen to do the will of God.

Surrendering your will to the will of God is the essence of obedience. Another aspect of obedience is seen in this verse. Obedience is surrendering your weakness to God. Joseph illustrates this important principle.

Human logic reasons that you should serve God with your strengths and your talents. After all, He deserves your best!

That is certainly true because He deserves your all! "All" includes strengths but also our weaknesses! I have found it is hard to admit weaknesses let alone surrendering them to God. But the Word of God reminds us:

"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:26-31

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." II Corinthians 12:9

So, what was Joseph's weakness that he surrendered?

Let me give you a hint - "teenage hormones" - "But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son".

How many young grooms are able to do that? Staying sexually pure before as a teen is difficult before marriage, how much harder would it be after?

Joseph brought this beautiful young lady, whom he loved and desired, into his home under his roof and found the discipline to remain celibate - and obedient!

That is impressive! How did he find that sort of strength?

He found the strength by surrendering his weakness!

No one has the strength to be obedient. Obedience comes from surrendering your will and your weaknesses to God. When you do that He gives you His strength!

Are you struggling with disobedience?

Are you trying to please God by serving Him in your own strength?

Are you trying to hide your weaknesses by displaying your talents and strengths?

Obedience comes from surrendering your weaknesses to God's will.

Are you surrendered?

December 10, 2013

"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

As you celebrate all the blessings of Christmas this season, add this to your list. Christmas happened because of the obedience of a teen-aged boy!

Your salvation and my salvation rested on the choices of a Hebrew teenager.

The phrase obedient teen almost sounds like an oxymoron. And usually it is! But not in this case!

Of the numerous amazing things that happened to make this impossible event possible, this certainly should be listed among them - an immediately and absolutely obedient teen!

In this post and the next few to follow, I want to look at several lessons about obedience to be learned from the life of young Joseph.

I see an important lesson in this verse. Obedience requires surrendering your will to God.

Joseph wanted to make Mary his wife! He was two-thirds of the way there! The arrangement had been made and they were betrothed, and they were counting down the days until the wedding.

What couple doesn't want a fancy wedding? Family is there and friends are there and she is looking good and he is looking good and memories are waiting to be made!

But all those plans and potential memories all went out the window with one angelic visit. Speaking through the angel in a dream, God made His will known to Joseph and Joseph had a decision to make!

Obedience always comes down to a choice, doesn't it? Will I choose God's clearly revealed will or will I choose what I desire? It doesn't get any more basic than that!

It sounds easy, doesn't it? But you know it isn't and I know it isn't easy and it wasn't easy for Joseph, either.

But this terrific teen trusted God's purpose more that his purpose and desired God's plan more than his own!

His obedience helped change the world!

In the same way, your obedience to His will can change your world! So could your disobedience.

You may just be one obedience away from the next great thing God has for you!

December 9, 2013

"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 that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:8-20

I get some of my news from the Free-Lance Star newspaper, I get some news from the Roanoke Times online version, I get some from The Warsaw Times-Union on the internet, some from the radio, some from Fox news, and most from the internet. Rarely do I get good news from any of those sources.

The shepherds got their news from and angel. Lucky shepherds!

As you would imagine, the breaking news that the angel brought was good news! In fact, it was great news that brought joy! Talk about a news flash! One moment these shepherds are staring at the stars and the next moment an angel apprears!

What was this good news? God had heard the prayers of His people over the centuries and now the Messiah was about to be born! The silence of God was to be broken and the Son of God would soon appear!

You have to love how these shepherds responded to the news. We can learn from them!

Good news is to be believed!

The shepherds heard the news from angel and believed it! Of course, hearing it from angels makes it a tad more believable! But, also, they believed it because they know the prophecies and were versed in the teachings of the religious leaders. They were spiritually atuned enough to recognize that something was from God! Are you?

Good news is to be beheld!

".....the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Hearing this news was wonderful! Going to see it would be better - so, off they went according to what the angels had said. They found it to be exactly as the angel had said - except better!

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger."

Good news is to be believed and it is to be beheld and one more truth we can learn from the shepherds - good news is to be broadcast!

"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."

When good news is believed and beheld and then broadcast, it is believable and it blesses! 

Good news is meant to be shared!

One more thing about these as they returned from sharing this good news that they believed and beheld and broadcast, one more thing happened to them - they were blessed! When you share good news and it is believed by others, it causes you to believe it more! When you see others be blessed by the good news you beheld and broadcast it blesses you! That happened to these shepherds!

If you want this Christmas to be a time of "great joy", believe the good news that a Savior is born! Do you believe it?

This Christmas can be a time of "great joy" if you will behold the Savior! Take a fresh look at the story. Read it. Read it out loud to someone else. Meditate on it. See Him afresh and new in your eyes of faith! Will you behold Him this Season?

Christmas 2013 will bring you "great joy" if you will broadcast it! Tell others with your lips and with you life that Jesus is born and it matters to you! Who will you tell?

The "great joy" is enhanced when you see others believe the story and when it blesses them, you are blessed! If you want to be blessed this Christmas, share the blessing with others!

How do we know these shepherds, believed and beheld and broadcast it and were blessed? Who else passed on the story? We know it because they were faithful to share it! Will you be faithful with this transforming truth?

December 8, 2013

"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit;" Luke 1:77-80

There is a sense in which every birth is miraculous. Life itself is a miracle and a new life is a marvel. The fact that two mortal people can reproduce an immortal soul is a miracle.

Two miraculous births set the stage for the unfolding of the Christmas drama. This historical event that would alter the history of the human race happened because an elderly couple who had been infertile their entire married lives, supernaturally conceived a son. And, Mary, the virgin became pregnant via the Holy Spirit and brought the Savior into the world.

No parent can be objective toward their child. Parental love is an irrational unconditional overwhelming emotion which takes objectivity out of play. Your child is precious but my child is special. However, the most biased parent would be delusional to compare their child to the Christ child. There is only one Son of God supernaturally conceived by the Spirit.

Having said that, there is a child in the Christmas story with whom you could compare. Identify with his purpose and learn from his parents.

John came to prepare hearts of people to receive the Lord. That is something that every child of every believer can do. Every child born to Christian parents are given for that purpose.

But first, the parents of the child must prepare that child's heart to receive the Lord and point him in the ways of God. That is exactly what Zachariah and Elizabeth did.

I want you to grasp what Zachariah is doing in this Scripture portion above. At the dedication of this child, his father is prophecying over John the Baptist. He is speaking into this child's spirit. Although this newborn has no understanding of what is being said, still, his father's prophecy lodges in the spirit and consciousness of John.

Like, Zechariah and Elizabeth, each parent has a sacred privilege of shaping their child so that child can "grow and become strong in spirit". Children who are strong in spirit will prepare others and point them to Jesus!

Be very careful what you speak into the life of children!

December 7, 2013

"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." Matthew 1:18-25

This morning as I meditating on the Christmas story my thoughts were drawn toward Joseph, who drew the assignment of raising the Messiah. This obscure carpenter from Nazareth was called to step onto center stage in the marvelous mysterious drama of redemption that God orchestrated during the first Christmas.

Was he chosen merely because of his relationship with Mary, or did God nudge them together to accomplish His plan? We will never know for sure, but one thing that is sure is in addition to all of her other virtues, Mary had excellent taste in men!

I have commented on the sacrifices Mary made to obey God and become the mother of the Messiah. But Joseph did some hard things, too! I think his contributions sometimes get lost in the shadows. In short, this is what Joseph was called to do - "Joseph, I want you to believe some incredible things, put your life on hold, put your reputation at risk, nurture and protect the Son of God, and you won't get much credit for it."

Would you take that deal? Joseph did!

In an age where way too much of faith is about "what's in it for me?", it is worth stopping to consider the selfless sacrifice of Joseph.

His journey began with a broken heart. News reached him that his wife-to-be was pregnant and he knew it wasn't his. Could it be that this women he loved and trusted had been unfaithful to him? What would you think? What would you believe?

Next, he had to believe this incredible story, overcome the trust issues and bring her into his home as his wife. And, oh, he can't have sexual relations with her. How many teen guys could do that?

And that was just the beginning!

He would have to make a trip to Bethlehem with an extremely pregnant woman. Then he discovered that his reservations got cancelled and he would have to spend the night in a stable. And, during the night in that stable he had to deliver a baby! Not easy stuff!

But, it got harder! Joseph was told by an angel to take Mary and the infant in the middle of the night and escape to Egypt. So he did. And they stayed there awhile. Don't you think Joseph lost a few business accounts in those years that he was gone? I doubt if his customers were going to wait several years to get their yokes made.

Wow! What a guy! His sacrifice and obedience rivals that of Mary!

Let me ask you, are you willing to follow Christ if it costs you everything, gains you little, and gives you no credit?

That is the call to discipleship. It is not about you! The Kingdom of God is built and advanced by faithful followers who love God more than life and serve Him unto death. Can you follow in the foot steps of Mary and Joseph? Will you?

It begins today.