Snoopy and the Red Baron - December 20, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

            I know this is probably a silly question to ask, but do you know who Snoopy is?  Have you ever heard of the Red Barron?  Okay, have you ever heard the song “Snoopy’s Christmas” by the Royal Guardsmen?  It was recorded in 1967 by five guys from Florida.  In the song, rather than shooting Snoopy’s doghouse, the Red Barron instead makes him land behind enemy lines simply to wish him a Merry Christmas.

          This song is actually based on an event which took place during the first Christmas of World War I.  In the book Christmas Truce, the authors tell an incredible story – a story I believe happened because Christmas is a time when the hearts of humanity are thinking about the Baby Jesus.

          On the first Christmas day of World War I, British and German troops put down their guns and celebrated peacefully together in the no-man’s land between the trenches.  The war, briefly, came to a halt.  In some places, festivities began when German troops lit candles on Christmas trees on their side so British sentries a few hundred yards away could see them.  Elsewhere, the British acted first, starting bonfires and setting off rockets.  Private Oswald Tilley of the London Rifle Brigade wrote his parents: “Just you think that while you were eating your turkey, etc., I was talking and shaking hands with the very men I had been trying to kill a few hours before!!  It was astounding.”  Both armies had received lots of comforts from home and felt generous and well-disposed toward their enemies in the first winter of the war.  All along the line that Christmas day, soldiers found their enemies were much like them and began asking why they should be trying to kill each other.  The generals were shocked.  High Command diaries and statements express anxiety that if that sort of thing spread it could sap the troops will to fight.  The soldiers in khaki and gray sang carols to each other, exchanged gifts of tobacco, jam, sausage, chocolate and liquor, traded names and addresses and played soccer between the shell holes and barbed wire.[1]

          Growing up, I had never heard of this event.  On the other hand, if someone had mentioned it in history class, it didn’t quite hit me the way it does today.  Today, the idea that Christmas could almost end a war arouses such joy in me that I can scarcely contain it.  Talk about the thrill of hope!  Indeed, the weary world rejoices.  Last year the Sainsbury Supermarket Company, located in the United Kingdom, used this story as part of their televised Christmas Greeting to the people of England.  It depicts what this event must have looked like back in 1914.

          Did you ever find yourself growing weary of all the conflict, anger, and hate in this world?  Doesn’t it make you sick sometimes?  And the conflict isn’t always “out there,” is it?  Sometimes the conflict and anger work their way into our homes and into our hearts.  We become suspicious of others and don’t trust those who are different; they arouse anger and hatred within us.  Of course, deep down we get the feeling that we should not feel this way, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to make it stop.  And yet, I believe there is a way to put an end to the anger and hate and suffering in us and all around us.  I believe the answer is right in front of us. 

Let me ask you this: Do you think the soldiers in the trenches back in WWI felt that anything could interrupt their conflict?  Do you think they even stopped for a moment to consider that the “enemy” also had a relationship with the “Prince of Peace”?  Something beautiful began to happen when two armies at war realized that in spite of all their differences, there was one thing they had in common – a holy infant, so tender and mild.  Had it not been for the sounds of war, we are left to wonder just how long this “Christmas Truce” might have lasted.

Isaiah says that ⁵ “The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned.  They will be fuel for the fire.  ⁶ For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders.  And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  ⁷  His government and its peace will never end.  He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” (Isaiah 9:5-7)

          Like those soldiers back in 1914, our conflict with others can come to an end, but only if we stop dwelling on our differences and instead focus on what, or “Who”, we have in common.  I understand that this is very difficult.  Today the song of Jesus is being ravaged by shouts of anger and violence.  Our society spends more time and effort pointing out how we are different rather than helping us see what we have in common.  Focusing on these differences gives rise to anger, hate, distrust, and suspicion.  Sure, Jesus is not always wrapped in a package that looks and acts like you or me, but He is there.  Yet even if that other person knows nothing of Jesus, we are stilled called to “Love our neighbor as ourselves” (Luke 10:27).

          I think we know this.  I think deep down we know we are to love our neighbor, but like the Lawyer who spoke with Jesus, so often we ask the qualifying question, “And who is my neighbor?” (compare Luke 10:25-29).  As we look at those who are different than us, as we are faced with a choice between hating or caring, the Lord asks us this same penetrating question: “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”  We know the answer.  We know what we should do.  We know that the Lord desires us to show mercy toward those who are different than us.  Yet this command, this song of peace, is being suppressed by the noise of hate, anger, and suspicion.

          I believe there are people in this world who want to be angry.  I think some people thrive off of conflict.  Working for the adversary, they plant seeds of anger, hate, distrust, and suspicion in the hearts of humanity.  They point out how others are different, and tell us they are not to be trusted.   These people need to be stopped.  We must not allow them to spread their poison.  But, as we look at the rest of the world, we must allow Christ to transform our suspicion into love. 

I know, I know.  It seems like an impossible task.  How could we ever learn to love those who are so much different than us?  And yet, if we will let Him, this Little Child of Bethlehem has the power to change the way we see others.  He was able to stop a war for a moment.  Surely He can end the anger and suspicion festering inside of us.

The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.  The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.^[2] (1 John 2:9-10).

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

^[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (1 Jn 2:9–10). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - December 13, 2015

By Pastor Greg

          As some of you know, I enjoy the old classic Science Fiction movies.  You know, the kind that were designed to make you think instead of merely scaring you - like most Sci-Fi movies nowadays. 

Not long ago I re-watched “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (thank you Netflix).  In this film, aliens from another world plan to take over the earth by replacing real humans with almost exact duplicates.  They looked like regular humans and appeared to be the same person they’ve replaced on the outside.  But if you would look closely, there was something absent in their behavior.  They had no emotion - no anxiety, no sadness, but neither any faith, hope, or love.  This invasion process took place when a person fell asleep.  Of course, like most of the classic tales, there were a few people who knew the truth.  And, as the rest of the world marched on in oblivion, this handful of hero’s seemed to be the only one’s who noticed.

          Picture it, a society of loveless conformist without personality or emotion; a society of people that looked human but had no heart; no passion.  At the end of the movie, our hero runs through the streets trying to warn people of the coming menace, yet no one listened; they turned a deaf ear to the warning of one shouting in the streets.  The movie sadly ends leaving the viewer without any hope.

          In a way, I too feel a bit like the hero in this movie.  It happens every December.  I keep talking about Jesus during the Christmas Season, yet it seems very few actually listen.  Christmas is about Jesus, not the tinsel covered retail sales event it has become.  In a land that continues to shop for hope, peace, joy, and love, it feels I am a voice crying in the wilderness.

          One of the forgotten players in the Christmas story is John the Baptist.  Luke believes that John’s story is so important that he starts his Gospel account with John’s birth, not the birth of Jesus. “Now it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, and it was a boy.  The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to her, and everyone rejoiced with her.  When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony.  They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.  But Elizabeth said, ‘No! His name is John!’  ‘What?’ they exclaimed. ‘There is no one in all your family by that name.’  So they asked the baby's father, communicating to him by making gestures.  He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, ‘His name is John!’  Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.  Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.  Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, ‘I wonder what this child will turn out to be?  For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way" (Luke 1:57-66).

John’s own father says that he will “Prepare the way for the Lord” (Luke 1:76).  Isaiah described him as “A voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3).  In a land that had forgotten what it meant to be a Child of God, one lone voice cries out in the desert.  What difference would one man make in a nation filled with empty, meaningless, ritual?  And yet, crowds flocked to John.  Many people in the land traveled to the little town of Bethany where John pointed them to Jesus (John 1:29).

John’s story becomes our story.  As he pointed people to Jesus, so must you and I.  Yet in a land that has allowed Christmas to become empty and meaningless -where the people rush madly in an attempt to purchase hope, peace, joy, and love - what difference will one voice make?  Our society will continue to move about this Holiday as it has for decades now, completely oblivious to what the Christmas celebration is really about.  It appears that the dirt and straw of a manger will continue to be invaded by the red velvet of a Jolly Elf riding a Sleigh.  What difference will our voice make this year during the Christmas season?  More than you could possibly know.

          Once, while walking through a store during the height of the Holiday shopping season, I was overwhelmed by all the packages, boxes, and bags.  Christmas, it seemed, had become a retail extravaganza.  Just as I was about to become completely disgusted, I overheard a young child peacefully singing as she rode in a shopping cart.  Among the craziness, a child came along and broke through the madness.  To me, it was one of the most incredible scenes I have ever witnessed.  Although it appeared that everyone around her had forgotten what Christmas was really about, she was singing “Away in a Manger.”  God love that little girl.  A voice crying out in the wilderness.

          Although it seems that Christmas is being invaded by the sounds of cash registers ringing and sleigh bells jingling, we must continue to be a voice crying in the wilderness.  And, not unlike the Sci-Fi movie, all it takes for evil to overcome this world is for good people to fall asleep; to give up all hope and allow the truth of this season to be invaded by the sounds carolers singing “ho, ho, ho.”  The real message of Christmas will be lost if Christians refuse to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness.  The truth of Christmas will be invaded by the retail industry if we Christians fall asleep.  That’s all it takes.  While we are sleeping, the birth of Jesus will be replaced with a holiday that offers no hope, peace, joy, or love.  While we are sleeping, Christmas will slowly become nothing more than a holiday.

The people who move about this holiday season might look like regular people, but their life is empty and meaningless.  They have no passion or hope.  They’ve been led to believe that the emptiness in their heart can be filled with coupons for a special Black Friday sale.  This is why it is so important that Christians never sleep.  We, like the small girl in the shopping cart, must become a voice crying out in the wilderness.  You never know whose heart or soul you might awaken this Christmas season.

Counting the Cost - December 6, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

A man had just finished reading his book "Man Of The House" while making his commute home from work.  When he reached home, he stormed into the house and walked directly up to his wife. Pointing his finger in her face, he said, "From now on I want you to know that I am the man of this house and my word is law! You are to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you're going to draw my bath so I can relax. And when I'm finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?" His wife thought for a moment and responded, "The Funeral Director is my guess.

Here is an example of a man who never counted the cost. He did hot think through his actions. An oddly, this happens more often than we imagine. Christians do the same thing. Christians do not realize the cost of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Too many Christians are simply consumers, not disciples. Too many Christians take rather than give, which is why our nation seems to be in distress. Too many Christians have never considered the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. We never finish what we started. We turn to Jesus for salvation but do not realize that by following Jesus we are to become his servants. We never counted the cost.

Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship in Luke 14:28-30. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ And oddly enough, scripture becomes reality. I saw this lesson lived out across the read from my Grandparents house. Across the road from my Grandparent’s house was a partially built home. The foundation had been dug, the basement walls had been built, but nothing more. The house stayed that way for years; poured basement floor and cinder block basement walls. As a child, it seemed strange to me that someone would not complete what he or she had started. Eventually I asked Grandma Jones why the house was never finished. She told me that the person ran out of money and could not complete the project. Of course, Jesus is talking about discipleship here; about the commitment and sacrifice a person must make as they follow Christ. Yet few Christians seem aware that the Lord expects each of His followers to do the work of the Kingdom.

Scripture becomes reality as we look at our nation. As we look at the sadness and the hurt of those still living in darkness, we see the very problem Jesus saw as He looked at His nation of Israel. One day, as Jesus was traveling through the land, He noticed how distressed the people were. They seemed lost and confused; a people without hope. So turning to His disciples, Jesus says, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields" (Matthew 9:37-38). In other words, Jesus points to the problem, then tells His disciples that they need to get involved. They should not just be praying for revival, but they should be praying that the Lord might call them to get actively involved in reaching and touching the lives of these people. Instead of sitting idly by doing nothing, Jesus tells His disciples to pray for an opportunity to become a player, not a spectator; to become a servant, not a consumer.

Scripture becomes reality during the life of Nehemiah. As God looked at the remnant of Jews living in and around Jerusalem, seeing their dismay and hopelessness, He planted the idea of service in Nehemiah’s heart. And after praying, Nehemiah was willing to make sacrifices, willing to submit, and willing to interrupt his life in order to be God’s servant. He was committed to follow wherever God might lead him. I believe Nehemiah was one of those rare individuals whose commitment to God was greater than anything else in his life. Nehemiah was not someone who looked out after his own interests. He considered the needs of others as more important. Nehemiah was a servant, not a consumer. As we wrap up this series looking into the leadership of Nehemiah, there is one last thing I'd like to point out about his ministry. As I said, Nehemiah was a rare individual, especially by today’s standards. Here was a man who made personal sacrifices in his life in order to accomplish what God had placed within his heart. He had counted the cost, yet was still willing to allow his life to be interrupted in order to fulfill what God was calling him to do. He was a giver, not a consumer.

Because of Nehemiah’s example of service and commitment, the people of Jerusalem came together and rebuilt the wall of that city in only 52 days. An incredible feat that happened, I believe, because the entire community joined with Nehemiah and got involved. The entire community was willing to make the commitment, make personal sacrifices, and allow their lives to be inconvenienced. But not only was a great work completed for the community, there was revival in the hearts of the people as well. (Read Nehemiah 9:1-4).

During Jerusalem’s six hour church service, no one seemed to grumble. No one seemed to be inconvenienced. How many confessing Christians do you know who would tolerate a six hour Church service? How many Christians do you know who are willing to inconvenience their lives for the good of others?

The Church in North America seems to be withering and dying. The life inside many congregations is parched and dry. Many Christians in America are thirsty for revival. There is a deep desire to see people become committed to God just like in the good old days. But why is revival so seldom seen? I believe it’s because most congregations are plagued with a consumer mentality instead of a servant’s heart.

Have you ever noticed how inconvenient Church has become to some individuals? Have you noticed the self-centered attitude of some Christians? They grumble and complain when their life is inconvenienced. When asked to serve, many Christians today complain about how they are far too busy to get involved. Of course, their schedule cannot be interrupted. Oh, they will participate in Church activities only if there is nothing else better to do. But don’t ask them to give up some of their time. The North American Church is plagued by Christian consumers; people who are involved with a church because of what THEY get out of it.

I don’t believe a Christian’s faith can fully develop until they get involved in kingdom work. Our faith is not strengthened when we sit idly in our pew watching the world pass by. Paul insists that what God began, he desires to complete. The faith we found at Salvation is to grow and become perfected (Philippians 1:6). This will not happen by being a spectator. We must get involved. We need to view others with a love that calls us to action, not “merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

This, my friend, is the cost of discipleship; where we make sacrifices and commitments not just for the Church, but for those still living in darkness. However, instead of training disciples, today’s Church has been raising spectators. We know this is true because of what many Churches are doing today; creating an atmosphere that is attractive to those looking for a church to meet their needs or starts and ends according to their schedule; that offers the programs and a worship style THEY want. Some Christians even withhold their giving simply because THEY don't like what's happening in THEIR church. For many Christians in our land, Church has become a spectator sport. There is no sacrifice. There is no giving. There is no “doing for others”. There is only “me”. Is it then any wonder that the North American church seems to be dying? Is it any wonder that revival is seldom seen today? And why should we expect it to happen, especially when there are so many taking instead of giving? I believe this is why we don’t see revival. Few are willing to serve. Few are willing to give. Very few are willing to make any sacrifice at all. This is why the example of Nehemiah is so important for us. He reminds us that to be a Christian is to be a servant obedient to God when He calls us and where He sends us. And where there are servants, there will be revival.