This year our December youth group lesson series was entitled “The Place of Christmas.” For three weeks, we focused on the locations mentioned in the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus.

First, we looked at Nazareth as the place the angel spoke to Mary. It was there that she said “yes” to the work of God in her life. Second, we looked at Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. It is at the center of the Christmas story, in fact, we sing about it each year. Finally, we taught about Egypt. This is a place of escape during the incarnation story.

Most nativity sets contain the baby Jesus, Mary & Joseph, shepherds and wise men. Well, I hate to ruin your set, but the book of Matthew says that the Magi or wise men arrived to see Jesus at a house (Matthew 2:11). Before they arrive, they stop and have a talk with evil King Herod. After their visit with Herod, they go by the house where Jesus was staying. Finally, they return by another route being warned in a dream about Herod’s true intentions of killing Jesus.

The book of Matthew pauses for three verses to tell us that God used a final angel to warn Mary and Joseph about Herod and that they should flee to Egypt until Herod was dead. I admit that I have never preached or even taught on these verses. Honestly, I have never heard anyone preach or teach about them.

The night of the birth of Christ was a silent and glorious night. A young man and his wife visited by shepherds who spoke of angels. Quietly beside the manger looking at their first child and contemplating all the various angel’s words must have made the couple nervously excited about the future. Then a sometime later one more angel shows up, and they quickly pack up and take off to Egypt. They take roughly a 430-mile journey with a baby to a city they had no familiarity with that we know about. It must have turned a silent night into a hectic journey.

The couple and baby Jesus flee to Egypt. There are three reasons for this journey. First and most simply, God is keeping them safe. Second, it fulfills a prophecy from the pen of Hosea. Finally, Jesus is portrayed the new Israel. He spends time in Egypt before returning to the promise land just like the Israel of old.

It is an odd story, but it contains some interesting lessons for us. It gives us a picture of God’s grand design over history and the life of Jesus. It interconnects the Bible prophecy and fulfillment as only God is able.

The story also holds a very practical lesson for us today. God’s plan is never easy for anyone, even Jesus, and his parents. God could have taken care of Herod and left baby Jesus family happy in a stable home in Bethlehem. Instead, he takes them on a distant journey to fulfill his bigger plan.

Is it possible that your life might be a difficult journey right now? Is it also possible that God may use that as a part of his bigger grand design? I think so. Jesus was called out of Egypt and not saved from going there.

Christmas is over. Within one week, many places like the Church I lead will take down all their Christmas decorations. The stable is packaged up and safely and stored for another year. Mary and Joseph go back in the box beside the angels, sheep and even the baby Jesus.

It has always amazed me how we spend a month or more getting ready for Christmas and how we move on from it in just a few days. It feels like “much ado about nothing.”

I know there are a few people and a few Churches who work hard to keep the Christmas spirit alive through the next few weeks. Some Churches add Epiphany to their liturgical calendar to take the holiday into January. In my background, once Christmas day is over, Christmas is completely over.

Lately, I have been wondering what we can do to keep the Christmas spirit alive? How can we keep people focused on Christ while being generous to other people? Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Make worship a weekly practice.
Over the holiday many people went to Church for the first time this year. They stepped out and went to some Christmas program at a Church. Hopefully, it made them feel something in their soul. The holiday took on a spiritual meaning they can’t quite explain. I want to tell you that it is possible to generate these feelings every week. Each week we look into the past to better understand today and give us a more meaningful future.

2. Keep reading the rest of the story.
If you went to a Christmas program, then you likely heard the story of Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1-2. It is possible that these passages sparked something within your brain that made you think deeply about God and your soul. Let me tell you; there are a lot more chapters to read. Keep reading from the book or Matthew or Luke and who knows what you will learn.

3. Make plans to be generous all year round.
Many of us plan and budget so that we can afford to give gifts at Christmas. What if you did that throughout the year? What if you did something generous every month for the people in your life? I believe it would make you into a wonderfully generous person.

4. Spend more time with people.
At the holidays, you are constantly surrounded by people. You go to visit them, and you allow them into your home. What if you planned to open your home on a regular basis? What if you made time in your schedule to go out to dinner with some friends? Maybe you would find more joy in other people the whole year through.

5. Start planning for Easter.
Believe it or not, we are only three months away from Easter. What if you made a plan now to celebrate Easter like you did Christmas? Plan for worship, a family gathering and a generous outpouring of love. Allow Christmas to carry you to Easter in the joy of the Lord.

I think it will take some effort, but with some planning and preparation you can take the joy of this holiday and keep it alive for weeks, if not months, to come.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas weekend.

Adrian Christian Church (where I serve) is having our Christmas worship time tonight – Friday, December 23rd at 6:30 pm.
We have a nursery and children’s worship during the regular part of the program. The kids will join us for the candle lighting at the end of worship. Please come join us and celebrate the birth of Christ. (There will be no other worship over the entire weekend.)

Have a wonder Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We officially celebrated Thanksgiving a month before Christmas. I have often thought that we should celebrate it the month after Christmas. During the Christmas season, many of us will receive and receive some more. We will be blessed with gifts, cards, and love through the next several days. I want to remind everyone to say thanks for what they receive.

1. Thank the Person.
I do not equate a passive “thank you” a second after you open a gift with being truly grateful. Stop what you are doing at some point and look the other person in the eye and say, “I want to thank you for …” If that opportunity does not present itself then sit down and write a thank you card. Express your gratitude for what other people do for you.

2. Thank God.
As Christians, we believe that God is the source of all things. He gave people their lives, their jobs and their connection to you. They took the blessings in their life and shared them with you. Take a moment to pause and say “Thank you God” for this wonderful item and these special people.

In the joy of the holiday season be sure and take a few minutes to be thankful for the blessings you have received. It will not be a repayment for what you were given, but it will be a step closer to joy for both of you.

In the rush of gift buying, family gatherings and various parties it is easy to forget a few people at Christmas time each year. Here are some people I hope you do not forget this year.

1.The Hurting – For some people, Christmas reminds them of the people they have loved and lost. They may have lost that loved one in the past year or the Christmas season years ago. For them, Christmas is a reminder of their loss, and it hurts them emotionally.

2.The Lonely – It is easy to assume that everyone is busy this holiday season, but that is not always true. There are lonely people from ranging from the young single guy in a new town who sits alone to the widow who looks out on a cold world without anyone to care. For them, Christmas is a reminder of how few people really care about them.

3. The Struggling – Personal problems do not know seasons or holidays. Marriages still fall apart at Christmas. People still make poor choices at Christmas. Life’s struggles are very real and sometimes even more pronounced at Christmas. For many, this holiday season will be difficult.

4. The Working – Some professions do not get a day off. There will still be nurses, doctors, firemen, police officers and even gas station attendants working on Christmas. I am thankful for them, but I know it is hard for their family.

5. The Elderly – Some people are just not able to get out and do much during the holidays because of their age. You couple that with bad weather and it makes it hard for them to enjoy the holidays. Many of our senior adults will spend the day alone. That is not to mention those in nursing homes and hospitals.

6. The Pastors – Our Church is taking this Saturday and Sunday off, but we are the exception. Roughly 89 percent of Churches are still having worship on Sunday. 71 percent of Churches are having programs on Saturday and Sunday. As a pastor, I know this can make for a long draining holiday. It is also tough on the family of those pastors who are pulled a dozen directions emotionally over the holiday season.

7. The Missionaries – Numerous Christian workers have decided to serve the Lord in a foreign country. This holiday season can be very lonely depending on where they live. They will feel the pull of their American upbringing while they serve in a different context. It will be an emotionally draining and sometimes lonely season.

I know it is easy to forget any of these groups during the Christmas holiday. In fact, there are probably several groups that I have forgotten to mention myself. The point is that it is easy to overlook people during Christmas. Be sure to take a few minutes to connect with these people in some way. A kind word, a phone call, a note, a small gift or a visit will mean more to them than you can ever imagine. As Christians, I hope we try hard to make sure that no one is forgotten this year.

Most of the people I know in the Church are generous. If they knew there was a legitimate need, they would empty their wallet in a moment’s notice. I recently witnessed this when our church was asked to buy gifts for a family at a Christian children’s home. We were supposed to buy 24 gifts. The cards for those requests were taken in seconds, and we still had a dozen people donate for additional gift cards. It was amazing to witness.

The problem that I see is that there are two kinds of people in the Church.

1.People who have needs and always ask.
Some of the local pastors and I serve on a ministry to give away thousands of dollars to our community. There was a fund set up by a rich man years ago and the interest off of his investments are to be given away for Christmas. Each year we take meticulous records and this year we noticed almost everyone who received money had asked at least once in previous years.
As a Church leader, I admit that this group can be difficult to handle. The question of, “How much should we help?” The other question of, “Can we help them in better ways like financial counseling?” Obviously, there are always questions about addictions that seem to surface. These are questions I have wrestled with for years.
My only guiding thought is to err on the side of grace. Be more generous than you think you should. I often think that the Church in the Bible is called to take care of widows and orphans. One day it dawned on me that both of those are long-term projects. You have to help an orphan until he can work and support himself. What is that, like 10-15 years? Also, you have to take care of widows until they pass away. How long is that? Both of those might require years and years of people being generous, so I think God’s plans are bigger than mine.

2. People who need help, but will never ask.
This second group I find the most intriguing. Most of us know someone who could use a helping hand, but they will never ask, no matter how bad it gets. This year the Church I serve had a lady ask for help to get out of a huge hole. Once we helped her, she wrote a long note to the Church telling us how she hated to ask but how grateful she was for the help.
I really don’t know what drives this group of people. I don’t know whether they have too much pride to ask or if they are ashamed of what got them in this situation. It seems clear that they are afraid of the judgment of the people of whom they ask for money.
My guiding thought for this group is to tell them that we want to help. Christians are people who want to help others. If we knew you had a real need, there would be an outpouring of gifts and love by all. The only issue is that they have to ask. Being angry that no one helped you is wrong if you never ask for help. People cannot read minds.

I firmly the believe that people want to be generous. I have seen it happen over and over. There is this fine line of enabling people in their failures and missing the opportunity to help. My simple suggestion to all believers is that if God lays someone or some situation on your heart and you feel like you could help – then by all means help. God will hold them responsible for what they do with it, just the same as he holds us accountable for what we do with everything he has given us.

I was one year out of college, and my first full-time ministry was a disaster. I wanted to stay in the preaching ministry, so I contacted the local colleges for a list of Churches that were searching for a candidate. They mailed me a list and each job description contained a list of requirements. As a young minister, I was disappointed to see that many of them wanted 5-10 years of experience. I also noticed that several Churches stated that “children are preferred.” As a newly married inexperienced Church leader, I thought it was unfair and shortsighted on behalf of these Churches. Twenty-two years and four children later I still think it was shortsighted of behalf of those Churches, but I better understand where they came up with these requirements. Time has a way of changing people. Also, children have a way of changing their parents.

Here are a few ways having children has changed me for God and ministry.

1. Children can make you less selfish. My time and my money are not really mine. Most of those two things go to taking care of my children. As a parent, you get used to not living every minute for yourself.

2. Children can make you more grace-filled. I have watched my children make mistakes and suffer through difficult choices. I have stood on the side of the one getting hurt along with the one who did the hurting. I am becoming softer and more gracious to everyone in life no matter what happened. Supporting my children has made many things less black and white.

3. Children can grow your patience. Every parent knows exactly what I mean. There have been times I wanted to explode on my kids, but I knew that it would be a devastating blow to their little minds. Instead, I held back my anger and waiting to see what would happen. I have learned that holding onto my emotions is sometimes the best way to handle delicate situations.

4. Children can teach you to be more thankful. There are two sides to this. First, I thank God every day for allowing me to parent these wonderful young men. Second, I have watched them be thankful for so many things, and it inspires me. Sure, it started small with a toy at Christmas and has grown into a car, but I love what it means when my children are thankful. I know how much I enjoy hearing words of thanksgiving and I know it must mean as much to everyone else, including God.

5. Children can teach you to be more giving. With the holidays approaching I know that I want to give my children the world. I want to give them everything they ever wanted. Honestly, it is easy to spend money I do not have to give them what they want. It is amazing how much you can live without and how much you can give away when you want to do it.

Obviously, none of these changes are guaranteed. That is why I added the word “can” to each one of these possibilities. We all know of one parent or two who have not grown up despite their children. I think if you are striving to be a good parent that over time you will be transformed into a better person and maybe a better Christian.

Joel Harvey is a young man with a disease known as AT. Those letters are short for Ataxia-telangiectasia. It is a rare disease that causes disability, and eventually, it breaks down the immune system until an illness cannot be fought off by the body. Most people who have the disease die in their teens and a handful make it into the twenties.

Joel is the son of Tony Harvey. Tony served as an elder in one of the Churches I pastored years ago. He and his wife hosted an annual walk for AT. They tried to raise funds through numerous events in a one-day celebration. The family also supported other victims of AT and their fundraising projects as the scientists searched for a cure.

One day I was talking with Tony, and he was in a very serious mood. He told me that he did all of these things because he wanted to tell his son, “I did everything I could.”

I have not forgotten that one moment in time. A loving father desperate to find a cure for his son, but he knew so much was beyond his control. He could not magically make a cure; he could not remove the pain, and he could not stop this awful disease from taking over his son. The only thing he could do was to love his son and raise as much money as possible for research. He could tell the world about this disease most people have never heard of and try to generate their support. He was doing all he could do to help his son.

I was thinking of this story last night as I was helping with the youth group. Three of my boys attend youth group each week and I was watching them and thinking. I cannot control my children. I cannot force them to follow Jesus. I cannot keep them from walking away from God when that decision is all theirs to make. I do want to be able to look them in the eye one day and tell them, “I did everything I could do.”

Sure, some of the youth groups I have put together have been terrible. Sure, I have taught Sunday School lessons that bored them. Sure, I have preached sermons on topics that they have heard a thousand times. Sure, it led me to make some decisions they did not like at the moment. In spite of that, I hope they know that I did everything in every possible way I could to help them to follow Jesus.

Sometimes this feels like an incredibly lonely journey my wife and I are on each day. We pour out our heart and soul trying to make a difference in just a few lives, even if that is only my children.

I guess my question is, “What will you tell your children one day?” What will you say when they ask about your faith and what you did when they were young. What will you say?

Sure, they may reject the faith I am teaching them. They may not follow Christ like I want them to. But it will only be despite a lifetime of trying everything at my disposal to reach them.

I had read and reread the document over and over. I knew every word backward and forwards. I knew exactly what I was thinking in every word. I thought my words were clear and my presentation almost flawless.

Then I turned it for a grade.

Man, was I wrong. My professor found typos. He found problems with sentence structure. One of my ideas was missing an essential word.

In my mind, it was an A+ paper. In reality, I received a B+, and that was probably generous.

That was 21 years ago, and it was my final paper as a senior in college. It was a 25-page magnum opus on the cross of Christ. It represented a semester of detailed work and five years of general study.

To my credit, at the time I was using a word processor to type the paper, and there were no computers with excellent proofreading programs like I have now. Honestly, not that much has changed. I was reading back through my blog and found numerous mistakes of all kinds in my previous work.

The real problem is not the computer program I use as much as it the fact that I proofread most of my own work. Proofreading your work is hard to do because you are too familiar with it. You read words into sentences that are not there. You mentally add the needed punctuation. You are so close to the work that you cannot see its flaws. Your mind tricks you into thinking your work is flawless when it is only a B+ at best.

Why do I tell you this? Because each one of us is proofreading our own life. We are judging the work we do each day. A problem can arise because we fill in the missing spaces in our head. We think we are a great spouse, a wonderful child, a terrific parent even a fully committed follower of Jesus when in reality we are making huge mistakes.

One reason God made us a part of the body of Christ is to help us proofread our lives. We need someone to speak truth into our lives about the mistakes we are making each day. Each one of us needs 1-3 close Christian friends to tell us what they see in our lives. We need someone who cares about us but is detached enough to tell us the hard things.
I know it is frightening. Handing my work to someone else is terrifying. They may rip it apart. I may have to make changes. I may have to cut out parts and rethink my overall structure. But if my goal is to do my best work, to live the best life I can for Jesus, it has to be done.

Who is helping you see the mistakes in your life? Do you have anyone? If not, you might be living a B+ life when you could be living a solid A.

This year Christmas Day falls on Sunday morning. This creates an interesting situation for Churches. What are Churches to do?

Recently I have read a few articles which have stated that their Church is having worship on Sunday morning and they seemed to underline the deeply spiritual reasons for their decisions. Well, the Church that I lead stands on the other side of this issue. We decided not to have worship on Sunday morning, rather have it on Friday night. Unlike 89% of Churches in America, we are not having any worship program on Dec. 24 or Dec. 25.

Here are some of the factors that lead to this decision.

1. We are Still Worshipping God. Does it matter what day we meet? Some Churches offer Thursday or Saturday or Monday programs. Are those okay for believers? Yes, the early Church met on the first day of the week, but it is not a law for Christians. We worship Jesus and not a day of the week.

2. The Quality of the Program Issue. It takes about 30-40 people for us to have worship on the weekend. We have greeters, nursery workers, children’s Church leaders, a worship team, sound crew, and a several other people who we need to serve. On Christmas weekend, it is hard to find enough people to have a quality worship program. I know some people say, “Well just keep it simple.” My response is, “So what do we cut?” Nursery? That way no young families will want to attend. The worship team? Who will lead the singing? Sound? What? We want to put on a quality program for worship and not just a “get-by” program.

3. My Past Experience. I have vivid memories of the past two times that Christmas fell on Sunday. In Alaska, I was leading a Church of about 50 people and 25 showed up on Christmas morning and most were very tired and distracted. The time before that I was leading a new Church, and we were averaging about 200 people, and we had 50 show up on Christmas day. Everyone was tired, and they seemed very disappointed. The major conversation was about all the missing people. I have yet to be a part of a great Christmas Day program.

4. Outreach. I know of no non-Christian families who will want to go to Church on Christmas day. Christmas is not a big Church day, like Easter, for people on the edge or outside of faith. I think that more guests are likely to come on Friday night than Sunday morning.

5. We Already Quit Our Christmas Eve Program. After talking to dozens of people at our Church and those in our communities we discovered that most families go to one side of the family on Christmas Eve. Then they stay home on Christmas morning. Then they go to the other side of the family on Christmas night. With that in mind, we transitioned to a Christmas Eve Eve candlelight program with great success. Last year we averaged 168 in worship each week, and 136 people attended our new program. It was by far the most successful event yet.

6. We Value Family. I do not just preach about spending time with your family, I practice it. I believe every family should have a Christmas morning together with one another. They can celebrate and party and enjoy this wonderful holiday.

I do appreciate my Christmas friends who are having worship on Christmas morning, and I hope and pray it goes well for them. In fact, the handful of families might end up attending their Church for a Sunday. At my Church, we have simply decided to do something different. We believe this decision was God honoring in every way.