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We are so close! Christmas is just four days away!

         I don’t know why, but my youngest son has been captivated by the number four lately. Maybe because he just turned four in October. Lately, it has come up multiple times while playing a family game of “Snowman” (formerly known as hangman). When called upon for his guess at a letter, he replies, “four!”

         This month, we have been focusing on Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus in our Sunday services. Last week, Pastor Lars spoke on how God is creative enough to redeem our tears by preaching about Matthew’s account of Herod killing the boys in Bethlehem. This passage is included in the account of the wise men from the East coming to Jerusalem following a star.

         In keeping with my son’s theme of “four,” I see four challenges in Matthew 2:1-12 that all start with “S”:

         1. A “Star”: After Jesus is born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod, wise men from the East come to Jerusalem looking for the one that was born “king of the Jews” (vs. 1-2). They saw his star, uprooted their lives, reoriented their schedules, put all other ambitions aside, and followed the star in order to find this king. I cannot help but wonder, “What “star” am I following at Christmas?” Is it a possession, person, or desire? What is so important that I am uprooting my life, reorienting my schedule, and laying aside all other ambitions to follow?

         2. A “Secret”: When the wise men show up looking for the king of the Jews, the text tells us that Herod was “troubled (fear) and all Jerusalem with him.” This baby was a threat to Herod and his rule. In verse 7, Herod secretly summoned the wise men to see what time the star appeared. It would appear that Herod is interested in worshipping this baby too, but in reality, he wants to get rid of the threat to his throne. I cannot help but ponder, “What desires are fighting for the throne of my heart this Christmas season?”

         3. A “Search”: At this point they continue the search. When they see see the star, they “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (v. 10). They found what they were looking for and it did not disappoint! Sometimes, on Christmas morning we don’t always get what we were looking for, or it is not the right model, or the right size, etc. I cannot help but ask, “What am I searching for to fulfill me at this time of year? What do I think would bring this level of rejoicing and joy?”

         4. A “Saviour”: Verse 11 tells us that when the wise men entered the house, they saw Jesus and fell down and worshipped Him! Imagine that, after all the preparation, the travel, the cost, and the searching they found what they were looking for. The text says, “then, opening their treasuries, they offered him gifts,” (vs. 11). This reminds me of what Jesus will teach in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.” They found the one worthy of worship! How about you, “To whom will you open the treasuries of your heart to this Christmas?”

         In what ways are you challenged by this passage? Is there an “S” challenge at which God is at work in your life? Which one would you like to talk further about with a friend or loved one? I would love to see you on Sunday, but if I don’t see you there, have a Merry Christmas!

         

         I will never forget my first Christmas!

         No, not as a baby but as a new believer in Christ.

         Christmas of 1976 was special. I had arrived in Canada only weeks before. Central quickly became my home church.

         I was baptized in November and joined the church. But the best part is that Christmas was on a Sunday, and I was able to be in church that day! What a joy it was.

         Christmas is special. Every year has added something. From our first Christmas as a married couple to Christmases with our children and to Christmases as empty nesters.

         Each one was built on every other. 

         One of my favourite times was at our first church in Hamilton. We decided to have a “Christmas open house” for the people of our church. Every year our house was filled with folks. Brenda went all out to prepare the goodies. On one occasion, people were sitting everywhere, even on the stairs. The house was packed. We kept a guest book that is filled with names from those times.

         As a pastor I loved Christmas. We always had a Christmas Eve service. It was never a burden to gather and sing carols and fellowship. There was always a warmth about that evening and excitement in the air.

         I often picked a piece from Dickens or O. Henry to base my Christmas message upon. (It was the shortest message I would preach all year!)

         One of my favourites was the scene where Scrooge was visited by Marley’s ghost: “I wear the chain I forged in life… I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”

         To me this is where Dickens came closest to sharing the Gospel with his readers. The picture of the chain juxtapositioned with the beautiful simplicity of the message of Christmas. Jesus came to break those chains that bind us. That first Christmas I celebrated Christmas as one who had his chains removed by the sinless Son of God, born that day so many years ago.

As you celebrate Christmas, thank God for removing those chains and thank Him that He gave us the greatest gift. Merry Christmas.

         We discovered a forgotten treasure the other day, a little notebook buried in the bottom of a drawer Laurie was cleaning out.

         The cover reads: Janet’s Bathroom Book. Christmas 1997. Janet is Laurie’s mom. She moved here from British Columbia in the mid 1990s and became a faithful member at Central.

         She had a way of making friends. She made friends at her apartment building, at the church. She enjoyed and encouraged visits by all of our friends, and their kids, and her grandsons and all of their friends. There is a long list of people who regularly trekked up to “Gram’s” apartment for coffee and sweets, or dinner, or to play Scrabble or just to chat.

         And it was the bathroom book that brought back those memories.

         About the book.

         Just after Janet moved to Ontario, she and Laurie went somewhere to a home show. You know, with distributors, and booths, and sellers showing their wares. They didn’t buy anything, but Janet did walk away with a free pad of paper and a pen from a guy representing Union Gas. When she got home, she emptied her pockets and for some reason left it in the bathroom.

         Of course, when grandson number one went to use the facilities, he couldn’t resist writing a little joke on the “Union Gas” pad. And so, the bathroom book was born.

         Janet left the pad in there and in no time it filled up with greetings and comments and bons mots from her guests.

         Come Christmas 1997, Laurie replaced the pad with a hardcover notebook, which visitors enthusiastically embraced.

         Perhaps too enthusiastically. I noted a warning on Jan. 17th. “OK crowd… nobody a hundred years from now cares about your bodily functions or regularity.”

         And the word “crowd” fits. The little book is filled with notes from friends, neighbours, teenagers, family, kids.

         “Coffee was good. Company was better! (couldn’t get the pen to work.)”

         “I had no problem with the pen.”

         “At last, a birthday cake. I’ve waited all week. Mmmmm good.”

         “Hi, it’s me again. Had to come back for some more of those buns.”

         “I was on a plane with 200 passengers and one bathroom.”

         “Milk is supposed to be good for your skin.”

         “How much milk does it take to fill a bath. And do you add a few Shreddies?”

         “I went to coffee hour … and had tea. I’m such a rebel.”

         “N, C and I are over for coffee. Brought S.”

         “Good jam! I had raspberry-rhubarb.”

         “T had her baby!”

         “Happy Canada Day. Coffee, waffles. Great stuff.”

         “I had tea today with the ladies. Sang happy 83rd birthday to P.”

         And on it went. Page after page of little notes from appreciative people who dropped in, sure of a warm welcome, a cup of something hot and a treat. Didn’t matter if you were 83 or 14. Didn’t matter if you were family or not.

         Janet loved the Lord, and her gift was serving others, loving others.

         1 Peter 4: [8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

[9] Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (ESV)

         As I read all those funny little notes, I remembered some of the other stuff going on in the lives of the writers.

         There was hardship, joy, grief, sickness, new life, fear and stress. There was hope, prayer, love. All of the stuff of life. The prayer list then was as long as the prayer list today.

         And I realized that Jesus used Janet as a way to bring some light and rest into a hard world. It’s how the Lord answers so many of the prayers flung up to heaven in difficult times.

         Peter continues in verse 10 of the passage cited above:

         1 Peter 4: [10] As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: [11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

         “April 25. Happy Easter. Jesus is Risen, just as He said!”

“I think you need a new toilet seat.”

“I love you Gram.”

The Monarch

In 1947 while on tour in southern Africa with her parents and on her 21^st birthday, Princess Elizabeth made the rather prophetic pledge via broadcast to the people of the British Commonwealth.

“I declare before you all, that my whole life whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do. I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it”.

Queen Elizabeth the second, reigned for 70 years and 214 days, the longest of any British monarch and was a much admired and respected figure across the globe. Throughout her reign the Queen worked closely and met weekly with 15 British Prime Ministers beginning with Winston Churchill. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states over the course of her lifetime. Queen Elizabeth carried out more than 21,000 engagements and within the Commonwealth she made over 150 trips (with Canada leading the way with 26 visits) and traveled to more than 100 countries.

The Evangelist

Billy Graham was one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. It is quite remarkable to think that he preached the Gospel live to over 220 million people in 185 countries over the course of a six-decade ministry. From observing Billy Graham’s life and ministry, it seems clear that God set His hand on the life of a young man from North Carolina, opened his heart to the Gospel and saved him to become an evangelist.

In Marshall Frady’s biography, “Billy Graham, a Parable of American Righteousness”, he records one of Billy’s friends saying of him; “Billy just has this longing, this enormous longing in his heart to bring lost souls into the joy of redemption and reunion with the Lord”.

The Friendship

Billy Graham initially drew the attention of the young Queen when he held his first international crusade in London in 1954. Much to the chagrin of some clerics it was reported that thousands came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ during those weeks in London. When he returned to the UK in March of 1955 to hold crusades in Glasgow, Scotland and then on to London, Queen Elizabeth invited him to preach at the chapel at Windsor Castle.

Over the years the friendship between the Queen and Rev. Graham grew and he was thankful for the opportunity to preach the Gospel multiple times to the royal family.

Did Queen Elizabeth have a saving faith? Billy Graham was certain she had. From the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Archives Rev. Graham is quoted, “Her steadfast loyalty to her work, the sense of great tradition that she has, the quiet resolve facing the many trials and struggles in her own life, but based on all of it was a deep seeded relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ”.

Billy Graham died on February 21, 2018, at the age of 99.

Queen Elizabeth died on September 19, 2022, at the age of 96.

Matthew 25:21

“Practice what you Preach!”
I have heard these words said and have even said them myself. So, here it goes.
At different parts of the sermons I preach, I endeavour to make time to take what we have just heard and start to apply those truths to our lives in real time. One of the most obvious ways is the “Discussion Starter” questions at the end of the sermon.
These were the three from this last week:

1. Which “statement of the heart” is evident in my life more often?
2. Do I agree with the pattern of pride: rehearsal of the mind, desire of the heart, and action of the body? Why or why not?
3. Which part of the pattern do I find the most difficult: thinking, desiring, or behaving?

Which one catches your attention the most? How would you answer it?

As I look at them, the first one catches my attention, “Which ‘statement of the heart’ is

evident in my life more often?”

The statements I am referring to are, “There is no God, God has forgotten, and God will not call to account.”

These statements are taken from Psalm 10. Even though I am a “Pastor,” I struggle, doubt, sin, forget, and have moments where my heart tells me “There is no God.”

Now, this probably doesn’t look like you think it does. It looks like starting something

without prayer. It sounds like asking the advice of others before I seek God’s wisdom. It

encourages me to think that in my own strength, giftedness, experience, and fully-caffeinated state, that I can handle whatever comes my way. “I don’t need God for that…” as if I am capable of doing most of life without God and only need Him for the really difficult things.

“Wow, and you call yourself a Pastor?” I know, eh! Shocking!

Can you hear the rehearsal of pride in there? Now, by God’s grace, this is not every moment of my day but it can head that way really quickly. So what do I need to do when the rehearsal of my mind goes in this direction or I am convicted by the Holy Spirit that I have been living as if I am God?

1. I need to repent! I confess it to the Lord and ask Him to help me live differently.
2. I need the rehearsal of God’s Word to wash over my mind and heart.
3. I need to be in conversation with others about the rehearsals of my mind and the desires of my heart.

Here is the scariest part of all of this. You may not be able to tell these things from the
actions you see. It only comes out as we engage one another in conversation that the words of Jesus ring true, “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
Who will you talk through the “statements of your heart” with this week?