Embracing the Future

Maybe you have a custom that you do every year for Christmas. We are beginning some new traditions this year. Julie is doing a 12 days of Christmas event with the kids. Each morning there is something new in the stocking over the fireplace (see pic on the sidebar). It's fun. As you probably have experienced, what we do during the Christmas season changes somewhat as the kids grow older. Now there are band concerts where they sing "holiday" songs. A sign of the times I guess.

Just being away from family and friends this year for the first time offers us the opportunity to welcome new traditions, like having new friends over on Christmas Day. We are all looking forward to sharing the day with some of our new friends from NorthPointe.

A tradition we will likely continue on that day no matter where we are, or who is there, is to read the Christmas story. Typically that comes from Luke chapter 2. But this time I may broaden the story a little to include the first chapter of Luke as well. Our Christmas message series, The Night That Changed Everything, has been a journey of discovery for me personally. Luke, of the four Gospel writers, more than anyone else enjoys putting the story of Jesus' birth in the context of the real world, with real people, places and historical events. He's very much a detail freak...to our benefit. Luke is also the one who gave us the story of the lost son in Luke 15.

In the first chapter we have the story of a man, Zechariah, who had lived a righteous life up to that point as a priest. His life was predicable, if not a little disappointing. Both he and his wife were in their older years, and had prayed to no avail for a child. Time was running out. One day, quite unexpectedly, God chose to show up in his life. Zechariah is told he will be the father of the one who would prepare the way for God's Son. A little disbelief leaves him speechless. In fact, nine months of not being able to use his mouth allows him to be silent enough to prepare to accept the newness that God would bring into his life.

What does it look like to accept God's activity in our lives...to sense that he desires to use us and then embrace the future he has in mind for us. The difference God made in Elizabeth's life would show outwardly as her clothes began to fit more tightly every week, while Zechariah's change was inward as he was transformed and became pregnant with the purpose of God.

After he came to grips with what God was going to do, Zechariah explodes in praise and gives voice to what it looks like in the life of a person who will embrace a life that centers on Jesus Christ. He concludes his song with the phrase, "path of peace." This is significant to the story, and something we should take to heart. Going along with God's plan is the most difficult, but most rewarding part of discipleship. In fact, that is discipleship in a nutshell (chestnut???). We can go for years and not hear anything from God, and get rather used to that kind of life set on cruise control. Suddenly he shows up in his timing and asks us to embrace his plan, on his terms.

So...I wonder if the state of being righteous before God has little to do with actually living right, but more to do with being right where God wants us to be...on a transformational journey of trust that results in knowing his peace. I like to think of Proverbs 3.5-6 as a picture of what this looks like. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight."

God didn't send his Son for us to open his Gift and say, "that's great but I am good right where I am." This Christmas, my prayer for us is that the season is more than a day, even more than a season, but it becomes a spiritual milestone where we can welcome the presence of God into our lives by deciding to trust him on the path of peace. His kingdom is seen in the transformed lives of those who embrace the future by trusting God right now.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Jerry

The Night That Changed Everything

We began the new series this morning. This is only the second message series in the life of NorthPointe Christian Church. It's called The Night That Changed Everything. Our staff decided together that we would loosely play off of the popular Christmas Carol story. You are likely familiar, but if not, it's the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a frugal miser of a man who is visited by three angels on one night. One night changed everything for him as he was able to see his life through the lens of his past, present and future.

We believe that Christmas is all about One Man who came and changed everything for everyone. And because Jesus came, He can transform our past, present and future as a part of his story. This morning we focused on reliving our past. The family of Jesus, going all the way back to Abraham, is full of unlikely characters and events leading to the glorious announcement by the angels that Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem. Christmas is truly about the birth of Jesus. But the question we must ask is to whom did He come? Who did God have in mind when he sent Jesus to earth. Judging by the lineage of Christ, it wasn't for the prepared, the qualified, or those who believe they have it all together. Jesus came for unlikely people like you and me. His family is full of unlikely people. And if we choose to follow Christ, his lineage becomes our family. His lineage is our past. Matthew chapter 1 is a masterpiece of misfits. And God is waiting to take our past, including all of the failures and flaws, and transform our past as a part of his story.

When we wonder if God will accept us with our flaws and mistakes, His answer to us is Merry CHRISTmas!

We are also looking forward to this Saturday. We are hosting an event called Deck the Mall. We are partnering with CinemaWorld to collect toys for the Lincoln Holiday Basket Program. I can't say enough great compliments for the staff at CinemaWorld at the Lincoln Mall for allowing us to co-sponsor this event with them. We will have games and refreshments for children and families, as well as FREE gift wrapping. I also want to thank our local Starbucks for supplying the great coffee we can offer our guests. God's hands are all over this event. This will be the first community touch completely staffed with new NorthPointe volunteers who have stepped up to be involved in just a few short weeks. We pray more people will know more about NorthPointe Christian Church, and Who we represent, by coming to the mall that day with their family and friends from 3-6 pm.