Kay-Bee Toys And The Meaning of Christmas

I had a most disconcerting experience at the mall yesterday. The Kay-Bee Toy Store was going out of business and thus reducing their prices dramatically. We (Linda & I) went into the store to find a robot for Joshua, my youngest son of three years. What we found in the store confirmed our dark fears about human nature. Becuse the store was going "out of business," and because the prices were so low and "evrything must go," people were acting insane. Toys were strung-out all across the floor, the shelves were dishelved, people were actually stepping on merchandise and opening boxes right in front of the store staff. It was anarchy!

I spoke to the manager of the store who was in a tearful rage. She and her staff had tried for several days to keep the store looking presentable but couldn't keep up wit the disrespect and frenzy of the people. She cried, she yelled, she couldn't believe what was happening. I could hardly believe it myself. The store looked like a hurricane had hit it the day before. The scene was not unlike the television clips we've all seen of aid organizations distributing food to hungry people in Africa. "Is this America?" I asked myself. How sad.

Linda and I talked about this event extensively. It's troubling to see how easily people can become disrespectful, unmerciful, abusive, rude, selfish, and even violent. It brought me back to the Rodney King riots in L.A. In an hours-time people can change into animals. The truth is, we are only an event away from overt anarchy in many places in our country. I don't want to believe that, but my experience in Kay-Bee Toys yesterday slapped me in the face with a reality check. Normal people walking beside you in the mall can walk into a store and become a different species. The prophet Jeremiah was right when he declared, "The heart (of man) is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)

What I want to say to those reading this blog from cyberspace is this: GET A GRIP ON IT PEOPLE! It's Christmas time! This is a holiday to celebrate the greatest event in human history - the birth of Jesus! His birth was so important that it split BC and AD. It literally is the event that determines time. This is the entrance of salvation to mankind. He came to save us from sin and from self. If Kay-Bee Toys can teach us anything it is that we still need Jesus!

If you find yourself stressed-out this holiday and feeling more like Mr. Grench than a shepherd or a wise man, guess what? You've missed the true meaning of Christmas. It's not too late. You can fall on your knees before the manger and repent. You can glance once again and be amazed at the wonder of a little baby who was God. You can remember, and you can forget. Remember who Jesus is and why he came, and forget about the commercialism that we call "Christmas." Get it right. Go to the cross instead of kay-Bee Toys and you will be a better person because of it.

A WINNING TEAM

Sunday night I preached a message entitled "Becoming Fans of the Kingdom." I used the analogy of professional sports to show how dedicated fans are radically committed to their team. My outline was as follows:
1. Real fans arrive early.
2. Real fans don't care how late the game goes.
3. Real fans will endure any weather.
4. Real fans never miss a game.
5. Real fans want the best seat in the house.
6. Real fans memorize statistics.
7. Real fans pay.
8. Real fans are crazy!

These chracteristics were applied to believers who are supporters of theKingdom and of the local church.

I might add that I found some good pictures to go along wit this sermon, especially the pictue of Daryl Mahrr in a diaper on the "blue man crew."

The following night (Monday night) I was blessed to attend my first Carolina Panthers football game at Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte). Someone purchased tickets for my whole family to attend the game. It was an exciting game, to say the least, and the Panthers won a decisive stratigic victory. After attending the game I wish I could preach my Sunday night message again. If so, I would add another point to my sermon. The new point would be that IT'S EASY TO GET FANS FOR A WINNING TEAM.

Everyone likes to be a part of a winning team. Winning is fun, it's flat out energizing! Winning attracts people, whether it's winning in sports, business, marriage, or any other part of life. A lot of Chrsitians need to be reminded that we are on the winning team. I didn't say "A winning team," but "THE winning team." God has never lost a game. God has never lost anything! All of creation has experienced failure and defeat at times, but not the Creator. And this ever-winning God is our captain. I don't know about you, but I want to be on a team like that, and folow a leader like that The Bible gives us the destiny of the Kingdom of God in black and white. Guess what? We win!!!

It's time - time for us to start acting like, talking like and walking like winners. The truth is, if we are on God's side we can't loose.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8)

HARD TIMES

Hard times can be a good thing.

These are difficult times in the good ol' USA. There have been times in our past when things were worse - much worse, but for my generation this is the worst economic downturn our contry has faced in a lifetime. In fact, my generation (the baby-boomers & busters) started after the great depression and has enjoyed one of the most prosperous times in our country's history. We've known only good times, so that makes this "recession" feel worse to us then it does to other generations. The truth is, my generation has become quite self-centered and greedy. This is, in fact, a big part of why our country is in a recession - greed! Greed and selfishness. Sad to say, but these are two of the major characteristics of my generation. But... It doesn't have to end that way.

People are not focusing as much this year on purchasing gifts at Christmas because we don' have as much money. GOOD! That was never what Christmas was supposed to be about anyway. Remember? I think Christmas has something to do with celebrating Jesus, doesn't it?!

Perhaps this hard time is a good time. Maybe we can use it to help us get back on track - back into focus. If we don't have money to spend on presents and travel then why not use this holiday season for the really important things? Spend time with your kids. Play games together. Sit around the family table and talk and laugh and remember. Go to church. Visit the shut-ins. Invite someone over to your house. Curl-up in a blanket next to a fire with your wife. Read a good book. Sleep. Relax. Be together. Pray. Yes, hard times can be good times.

I don't know about you, but if hard times is what it takes to bring us back together as a nation and as a family then I say "Bring it on, God!"

DISTRACTIONS

Three hours! I spent three hours this morning attempting to get my new drivers license and NC car tags. I came away from the three hours empty handed. It's amazing to me that I can surf the net, bank online, enter a federal prison or critical care unit with relatively little identification. But to get a drivers license in NC I have to have an "original" birth certificate, social security card, utility bill and other permanent forms of ID. You would think I was applying to work for a nuclear power plant! I just want to drive my car people.

So I get to the office at 10:30 AM mad as a hornet (whatever that means). I was so flustered that I couldn't focus on little spiritual things like counseling, sermon preparation, staff meetings, prayer, and saving the world. As I opened the Word of God (finally), I was brought to Luke 10:38-41. Here I identified with Martha (not Mary - unfortunately). Martha was so frustrated about the secondary things (preparing food) that she failed to do the primary things (listen to Jesus). How easy it is to let the little things distract us from the important things. I remember a Mother Goose rhyme about the pussy cat:

"Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under the chair."

The cat was in the presence of royalty but missed out on the queen because he was "distracted" by a mouse! How often do we miss out on opportunities with God because we allow distractions to focus us on secondary things?
Needless to say, I ended this morning with repentance.

"Lord help us to stay focused on the important things and not be distracted by life's frivilties. In Jesus' name - Amen."

HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS

The Thanksgiving frenzy is over and I must say that I feel deflated. For a pastor, holidays and holy days, which usually occur simultaniously, can be exhausting. Like business owners and retailers, the holidays are no vacation for clergy. In fact, they are just the opposite. Holidays mean more holy days, extra church activities, extra time and extra expense. There is, however, a benefit to all of this - family. Holidays mean the opportunity to see family and remember the things that are really important in your life. This is a spiritual event for me.

So, before I hit the daily grind again I want to stop and thank God for family, for holidays, and of course, for holy days that bring us all together.

THANKSGIVING

Today is Thanksgiving or more affectionately known as "Turkey-Day." I feel so sorry for the turkeys this time of year that I have decided to have beef for the Thanksgiving meal - NOT!
Actually, as I survey my life on this day I am very grateful. I turned on the TV this morning to news of terrorism in foreign countries, bad economic times, and the local misfortune of the homeless and jobless. I turned the TV off!

Thankfulness is really an attitude of the heart - a choice. So, today I choose to be thankful for so many things. In fact, the more I think about it the more I realize that I have no reason at all to be ungrateful for anything. I woke up today in a warm and cozy bed in a beautiful home in a gated community. I have one car in the garage but it is paid-for and I could get in it today and drive to California if I needed to. I have a house full of loving family of all ages. My refrigerator and shelves are full of delicious food. I got paid yesterday, which means that I have a job. And best of all, there is a beautiful lady sleeping beside me in the bed who wants to be my wife. Imagine that! I do not fear terrorists or antagonists when I go shopping tomorrow. I have some money in my bank account, and I live in the greatest country in the world!

Come to think about it - I AM RICH!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHURCH GROWTH

Fifty-one (51) New Members! That's how many members we took into Union Road on Sunday morning. This sets the record for the number of members taken into the church at one time at URC. This is also a new record for me personally (my previous was 28). It brought many to tears to see all those people lined up across the front of the church. This was an emotional event not only because of the progress of the church, but because of Pastor Frazier. Most of these new members started coming to church before Pastor Frazier died. It was encouraging for the congregation to see with their own eyes that Pastor Frazier's ministry continues to bear fruit. And it was encouraging to see that even through great difficulties the church is moving forward to fulfill her destiny!

Personally, I was overwhelmed with emotions of gratitude on Sunday. I had a difficult time holding back my tears. This is a great church and God has extended extraordinary grace to me by bringing me here as the pastor.

Fifty-one members may seem like a lot (and it is), but I believe that we will double that number in the next year. God has placed a huge vision in my heart for this ministry. Please join with me in payer and join with me in faith as we "press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

REBUKING JESUS

Matthew 16:21-23

Sometimes God wants to share bad news with us. At least, it seems bad initially. The bad news tat Jesus presented in this text is that life is not always a bed of roses. Jesus was very specific about this fact in his teaching. Life on earth WILL be filled with trouble for the believer. We are "aliens" and "strangers" here. We are fish swimming against the current. We are light penetrating darkness. These stark contrasts demand some friction.

This text does, however, offer good news to the believer as well. The good news is that God will prepare us or difficulty, and the good news is also that God knows the future. In fact, He is already in the future. There are no "surprises" with God. I find great comfort personally in this truth.

Most of us are like Peter - we do things that are way out of God's plan while believing all along that we are doing the right thing. You may say, "Yes, but I could never rebuke Jesus like Peter did." The truth is, however, that we rebuke Jesus all the time. We rebuke Jesus each time we express to God that our way is better than His way. We rebuke Jesus when we rebel against what God tells us to do because we "feel" or "think" that our plan is a better plan. In these cases WE are the ones in need of rebuke. In fact, as revealed in this text, a lot of us need rebuked for our selfish world view.

Many Christians want to adopt a "prosperity gospel" that decrees "the closer one gets to God the more prosperous his life will become." This is certainly true spiritually but not necessarily physically. In fact, if we are seeking this physical prosperity as our goal then we will never receive true spiritual prosperity because we haven't been willing to "deny ourselves." This text teaches us that the call of Christ is to self-denial not self-indulgence. Jesus taught that true living comes from dying, and prosperity comes from giving. Jesus taught us these lessons with His words and with His very life. This is the Gospel of Christ.