Jesus Our Master Teacher

Jesus the Savior is our Master Teacher,
He gives His best to each of His pupils,
He teaches truth, direct and simple,
He inspires us with His own light from Heaven.

John 3: 2 ESV
 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

When Nicodemus came seeking Jesus in the night, he came seeking a teacher, but much more than a teacher. He came seeking the teacher who did mighty signs from God, proving the unique truth of His teaching. This Jewish leader had heard about those mighty signs of power. Probably he had seen one or more of those signs. We cannot say  this for sure, but who knows? Could it be possible Nicodemus, himself, had been among the circle of teachers who had been so amazed by Jesus, who as a twelve year-old, had so impressed the professional teachers of the Law? We do know this: This teacher himself, recognized Jesus as the Master Teacher.

Jesus Our Master Teacher

God blesses His people with gifted teachers
who study His Word and follow His Spirit’s leading,
who purposefully love all of His children
who model their lives upon Jesus their Master.

Jesus the Savior is our Master Teacher,
He gives His best to each of His pupils,
He teaches truth, direct and simple,
He inspires us with His own light from Heaven.

God develops His teachers to search out
His best for each of His pupils, giving
them conviction they can achieve; they
each have His own wonderful potential.

Jesus the Savior is our Master Teacher,
He gives His best to each of His pupils,
He teaches truth, direct and simple,
He inspires us with His own light from Heaven.

God directs His teachers to knowledge which
excites and invites discoveries
as they seek deeper, ever deeper
making their learning a grand adventure.

Jesus the Savior is our Master Teacher,
He gives His best to each of His pupils,
He teaches truth, direct and simple,
He inspires us with His own light from Heaven.

As a long-time and widely admired teacher,
Joey had the honor of announcing
Jack and Carly’s names
at their high school graduations.

First of all, I have to admit to a natural bias in my writing this week. I have spent a huge part of my life teaching. Throughout my own years as a student in elementary school, high school, university, and post-graduate school, I found myself blessed by God-called, Holy Spirit-led teachers. These teachers taught me day-in and day-out as they lived out their hard-working lives before me—presenting lessons which laid the groundwork for my learning to read, write, and do all manner of arithmetic problems. Many of my teachers taught according to the Jesus model, laying down their lives so we students could not only learn all of the necessary facts, but also grow in our understanding of life, living with others and finding the path God has for us. I was especially blessed to have in my home church, First Baptist Glencoe, many godly teachers. I had particular teachers who lived as living testimonies of Jesus’ own life-shaping investment in the lives of His disciples. Certainly, when I began teaching, I had Jesus and followers of Jesus as wonderful role models. 

So, this week I am writing about Joey Sims, a highly respected and appreciated teacher at Glencoe High School. Having known Joey and his family, at First Baptist Church; I have long admired his commitment to Jesus, his godly leadership of his family, his commitment to teaching and his dedicated involvement in the community through teaching and coaching, always as a dependable and faithful man.

I believe Joey’s favorite Bible Verse speaks clearly of the investment he has made in living His life led by faith:

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Joey invested himself in all of his pupils,
challenging them to do nothing
less than their absolute best—
like his son, Jack, in golf.

So, let’s begin with a synopsis of Joey’s school life, both as a student and as a teacher. He graduated from Glencoe High School in 1982. He had earned letters in varsity football, basketball and baseball. In football he was selected as the all area quarterback his senior year when he led the Yellow Jackets to an area title and a play-off berth. In basketball he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the 1982 Etowah County Tournament. In baseball he played as a four year starter. He won over 20 games as a pitcher, while maintaining a .400 batting average as he also played shortstop and third base. 

Joey attended Gadsden State Community College on a baseball scholarship, playing as a pitcher. He then attended Sanford University, also on a baseball scholarship, where he actually pitched against players like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. He set records for the most wins, the most innings pitched and for the most complete games in a season. He continued as a Dean’s List student during each term of his college career. He graduated with a B.A. degree in education, majoring in both math and English. Joey was recognized as Samford’s top graduate in English for the Class of 1987.

Then Joey worked as a graduate assistant for Rudy Abbott, a legendary baseball coach at Jacksonville State. As the pitching coach, he helped JSU reach the Division II College World Series in 1988, and to win their first national championship. He received a masters degree in Math Education in 1988.

Joey’s impressive record as a teacher
was no doubt, inspired by one of his own
godly teachers, Mr. Edge,
and by his sister, Sharron Yancy.

He began his high school teaching and coaching career as the head baseball coach in Newnan,Georgia. He led that team to the state playoffs while he was there. He then moved to Saks High School, where he taught math and coached baseball, football, and junior high boys’ basketball. In 1996 he returned to Glencoe, where he has taught math, coached boys’ golf, tennis and junior high boys’ basketball. His basketball teams won over 100 games in nine years, including two county championships. His golf teams won over 500 matches and made seven state championship appearances. Two of his golfers appeared in the top five in the state finals, including  Jack, his son. He finished second in the state tournament twice. In 2014 Joey was chosen as Glencoe High School’s Teacher of the year.

Throughout his school career as a student and as a teacher and coach, Joey focused on serving Christ through Glencoe First Baptist.  He has taught Sunday School to junior high students and to senior-age men. He has served as a deacon. He has sung in the choir and on the praise team—all the while encouraging others to join him in giving praise to God through music. He is certainly known as one of the most caring and friendliest members of the church—always smiling and joking and making so many folks feel welcomed and loved.

While Joey’s life has been characterized
by the hard work and the over-filled schedule
of a dedicated teacher, he has been blessed
with a wife who shares his commitment
to giving only the best in living for Jesus.

Kathy, Joey’s wife has, of course, provided him loving encouragement in every way since they were married. He has done the same for her. When they had their son, Jack, he spent some time watching Jack while she worked as a nurse. In order to play golf, he carried Jack with him, even to the golf course. As Jack grew to love golf, Joey supported him in every way. It is not surprising then, that Jack loves golf so much.. Then with Carly, their daughter, who loved cheerleading, Joey also supported her. When he was at Samford, Joey earned an opportunity to attend Vanderbilt for graduate school, but his love for baseball took him to Jacksonville State, instead. So, when Carly chose Vanderbilt, she completed the cycle, graduated there and is now working in the field of biomedical engineering. You can bet Joey and Kathy are continuing to support Jack, his wife Kelsey, and Carly. One example of Joey’s level of commitment came as he and Jack took a high school graduation trip to the famous Pebble Beach golf course. Here is what Jack says about his dad: “His unwavering presence has been a constant source of comfort and strength, showing me the true value of being there for others.” Kelsey mentions how Joey is deeply passionate about helping others. Wes Weems a fellow teacher/coach  and a lifelong friend, speaks of how blessed he is to call Joey his friend and his fellow teacher.

I have long admired seeing examples of Joey’s meeting the needs of his students. Joey came to the rescue when John David, our son, needed a math coach to get him through his first year at Jacksonville State. Joey went out of his way and came to the rescue, and John David will always be grateful. In fact, when John David had been much younger, and we had come home for Stateside Assignment, Joey gave him a treasured keepsake, his very own baseball autographed by his hero, Joey, of course.

Praise God! We all have enjoyed having teachers and coaches who have blessed our lives forever by following in the steps of Jesus, our Master Teacher. And I am sure Joey would say to us all with that huge smile of his, along with a slap on the back; “Go and do likewise.” Jesus gives each of us the opportunity to teach His loving Way to others. May we be as faithful as Jesus and the teachers like Joey, whom He has taught to do so and bless us all.

Each teacher who treasures our Jesus
is a blessing from God who so loves us
He places in our lives His models to follow
as we seek and find His Heavenly Way.

John 20: 30-31
Now Jesus did many other signs
In the presence of the disciples,
which are not written in this book;
but these are written so that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.

As the Apostle John wrote the Gospel According to John, he clearly intended to bring a compelling case for people to see Jesus as His Lord and Master.  Jesus, as His risen Savior came as God Incarnate, as Immanuel, to offer God’s Redemption to all the people of the world. This is clearly what Jesus knew about Himself. He uses the phrase, I AM, seven times as He points to Himself as God who comes to meet the needs of His people—and most essentially, to bring them deliverance and salvation from the Son. John also gives first hand accounts as an actual witness for Jesus as He reveals His power in magnificent and miraculous acts only God-Among-Us could do.

John 2:9-11 ESV

When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine,
and did not know where it came from
(though the servants who had drawn the water knew),
the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves the good wine first,
and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.
But you have kept the good wine until now.”
This, the first of first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,

Shortly after Jesus began His ministry, He attended a wedding in Cana, where He performed His first sign. The need Jesus met at the wedding may seem less significant than some of the other signs, but in the culture of His own people, the need was crucial—to save face for close friends, possibly family members of His own mother. His actions kept them from being shamed, which carries tremendous importance. Weddings in those times reflected great joy for families. Even in those troubled times, families and friends would struggle mightily just to stage a joyful wedding celebration for everyone they knew. So, Jesus, at the urging of His mother, actually saves the day for the families involved in the wedding. And of course, the wine Jesus creates is the absolute best. Everything Jesus touches is transformed into the best of the best. Jesus among friends and family brings heavenly and perfect joy. Weddings celebrate life and the promise of new life. Jesus chooses this beautiful, this homely occasion to give the first sign of His Messianic power.   And of course, Jesus later proclaims in John 15:1; “I am the vine.” Who else would have the power to miraculously transform  simple, cleansing water into the very best wine?

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IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS . . .
Joe and Deb Nabors
Living Lives Of
Faithful Stewardship
Together

Parables are purposeful puzzles, which in the solving, make us wiser in the ways of God. As we put together the pieces of a parable told by Jesus, we see more and more clearly how God works with people who proclaim faith in Jesus. Parables often manage to teach hard lessons to tough and resistant hearts, which need some hard knocks to wake them up before time runs out. A parable is a brightly burning torch Jesus lights with truth to lead those who would follow Him to rare places where God’s treasure is hidden. Then those with wide-open eyes can discover and wonder at the power and beauty of God’s Way.  Parables challenge us to recognize and respond to God’s Word in faith which acts and blesses others.

In Jesus’ Parable of the Talents, Jesus implores us to act in accordance with the following powerful lesson: God gives each of us work to do in His Kingdom. He blesses us with all that we need in order to minister to others in the Name of Jesus. Then, he watches with pleasure as His servants use His resources to minister in His Name and for His Purpose. He rejoices when His servants take all that He places in their hands to go and bless others. In this way He builds His Kingdom.

In the Parable of the Talents, we meet three servants. The first is given five talents, and the second two. The third servant receives one coin only. Those  servants who have received five and two coins respectively,  go and work to double the number of coins entrusted to them. . Their commitment and effort draw their Master’s praise, for they have understood the opportunity given them to serve their Master with dedication and effectiveness. They are blessed in blessing their Lord with their work and in their commitment. 

However, the servant entrusted with one coin makes it worthless by simply hiding it. He misses out on God’s  reward because he fails to understand that the Master has placed in his hands a coin in order to earn another.

Joe and his parents
celebrate a big day
as he is called into service
as a judge.

Praise God! Jesus never wastes a single word in His parables as he paints bold stories filled with unforgettable characters, their trials, their triumphs and their testimonies.  His stories provide examples of God placing His trust in His followers as He equips them to go and bless the world.

Sadly those listening casually to His parables  never understand  His meaning. Jesus suffered disappointments and dilemmas, for He was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of Man. So, He labored hard in His Father’s fields and gathered a rich harvest. This parable  portrays how blessed we will be if we take assignments from our Lord as opportunities to bless Him by giving our best.  This parable also pictures  how sadly we fail when we refuse to take God’s blessings and use them to bless others. Faithful servants always earn more gifts to share with others as they bring glory to their Lord. Unfaithful servants lose this chance to so glorify Him. 

You and I, we are so greatly blessed by those who have served faithfully before us, being used by God to powerfully multiply His Kingdom. Peter, John, Paul, Ananias and Sapphira, Lydia—and so many others we read about in Scripture; all of these have served hard and long in our Father’s fields. Even now, when I look around me in my family, in my church, in my community—all over the world, faithful workers serve even as God continues to grow His Kingdom. We praise Him as He blesses each of these in His service. 

This week I will give just one example.  I am so blessed to share with them our faith family’s worship and fellowship. I am further blessed to study the Word with them in the same Growth or Sunday School Group. I am speaking of Joe and Deb Nabors. I still remember how their love and prayers  blessed our children when they were young, When we as a family came home on Stateside Assignment, they thoughtfully and lovingly encouraged Rachel and John David. Then, as our children grew older Joe and Deborah continued to step up and encourage and pray for our family.

Joe has been a Glencoe guy for a long time, since he actually moved to our town when he was four. He was saved at Walnut Grove United Methodist Church, his grandmother’s church. He grew up in the East Gadsden United Methodist Church, where he continued to grow in his faith.  Eventually Joe became an Alabama State Trooper, and after a considerable time of service transferred to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation,  where he retired as a Captain. During that time he attended the Birmingham School of Law and earned his law degree. After retiring from the ABI he practiced law for several years. Then in 2015 he was appointed as a District Judge.  He has won further terms without opposition. He continues to serve even now. During Joe’s years as a State Trooper and as he served with the ABI he had some really challenging  experiences. He encountered the very best and worst among the people  he served, as he and his fellow law enforcement partners protected us all. He will tell you to this day how God protected and empowered him throughout these years.

Joe and Deb’s story of faithfulness
continues in the lives of their daughter,
Ashley and her husband, Colby.

Now, during those years as a State Trooper, Joe met Deb in the emergency room of the Regional Medical Center in Anniston.  Deb had been raised in Alexandria with five brothers and one sister. She actually grew up in Saks, and attended the First Baptist Church there until the family moved to Alexandria when she was in the third grade. They became a part of Mount Zion Baptist Church there. She was actually saved during a revival at Alexandria First Baptist Church, where she was baptized. Deb finished her schooling and began a forty-year career as a nurse in the emergency room at the Regional Hospital in Anniston. Interestingly, both her mother and her daughter have been nurses.  After meeting in that emergency room, Joe and Deb married in 1985. They joined First Baptist Glencoe after their daughter, Ashley, was saved in a revival at the church. Since then, both Joe and Deb have been active and busy in various ministries—and Joe was ordained as a deacon in 2001. 

As I mentioned, I have really enjoyed getting to know both of these faithful servants  in Sunday School. They have always played an active part, with Joe doing some teaching and playing an active and positive role in sharing his Biblical knowledge during class discussion. Deb has often facilitated  ministry efforts on behalf of the class—helping to keep us focused on serving others even as we enjoy the Lord’s blessing while we study His Word and grow together in faith. Prayer very much strengthens and encourages us as a class, and Deb and Joe sensitively pray among us and for us. I know from experience their faithfulness and ongoing commitment to prayer. How God blesses those prayers! John David, our son, would be one of those to attest to that.

Joe and Deb have both ministered in the larger community—reflecting our Savior’s Love for those who seem to need Him most. They have done so in their work, and in their strong involvement in blessing those who face difficult challenges in life. Using healing hands (Deb), and the law and justice (Joe), and recognizing those who are often not only ignored, but too often abused and mocked (Deb and Joe); they have certainly reflected the Love of our Lord. 

While both Joe and Deb have faced tough challenges along the way, they have always maintained a strong commitment to continue serving the Lord Jesus they so obviously love. That brings me back to the Parable of the Talents. Both of these dear friends have demonstrated throughout their lives how our Lord can count on them to take every bit of gifting, talent, training and experience, and use it for His Glory first, and then for the blessing of others. They definitely help me picture Jesus and his teaching to His early disciples—“When I place five talents in your hands, they are there for serving My Kingdom and for blessing others as you do.” And I must say this, or both of them may “take me to the woodshed,” so to speak. They give all the glory to God, for to them, it is ALL ABOUT JESUS!  Praise the Lord!

Matthew 25: 21 ESV
“Well done, good
and faithful servant.
You have been
faithful over little;
I will set you
over much.
Enter into the
joy of your master!”

For God who said,
“Let light shine
out of the darkness . . .”
has shone in our hearts
to give us the light
of the knowledge
of the glory of God
in Christ Jesus.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)

When I look around my life with my eyes wide open, I notice the glories God has created both in the heavens and on the earth. When I look further, I stand amazed at the variety of beauties and wonders revealed in the wide variety of trees, flowers, birds, animals and fish—all good gifts from our Creator and Father. When I look even further into the eyes and the hearts of people around me, I cannot but recognize God’s Glory shining forth in the uniqueness of each of God’s own children created in His Image to praise and know and be blessed by Him through lives of obedience and faith. God truly does all things well. His Creation, His divinely designed nature, and every person, reveals all clearly and powerfully declare His Glory. So, when it comes to history, both my heart and my mind, recognize what seems to be the truth—wise and godly people speak of His Story and not of history. If you understand my thinking, you will not be surprised at my last two lists: My Ten Most Pivotal HIS-torical Events and My Ten Most Admired HIS-istorical Figures.

Psalms 104:24-25 ESV
O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.

Among so many other gifts from his heritage, my father gave me a love for history. In fact, I almost chose history as my major rather than English while I studied at the University of Montevallo.  In the end the more creative side of me won out as I majored in English and minored in history. I actually took almost as many history courses as English, and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. In fact, as I have studied the Bible more and more over the years, I have marveled at the historicity of the Good News as divinely inspired and written according to God’s Spirit.

My Ten Most Pivotal Historical Events

1. God created the world, blessing Adam and Eve with the perfect Garden of Eden, and yet they fell into disobedience through disobedience and sin.
2. As people outside the garden spread out and multiplied, they increasingly ignored the Good Will of God and committed disobedience and sin against Him and each other. God stepped in and flooded the earth so that they, through Noah and the Ark, could begin again.
3. God called Abraham and his family out of a pagan land and led him toward the Promised Land.
4. God redeemed Moses and used him miraculously to call out the Children of Israel and freed them from their slavery in Egypt.
5. God delivered to His People and the world the Ten Commandments, establishing the foundation of the Law; loving God and honoring Him, and loving others as we love ourselves.
6. Jesus, the Son of God/Son of Man, was born to live the Perfect Life, die the necessary Sacrificial Death, and rise victorious, providing victory forever over sin.
7. God gifted humanity with the ability to observe, ponder, learn and discover—providing the foundation for science and the opportunity to grow continuously in knowledge of this world and beyond.
8. God gifted humanity with the potential to serve as stewards of the earth and all her riches, to bless all humanity.
9. Horrific wars have historically destroyed some empires and nations as others were raised, imposing horrible suffering on humanity, all because monstrous leaders have selfishly set out to establish their own kingdoms in opposition to the True Kingdom of God.
10. Those wars will end, as will sin when Jesus triumphant returns again so that New Heaven and New Earth will be eternally established.

The more I read both history and His Story, the more convinced I become; Jesus is at the heart of both. So, the Bible begins and ends with God’s eternal plan to reveal His glory through the process of Jesus serving as the unique focus of those looking forward from Creation and the Fall. Then some of those blessed to look personally upon Jesus in-the-flesh, recognize Him as God among them. Now we look forward to the culmination of all history and His Story, when New Heaven and New Earth are established—and we see God and the redeemed in Jesus at last living in the midst of His Glory and in the sharing the perfect joy they experience together because of His Love.

My Ten Most Admired Historical Figures

1. Jesus Christ effectively divided history, before and after His birth, and established the Kingdom of God among men to eventually triumph over all who would sinfully and foolishly oppose Him.
2. George Washington unselfishly and heroically served the United States as they fought desperately for freedom.
3. Abraham Lincoln unselfishly and heroically served the United States on behalf of those who had been enslaved.
4. Winston Churchill stood strong for England and inspired the free peoples of the world to fight and defeat the terrifying might of Adolph Hitler and Germany.
5. Franklin Delano Roosevelt put the United States back to work after the Depression, and led his country to join England in fighting to defeat Germany and Japan.
6. Ronald Reagan faithfully served the United States in bringing to an end the dangerous Cold War.
7. Margaret Thatcher courageously and boldly served England as Reagan served the United States in giving democracies victory over Communism.
8. Martin Luther King Jr. fought and literally gave his life to begin to overcome racial inequality and bigotry in the United States.
9. Missionary women around the world served selflessly and courageously all over the world with their husbands and/or all alone, to serve unselfishly in taking the Gospel to all peoples in all lands.
10. Harriet Tubman served as one of many African Americans who at great risk to themselves, brought freedom to their enslaved people.
    
    So goes the story of His Story, along with a tiny fraction of the people He used in the telling. Come to think of it, each of us, we all play a part in His grand Story; for He calls each of us to take advantage of His redemption, and to faithfully serve among His people as He transforms this fallen world through growing His Holy Kingdom throughout the Earth. What a wonderfully and thoroughly beautiful purpose for each of our lives: We have the eternal privilege of being His created, His redeemed, and His resurrected children.

NOTE: Of all my writing efforts, my attempt at naming ten most admired historical figures proved most difficult. So, I would in no way suggest that my choices as written, reflect anything more significant than very personal preferences and perhaps, prejudices. In HIS STORY or in HISTORY there are far, far too many people who have lived admirably—being used by God to continue His progress in redeeming His world. Often God has used rather despicable rulers and others to accomplish His Purpose. After all, He is God and they are not. Nebuchadnezzar comes to mind. The point is: our faithful God is faithfully crafting and shaping HIS STORY and HISTORY for His eternal purpose—REDEMPTION and SALVATION. Someday in GLORY we will all be surprised as Process and His People are revealed. After all He is the ALPHA and the OMEGA. 

Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever.

Psalm 100:5
For the LORD is good
and His Love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues
throughout all generations.

The longer I live the more I understand how my life must be built on God’s Truth. Otherwise, I am like the foolish man who built his house on the sand; or when the storms came, it could not stand. So, in walking with Jesus as my Savior, I am being led by the Holy Spirit as I read the Bible, as I experience the power of God’s Truth active and powerful in and around my life.  In so many other ways, I rejoice there is available, truth that never fails in all the many ways He touches and surrounds my life. Praise be to His Holy Name! How did I select the following truths? These are truths which make my heart sing, which fascinate my mind, and which secure my soul in my relationship to God. Each time I hear these truths my whole being responds, “Amen! Amen! Amen!”

My Ten Most Treasured Life Truths

1. God is Agape, Self-Existent, Eternal, Sacrificial Love.
2. Jesus is my Savior, my Shepherd and my Lord.
3. The Holy Spirit empowers, cleanses, guides and directs me.
4. The Enemy ALWAYS lies.
5. My sin horribly harms me, those who love me, and all those around me.
6. The Bible, God’s Word, is the perfect guide for me.
7. Prayer is as necessary as breathing.
8. Obedience places me securely in God’s Hands.
9. Loving others as God loves me demonstrates His Love in me.
10. In God life is eternal.

Psalm 119:105 ESV
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.

God graciously used my godly parents to bless me in many ways.  One of these many is that they both loved reading; and so , encouraged us to love reading. I remember many, many trips to the library when we were young, and how excited my brother and sisters and I were, to have a stack of books to take home and read. A really good book feeds me deeply with God’s Truth as it works out in the everyday, and in some cases, imaginary world. For me, experiencing life with God and Good and Truth and Joy and Justice in reading a good book,  just makes God-Centered living more real than just about any other activity . So, here are the wide variety of books which have delighted me with God’s Goodness and Enjoyment and Inspiration time after time.

My Ten Most Meaningful Books

1. The Bible: (It’s the Word of God and the Word of Life. Obviously it is the best literature ever written because it is God-breathed and so, illuminates the hearts and minds and souls of those who read it.)

2. The Chronicles of Narnia: (Somehow C.S. Lewis manages to capture almost every true challenge, inspiration, and feeling Christians experience in life. His characters, plots, settings and themes speak God’s Love and Truth deeply inside our hearts.)

3. The Lord of the Rings: (JRR Tolkien captures the grand scale of the battles between good and evil in this world. God’s absolute power to destroy evil takes place in amazing ways which ironically demonstrate there is no person too small to play a role in God’s Redemptive activity in history.)

4. The Pendragon Cycle:  (Stephen R. Lawhead tells from a Christian perspective the stories of King Arthur and his Knights in Britain. Again we are allowed to experience the faith-building reality that God works in all circumstances for His Good and for our joy.)

5. Many Waters: (Madeleine L’Engle imagines what Noah and his family might have experienced during the years leading up to the Flood. L’Engle makes the days leading up to the flood real and deeply moving—as He reveals His love for individuals in remarkable ways.)

6. The O’Malley Series: (Dee Henderson creates an enjoyable group of stories about a family who “adopt” each other in an orphanage and grow up to engage in a wide variety of careers serving people, even as they one-by-one, eventually  come to Christ. In this remarkable family we read the stories of a doctor, a psychiatrist, a fireman, a police negotiator and a builder.)

7. A Tale of Two Cities: (Charles Dickens tells a tale of ultimate sacrifice and redemption in the midst of the French Revolution. We experience through this powerful tale a story in which the reality of redemption inspires a man who goes to the guillotine for another as a type of Christ.)

8. Les Miserables: (Victor Hugo tells a grandiose tale of the role of redemption in a prisoner’s life which leads to an epic battle between good and evil as other people are miraculously transformed by the deeds of one life redeemed.)

9. The Wingfeather Series: (Andrew Peterson creates an enjoyable story filled with humor, miraculous escapes, much despair, and faith until three children fulfill their destiny for good and for God.)

10. Blessed Child: (Ted Dekker and Bill Bright who founded Campus Crusade for Christ,  imagine together how a child miraculously blessed from birth might bring redemption in the midst of a perilous, corrupted and  modern world.)

I must add this note: Since there is never enough time to read as much as some of us desire, I have discovered how enjoyable it is to listen to audio versions of books like these as I exercise or do the daily chores that must be done. Sometimes listening is even better than reading, allowing my mind to imagine the characters and the setting, and the drama taking place in extraordinary lives.

For God who said,
“Let light shine
out of the darkness . . .”
has shone in our hearts
go give us the light
of the knowledge
of the glory of God
in Christ Jesus.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)

At the beginning of each year it seems like  all kinds of people do all kinds of thinking, either looking forward with resolutions or aspirations or hopes or dreams or strategy plans or . . . whatever. Other types of people enjoy thinking back and either reflecting or celebrating or regretting the year which has just finished. Some folks make lists of the best of this or that: movies, books, TV shows, football teams, actors, athletes; etc. So, I got to thinking about how grateful I am for all of the treasures God has placed in my life year-after-year. So, I prayerfully came up with several lists: My Most Treasured Scriptures, My Most Admired Bible Characters, My Most Treasured Life Truths, My Most Treasured Books, My Most Treasured Songs, My Most Pivotal Historical Events, My Most Admired Historical Figures. And as I reflect on all of these blessings, I am once again reminded; all of life moves me toward bringing glory to God as He works in and around me, revealing that in mine and every life—IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS. Life is all about finding God in the life of Jesus.

This week we will consider my first two lists; My Most Treasured Scriptures and My Most Admired Bible Characters.

John 3:16 says it all:
God loves each of us in His World.
He gave us His Son.
If we turn to Him with faith in His Goodness;
He gives us the incredible gift
of eternal life with Him.

My Most Treasured Scriptures

1. John 3:16–For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Here it is: One Scripture verse that says it all: (a)God has always loved all the people of the world. (b) He gave Jesus as our Sacrifice for sins and as our Savior. (c) Believing in Him brings eternal life.)

2. 2 Corinthians 5:17–Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (God gives us a brand new birth and a brand new life when we put our faith in Christ.)

3. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7–6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (God reveals His glory and His true nature in Jesus Christ.)

4. Lamentations 3:22-23–22–The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (God’s Love is always with us; He is merciful to us forever; His mercy is new each day; His faithfulness is ever sure.)
5. Hebrews 13:8–Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (God’s Love in Christ is always the same, yesterday, today and forever.)
6. Revelation 7:9-10–After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (The day will come when people will be gathered in heaven from all nations, tribes, peoples and languages to eternally give praise God and Jesus the Lamb.)
7. Isaiah 43:2–When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (God will guide His people through every trial; indeed, He will pass through each trial with them; they will not suffer deadly harm.)
8. Matthew 11:29-30–“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Jesus offers His steady, His sure, but gentle leadership to all people who choose to follow Him.
9. Psalm 23:1–The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Actually All of Psalm 23: God acts as my shepherd; I am blessed every day and in the midst of every circumstance.)
10. Isaiah 40:30– Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Actually All of Isaiah 40: All people grow tired, but those who put their hope in God receive His strength to soar like eagles; they run without growing weary; they continue walking and never faint.)

The Trinity:
God the Father . . .
God the Son . . .
God the Holy Spirit . . .
Three-in-One . . .
An Absolute Reality
An Awesome Mystery.

My Most Admired Bible Characters

1. God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, The Holy Spirit, Three-in-One; begins, sustains and concludes everything for ultimate good.
2.  Moses lived a long life, divinely spared as a baby boy; raised in Pharaoh’s household; having fled into the desert as a murderer;  divinely called by God in a burning bush;  having faced down Pharaoh amidst God’s ten plagues; having led the Israelites out of Egypt and though the midst of the sea; having received from God His Ten Commandments; having faced the murmuring and complaining over and over again, forty years in the wilderness; forbidden to enter the Promised Land for angry disobedience; and finally divinely blessed to view that Promised Land even as he died.
3. Mary, the mother of Jesus, humbly and obediently accepted God’s Divine Call.
4. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, faithfully responded to God’s Angel, taking Mary as his wife and provided loving care for her and the Baby Messiah, Jesus.
5. Noah, in the midst of sinful people, took on the huge task of building the Ark, trusting faithfully God’s Word, even in the face of incredible evil and disbelief—completing his task, and with his family, giving the earth a new start.
6. John, the Beloved Apostle, who bore a lifelong testimony to Jesus, His friend and Savior and Lord; who wrote down God’s Divine Word in John 3:16, the Seven Divine Signs and the Seven I Am’s, who outlived his brother apostles, faithfully pastoring God’s People; and who experienced Jesus’ Revelation as God pointed to His accomplishment of His eternal plan and the establishment of New Heaven and New Earth.
7. Paul, who had murderously opposed the early Church, met Jesus on the road to Damascus, became just as determined to spread the Gospel of Jesus, and accelerated the spread of the rapidly spreading Church. He wrote letters to local churches which established the basic doctrines which continue to serve as a strong foundation for Biblical Christian faith.
8. Ruth lovingly accompanied Naomi, her fellow widow and mother-in-law; humbly gathered grain in Boaz’s field and won his love, married him, and became the mother to Obed, the grandfather of King David, entering the family line of Jesus.
9. Joseph was born to Jacob and His beloved Rachel, and led a tumultuous yet ever faithful life, trusting and honoring God, even as he was sold into slavery by his own brothers, imprisoned because of the lies of the jilted Potiphar’s wife, and forgotten by Pharaoh’s cup bearer; only to be raised in God’s Plan to serve Pharaoh in saving Egypt and neighboring lands from a devastating plague—saving Jacob’s descendants who become the Children of Israel.
10. Esther rose as Queen to the occasion to save the Jews in exile in Persia from a murderous plot which would have wiped them out.(I know. I know. Why not Abraham? Why not Peter? Why not so many others? Remember, this is a list of those whom I most treasure, not a scholarly judgment. Make your own list. Share it with me. All God’s people are treasures because they are His.)

Always, always, always, the Written Word points to God’s Redemptive Purpose in the midst of every life—pointing always to the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, as we begin 2025, we do so with a deep and abiding faith in our gracious God who has always been, is even now, and always will be, glorifying Himself as He loves people into His Kingdom through the Witness of the Holy Spirit and the Person of Jesus—loving, living, entreating, challenging, redeeming—saving people and bringing them to new life in Him, restored to their relationship with God as His born-again children. 

Always, always, always
our Heavenly Father looks
for His Children turning
from their wandering way
in answer to His Only Son calling
and the Holy Spirit drawing
as each child one-by-one
turns to Him in faith
as He welcomes them joyfully Home.

Next week we will continue discovering the beauty and the power of God’s Plan as we consider the next three lists; My Most Treasured Life Truths, My Most Treasured Books, and My Most Treasured Songs.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS:
Are they really ALL ABOUT JESUS?
Well, let’s see.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas
may seem like a nonsense, silly song,
but it actually serves as a parable of sorts
exploring the deepest teachings
of Christianity.

Perhaps you were like me when I was growing up. I usually got annoyed when we had to sing “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” There was just too much repetition and way too many weird gifts to hold my attention for the time it took to work yourself through all twelve verses. However, I do have a vivid memory of one version they always performed on a Birmingham TV Station (Channel 6 back then) when they had a group who had changed the lyrics to poke fun at the commercialization of Christmas, that had lyrics which made me laugh, because I understood and laughed at  “the gifts” they had chosen to sing about. Their “gifts” made sense and said something which reminded me of the true meaning of Christmas.

Well, the original “Twelve Days Of Christmas” featured “gifts” which represented the basic teachings of the Church during dangerous times, when teaching children those truths could bring persecution. So, each gift represented a basic belief. Now, the first version of the song actually taught traditional Catholic beliefs, in particular; but in later times other Christian groups adapted and used the same song with what most of us would say were the true Biblical teachings.

Many Christian traditions still observe some form of the actual twelve days of Christmas between Christmas Day and Epiphany, or January 6. Many have viewed January 6 as the day the Magi or the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem to worship the Christ. In Europe some Christians hold parades and celebrate each of these days as they only begin their Christmas celebration on Christmas Day and conclude it on January 6. This is how “The Twelve Days Of Christmas” came to be popularized and how it also came to be used to cleverly pass along precious Biblical truths when there arose persecution for teaching them openly.

So, let’s take a look at each gift and what it originally meant, and what it might mean to us as Christians standing on Scripture as we live in faith during these modern days:

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
a partridge in a pear tree.

Why a partridge in a pear tree? Well, the people in that day identified the mother partridge as the only bird who would give her life to save her young nestlings. As they sang this verse, believers remembered that the first and best gift of Christmas was Jesus, our Savior who died for our sins.

On the second day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
two turtle doves . . .

 Two turtle doves? To these believers in Europe, two turtle doves represented the Old Testament and the New Testament, the very foundation for their faith. So, in the first two verses we are reminded of the Living Word and the Written Word.

On the third day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
three French hens . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
four calling birds . . .

And now, four calling birds? Think about it . . . The four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are the written accounts of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
five golden rings . . .

Well, five golden rings? These reminded these believers of God’s gift of the Law, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible as we know it: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These provide the history and the very foundation for God’s People, based upon Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the Exodus and the Giving of the Law. These provide the Beginning of God’s Story of Redemption through His Son, the Lamb, who would be born from among His Chosen People.

On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
six geese a-laying . . .

On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
seven swans a swimming . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
eight maids-a-milking . . .

On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
nine ladies dancing . . .

On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
ten lords a leaping . . .

It’s hard for me to picture, lords a leaping. Now, what in the Bible is numbered as ten? Got it? Ten Commandments: (1) Have no other gods before Me. (2) Make no images to worship. (3) Do not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. (4) Keep the sabbath day holy. (5) Honor thy father and mother. (6) Thou shall not kill. (7) Thou shall not commit adultery. (8) Thou shall not steal. (9) Thou shall not bear false witness. (10) Thou shall not covet. Notice how these lay a foundation for for the good life as people choose to obey them.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
eleven pipers piping . . .

Now, this one is like a trick question. It’s a number of people in the Bible, with one being left out for obvious reasons—so, that would be the eleven remaining faithful disciples after Judas’ betrayal: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (the son of Alphaeus), Simon the Zealot, and Judas (the son of James). God bless them, everyone! (Oh, that’s a whole ‘ nother story.)

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
twelve drummers drumming . . .

Now, see there? We made it. For those using “The Twelve Days Of Christmas to teach basic Christian beliefs to children and new believers, a basic statement of faith, the Apostles Creed, summed up everything. The twelve drummers drumming were a figure of the teachers trying to drum into the new believers’ memory the basic truths of the Christian faith. Some of us had to learn the multiplication tables or the state capitals or maybe some powerful Bible Verses, by repeating them over and over and over—like drummers repeating their rhythm as the foundation for a song. 

(This information was taken from “The Twelve Days of Christmas Lyrics: Meaning and History; Christianity.com, December 18, 2024.)

Just to sum all up, I would present this more directly, perhaps more openly clear version, without the clever symbolic gifts, explained above: Only repeat the verses at your own discretion. I won’t.

On the first day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
our Lord Jesus the Christ.
On the second day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
two testaments . . .
On the third day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
love, joy and peace . . .
On the fourth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
four Gospels true . . .
On the fifth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
five books of the Law . . .
On the sixth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
His grand Creation . . .
On the seventh day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
seven spiritual gifts . . .
On the eighth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
eight Beatitudes . . .
On the ninth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
nine spiritual fruit . . .
On the tenth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
the Ten Commandments . . .
On the eleventh day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
eleven Disciples faithful . . .
On the twelfth day of Christmas
our Good God gave to us
twelve Bible truths . . .

You know, in the original version each verse begins with the phrase, “ . . . my true love gave to me . . .” Now, who is “ . . . my true love . . . ?” Well, in the original it would be a boyfriend, or perhaps a girlfriend. However, remember this song is a symbolic picture of Christian beliefs; so, “. . . my true love . . .” Is the gift-giver, our Lord Jesus. He is the heart of Christmas. He is the heart of God’s eternal plan to offer salvation to all of us in this world. He is the heart of our hope for eternity with Him in Heaven. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus being born in a manger emphasizes how deeply God loves us. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus chose to become a child, a boy and then a man—and our eternal Savior. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus bore our sins on the Cross and rose victorious on the third day to emphatically assure of forgiveness and our eternal Home with Him in Heaven. CHRISTMAS REALLY IS ALL ABOUT JESUS. 

NO MATTER WHO WE ARE,
NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE,
NO MATTER OUR CUSTOMS
OR TRADITIONS:
OUR LIVES ARE ALL ABOUT JESUS
AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US.

For God so loved the world
He gave His only begotten Son
that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish
but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 KJV

Mary and Joseph
dedicate Jesus
in God’s Temple.

Luke 2:21-38 ESV

 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised,
he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification
according to the Law of Moses,
they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord,
“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord,
“a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Praise God for Mothers and Dads who take seriously God’s Law and do everything He requires as they accept the responsibility and blessing of raising a child. Praise God for Mary and Joseph who follow the letter of the Law in circumcising and then presenting Jesus  to be dedicated as a first-born male to God in the Temple. Having heard from an angel, both Mary and Joseph understandably use their meager resources and their precious time to do as God has instructed His people. They make Jesus a Son of Abraham in his circumcision. Then they present Jesus in the Temple for His dedication to the service of God as a firstborn male. In doing so, they demonstrate the steadfastness of their faith. How blessed they are as God gives them two wonderful faithful and elderly witnesses to proclaim the holiness and the promise of this child.

That gets me to thinking. You know, we owe much to parents who did much even as Mary and Joseph did. They raised us in the midst of love within our families. Yet they also raised us in the midst of love within our church families—blessed by the believing example of trust and faith and obedience in the lives of those  who assisted as our parents raised us to love and serve the Lord. When I think back to my own childhood, I would thank God for many godly men and women, just to name a few; Mr. And Mrs. Starnes, Mr. And Mrs. Culberson, Mr.and Mrs. Hale, Mr. And Mrs. Swinford, and Mr. And Mrs. Whaley. Each of these and so many others walked right along side my parents in teaching me the Way of our Lord Jesus. What a blessing!

Praise God! He sent to Mary and Joseph, first-time new parents, two venerable and praiseworthy witnesses to assure them and bear testimony to the world; they had heard the angel correctly—they held in their arms  Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, promised to Israel by the Prophets, now come as this baby being dedicated in The Temple. And how they rejoiced; Simeon and then, Anna. They had served God so long, they certainly knew the work of God when they saw it. In this baby Jesus they saw God’s most miraculous Act of Love as they looked up the newborn Messiah and Promised One, who would grow to become the Savior of the World.

Simeon rejoices,
for when He sees Jesus
He realizes God has
kept His Promise
that he would see the
Savior of the world
In his lifetime.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon,
and this man was righteous and devout,
waiting for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came in the Spirit into the temple,
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign that is opposed
(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),
so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Now, Simeon had lived a long and faithful life in service to the Lord God. As a good-hearted Jew, he looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. In fact, in Simeon’s close communion with God, the Heavenly Father had promised him he would see the Messiah before his life in this world ended. So, on the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the Temple to dedicate Him, God fulfilled His Promise, as the Holy Spirit told Simeon in his heart that here before him, in Mary’s arms, lay the Promised One who would bless Israel and even the Gentiles with the Good News of God’s Love. How he rejoiced! How he praised the Lord! How he bore testimony to those who heard him in the Temple: Here, indeed, was the Messiah of God! Here was the One born to bring God’s Salvation to the world. What joy for Simeon! What encouragement for Mary and Joseph! What glory for God!

Anna also rejoices
as the Holy Spirit
Reveals to her the infant
Jesus as God’s
Redemption for Jerusalem.

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years,
having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She did not depart from the temple,
worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
And coming up at that very hour
she began to give thanks to God
and to speak of him to all
who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Anna, a prophetess, a widow for many years spent in the Temple serving God and His people, saw Jesus and immediately began giving thanks and worshipping God. She joyfully proclaimed God’s Redemption coming in the life of this child. Again, how blessed was Anna to so behold and recognize the Son of God. Again, how lifted up were Mary and Joseph to hear this ancient one’s joyful testimony. And again, how glorified was our God in the words of such a faithful one among His people. The testimony of two in recognition of God’s anointing resting on Jesus, reflected the Jewish tradition requiring the testimony given in agreement of two witnesses in any court proceeding. Simeon and Anna stood tall and faithful, in the wisdom gained from all their years of serving and loving God. We can believe their testimony. Indeed, Jesus is gloriously born to become our Savior and our Lord!

Our first pastor at Goudel Baptist Church in Niamey, Niger was blind. He peached, using the Braille Bible by which he had been taught to read. It was in English, although he preached in Zerma or in French, he read the Scripture in English.
Praise God! That was such a blessing to Becky and me
as we struggled to learn French.

In the very small Christian community in Niamey our pastor was well-loved and appreciated. He preached with deep conviction, deep wisdom and with powerful influence. Although the picture above is not actually his own, this image helps us recognize the dedication it took for him as a blind man to train and then to proclaim the Gospel throughout his long life. His testimony as a blind man who loved and served the Lord faithfully, even at his advanced age, had a dramatic impact on all who knew Him, believers and non-believers alike. When health complications claimed his life, several hundred came out to show their respect and love for such an aged and faithful servant of the Lord. Although we understood only small bits of his sermons, we certainly enjoyed His reading of the Scripture, but more than that; the love for the Lord Jesus he so clearly revealed in day-to-day living and ministry. Like Simeon, he recognized Jesus as the Savior and bore testimony with all the years and wisdom he had been given by God.

After our pastor’s death, his widow continued to provide wisdom and leadership to the other women, the young families and the youth among the faithful believers worshipping at Goudel weekly. (This image is not our actual pastor’s wife, just one more beautiful African lady reflecting her love for Jesus.)

Each Sunday morning as we entered Goudel Baptist Church, we could count on seeing  our Pastor’s wife sitting at the front, brightly smiling and welcoming everyone who entered. She obviously treasured each faithful soul who came out  for worship on Sunday mornings in a city where there were few believers, and only widely scattered and very small churches. She and two friends, as older and wiser believers,  had experienced all the hardships of following Christ in Niger. Still they could testify to the victories of living out their faith in Jesus in a place where very few knew him. They stood as pillars  of strength for families old and young and for youth and children, in proclaiming their absolute love for and confidence in their Lord. Becky and I treasured their hearty smiles and friendly greetings. In a way Goudel Chuch had Three Wise Women who faithfully pointed us all to the Lord Jesus as a Savior worthy of our love and service and worship.

Christmas definitely reminds us that our lives really are ALL ABOUT JESUS. Praise the Lord! He is good and loving and faithful every minute of every day. He is the perfect Lord to serve with joy, love with our whole hearts, and to worship fully and truly. May each of us know our very best Christmas as we focus on Him first, others next and then ourselves. Amen!

There is joy in Christmas
for Jesus is born
to bring salvation light to all the world.
All of our lives, every moment
and every day of our time—
IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS!

CHRISTMAS;
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS
AND CHANGES OUR LIVES
FOR THE BETTER FOREVER

Luke 2:1-20 ESV

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be registered.
 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth,
to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,
who was with child.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son
and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.

Bless their hearts! Joseph and Mary have been portrayed in all manner of Christmas Nativity plays. Becky and I recently had the pleasure of seeing “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” In that movie Mary and Joseph were played by very dirty, very naughty, very needy—and yet very much beloved by God—children whose parents struggled to care for and raise them. So, Imogene, the cigar smoking oldest girl, and Ralph, the next oldest in the infamous Herdman family, play Mary and Joseph in a Christmas Pageant that teaches them about Jesus who loves them and changes their lives forever. You know, that’s what Jesus has done for us. I never smoked a cigar, but I sinned just as surely as did Imogene and Ralph—and I needed forgiveness Jesus came to Earth via Bethlehem to give. That’s the great good news of Christmas. Jesus takes the Imogene and Ralph in each of us, and loves us to the point of giving His life to transform us and make us brand new people just like them. Praise God for Jesus at the heart of Christmas!

ALL ABOUT JESUS:
SHEPHERDS ABIDING,
KEEPING FAITHFUL WATCH
OVER THEIR FLOCKS

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with great fear.
 And the angel said to them, “Fear not,
for behold, I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
 And this will be a sign for you:
you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
 And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Although they did not have the best of reputations, these Christmas shepherds were doing what they were supposed to do. The were tending their sheep out in the fields at night, while their families in Bethlehem were sleeping. We might even say Shepherds were like the misfit Herdmans of their day. I remember in  elementary school we had a family like the Herdmans, and no one wanted to hang out with them. They did not have clean clothes. They did not have decent shoes. They were pretty much ignored, and occasionally teased. Unlike the Herdmans, though, they never hurt anyone, nor bullied, nor stole things. They pretty much suffered in silence. Now I know how much Jesus loved them, how much they needed to know His love in the midst of their very difficult lives. I also know that Jesus saw me as rather dirty and rather rough and  rather unattractive. Yet just like he sent good news to the shepherds by the angels, he sent good news to me by the way of good and faithful Christian men and women. It is good for us to remember it was these humble shepherds God chose to send the first news of Jesus’ birth. It is not about being worthy, it is about being loved by God.

THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERDS
FIND THE BABY WITH MARY AND JOSEPH
JUST AS THE ANGELS HAD TOLD THEM.

When the angels went away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in a manger.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying
that had been told them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

When God gives you His message of Great Good News, you better believe Him. The Shepherds did, and so they hurried into Bethlehem and found Jesus just as the Angels had said. Of course, they worshipped Him; and then they went out and told everyone what the angels had told them, that Christ the Lord had been born in their own Bethlehem. The shepherds made it clear they had seen the baby born their Messiah, and everyone who heard them wondered at this amazing news. In the meantime, Mary pondered—she must have remembered her visit from an angel—and now his impossible news had come true. Jesus was lying beside her in a manger. How remarkable this must have been to this faithful, trusting, girl who dared to believe and dared to obey. Imagine how Jospeh must have felt—now so glad he had believed his own vision of an angel—who convinced him to also believe and obey. May we find in this Christmas that same strong belief and that same steady obedience. And may we also, like the shepherds, glorify and praise our most glorious and gracious God. Amen!

THE SHEPHERDS
GLORIFIED GOD
FOR HIS GOOD NEWS
ABOUT THE BABY JESUS
THEY HAD SEEN.

One of our favorite Christmas activities in Jos took place every Christmas Eve when Hillcrest School held a special service filled with beautiful music, Scripture, wonderful worship and fellowship. One year the Hillcrest community staged this celebration on the hillside on the outskirts of Jos, literally in the hills which appeared so much like we might have seen had we been there with the shepherds long ago in Bethlehem. During that service I kept looking around, wondering if those shepherds might make a miraculous, encore appearance to glorify God for all the things they had seen—exactly as God’s angels had told them—particularly the Savior for them and the whole world for all times, theirs and ours and for all people everywhere in the world. As it grew dark around us on that hill, I searched sky and enjoyed looking among the stars, wondering how Jesus’ very own star must appeared. Needless to say, it was a beautiful service setting us up for a delightful Christmas the next day. I am reminded that wherever we are, God’s glorious news at Christmas still rings true. We do, indeed, have a Savior, and He is indeed, Christ the Lord for the whole world! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

The rocky hillsides in Jos
definitely remind you of
those shepherds and those angels
when Jesus was born.

FATHER IN HEAVEN, GIVE US HEARTS

Father in Heaven, give us hearts
which like the shepherds
fall on their knees
before your glory,
yet open their hearts to hear Your
great good news with faith
and trust and joy
and hope hurrying
over to Bethlehem to
see the Christ our Lord
establishing
our our lives in Him.

Father in heaven, give us hearts
immediately
faithful like Mary,
obedient—
convinced and sturdy, trusting like
Joseph, convinced and
dependable, strong
and resilient—
Father, allow us to worship
and glorify Your
Name even as
Your angels.

Christmas brings wonder
to our hearts and souls!
Oh, what joy Jesus brings!
Hallelujah! Amen!