Acts 28:22 “But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.”

When the Apostle Paul finally arrived in Rome following the perilous journey described in Acts 27, he was there only three days before he met with the religious leaders of the Jews that lived there. It is interesting that they had heard nasty rumors about the followers of Christ, but they had heard nothing about the wonderful physical and spiritual miracles in the lives of those who believed in Him. The preceding verses alone describe some amazing events on the island of Melita, Paul’s immunity to poisonous snakes, his healing of a number of the citizens of that place, and their general admiration for the humble spirit in which all these events were performed.

I often have to wonder at the animosity generated by the name of Jesus Christ. There are many in our country today who would try to remove the emblem of Christianity from our culture. I want to ask them what the other religions of the world have produced for the improvement of the welfare of mankind. Western culture, including the United States and much of Europe, is based on a Judeo-Christian philosophy derived from the Holy Bible. To say otherwise is to blindly deny the plain evidence written in the founding documents and etched on the buildings and monuments, embedded in the literature, and witnessed by the abundance of churches which claim their origin in the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Where would the world be today without the discovery of electricity? How would wealthy Arab sheiks build monuments to their Christ-rejecting religions were it not for the technology of western culture that pumps their oil? China and Japan were educated societies that promoted pantheism, but how did it help those peoples until western culture was allowed to enter their mindset? Two of the largest nations in the world, both of which have followed religious patterns which have no relation to Bible truths, have only recently begun to develop economically, lagging far behind the western nations that were established on Bible principles.

Still today there are many that speak against this ‘sect’. It is because they do not know the Son. Paul’s succeeding words reveal the true nature of their problem: unbelief! There will always be those who speak against the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their excuses abound, but the real problem is their rejection of Jesus as the Savior. They have closed their eyes and ears to all the wonderful things the Bible tells us about the Lord, and have hardened their hearts, choosing not to believe.

Please notice that this did not seem to affect Paul in the least. It only caused him to be more vocal than ever for the Lord. He kept telling the world what Jesus had done for him. We need to do the same. Your testimony and my testimony of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is the greatest tool for putting to silence the opposition of ignorant unbelief.

Let’s speak up for Jesus, and let’s pray for those who oppose us. The day may come when they, like Paul, will see the Son in His Glory and be saved.

1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

These words of the Apostle were penned to a church that was undergoing terrible suffering as a result of persecution for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter encourages them with the thought that their suffering is only until Jesus comes, a return that was imminent. Two thousand years later we still have that same promise and hope that Jesus could come at any moment.

As we near the end of 2011, we need to heed the admonition given. A serious reflection should be made of the past year’s successes and failures. Writing down lessons we learned and lessons we should have learned would go a long way toward making 2012 a more productive year for our Savior. More than anything, we should have learned that we need more than ever to turn to the Lord in prayer.

The idea of watching implies carefulness in the Christian life. If Jesus truly is coming, then we better be on our toes and get our house in order. Prayer brings us into proximity with the holiness of God, making us aware of the weakness of our flesh and more conscious of our heart’s condition. It also produces more patience for the faults of others which we are instructed to ‘forbear’.

The forthcoming arrival of 2012 will no doubt be greeted by many with today’s theme. Apocalyptic prophesies (and their Hollywood interpretations) have been published and promoted, all predicting the end of the world. Indeed, Jesus promised He would return, and the Bible presents many details of that Second Coming. One that is not given is the timing, and thus, the exhortation to ‘watch’, given by the Lord more than a few times.

The end of the year is near – Are you ready? The end of all things is at hand – Are you watching? Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Here we are two days after the Day of Great Anticipation. All the gifts are gone from under the tree, opened, appreciated, admired and evaluated, now having taken their appropriate place in each of our lives. The only wrapped gift that remains is for a relative which we have not yet visited. It sits there looking rather lonely, almost like it has been forgotten. Eventually, it will find its place when we are able to make the visit.

I read this morning that for the fifth year in a row, gift cards topped the list of all types of gifts that were given. From the crowds I saw around the gift card display in the grocery store, I would be inclined to believe it. The article said that many gift cards are never used, citing a figure of $41 billion in unused cards since 2005. Since the average of all cards purchased is around $40., that is a lot of buying power sitting in someone’s purse or desk drawer.

That made me think about the gifts that the Lord has given me. The Christian life is like a treasure chest that we receive at salvation. Every day we open the lid and there is another gift wrapped up for us. Unlike gift cards which tend to be more impersonal (and may be why they go unused – who ever asks how you liked that gift card they gave you), the Lord has especially chosen for us each day the gift that we need the most.

If grandma gave you a gift, you better open it because you know she will be asking about it. Even if it’s a gift card, you want her to know it is not being neglected, forgotten, or just plain unappreciated. Hebrews 2:3 warns us, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.” Someday we will stand before the Lord Jesus and He will ask us how we liked the gifts He gave us each day. How sad it will be when we find that inside that multitude of unopened packages were the very things we needed each day.

Every day can be like Christmas. Go read your Bible, pray and open today’s gift. It will be just what you need.

Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

It is to me an interesting twist that the first day of summer is the longest day of the year. That means that the light is as good as it will be and from that point it begins to diminish. The first day of winter is the opposite. The night is as long as it will be and the daylight hours only get longer from here. The day that we yearn for, the first day of summer, is as good as it will get. The day that we dread, the first day of winter, is only the beginning of better things to come.

The birth of Jesus is celebrated just when the darkness has reached its culmination. God sent the Eternal Son into a world plunged into spiritual darkness by man’s sin and rebellion. When it could not get any darker for mankind, Jesus, the Light of the world, came to bring the light of the Gospel. That True Light shining has set ablaze countless other lights in those who are saved. In spite of many who turn a blinded eye to that light, it continues to shine throughout the world in those who will let their light shine before men.

If your life seems like a dead end tunnel today with no light at the end, then remember that Jesus has already come, and it can only get better from this point. The world has already had its best day when it rejected Jesus as the Christ, and without Him, there is only darkness ahead.

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.” Soon the Lord of Glory will arise as the Son of Righteousness, and the Eternal Day of His Reign will begin. Let’s live in that glorious light and spread the news that light has come to those in the shadow of death and darkness.

It can only get better than this!

Tonight we get to do what I think is one of the most blessed and fun activities of Christmas – Caroling to the sick and shut-ins. It has become an annual tradition to go caroling the last Wednesday before Christmas instead of having a service. In a way you can say we are taking the service to many folks who either can’t or find it difficult to come to services, especially this time of year.

Years ago we used to take baskets with fruit, cookies, and other snack foods for these folks, but through the years we have found that is not what they enjoy the most. They need the attention of our church family, to know that in the rush of our lives they have not been forgotten. Reminding them that we pray for them is good, but not many experiences compare with the joy on their faces when we appear at their door. For a few moments they know that we remember and value them as precious brothers and sisters in Christ. In icy cold, penetrating chill, or driving snow, those few moments of appreciation make it more than worth it to do it again next year.

Over 2000 years ago, the shepherds on a hillside outside Bethlehem heard the first Christmas carols. Those angelic voices were a confirmation to them that God had not forgotten His people and His promises. “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men.” Today we are the Lord’s ambassadors with the same message.

We meet this evening at 6:15 at Jessup Park n Ride. I hope you can join us as we praise the Lord for remembering us and sending His Son to provide the true means of peace of earth. Come and get the blessing of encouraging God’s people.

This morning I reread an e-mail article that someone sent last year. It is a beautiful slide show that includes various statistics about the world’s population. On each slide, percentage comparisons are given concerning the availability of what most of us would consider common necessities. Each time I watch it I am more thankful for all the blessings God has provided for us. I also realize that just because someone is not as well off as we are, it doesn’t mean that the Lord has forgotten them or that we are better than they are. The writer of Proverbs said, “Riches are not forever”, and he reminds us that they often grow wings and fly away. We need to be good stewards of all that God has given us, including our treasure, time and talent.

Christmas usually pushes people beyond the limit of endurance in maintaining a contented spirit. I hope that you will stop today before you stuff your face with Christmas goodies and think how many people will struggle just to have any food to eat today. When you can’t get cell reception, I trust you will be reminded that only about one out of 100 people in the world have phones at all. When you are stuck in traffic, stop and think how many billions of people have no car to go anywhere. Most of them travel by walking. When you give out a tract today (and I trust you will do that), realize that billions of people risk arrest and imprisonment if they are caught proselytizing. As you consider the multitude of choices you have for purchasing Christmas gifts, remember that most of the world could not even buy one of the least expensive items on your list.

“And be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” It’s okay to buy those gifts. Just don’t measure your happiness by what you can give or get. Measure it by the relationship you have with Jesus today.