SHOULD WE GO TO CHURCH?

From an article in Christianity Today, we see an alarming trend noted by Christian researcher George Barna, namely, people are stopping the practice of going to church:

"Storm the barricades! According to researcher George Barna, we're in the midst of a "spiritual revolution that is reshaping Christianity, personal faith, corporate religious experience, and the moral contours of the nation."

"But before we break out the party poppers, we should note that, like every revolution, this one has a loser: the local church.

"Unlike the Great Awakenings, which brought people into the church, this new movement "entails drawing people away from reliance upon a local church into a deeper connection with and reliance upon God [Emphasis mine]." Already "millions of believers have stopped going to church," so Barna expects that in 20 years "only about one-third of the population will rely upon a local congregation as the primary or exclusive means for experiencing and expressing their faith." Down will go the number of churches, donations to churches, and the cultural influence of churches."

So, should we go to church? Should we be concerned with the fact that fewer people are coming to church than ever before?

Luke 4:16 (NIV): "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read."

This passage in Luke relates the start of Jesus' public ministry. After His baptism in the Jordan River and His 40-days of temptation in the desert, Jesus went back to Nazareth to begin His ministry. This verse tells us that Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath Day and read the Word of God there during the worship service.

This is an important thought. Even Jesus -- even God Himself -- went to church and spent time reading the Scriptures. This verse says that going to synagogue was a custom of Jesus. It was something that He did on a regular basis. As a religious Jew, He probably went to synagogue every Sabbath Day to worship God and to hear God's Word and to pray with God's people

We have a lot of people in our communities today who are unchurched. I see them every morning when I'm driving to and from church. I know a lot of them are probably not saved, and their presence is an indictment against the church today for not reaching out to them in a more proactive manner. However, I know that a lot of them are probably Christians who, for whatever reason, just don't feel a need to be a member in a church.

Howver, the message of the Bible is clear. We are commanded to follow the example of Christ and He went to church on a regular basis. Hebrews 10:26 (NIV) says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Church is the place where we receive instruction and encouragement and revival. All of us need to be in church on a regular basis just like we need to be doing the other spiritual disciplines on a regular basis: praying, reading the bible, participating in the sacraments

I've had some tell me that they don't go to church because there are too many hypocrites in our churches today. Or they say they don't go to church because there's too many fights in church or too many divisions. "There's problems in the church," they say.

But this has always been the case in churches and synagogues. You don't think there wasn't problems in the synagogue that Jesus visited on that day in this passage? These people had gotten so caught up in doing church that they had forgotten why they were there. They had so many laws and rules that it was hard to find God at that church. But still Jesus went, because He knew that God was still there and still working, even in the midst of man's best efforts to mess it up. God still used churches and church people to spread His message and to proclaim His word in the world.

Can you find God outside of church? Of course. But, the example of Christ says to go to church and seek God's face, and God will still speak to your heart in spite of the hypocrites and the fightings and the division. Let us never forget that the church is the body of Christ, and God still uses the church to touch hearts and lives today.

LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS

Preaced by Gregory Lee
18 December 2005

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 3:16 [read 3:16]
-- this morning marks for us the fourth Sunday of Advent -- for several weeks now, we have been looking at what Christmas really means as we have been preparing ourselves to celebrate the birth of Christ -- but sometimes I wonder if the church hasn't forgotten the true meaning of Christmas
-- we're quick to take offense is someone tries to secularize this holiday -- we're quick to point out that the meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ -- but that's not the whole story, is it?
-- Christmas is not just about the birth of Christ -- that would be like saying that Martin Luther King, Jr day is just a celebration about the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- that's not why we celebrate that holiday -- we don't celebrate that day just because a man was born -- no, we celebrate it because of what Martin Luther King, Jr. did with his life to gain equality for blacks in this country
-- in the same way, Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus but about what the birth of Jesus meant for us -- about what the man who was born at Christmas did on our behalf
-- Christmas is the day when we celebrate the fact that God came down to earth and wrapped Himself in flesh -- He became for us "Emmanuel" -- God with us -- for a purpose and a reason -- no, the story of Christmas is more than just the story of a baby born in a manger on a cold winter night in a small town in the Middle East -- it is the story of God loving us so much that He became a man to save us when we couldn't save ourself

-- there once was this little boy who loved sailboats -- one day, he decided to make his own toy sailboat -- he took a block of wood and he started carving -- every day, he would work on his boat, carefully and patiently shaping it and molding it until it looked just like a real sailboat -- he painted it and built a sail for it and it was perfect
-- when he was finished creating his sailboat, he carried it down to the river near his house to play with it -- he tied a small line to the stern so that he could reel it back in after he was done -- he set it in the water and it floated and began to sail on the surface of the river just like a real boat
-- but, suddenly, a storm came up and the wind caught the sails of his boat and his line broke -- all he could do was watch as his boat sailed away -- that which he had created was gone -- he looked and looked for it, but he never could find it
-- one day, as he walked past the local toy store, he looked in the window and there was his boat -- he rushed in and grabbed it up and said "it's mine -- it's mine -- I have my boat back at last" -- but the storekeeper said that if he wanted the boat, he would have to buy it
-- so the boy worked all summer and saved his money -- finally, when he had enough, he went back to the toy store and handed his money to the owner and took the boat out of the window -- he hugged it to his chest and said, "You're mine -- you're mine -- I made you and you got away -- but I've got you back and I'll never let you go again"


II. Scripture Lesson
A. John 3:16

-- Christmas is the day we celebrate the fact that God loved us so much that He refused to let us go even though we were lost -- in fact, He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to earth to die on the cross for us -- to pay the price to buy us back from bondage to sin and death -- to get back that which He had created and to never let us go again
-- in the familiar verse that we opened with -- John 3:16 -- we see the true meaning of Christmas -- because God loved us so much -- He "gave" His only Son -- that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life
-- the Father gave us His Son -- it was His gift to us -- it was the gift of Christmas, wrapped in love, and delivered through a peasant girl to a world of sinners -- Chuck Swindoll said that "God's gift to us came wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. Talk about doing the unexpected for the undeserving!"
-- have you ever experienced the unexpected when you were undeserving? -- just like all of you, I exchange presents with my family and friends at Christmas -- and, if you're like me, when you pick out your gift, you're always trying to match what you think they're going to spend on you -- especially if it's just a friend -- you kind of guess what they're going to spend based on how close your friendship is and what they got you last year and then you go out and get them something in that price range -- we all do it -- every single one us
-- but there have been occasions when I have exchanged gifts with someone and they've gotten me something that was more than I expected -- something that was just so valuable -- so precious -- so thoughtful -- that my gift paled in comparison
-- I was left speechless -- holding the unexpected and feeling so undeserving of what I had received -- knowing that my gift was nothing compared to what they had given me -- that, my friends, is grace -- and that is the gift of Christmas
-- as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."
-- yes, Christmas is more than just a day we celebrate the birth of a child -- for the child born in the manger at Christmas -- the holy and perfect child of Mary -- was God's gift to us -- God clothed in flesh -- Grace clothed in flesh -- Love clothed in flesh

B. Romans 5:1-8
-- if you would, please turn over to Romans 5 and let's look a little more closely at what the love of God at Christmas means to us -- verse 1 [read vs. 1-8]
-- What is the true meaning of Christmas? -- God giving us the gift of His Son to demonstrate His love to us -- even though we didn't expect it -- even though we were undeserving -- even though we were sinners -- separated from God by our own evil thoughts and desires and actions and held in bondage to sin and death -- God showed His love for us through Christ's death on the cross at Calvary
-- verse 8 tells us that Christ died for us "while we were still sinners" -- that shows us the extent of His love for us -- He didn't wait and die for us after we started coming to church -- He didn't wait and die for us after we put our faith and trust in Him -- He didn't wait and die for us after anything that we did or didn't do -- but before we ever thought of Him -- while we were still sinners -- Jesus died on the cross for our sins
-- Christmas demonstrates the Father's love for us just as the cross demonstrates Christ's love -- God had no assurance that we would love His Son, but He sent Him to earth anyway -- Jesus had no assurance that we would love Him, but He willingly went to the cross for us anyway -- He loved us even though He knew that we might never love Him or trust Him -- He loved us enough to die for us, even though many in this world continue to reject Him to this day
-- one Sunday a little boy looked up at his daddy and asked, "Daddy, how does God love us?" -- His father answered, "Son, God loves us with an unconditional love."
-- the boy thought for a moment and then asked, "Daddy, what kind of love is unconditional love?" -- after a few minutes of silence his father answered, "Do you remember the two boys who used to live next door to us and the cute little puppy they got last Christmas? -- "Yes" -- "Do you remember how they used to tease it, throw sticks and even rocks at it?" -- "Yes" -- "Do you also remember how the puppy would always greet them with a wagging tail and would try to lick their faces?" -- "Yes" -- "Well, that puppy had an unconditional love for those two boys -- they certainly didn't deserve his love for them because they were mean to him -- but, he loved them anyway"
-- the father then made his point: "God's love for us is also unconditional -- men threw rocks at His Son, Jesus, and hit Him with sticks -- they even killed Him -- but, Jesus loved them anyway"
-- 1 John 3:16 says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." -- the sinless dying for the sinner -- that is the definition of unconditional love -- that is the meaning of Christmas

-- Max Lucado wrote this perspective on the incarnation of Christ:
-- "Can anything make me stop loving you?" God asks. "Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts -- Behold the maker of sight and sound as He sneezes, coughs, and blows His nose -- You wonder if I understand how you feel? -- Look into the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth; that's God walking to school -- Ponder the toddler at Mary's table; that's God spilling His milk."
-- "You wonder how long my love will last? -- Find your answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. -- That's me you see up there -- your maker -- your God -- nail-stabbed and bleeding -- Covered in spit and sin-soaked."
-- "That's your sin I'm feeling -- That's your death I'm dying -- That's your resurrection I'm living -- That's how much I love you." -- that's...Christmas

III. Conclusion
-- Candy Chand wrote a story several years ago about the time her son Nicholas was in a kindergarten Christmas play -- for weeks, Nicholas had worked to memorize the songs that they would be singing -- finally, the big day arrived -- Candy got there about 10 minutes early, found a spot in the cafeteria, and sat down -- the seats began to fill with other parents and with other children in the school
-- each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor -- then, each group -- one by one -- rose to perform their song -- Candy said that since the school had quit referring to the holiday as "Christmas" but as "winter break," she didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment -- songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer
-- so, when her son's group rose to sing, "Christmas Love," she was surprised -- as the class sang the song, the kids in the front row -- center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song -- as the class would sing, "C is for Christmas", a child would hold up the letter "C" -- then, "H is for Happy" and on and on -- until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love"
-- the performance went smoothly until suddenly, the audience noticed her -- a small quiet girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware that her letter "M" appeared as a "W"
-- the audience snickered at her mistake -- but she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W"
-- the teachers tried to get the kids to quit laughing, but the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and then they all saw it together -- a hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen -- in that instant they understood the reason they were there -- why they celebrated the holiday in the first place -- why even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season there was a purpose for Christmas festivities
-- for when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: "Christ Was Love" -- Christ was Love -- Christ is love -- Christ continues to love us no matter what we do -- there is nothing that we can do that will make God love us more -- there is nothing that we can do that can make God love us less -- God loves us completely -- perfectly -- unconditionally -- because He is love
-- rather than just telling us about His love in the Bible -- rather than just speaking His message through the prophets and evangelists and apostles -- God showed us His love by sending His own Son to earth to die in our place

-- as Max Lucado wrote in the book "In the Grip of Grace" -- "From the cradle in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem we've pondered the love of our Father. What can you say to that kind of emotion? Upon learning that God would rather die than live without you, how do you react? How can you begin to explain such passion?"
-- "There is no way our little minds can comprehend the love of God. But that didn't keep Him from coming" -- Love came down at Christmas -- He came for you -- He came for me -- He came for all of us
-- God's love surrounds us and envelopes us -- He showed it through the birth of His Son at Christmas -- and He showed it again at the cross of Calvary -- the question before us this morning, then, is what will you do in response? -- will you return His love with your own or will you just go about your life as before?
-- just like gifts cannot be appreciated until they are received, love cannot be realized until it is accepted -- will you accept the love of God this Christmas? -- will you accept the love of God today?
-- I want to close by sharing with you a song by Point of Grace called, "Love Came Down at Christmas" -- as this song is played, if you have felt God tugging at your heart -- if you have felt a need to come to Him this year and to accept His love and demonstrate your love for Him -- then I would invite you to come to the altar and speak with Him this morning
-- God loves you so much and all He wants is for you to love Him, too -- that is the meaning of Christmas and that is why we are here
-- let us pray

OBITUARY

(Click on picture to make the obituary large enough to read. If that doesn't work, I have posted the text below the picture.)



Obituary -- Jerusalem -- 33 A.D.

Calvary

Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth, died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by the apostle Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans by order of the Ruler Pontus Pilate. The causes of death were crucifixion, extreme exhaustion, severe torture, and loss of blood.

Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham, was a member of the house of David. He was the Son of the late Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and Mary, His devoted Mother. Jesus was born in a stable in the city of Bethlehem, Judea. He is survived by His mother Mary, His faithful Apostles, numerous disciples, and many other followers.

Jesus was self educated and spent most of His adult life working as a Teacher. Jesus also occasionally worked as a Medical Doctor and it is reported that He healed many patients. Up until the time of His death, Jesus was teaching and sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the hungry, and helping the poor.

Jesus was most noted for telling parables about His Fahter's Kingdom and performing miracles, such as feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and healing a man who was born blind. On the day before His death, He held a Last Supper celebrating the Passover Feast, at which He foretold His death.

The body was quickly buried in a stone grave which was donated by Joseph of Arimathea, a loyal friend of the family. By order of Pontius Pilate, a boulder was rolled in front of the tomb and Roman Soldiers were put on guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus did.
Donations may be sent to anyone in need.

Book Review: The Last Disciple

I just finished reading "The Last Disciple," by Hank Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer, the book I referenced in an earlier post as an alternative to the "faulty" theology presented in the Left Behind books by Terry LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

My bottom-line impression of the book is that it is, well, o.k. Not bad. Not great. Just o.k. Will I rush out to buy the next book in the series? No. If I happen to run across it on a sale rack somewhere, then I might buy it, but otherwise, I was not intrigued by the book to the point where I would go out and purchase other fiction books by these authors.

In my opinion, the book borrowed heavily from the storyline of "Quo Vadis" by Henryk Sienkiewicz, a much, much superior book without the theological trappings. As I read "The Last Disiciple," the parallels between the two were striking: the conscience-stricken Roman noble who secretly supports the Christian cause and who falls in love with a Jewish slave who is also a Christian (slight deviation from "Quo Vadis" -- Sienkiewicz had the Roman noble fall in love with a political hostage from Lygia who was a Christian). The Jewish slave is protected by a strong bodyguard, Maglorius, a retired gladiator who is described as a "bear" of a man (slight deviation -- in "Quo Vadis" the bodyguard is described as a "giant").

The intent of the authors to show the fault with the Left Behind books overshadowed the story line in the book. Where they had the opportunity to flesh out their characters and advance the plot, they took time to denigrate the theology of LaHaye and Jenkins. The main failure of the book, then, is that it is a theological book thinly disguised with a superficial fiction storyline.

It just wasn't a "fun" read. Whether you agreed with the theology in the Left Behind books or not, you have to admit they were fun to read. The LaHaye and Jenkins books were not deep writing and will never be considered classical literature or win a Nobel prize, but they were engaging and interesting and fun. You finished one book and were left with a hunger to know what happened to the characters in the next. True, once the series became popular and Jenkins and LaHaye sold out for money and stretched the original concept of seven books into 12, the story line dragged in places, but over all, they were a fun read that you could enjoy without really having to put a lot of thought into what you were reading. "The Last Disciple" was not that way.

As an analogy, I would say that if these book series were televison shows, the Left Behind books would be a reality series on a major network airing at 8:00 prime time, watched by the majority of the country. "The Last Disciple" would be the tell-all show about the reality series that aired at 11:00 pm on The Learning Channel -- it might be more factual, it might be absolutely correct in its story line, but it certainly isn't as much fun or as popular.

Christmas Nomenclature

What Are These Christmas Songs? Answers are down below.
Don't cheat.

1. Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in
their belief
2. Embellish interior passageways
3. Vertically challenged adolescent percussionist
4. Natal celebration devoid of color as a hallucinatory
phenomenon for me
5. Majestic triplet referred to in the first person plural
6. Twelve o'clock on a clement night witnessed its arrival
7. Soundless nocturnal period
8. The Yuletide occurrence preceding all others
9. Precious metal musical devices
10. Omnipotent Supreme Being who elicits respite to ecstatic
distinguished males
11. Caribou with vermilion oil factory appendage
12. Allow crystalline formations to descend
13. Bipedal traveling through an amazing acreage during the
periods
between December 21st and March 21st
14. Exclamatory remark concerning a diminutive municipality in
Judea
southwest of Jerusalem


Answers

1. O Come all ye faithful
2. Deck the Halls
3. Little Drummer Boy
4. I'm dreaming of a White Christmas
5. We three Kings
6. It came upon a midnight clear
7. Silent Night
8. The First Noel
9. Silver Bells
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. Rudolph the Red nose reindeer
12. Let it snow ~ Let it snow ~ Let it snow
13. Winter Wonderland
14. Oh little town of Bethlehem

JOY TO THE WORLD

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
11 December 2005

I. Introduction-- turn in Bibles to Isaiah 9

1. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
2. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
3. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
4. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
5. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
6. 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.
7. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

-- as we know, this is the third Sunday of Advent -- the season when we prepare ourselves -- our hearts and our minds and our spirits -- for the coming of the Lord
-- it's a time when we try to separate ourselves from the ways of the world for a few weeks -- to separate ourselves from the rush and the hustle and bustle of our American secular Christmas season -- and take time to reflect:
-- time to reflect on the first advent of Christ as a baby born in a manger in Bethlehem-- to reflect on His death and resurrection at Calvary to gain for us salvation and eternal life -- and to reflect on His return to earth as King of King and Lord of Lords
-- Advent is a time on the calendar that marks for us thebeginning of the celebration of Christmas and the holiday season

-- as a Moody AFB employee, I have another way to mark the beginning of the holiday season -- I always know when the holidays are getting close because that's the time of the year when you are required to attend mandatory training on suicide prevention and intervention
-- you see, this is a poignant reminder that we are entering the holiday season -- this is a time that should be filled with happiness and joy and get-togethers with family and friends -- but, for many people, this is a time of sadness and depression
-- there are a lot of people in our midst who have been hurting and lonely for some time -- who are suffering through tragedies and separation from family and friends -- who may have lost loved ones over the past year -- and during the holiday season, when we join together as family and friends to celebrate the birth of Christ, these people may feel left-out and more alone than ever -- and it just points out to them the unhappiness in their life

-- part of this annual condition may be brought about because of our country's unhealthy obsession with happiness -- the search for happiness is a national epidemic, and it is doing more to hurt people and relationships in this country than anything else today
-- we have somehow gotten it into our heads that we are supposed to be happy all the time -- happy in our lives -- happy in our jobs -- happy in our relationships -- happy in everything -- and then, when we find ourselves in a situation that is not happy right now at this moment, we cannot be content and we think there is something dreadfully wrong
-- our Constitution gives us the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and boy, do we pursue it -- this is the reason that the entertainment industry in the United States is the largest industry in the country -- this is the reason that we have so many commercials promising happiness if we just buy their product -- this is the reason why so many people rush into relationships and marriages that aren't healthy -- it's all because we think we are owed happiness in our life, and so we rush out and try to get it any way we can -- whether that's by going to the latest movie or by owning that new car or by having the perfect spouse
-- John Maxwell once said that Americans suffer from "Destination Disease" -- they look at their lives and they feel unhappy and then they see someone else other than their spouse and they think, "If I could just be with them -- if I could just be over there -- I would be happy" -- so they end their marriage and rush off into another relationship seeking happiness -- or, they look at their lives and they feel unhappy and they see the latest and greatest new vehicle on the market and they think to themselves, "If I could just have that new car, I would be happy" -- and so they rush off and buy and buy and buy, but never find what they are looking for -- they are never satisfied and content with what they have but are always looking for more

-- the problem with living life in this way is that happiness is fleeting -- happiness is not a permanent state of mind -- happiness is dependent on things outside yourself and it comes through your perception of external events -- that's the reason why you can have everything in the world, and still not be happy -- in fact, those people that we sometimes look at and think, "Wow, they have everything in life -- they have everything they could ever want -- they have money and things and a great family" -- turn out to not be as happy as we think

-- one day, right before the turn of the 19th century, a very depressed man went to a London psychiatrist seeking help -- he was very unhappy with his life and with everything about his life -- the doctor tried everything he could think of to cheer the man up -- but nothing worked -- finally, he gave up and suggested to his patient, "Why don't you go see Grimaldi the clown?" -- Grimaldi was the greatest clown in nineteenth-century Europe -- the doctor thought that surely Grimaldi would be able to lift this man's spirit and restore happiness in his life, if only for a moment
-- the patient sighed and remained silent for a long time -- finally he answered, "I am Grimaldi the clown"

-- as Dennis Swanberg writes, "True happiness and contentment cannot come from the things of the world." -- I guess that's why the Bible never promises us happiness in our lives as Christians -- instead, the Bible promises us joy -- rather than blessing us with happiness that is here today and gone tomorrow -- God gives us something more permanent -- joy in our hearts through our Lord Jesus Christ
-- in this familiar Christmas passage from Isaiah, we see a great promise of joy given from God to the Israelites and to the entire world

II. Scripture Lesson
-- before we begin, let me give you a little context on this passage -- in the passages preceding Chapter 9, Isaiah has been prophesying to the nation of Israel that judgement was coming because of their evil deeds -- already the people had suffered because of invasions by other countries and Isaiah had prophesied that more suffering and tribulation was going to come their way -- in fact, he told them, they would be carried off into captivity in Assyria and Babylon
-- in verse 8:22, Isaiah said that in the midst of their trials and tribulations they would look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom and that they would be thrust into utter darkness -- they would be a group of people desperate for happiness but lost in the gloom of their despair with no hope in sight
-- but then we turn to Chapter 9, and Isaiah brings these people a message of hope that would bring light to the darkness -- a promise of joy and restoration in the future -- a promise that things would be better if they would only turn from their evil ways and trust in their Lord and Savior
-- look at verse 1

1. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
2. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
3. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

-- these people from the land of Zebulon and Naphtali -- which we know better as the region of Galilee -- had been, and were going to, experience a time of darkness in their life -- a time of trials and tribulations -- Isaiah says that they were going to walk in darkness and live in the land of the shadow of death
-- this happens to people who go through life living for happiness -- when things don't go their way -- when life brings them tragedy and trials and tribulations -- they find themselves lost in a darkness that seems unending -- and so they try to bring light into the darkness through periods of happiness -- but, like I said, happiness is fleeting -- it's like lighting a match in the dark -- for a moment, there is light and things are bright -- but then, the match burns out and you find yourself plunged back into darkness again

-- but this passage tells us that in the midst of the darkness -- just when all hope seems lost -- something better than fleeting happiness and momentary lightness will come along -- God promises us that a great light will dawn that will bring more than happiness -- it will bring hope and life -- instead of being a match it will stand in our hearts as a lighthouse, and no matter where we go, no matter what darkness we find ourselves in, this light in our life will shine forth permanently -- this light is the joy that comes through Jesus Christ
-- in John 1:4 we read, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men" -- God is telling us that the way to remove the darkness in our life is not by looking for happiness provided by the world but to look for the joy that comes through Jesus

-- there is a vast difference between happiness and joy -- happiness is externally influenced -- in order to be happy, you have to rely on things and people and places outside of yourself -- that is why happiness is fleeting -- because none of the things of the world is permanent -- all of them will fade away and disappoint in the end
-- but joy, on the other hand -- is eternal -- joy comes from the Lord and shines brightly in your heart even in the midst of the storm -- joy is that feeling of hope and contentment that you have in the midst of trials and tribulations because you know that these are only temporary afflictions and that a better future is promised -- joy is faith-driven and is based on the promises of God given to us through Christ
-- joy tells us that yes, we may be in the midst of a storm, but that the sun is still shining on the other side of the clouds
-- in this passage, Isaiah is telling the people of Galilee to have faith -- to have hope -- and to trust in the joy of the Lord even in the midst of their suffering -- even if they are living in the land of the shadow of death and are walking in darkness -- because God is sending a great light for them that will dispel the darkness and the death and that will never, ever, go out
-- and then he goes through and gives them two reasons for the joy they should have through the Lord

-- verse 4

4. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

-- here we see the first reason -- Isaiah told them that they were going to rejoice before the Lord, "for" -- because -- the yoke and the rod that had tormented them and held them in bondage would be broken and removed from them forever
-- now, to the Israelites who received this prophesy from Isaiah, this was a promise of restoration from captivity -- a promise that the time of invasion and exile would end and that the cruel yoke of slavery to the Assyrians and the Babylonians would end
-- but, this also was a promise of restoration from the spiritual bondage that held the entire world -- both Jew and Gentile -- in chains
-- in the book of Romans, we read that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that we are in bondage to sin in our lives -- when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, we were exiled into the land of the shadow of death -- we were sold into slavery -- but Isaiah promises us here that the chains of sin and death would be broken and removed from us through the power of the Lord -- as it says in Romans 6:23, "for the wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"
-- verse 5

5. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

-- this is the second reason why we should have joy in our hearts -- following our release from sin -- following our restoration and return into the kingdom of God -- we will enter into a time of eternal peace -- peace always follows the grace of God -- and it is the joy of the Lord in our hearts that gives us this peace in our lives

-- verse 6

6. 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.
7. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

-- and here we see the source of our joy -- the promise of the Messiah -- a prophesy of the birth and ministry of Christ -- Isaiah tells us in this passage that the baby in the manger will grow up and break the yoke of sin and death and bring peace to the world -- and that He will become the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords -- ruling the entire world with justice and righteousness forever -- something that is attainable only in and through the Messiah -- the child of Mary and Joseph -- the Son of God -- our Savior

III. Conclusion
-- Howard Hughes was one of the richest men in the early part of the 20th century -- yet his life was characterized by profound unhappiness and depression -- no matter how much money he had -- no matter how many women he married -- no matter how much he accomplished -- he never was truly happy -- he went from one emotional high to another -- trying desperately to find the formula that would bring him peace in his life
-- one day someone asked him what it would take to make him happy -- he responded, "just a little more -- just a little more"
-- that is the problem with happiness -- it is never enough -- you can never burn enough matches and make enough light to keep the darkness away -- as it says in Isaiah 8:22, "they look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom" -- this is the state of a person without the hope and joy of the Lord
-- it is only through Christ Jesus that you can have the contentment and peace that comes through hope and joy
-- the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
-- this secret of contentment is the peace that comes through the joy of the Lord -- the joy of knowing that your sins have been forgiven and that sin and death hold no power over you
-- the joy of knowing that the trials and tribulations and sufferings of this life are temporary, and will soon give way to the permanence of eternal life with God in Heaven

-- if you don't have this joy in your life, you can have it this morning -- you can have the peace and the joy and the contentment of knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior this Christmas Season
-- all you have to do is confess to the Lord that you are a sinner and that you need forgiveness for your sins -- ask Him to forgive you and trust in His atoning death and resurrection and ask Him to come into your life as Lord and Savior -- and the joy of the Lord will fill your life and you will know peace and contentment as never before
-- may you all be filled with His joy this Christmas season, and may you share it with others everywhere you go
-- let us pray

A GIFT FOR YOUR FAMILY

The other day, our local radio station interviewed Eddie Middleton, one of the founders of the Christian contemporary singing group, NewSong. Eddie left the group several years ago and has become a rather prominent evangelist here in the south Georgia and north Florida area.

During this interview, he mentioned a Christmas gift that everyone could give to their families and to their pastors that would be meaningful for years and years. Eddie mentioned that one of the saddest things in the world is going through life without knowing if a loved one is saved or not. I have seen families struggle through this in my ministry -- wives despairing over whether their husbands were Christians -- families at funerals wondering if their loved one was saved or not.

Eddie suggested that everyone could simply write out their testimony -- their story of salvation or a story of how God worked a miraculous change in their life -- and give it to their spouse, their family, or their pastor. Just having the knowledge that a loved one had received Jesus as Lord and Savior would give an immense peace to those who receive a copy of the testimony.

As far as pastors go, I know several pastor friends who have been looking at their ministry and wondering if they have had an impact or not. Just a simple card from a member sharing with the pastor the story of their salvation or some way God had used the pastor to touch their lives would be the most wonderful gift of encouragement this Christmas season.

I would encourage all of you to consider this simple act as a means of encouraging and spreading peace and love with your family and friends this Christmas season.

NARNIA....FINALLY!

Last Friday night "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," the first major motion picture based on the book from C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia, opened in the theaters. After reading the series, I was really looking forward to seeing the movie.

But, alas, we had a Christmas party to go to on Friday night. I was extremely disappointed. But, the party got over at 9:30 pm. I could still make it to the 10:00 pm showing on opening night! When we got there, however, it was sold out. Our local theater evidently did not anticipate the interest in the movie and only showed it on one screen. Another Christmas party on Saturday, and then a church party on Sunday. But, FINALLY, we made it to see the movie tonight!

My overall impression of the movie was that it was outstanding! The production quality and the acting were a lot better than I hoped or expected. The scenery was outstanding and the characters, both digital and created by WETA (Peter Jackson's crew in New Zealand), were very, very realistic. The whole audience jumped at the initial scene with the wolf. My wife was a little unhappy at the wolves being portrayed as being on the bad side, but I guess that goes along with being a wildlife biologist who wanted to work with wolves for her career. I was especially impressed with the fauns and the way they moved. I had always wondered about that in books I had read, and the director did a good job at adapting them to the big screen.

The actors who played the four Pevensie children were absolutely outstanding. They performed so much better than I expected, and they lived the parts.

The Christian theme that Lewis wove into the story was clearly evident throughout, and the director stayed true to the book in that sense. While I have read a few reviewer's who disliked the line, I found it profound when Aslan stated, "It is finished," following the death of the White Witch.

The only fault I had with the movie was Aslan himself. I expected him to be, well, more. Hard to define. Bigger, more impressive, more powerful, more like Jesus. I guess it's hard to match your image of Aslan (or your understanding of Jesus) to a movie character created by someone else. Still, they did a good job. Although, I think I would have enjoyed a James Earl Jones voice over Liam Neeson.

Bottom-line: Excellent movie, well-acted, well-portrayed, and definitely worth watching.

CHURCHES WITHOUT CHRISTMAS

Should we close our churches on Christmas? Shouldn't the church show respect to families by not making them come on Christmas morning? Those questions are being asked -- and answered -- by churches all around this country. This is one of those rare years when Christmas falls on a Sunday. And, hence, the dilemma.

The question was asked and answered in our congregations earlier this year. The church would remain open, but it would be understood if you felt family priorities were more pressing and chose not to come. Basically, we left it up to the individual. But we felt that it was a day when Christians should be in church and that it might be a day where travelers felt like joining a congregation for worship, so we're keeping our normal schedule for Christmas day.

Several megachurches have made news recently by opting to close their doors on Christmas morning. This has sparked a great controversy in the body of Christ.

Dr. Ben Witherington had the following to say on his blog:

"Our culture does not need any encouragement to be more self-centered and narcissistic or to stay at home on Sunday. It is already that way. Christmas above all else should be a day when we come together as the body of Christ to worship and adore the Lord Jesus. Christmas should be the day above all days where we don't stay home and open all those things we bought for ourselves INSTEAD of going to church. Christmas should be the day when we forget about ourselves for a few hours and go and honor the birthday of the great King, our Savior.

"What we are dealing with here are churches whose priorities are so askew that they somehow think it is more important for the church to serve the wants of the physical family than the other way around. This is a far cry from the pattern of the original disciples of Jesus who were seen leaving homes, relatives, jobs to come and follow Jesus. What kind of message does it send to our culture when churches close on one of its highest holy days? That it is o.k. to stay home and do one's own thing even on Jesus' birthday?

"It is past time that these sorts of churches be called to account. It is time for them to realize that they have simply capitulated to the larger culture's agenda on issue after issue, in this case in supporting the worship of the idol called family in place of the worship of Jesus. The church does not exist to serve the world, but rather to save the world. The church does not exist to serve the physical family but rather to redeem it and make clear that if it is a Christian family it has a larger and more primary obligation to the family of faith and to its Lord. Christmas is one of two days in the year when we should especially make that clear to our culture and our country. "

Well said. May we not forget what Christmas is really about and may we not let secularization and Christmas tradition keep us away from worship this season.

TARGETING JESUS

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
4 December 2005

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 2

1. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3. And everyone went to his own town to register.
4. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7. and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10. 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.
11. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18. and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

-- there once was this single mother who had two young sons -- she was having a difficult time with them and they were getting in to all kinds of trouble -- one day, after they had been caught taking something that didn't belong to them, the mother went to talk to her pastor -- "Leave it to me," he said. "I'll make sure and put the fear of God in them and make sure they know that they need Jesus in their life"
-- so, on Sunday morning, the preacher started on one of those hellfire and brimstone sermons -- at one point, he turned and pointed his finger right at the oldest boy and shouted, "Do you know where Jesus is? Do you know where Jesus is?" -- the oldest boy jumped up from the pew and took off running for the back of the church with his little brother hot on his heels
-- when they made it outside the church, the older brother turned to his little brother and said, "We're in trouble now." His brother said, "What do you mean?" -- the older brother said, "Jesus is missing and they think we did it."

-- now I know that you might have heard this little joke before, but I wanted to use it to introduce the message for this morning -- if you have been following the media or have been out shopping in the past couple of weeks, you might be thinking to yourself that Jesus is missing from Christmas in America
-- just the other day I was flipping through on the t.v. and stopped on Fox News -- Hannity and Colmes had an evangelical Christian on debating a representative from the ACLU about Lowes -- they were reporting that Lowes was not selling "Christmas" trees this year but were instead selling "holiday" trees
-- we heard the same thing just a few weeks ago about Walmart when the news broke that the employees there had been instructed to wish customers "Happy Holidays" instead of the usual "Merry Christmas"
-- it seems like Lowes and Walmart and a lot of the larger department stores have looked at the religious and ethnic diversity in our country and are going to extremes to not offend anyone of another religion by promoting Christmas in their stores
-- just last year we saw the same thing with Target, when Target refused to allow the Salvation Army kettles and bellringers collect donations outside their stores
-- that leaves a lot of us who go out shopping this time of year asking the same question that the preacher asked those little boys, "Do you know where Jesus is?" -- He seems to be missing and is no where in sight even though this is the time of the year that we celebrate His birth

-- however, this should not really come as a surprise to us -- in the familiar passage that I opened with, we read Luke's account of the first Christmas -- according to Luke, when Mary and Joseph went to the town of Bethlehem to register in Caesar's census, they couldn't find any place to stay -- and so Jesus was born, probably in a stable, and was laid in a manger because there wasn't any room for them in the inn
-- let me ask you a question: Have we reached the point where there's just not room for Jesus in America, either? -- Are we so concerned with multiculturalism and pluralism that we've left Christ out of Christmas?
-- the answer is an emphatic, "No!" -- you can't keep Christ out of Christmas any more than you can keep Christ out of this world -- just because there was no room for Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem that night, it didn't keep God from leaving His throne and being born as a baby in a manger -- God is sovereign and His plans and His purposes and His will will come to pass, whether we choose to recognize it or not
-- in John 1:10-12, we read, "He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, and His own did not receive Him. Yet, to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
-- in other words, Lowes and Walmart and Target and all the other stores and all the media giants can try to exclude Christ from Christmas -- they can try to change the name and nature of the holiday -- they can take the words, "under God" from our pledge -- but they can't remove the presence of the living God from our midst -- He comes to those who receive Him -- He comes to those who believe in His name -- He comes to those He calls His children

-- we read in this passage that there was no room for Christ's family in the inn in Bethlehem that night -- maybe they were all asleep and didn't recognize the Christ child when He came -- maybe they just wouldn't receive Him as their Lord -- maybe they just wouldn't make room in their hearts for Him
-- and so we read that God went to those who would receive Him and recognize Him -- He sent His angels to the shepherds who were out in the fields that night -- and the angels announced the birth of the Savior to those who would believe and who would act on what they had been told
-- look back at verse 8

8. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10. 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.
11. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

-- here we see a perfect picture of the purpose of the Advent season -- as you know, Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts and get ready for the coming of Christ -- the angels in this passage come and prepare the hearts of the shepherds to receive their Savior by telling them what He will look like and where they will find Him -- they share with them the good news that Christ has been born in Bethlehem
-- and look what the shepherds did -- look at verse 15

15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18. and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

-- they immediately got up and went to find Christ -- and when they had found Jesus lying in the manger -- they went out and they told others about Him

-- let me ask you a couple of questions: -- "Who is responsible for keeping Christ in Christmas? Who is responsible for telling the world about Jesus and why we are celebrating Christmas in our homes and in our hearts?"
-- since when does the church rely on Lowes and Walmart and Target to share the good news of the birth of Christ? -- in this passage, it is the shepherds who are going out and telling everyone they meet about the birth of the Christ child -- it is the shepherds -- those who have heard and believed in the good news of Christ -- who are going out and telling others about Jesus
-- no where in this passage do we read about the shepherds going on Hannity and Colmes and complaining because the innkeepers wouldn't let Jesus stay in the inn -- no where in this passage do we see the shepherds complaining because the inns aren't telling everyone "Merry Christmas"
-- we have a responsibility, as the body of Christ in this place, to share the good news of Christ with all that we come into contact with
-- 1 Peter 3:15 says, "...in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

-- for some time now, I have noticed a trend in American Christianity -- maybe it has to do with our pride -- maybe it has to do with our heritage of standing up for our individual rights -- but when corporations or the Government or anyone else tries to remove references to Christianity, we get all up in arms over it
-- we're seeing it now with Christmas -- and the church in America, by and large, is spending all its time and effort to fight Lowes and Walmart and Target trying to get them to say "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays"
-- we see it when the ACLU and other groups try to remove nativity scenes from Christmas parades and Christmas displays
-- we saw it with the ten commandments issues that have been a hot topic in our country over the past several years -- Christian groups fighting to keep public displays of the ten commandments in courthouses and in schools and in other buildings
-- you know, I don't think it's a bad thing to stand up for what you believe in -- but, it becomes a bad thing when that is all you become concerned about -- there were many Christians in the ten commandments debate that fought to keep the ten commandments displayed publicly while not keeping them in their heart -- and there's a lot of Christians who are protesting Lowes and Walmart for not saying "Merry Christmas" to customers when they've never even shared their faith with another person
-- 1 Peter 3:15 says that we should be prepared to tell people, with gentleness and respect, the reason why we have hope in our hearts -- maybe we should quit worrying so much about what Lowes and Walmart are or are not doing and worry more about sharing the good news of Christ with others this year

-- this controversy reminds me of the story of the son who went off to college -- his father was very concerned that when his son got under the influence of the liberal college professors that he would lose his faith in God and in God's Word -- so he pleaded with his son, "Son, don't let them take your faith away -- don't let them take the Bible from you -- at the very least, don't let them take the Gospel of John from you"
-- so the son went off to college, and after four years, he returned -- his father greeted him and said, "Son, how is your faith? -- do you still trust in God? -- do you still believe in the Gospel of John?" -- the son looked at him and said, "What are you talking about? There is no such thing as the Gospel of John"
-- so his father ran and got his Bible off the shelf and opened it up -- he looked, but the Book of John wasn't in there -- he looked at the table of contents, and it was listed, but when he turned over to it, it was missing -- He looked up at his son in confusion and said, "What happened to John?" -- the son said, "I cut it out of your Bible on the day I left for college four years ago. What is worse: losing John because your faith was challenged or losing it through neglect?"
-- what is worse -- having Lowes sell "holiday" trees and Walmart say "Happy Holidays" or watching a world of sinners go to hell because we are too concerned with being offended to tell them about the hope of Christ in our heart?

-- we cannot blame others for our own disobedience in sharing the message of Christ at Christmas -- it is our responsibility to go forth, just like the shepherds did so many years ago, and spread the word about Jesus to all we meet
-- it is our mission -- it is our purpose -- it is our calling as a church and as individual Christians
-- Christ told us in Matthew 28:19-20 to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you"
-- at Christmas, one of the songs that we like to sing is, "Go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born"
-- we need to use this opportunity -- we need to use this season -- as a time to share Jesus with a watching world -- when the world looks at our churches, they need to see our hope and our peace and our love -- not our protests and our complaints
-- take some time this week to share with someone the good news of Christ -- tell them about the Savior who died on the cross to take their sins away -- tell them about the resurrection of Jesus on the third day -- tell them about the promise of eternal life with Christ -- tell them more than just "Merry Christmas" -- tell them the story of Jesus
-- let us pray

HOPE

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
27 November 2005


I. Introduction-- turn in Bibles to Col 1:21-29

21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24. Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness--
26. the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
27. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
29. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

-- have you ever been in a hopeless situation? -- have you ever faced a situation in your life where you looked around and saw no way out? -- I'm sure we all have -- right now, we have a lot of our brothers and sisters here in the southeast who are facing a situation after Hurricane Katrina that they regard as hopeless -- homes destroyed -- jobs lost -- all of their financial security gone in an instant -- there seems to be nothing they can do to make things right again in their lives
-- I can empathize with their situation -- as I have mentioned before, there was one time in my life when I suffered from clinical depression -- I had transferred down to the University of Florida and struggled there in that situation -- it was my first time away from home -- I was in a large school unprepared for the academic load -- trying to work full-time to help pay my way -- and I just didn't do well down there -- for the first time in my life, I was failing in school and overwhelmed with life -- I dropped out of school and came home in failure -- and then the depression hit
-- those were dark days -- I remember feeling like things would never get better -- like I was in a dark place with no light in sight -- like there was no hope
-- maybe you've never suffered from depression, but you can probably identify with this feeling of hopelessness -- in our lives, we sometimes go through storms that test our perserverance and that test our faith -- we have problems in our home lives -- in our work lives -- in our spiritual lives -- and we find ourselves in situations that seem without hope -- in situations where we cannot imagine that we will ever be all right again

-- hopelessness can come about in many different ways:
1) it can be caused internally -- it can come from within us -- caused by depression or other factors that cause us to lose hope in our lives
2) it can be caused by external conditions -- caused by people and circumstances outside of ourselves that cause us to lose hope -- maybe we have difficulties in our marriages -- maybe we have financial problems -- family stresses -- all of those pressures and storms of life that come in and lead us into situations that go from bad to worse and that cause us to lose all hope in the future
-- when I think about hopeless situations caused by external conditions, I think of the story of Job in the Old Testament -- where in a single instance he lost his way of life -- his children -- his home -- and his health -- also, I think of those affected by all of the natural disasters that we have had in our world this year -- the hurricanes and the tornados and the earthquakes and the tsunami
-- sometimes our governments promote doctrines that can lead to a feeling of hopelessness -- for instance, in the communist nations, these governments promoted the group over the individual and, as a result, they destroyed the hope of individuals and of families for better lives in the future -- everything was for the good of the nation and a lot of people and families were forced into poverty and poor jobs with no hope for the future
-- this loss of hope -- this feeling of hopelessness by those who lived in these countries -- was intentional -- because it forced the citizens of these countries to depend on the government to survive
3) the third source of hopelessness is spiritual -- in this passage in Colossians, verse 21 describes a time when all of us seemed to be without hope

21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

-- the Bible says that all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God -- as a result, we were all alienated from God -- separated from Him by our sin -- sentenced to eternal death through our own evil behaviors

-- on Martha Stewart's show, she always comes up with something new to help celebrate the holidays or to make your home a better place -- and after she shows it to you, she says, "and that's a good thing" -- well, living without hope is not a good thing -- it means that there is nothing to celebrate -- it means that there is no rescue -- no relief -- no promise of better days or better ways -- hopelessness means that you are in a darkness in which no light will ever shine -- you are on a journey that will never end -- hopelessness means that nothing will -- or can -- change in your life or in your circumstances -- hopelessness means that all is lost

II. Advent
-- however, the message of the Bible is that you are never in a place of true hopelessness -- no matter how dark the days -- no matter how bad the situation -- no matter the shape of your soul or the seriousness of your sins, hope shines brightly -- especially at this time of the year
-- today we begin the season of Advent -- the time of preparation for Christmas -- Advent is a season that is characterized by hope -- as Romans 8:25 says, hope is the eager anticipation -- the eager waiting -- for something that has not yet happened but that will come to pass to change our situation -- to change our circumstances -- to change our lives
-- two thousand years ago, the Jewish nation lived in bondage to the Romans in their own country -- With their way of life oppressed and dominated by foreigners, they longed for the coming of the Messiah -- the One who God promised would come and restore Israel to its glory and who would rule over the nation forever -- the One who would bring healing and restoration and salvation to both Israel and the world
-- however, for over 400 years, God had been silent and had not spoken to the Israelites -- His prophets were silent -- and for hundreds of years the nation of Israel had been under the rule of foreigners -- first Greeks and now Romans -- two thousand years ago, the Israelites couldn't see how anything would change in the near future
-- still, in the middle of what seemed to be a hopeless situation, they waited with expection -- they lived with the hope that this year would be the year that the Messiah would come and restore Israel -- they waited for the fulfillment of the promise that their God had made to them -- that Messiah would come
-- this is what the season of Advent is all about -- waiting expectantly -- hoping -- anticipating -- for God's promises to come to pass
-- and even though most of the Jews did not recognize Him when He came, at Christmas we recognize and celebrate the fact that our Savior -- the Messiah -- did come into the world as promised over 2000 years ago -- because of this, we know that everything else that God has promised will come to pass -- because of this, we can have faith and trust in God's word and in all His promises and have hope in the midst of what seems like hopeless situations in our own lives
-- one of the greatest books in Christianity is an allegory written by John Bunyan called "The Pilgrim's Progress" -- during his journey to the celestial city, the main character in the story -- Christian -- visits the house of Interpreter -- while he is there he sees a wall against which a fire blazes brightly -- there is a man standing near the wall, pouring water on the flames, but no matter how much water he pours on the fire, the fire does not go out -- instead, the fire burns higher and hotter and grows bigger and bigger
-- Christian watches for a little while trying to understand what was going on -- suddenly it hits him -- the flames represent hope and the man who is pouring water on the fire represents all those things in our life and all those situations in our life that try to take away all of our hope -- a marriage starts to fail, a bucket of water is thrown on the fire -- a wayward child, another bucket of water -- a sin that alienates us from God, more water -- but, yet, the fire doesn't go out -- and not only does it not go out, it burns brighter and bigger
-- you see, on the other side of the wall there is another man -- and at the same time the first man is pouring water on the fire, this man is pouring oil onto the flames, causing the fire to roar and blaze with increasing power
-- no matter how much water is thrown on the fire -- no matter how the storms of life try to dampen our spirits and wash away hope -- they never can succeed because of the man pouring oil on the fire -- because of Jesus Christ, who pours into our lives reconciliation with the Father, the forgiveness of sin, the promise of eternal life, and His very own Spirit

-- the situation descibed in verse 21 seemed like a hopeless situation -- before we were saved, we were alienated from God -- enemies of Him in our own minds because of our evil behavior -- sentenced to death because of our unrighteous acts
-- yet, in the midst of that hopeless situation, hope came alive -- the Savior was born in a manger on Christmas morning two thousand years ago and died on a cross for our sins -- in that atoning act on the cross, Jesus poured oil onto the fire and fanned into flames the hope that lay hidden deep within us

III. Hope in Christ
-- in 1 Peter 1:3 we read that through His death and resurrection, Christ gave us new birth into a living hope
-- what does it mean to have a living hope in Christ?
-- a living hope in Christ is based on God and on His grace -- everything in the Christian life -- from salvation to growing in faith to serving Jesus -- has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Him -- a living hope in Christ means that we live life based on the promises that God has given us in Christ -- with the expectation that they will come to pass as He promised

-- our hope, first, is in salvation and eternal life with Christ -- look again at verse 22
22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

-- Paul tells us here that it is through Christ we have been reconciled with God and been made holy in His sight -- because of His death on the cross, we are without blemish and free from accusation -- we have received salvation and eternal life

-- Romans 3:22-25 says that "righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."--
-- it is our faith in Christ's atoning death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead on the third day that gives us hope -- that causes us to expectantly wait -- for the promised salvation and eternal life in Christ that is to come
-- all we have to do is to recognize our need for a Savior and ask Jesus to forgive us for our sins and to accept, through faith, His death on the cross in our place and His resurrection from the dead, and we will step into this hope of eternal life through Him

-- secondly, with a living hope we hope in sanctification -- in growing in faith in Christ -- we believe that we have been indwelt with the very presence of Christ -- the Holy Spirit -- who leads us and guides us down the path of holiness and righteousness -- that is why Paul writes in verse 23 that we shoudl continue in our faith -- established and firm -- not moved from the hope held out in the gospel
-- through the Holy Spirit we grow in our faith and in our trust in the ability of Christ to meet all of our needs -- to be our strength in times of trial and tribulations -- to bring hope in the midst of seeminlgy hopeless situations
-- through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our life we come to truly trust and believe that in Christ we can do all things -- that in Christ we are more than conquerors -- that through Him, there is no situation that cannot be redeemed and there is no life that cannot be touched for His glory
-- in other words, we acknowledge that we might occasionally face storms in our lives -- we may occasionally find ourselves tossed about on the waves of despair -- but our faith is in Christ and we hope -- we wait expectantly -- for His deliverance in our lives

-- finally, with a living hope we hope in the promise of serving Jesus here on earth -- look back at vs. 28

28. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
29. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

-- Paul tells us that we are called to proclaim the gospel of Christ, admonishing and teaching everyone so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ
-- this means two things -- this means that we serve Jesus through evangelism -- by telling others of the good news of Christ -- by telling them of the hope that we have of eternal life through Jesus' death and resurrection and how they can have it in their own lives
-- and it also means that we demonstrate the grace of Christ to others through our actions -- as it says in 1 Peter 4:10, we administer -- we demonstrate God's grace in various forms by serving our neighbors -- what better way to proclaim the gospel of Christ than by being the hands and feet of Christ in your community? -- what better way to proclaim the gospel of Christ than by demonstrating God's love by meeting the physical needs of those around you?
-- with a living hope, we go forth to serve Christ expecting Him to work through us -- we go forth with the knowledge that there is nothing that we cannot do with Christ's power -- that there is no one that we cannot touch -- that there are no situations that we cannot work through -- hope and faith give us the ability to demonstrate the love and the grace of God to hopeless people all around us

IV. Closing
-- in the paraphrase, The Message, we read the following in 1 Cor 1:9, "God, who got you started on this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of His Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that."
-- the message of Advent is that hope in Christ overcomes all -- the message of Advent is that God's promises will always come to pass -- the message of Advent is that we can have hope in seemingly hopeless situations because our Messiah has come -- as long as He is present, there is reason for hope -- hope for salvation and eternal life -- hope for sanctification -- and hope for service in His name
-- let us pray

ANNE RICE AND THE STORY OF THE BOY, JESUS

Years ago, I was an avid Anne Rice reader, although her works tended to be rather dark and violent and definitely without a Christian world-view. Knowing her writing style and her background in the occult/supernatural, I was curious about her most recent novel on the life of Jesus as a child. I have yet to read this novel, but I have read some reviews of it and an interview with Rice herself. Evidently, she was recently converted to Christianity and is now a practicing Catholic.

Here is an excellent review written by Ben Witherington on the novel. I will post my own review after I have read the novel.

If you plan on reading this novel by Rice or any other fictional novel, let me be sure and remind you that they are FICTION. They may be based on historical facts, but they are fictional accounts and may have taken liberties with the truth, both historically and theologically.

For instance, the bestseller, "The Davinci Code," is an excellent case where the author took a few scattered historical truths and a couple of rumors and myths and blended them into a compelling mystery story that is absolutely incorrect in its theological presentation. I actually had some friends come to me after the book was published saying that they believed everything in the book and wanting to know where to get these "correct" gospels the book mentioned and wanted to know why the church had suppressed the truth. Let's make sure that fiction stays fiction and is enjoyed as such without taking it in a sense that the author never (I hope) intended. As always, be like the Bereans and test everything against the Word.

CONFESSIONS AND CONFUSION

I have a confession to make. For those who have been reading this blog for some time, this probably will not be much of a shock. I am one of those ultra-conservative Christians who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, including the Book of Revelation. That means that I also believe in the concept of the rapture as put forth in the Left Behind books written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.

Now, that said, I have no problem with those who think differently from me. As best I can tell, eschatological issues are not a matter of salvation. They are a matter of interpretation. If you choose to believe in the rapture, great. If you choose not to believe in the rapture, fine with me. In my opinion, this is an issue that is not an eternal life or eternal damnation issue. Same with creationism/intelligent design and evolution. Same with many, many other issues. Pick a side, debate your side, support your side through biblical arguments, but walk home hand-in-hand as Christians. There is room in the body of Christ for disagreement over ancillary issues (recognizing, of course, the required foundation of faith in Christ's atoning work for the forgiveness of our sin).

Having this mind-set, I have been confused and saddened by some of the attacks I have seen regarding the concept of the rapture. There appears to be a growing faction of Christians who simply cannot tolerate anyone who holds to this concept. They denigrate this position and castigate adherents in writings and in sermons, some even seeming to make the case that those who hold to this concept are not really Christians.

Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene that the church would be one as He and the Father were One. He prayed that when the world would look at us, they would see us united under His Lordship and would be drawn to Him through us. Vitrolic infightings over ancillary issues not related to salvation do not unite us. They divide us and cause a watching world to see a divided church. Why can't we disagree on ancillary theological issues but remain brothers and sisters in Christ? Why can't we tolerate those who think differently from us? Are we so narrowly defined that we can't even relate with others of different denominations or even with different beliefs within our own denomination?

In all of these arguments, there appears to be common ground. For instance, a Christian holds that God created life. Whether He did it during a literal 6-day period or whether it was through the process of evolution doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. I don't think we're going to have to answer a quiz when we die to see if we picked the right side on evolution or creationism in order to get into heaven.

In the same vein, whether you believe in the rapture or not, we still all hold to the belief that Jesus is coming again as He states in Scripture. If one day I hear trumpets and the heavens roll back as a scroll and Jesus returns in all His glory, I'm not going to cry because the rapture didn't take place like I believed. I'm going to rejoice in His return. And, I don't think I will be judged by Christ for believing in something that was ancillary to the big issues.

I find clarity in the wisdom of song-writers. Clay Crosse once had a contemporary Christian song that said, "it all comes down to a Man dying on a cross for our sins." Waylon Jennings once sang, "maybe it's time that we get back to the basics of love." Truer words were never spoken (or sung). I think it's time we stopped fighting about ancillary issues, started having amiable disagreements, and came together as one to draw a watching world to the One who is important. We have good news to share. Let's not let the message get drowned out in the midst of our disagreements.

KEEPING THE FLAMES LIT

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
13 November 2005

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Rev 2:1-7

1. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

-- in the beginning of the book by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lucy Pevensie opens the door of a magical wardrobe and enters into the magical land of Narnia -- it happened in this way
-- while exploring the professor's house with her brothers and sister, Lucy discovers a room with nothing in it but a large wardrobe -- since she loves the feel of fur against her skin, she climbs into the wardrobe to let the coats and the cloaks brush against her
-- as she climbs into the wardrobe and makes her way through the coats and the cloaks that hang there, she soon discovers that she was no longer in a wardrobe -- you see, as she searched for the back of the wardrobe, she found that she was standing in the middle of a wood at night-time with snow under her feet and snowflakes falling through the air -- and far ahead -- much farther than where the back of the wardrobe ought to have been, she saw a light
-- as she entered into the land of Narnia and made her way through the forest in the snow towards the light, she soon found that the source of the light was a lamp-post -- as the story of Narnia and the Pevensie children begins, Lewis leaves us with this sentence concerning Lucy's discovery -- "She stood looking at it, wondering why there was a lamp-post in the middle of a wood and wondering what to do next."

II. The Church at Ephesus
-- now, you might be sitting there wondering what a children's book has to do with this passage from the Book of Revelation, but it has everything to do with it
-- you see, in this passage in Revelation we read Jesus' message to the church at Ephesus -- the church at Ephesus was an extraordinary church in an extraordinary place
-- the city of Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the Mediterranean world at the time this letter was written -- it boasted a population of over 250,000 people and was a center of trade for the Roman Empire -- second only to Rome in importance in both trade and political influence -- but, more importantly, Ephesus was the center for the religion of the worship of Diana -- it was there that the temple of Diana was built -- one of the seven wonders of the ancient world -- the largest Greek temple ever constructed -- and it was there that all of her worshipers gathered
-- and it was there -- in the midst of this important city -- in the midst of the trade and the politics and the center of pagan worship -- that the church of Ephesus not only existed but thrived -- reaching people for the Kingdom of God and leading pagans from the darkness into the light
-- the Apostle Paul spent more time living and teaching in Ephesus than in any other church he visited -- and both Timothy and the Apostle John pastored the church at various times during its history -- and the fruit borne by these great men of God was evident
-- it was a strong church thriving in very difficult circumstances -- that is why Jesus commended the church in verses 2-3, saying that He knew of their deeds -- of their hard work -- of their perseverance -- the church at Ephesus did not tolerate wicked men or wicked doctrines in their midst -- and they had perservered and endured hardships in the name of Christ without growing weary
-- but, this church had a problem -- in verse 4 Jesus rebukes the church -- look with me as we read again verses 4-5

4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

-- in the midst of their struggles -- in the midst of their hardships -- this church took a wrong turn -- they didn't forget their first love -- they didn't lose their first love -- Jesus says that they had forsaken their first love -- they chose to turn away from the love upon which the church had been established and they chose to press on in their own strength and in their own power -- oh, they still lived with Christ -- they still claimed the name of Christ -- they just didn't love Him like they used to
-- think about it this way -- the first love that Jesus describes here is like the love of a newly married couple -- in fact, the Bible describes our relationship with God in just this way -- in Jeremiah 2:2, God says, "I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert" -- when you are in the midst of a new relationship, your love is new -- alive -- passionate -- powerful -- your life revolves around your partner -- you want to be where they are and you follow them where they lead -- together you become one heart and one soul -- they are your breath -- your food -- your very reason for living
-- but later, the pressures of life comes in and the honeymoon ends -- I like the way Steven Lawson describes it -- he says, "The children come. The career takes off. The business expands. The activities increase. The stresses multiply. And suddenly two people wake up complete strangers."
-- this is what has happened to the church at Ephesus -- they were still living with Christ -- still serving Christ -- they were still coming to church -- they were still believing all the right things and teaching all the right things -- they just were not loving Christ as they first had -- their relationship had become routine -- they were just not in love with Him anymore
-- this would be the same as a husband coming to his wife and saying, "you know, I just don't love you anymore, but I don't want to leave you with the kids alone -- so, I'll stay here -- I'll help you take care of the kids -- I'll provide for you and for our family -- we'll still do things together -- we'll still sit together and sleep together and go out in public together -- we'll do all the things that a married couple does -- but, I am just not going to love you like I used to" -- would that be good enough for you? -- would that be the type of relationship you would want for a lifetime?
-- probably not -- and that's exactly what Christ was saying in this passage -- so, He warned the church at Ephesus to repent of their sins -- to come back to the first love that they had forsaken -- or else, He warned, He would remove their lampstand from its place
-- which brings us back to the story of Narnia and of Lucy standing next to a lamp-post in the middle of a forest, wondering why it was there and what she should do next

III. Narnia and Ephesus
-- C.S. Lewis was a master of the English language, and there is nothing in his books on Narnia that is not there for a reason -- while not a true allegory, his books are filled with symbols of our Christian faith, most famously Aslan the lion as symbolic of Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah
-- after studying this passage in Revelation and recently reading the Chronicles of Narnia, I believe that Lewis put the lamp-post in the middle of the forest to symbolize the condition that existed in the church at Ephesus when Jesus sent this message to them
-- you see, when Lucy stumbles through the wardrobe and into the land of Narnia, the land has been overtaken by the evil White Witch and is gripped in the hand of deadly winter year-round -- there is not spring -- there is no new life -- and the sun shines weakly -- but, yet, in the middle of this winter wasteland, Lucy is drawn to a light -- the lamp-post -- that is shining brightly in the gloom brought on by the power of the White Witch
-- the lamp-post in the Chronicles of Narnia represents exactly what the lampstand in this passage represents -- the very presence of the living God and the power of the Holy Spirit in our midst -- the light of the lamp-post shining in the winter wilderness told the citizens of Narnia that Aslan had not forgotten them -- that He was still with them -- and that He would one day redeem them from the evil that gripped them
-- for the nation of Israel and for the people of God, the lampstand had special significance
-- in the temple -- in the holy place -- there were only three items of significance -- there was the table of the showbread, there was the altar of incense, and there was the holy lampstand
-- the lampstand was the only source of light in the holy place and it was kept burning continuously by the priests -- it signified to the nation of Israel the presence of God with them and it provided light and hope to them as they lived in the midst of dark pagan lands
-- in the same way, the lampstand of God in the church at Ephesus represented the presence of God with them -- it represented the blessing of God in their lives -- living in the middle of a pagan land, it was a beacon of light that illuminated their path -- it gave them comfort and hope in the midst of all their trials and their tribulations -- it signified the love that God had for them and its light reflected the quality of their relationship with God
-- as long as the lampstand was burning, there was hope -- as long as the lampstand was burning, there was life -- as long as the lampstand was burning, there was God

IV. The Loss of the Lampstand
-- but the church at Ephesus had chosen to turn away from the light of God to the darkness around -- they had chosen to turn away from the presence of God and to depend on their own strength and their own power -- and Jesus warned them that if they did not repent -- if they did not turn back tothe light and to living with the presence and power of God in their lives -- then He would remove His lampstand -- He would remove His presence from them -- and leave them to their own devices
-- in the book of Romans, we see a similar situation -- in Chapter 1, Paul tells us about the godlessness and the wickedness of all those who had turned away from the light of God given to them -- who had turned away from the truth that God had put in their hearts -- and, as a result, it says that God "gave them over" to the sinful desires of their hearts and His wrath was poured out on them -- in other words, God removed His lampstand -- His blessing and His protection -- from their lives and they suffered from their own actions
-- for a church or an individual to have their lampstand removed is a horrific event -- we can argue and debate about "once saved, always saved" and whether you can fall from grace or not -- we can argue and debate about correct doctrine and about which denomination or which group within a denomination has it right -- we can argue and debate about the meaning of church membership and church life
-- we can correctly interpret the Word of God and apply its doctrines in our life -- we can have hundreds of people joining our churches on an annual basis -- we can send money to missionaries and pay all our apportionments on time every year -- but if we have turned from our first love -- if we have forsaken the very reason we exist -- then we stand in danger of having the lampstand of God removed from our midst
-- and, if that happens, it won't matter whether our doctrines are right or not -- because we will cease to exist -- we will be nothing and we will gain nothing except the wrath of God
-- listen as I read 1 Corithians 13:1-3, which speaks on this same subject

1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

-- forsaking your first love -- turning away from the love of God and trying to make a life in our own strength and in our own power -- leads to destruction
-- God is love and to have God in our life, we must have love as well -- love for God and love for our neighbor

V. Closing

-- I want you to take a moment now and search your heart and answer these questions, "How are you doing? -- How is our church doing? -- How is our denomination doing?" -- is our lampstand in its place? -- or have we forsaken our first love and seen God remove His presence from our midst?
-- Nancy Lee DeMoss onced asked a question that has continued to concern me as I look at our churches in America today -- she asked, "If God was to remove His Spirit -- [in other words -- if God was to remove His lampstand] -- from our churches, would we even know?" -- If God was to remove His Spirit from our churches, how many of our programs would continue without missing a beat? -- how much of what we are attempting in our churches today is devoid of the presence and power of God -- how much is devoid of the love of God?
-- these are questions that we need to ask and answer -- did you know that every year, hundreds and thousands of churches are closing their doors -- never to open them again?
-- did you know that in our own denomination, not only have we been experiencing membership declines for 40 years, but we have been closing the doors of churches all over this nation? -- I did an internet search for "Methodist Church Closings" yesterday, and had over 50,000 hits -- granted, some of them were for weather-related closings, but a great number of them were of local congregations being closed and their churches being locked up forever

-- why is this? -- could it be that the lampstands of our churches are being removed as we turn away from the love and the presence of God?
-- it is very possible for us to be like the church of Ephesus -- to rightly teach the truth -- to hold to all the right doctrines -- but to try to live it under our own power -- to have a form of religion that denies the power of God
-- we need to heed the words of Jesus in this passage and keep our lampstands lit -- we need to return to our first love and fan our smoldering flames into raging fires of love for God and for our neighbors

-- the good news is that our God is long-suffering and faithful -- if there is the slightest flicker of light, God will leave our lampstand in place, charging us to return to Him and to rekindle its flame -- where God is, there is love -- where God is, there is hope -- where God is, churches that have forsaken their first love can come home again

-- I want to close now with atrue story of just such a situation -- in Brie, Belgium, there once stood a vibrant Catholic church with a convent and a school -- during the Nazi occupation in World War II, the church was closed -- and, even after the war ended and the Nazis left, the church remained closed except for the few nuns who remained to take care of the buildings
-- across the street from the church lived an American military family serving in Belgium -- when their daughter was born, they went to the church to have their daughter baptized, but the nuns at first refused -- it had been too long -- there was no one left to carry on the faith -- the church was closed
-- but, the family insisted, and their daughter was baptized and in that moment, the light of God's lampstand burst into flame -- the love of God and the presence of God returned -- and as the news of the first baptism in that church since World War II spread, the flames of God's presence went out through that community -- reigniting in the people there a passion for God and a passion for God's work
-- today, that church is a vibrant part of the body of Christ here on earth -- touching hearts and lives through the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit
-- a lampstand, once in danger of being removed forever, shines brightly today in a Catholic Church in Brie, Belgium

-- Lucy Pevensie found herself in the middle of a wood standing next to a lamp-post wondering what it was there for and what she should do next
-- this morning, we find ourselves standing next to the lampstand of God -- its flame may be flickering -- some may thing it is going out -- but, unlike Lucy, we know why it is there and we know what we should do to keep it lit -- the final question before you today is, "Will you do what is necessary to keep the lampstand of God in its place in your life and in this church?"
-- let us pray