"Do Not Be Afraid"

 As we approach Christmas Day and the New Year, there exists an underlying environment of tension, uneasiness, and a feeling of anxiety among many people. Christmas has been heralded as a time of joy and certainly there is much to celebrate, yet there are some real life challenges that many people are facing. Prices on goods are higher and some people are barely making ends meet. Others have lost jobs and are struggling to find employment. Still others have experienced a life changing situation that has resulted in great sadness and distress, like the loss of a loved one or an unexpected diagnosis. While this year has brought many changes to our country and our world that have negatively impacted many people, there remains the desire and the hope that as the calendar flips to 2026 that things can only get better. However, many express fear that not much will change in the New Year and there's the real possibility that things will only get worse. In the gospel of Luke, we read about a group of people who didn't have much to look forward to in any given year. They were considered the lowest of the low in society. This was a class of people with whom one did not want to keep company. They hung around with animals and didn't smell very nice. Luke talks about these people in chapter 2 of his gospel, "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." (Luke 2:8-10 NIV)

FROM SHEPHERDS TO EVANGELISTS

 Can you imagine what these shepherds were thinking and feeling? They knew they were considered outcasts in society and perhaps the appearance of the angel indicated some kind of judgment against them. Why else would an angel appear to them, a group of nobodies? Their reaction, rightly so was one of terror. However, the angel quickly calms their fears and tells them he has come not to judge them but to encourage them, to lift their spirits, and give them a reason to rejoice beyond their wildest imaginations. Notice the angel specifies that this is a message for them and they are included among all people. There is no exclusivity or separation by class, ethnicity, or profession. The angel of the Lord in essence is communicating to these shepherds that they are of such worth to God, that they have been chosen to be among the first to receive the good news. Luke goes on to tell us that the shepherds didn't hesitate to go and seek out the special baby the angels declared had been born in Bethlehem. They didn't wait and discuss what others will think or will they be rejected by Mary and Joseph when they arrived because they were considered unworthy to be in the presence of Christ. When they arrived and saw the child, they knew that they were no longer mere shepherds but heralds of the good news. In essence they were the first "evangelists." In fact, Luke tells us in verse 2:19 that rather than reject the news from the shepherds, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (NIV) Imagine that! Mary treasuring the words of shepherds! These men who scraped out an existence tending to sheep, these men who couldn't look forward to having a large circle of friends with whom to spend time, these men who lived an isolated existence with little to hope for in the future, were given a hope far beyond wishful thinking. 

HOPE IS ALIVE!

That hope that the angel announced to the shepherds was for all people is the same hope today for all people. Yes, there are plenty of struggles and heartache to go around but we need to hear the angel's declaration again, "Do not be afraid!" Believers in Christ can embrace the reality that no matter what happens in any given year, the good news that Christ came to earth to live among us, die for us, and be raised to life again is a hope that nothing on earth will ever take away. So, I encourage you at Christmas and in the New Year, fear not! Take a cue from the shepherds and spread the good news that our King has come and will one day return for those expectantly waiting for Him. Moreover, like Mary, take the time in the New Year to treasure up all these things and ponder them in your heart.

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Pastor Sheree

True Freedom

What a glorious sight as we witnessed the release of the surviving Israeli hostages held by Hamas! Much negotiation and many prayers went into the process of finally securing freedom for the survivors. Here was a moment of real freedom from physical bondage. It's ironic in our culture when it comes to defining "freedom." When we hear the word freedom, it is often defined as a lack of all restraints. Freedom is characterized as the ability to do whatever we want without interference or any kind of hinderance. If an individual wants to say ugly things to another person whether face to face or on social media, people do not want to be censored in any way, shape, or form. If someone wants to go speeding down the highway, they don't want to have signs limiting how fast they can travel. The reality is that what we define as freedom is actually bondage. 

A LACK OF LIMITS LEADS TO SLAVERY

If there are no boundaries or limits, we become slaves to whatever we are pursuing. Many will mock Christianity and claim it hinders freedom. They will state that Christians are just a bunch of mindless rule keepers without purpose and the ability to be free to live as they choose. Christians will be likened to mindless zombies blindly following a Being at the expense of their personal freedom. The folly with this argument is a failure to understand who Christ is and what He has accomplished in His resurrection. The kind of freedom Christ offers is eternal. The kind of freedom Christians receive is rooted in a Person not some temporary pleasure. Paul states in Romans 6:15-16, "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (NIV) The unfortunate results of an attitude where restraint is thrown off and an "anything goes" mentality is adopted can be seen in our culture and our world today. People become slaves to the "gods" to which they bow down. (i.e. addictions, social media, sexual immorality, etc.) 

TRUE FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Christ wants us to be free from spiritual bondage. The kind of freedom Christ offers cannot be found in this world. It is a freedom unseen, it is a freedom of the spirit, it is a freedom that is not chaotic but orderly, it is peaceful and not encumbered by the thoughts and attitudes of others but by the release and presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a freedom that doesn't worry about what will happen tomorrow but rests in the knowledge of the One who holds all our tomorrows. Do we want to experience freedom in the true sense of the word? Jesus states in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV) Let us open the window to freedom in Christ.

Shalom,

Pastor Sheree

His Love Endures Forever

I often point out to others that repetition in the Bible is God's way of emphasizing that we need to pay special attention to what the Spirit is saying to us. So it is, as I was meditating on Psalm 136. In this Psalm we see the repetition of the phrase "His love endures forever." Psalm 136 is what's considered an antiphonal Psalm. In other words the leader would speak a Biblical truth and the congregation would respond with the repetition or echo to the leader's words. We see this type of call and response in some churches today, especially in church traditions that are more liturgical and will use an antiphonal format as a call to worship. It's very easy to overlook this Psalm as we tend to typically get bored with anything that's repetitive. We can look at Psalm 136 and say to ourselves, "Yes I get the point, "His love endures forever." However do we realize how significant these four words are? 

The Power of Enduring Love

No matter what the situation or circumstance, His love endures forever. Are you divorced? (His love endures forever) Are you struggling emotionally or spiritually? (His love endures forever) Have you made some poor choices or decisions in the past? (His love endures forever) The amazing thing about our God is unlike people whose love can come or go based on an individual's expectations of us or our failure to meet their needs, God's love never changes and He never gets exhausted of caring about us or helping us, no matter what the situation or circumstance. Paul makes a significant statement about God's enduring love in Roman 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV) Take some time to think about all the ways you have fallen short or the times when you have experienced fear, shame, or guilt. Then, repeat to yourself the antiphonal response of Psalm 136 as a source of encouragement, "HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!" 

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Sheree