Get off the bottle

     George B. McClellan was a brilliant man. He graduated second in his class at West Point, not an easy task. When the American Civil War broke out, McClellan would be named General of the Amry of the Potomac by President Lincoln. He would gather an impressive force and have it well organized. Unfortunately, that is all McClellan would do with it.

 

     When it came time to fight, McClellan would make every excuse for not facing the enemy. McClellan’s tactics would baffle the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee, and frustrate President Lincoln. At one point, Lincoln got so annoyed with McClellan’s failure to act that the President sent a telegram that read, “If General McClellan does not want to use the Army, I would like to borrow it for a time, provided I could see how it could be made to do something.” Lincoln would go on to fire McClellan.

 

     Coming to faith in Jesus is the first step in the life God has for us. It is like we finally realize there is a race and now find ourselves at the starting line. But what would happen if that starter pistol was fired then everyone else took off and we just stood there? We would kind of be like McClellan with the Army of the Potomac.

 

     The writer of Hebrews is going to address this issue with Christians in our text today.

 

 

     Hebrews 5:11-14(CSB)

 

We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

 

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

     The writer begins this section by stating, “We have more to say, but it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.” Wow, hard words. This is both an indictment and a challenge to the readers. It is an indictment because no one likes to be called lazy, but the writer would not have claimed if it were not true. But their laziness does not stop the writer from proceeding forward. The challenge is for the reader to press onward in reading and understanding.

 

     Those reading this letter are Christians who have already heard the preaching. They had become lethargic in their understanding. This is a symptom of indifference or not paying attention. Most likely it is not because they lacked intelligence, but the desire to learn more. As Hebrews, they had come to faith in Jesus, but they were still holding onto the practices of their Jewish heritage.

 

     No one starts lethargic in faith. The Hebrews would have found the faith exciting in the beginning. Somewhere along the journey, they had grown tired, which led to sluggishness. Faith is a journey that begins with being changed, but then it leads down a path of changing still. Weary of the process, the Hebrews made it more difficult for themselves by trying to drag old methods that could have been abandoned. They had a new faith in Jesus which guarantees freedom in Him and power in the Holy Spirit, but they were denying themselves the use of that power.

 

     In verse 13, the writer goes on, “Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.” The moment they placed faith in Jesus, the Hebrews were born again. Though they were sinners, the Hebrews recognized that Jesus took their punishment. That is everything in the Christian faith, but notice that moment and focus get the Hebrews labeled as “inexperienced” and “infants.” Infants, new believers, need this milk. But at some point, infants grow up and need meat, fruit, and vegetables. At first, those foods are mushed up so a child can eat and digest them, but that is only a stage. Justification is everything, but that moment and knowledge was only the beginning for the Hebrew Christians. Their spiritual appetites should be craving more, but they were not.

 

     Verse 14 says, “But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.” The writer used the word “trained” which is the same word connected to athletes preparing for the Olympic games. They do not just wake up and compete in running, wrestling, and whatever other activity. There was a process to get ready for that moment.

 

     The Hebrew Christians are being challenged to get off the bottle, although not because it was wrong. It is the truth that is everything. But it is the truth that leads to so much more. They are to grow by paying attention to what was taught, reading the scriptures, praying, and obeying what was revealed. It took a whole lifetime to learn broken patterns for living in a broken world. Now they must grow into new patterns as citizens of the Kingdom that has come and is to come.

 

     Before I get into the application of this, I want to say it is okay to be new to the faith. It is okay to be a born-again infant. Faith in Jesus and understanding His blood has washed your sins away is everything. There is no spiritual growth without this foundational knowledge and crisis moment.

 

     While it is okay to be a born-again infant, it is not okay to stay one forever. There is so much, no one can understand it all and conform to every part all at once. Like children, no one grows the same way at the same speed. However, if Jesus has changed you, you should be changing still.

 

     Salvation in Jesus is everything, but that step of faith is only entering into the doorway of heaven and all it has to offer us. Jesus died to bridge the gap between us and God, but why was the bridge necessary? So, God could dwell with us. How? Through His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, what does that mean? God is there with us to help us make holy decisions leading to broken patterns in us God wants to make unbroken. All those things I just mentioned are things we uncover as we journey with God. Each discovery leads to our surrender and obedience. We come to them through prayer, listening to teaching, and reading the Bible.

 

     What hinders us is not getting off the bottle. Our spiritual stomachs grumble for something more, but we do not know what those new things will taste like so we cling to the bottle. God wants us to storm the gates of Hell, but we do not want to go because we do not want to leave where it is safe. What we fail to realize is that the full effort of the fullness of God would go with us, also with the full effort of all of heaven. There are wonderful new patterns God wants to show us and instill in us, but we are too busy clinging to old patterns (even sinful ones) we have named and dressed in a cute Christmas sweater.

 

     You and I can be filled with the Holy Spirit. We cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit without faith in Jesus first, but Jesus will lead us to the Holy Spirit. When we become lethargic, we can be renewed by the Holy Spirit. In moments when anxiety and fear seek to suck us into them like quicksand, the Holy Spirit can give us the courage and determination to press onward. The Holy Spirit can give us hearts and minds that hunger and thirst for righteousness, a holy curiosity to seek more. With the Holy Spirit we can be changed and ever-changing still.

 

     Let us get off the bottle. God has given us everything through our faith in Jesus, so let us be filled with the Holy Spirit so we can begin to understand what He means.

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How Mary challenges our worldview

      According to babycenter.com, these are the most popular baby names in 2023:

 

·         Olivia, Noah

·         Emma, Liam

·         Amelia, Oliver

·         Sophia, Elijah

 

A couple of biblical figure names in there. Not sure what makes certain names popular each year, but these are the names that were popular this year.

 

     At the time of Christ’s birth, there was a popular name among the Jewish people. It was a name that matched the prayers of mothers living in a nation under Roman rule. A popular and common name for Jewish boys was Jesus. It was the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “Yahweh saves.”

 

     As we know, there is only one Jesus who is Lord of all. There is only one Mary who was the mother of Jesus. And this Mary is the focus of our passage today.

 

 

     Luke 1:26-38(CSB)

 

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her: “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

 

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

 

The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

 

“I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

 

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

     Who is Mary? Mary was only a teenager, but she was legally bound to Joseph, though not married yet. Her dad had already met with Joseph or his representatives, payment had been received with a contract in place. Now Mary was waiting for Joseph to bring her into his home, with divorce or death the only way out. But we know that the Bible tells us Joseph was an honorable man, so this was a good match blessed by Mary’s father.

 

     Mary was awaiting this new life when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Gabriel shared that God had chosen her through His grace. As Mary listens to Gabriel, she has two interesting reactions. When the angel greets Mary, verse 29 says, “Mary was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.” “Deeply troubled” in Greek means “to agitate greatly, trouble greatly.” God was up to something, Mary knew this. But she may have been wondering “Why me?” “What is so special about me?”

 

     The second reaction comes after Gabriel tells Mary she will be having a baby. Mary knows how things work and that she is a virgin. She asks not out of doubt, but curiosity rooted in faith. Gabriel shares that in a similar manner to when Adam was created, the Holy Spirit will knit together life inside her womb.

 

     All this had to seem unbelievable. Mary was surrounded by other women about to give birth, praying and hoping their children would be the Messiah, and she was trying to make it to her wedding. Gabriel shared with Mary that God had also blessed her cousin Elizabeth with a child. God was doing another impossible thing, and it would be a sign to Mary that God could do the impossible.

 

     We can find the story of Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah in Luke 1. It is a story about Zechariah’s reaction to God’s plan for his family. Zechariah was a priest serving in the Temple when the angel Gabriel appeared to him. He and his wife were an older couple, passed the age of childbearing, and the text says Elizabeth was unable to conceive. But Gabriel tells Zechariah they would have a son. In verse 18, Zechariah reacts by saying, “How can I know this? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” God does not like Zechariah’s response, so Zechariah’s voice is taken away so he can sit and think about it.

 

     Elizabeth was carrying John the Baptist in her womb. The next scene following the announcement to Mary is John the Baptist leaping in the womb at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb. Gabriel shares Elizabeth’s miracle with Mary as assurance to Mary that God could do the impossible.

 

     God calls Mary to be the mother of the Christ. The Lord is sovereign and can use any means or person He chooses. But even so, God has given Mary a choice in this matter. She could have said no, and to be fair the risk for her was great. Divorce was a real possibility, and death by public execution could be on the table. Not to mention the damage that would be done to Mary’s reputation. Verse 38 records Mary’s response and choice, she says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be done to me according to your word.”

 

     God calls Mary to this task; she gives her consent. Do you notice God blesses Mary with this choice? Do you also consider who God does not ask for permission to do this? Mary’s dad has made all these arrangements for his daughter, but God does not seek his permission to disrupt them. An angel is sent to Joseph to get him on board with what is happening, but God does not ask him as Mary’s husband if it is okay. When it came to Elizabeth and Zechariah, God promised to give them a child, and God silenced Zechariah because of his lack of faith. But again, God is not seeking the man’s approval, He is seeking their acknowledgment of His plan.

 

     The truth revealed to us in this passage is God calls men and women, sons and daughters, young and old, rich and poor to be used for His purposes. They are given a holy task and then sent to live it out in faith. He never calls the wrong person, and He never leaves them powerless to complete the task.

 

     This leads you and me to this question: What is our role in this? If you are the person called by God, then you have a choice whether you will accept it. There will be a personal cost involved, but know to deny the life God has for you is to settle for less than God’s best for you. Acceptance leads to a strengthening of your faith and a life assures of His blessings in that life.

 

     What about those of us impacted by God’s call? God does not need our permission to call our husbands, wives, kids, or anyone else. Our role is to affirm what God is doing. We are to trust that God knows what He is doing and to live out our faith accordingly. There will be a cost, however, our role is not to scare the called away based on the burden, but we to do what we can to help them lift.

 

     Through Mary, God challenges our worldview by saying I am responsible for my life of faith, and you are responsible for your life of faith. It is not based on gender, parental authority, or societal pecking orders. It is based on our response to Jesus and our commitment to living out that faith. Therefore, the decision becomes can I in my life of faith support you in your life of faith? Our submission is to God while also willingly submitting to and supporting one another.

 

     Can I trust Jesus? Can I trust the God that drew me to Himself and sent me out as He calls others to Himself and sends them out? Can I let Him have His way instead of trying to get my way? If I can do that, then I get to be a witness of His power not only in my life but your life. I get to be His cheerleader for you as He does the impossible in your life. I get to be a co-laborer with you as He has called us to be co-laborers with Him.

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How the Shepherds challenge our worldview

      There was a little girl who was watching her mom apply a facial treatment. Not knowing what her mom was doing, the little girl asked, “Mommy, what are you doing?” The mom answered, “Honey, the lady at the store says this cream will make mommy look beautiful.” The little girl gets quiet and studies her mom’s face for a moment before saying, “Mommy, I think that lady at the store lied to you.”

 

     Obviously, the little girl misunderstood how the process worked. All her little mind would see was the smelly green gunk all over her mommy’s face. The facial cream had to be removed after its effects took place. Appearance fooled the little girl.

 

     The same can happen to us. Certain appearances and smells raise alarm bells in our minds. We tend to form opinions of people based on appearance, judging their cleanliness, worthiness, and economic status. Worse yet, we determine whether a person is worthy of God based on those things. But God will show us through the Christmas story that appearances are not as important as we think.

 

 

     Luke 2:8-20(CSB)

 

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

 

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

 

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

 

When the angels left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

 

They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in a manger. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

 

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

     As we study this passage, we are going to examine the differences between the main characters. They are vastly different. We will begin by looking at the angels.

 

     First, a single angel appears. But the glory of God, the Shekinah glory that marked God’s presence when the Law was given to Moses and Solomon dedicated the Temple, surrounds this angel. This is the first time God’s glory has appeared in centuries. It terrifies the shepherds, so the angel greets them in verse 10 with, “Don’t be afraid, I proclaim to you good news.” That good news was that the Savior had been born.

 

     At that announcement, the angel is joined by the heavenly host. The word “host” refers to the idea of an army encampment. So, the Army of Heaven is present! They are not there to wage war but to join in with praising the good news! This same group we read about in Revelation, singing before the throne of God. Now here they are singing of God incarnate lying in a manger.

 

     Now that is the angels, the spectacular and holy beings from heaven. But who are they sent to share this message with? Shepherds. Shepherds at this time were despised in Israel. If shepherds were called to testify in court, their testimony would be considered unreliable. They were viewed as lazy and lacking ambition. Their flocks grazed on lands they did not own, and the shepherds did not care. Of course, working with sheep made them dirty and smelly.

 

     These shepherds receive the greatest news in the history of the world. And the crazy thing is they believed it. Verse 15 shares when the angels left, the shepherds said, “Let’s go and see what happened.” No hesitation, only the faith to go and see.

 

     And this event changed them. The shepherds still went back to their field, still watched the same smelly sheep, and still were considered the lowest of society. But now they had a story to share. They were part of an event that is still talked about today.

 

     What is incredible about this story, really the whole Christmas story, is it is an event where heaven meets earth. God became flesh, laid helpless in a manger. Angels from the throne of God invade the earth’s atmosphere and are singing praise.

 

     The other incredible thing is who is not present. God does not send his holy messengers to Caesar, or Herod. There are no priests or prophets present. Heaven meets earth not in a Roman coliseum or major city. Instead, this supernatural collision happens in a field outside Bethlehem to dirty and smelly shepherds. God went to the lowest and most unreliable witnesses to share with the world the most unbelievable news.

 

     You, me, and the world draw lines that divide us. Skin color, gender, nationality, economic status, and every kind of appearance we can find. Then we mix them together like a WWE Royal Rumble and watch to see who is left standing in the ring. It really is a survival of the fittest mentality. Even within the walls of the Church. We may hold all these things dear, but God does not look at them.

 

     The truth about when heaven meets earth, when those angels appeared to those shepherds is looks, smells, economic statuses, and public perception are not the dividing lines. The divine dividing line revolves around who is in the manger, who went to the cross and grave, and who ascended into heaven and is seated on heaven’s throne. That dividing line is based on our belief in Jesus and if we are living based on our faith. God is not as interested in our appearances or even changing the situations that surround us. He is interested in us confessing our sins and us living with His peace in our hearts.

 

     Repeatedly the Bible shares this insight about God with us. God chooses to use the lowest, the despised, the poor, and the smelly to show His great love for us. The Apostle Paul captures this in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 where he writes, “By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were upper class. But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be something to nothing. So no human can brag in God’s presence.” (CEB) There is only One with the bragging rights and He does not use them. Instead, God invites us through Jesus to sit at His table.

 

     It does not matter if you come in here with holes in your ears or holes in your jeans or if you are here wearing a suit and tie. Jesus unites heaven and earth, clearing a pathway to God’s salvation. Will you believe? If you believe, can you look past the dirty, the smelly, and the ugly? Can we look past rough exteriors and celebrate that heaven’s gates are open wide? That is what Jesus does. That is what God did through the shepherds, and how the shepherds challenge us to change.

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