Herald to the Unloved and the Unwanted:

Herald to the Unloved and the Unwanted:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 

Luke 2:8-15 (KJV)

As Christians, we all know the story. Christmas was last month so why write about it now? The question comes up, “Why did the Lord chose shepherds to announce the birth of our King too?” It would make more sense to announce the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, to the Kings of the land. To the religious leaders of the temple. Why shepherds?

At the time, shepherds were the lowest of the low when it came to society's standards. Because of their job, they would have to be in the fields for weeks and even months at a time. Therefore the religious authorities consider shepherds ceremonial unclean. They were not even considered lower class. They were the bottom class of all classes. Because of their job they could not participate in Jewish traditions or the 613 laws of the Sanhedrin, better known as the Mosaic Law. Shepherds could not even testify in court because they were considered thieves and untrustworthy. They were the unloved, the unwanted, the rejected, the outcasts of society.

How often as Christians or not, do we feel unwanted, unloved, rejected and turned away as an outcast? It hurts especially when the rejection comes from one(s) we love and trust. Rejection from a friend or when even you find yourself rejected by the very church you needed help from. As Uncle Si would say, “That is rejection, Jack!”

These shepherds did not just experience it. They had to live with it day after day. We too see it daily, if we would just open our eyes and hearts. I see it every time I go to Walmart. The sales clerk, checking out hundreds of people a day with few if any acknowledging their name. Which could be easily read on their name badge. Lonely souls at a bar trying to drown their misery and pull up joy for a fleeting moment. I see it in the eyes of others in a crowd. Their eyes tell of the sadness dwelling inside. Feelings of doubt, rejection and just feeling unloved. While trying their best just to fit in the now.

So why did the Lord chose the shepherds to announce or “Herald” the coming of our King?

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 

Romans 10:9-13 (NIV)

Notice in verse 13. The word “Everyone.” Jesus came for everyone. Not just the ones who think they have their act together. Not the ones of authority over others. Everyone. That means you and that means me.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matt 19:28-30 (HCSB)

This is a warning that we all must come to grips with. The first will be last. We all want to be first. First in charge. First to finish the race. First in line to receive. We want to be number one which is the exact opposite of the 1^st Commandment. Being last is hard. Being unloved and unwanted by others is very hard to deal with. I like what Pastor Rick Warren once said, “ I fear God's disapproval more than I fear yours or society's.”

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The Journey:

I grew up an atheist. Not by any means focused upon me. I was raised in an environment where it was accepted that knowledge and science had the answers. That we controlled our own destiny. Our actions determined our outcome and nothing was beyond that.

My first experience with the so called “Church” was when I was a young boy. Went with my Uncle's family one Sunday while on vacation in Southern California. Went to Sunday school with my cousins, who had been raised in the church since babies. I was handed a Bible, the first I had ever seen one, then the class was ask to turn to chapter and verse. I had no idea what they were talking about. So I sat there. Soon the other kids realized my lack of biblical fortitude and began to laugh at me. Short story: I never wanted to return to church again. It would be twenty years till my next encounter with the “Church.”

I would be thirty-two years old before I came to Christ. As I rose from the baptismal waters it felt like I was in-cased in a block of marble that suddenly turned to Jello and wash over me and off me.

This day, the eve of Christmas I look back and scan through the notes of my worn Bible, not asking why, but looking forward. Perhaps truly for the first time. The last two years of my life have been the darkest I have known and wish not to know again.

Would I have made it through this dark valley of time in my life without Christ? No way. Did I come to Christ for a better life? One of prosperity? One of fun and joy? That's what the world proclaims Christians to be and be living. Nothing could be farther from the truth. No, I came to Christ because of the judgment. I still do. No matter how good a life I could ever try to lead I would come up short on judgment day.

The fact of the matter, I come up short everyday. Something goes wrong I get angry. The opportunity to help someone else passes by me to only realize later I could of helped that person with little effort or cost to my living.

Tonight I am looking forward to going to a Christmas Eve Church Service. Partaking in the Lord's Supper. Unfortunately it is not being held in a church which my family and I are members. Yet, the members there welcome us as family each year. It is a service filled with love. Love not only from above but by those who love Christ. I am blessed this Christmas. -Amen

Christmas 496

There are a few unique moments in history included in Christmas. My grandparents were married on Christmas day. Though they have long passed on. Their teaching and love they shown to me influences my life to this very day.

Around the year 481 a young 15 year-old become king. After the break up of the Roman Empire King Clovis came to power of a small kingdom in the corner of Gaul. The young king quickly took over the adjoining lands and united Gaul. Later King Clovis moved his capitol city to Paris. Later he founded the nation of France. In the year 493 the king married a Christian woman. Queen Clothide wished their newborn son to be baptized and the king agreed. The child died in his baptismal robe. King Clovis blamed God. Their second child was also baptized yet grew ill shortly after. Queen Clothide was said to have prayed earnestly and the child recovered. King Clovis was said to have been impressed. When the king was now 30 years old in the midst of a loosing battle cried out to Jesus Christ on behalf of his faithful wife and queen. It is said he asked God for victory and would be baptized. Soon the battle turned to his favor. In the Cathedral of Rheims on December 25, 496 King Clovis was baptized along with 3,000 of his troops. Known in church history as one of the first great mass conversions in Europe.

It was on Christmas Eve of 2006 during the Christmas Evening service that God revealed to me the purpose that I must serve. So clear, so simple but that is a different Christmas story.

Is Christmas unchristian?

To make my point one only has to go to the mall during the last Saturday before Christmas to see for them selves how our society has fallen away from the faith. The Christmas holiday as we know it was not declared a federal holiday until 1870. In fact the celebration of Christmas was banned in Boston from 1659 to 1681. For most of our history December 25th has been considered a pagan time of worship. Ancient Rome celebrated “Dies Natalis Invicti Solis” this time of year. Which means the birthday of the unconquered Sun. History tells us they had parties, formal meals and exchanged gifts. So when was Jesus born? The following scripture is one of many keys to the story.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8 (KJV)

It is highly unlikely that the shepherds would be out at night during the winter season. It would have been too cold and wet more likely in spring, summer or fall. October would be more accurate. When we read the story of the shepherds we find they were given specific instructions on where to find the Savior. No mention of wise men there.

Notice within the following verse the word “house.” No mention of the word manger. We may have established the idea of three wise men based on the three gifts mentioned within the following verse.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matt 2:11 (KJV)

The story of the wise men coming to see Jesus much later after His birth is again noted in the following:

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Matt 2:16 (KJV)

The time frame of two years and under suggest that Jesus may have been several years old by the time the wise men came to see him. Certainly they saw the Savior in a house and not a manger.

Another tradition celebrated at Christmas is the Christmas Tree not a Holiday Tree. Is this biblical? At the birth of Christ the Bible has no mention of a Christmas Tree, Yule logs, wreaths, boughs of holly, mistletoe, lights, eggnog, elves, toys, cookies, reindeer, Santa Claus, Bing Crosby or a report of Grandma being run over by a reindeer. Today we have it all and it is getting worst in my opinion. We do have a biblical reference and warning about the tradition of trimming the tree.

This is what the Lord says: “Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them. Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over. Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” Jer 10:2-5 (NLT)

Since the Book of Jeremiah was written around 600 B.C. we can conclude that the trimming of a tree for celebration dates back before the birth of Christ.

Another point is made that the apostles throughout the New Testament have no mention of the birthday celebration for Jesus. December 25th may not have been the accurate birthday for our Lord and Savior. Evidence shows that pagan celebrations and Christianity have intermixed in some way. Many of the Christmas tradition we do celebrate may not be biblical.

I too am guilty of following the worldly view of Christmas. Scrambling across the Mall. Driving from store to store. Falling deep into the Hallmark conspiracy of what Christmas is all about. God gave us the greatest gift of all. What have I done with this priceless gift? It would honor my Father in Heaven better if I were to openly read aloud from my Bible in the middle of the mall and risk going to jail for it than too continue to run like a mouse in a maze during this holiday season.

The only unchristian thing about Christmas is what we make of it. Take a moment to say thank you to the hard working underpaid clerk behind the counter. The waiter or waitress at the restaurant who is working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Too often we find our Christian brothers and sisters with their heads down wondering where has the joy gone? For the unsaved it is even worst. God gave us Christ Jesus. Make a point to share this gift with others throughout the year.