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| Rev. Brian Wilkie |
Pastor of St. Andrew's Christian Community
Rockland, Ontario
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PODCAST LINK to CFRA broadcast - Sunday, December 18th, 2016:
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Broadcast Notes:
Welcome to Good News In the Morning a program of words and music bringing a Christian message of hope and encouragement to those who are looking for intelligent meaningful and spirited approach to faith and to life.
This program is sponsored by Good News Christian Ministries PO Box 184 Rideau Ferry, Ontario K0G 1W0. I'm your host today, Brian Wilkie of St. Andrew's Christian church in Rockland. As always I do want to start by thanking you, our listeners. We are grateful for your encouragement and support. Please remember that you can always visit our website for materials to encourage and support you in your Christian walk.
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Keeping Christ in Your Christmas
As we prepare for the Christmas season, I do want to share with you a Merry Christmas wish and hope that as you prepare for your celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, that God does everything to fill you with his Holy Spirit, and with joy in knowing his love.
This Scripture that I want to share with you is not from the Christmas story, well at least not directly about the events of Jesus’ birth. It’s about the consequences about the life that we have been given, that we can live in Jesus Christ. So I would like to read to you from the letter of Jude from the 17th verse to the 25th verse of this short letter from Jude to the Christians of his day.
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Doxology
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 17–25)
Jude writes these words to Christians of his day reminding them that Jesus foretold that they would have troubles which tells us, if we hadn’t known it from other parts of this letter, tells us that the Christians of those days suffered because of their faith. They suffered the challenges, particularly mentioned here, of people who scoffed at their faith, who divided the faith and who tried to lead them away from the true faith. And Jude has some words for them and for us about how we can keep in the faith of Jesus Christ and fully enjoy the new life that Christ has given us. So we’re going to take a look at that in a few moments. But let’s listen to a song from the Christmas Season and it’s a traditional hymn sung by Carolyn Arends, a Canadian singer and songwriter, from her album the Irrational Season. She’s singing Come Thou Long -Expected Jesus.
I’ve been finding over the last decade or so, that the Christmas Season has been dominated by the cries of Christians to keep Christ in Christmas. And that’s a very important idea, it’s very important for us as Christians to keep the focus on Jesus Christ. It’s unfortunate that sometimes the campaign to keep Christ in Christmas is kept with such anger and such a sense of trepidation as other aspects of the season seem to dominate our culture. Don’t you find so many have? The commercialism and the gifts and the spending of money has become a little more than is required, and in addition sometimes even, we’re finding that as families drift away from faith, that even the family traditions, gathering together and so on, can overwhelm the celebration of the birth of Christ, so that we’re unable to make it to different worship services and different Christmas events because of all the chaos of the season. And additionally, when we listen to Christmas music anymore, we find that it’s more seasonal music than Christmas music, and even though Christmas may be mentioned, it only celebrates the parties, the chestnuts roasting on the open fire, the snow and the decorations and very little about the Son of God.
This is a tough time for Christians when it comes to keeping our focus on Jesus because all the other things are so much fun. So interesting. So beautiful. And they do catch our attention. It’s not that they’re bad in themselves, is it? But so often they distract us from the truly important. I’d like to suggest today that as we look at the scriptures, that we find out how to keep our hearts on Christ this Christmas, and there’s an old adage that says – the only person you can change is yourself. But if enough individuals do change their focus at Christmas, maybe it’ll have an impact on others. I think though that it’s far more productive to take a look at where God is calling us, to treasure him in our hearts and to strengthen our faith. Far more benefit in that, than in chastising others anonymously for their lack of faith. So let's keep Christ in our thoughts. Let’s keep Christ in our lives, as we pursue this Christmas Season.
The way that we do this is described in the word of God. In this letter from Jude as he proclaims the truth of Gods call upon our lives, as he reminds us of many things. And first of all, let’s take a look at his reminder that in the last days, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. Now when Jude mentions this, he mentions it to set it aside as a problem. That is to say, he admits the problem exists, but he doesn’t focus his attention on it. He tells us that Jesus knew this would happen. That this does not come as a surprise to our Lord and Saviour, as though something unexpected was happening among the Christians of his day. And neither should we consider it unexpected today if we find that our culture is filled with scoffers and mockers, and those who want to change the message of the gospel. That is what was happening even in Jude's day, and that is what Jesus predicted. So it may seem like the troubles we face in our culture today are novel and threatening , but let’s remember that Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit, has overcome this kind of resistance from the very beginning of the message of the gospel, and the truth of Jesus Christ has remained potent to change people's hearts, in spite of the cultural changes around us.
The world, if we look at the sort of cycles of human history, the world has drifted away from Christ from time to time, and has drifted back, and has been drawn back, has been called back and God has brought revival at different times. But as we endure challenges to our own faith, we should take heart from the example of the early Christians who are called over and over again in the word of God to endure and to persevere and to remain in the love of Christ.
That’s our calling too. And we’re going to look even more at that as we continue along with this message. But let’s remember the beautiful message of Christmas. To center ourselves on Jesus Christ as we listen to Sarah Groves, from her Christmas Album and the song she’s going to sing is a rather different version of O Holy Night.
Keeping Christ in our hearts during this Christmas Season is a process or an exercise that Jude describes for us when he tells us to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. How shall we build ourselves up in our faith and keep Christ in our hearts at Christmas? He begins by speaking about prayer. He says build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the holy spirit. Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman when he met her by a well, and they debated about where worship should take place. And Jesus said the time is coming when true worshipers will not worship on the mountain or in the temple. But they shall worship God in spirit and truth. When we pray in the Holy Spirit, we’re praying not just a set of prayers that someone has taught us, although those can be useful by drawing us near to God, and certainly the prayer that is most commonly prayed by believers, the Lord’s Prayer, that was taught by Jesus himself to bring us into a place of prayer. But it’s not merely the words of prayer but the attitude of drawing near to God and letting the Holy Spirit be at work in our lives as we pray. And the first thing to do when we find ourselves looking for Jesus to be closer, is to call out to him. To pray to him, and remember to pray in the Holy Spirit. And so if the season of Christmas is busy. If the preparations are getting overwhelming, all the events on your calendar are keeping you from the really important things. Stand aside and do the most vital thing of all, pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude goes on to say Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. The thought life that we live as we go through the ups and downs of this life is, for Jude, a life of hope. That we try to remind ourselves of the hope that we have in Jesus Christ for eternal life. For 'keeping ourselves in God's love' is a phrase that Jesus uses as well. When Jesus uses the phrase abiding in my love, he connects it with paying attention to the commandments of God. Driven and walking in the way that God wants us to. Having a Godly conduct. So we have prayer, we have a hope, and we have an abiding in God's love through Godly conduct. These things all help us remain firm in our faith. How often do we find ourselves assailed by doubts because our lives have not been measuring up to what we believe God's standard to be. We should not be assailed by doubts if we have fallen into some kind of sin or distraction. Instead, we should turn to the love of God and remember his forgiveness. But how much better if we keep in the love of God. How much less of an emotional roller coaster do we go on if we remain in his love by following as close as we’re able, and whenever we fall away, return with repentance and faith to the seat of mercy that we have in Christ. And in that Godly conduct, there’s another aspect: of mercy to others. I think somehow that when we get angry at the world around us, when we get overwhelmed by the troubles around us, and we start to become critical and condemning of the world around us, we not only darken our speech, we darken our own thoughts. We darken our own hope. For Jesus tells us over and over again 'blessed are the merciful,' for they shall receive mercy. He says, blessed are you who forgive those who have offended you, for you also will be forgiven.
It’s far easier to believe in God's mercy when you act mercifully towards others and when you give them the benefit of the doubt. So be both merciful, Jude says, and the word of God says, "be merciful to those who doubt". Are there people who have been kind of caught in the undertow of this culture and are expressing doubts. Do not condemn Jude says, but be merciful. Are there some who have actually fallen into sin, and Jude says, again, your job is not to condemn them, but to snatch them from the fire as he puts it so colourfully. Lift them out. Draw them out and try to save them from the direction their life is taking them. And to others, he says show mercy mixed with fear. And by this, he speaks about a fear that recognizes corruption. Recognizes the danger that people are placing themselves in, and so in mercy, warning them and calling them to a better life.
Godly conduct includes showing mercy to others. Not just living your own holy life, but letting that holiness be manifested in love towards your brothers and sisters. God tells us in his word that he is able to keep us from falling and to present us before his glorious presence without fault and much joy, and he reminds us to give God glory. But as we try to keep Christ in Christmas, worship is going to be a big part of that. To praise the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. To recognize their power and their authority and their great mercy and love. And to recognize that he is able to sustain us through these days and any days which may come.
Worship this Christmas. Worship Jesus in church and at home. In the music, you listen to and in the life that you lead. Worship the Lord, for he is your Saviour and is able to keep you through all things.
Well as we conclude this let’s just say a word of prayer...
O mighty God, bless us as we continue to seek you. As we continue to try to treasure you in our hearts during this Christmas Season. Stir us up in love and in good deeds according to your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen
Once again, thanks everyone for your encouragement and support through the website and the emails, and for your financial support. You are helping us keep on the air, not only reaching 7000 listeners in the Ottawa River Valley but through the internet, we are reaching readers and listeners throughout the world we are so thankful for the global reach of this ministry. If you can please make a cheque payable to Good News Christian Ministries and send it to P.O. Box 184 Rideau Ferry, Ontario K0G 1W0, or you can make a donation through the website itself.. I also want to encourage you to tell others about this program
Once again, please be sure to worship in a church where the gospel is soundly proclaimed and lived out with compassion, integrity, and resolve. Now to conclude our program I would like to have you listen to a song called Mary, did you Know? sung by Gary Chapman from his Christmas album, This Gift 3:53
I do pray that the Lord will hold your heart and you would know Jesus personally and profoundly. May the Holy Spirit reside deep within your heart, may the heavenly Father surround you with his constant and abiding and accompanying love.
Good News In The Morning is produced in the Studios of News Talk Radio 580 CFRA.
Rev. Brian Wilkie
St. Andrew's Christian Community, Rockland, Ontario
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To listen to the above broadcast, click on the following link:
