Christmas Opportunities

The Christmas celebration has been the subject of some controversy over the years. The day, the title and the trappings have often been challenged on a number of grounds. The United Pentecostal Church International does not exalt December twenty-fifth as a High Holy Day. Churches and individuals make the day whatever they want it to be. Some go in for elaborate decorations and celebrations. Some keep it simple. Others do not recognize it at all, believing it to be a pagan holiday.

But long, involved debates about Christmas have never served us well. It is true that it suffers from over-commercialization. Society’s expectations of Christmas gifts and parties have become burdensome to many. Nevertheless, we have to recognize that Christmas, perhaps the most popular holiday in the world, turns the spotlight on the birth of Jesus. Wisdom often dictates that we follow a path that lies outside the normal range of choices. “He that winneth souls is wise.” If we can set aside our misgivings about the day long enough, marvelous opportunities to touch the lives of countless people present themselves to us. Here are a few:

Family gatherings. Many new converts disdain family get-togethers because of the drinking, foul language and immorality that invariably shows up. Some dread the arguments that often break out between relatives. Yet, Jesus deliberately visited in the house of sinners to be a beacon in a dark place. He knew that he had to enter into their society—-without partaking of their sins—-in order to have an impact on them. When you go, I advise you to do the following: Swallow your pride, smile through offensive insults, reach out to a hurting, lonely cousin or in-law, talk to everyone, and make sure you are remembered for something good. This is your opportunity to deliver a powerful, positive message by how you act, not by preaching. On the other hand, if you withdraw and express judgmentalism and disgust, that’s how you will be remembered. Leave before it gets too bad, but not before you have expressed the joy and happiness that is in your heart.

Gift-giving. Before you opt out of the gift-giving scene, consider the opportunity it affords you to establish a witness. The gift of a Bible, a book by a Christian author, a Christian tape or CD or some other Christian related gift may open a door to a person’s soul. Even if it doesn’t, you haven’t done any harm. It’s just another way to plant a seed.

Christmas cards and letters. Yes, it is a chore. Keeping any relationship alive takes work. Maybe the task will seem lighter if you try sending a distinctively Christian card. Better yet, write a little letter about the difference Jesus made in your life this year. If you include enough personal information in it, and not make it an impersonal sermon, it will get read.

Pictures. People will look at pictures, and they send wonderful messages. If you want the message to center on Christ, put a Bible in it, or have it taken with your church in the background. Your smile gives a silent testimony about Jesus.

Friendliness and cheer. The Christmas season gives all of us an opportunity to manifest a kind and charitable spirit that honors Christ. Call somebody that you haven’t talked to for a long time. Visit a neighbor and take along a pie or plate of cookies. Participate in a volunteer program. Do something that tells the world that love rules your heart.

Incarnation messages. Oneness believers are especially blessed by the miracle at Bethlehem because we recognize Jesus as deity robed in humanity. As a pastor, I welcome Christmas time as an opportunity to preach about the true identity of Christ. This centerpiece of the Apostles doctrine deserves to be heralded throughout the year, but especially in this season.

The Holy Ghost baptism. The gift of the Holy Ghost represents God’s greatest gift to the believer. Christmas time, while much attention is drawn to gifts, becomes an ideal occasion to focus on the Pentecostal experience. It’s not what gift you can give, but the gift that God alone can give that changes a person’s life. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Christmas may be laden with tradition and imprisoned in pressure-packed circumstances. The way you line up on the issues remains your personal concern. But keep your eye open for times to share the good news. Don’t allow the extraordinary opportunities that Christmas affords to reach out to souls, most of whom don’t know or care about such difficulties, pass you by.

Bethlehem ’s Secret

“Though thou be little, yet out of thee shall he come forth.” Micah 5:2

It was the place of Hebrew legends. It could have been something about Rachel’s tomb, or David’s birthplace, or the militant Philistines who established a fort there to house their garrisons. The “House of Bread” earned its name from some long forgotten incident now fallen between the cracks of history’s sketchy record. Maybe it spun out of David’s ragtag, but loyal followers, whose brave and undying support of their beloved leader wove itself into Israel ’s culture. Perhaps it hearkened back to Naomi, Ruth and Boaz who left their imprint on the fields surrounding the otherwise nondescript, little village, five miles south of Jerusalem in Judah ’s hill country. And any knowledgeable local could easily direct tourists to the probable spot where Samuel anointed David king of Israel .

God slips his secrets into crevices and folds where most people fail to look. The prophet asked, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10. Divine bias leans toward the small, rather than the great; the poor rather than the rich; the lowly rather than the high; the covert rather than the overt; the little known rather than the famous, the little rather than the much. “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.” Psalm 37:16. Eschewing the glory of earthly kingdoms, God situates his overarching truths in small places. “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” Isaiah 28:10-11. In his ministry, Christ called attention to a little child, a little lunch and a little flock. The New Testament heralds a little book, a little strength and a little while. God’s subtlety denies satisfaction to the casual dabbler. He forces men to seek him out.

Bethlehem ’s illogic baffled the world. How could a place achieve historical significance without some impressive distinction to set it apart? Bethlehem was not important enough. It was not strategic enough. It was not wealthy enough. It had neither commercial value nor cultural worth. But, Bethlehem did fit the profile of God’s modus operandi. He wanted nothing from this world; he took nothing from this world. “For he shall grow up before him as…a root out of a dry ground.” Isaiah 53:2. Should he have added Rome to his list of credits, or even Jerusalem , he would have been beholden to this cosmos. His legitimacy to the monarchy through the lineages of Mary and Joseph, only received attention at a much later date. He had no known mentor, no handler, no agent and no sponsor. As a root out of a dry ground grows without water or nutrients—-a phenomenon that contradicts nature—-neither did Jesus borrow from the wealth of the world to enhance his own status. To the secular mind, Bethlehem was a liability, not an asset.

The world’s most profound secret patiently waited to be born in the midst of streets more suitable for driving herds to market than entertaining royalty. Nothing but an obscure prophecy suggested the glory it was about to know. Its residents were ignorant of that which was concealed in its bosom. Little Bethlehem was in God’s crosshairs. A star, a chorus of angels, Mary, Joseph and Judean shepherds all converged on this these quiet streets. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee , out of the city of Nazareth , into Judaea , unto the city of David , which is called Bethlehem .” Luke 2:4. Bethlehem ’s secret, before Christ, lay not in its past, but in its future. The secret was the Savior. “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel .” Isaiah 45:3

Bethlehem ’s secret continues to reproduce itself in countless conversions today. People with no apparent value on today’s market, with nothing to give and even less to promise find themselves in God’s crosshairs, targets of divine grace. What happens when a sinner emerges from the pits of sin? A star appears. “…As unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19. Angels sing. “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10. A new birth takes place. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” 1 John 5:1. God’s secrets are far better than the world’s headlines. Let us never discount any person as incapable of redemption. Secrets can come from anywhere.

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived

Walk the hallowed halls of historical legends and measure the greatness on display. Ponder the genius of the Greek philosophers, mathematicians, scientists and artists. Weigh the vast holdings of King Solomons’ golden-drenched majesty. Admire the military might amassed by Alexander the Great who sat astride a mighty steed called “The World” before he reached the age of forty, or empire builder Napoleon Bonaparte who also swallowed up nearly all of continental Europe while in his thirties. Contemplate the unequalled compositions of Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon. Gaze, with bated breath, at the delicate artistry of Michelangelo, who sculpted David and The Pieta. Research the vaunted biographies of Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Washington and Lincoln. Study the incredible accomplishments of the world’s inventors, explorers, pioneers and statesmen. Stare in disbelief at the inconceivable wealth of Rockefeller, Getty and Gates. After all this, you would not have even begun to describe the greatest of them all.

The One who came from Bethlehem thrusts the world’s celebrated personalities and their famed achievements into the shadows of insignificance. He shook the earth with each step he took. Without writing a word, he inspired Gutenberg’s press and filled the world with volumes. With no political power, he forged the basis of the most powerful civilizations in history. He wielded no sword, yet he vanquished all his foes. He boasted no academic degree, yet he became the essential subject for the most eminent scholarship of all time. He was beholden to no earthly teacher, yet he confounded doctors with his wisdom. While on earth, he gathered few close friends around him. After ascending, his devoted followers numbered in untold millions.

And no wonder. This Nazarene anomaly triumphed over disease, healed infirmities, forced devils to surrender and subjugated death itself to his authority. The touch of his hand caused loaves and fishes to multiply, raising his hand calmed the wind and waves and the extension of his hand reconstructed limbs and organs. He could not be stopped and would not retreat. He challenged the prevailing powers of his own time and fundamentally changed all time. The world acknowledged his presence to be so profound that it converted its calendar from B. C. to A. D. Those who knew him best worshipped him most.

Every important holiday during the year enjoys its highest fulfillment on this one day. Christmas Day is the New Year’s Day of a fresh start, Valentine’s Day of love, Memorial Day’s sacrifice, Independence Day’s freedom from sin’s bondage, Labor Day’s respite, and the greatest expression of Thanksgiving. Every day worth celebrating, every song worth singing, every fact worth knowing, every story worth telling, every book worth reading, every journey worth taking, every task worth doing, every word worth speaking, every friend worth meeting and every life worth living finds its vital source in Jesus Christ.

I wish you and yours a blessed Christmas. May it be a time of peace and warm fellowship with family and friends. The true blessedness of Christmas, however, flows only from the worship and exaltation of Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived. Experience him anew during this glorious season. He is Yeshua—-Jehovah has become our Salvation.

J. Mark Jordan 12-25-00

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”

“I will arise and go to my father.” Luke 15:18

Although the world did not yet celebrate Christmas, had AT&T, Sprint PCS or even Western Union been in business when the prodigal son made up his mind to come home, maybe he would have phoned ahead. (He might have found a PhoneCard somewhere with a minute left on it.) Given his dramatic change of heart, he surely would not have wanted to send his father into a coronary. Little did he know that a heads-up was unnecessary. His father made a daily trek to his watching post, keeping up a continual look-out for his boy to come back.

The parable that Jesus told begins matter-of-factly, “A certain man had two sons.” Implicit in this statement is the presumption that children really do belong to their parents. We take care of them, provide a life for them and make all decisions for them. They wear our name, bear our likeness and will carry on our legacy. Most parents do not envision any deviation from this presumed course of events.

Imagine his father’s shock, then, when the younger son said, “Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.” It was the proverbial bolt out of the blue. Somewhere, between sweet infancy and happy adolescence, a son turned into a stranger. Parents of teenagers know all about this feeling. We gaze into a familiar face and sense something frighteningly different. “Who are you and what have you done with my wonderful child?” we ask. Bewilderment, anger, and fear finally gives way to resignation. We can’t figure out what happened.

This father had provided a solid environment for his family. Through hard work, he founded a business, built an estate and established a strong reputation in town. Like most parents, he probably had definite expectations for his son. He was preparing him for a career in estate-management, schooling him in the protocol of genteel leadership, and had undoubtedly chosen a bride for him. A sound, biblical education and love for God formed the basis of all his training. While riding together over the lands, I’m sure many of their conversations began with, “Son, one of these days…” But exceptions invariably disrupt carefully laid plans. Despite every effort, the father could not filter out the pervasive influence of sin. It seeps into the finest homes, attacks the purest environments and thwarts the noblest intentions. The more immoveable the object becomes, the more irresistible the force grows as well.

This parable is an astounding testimony to a father’s incredible faith. “But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him….” What motivated this man to scan the horizon for the return of a son whom he had already declared to be lost and dead? (v. 24) Was he a sentimental dupe? Was he merely living in denial of the obvious facts? Had his mourning failed to achieve closure? Was he engaged in inane, wishful thinking? Did he feel that just his stubborn persistence alone would be rewarded? I don’t think so.

This godly father believed in something far more substantial than misguided emotions. He kept watching, even though each previous day ended in bitter disappointment. Why? Because he knew what he had put into his son over the course of twenty or so years. He knew he had taught him unfailing truths out of the Word. He knew he had demonstrated to him a righteous and devoted example. He knew he dedicated his son to God and blanketed him with a covering of prayer.

You, too, can tie yourself to God’s promises. They are immutable. “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast…Hebrews 6:17-19

Parents, preachers, teachers and all those who have invested the Word of God into the lives of others, keep standing at your post, looking over the landscape. Sin may have wrecked them. They may appear spiritually dead and irretrievably lost. Complications may paint a hopeless picture. Never give up. “So shall my word be…it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper…” Isaiah 55:11

This could be the Christmas you’ve been waiting for.

A Christmas Thought

We sing of angels and shepherds, of Wiseman and camels. They knelt in reverent worship of the manger’s holy occupant. Through their songs, their gifts and their presence, they acknowledged the world’s most profound event. Yet, has it ever occurred to you that there must have been others who had the same opportunity? Where were they?

Where were the multitudes? Bethlehem pulsated with taxpayers, its streets slowed by weary travelers scrambling to find rooms. Surely someone must have known that heaven’s attention was focused on the little town that night. But the multitude never seems to hear the voice of God.

Were there not fellow travelers who noticed Mary’s plight? A mother-to-be who is at the point of delivery is hard not to see. Maybe someone had a few kind words. Perhaps some directions to a local inn, and then off to some other all-important business.

How about the innkeeper? He was the first one that had a conscious, responsible choice to make concerning Christ. He could have asked if someone would have given up his or her room for the birth. He could have given up his own room. He could have helped them find another inn. Did he feel he was doing a big favor to Mary and Joseph by letting them use the stable? Did he have to move some animals around in order to accommodate them?

Also, what about the midwives who were always present at births? They were closer than anyone to the baby, except Mary. They handled him, bathed him, held him and placed him in the arms of his mother. They probably talked with the parents, found out a lot about their background and their lives.

Think of it. All of these were within arm’s reach of God incarnate, the incredible visitation of divinity to humanity. The Savior of sinners, the sacrificial lamb was just around the corner, behind the inn. But the most important thing on the schedule of most that day was to pay their taxes, or trade some sheep or oxen, or buy a loaf of bread. They missed the significance of the event altogether.

We must cry for a fresh awareness of God’s visitation of revival and true joy to the church today. As commissioned servants of God, let us not make the mistake of the multitude. If we are close enough to touch revival, we must not permit it to slip from our hand unnoticed. Let us seize the moment. Let us understand what great things God has prepared for us today. Let us throw ourselves into the work of saving the lost without reservation.