Echo of Christmas Past
December 24, 2023
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Our 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/1706595836493917
Our 10:30 am Contemporary Service:
Not Available
December 24, 2023
Christmas Through the Eyes of Joseph
Our 9:00 am Traditional Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/284339290863326
Our 10:30 am Contemporary Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/7239280412759719
Good morning,
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28.
When Samuel made his journey to Bethlehem, he was searching for a king, just as the Magi were a thousand years later. God directed him to the home of Jesse. Samuel could not openly search for God’s appointed king, because there was, at present, a king on the throne, and it would have been treasonous, so this was a clandestine mission that Samuel was on. When Samuel arrived at the home of Jesse, he invited him and his sons to take part in offering sacrifice to the Lord. When Samuel laid eyes on Jesse’s oldest son, he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him” (1 Sam 16:6), but Samuel was wrong. Eliab may have been the oldest, he may have been big and strong, and the “obvious” choice, but God had rejected him. (and if you skip to chapter 17 you will see that he was not very nice to his little brother David). God spoke these important words, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7).
We can’t blame Samuel, the cultural standard made it “obvious” to him that Eliab, the older brother was the man for the job, and human nature played a part; of course a strong, tall, man would be the choice for king, over a shepherd boy, and it is likely the choice that most of us would have made, had we been in Samuel’s shoes. But God often chooses what is foolish, or unlikely. How often did He go against the standard of the time? How often did He choose the younger, over the older, to do an important job? Often. God chose Moses over his older brother Aaron, to lead His people out of Egypt. God chose Joseph over his older brothers, to secure a safe haven in Egypt for his family, by elevating Joseph from a slave to the second in command. From the womb, God chose Jacob to rule over his older brother, and to be the father of the 12 tribes of Israel, instead of his older twin Esau. God chose Gideon, the “least” of his brothers, and from the smallest tribe, to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Midianites. God chooses the “least” so that man cannot take credit. There was no way David could take credit for his victory over Goliath!
There really is nothing that you can compare God to, He is “unto” Himself. God is not like us. God does not think like us, for instance, when I think of a rescue mission, the “hero” of the mission that pops into my mind is not a baby, and yet once again God did the unlikely. God did not choose a queen to carry His Son, He chose a seemingly insignificant, unmarried, young girl to carry the most significant person to be born in history. He did not designate that He be born in a palace, He chose a stable for that birth. Jesus was born in a small backwater town, of 2,000 – 3,000 souls, rather than the large city of Jerusalem, brimming with the ‘important” people. There were no priests nor kings to celebrate the long-awaited Messiah, instead there were poor, uneducated, ill considered, shepherds, chosen for the honor, of witnessing the angels heralding the arrival of the young Prince of Peace, and the honor of being the first to look upon the face of Emanuel. Emanuel, God with us. God sent His Son as a baby because He would grow into a man. And because of that, mankind would touch God. They would eat with Him, they would walk with Him, they would talk with Him, and they would listen to His stories. And then He would die instead of them. He would be the proxy for their sin. Those people would go on to meet the resurrected Jesus, and they would forever be changed. God would use more unlikely people to record their relationship with Him, their accounts of events, their thoughts about Him, and the revelations that they had received by Him, and through His Spirit, and those Words would live on forever, and It is because of them that we too, can be forever changed. Some of you may feel like you are the least, you may feel like the “unlikely”. I hope that the words that I have typed today will fill you with joy, as you come to the realization that God looks at your heart, He sees the great things He has poured in you, all your passions, all your gifts…God gave them to you for a reason. You may feel like the “least of your house”, like Gideon, you may feel like the unlikely, but God will use you, as long as you are not unwilling. The most beautiful gift that I see in you is love. God gave His love to you so you could share it with a world that feels like they are the least, and like they are unlovable. No one is beyond God’s love, that is why Jesus was born, so God could walk as a person, and show mankind, in a way they could understand, what they were worth to Him, all because of love, and you my friend have been chosen to carry that love, and to continue that rescue mission, you may seem like the “unlikely”, but then, so did a small, helpless baby in the manger! – Ginny Axelrod
December 17, 2023
Christmas Through the Eyes of the Shepherds!
Our 9:00 am Traditional Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/1071194717647102
Our 10:30 am Contemporary Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/3550973511791975
As Anchul and I drove to a Christmas gathering last night I noticed that so many people have lights up. Well, it is Christmas, so that is no surprise. But when I say lights, I mean every inch of tinder covered, every inch of grass sporting an inflated snowman or grinch. It seems to me that there are more homes proudly displaying their “merry and bright”, than ever before, and they are so elaborate! As I look around the world is screaming, “we are merry, we are bright, we are oh so happy!, and you must be too! It’s Christmas! We have no room for your sorrow at this Inn!”
The “merry and bright” of the world is just too fragile to handle any sorrow at all, because their happiness is based on glitter and twinkle lights, it is a facade, and to keep that facade of happiness going, there really is not room for sorrow, because if sorrow were to dim even one of the ‘bulbs” in their string of their merry and bright Christmas Illusion, the whole strand would go dark. There may not be room at the “Merry and Bright Inn” for your sorrow, but there is room at the manger. The King of Glory was not born to mankind so we could have a perfect Christmas, He was born so we could have a perfect relationship with Him, and in order for that to happen He would have to die for our imperfections. That does not mean we are made perfect by this, on the contrary, The Son of Man is fully aware of our imperfections that persist, our sin that continues to wage war in our soul, and even the sorrow that has settled in our hearts, but He loves us and is faithful to us, even as we struggle against sin and sorrow. And, because Jesus walked this earth as a man, we can know that He truly understands both. He does not stand in judgement. He is sympathetic. He sees sin as the enemy, not us. He knows that sorrow is a burden that we all will carry at some point in our journey on this earth, but He does not grow bored or tired in listening to our silent sobs of grief; He sits beside us holding our hand, and He comforts us, promising that there will be a day when there will be an end to that sorrow.
The Son of God did not come to earth so we could be happy, He came so that we could have joy. The two are not the same. Happiness will flounder when your stockings are empty, and when calamity pays a call, rather than Santa, but joy, though it might take a bit of excavation, will always be found, because it is rooted in truth, and it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Joy will be there to lift up a song even during the longest coldest night, and that joy brings us peace. I was raised in a works-based religion. I went to a priest for absolution of my sin, and I was given “penance” to atone for those sins, ten Hail Mary’s, ten Our Father’s, I prayed them by heart, but without heart, because it was just what we did. I said the prayers, as fast as I could, and felt the relief of not having to go to confession for another month, but there was no comfort in the ritual itself, because I knew I would be back to bare my soul to a man in a black robe, because I was such a sinful little creature. There was no guidance given in this confessional time, there was no assurance of unconditional love given by a good God. the message I received was “If you do your Hail Mary’s, then you might be acceptable…until next month”. When I was young, I spoke to God a lot, He was my friend, but as I grew and was taught about my religion, I became confused, you see I learned a lot about my religion, and a lot about why my church was the true church, but they did not teach a lot about God, and we were not really encouraged to read the Bible. We listened to what the priests said, and viewed them as God’s representative on earth. Each week I went to Mass, and although I loved the smell of the incense, and the hymns that we sang (there was more encouragement in those hymns than any of the sermons) it was an empty experience.
As a young adult I “randomly” began reading the bible. Within its pages I found the God that I had spoken to as a child, and I learned about who He was (is). I wondered “why had I not been told about this incredible God?” Within those pages I found a Holy God, within those pages I also saw the hopelessness of my sinful condition, If Adam and Eve sinned, If David sinned, if Israel continued to fall…then what hope was there for me? And then I saw a merciful God! The God who created all things, the holy everlasting God who knew that sin would enter the world, and that all of mankind would be subject to it, and He also knew that sin would cause a chasm between Him and His children, and left on our own we would have everlasting separation from Him. And that is why He sent His Son. And that is what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about God’s unending love. He would send His Son on a recovery mission, He would save His people. He would redeem Adam and Eve, He would redeem David, and Israel, and anyone who believes that that baby in the manger died for their sins.
The worlds “merry and bright”, and joy of the season will not last, because seasons always end, and come January first the stockings will be packed up along with their joy, but for those who know God, and have a relationship with Him, walk with Him in every season. The comfort and joy that that brings is not reserved for December, it endures through all seasons, the darkest days of winter, and yes even in the winter of the soul. Our Christmases may not be perfect, our lives may not be perfect, God knows that, but He has accounted Christ’s perfection to us, and because of that we can count on 365 days a year that we will not walk alone, He will be by our side, we have a relationship, not a religion. The God of the universe bends His ear to the lips of His people, and He hears our prayers. He loves us. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ, the gift that gave it all, and keeps giving, and it is a gift that is meant to be shared with all mankind! In this case re-gifting is perfectly acceptable….and even expected! – Ginny Axelrod
December 10, 2023
Christmas Through the Eyes of the Angels
Our 9:00 am Traditional Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/1334154237461427
Our 10:30 am Contemporary Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/737454951579858
Not available.
December 3, 2023.
Christmas Through Isaiah’s Eyes
Our 9:00 am Traditional Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/919400316271419
Our 10:30 am Contemporary Service: https://www.facebook.com/BRBUMC/videos/1298393754156099
I once knew a man; his name was Ernie. Ernie was involved at church, and when I say involved, I mean to say that if the church doors were opened, Earnie was there. Ernie was part of leadership; he was a deacon, so all the decisions made…Ernie had input. Ernie taught Bible studies and was always around for every event going on. With all that being said, you can imagine how shocked I was, not to mention the whole church, when Ernie got out of his seat one Sunday evening and approached the alter to repent for his sins and ask for mercy before the throne of God.
Ernie with all of his involvement in church “stuff”, and all his “good works”, had never met Jesus. But this particular Sunday night service Ernie met his Savior, received mercy. It was a beautiful moment, but also a little shocking to most of the members of the congregation. Ernie later shared his testimony. He explained that he had gone to church for his whole life, he even read the Bible on a pretty regular basis, but he also knew that there was something missing, that thing was a relationship. For me, this was a moment of important instruction, and I was amazed at the grace of God, and that He would look down on a man, sitting in the pew, who had position and respect, a man who was pretty content with all the work he had done, in the name of the Lord, and with himself, and that He would look with compassion on his life that was filled with empty acts of service, and had mercy on him. God knew that his good works would not gain him access to heaven, God knew that all those Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday night services would not clear the debt of sin. God wanted Ernie, and so He called him on that Sunday night, and made it clear that in spite of all his good works…he still needed a Savior.
In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we are told to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. The word “examine”, and “test” are essentially the same thing…or have the same meaning. So, Paul is encouraging Believers to administer a self-test to determine whether they are truly in the faith. Some versions translate this as “look carefully at yourself”, or “ask yourself”. But whichever translation you chose to read, the message is clear we are to seriously examine the fruit of our life…not just the fruit that is displayed, but also the fruit that is deep within.
One of the ways to “test” yourself is to look for the evidence of the Holy Spirits’ work in your life. “But the fruit of Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to compare our lives to this list, asking that tough question; what is my spiritual condition? and be objective when asking it, viewing ourselves not with our accomplishments in mind, but instead with “spiritual” eyes.
Ernie spent his whole life in church. He spent his whole life “serving” God, and one day Ernie realized that his service to God had been for his own glory, he realized that it was for his own pride’s sake. God was a true friend to Ernie on that day. He showed him his pride, and He showed him that everything he had accomplished in his very successful life was all due to Him, and Ernie responded, by God’s grace, with humility, and was received as a son into the loving arms of the Father. It was a happy ending to a near tragic story. Imagine Ernie continuing on in his life, continuing to be at church every time the door was open, continuing to lead Bible studies, continuing all his good works…and then one day as his hourglass has run out, and he breathes his last breath, and as he stands before Jesus he hears the dreaded words “I never knew you”. Ernie will never hear those words, instead he will be received with a “welcome home precious son”, and rejoicing!
The practice of examining oneself is not just a New Testament concept. The greatest of saints kept watch over their souls, including King David, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See it there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the everlasting” Psalm 139:23-24.
As we approach this Advent Season, and as we “deck the halls”, drag out the Christmas tree, and even as we carefully arrange the Nativity, I pray that we do not neglect the important act of examining ourselves, and checking to see if there are any burned out bulbs on the string of lights that warms our heart, and laying our hearts before the Lord, and asking Him to do what He does best, to restore us, and to bring us into a satisfying relationship with Him, because without Him, the Christmas season is just an empty tangle of tinsel! I need more. What about you? – Ginny Axelrod