In this worship gathering, we hear a message from Isaiah 52.1-12 about the promise of redemption fulfilled in Jesus, and gain some resolutions for the development of our spiritual lives for 2024 and beyond. You can watch the message below, the entire worship gathering below that, or get the audio-only podcast of the message below that. Happy new year!
Month: December 2023
Jesus took naps!
A friend and colleague of mine wore a most interesting t-shirt to lead worship at his church on Christmas Eve. It said, “Jesus took naps. Be like Jesus.” It cited Mark 4.38, which says, “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion” (NLT).
Now, context is everything, so it’s only fair that I tell you that this verse comes from the story of Jesus calming the storm. He had been teaching crowds of people, and he suggested to the disciples that they cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. While they were doing so, a fierce storm rose up and made for some dangerous sailing. (From the shore, I once witnessed one of those storms; for a smallish lake, the topography around the Sea of Galilee does lend itself to some wicked storms!)
But in the midst of this, where was Jesus? He was at the back of the boat, fast asleep.
How could Jesus sleep in an open boat in the middle of a storm?
Good question. I’m a pretty sound sleeper, and I’m certain I wouldn’t have been sawing logs in the stern while this was going on.
Jesus may well have been exhausted from all the teaching he had done that day. But I think the better reason for his ability to sleep in an open boat in a storm is that he completely trusted the Father.
When his disciples awakened him, Jesus rebuked the storm and asked his 12 friends why they had so little faith. Talk about a “non-anxious presence”!
Think about it, though: we’ve all seen videos of children falling asleep in the most awkward positions, and in unusual places. There has to be a trust factor involved there. As we get older, our trust erodes – sometimes with valid reasons – and it can be hard to rebuild.
Our relationship with the Lord is based on trust.
One can look at my colleague’s t-shirt as a justification for napping, which is fair; you need to pay attention to your own body. But I think one can go deeper and look at the nap as a sign of trust: the world’s not going to go to pot while I grab a little afternoon shut-eye, but even if it does, the Lord is in control!
Admittedly, I’m not a napper. Not even over the craziness of Christmas did I take a nap. But I probably should have. Yes, there were things that needed to get done. But they could have waited.
Naps aren’t biblically mandated, but it seems they are biblically sanctioned.
So, in this liminal week between two holiday weekends, maybe we both should consider a nap. If it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for us.
Did you know there is an audio podcast version of these messages? Check it out, and subscribe!
Jesus Is More Than Christmas
In this Christmas Eve worship gathering, we hear a message entitled, “Jesus Is More Than Christmas”. Enjoy the entire service below the message, and an audio podcast format below that.
Near to the Father’s Heart
In this worship gathering on the morning of Christmas Eve, 2023, we hear a message from John 1.15-18 about how we know God through knowing Jesus, whom John says was near to the Father’s heart. We also hear about the importance of putting Jesus first: our Priority One. You can watch the message below, or the entire worship gathering below that. There’s an audio-only podcast link below that. Merry Christmas!
Today is a good day!
Today is a good day!
Starting today, the days get longer. (Can I get an Amen?)
I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more I notice darkness – especially how dark it gets in the late afternoon at this time of year, and how dark it still is upon rising in the morning.
As if we needed another reason, I think this is why it is a blessing that Christmas comes hot on the heels of the longest night of the year: Christmas gives us the excuse to celebrate the gift of light, specifically the gift of the Light of the World!
In the prologue of John’s Gospel, his unusual version of a birth narrative, John gives his Greek audience an explanation of the coming of Jesus that they would understand better than what Matthew or Luke offer in their Gospels. John says of Jesus, the living Word, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1.5, NLT).
Whether they know it or not, this is why people put up Christmas lights.
Some see it as a competition among neighbours; some see it as a way to be cheery when daylight is at a premium; but I think it’s because we’re celebrating the birth of the Light of the World. (And the hydroelectric utility companies all rejoice.)
We all find these “bleak mid-winter” days (even though they are at the very beginning of the astronomical season) challenging in some way. But when we focus on the Light of the World, the light that darkness can never extinguish, each day is not only worth living, but worth maximizing.
Even if you find darker days emotionally dark, focus on Jesus. You may wonder if his Light is enough to dispel your darkness, but remember this: it doesn’t matter how much darkness is applied to the space where you are, lighting one candle dispels it.
When you pray, when you praise, when you read the Bible, you’re lighting a candle that dispels as much darkness as might be in your life.
Jesus is the gift of the season, indeed, of the whole year: let him fill your life with light. Merry Christmas!
All I Want For Christmas Is…to be Generous
In this worship gathering, we hear a message from Acts 4.32-5.11 about the importance of honesty in giving. The early church was so committed to the unity of its community that members would sell off property to ensure that other followers of Jesus had sufficient food and lodging. Could we do that today? Watch the message below to find out. The entire worship gathering, which includes a tribute to our retiring clerk of session, is below that. At the bottom, you’ll find an audio podcast of the message.
Turn off All The Things
If there’s a word that describes our society, especially in December, it’s overstimulated.
I read an article this week about how Walmart stores in the United States last month launched an initiative where they have “sensory-friendly hours”. For a few hours each morning, they dim the lights, cut the piped-in music and put still images on their televisions displayed for sale. The goal is to allow for easier shopping for people who are autistic.
It’s a good initiative for which the chain should be applauded. And I think it will benefit more than those who deal with autism.
Our human journey toward overstimulation began innocently enough; my guess is it started with the invention of the phonograph. When music could be played in the home, without having to go to a concert hall or a local community centre to hear live performances, it was a most pleasurable innovation.
Then came the radio, and then television. And after that, portability: transistor radios, portable cassette players, compact discs; then the Internet, streaming audio and video, all on a device you can put in your pocket. It all progressed.
Don’t get me wrong: there’s much good to be had from these innovations, and much enjoyment to be had. But many of us have overdone it.
Some people can’t stand quiet. It drives them bananas. I notice this especially when I take people on retreat, and they find themselves in a particularly silent environment. A lot of those people are visibly uncomfortable.
In that quiet, though, while there is a distinct absence of sound, there is also an invitation for God to be heard. When we make space for God, he can speak, and we will be able to hear.
What God says may well be inaudible; God often speaks to us in the “gentle whisper” in which Elijah encountered God in 1 Kings 19. But we are better able to sense his presence with us when we are not overstimulated.
Amid all the sounds you hear in this season, many of which are joyful and encouraging, remember to make space for God in silence. Turn off All The Things. Sit quietly, read your Bible, and listen. It will give you strength for the journey.
“Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4.8a, NLT).
All I Want For Christmas Is…Courage
In this worship gathering, we hear a message from Acts 4.23-31 about the response of the apostles and the early church (and the Lord!) to the warning from the ruling council not to speak about Jesus. They pray for courage. So must we! How do we gain courage to live our faith in a hostile world? Watch and find out. You can watch the message below, the entire worship gathering below that, and the audio-only podcast is available for listening at the bottom.
Stop and think about it!
Breathe.
Most of us find that the month of December is busy. There’s work to be done, Christmas gatherings to attend, baking to do, dinners to plan, gifts to buy or make, and more. It feels like the final lap in a race, and we have to dash to the finish line.
It’s no wonder that the week between Christmas and the new year seems like a blur!
Let’s acknowledge, though, that a lot of the busyness of December is self-imposed. There are expectations placed upon us by our employers, of course; after all, we’re paid to do our work and doing so well is a way to honour God. But there are cultural expectations placed upon us, too, and those might be optional – or, at least, some of them might be optional. One can hope.
As we round the corner for the final lap, you may already feel overwhelmed. But let me encourage you to breathe. Rest. Take a break.
You might be thinking, Jeff, you don’t know my schedule. You don’t realize that it’s impossible for me to take a break. Maybe so.
But as you take a few moments with the Lord each day (you are doing that, aren’t you? Maybe even right now?), hold your December schedule before him, and ponder what could be scratched off the list so that you can rest and revel in the joy of the season.
After all, Advent and Christmas are times when we should be delighting in God’s great gift to us, not worrying about whether or not the baking or the shopping will get done. Perhaps there’s even one thing you could remove from your to-do list that would make room for delight.
The Psalmist reminds us that the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord who gave us his Son Jesus Christ, enjoins us to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10a, NLT). And if you read the entire Psalm, you’ll find a peculiar word shows up three times. Depending on your Bible translation, it might say Interlude or Selah.
Selah is a Hebrew word that, loosely, means “Take a break. Stop and think about it.”
When the Hebrew people would sing the Psalms, seeing that word would invoke an instrumental interlude, giving people a moment to ponder what they had just sung. When the Psalms are read in Christian worship, very often, there will (or should) be a silent pause to allow for worshippers to consider what has been read.
I hope you’ll take time this month to pause, to breathe, to stop and think about all that the Lord has done for you, while there’s still time in December to do so.
P.S.: If you’re in the area, and you have some spare time (despite what you just read), St. Paul’s Church, Nobleton is hosting A Walk-Thru Christmas tomorrow (Saturday, December 9) from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in our parking lot at 5750 King Road, Nobleton. It will be transformed into Bethlehem, where you can ponder what the Lord has done through a live, interactive walk through the town and time when Jesus was born. There will be centurions, wise men, shepherds, and even sheep! Admission is free. You are invited.
All I want for Christmas is…persecution?
In this worship gathering (which includes the Lord’s Supper), we hear a message from Acts 4.1-22 about the beginning of persecution in the early church, following Peter and John having healed the man born lame. Is it possible to live the Christian life without persecution? We explore how to prepare for persecution as part of our walk with Jesus. You can watch the message below, the entire worship gathering below that, or you can listen to the audio-only podcast of the message at the bottom.
Look at me!
Each year, Merriam-Webster, one of the companies that produces a dictionary, announces its “word of the year”, a term that is frequently looked up in its online lexicon. Often, these words are reflective of the culture in some way. We can see this illustrated in recent words of the year, such as “gaslighting” (2022) and “vaccine” (2021).
Last week, it was announced that the word of the year for 2023 is “authentic”.
Now there’s a word God’s people can really get behind!
To be authentic, says Merriam-Webster, means to be true to one’s character, and not an imitation.
We need look no further than our TV screens to know that there’s plenty of inauthenticity out there, often disguised as entertainment. The trouble is that, especially for young minds, it’s not always easy to discern what’s being portrayed as real and what’s actually real, so it’s easy to get caught imitating an imitation instead of imitating the real thing.
The apostle Paul was a church planter in the first century who went from being a zealous Pharisee, bent on destroying the church, to being an equally zealous servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the churches he was planting were filled with inquirers and new believers, they didn’t have a lot of models of faith to whom to look for what it meant to live authentically as followers of Jesus.
So Paul made a blatant statement in 1 Corinthians 11.1: “you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” He virtually repeated it in Philippians 3.17: “pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example” (both NLT).
On the surface, this can appear to be the height of conceit. Are you that much like Jesus, Paul, that I should take after you?
Well, yes, actually.
To be sure, Paul was not perfect, and he never claimed to be perfect. But for these young, budding disciples of Jesus who formed the churches Paul planted in the towns and cities around the Mediterranean, initially, he was all they had to whom to look for how to be like Jesus.
You don’t have to be an apostle to make such a claim for yourself. All you have to be is an authentic follower of Jesus – true to who God made you, and is making you, to be. All you have to be is a reader of Scripture, a person of prayer, engaged in the life of your church, and growing.
Then, when one of your friends or family members asks what it means to be a Christian, you can say, “Look at me.”
If that idea leaves you a little uncomfortable…keep growing.
Passionately His 