Giving Thanks for Jesus!

Jesus Christ is coming! Get excited! Jesus is coming. Many generations waited for the news that Jesus Christ would be born. Prophets told us so much about our Messiah in our Holy Scriptures. The prophets have given us a lot of news about our coming Messiah who will be born in a few weeks. Do you realize how fortunate we are that we will be alive for the birth of Jesus Christ?

Imagine waiting for Jesus to be born! Generations have anticipated that the Messiah will be born. We are so blessed. Patience has never been one of my virtues. I am thankful that I don’t have to wait for Jesus to be born. We’ve lived our whole lives with the promise of Jesus Christ. The prophets foretold about Jesus to generations and now Jesus Christ will be born in a few days.

Jesus will be born in a manger in the city of David. He will be born of the Virgin Mary. Now, we can embrace the son of God and the son of Man as our Messiah. Will we get distracted by all of the Christmas lights, holiday shopping and even Christmas programs this year? Are we trying to find a gift that we can take to our Messiah or are we wondering what gift we will receive this year?

Jesus is the best present that we can hope for during our lifetime. This Advent Season is a time of preparation. Let us prepare our hearts and our minds for the reality that Jesus Christ is coming. He will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) He will be called Immanuel, “God with Us.” (Isaiah 7:14)

God has tried all kinds of things to reach us and to redeem us. Now, he is sending his only son, Jesus Christ, to walk this earth. Jesus will preach and teach us the mysteries of the gospel. Jesus will ask us to follow him and to worship him and to serve him. Some people will hear and see Jesus and yet not believe. Will we believe without seeing Jesus? Will we need to see signs, miracles, and wonders before we believe?

The news that Jesus Christ will be born is like the taste of the sweetest candy. I remember daydreaming about Atomic Fireballs, Red Hots, and big gum balls when I was about seven years old. The Atomic Fireballs were in a big jar at the general store in my grandmother’s hometown of St. George, Georgia. The counter had a whole line of jars with candy in a variety of colors.

We spent a lot of time thinking about the joy of the Atomic Fireball candy in our mouths. The candy was in clear wrappers so that the kids could see what we were missing. We spent a lot of time describing each jar and the amazing candy that was contained inside of each one. We talked about whether the Atomic Fireballs or the Red Hots were the hottest in your mouth. We talked about which gum could make the biggest bubbles or stay juicy the longest.

We were always talking about candy especially when we weren’t able to eat the Atomic Fireballs. We knew that one day we would be able to save up enough dimes and nickels to buy some of those Atomic Fireballs. We were so excited about something that was sweet and yet would be gone in a few minutes. I didn’t spend my summers daydreaming about the birth of Jesus Christ. Why didn’t I spend a little energy to prepare for the day that Jesus Christ would come into my life?

Can you believe that people used to daydream about the Messiah like I did about the candy? Many of the prophets would tell stories about the coming of the son of God. They would describe all of the wonderful things that Jesus would do when he came to this world. Each story told us more about Jesus Christ. Each story was like each piece of Atomic Fireball candy in one of the jars. We talked about how great the candy was when we couldn’t afford to buy any. We knew we had to save up the money to buy the candy. The people waiting for Jesus knew they had to wait until God was ready to give us his son.

God will FREELY give us his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a freely gift. We don’t have to save up our dimes, nickels, or even dollars to pay for the sweet taste of our Lord and Savior. We just have to go to Jesus. They tell us that a star will shine brightly in the night sky that will lead us to Jesus Christ when he is born. Will you come with me to see the Virgin Mary and the baby lying in a manger in swaddling clothes? What gifts can we bring?

King David was promised that Jesus Christ would be born from his family tree. In Isaiah 9:6-7, Jesus will be called “the mighty God, the everlasting Father and the heir to the throne of King David.” Abraham was told that Jesus would be one of his children’s children one day (Genesis 12:3). Jesus is coming to fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, Malachi, Zechariah, Daniel, Jeremiah and even Samuel. Even the scriptures in Psalm, Deuteronomy, Genesis, and Exodus tell part of the story of who Jesus will be and what he will do for us as our Messiah.

As Jesus lives of this earth he will fulfill these prophecies. He is the only one who will be able do all of things that the prophets foretold about the Son of God. Jesus Christ is coming. Jesus Christ wants to be part of our lives. Will we open hearts and open our minds to make room for Jesus this Advent Season?

The prophet Jeremiah explained in Jeremiah 23:1-2 the problems that are in the world today: “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. ² Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD.” God decided that it was necessary to give us Jesus Christ his only son because the world is so messed up.

In Jeremiah 23:3-4 God promises that he will gather the believers together: “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.”

Now, the next verses in Jeremiah 23:5-6 give us the promise of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah tells us “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.”

Jesus is our savior. It is through the birth and his death on the cross that we experience God’s grace and salvation. Our salvation is a free gift. Our salvation is a gift that is so much better than anything that we will find under the Christmas tree this year.

The scripture from Colossians 1:3-20 gives thanks that we have faith in Jesus Christ and that our love and hope is stored up in heaven. Let’s read the scripture from Colossians 1:3-7 (NIV) that is talking about you. “ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”

Jesus Christ is coming! The gospel is bearing fruit and growing in Franklin County, Virginia, and the whole world. The prayer in Colossians is that we truly understand God’s grace. God’s grace is shown in the birth of Jesus Christ. We are here to experience that birth once again this Christmas season. Don’t let the hectic pace of this season distract you from the knowledge of the true message of the gospel that Jesus Christ was born as a gift for our lives here on earth and our eternal lives with God in heaven.

It takes prayer to transform and to change us. Colossians 1:9-20 continues “⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ¹⁰ so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

“¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

We have a joy to share with the nations. Jesus Christ is coming not just for you and me, but for the whole world. It is up to us to spread the news that Jesus Christ is the true this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. We have so much to be thankful for this year. The gift of Jesus in just a few weeks is the ultimate gift that we are urged to share with as many people as possible. There are people in this world who need the faith, hope, and love that is the promise of the Christ child. The love of Jesus Christ can perform miracles in our lives and in lives that still needs to open the present that God gave to all of us if we just open the Bible and read the stories that promised that the Messiah would come to this world and redeem us from our sins. Jesus Christ is coming to you this year in just a few weeks. Prepare your hearts and your mind to embrace a child who will change this world for all of eternity. Amen!

Return Hate with Love

We are not born with hate in our hearts. We are born with love in our hearts. We are created by the love of Jesus Christ. We experience the love from a mother to her child. We learn about the warmth of a hug and the sweetness of a kiss as we grow. An infant is too busy eating and sleeping to learn about hate. Hate has to wait to get a foothold in a person’s life.

I saw Pastor Jason Bryant’s eight pound baby girl at the New Hope UMC yard sale yesterday. She is almost one month old. The infant knows that she is loved by her mother and father, but she doesn’t know that she is supposed to hate people because they worship in a different way or the color of their skin. She will have to learn about hate from TV, friends and even the internet.

God told Moses in Leviticus 19:17-18 (NIV) “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

It has been nine years since the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in New York on September 11, 2001. We learned that members of Al Qaeda took over the planes so that they could use them as missiles to inflict fear and terror into the hearts of Americans. They also wanted to hurt and kill as many people as possible. Most of all, they wanted to plant the seeds of hate.

The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia wrote this article today:

“Police sent reinforcements on Saturday to separate angry activists gathered outside the US church where Korans were to be burned, even though the church's controversial pastor called off the event.

Signs in red letters stating that "Islam is of the Devil" are still posted outside the Dove World Outreach Evangelical Church, but a large sign announcing that some 200 Korans would be set ablaze on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks was taken down.

After a back-and-forth lasting several days, the church's firebrand pastor, Terry Jones, said on Saturday his church will not burn the Korans. "We will definitely not burn the Koran, no," Jones, who was in New York, told NBC television. "Not today, not ever."

The mere threat of torching the Muslim holy book triggered riots and protests around the world - and attracted supporters and opponents to his tiny church in north-central Florida.”

The Bible wants us to love one another instead of spreading hate. 1 Peter 3:8-18 (NRSV) explains “8 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For "Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11 let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?”

“14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.”

How do we have unity of spirit with people that don’t understand that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World? God created all of us. God loves all of his children. God’s spirit and God’s love is available to all. We need to understand why people hate and have lost hope to the point that they are willing to commit suicide and kill other people at the same time.

I stood on the second story of the school in the slums of Kumasi a few years ago. I looked out over the slums to the houses of the very poor. Those children want an education and to learn. The children will have hope for the future if they are able to get an education. If someone shows that they care, the children will do everything possible to return that love and concern. It is very hard for the seed of hate to take root where faith, hope and love have sprouted. Those children can become terrorists or share the love of Jesus Christ. We have a part to play in that decision.

The seed of fear was planted in my heart after September 11^th. I believed what I read in the newspaper and heard on the network and cable news programs. I was lucky. I didn’t have any Muslim friends and neighbors so I could rest easy, I thought. I still worried about the parts of the world that had Muslims because it must be a terrible place because the people hate so much.

God has a sense of humor. God sent me to work with Muslims in Ghana. God made me go to face my fears. I had to meet Muslims. Now, I have friends that are Muslim. It is hard to hate Muslims when you know their name and you respect their faith and their life.

They know that I am a Christian by my love. I remember going into a village called Kpalbe (paul bee). I realized that the whole village was Muslim. I was the only Christian in that village. They knew that I was a Christian. I knew that they were Muslim. I wondered what they would do. We were installing a mechanized water system to make the water safe for their children to drink. The water would be free of a terrible parasite called the guinea worm.

Guess what happened? The chief and elders welcomed me into the village. The children were laughing and playing in a mud puddle just like kids back home in America would do. The kids smiled and laughed. The parents loved their children just like American parents do. The parents wanted their children to be healthy just like American parents do. I began to realize that we had more in common that I ever knew.

On my last mission trip to Ghana in August 2010, I met with the pastors and assistant pastors of the churches in Bugiya, Sagadugu, Nabari, and Diani. They wanted to know how they could become Methodist pastors because they knew that I am a Methodist pastor here at New Hope UMC. I told them that I would work on finding an answer. I also offered to pray for each of the pastors. We took turns praying for each other and anointing our foreheads with oil.

A Muslim businessman came up while we were praying in the lobby of my guesthouse. He asked if we would pray for him and bless him, too. We smiled and told him that we were praying and anointing in the name of Jesus Christ. He told us that it was okay. He just wanted people to like him and to use him as their general contractor when they built a home or business. I anointed his forehead with oil and prayed that he would be liked and that his business would be blessed in the name of Jesus Christ.

A Muslim engineer wrote me this past year and said that he wanted to become a Christian because he admired the work that I did. He basically saw me walking the walk instead of talking the talk. We dig wells and drill for boreholes in the poorest places and where the most people are sick. The poorest places many times are the Muslim villages. We go to help their children have a healthier life.

I preach in many Muslim villages. I don’t tell them that they are wrong. I preach about the love of Jesus Christ. I preach from John 1 and John 3. I tell the gospel stories of Jesus. I tell about God’s grace that saved even me. I share the stories of grace, faith, hope and love. I tell them the stories because God loved me first and now I want to share those stories with as many people as possible.

Our driver on the trip was a devote Muslim. We were in Ghana during Ramadan. I asked him about praying fives a day. We talked about fasting. We talked about the ritual needed before someone can enter the mosque to pray. We shared a room for several nights on the trip. He had to get up at 5 AM to pray and to eat breakfast before the sun came up. He was quiet, but I still woke up some morning to hear him praying. His faithfulness inspired me to pray to God as well. He inspired me because he was faithful and he worked very hard to drive us to visit all of our wells and to drive us to our Christian church services on time. He knew that I was a Christian by my love of his people and my desire that they have a better life. God touched my heart years ago and I will not be the same.

I went up to Washington, DC and Baltimore this week for two reasons. First, I went up to visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Tuesday and Wednesday to visit David Smith’s son, Dave and his buddy, Mark Holden. I felt a need to visit with both men and their families as well as offer a time to pray. Both men are seriously injured and they are still in the intensive care unit. I explained that I was the pastor here at New Hope UMC where Dave’s dad plays the piano. I had a great visit with Dave on Wednesday. I was nervous about going. I didn’t know if I’d have the right words to say or be brave enough to offer to pray with them. God took care of the details after I made it there.

I also went to Baltimore between visits at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to meet with people to ask them to help give people water to drink in Africa and to help get rid of a flesh eating disease called Buruli Ulcer. The people thought that it was a big risk to say that we could make a difference with the flesh eating disease because we don’t know how people get sick. I explained that I’ve looked people in the eye in a village where they were sick and promised that I would bring back bandages and medical supplies and find ways for them to recover from this terrible disease. These people need hope and faith in the future. We can be part of the answer to give them that hope and faith.

I am officially paid to be your pastor 25% of my time. I spend the other 75% of my time trying to raise money for wells and medical awareness, education, and supplies in Ghana. This week, it was hard because I felt that I needed to travel to pray for a son of our church family who I had never met. I also felt that I needed to try to get people to want to do the impossible. I wanted them to believe that we could impact a neglected tropical disease in a remote part of Africa. I also spend time encouraging the four churches that we started in Ghana. I’m also a husband and father. I need to find a way to accomplish more and still take a day off for a Sabbath each week.

My heart is torn. I want to serve you the best that I can as your pastor, but I also feel that I need to tell the story that people are thirsty and sick in Africa. I need help on my faith journey. It would be easier to hate people that I do not know and to only look where it is easy to see. It is hard to be comfortable when people need hope and faith in the future.

The way that we seek peace is to share the love and peace of Jesus Christ. Not with hate, but with hope. I believe God has given me the task of sharing hope with a cup of water, a place to worship, and a promise that children may grow up healthier than their parents.

I don’t have all of the answers. I just know that hating others doesn’t work. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:38-45 by saying “Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' 39 Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. 40 If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it. 41 And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life.42 No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. 43 "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' 44 I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, 45 for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.”

We are responding to God’s call in my life to make a difference. We need to love our enemies with all of our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength. We need our enemies to bring out the best in us, not the worst. Muslims are not the enemy. People are trying to plant seeds of hate that will grow and expand, but it is up to use whether we repay hate with love. We must love the Lord and love our neighbor as our self. Our neighbor is anyone who is in need here at home and around the world. It is hard to hate our neighbor when they have a face and a name and children that laugh and play in a mud puddle. Go out and find someone who is different than you and turn them into your neighbor. Amen.