Thursday, December 19

To listen to the audio version, click here. 

Luke 2:10-14

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

In many ways Christmas is anything but peaceful! There is decorating to do; shopping to get done; crowds to fight through to do the shopping; parties to attend; special events at school and church; cards to mail; and on and on it goes! The whole month of December can seem like an unending blur of activity!

In a similar way Jesus’ birth did not come at a particularly peaceful time. Israel was occupied by the armies of the Roman Empire and Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that levied a new tax on the Jewish people. This decree required every family to register in the town of their birth. So Mary and Joseph were not traveling the 80 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem voluntarily, rather, they were being forced to do so by the power of the pagan Emperor. Mary was 9 months pregnant and expecting to deliver a child at any moment. The roads and inns were filled with unhappy travelers and, like it or not, the baby was going to come whether or not they found a place to stay the night. It was not a peaceful time.

Yet, in the midst of this terribly unsettled and unsettling time, we read:

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

What kind of “peace” is this?

The quiet of night is shattered by the voices of 10,000 angelic creatures; the darkness split by the glory of God; their lives are changed forever and what message comes to the shepherds? 

...peace to men on whom his favor rests...

See it?

This is not peace as in “visualize world peace”; the bumper sticker I still see on occasion. This is not the peacefulness we feel when the kids are all healthy and there’s money in the bank. This is not the peace that comes when the storm is over.

This is a peace that is ours when the world has gone mad; when it’s our son or daughter who is in the hospital; this is peace in the midst of the storm. For this is a peace found not in the circumstances of our lives, but in the favor of God.

What is the favor of God?

The favor of God is what the angels announce as “good news”; and the good news is that a Savior has been born.

The favor of God is a child wrapped up snug in an animal’s feeding trough. The favor of God is Jesus.

Centuries before his birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Of the peace that Jesus brings, the Apostle Paul would write:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

In Jesus we can have peace with the past through the forgiveness of sin.

In Jesus we have peace about the future through the promise of eternal life.

In Jesus we have peace in the present because he guards our hearts and minds through his Spirit.

Jesus is the favor of God who brings peace.

Lord Jesus,

We are a weary and anxious people in need of your peace. We carry burdens of regret from our past; we worry about a future we can’t control; we are frazzled by the hectic pace of our day to day lives. Remind us again this Christmas of your favor, your peace and your rest.

Amen.

Pastor Brian Coffey

Wednesday, December 18

To listen to the audio version, click here.

Luke 2:10-11

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Like you, I suspect, I love this time of year. Yes, it’s busy; yes, it’s too commercialized; yes, there are too many goofy  “Christmas Specials” on T.V.; but I still love this time of year!

I love the traditional songs and carols; I love the lights and most of the decorations; I like the cards we get in the mail; and I especially like the challenge of choosing gifts for the people I love that will produce joy.

After all, joy is the whole point of gift-giving isn’t it? 

I think my love for Christmas began in my childhood. Although my parents didn’t have great resources they always found ways to make Christmas a magical and joyful time for us through the gifts they gave.

One of the gifts that still stands out to me over 40 years later was a toy called “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots.” It was a plastic boxing ring, probably 10 inches square, with two plastic “robots” in the center of the ring, one red and the other blue. Each robot was controlled by a plastic handle outside the ring with two buttons, each controlling one of the robot’s arms. You could maneuver your robot to the right and to the left and then press one of the buttons to deliver a punch to the other robot. When you hit just the right place on the opposing robot’s chin, his head would fly up with a distinct buzzing sound that signaled the round was over.

It was great toy for young boys! We played it almost non stop until we had knocked the heads off so many times that they wouldn’t stay down any longer. Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots lasted about three days.

There are two lessons to be learned from “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots”; first, Christmas is about joy; and second, we tend to misidentify the source of joy.

We have a tendency to locate our joy in material things. If we just had a new car, or a bigger house, or the latest piece of technology, then we would be happy. 

We have a tendency to locate our joy in activities. We take vacations to Disney World; we go to amusement parks; we  attend movies and sporting events to be entertained; to have fun.

Now there’s nothing wrong with having material things or in pursuing fun and entertaining activities; they just don’t produce real joy. The joy, fun and happiness created by material things or activities is temporary; it ends when the car breaks down or the trip to Disney World ends.

But the story of Christ’s birth is about a different kind of joy. 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

The “good news of great joy” is not about something you can buy in a store; it’s not about an entertaining or fun activity; it’s about a person.

That person, of course, is Jesus.

His birth is “good news of great joy” because, the angels say, he is both Savior and Lord.

As Savior he rescues us from the consequences of our own sin.

As Lord he has the authority to grant eternal life.

But notice two small words that are easy to miss. The angels say, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you...”

To you!

With these two small words God writes your name on the tag attached to his great gift!

To the shepherds it meant that God had not forgotten them. It meant that they, even they, were included in his great good news of salvation!

To you it means whatever else is happening in your life right now; whatever burdens you carry from the past; whatever you fear about the future; God has not forgotten you! God has come to you, for you, in the person of Jesus; and he has come to bring joy.

Just as my joy as a child was anchored not in the “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em” toy but in the love of my Mom and Dad who gave the gift; so also our joy is anchored not in the things we have or the activities we pursue, but in the God who gave us the greatest gift...the gift of himself.

Lord Jesus,

We look for joy in so many things and so many activities that produce temporary fun and happiness but  leave our hearts yearning for more. May we know the truest and deepest joy that comes from knowing you as Savior and Lord.

Amen.

Pastor Brian Coffey

Tuesday, December 17

To listen to the audio version, click here.

1 John 4:9

This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Like many people I take a few minutes on most days to scan the local newspaper. But I don’t just look for stories about what’s happening in my community or in the world; I look for news I can use. I’ve learned that if I pay attention, the daily news will give me plenty of material for preaching and teaching illustrations! This week I was not disappointed.

Just this morning I saw an article with the title:

“Wisconsin company offers cuddling for a price.”

Now, when you see something like that you just have to read the story, don’t you?

The article went on describe a business in Madison, Wisconsin, called “The Snuggle House,” that offers customers an hour cuddling and hugging with “professional snugglers” for $60. 

I laughed out loud! But then I went on to read that city officials are concerned “The Snuggle House” is a front for illicit activity and are investigating the owner about a number of possible violations.

While the article made me snicker, I probably shouldn’t be surprised. Human beings are created with a need for love and will do almost anything, including paying a total stranger for a hug, just to feel loved. The problem is, of course, that what we often settle for is not love at all, but something far less.

John defines the love of God expressed in Christ like this:

This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

So, according to John, what is love and how do we know we are loved?

Simply put, John is saying that love is sacrifice.

You know you are loved when someone puts your well being ahead of their own. You know you are loved when someone is willing to sacrifice their good on behalf of your good. You know you are loved when someone is willing to lay down their life that you might live.

Love is not a professional “snuggler.”

Love is not what you feel when you see an attractive member of the opposite sex.

Love is not what you feel about chocolate chip cookies.

Love is a powerful emotion; but it is also more than a powerful emotion. Love is an action; love is a decision; love is pursuit; love is a willingness to sacrifice.

Love is what you feel when you know that someone would sacrifice their time, their wealth, their status; their    comfort; and even their life for your well-being.

The Bible says that’s what God did in sending Jesus into the world. In Jesus God pursued you in love; in Jesus God gave himself for you; in Jesus God sacrificed his own life that you may live.

Therefore, you are loved. 

Let me say that again: you are loved!

Whatever you think of yourself; whatever you would change about yourself; whatever you are ashamed of about yourself; whatever love you have or have not received from the significant others in your life; know this: you are loved now; you have always been loved; and you will always be loved.

In Jesus God has made it very clear how he feels about you.

Lord Jesus,

We all so desperately want and need love. So often we settle for that which is not love; or we look to people for the love we can only receive from you. Help us to know and experience the depth of your great love for us. Amen.

Pastor Brian Coffey

Monday, December 16

To download the audio version, click here. 

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Christmas is a time when many of us celebrate all kinds of family traditions. From the decorations we put up to the movies we watch to the foods we eat, traditions are a big part of Christmas!

One of our family traditions when I was growing up, a tradition that we continue to observe in our family today, was allowing each child to open one gift on Christmas Eve. Having watched the brightly wrapped boxes gather under the tree for days, my brothers and I could scarcely contain our excitement by the time Christmas Eve finally arrived! 

We would take turns holding, weighing and shaking the boxes to try to discern what each of them might contain. We did this for one main reason, of course; and that was to avoid opening the box containing the dreaded Christmas socks! Nothing sucks the joy out Christmas Eve faster than opening a gift of Sunday dress socks, unless you happen to have the particular bad luck of opening “Christmas underwear!”

Many years later, and now a parent myself, I understand the gift giving dilemma that my parents faced when they gave us socks for Christmas. Do you give gifts that you know your children need; or do you give what you know they might want; or do you, somehow, try to give gifts that are both what they want and what they need?

At the center of the Christmas story is a gift given by God that is both what we want and what we need.

The Apostle John describes the gift in these famous words:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

At first we might read this and think, “That’s nice; but how is that what I want? What I really want is a new Lexus! What I really need is a better job”

Think a little deeper. 

When we dig down into who we are as human beings, I think we find that there are at least four things that we all want and need.

We want and need love.

We want and need joy.

We want and need peace.

And we want and need hope.

I think you can make an argument that we need these four things as much as we need food and water. I think you can also argue that these are also our deepest wants as well.

And if we understand the story of Christ’s birth at all, I think we see that the gift of Jesus includes love, joy, peace and hope.

Jesus was a gift of God’s love.

Jesus was a gift designed to bring great joy through the good news of the gospel.

Jesus was a gift that brings peace through the forgiveness of sin.

Jesus was a gift that grants the hope of eternal life.

So whatever shows up under your tree or in your driveway this Christmas, know that you have already been given the gifts you most long for and most need. 

Lord Jesus, 

We want so many things that we often forget the things we need most. Help us to see and receive the gifts that you most want to give; love, joy, peace and hope. Amen.

Pastor Brian Coffey

Friday, Dec. 13

To listen to the audio version, click here.

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 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.”   - Luke 2:25-32

Before God gave the Messiah, God gave something else to Simeon as a consolation. God gave Simeon the Holy Spirit. Verse 25 says that the Holy Spirit was upon him.  Verse 26 says, "And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ." In this verse we see that the Holy Spirit revealed something important to Simeon about the Christ. Then in verse 27 we see one more thing about the Holy Spirit and Simeon. It says, "And he came by the Spirit into the temple"  This verse says that Simeon came by the Spirit into the temple. That means that he was led by the Spirit and somehow directed by the Spirit or drawn by the Spirit to the temple on the exact day that Mary and Joseph were there with the baby Jesus.

The connection between Simeon and the Holy Spirit cannot be ignored. Three important things were said about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon, He revealed something to Simeon about the Christ, and He led Simeon. The first thing to look at is the fact that the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon. In other words there was a close personal connection between Simeon and the Holy Spirit. God is a Spirit. Jesus said that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. One of the issues for many Christians today is that they do not have this kind of personal, spiritual connection with God.  The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is given to everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ, but far too many simply don’t know or don’t pay attention to the Holy Spirit.  All of us are like that until the Holy Spirit comes unto us and we have a spiritual awakening and rebirth. Jesus spoke of this in John 3:6 when He said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit."

First we are told about the close connection between the Holy Spirit and Simeon. Secondly we are told that the Holy Spirit revealed something to Simeon about the Christ. The Holy Spirit does not speak of Himself. The work of the Holy Spirit is to speak about and reveal the Christ. No one can come to Christ until God draws them to Christ. Be careful to avoid pressure tactics in witnessing. God wants us to witness about the truth that is in Christ, but only the Holy Spirit can draw someone to believe in Him. Unless the Spirit does this work in someone’s heart, the words that are repeated and the prayers that are spoken with unthinking repetition, could never result in the salvation of their souls. The Spirit alone can enlighten someone’s mind about the truth that Jesus is the Savior.

Holy Spirit, enlighten our eyes and our hearts so that we might see Jesus in our day just as Simeon saw Him in His day - Amen.

Jeff Frazier

Thursday, Dec. 12

To listen to the audio version, click here. 

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 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.”     - Luke 2:25-32

In this baby Simeon sees the fulfillment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people across the centuries. To call Jesus “the consolation of Israel” takes us back to the time of Abraham when the Lord said, “I will make your name great . . . and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). After that came the reaffirmation to Isaac, and then to Jacob.

Still later God told Moses that one day a great prophet would come who would be unlike any other prophet before him.
Still later God promised David a son who would reign on his throne forever.
Still later God spoke through Isaiah and promised that a son would be born of a virgin, and that his name would be called Immanuel—God With Us.
Still later Micah predicted that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

For generations the promises were repeated—from father to son, from mother to daughter, from Family to family, from the older to the younger, and Jewish children were taught to pray for the Messiah’s appearance.

By the time you get to the first century, you have all these centuries of expectation built up. In his great work The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim tells us that when Jesus was born there was great excitement in the nation of Israel. While it is true that many people were not expecting anything, it’s also true that many others were aware that something was up and that God was beginning to stir the pot of history.

Some Jews thought the Messiah would be a great political leader who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel to its rightful place in the world. Others thought the Messiah would be God himself. Still others expected a second Moses or a second Elijah. So you had a lot of confusion mixed with a general sense of expectation. Edersheim also says that by the time Christ was born, one question above all others was on the lips of every expectant Jew: “Why does Messiah delay his coming?”

Now after all those years, after centuries of waiting, all God’s promises were coming true as Simeon held the Messiah in his arms. That’s what Luke means when he calls Jesus “the consolation of Israel.” As the famous Christmas carol says, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”

Lord Jesus, you did not leave us alone in our misery. You came! May we like Simeon praise your name today. Amen. 


Jeff Frazier

Wednesday, Dec. 11

To listen to the audio version, click here. 

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.   - Luke 2:25

He was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (2:25).  The word for waiting actually means looking or searching for.  Simeon is not just passively waiting, he is actively looking and expecting God to show him something. 

The word that is translated consolation comes from a Greek word that means comforter, or one who is called alongside as a companion. Like all of us, Simeon needed comfort in the face of the sorrows and difficulties of life. But Simeon was willing to wait upon God knowing that what God had promised, God would fulfill. If you have faith, then you can wait. The measure of your faith is the measure of your ability to wait upon God. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. He was waiting for the Messiah. Faced with the troubles of his nation as they were subjugated under the iron authority of the Roman Empire, Simeon placed His hope for deliverance in the promises of God concerning a messiah who would be sent to save the people.

This phrase “the consolation of Israel”, refers to the time prophesied by Isaiah, a time when God would bring comfort to His people and remove their sins by sending His Anointed One, the Messiah. 

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
    that her iniquity is pardoned.
    Isaiah 40:1-2

Everybody is looking for a little comfort and security in life.  But pay careful attention to what Isaiah says will actually be the comfort of God’s people.  The comfort of God’s people will not be economic prosperity, nor will it be a political overthrow of the Roman oppression.  The promise of God’s comfort for His people will be the pardoning of their iniquity, the forgiveness of their sin.  God comforts His people by sending them what they most need (even if it is not what they most want), a Savior & a Redeemer.  Simply put, the comfort of God’s people is Jesus Christ!  He is the consolation of Israel and the hope of the whole world.  

For Simeon, this one moment in the temple made all his life worth the living. His deepest desire in life had been to see the consolation of Israel, the Lord’s Christ. Maybe he expected to see a powerful king riding on a white charger or sitting on a throne. What he actually saw was a common couple with a newborn baby, going through the everyday ritual of cleansing and presentation as prescribed in the Jewish law. But the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon, “This is the one.”

How long had Simeon been looking? Probably all his life! It would have been easy for him to think, “Generations have come and gone and these promises have never been fulfilled. Why expect that it will happen in my lifetime? Just settle in for the long haul, and give up this notion that Messiah will come.”

Do you live expectantly? Do you expect God to answer your prayers, or are you surprised when one gets answered? Must have been a coincidence! 

Do you expect the Lord to return soon? Maybe you’re thinking, “Come on, people have been expecting that for over 2,000 years, and it hasn’t happened.” But those people were the better for living each day expecting Him to come in their lifetimes. In our day, the signs of His coming are all around us. Will the Son of Man find faith in us when He comes (Luke 18:8)?  People of hope live expectantly, waiting on God to fulfill His promises.  Like Simeon, we live in a time between what God has promised (that He will return) and the fulfillment of that promise.  Of all people, we who place our trust in Jesus Christ should be the most hopeful because we know the certainty of what He has promised.

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  - Romans 15:13

Jeff Frazier