More Than Bread

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The cosmic Christmas was a military strike to the forces of evil. But those forces still operate, which is why, when it comes to the hard stuff that the church of Smyrna was going through Jesus peels back the curtain, in essence to tell them that as bad as things are, they are worse than you think. But he goes on to say, that they are also better than you can imagine! Suffering is coming, but the best is yet to come. So don't be fearful, be faithful!

And how can we be faithful in fearful times? By realizing that Jesus knows, Jesus wins, and Jesus gives. I'll unpack that a bit more in this episode!

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"Do not be afraid." That's the challenge giving to the church at Smyrna, and it was also a pretty common greeting that first Christmas. In Luke 1 – It was the angels greeting first to Zechariah in the temple and then to Mary when the angel brought this message of a baby and a virgin birth. "Don’t be afraid." In Joseph’s dream in Matthew 1, Joseph was told, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife.” In Luke 2, the shepherds were terrified and the angel said, “Don’t be afraid.” In fact, the most common command in the Bible is not "Don't Lie or Steal, Covet or Kill."  It isn't "Love One Another" that might be the most important but not the most common. 
The most common command in the Bible is Fear NOT!   Lloyd Ogilvie notes that there are 366 fear not verses in the Bible.

This episode and the next, we'll talk a bit about fear and I'll hopefully encourage you with the hopeful words, "Don't be afraid!"

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The Church of Ephesus was an amazing church! By every standard that we judge churches by today, it was the cream of the crop. But Jesus said something's missing. I have this against you; you have neglected, abandoned, drifted away  from, become indifferent to your first love. Passion for the person of Jesus had been diverted into passion for the projects of Jesus. Activity substituted for adoration. Hard work left no time for heart-work. But Jesus is looking for first-love followers. First in time, first in rank, before the church can be an army for the
Kingdom, it must be a bride for the King.  

So here's his question, "Have you left your first love?"

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In this episode I'll ask you this question, "Do you believe God misses you?" I think we have this idea that God is love so God has to love us...because he's God.  But we aren't so sure He likes us; not so sure He misses us, when we are gone. But there is something about love that always desires to be with.  The Bible is not merely a moral instructionl book or a spiritual guidebook left behind by God for those who might want to make the trip up to Him. The Bible is also a storybook telling us about this God who came down to us. That’s Christmas. And no matter how difficult our story gets, even when life and hardship threaten to overwhelm you, He is with you, because He wants to be. He loves you.

So let me say it again, "Don't miss His heart!"

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My teaching series at Calvary is called, "One Christmas." It's all about getting Christmas right, if we only had one Christmas left before we meet the hero of Christmas face to face, how would we shape this Christmas?

If Christmas is the love story of God, how do we respond? How can we practically and tangibly love Jesus this Christmas? That's what this episode is all about!

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In this episode we take a break from Revelation, but still connecting to our Christmas prayer, "Come Lord Jesus." Jesus is the something more of Christmas. He is our Christmas treasure. He is the more our hearts long for. When it comes to the continuing story of Christmas...Jesus is written all over the pages of the book. It's so easy to focus on all the other elements. Shepherds and Wisemen and angels oh my. Mangers and Santa and Elves oh my. But nothing matters more than Jesus. Do we treasure him? Do we hold him in our hearts?

Jesus is the something more of Christmas! 

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I think a primary Christmas message of the book of Revelation is that Jesus is no longer a baby in a manger. In fact, Jesus is King of all the kings and presidents, every prime minister, tribal war chief or military tyrant globally. When Jesus appeared to his disciples post-resurrection, in triumph he proclaimed, "All authority and power has been given to me." And in his own timing, by his own strategies, he is guiding the world to the fulfillment of his purposes. What if this Christmas we let John's vision of Christ flush out our fear and lay waste to our
anxiety. 

He's no longer a baby and I'm tell you whatever concerns you, He's got it. He's no longer a baby, He's got it. He's got you. He's able!

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Christmas is nothing more than a shopping spree, if there isn't something more to come. Right? We celebrate the first waiting in hopes of a second coming? And in our world of chaos, confusion, and conflict, we need to be reminded that God’s not done. Come Lord Jesus! The story didn't end with a baby in a manger. It didn't even end with an empty tomb. God is still writing His story of redemption, and
there's more to come. Christmas is not just about what God has
done, but what He's doing and will do. So come Lord Jesus!

The story that began in Bethlehem is far from over. The babe wrapped in swaddling clothes is the same cosmic King who will one day return, wrapped in glorious splendor. The humble carpenter from Nazareth is the cosmic Christ who will make all things new. There's more to come, but we could easily ask, "What's taking Him so long?" This episode will provide at least part of the answer.

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When I ponder Christmas, and this story that Jesus told in Matthew 25, well let me turn it a bit and say this first of all. If you find yourself in need, if you find yourself in "least of these" kind of way, Jesus is so close. This story is a Christmas word of hope to every person listening who feels helpless, hopeless or homeless.  Jesus said, whenever you serve the least of these, you served me.  If you find yourself today in a least of these kind of way, Jesus is so close.  He identifies with you.  He sees you. He knows you. He loves you.

But this story is also a challenge for all of us, even those of us who find ourselves in a "least of these" kind of way, to look for Jesus in face of those around us who are broken and in need. In fact I might say it like this, "Your neighbor in need might be the only Jesus you see this Christmas." 

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Lee Stroebel shares a Christmas story that ends with this summary. 

And at that moment, something inside of me wanted desperately to know this Jesus because, in a sense, I saw him in Perfecta and her granddaughters.  They had peace despite poverty, while I had anxiety despite plenty; they knew the joy of generosity, while I only knew the loneliness of ambition; they looked heavenward for hope, while I only looked out for myself; they experienced the wonder of the spiritual, while I was shackled to the shallowness of the material and something made me long for what they had. Or, more accurately, for the One they knew.

In this episode, I'll tell their story, so that we can add to our Christmas prayer, "Come Lord Jesus and give me a heart like Grandma Perfecta!"