In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Jesus came and why he is coming back.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

A Real Christmas Requires Remembering Why Christ Came

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TV Version) is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.

If you haven’t seen it, Clark Griswold is your everyday middle-class American who wants nothing more than to give his family the perfect, old fashioned, Griswold family Christmas. He wanted his family to have a real Christmas. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Hilarity ensued. Watch the movie when it comes on TV in a few weeks.

What is a real Christmas anyways?

We are starting the season in the church year called Advent this week. Advent helps us prepare are hearts for Christmas when we celebrate Christ’s first coming, but Advent is really about looking ahead to Christ’s second coming.

In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Christ came the first time and why he is coming again.

Jesus didn’t come at Christmas so that we can take a break from school every year. He didn’t come to teach us a lesson about gift giving. He didn’t come to show us how to live our lives.
He came at Christmas to live for us. He came to die for us.

Jesus lived a perfect life, and he’s given us all the credit. He allowed Roman soldiers to shed his blood on the cross, because that blood was considered sufficient payment to God for your sins and the sins of the whole world.

In other words, Jesus came at Christmas so that you might be holy and blameless.

Those words are really important. The fact that Jesus has made you holy means that he has set you apart and taken away your sin. The fact that you are blameless means that the devil can’t accuse you of any wrongdoing. Jesus has taken it all away. You are an heir of heaven.

Paul wanted the Christians he was writing to to remember that. He wants you to remember that too.

As you prepare your heart for Christmas, remember that Jesus came to make you holy and blameless. Remember that he is coming back one day to take you to be with him in heaven forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making me holy and blameless in your sight. Help me to reflect your love to everyone I come into contact within this world. Amen.

Jesus is the standard.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:24-28

Free from Judgment

Don’t judge me by my clothing! Don’t judge me based on my family! Don’t judge me based on one bad decision, or by my grades, or the way I look…and the list goes on. No one likes to be judged and evaluated by someone on the outside, because it’s scary! We know our own flaws and imperfections, and we tend to spend a lot of time and energy trying to cover them up.

From that perspective, it’s an even more scary thing to imagine facing judgment before the almighty and all-knowing God, yet that is something that awaits every person who has ever and will ever live. The writer to the Hebrews points out that for a child of God this appointment before the judgement seat of Christ doesn’t need to be a scary thing, because we already know the verdict that will be rendered.

Even though Jesus already knows your flaws and imperfections, he chooses not to judge you by those. Instead, he chose to lay down his own life and suffer God’s anger and judgment in your place! The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus was sacrificed once for sin at the cross, and according to God’s perfect judgment that one sacrifice was enough! Your sins, whether known or hidden, are all gone. That means you have salvation already now. You’re a member of God’s family, already now. Stop living in fear of judgment! And someday, when Jesus returns, it won’t be to deal with your sin again, but to bring new life in heaven and eternal salvation to those who wait for him. What a day that will be! Amen.

Prayer:
Jesus my Savior, you suffered God’s judgment in my place and took my punishment on your own back. When I feel guilt and shame over my sins, or when I fear being judged for my thoughts and actions, remind me of this truth. Amen.

Death is not forever.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain, the [Lord Almighty] will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:6-9

You Will Live Forever

The casket was open in front of the church. A woman lay inside… a wife, mother, friend, teacher. Her body was there, but she wasn’t there. She was wearing a pretty dress, her usual hairstyle, nice make up… but she was just an empty shell of the woman loved by her husband and children and friends. Death had changed everything.

Maybe you’ve experienced a similar scene at a funeral. If not, you will as the years pass. At some point it will also be your turn to be in a box in front of the church. The somber scene of a funeral displays the tragic reality of life: the wages of sin is death, and all have sinned, so all will die. Nothing can change that.

But listen to Isaiah forecast something different for the future. He talks about the shroud (the cloth draped over a casket at a funeral). He says the shroud covering the world is going to be destroyed! He says that the Lord is wiping away tears from the faces of his mourning people! The Lord is welcoming people into a feast! Where does this joyous change take place? On the “mountain of the Lord.” How does one get there? Jesus is the key. He climbed Mt. Calvary’s cross to destroy the shroud!

This past week, churches around the world celebrated All Saints’ Day. It’s a day to remember those who’ve died. More than that though, it’s a day of celebration knowing where they are – the Mountain of the Lord!

Don’t be afraid of the shroud of death – there’s life on the mountain of God! By God’s grace, you will ascend the mountain of the Lord to live with all who’ve gone there before you. Together you will live with God for eternity! What a joyous day that will be!

Prayer:
Lord God who holds the power over death, keep me close to your all the days of my life. When your time is right, bring me home to live with you and those who have gone before me forever. Amen.

The heart of a follower of Jesus when sharing the gospel is a heart that looks for nothing in return.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23

Whatever it Costs

It can be hard to get fired up to share the gospel. As a follower of Jesus, we know we are supposed to share the gospel, but it can be hard to be motivated to share the gospel. That is because you don’t get anything in return. Getting a reward is a great motivator. Tell a teen that if they clean their room they can go to the movies with their friends. Chances are that room will get cleaned. Tell a teen to mow the lawn and they will get paid $100. That lawn will get mowed, edged and swept. Tell a teen that if they clean the toilets they will get a brand new car. Those toilets will sparkle. Tell a teen to do any of those chores because Mom or Dad says so, it is safe to say that teen will be less motivated. A person is highly motivated to spend time, effort, and energy if they know they will get something in return.

That is why it can be difficult to be motivated to share the gospel. It costs a lot and you gain nothing. Paul said he would do whatever it takes to win someone over to the gospel. If he had to be uncomfortable, he would. If he had to be weak, he would. If he had to be ridiculed, he would. If he had to pretend to like something he really didn’t like just to build a relationship, he would. If he had to spend his own money, he would. If he had to give up his Saturday, he would. He would do whatever cost him just so that he might possibly win someone over to Jesus. And what did he gain from all of that effort? Nothing. Actually, he received hardships more times than not.

So why was he so on fire to share the gospel? He didn’t need a reward because he already had everything. When you have Jesus, you have heaven. Imagine having a visa gift card that never ran out. When you went out to eat with your friends, wouldn’t it be easy to pay the bill for everyone. When you have everything, it is easy to pay whatever it costs and you want to share what you have with others. So if you are struggling to share Jesus with the people around you, take a moment and think about how awesome heaven is going to be. Then look at that person and think about what they are missing out on. You will be motivated to do whatever it costs here on earth to possibly get to share with that person the joy of having everything in heaven. Amen

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me everything. There are so many people who have nothing because they don’t have you. Give me the opportunity to share the gospel with them. When I get the opportunity, give me the motivation, courage, and words to say. Amen

Submission or you first love is at the heart of every God pleasing relationship.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21

How to Date the Follower Way

Being a teenager is the time in your life when you transition from being a kid to adult. For many of you, that transition comes with experiencing dating (aka looking for the person you want to marry and practicing being in a marriage relationship.) The world has so many wrong ideas about dating and relationships, so it is good for you to look to God for guidance.

Gentlemen, God tells you to practice being the kind of husband who submits out of reverence for Christ. That means you do what is best for your potential future spouse. You practice faithfulness and sexual self-control by making sure you both save sex and anything imitating sex for marriage. It means honoring marriage by not living together until you are married. It means you make sure that you and your potential future spouse go to church together regularly. It means confessing when you did something wrong and asking for forgiveness. It means forgiving when your potential future spouse sins against you. It means showing the same love Jesus showed you by doing what is best for your girlfriend even though it comes at a sacrifice for you. Be the kind of leader in your relationship that is responsible for making sure your relationship is a God-pleasing relationship.

Ladies, God tells you to practice being the kind of wife who submits out of reverence for Christ. To be clear, that does NOT mean you do everything your boyfriend wants you to do. It means you support and help your future spouse be the kind of man God wants him to be. If he wants to be sexually impure before marriage, you lovingly but firmly say no. God thinks you are worth it. He gave up everything for you. He sent his Son who submitted himself to death on the cross for you. Help your boyfriend value you the same way. If he is not ok with giving up his sexual needs for you, he is not someone you want to marry. Dump him. If he does value you the way God does, help him be the kind of man God wants him to be by being patient and kind, supportive and encouraging. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Submit to your future spouse by submitting to Christ first.

Love is not a romantic feeling. True love is submitting to each other in a way that would make Jesus smile when he looks at your relationship. That is how you date the way followers of Jesus date.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up your life for me because it was best for me. Help me to show you first love and do what is best for those I have a relationship with. Send me your Holy Spirit to help me do this. Amen

What you gain on earth is temporal but what you gain in heaven is eternal.

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:35-37

For Nothing

There were two men. The first man was a worldly man. He worked hard because he had goals he wanted to achieve. He got a good paying job. He bought a big house. He always had a nice car. He bought a boat. He ate in fine restaurants. He wanted to be seen as a generous person so every Christmas he gave to a charity. He was very political. Every year, he and his college buddies would travel to Las Vegas for their annual fantasy football draft. He won the fantasy football championship four times. He never married but had a few girlfriends. He invested well into the stock market. He retired early. He traveled the world. He died. He was not a follower of Jesus.

The second man was a follower of Jesus. He worked hard but his goals were different. He got a good paying job. He got married and committed his life to putting his wife first. They had four kids. He never could afford a fancy car but he had the car that he needed. He couldn’t afford to eat in fancy restaurants or go on fun trips instead paid for diapers and Christian education. He turned down the promotion so he could spend more time with his family. He was in charge of the Sunday school at his church. He gave generous offerings to the Lord. He would invite anyone and everyone he met to church. Once he retired, he mowed the grass at church and the yard of his neighbor who was an older widow. He too died.

The first man gained everything he ever wanted but took nothing with him when he died. It was all for nothing. The second man was a servant putting others before himself. He did it all for nothing, not looking to get anything in return. He did it out of love for his Savior whom he followed and out of love for others. In the end, he gained everything in heaven.

Which man are you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, through your saving work on earth and the cross, you have made me your follower. Give me a heart that loves, not looking to get anything in return. Keep my eyes focused on heaven where you will give me everything. Amen

We are saved by the compassion and power of Jesus.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Mark 7:31-37

The Word Not Dependent On Ears

This is one of Jesus’ coolest miracles.

You probably know the passage, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) So, what do you do if you can’t hear words?

This man most likely had been unable to hear since birth which means his life had an emptiness that is hard for us to comprehend. We hear words. We think in words. We speak in words. If you can’t hear words, you can’t think in words, let alone speak. He had no way to organize his thoughts into words. His world was one of silent emptiness.

But the worst part of his situation was that he had no way of coming to know Jesus. News about Jesus had spread, but not to him. Reports would have come in about the Messiah who heals and saves, but he would have no idea. Jesus could preach a perfect sermon, but he would never hear it. And if he can’t hear the Gospel, he can’t be saved, right?

Oh, the compassion and power of Jesus! He knows exactly what this man needs and interacts with him individually. He touches his ears. He touches his tongue. He sighs up to heaven. And using his powerful Word that is not dependent on the ability of one to hear or understand, Jesus opens his ears, gives him the ability to immediately speak plainly, and gives him faith.

This is who Jesus is and this is how he deals with you. He knows exactly what you need and interacts with you individually. When you were dead in your sin, his Gospel created faith. For some of you, when you were unable to comprehend the words of Jesus because you were a baby, he opened your heart and gave you faith through the Word connected to the water in baptism. Yes, Jesus is powerful. Yes, he has compassion for you. Yes, he loves you. What grace that Jesus used his power to make you his follower.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, We thank you that you have opened our hearts by your Word. Give us the opportunity and the determination to bring those who do not know you to you. Thank you for the people in our lives who brought us to you. Amen