Elizabeth – Are We Looking to Show Hospitality this Christmas Season

If Mary is the First Lady of Christmas, then Elizabeth would be the second. As we meet Elizabeth, we find in her an opposite of Mary. Instead of single, Elizabeth is married. Instead of young like Mary, Elizabeth is up there in years. We don’t know how old Elizabeth is, but we know she is well past the time of having children. The angel came and told Mary she was going to have a baby, but the angel came to Elizabeth’s husband to give him the news. Yet despite these two women having any number of differences between them, Elizabeth showed Mary Hospitality, in the months leading up to the first Christmas.

Luke 1:39-40 - 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

As we read this passage, we find two women who need each other, yet perhaps the most unlikely friends. Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant and much older. She spend the first 5 months of her pregnancy in hiding. Mary just found out she was going to have a baby before marriage, her very life was on the line. There was no calling ahead to and there was no making plans. When Mary showed up, she needed to be shown hospitality, and Elizabeth answered the call.

As you read this, perhaps it is the first time you have heard of hospitality. It’s not something we talk about every day. But in the New Testament, we see it as a command to the church to show hospitality. Peter actually tells his readers that when Christ returns we should be found showing hospitality.

1 Peter 4:9 - Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

Peter is telling us we should all be showing hospitality now, because we don’t know the hour or day Christ will return. But with it being something we so rarely talk about, what exactly is hospitality?

One definition I like is this: Biblical hospitality is when we give ourselves willingly to the needs of others. It is bigger than food and shelter. It is the outpouring of mercy and grace from God to others, without expectation for reciprocation.

We see this type hospitality shown throughout the Scriptures. In Genesis, we see an example of Biblical hospitality as angelic strangers showed up to the door of Abraham’s tent. In Genesis 18:1-8 we see Abraham with the Lord when three strangers show up. Abraham pleads with them to stay. He sends for water that they may wash their feet, he sets them under a comfortable shade tree, he has his wife start baking bread, and he kills a calf and serves the best meat, butter and milk to his guests. Abraham shows these men true biblical hospitality.

 

In the New Testament, we see more calls to show hospitality. Paul, like James calls us to hospitality.

Hebrews 13:1-3 - Let brotherly love continue.

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Paul reminds us of the reality that Abraham lived, that we should always show brotherly love because we never know to whom we show that hospitality. He also reminds us to show that brotherly love to those in need. Those who are in bonds and those who suffer adversity - we are to love them as we love ourselves. It may seem like a tall order, but remember it was Jesus who said, whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.

As we continue in this Christmas Season, let us show that Biblical hospitality that Abraham showed, that Elizabeth showed, and that James, Paul, and Jesus told us to show!

Mary – God’s Plans Need to be Acted On

As we continue our Christmas series, and finish our look at Mary, we see the most important thing about her visit with the angel Gabriel, and that is her response.

Luke 1:38 - And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

I love how this ends, because Mary finishes and says okay, whatever you say Lord, I’ll do it! As a parent and teacher, nothing frustrates me more than when I have to ask and ask to get something done, and then I am met with excuses of every sort along the way.

When God shows us a plan for our life, we need to do it. Why you ask? The first reason is you may end up doing it anyway. Look at Moses, God gave him an assignment, he whined and complained until God told him Aaron could help. But when Moses goes before Pharoah, who does the talking? It’s not Aaron. What did all the complaining get Moses? Nothing but a couple of unflattering verses.

I know in my own life, I have seen this as well. I’ve known I was called to ministry since the 7th grade. Yet along the way I have made so many excuses, and I’ve tried to bargain with God. What did it lead to? Honestly a lot of miserable years, and God having His will done all the same.

There is a second truth we need to remember as well, God doesn’t need us to act to make His plans happen. Instead, he honors us by letting us be a part. And I think once we realize that, we will be way more effective in our own ministries. God doesn’t need me to be a Pastor here, but He wants me to. God doesn’t need you where you’re at, but he wants you to be. God doesn’t need our knowledge, or our skills, or our charming personalities. But he wants to use them. And when he comes a calling and tells us to do something, we should not feel burdened because no one else can, but thrilled that God asked us to! Remember the words of Mordecai when Esther didn’t want to be the one to save her people:

Esther 4:14 - 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

He said Esther if you don’t do this, God will raise up another to do it, but maybe, just maybe, the whole reason you are here is to do just this. And maybe that is why you are where you are today, because God is going to honor you. Just remember when God gives us something to do, we need to say yes!

Mary – Sometimes God’s plans leave Questions.

Often when we think of Mary in the Christmas story, we think of her perfect obedience, and there may be a little truth there, as she was obedient onto the Lord. However Mary also questioned what the Lord told her that day. You could say that a God sized plan left Mary with a God sized question.

Luke 1:31-34 – 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

Here we see Mary asking a question, a big question, and a question any of us may ask in that situation. Mary, out of the blue, is dropped into a supernatural situation. An angel appears to her, telling her not to fear. It tells her she blessed among women, she’d going to have a son, His name will be Jesus, he’s going to be great among men, and he will forever rule over everything. Can you even begin to imagine what must have been going through her mind at that time?

I wonder how much silence passed between them, as Mary processed all that she had been told. How much time elapsed before she finally uttered the question, “But I’ve never known a man?” Perhaps she thought the angel had the wrong girl, or maybe just the wrong time period, but she knew that there was no way she could be pregnant! God had a big plan for Mary, and Mary had big questions.

In this case, the angel answered Mary’s questions that day, Gabriel went on to say:

Luke 1: 35-37 - 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Mary was given the details, but it’s important to remember we don’t always get them. When he told Abraham to go, he didn’t tell him where he was going. When Jesus called Peter to follow me, Jesus never said follow me to what. Sometimes when we have big questions, God wants us to wait on the answers. Sometimes we just need faith in Him. 

  

Remember, Abraham needed faith as he climbed the mountain to sacrifice his son. Joshua needed faith when God had him marching around the walls of Jericho. Peter and John needed faith, when they stood before the Jewish leaders and said they could not stop proclaiming Christ. In each of these cases, God called ordinary men to a great task. They set aside their own goals to follow his, God was with them, but they probably each had some big questions.

Today we may be doing everything right, but still not understand everything God is doing. We may have questions, but need to trust God and have Faith in Him. I love what Solomon wrote on this.

Proverbs 3:5 - 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Mary – God’s Plans are Accompanied by His Presence

As we continue with our Christmas Series, we will continue to look at the person of Mary. Mary of course one of the centerpieces of the nativity, and an important part of the Christmas Story. As we start today, we see that not only was Mary an ordinary girl, and not only did she put God’s plans over hers, but she was also accompanied by the presence of God, as she moved forward in His will.

How do I know these things; well the Bible flat out tells us in Luke 1:28 - And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

When God calls us to do His will, He will come along with us. As we look back at the passage, we find it’s actually the second thing the angel said to her. The angel tells Mary that she is highly favored, and the Lord is with her. Although God had changed Mary’s plans, although things would be difficult for her, although everything in her life was upside down, God would be with her.

It is important that we understand though, that Mary was not the first person God was with, nor was she the last. God is actually with each of us if we have put our trust in Him. And guess what - Scripture confirms that as well.

Joshua 1:9 - Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Matthew 28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

In these passages, like so many others, God promises to be there with us. If we are in Christ, Christ will be with us.

Mary was called to open her heart to God’s plan, and she had a promise that God was with her for that journey. Today we also need to be open to God’s plan, and God will also be with us, as ordinary people, when we place a priority on His plans over ours.

Mary – God’s Plans Take Precedence Over Ours

Today, we continue our look at the Christmas story and more specifically the person of Mary. One remarkable thing about Mary was her willingness to put aside what she wanted out of life and to do exactly what God wanted. We find in Luke 1:27 that being the mother to the Savior wasn't originally in Mary’s plans. But God’s plans took precedence over hers.

Verse 27 - To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

Many of us have been reading the Christmas story from our earliest memories. We have seen the movies, we have nativities in our homes, and we’ve done Christmas plays in our churches decked out in our parent’s robes and towels. The Christmas story has been so ingrained in our life that it’s just how it should be. Of course the angels came, of course Joseph understood, of course they had a baby in the stable because there was no room in the inn. However, if we put ourselves in Mary’s place, we quickly see Mary was not planning on getting pregnant out of wed-lock, Mary was not planning giving birth in a stable, and Mary was not planning being the mother of God. Yet God’s plans come first over what we want. And it’s obvious because when we find Mary, she has a number of plans of her own.

Mary was getting ready to get married. She probably had plans of moving into her own home, plans of becoming Mrs. Joseph Carpenter. Although her plans may have included being a mom, I’m sure she was planning on mothering her husband’s children.

Mary was a young women with all her own plans, but when Gabriel showed up, they all changed. When God called her, Mary was willing to drop what she wanted and do what God wanted.

This is something we see throughout Scripture. When the Lord called, Abraham probably had plans. But when God called him to pack up and go, he went. Peter may have been spending his money in his head after such a great fishing trip, but when he was called, he dropped his nets, left his fish, and followed Jesus.

Everyone has plans. When I was a kid, I planned on being really rich. I told people I wanted a big fence to keep out poor relatives. By the time I hit college, I knew I would be both rich and famous. I would hit it big in radio or television. But God had other plans. We could probably all look at our lives and think of the plans we have. But when God comes calling, we need to make sure His plans and ultimately His will comes before our own.

Mary – God Uses Ordinary People in His Plans

As we enter this holiday season, I would like to take a closer look at some of the faces we see in the Christmas story. As we start this week, we will be looking at the person of Mary. God had a plan for Mary, and she was willing to jump on board and one of the most extraordinary things about that is that there was nothing extraordinary about Mary.

Luke 1:26 - And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

As we enter the Christmas Story, we find a truth that God likes to use ordinary people. Just look at Mary. Mary was not a queen, not a princess, she didn't even have important parents. She was just a poor peasant girl, betrothed to an older carpenter. Even her name wasn't special, she may not be the most memorable Mary in the New Testament. But the ordinary continues, Joseph a simple Carpenter, not a king, not a ruler, but a simple man. Bethlehem, the town of Christ’s birth, a simple city, not Jerusalem or one of the “important” cities of the Bible. Even the shepherds who spread the news, simple, poor, and common, not royal messengers.

Beyond that what about Nazareth? Living in Pittsford MI, I know about little unimportant towns, but Nazareth was worse than just not important, it seems to be the butt of jokes. Just look at Nathanael’s response when he hears Christ was from Nazareth.

John 1:46 - And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Mary was simply a common girl from a very common town. Yet God chose to use her. And we see the same thing throughout the scriptures. Samuel, born of simple heritage, a servant in the temple, before God elevated him chief priest and prophet. David the youngest son, and a shepherd before God made him king. Even Elisha, having a double portion of the spirit, was first found working the fields. The very disciples included many fisherman, and a tax collector. God used ordinary, imperfect, and unprepared people, but He knew their potential and promise.

As we remember God is unchanging, we see He uses the same types of people today. It’s easy to think that we can’t serve God, perhaps we don’t have the right education, maybe we don’t have any influence in the community. We are just common people doing common things. If that’s the case, we should ready our hearts, because we are exactly the kind of people God likes to work with!

People in Need

Why Church

Self Control

We live in a day where it’s all about “me”, and one thing that comes along with that is flared tempers. We see more and more people fly off the handle whenever things don’t go just like they want it to. In the Scriptures, we can find an example of this happening in Esther 3 with Haman.

Haman was second in command of the kingdom of Persia. And there was a royal decree which stated whenever Haman came into the palace, everyone had to bow before him. And this exactly what happened, everyone bowed before him, except for one man, a Jew named Mordecai. Although we do not know why Mordecai refused to bow, his refusal caused Haman to lose his temper. You could say he flew off the handle. Because one man refused to give him what he wanted, he decided to kill all the Jews living in Persia. 

As Christians, God wants us not to follow the example of Haman. Not only should we not kill all the Jews in Persia, but we should also control our temper. The Bible talks a lot about controlling one’s temper, the term used is often temperance or self-control. Self-control is often spoken about by Paul as a requirement for Pastors and Elders, in 1 Timothy 3:2, and Titus 1:8. But when Peter spoke about it, he was speaking to all Christians.

2 Peter 1:5-9 - 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

As Christians, we are called to be people of self-control. As Christians, we are to be pictures of self-control. When we see self-control here it’s speaking of course to self-control over all things, but most specifically it’s speaking to a control of our anger. As a child, my family had an interesting way of controlling our anger. We would all be in the car fighting and shouting in the car on the way to church, full of anger towards each other, then we would open that door to walk into church and everyone was all smiles. The thought was look, of course we can control our anger.

But that’s not what self-control is all about. Instead of being able to go in and out of our anger quickly, most of the time we shouldn’t even go in to it. Sure, we can control it when we are in front of people at school or at church, but do we have the ability to control our temper with our spouses, or our kid? Do we have the ability to control our temper with our neighbors? Do we have the ability to control our temper with people on the road when we get cut off, or with a waitress or cashier when they mess up our order for the third time? Do we truly have control of our temper?

Peter used some tough words when speaking of self-control. He says if we have these qualities, including self-control, then we will be effective and fruitful in our knowledge of Jesus Christ, but if we lack those qualities, including self-control, then we are short sighted and forgetting what God has done for us.

I guess the question though is not if we have perfect self-control or not, but if we are growing in these qualities. Remember, as we close our thoughts on self-control, that it is also a fruit of the spirit. That means if we have Christ in us, we should always be growing in self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23 - 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Are we a Hospital or a Museum

As Good as it Gets

It was a rough week this past week, as my church experienced we some vandalism on our church sign, although I didn’t see it, it was a four letter F – word against God and some pot propaganda. Beyond that, just down the street, they wrote that same 4 letter word on a handicap accessible van, belonging to a church member. It broke my heart, not only because they wrote on those awful things on my church, or the van; but because we live is a world where someone would want to write those things on a church, or someone would be ok to write those things in what is obviously a van for a disabled person.

It seems like things in this world just keep getting worse; and as my wife and I look to have child number 4 this winter, I have to wonder if we are even doing the right thing bringing more innocence into a world that is fallen, sinful, and rotting.

A few weeks back I preached on the topic of hope, and not the hope that we put into the things of this world, because I can’t say if things of this world will ever get any better. I hope they do, and I will continually fight for change to make to make a better world for my kids to grow up in. But to quote Jack Nicholson “What if this is as good as it gets?” This world may not get any better, but we can still put our hope into the future, because our hope is not found in this world.

This world gives us things like graffiti, it gives us hate, it gives us addictions. It gives us war and natural disasters, and the very best things we can get in this world are here today and gone tomorrow. Yet Peter tells us we do not have to put our hope into these things.

1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

Peter tells us something all Christians need to remember:  even if this corrupted, sinful world is as good as it gets here on earth, something much better is waiting for us in heaven.  For us today if we are in Christ, then this is not as good as it gets!

Don't Worry!

A while back I preached a message on the stress we have in our lives, and as I said, I am as guilty as anyone about over stressing with situations.  I often stress about money, I stress about my house that needs a lot of repairs, I stress about my vehicles, I stress out about my family, and I also spend a lot of time stressing about things at the church.  But recently I spent a week in the hospital and a month and a half down with double pneumonia and what God really taught me through all that time being down sick, is it’s really not my place to stress about it.  I, like all of you, should continue to give everything 100% to everything I do for the Lord.  I should do everything I can for my wife and kids, and I should take care for myself.  But at that point I should step back and give it to the Lord. 

Matthew 6:25-27 – ²⁵ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

²⁶ Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

²⁷ Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

This is such a powerful passage when we really allow ourselves to stop and think about what Jesus is saying.  Don’t worry about even the most basic needs in life.  Notice, Jesus didn't tell us to not worry about the square footage of our homes or not to worry about the health of our donkey, He went right to our most important needs, and told us not to worry about food and clothing.  You don’t need to worry about your most basic needs in life, Jesus says. 

And He doesn't just tell us not to worry about them, he gives us the assurance.  All summer we see birds in

the air, seldom do we see them falling out of the sky starving to death.  No, God takes care of them, and we are for more important than they are with God.  Remember, God never gave them a Savior.

 

But the final of these 3 verses says it all, because no matter how much we stress, there are so many things we can’t change, and ultimately God is in control.  Stress isn’t worth it, it brings us down and it can destroy our health.  That’s why Peter tells us when things are stressing us out, we just need to give it to Jesus.  No matter what we are going through, no matter how down things seem to be, we can turn it over to Jesus.  Just remember the words of Peter…

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

A Gift for an Eye, and a Hug for a Tooth!

The other day I had to get after my son, he was fighting with his sister because she had refused to help him when he needed it. After a long discussion on how he should treat his sister, I went on to the parents pat answer: “Son, it doesn’t matter what someone does to you; we should still treat them with love.” As adults, is that really something we practice in our own lives, when someone cuts us off in traffic to pray for their health? If someone sells us a lemon of a car, would we be eager to stop and help them change a tire on their car? When someone takes something we love, do we offer them something else? Perhaps we should.

As God often works with me, just hours after the discussion with my son, I sat down to work on my message for Sunday and what was the first verse I read, 1 Peter 3:9: “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” Now I will admit, this can be one of those passages that are tricky in the King James, so let’s take a look at it in the ESV:

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Or in other words don’t repay evil with evil instead when someone does evil to you, give them blessings. Wow! This is such a radically different way than we are taught to do things. We often grow up with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth mentality, when someone gets us we want to get even. The social media day and age has made it worse, just look at how many negative posts you see in twitter or on facebook. We are a get even and if possible get even quick culture. We want our revenge and we want it now, which makes what Peter teaches here the perfect, if not unattainable way to stand out.

Peter wasn’t the first to suggest this type of attitude either; he is only repeating what Jesus said in Matthew 5:

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

We have grown up hearing these passages, but probably seldom put them into practice. It seems like one of those teachings that God is not really serious about. But He is! God wants His people to stand out in a crowd, he wants us to be different. We are told in the scriptures that; “They will know we are Christians by our love”. We should be different; we should stand out in a crowd.

Do we? Are we out seeking revenge when the world wrongs us? Or are we different do we live by the new adage: a gift for an eye, and a hug for a tooth!