Author Archives: reveds

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About reveds

Occupation: Pastor, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Lennox, SD Education: BS - Christian Education, Sterling College; MDiv. - Princeton Theological Seminary Family: Married, with Four children. Hobbies: Running (will someday run a marathon), Sci-Fi (especially Doctor Who and Sherlock), Theater, and anything else my kids will let me do.

Have you found Jesus?

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“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?”
(Matthew 2:2 (ESV))

So, the Sayler house is decorated for Christmas.  The tree is up, with all of its trimmings (including brand new working lights – that’s another story).  The garland hangs from the fireplace mantel; the stockings are there too, awaiting a visit from jolly old Saint Nick.  I even managed to get the lights up outside before the wind and cold set in, which is saying something for living in NW Iowa.

Of all the decorations that we have out for Christmas, I think the little boys’ favorite must be the “Little People Nativity Set.”  It’s a little play set nativity, complete with Wise Men, Shepherd, various livestock, and of course, Mary and Baby Jesus (curiously, no Joseph – must have gone to the store for diapers).  The boys love to play with the figures of the nativity, right alongside their toy Superman, Batman, and other Super Heroes.  More than once I’ve seen the Son of Man, nestled in the manger, flying side by side with the Man of Steel – I’m so proud.

The one downside is, there are so many pieces, they tend to go missing throughout the day.  At lunch, supper, and bed time, we have a family search for the missing characters.  Recently, the most notoriously lost seems to be baby Jesus.  My house is beginning to sound like a Baptist revival.  “Have you found Jesus?”  “I found him, I found Jesus!”

Sometimes Jesus is hidden under the couch or radiator.  Other times he’s under the piles of Christmas Story books that get put out on the coffee table this time of year.  Then sometimes Jesus get hidden in toy baskets, under coats, and amongst the other clutter of the house.

As we were once again searching for the Christ child last night, I began to realize this was a great lesson for us as adults.  Is Jesus missing from your Christmas?  Have you found Him?  Are you even looking?  Did you even notice he was missing? 

Sometimes Jesus gets buried under the furious rush to find all the right presents, getting the Christmas cards written and mailed, and having the decorations just right.  Sometimes Jesus gets lost in all the busyness and chaos of a season that is supposed to be a celebration of the coming of the Prince of Peace.  All too often, without even thinking about it, we just push Jesus off to the side of our celebration, “I’ve got too much going on to worry about all that religious stuff too!”

At the risk of sounding cliché, it is so important that we keep Christ in Christmas.  If we can’t keep Jesus at the center of our Christmas celebration, is it really Christ’s mass?  If we can’t spend the Advent season developing a longing and expectation for the return of our King, will we ever?  If we lose Jesus at Christmas, how will we ever hope to find him throughout the rest of the year?

My encouragement to you this Christmas, and anytime throughout the year, is keep searching for Jesus.  Watch for Him, wait for Him.  See where He is missing in your life, and search for Him as if your life depended on it.  Turn to the Scriptures to hear His word again; His word of life, of hope, of righteousness and peace.  Repent and confess of those things which you have put before Christ, which have kept you from the joy of obedience to your Lord.  Make worship, privately and corporately, a priority, so that you may find yourself where Christ has promised to meet us.

My prayer is that in all of your celebrations this season, you will find Jesus again and again.  That would really be a Merry Christmas.

SDG

Blessedness is…

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“And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:”
(Matthew 5:2 (ESV))

Reading through the Beatitudes as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3-12), I began to wonder, “Are these attributes that we would associate with ‘blessedness’ today?”  When we consider those qualities and characteristics that the world admires and endorses, we find a strikingly different list. 

Today’s Beatitudes

  • Blessed are the financially secure
    Those who have no needs are the really fortunate ones.  They can stand on their own two feet.  They need no one’s help.  They possess their kingdom.
  • Blessed are the happy
    Happiness is a right, and nothing should infringe upon an individual’s right to be happy, however that may be experienced.  Sorrow should be avoided at any cost, for it is a sign that things just aren’t right.  If you are successful in life, you will be happy.
  • Blessed are those in power
    No one wants their lives to be out of control.  Those who have power, and are in control of their destiny are blessed.  They determine what they will do and when they will do it.  They have influence and authority over others.  They’ve got their lives well put together.
  • Blessed are those who are secure in their own morality and would never impose it on others
    We avoid the term self-righteous, it sounds smug and pretentious, but it reality we kind of admire it.  As long as your “self-righteousness” doesn’t’ infringe on my “self-righteousness” we should get along.  Each of us should be able to determine what’s right and wrong for our lives.  The only thing that we won’t tolerate in intolerance.
  • Blessed are the nice
    The greatest compliment that we can pay to someone today is that they are “very nice.”  They are polite, well-mannered, doing good for others, holding their tongue, socially acceptable.  The nice people don’t make waves, they don’t upset or confront those around them.  They’re just nice.
  • Blessed are those who find compromise
    It’s perfectly acceptable to have integrity and values for yourself, but compromise is the highest sign of sensibility.  When we can cross the aisle and embrace those who disagree with us, casting aside the peripheral matters, working our way down to the lowest common denominator, then we have achieved unity and maturity.
  • Blessed are those who can avoid conflict
    The world is full of conflict and war, struggle and oppression.  It happens on a global scale, but it also happens individually.  Fortunate are those who can go through life with little conflict, who can avoid having to confront the difficult problems of life, and can sleep well through the night.
  • Blessed are those who are treated well and are well-liked
    When you are treated poorly, perhaps it’s because you have acted poorly.  If you are persecuted for the things you’ve said and believe, maybe you need to reexamine your faith, or at least learn when to keep your mouth shut.  The world likes those who like the world.

Now compare that with what Jesus taught.

The Beatitudes

  • Blessed are the poor in spirit
    Those who realize they have nothing of their own to offer God, but come empty handed, in desperate need of God’s help – theirs is the kingdom of God.  The kingdom of God is the promise of God’s presence and provision.  He will, and has, supplied our every need.
  • Blessed are those who mourn
    The sorrow that comes from an awareness of our sin and the brokenness of a fallen world drives us to seek forgiveness in the grace of God.  Such an awareness comes only from the Holy Spirit; this kind of righteous mourning leads us to true comfort in Christ.  The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our encourager, only in Him will we know the true joy of the presence of God.
  • Blessed are the meek
    The meek are those who recognize that power and control are actually an illusion, that God is in control, and we must learn to trust and obey.  The meek put aside their plans and agendas to serve others first, following Christ their Lord.  The meek long for the treasure that awaits us, and therefore are not preoccupied with the trappings of power and possession of this world.
  • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
    To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to recognize that as bread and water are essential for life, righteousness (true holiness and justification before God) is the greatest need for the soul.  To hunger and thirst for righteousness then, means that our greatest desire is to be right with God, and to see righteousness in the lives of others.  When our greatest goal in life is to pursue the glory of God in righteousness, we will be truly satisfied.
  • Blessed are the merciful
    Mercy is different than nice.  Mercy is illogical, irrational, and uncommon.  It means not lashing out when wounded, but offering grace and forgiveness instead, showing compassion especially to an offender.  Mercy, like grace, is a gift that comes with no expectations of return.  It is loving the unlovable, forgiving the unrepentant, serving the ungrateful.
  • Blessed are the pure in heart
    To be pure in heart means to have a heart that is undivided, wholly fixed and directed to one end.  Having a heart of integrity, directed toward God’s glory and goodness, is what God created (and re-created) us for.  Repeatedly we are called to direct our heart to the Lord, to serve him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  Such wholehearted love of God leads us to true unity and maturity as we grow in the likeness of Christ.
  • Blessed are the peacemakers
    Peacemakers are not those who avoid problems or difficult situations, but those who deal with them head on and work through them.  To be peacemakers in God’s kingdom is to proclaim the gospel, to teach, correct, rebuke, and train one another in righteousness.  Peacemakers proclaim justice for the oppressed, healing to the sick, freedom to the enslaved.  Born of a peace that comes from salvation in Jesus Christ, they are the sons of God.
  • Blessed are those who are persecuted and reviled because of me
    If you have gone through this life never knowing the consequence of standing for your faith, perhaps your faith has been inconsequential in your life.  The persecution we face for believing in Christ, for contending for the faith, draws us closer to Christ.  Remembering Jesus’ words, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

Friends, judge for yourselves which teaching you will follow, where you will find the true blessedness.  One shows you where the world would have you look to find happiness, the other where Jesus says happiness is found.  One would have you follow the ladder to success and empowerment, the other would have you take up your cross and follow your savior.  As Joshua said, “if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

SDG