Sacred for Whom?

It's Easy to Forget, It's Jesus' Birthday, Not Ours

It is hard to imagine that for the early Christians of the first two or three centuries, the birth of Jesus was not celebrated nor held as a day worthy of worship. And even when it was deemed a special day, not much changed in the daily lives of believers, December 25th was just another day. People still worked on that day, and kids were in school. I joke with folks about calling an important conference for Christmas Day like was done early in our history as Methodists in this country. Christmas Day was just another day, and to hold a conference was an important event and no one felt violated or cheated. Today it is a different story. No one wants to work today which is Christmas Eve, except most pastors. And no one wants to work tomorrow on Christmas Day. Especially pastors. Most businesses will close early today, and for many it is still a shopping day. Those who work today will hurriedly do what they need to do and then hurry home. Some will go to a special worship service and our churches will be filled like a Sunday morning. Most churches will be closed tomorrow. The thinking is that the day is for family, food, parades on television, football games, friends. (Sounds a lot like this last holiday we just had about a month ago, no?) Christmas has become a day set aside for us. Our "gospel story" might read: And there were shoppers keeping watch on their sales, where one could go at the last minute to get that last gift, when a commercial came on and say this is the place to get that last precious gift, and the shoppers were sore afraid that someone else might beat them to that last doll or last game that they needed to put under the tree. And the voice on the radio said, "Do not be afraid, for see ---We're open late and we're fully stocked!" And suddenly there were with the announcers great offers and prices, and the shoppers said, "Glory to us, for we have been given a great deal!" And off they went to make the deal, and to rush to the grocery store to finalize their dinner's list and that last needed pie.

And Jesus wept.

He Has Arrived!

The Advent Journey Leads us to the Manger

From Luke 2: 1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, Anchorthe Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, Anchorpraising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Yesterday's Peanuts strip in our Sunday newspaper featured Linus quoting part of the Luke story. Our local paper prints Peanuts first. It is the only Sunday comic I read. I don't know why. When I was younger I would read them all even Prince Valiant which I did not really understand and I certainly did not remember from one Sunday to the next what he was up to, nor did I care. I've also known people, myself included, that will tear out a particular strip and post it on a wall to say, "I identify with this funny!" (Remember that was what they were called by many? "See ya in the funny papers!") This particular strip is one we should post in our hearts. I've shared with you how when CBS asked Charles Shultz for a Christmas special he insisted on using actual scripture because he said the Bible is not just for the church but for everybody. I should mention that B.C. and its related strip, whose name escapes me often uses Biblical messages in its strip.

The Lenten Journey ends with a tale of a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem by a young couple, the woman heavy in her pregnancy, about to deliver at any time. This was to fulfill the governmental obligation to participate in a census ordered by the Emperor. Temporary workers were not hired to go from house to house; people were ordered to return to the city of their birth to register. And this it was believed, was to get a better idea of the taxes the Roman government could levy on its citizens.

Luke's Gospel is known as the universal gospel because he sought to make the birth, life, message, death, and resurrection of Jesus for all people, not just the Jews. He uses images and stories that show the universal appeal of Jesus. While Matthew has wise men or kings from the East, which appealed to the royal nature of the people of Israel, shepherds were for the common person of the day. Almost everyone had been or had a relative who was, a shepherd. As Mary is giving birth to Jesus, it is the shepherds who are told by an angel of the Lord that something special had happened in Bethlehem. "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord." And then describes the way they would know that this baby born is indeed the long awaited Messiah of the Lord. To confirm those good news, an angelic choir appears with the song of praise, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors!" The shepherds rush to find Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, and tell them how they came to know about His birth and all who heard that news were amazed, but Mary "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." The shepherds went back to work, but as changed men, making known to all that God had acted on their behalf.

What about you? What has this awesome birth done for your soul and spirit about your relationship with God? Whom have you told the amazing news that God has acted on their behalf? More importantly, in your work, in your home, in your personal life, what evidence does your life give about the love that God showed to us on that night? Forget about last minute gifts as being the stress-causers they are; find the calm and peace that is the knowledge that God acted on your behalf. God showed us a better way to live!

PRAYER: Awesome and loving God, for this birth we give You thanks. You have acted in a way that blessed all and we want to be a part of that blessings. Help me to recognize the true meaning of this first birth and help me to live in such a way that prepares all for Jesus' return to earth. This I pray in the name of He born for me, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

The Lord Make His Face Shine Upon You...Christ Above All

Image from http://christmyf.webs.com

The Power of Positive Memories

From Psalm 80: 1 Shepherd of Israel, listen! You, the one who leads Joseph as if he were a sheep. You, who are enthroned upon the winged heavenly creatures. Show yourself 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh! Wake up your power! Come to save us! 3 Restore us, God! Make your face shine so that we can be saved! 4 LORD God of heavenly forces, how long will you fume against your people's prayer? 5 You've fed them bread made of tears; you've given them tears to drink three times over! 6 You've put us at odds with our neighbors; our enemies make fun of us. 7 Restore us, God of heavenly forces! Make your face shine so that we can be saved!

I will never forget the first time I was old enough to go to MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship). Actually, in those days, MYF came to get you. I believe you could be in MYF until you were 21 or 25. Anyway, the president of the MYF drove a nice red 1957 Chevrolet in which she picked up all the kids. Seatbelts were not yet a thought in any GM or Ford makers heads yet, so the entire MYF could pile into this whale of a car and ride back to the church. For some reason the radio station always seemed to play Lou Christy's "Lightnin' Strikes" on those trips to church. Whatever program or outing we had, we always closed with the MYF blessing, which I believe had been tailored over the years to something like, "And now, May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace, amen. Christ Above All!" We seemed to get louder as we said it so by the time we reached "Christ Above All" we were yelling it. I never really understood that blessing other than to know we were asking Jesus to be with us. It did make me wonder about some of the words, like countenance whatever in the world that means, but I knew what shine means but I wondered what it would mean to have Jesus shine upon me.

The Psalmist knew. As he prayed this prayer he addressed the Almighty as Shepherd of Israel, the guide of all who believed, including Joseph, son of Israel, and all his brothers. He asks that God show Himself to the people in ways they could understand that this is the God of power who can save us. Salvation is being snatched from the claws of certain death and brought back into the loving arms of God. It means a restoration back in that perfect relationship God desires with us. It means feeling the warmth of God's smile upon us, dispelling the darkness and saving us from all that comes upon us in the night. How appropriate a prayer for teenagers of all ages. Even though we may go through tough and troubling times, the believer does not give up on the hope that God can and will save us from all distress. God can make His face to shine upon us and give us peace. What better thing can a youth or a former youth still say than "Christ above all"?

PRAYER: Loving God, for those who served You as our youth leaders, presidents, officers, sponsors, youth directors and youth pastors, I give You thanks. If it were not for them I would not be blessed today like I am. Make Your face shine upon them in whatever they may be needing and shine on me. I pray in the name that is above all, Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

This Shall Be The Sign

Image from jrwoodward.net

Some may not believe that God can do all things

From Isaiah 7: 10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 13Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Grandson of the great and beloved King Uzziah, whose death prompted the vision of Isaiah the prophet where God asks who will go for Him to the people and we have that famous reply, "Here I am, send me!" (Isa. 6:8), King Ahaz has a huge crisis on his hands. Two rival kings rise up against him and are threatening to attack and destroy him and his kingdom. In the midst of that God sends word through His prophet that he should have faith. The correct wording is, "Ask a sign of the Lord your God," and it can be anything as high as the sky or as deep as the pit of Sheol," and Ahaz says, "Nah, that's okay." Not hardly the response one gives God when God says I am with you and I will do whatever you need. And since you did not ask for a sign I'm going to give you one anyway. And here we get the famous "Look, the young woman is with child and will bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." This is the foretelling of the coming of the Christ child named with a strong name of faith even in the face of doubt. "God is with us" shall be His name. How do you like that name, King Fears?

This is our story as well. We face a crisis and we pray and as we pray we may have a thought or vision of what God can and will do for us and yet we don't ask for that, we just go through the motion of praying just for prayer's sake and nor God's. We think of excuses and think of reasons why it can't possibly go right when all things point to wrong. God acts on our behalf with a response that says, "Child, I am right here with you and this that you find difficult or impossible, I will do." The coming of a child named for God's presence says a lot. It says our God never loses nor never gives up on us. What do we do that says we believe that or trust that?

Advent is that time that says Lord, even though it looks bleak at times, I know You are here with me and You can do all things. Advent leads up to the birth of the child named for that, Emmanuel, God is with us. Are we with God?

PRAYER: Loving God, even in the times of illness and doubt, speak to my faith and let me believe that You are with me, and where You are, life and victory are ours. This I believe is the message of Advent and the message of hope for an unbelieving world. In the name of He who is God with Us, Jesus the Christ, my Lord and Savior I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Update: As you and I have been praying for Elida Gonzales, two updates have been received; the first was that her fever went away, and then last night that she went from critical to stable condition. The family is thankful and hopeful, and we should praise God and continue to pray a prayer that says, God is with us! Blessings to you and your needs!

The Fulfillment of Advent

Image from peterpilt.org

Paul's Gospel Affirms Jesus as Messiah

From Romans 1: 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul's letter to the Romans is called by some scholars, "The Gospel According to Paul," for in it, he shares the Good News the way that he received it and shares it with the people of the most famous city in the world at that time. So, as he begins this letter he first introduces himself and his calling. Some versions say that Paul considers himself a "slave" or "servant" of Jesus Christ, called by Him to be an apostle, that is one who not only learns from a master but goes and lives out and teaches others what he learned. The Apostle Paul also introduces Jesus from his point of view, introducing Him through this gospel or good news as the fulfillment of that spoken of old by the prophets of God. This is in line with the Gospel reading for this week found in Matthew. Also, as in Matthew, Paul says that Jesus, as Son of God, was descended from King David "according to the flesh" and was declared to be the "Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead."

A recent controversy in the news has been the claim by some news anchors that Jesus, like Santa Claus, is white. Yesterday as I was listening to a talk show host he declares that Jesus was not white, but that He was also not the Son of God. It makes sense that as Paul sees it, the point of Jesus' coming and for that matter this Advent Journey was to bring about our obedience of faith in Jesus Christ. Paul felt the good news was for all people, including the non-Jews. So many have not yet heard nor accepted what God did through the birth and life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We see more people upset about removing Christ from Christmas than we do the absence of Christ from their lives. The more dramatic the fight to put Christ back into our greetings rather than our prayers makes me wonder if we're not where we are because of our own inaction towards God and God's love. Advent is a time to invite Jesus into our lives and hearts in ways that show the love of God towards others in all things.

Paul believes that all believers have the obligation to bring about the obedience of all people "for the sake of His name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." May Advent and its closing days of this season serve to make us more like Jesus and belonging to Jesus than ever before.

PRAYER: Loving God of all people, help me in this journey to reflect more deeply on where I am and where I stand about You and Your love. Grant to me an obedience that blesses You and Yours. Let me live a life that says that the greatest gift we can receive this season is a relationship with You. This I pray in His name, Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Prayer Request: Elida Gonzalez, sister to a dear, longtime friend from Mission, is battling the swine flu and the outlook is not good. Please pray that God have the last word in this terrible illness that she recover if it be God's will for her and her life. I ask prayers for her brother Rick and all the family as they are worried and by her side. Blessings for sharing your prayers!

e.v.

Matthew's Account of Jesus' Arrival

Image from ekklesiaproject.org

Fulfillment of Prophecy; The Messiah of the Jews Arrives

From Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew felt an urgency to convince his countrymen, the Jews, to know that Jesus came for them. For Matthew, the story of Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy that shows that from the Jews, as God promised, has come the Jewish Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. As he puts his gospel together, he makes sure that major events have OT backing or grounding. And he uses the phrase, "All this took place to fulfill" and then he tells you. Take a day to read all of Matthew and you'll see what I'm talking about. As we prepare for the end of our Advent Journey, we're starting to cover all the bases. This is Matthew's account of Jesus' birth. And it fulfills Isaiah's prophecy (Isa. 7:10-16).

The account comes with a scandal. A betrothed woman, who had not yet had sexual relations with her intended, finds out she is with child "from the Holy Spirit." Joseph, in this process of betrothal is already known and called her husband, and only in a case of unfaithfulness (adultery) can he call the wedding off. The year of betrothal was for the woman to fully decide if she wanted to marry her husband or not. But Joseph agonizes about this discovery, and knew that if he exposed her unfaithfulness the wedding would be off, so might her head. Jewish law allowed for Mary to be killed for this offense, so Joseph seeks to quietly divorce her, to spare her life and allow her to get on with her life. But look at the picture for this morning. The angel seems to be lecturing Joseph about his decision. The angel's statement says, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Not only should he not divorce her, his role in naming the son was crucial; Joseph was to name the child Jesus, a deviation of Emmanuel, "God is with us," as Isaiah had predicted. His role as earthly father was also seen as important and when the carpenter awakes he was faithful to the command from God and took her as his wife and upon His birth, named the child Jesus.

Jesus' role is defined in the angel's conversation with Joseph. He was to be born to "save His people from their sins." Joseph understood the need for if he was honest knew that he too, had sins in his life. Being chosen by God to be the earthly father of Jesus, he surely knew the law and its teaching and being aware of his humanness knew the weight and burden of sin in his own life. Joseph knew that people then as now, choose their own way and their own actions and some of these lead us away from God and bring to our lives the stain of sin. Theologically we also know that sin gives birth to death and death an eternal separation from God. Joseph knew that this birth was crucial for God's plan among humans.

The Advent journey should be a time when we ask ourselves how it is with our soul. Are we living an obedient life because we have been freed from our sins, as our Holy Communion ritual says? Or have we not given sin a second thought? Advent means, we realize why Jesus came that first time; to offer a loving, trusting, sin-free relationship with God through Him. And Advent gives us an opportunity to say yes to forgiveness of sin.

PRAYER: Loving God of Advent and Christmas, speak to my heart and allow the sin there to be removed by Your strength and grace. Help me journey forward in this obedient life that I need to have with You. I ask this in Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Highway, Paved and Ready

Image from wikipedia.com/Nevada State Hwy 160

The Advent Journey Travels a Well Known Road God's Highway, Paved and Ready

From Isaiah 35: 1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you." 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

I remember having attended the Walk to Emmaus for the first time and hearing the words towards the end of this glorious experience, "Life has keep going, and things may have not changed when you return home," and the speaker went on to share how though we were all spiritually on a mountain top, the rest of the world may have stayed in the lows of the valleys we have come from. I knew exactly what he meant. Life doesn't stand still. We can seek to be still, but more often than not, it's like the retreat speaker says, we go out again, and life has kept moving and we encounter those who don't care how we're feeling spiritually. Advent is like that. Life moves forward with worries, cares, and anxieties, while we the believers know that that first arrival of Christ Jesus brought with it the blessings mentioned by the prophet; the spiritual deserts of gloom and doom suddenly blossomed. The dryness of the wilderness erupted with song. The weak were made strong, and the reality and majesty of God came among us. Yet, though we deserved death, God offered fullness of life. The blind can now see. The deaf can now hear, and the once unable to walk are leaping for joy. The words of gratitude are on the lips of those who no longer spoke. Waters of hope and blessing rushed down into places where it had never rained. And where we once walked following only the remnants of a path, we see a highway, God's highway, "The Holy Way" offered for our travel, and travel with safety and surety. Those once lost can now be found; those who had wandered away are now on their way back. All with this joy that never ends, gladness that cannot be hidden and that scares away the sorrow and sighing that has come our way.

At times one or more of the above items affect us, but should not deter us from the Lord's loving Way. We suffer setbacks and separations, but our hope remains set on the promises of He whose birth comes in a few days. We should not only stand, but walk on the promises of Christ our Lord; ever forward, ever upward. The call to the ancients is still our call, "Get up and go!"

PRAYER: Loving God, we claim the promises shared with us through Christ Jesus and Your Holy Word. Speak to our need and make us truly Yours. May Your loving touch lift us from our despair and doubt. Help us be on our way. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Patience is a Part of Advent; It's Also a Fruit of the Holy Spirit

The Waiting is the Hardest Part(?)

From James 5: 7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

I'm not a patient grower or farmer. I try to be a patient parent, thanks to the help of my wife. The picture for today is a very special ornament for us as we hung it on our tree in 1980 as our first baby celebrated her first Christmas with us. We chose the ornament because it held several items on it that represented our hope in our baby and what she might become. But it also represented something more; she was a gift from God for us to enjoy and enjoy her we did, and do. The same holds true for the additional three precious gifts that God blessed us with and from whom we have been blessed four times again with our grand babies.

Advent reminds us that patience is important in so many things and goes further than impatience. I keep always in my mind the image of the most patient man I knew from television, Rev. Fred Rogers. I have to admits as our babies started watching PBS I enjoyed watching Mr. Rogers along with them. And it was not too many years ago, a prank show had him as one of several celebrities pranked by this group. And I have shared the story before because it speaks of great patience. The segment Mr. Rogers was in was a group of television personalities and critics who were told by a bell person in a hotel that their televisions were not working and they could provide a small black and white portable on which to watch shows. All went ballistic. Mr. Rogers kept saying, "That's okay. That's fine," and never showed a hint of impatience. I was impressed and blessed. My heart was strengthened as James says it should be by patience. I have yet a long way to go, but I pray for patience as I await and work in what God has shared with me to do.

James knew that the Lord would return and encouraged many to stay patient but faithful and fruitfulness. Patience is not a static thing nor one that we gain most from just sitting; it is part of our daily work towards perfection in our lives and hearts. "Get up and go" God invites and challenges so many. May we be among those who say, "Here I am, I'm going!"

PRAYER: Lord of Love, share with us the precious gift of patience in all things. Strengthen our hearts and let us bless others as we work together to bring about the presence and power of Your kingdom. This we pray in Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Greater than John the Baptist?

Image from agnusday.org.

Advent Work Brings Christmas Fruit

From Matthew 11: 2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Awaiting a special arrival brings anxiety and doubt. This is the time of year many order items from the internet and then anxiously await their arrival. In our neighborhood we have those who know we await things and if they see these items left on our front steps before we do, help themselves to free presents. In a more serious way, John the Baptist lived out what was expected of him and he ended up in prison. He spoke the truth about all things, especially about preparing the way for the coming Savior. He also spoke out against the living arrangement of the king and the king's lover and this angered the lover more than the king. Slam. Prison doors are locked. John is filled with doubt and so he asks by messenger, "Jesus, are You the One, or should we continue to wait for another?" Jesus' answer was to the point; "Share what you hear and see: the blind are able to see, the crippled are now walking, the lepers are cured, the deaf are now hearing, the dead have been resurrected, and the poor have the Good News shared with them. And one more thing, those who takes no offense at me is blessed."

The Advent Journey brings us to our personal questions, what are we seeing happen that is out of the ordinary but we can attribute to God? More importantly, what are we doing to help God prepare the way for others to hear and believe in the One whose birth we will be celebrating soon? Jesus told the crowds their wilderness experience brought to them an encounter with the one God sent to prepare the way. Yes, he was dressed as a prophet; you can expect great things from prophets. Had he been dressed as a prince, what would you expect from a prince? Selfish things not great ones. John came to bless others and his birth was a great event. Yet, Jesus continues, "the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Faith counts for our belonging to God and in God's kingdom. Yet, it should be a faith that out of love for what God has shared with us drives us to do the great things that still need doing in our midst. We need to care for one another out of love. As I said above, Advent work brings Christmas fruit.

PRAYER: Almighty God, I may not have the power to heal, but You have given me the power to care. What I have heard about You I can share; those who cannot see should find in me someone willing to guide them. Those who cannot get around on their own should find in me someone willing to drive them somewhere. Those considered unclean and untouchable should find in me someone willing to embrace and love them. And the least I can do is bear witness to the greatness of God's love especially among those who are poor in every sense of the word. This I can do and should do, with Your help. I lift this prayer up in faith in the name of Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Gifts of Justice and Righteousness

Image from Christianpost.com

What God Offers Through Christ Jesus

From Psalm 72:1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son. 2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. 3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. 4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor. 5 May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. 7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.0 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts. 11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service. 12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. 13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. 14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.

The CBS News broadcast recently reported an On The Road segment with Steve Hartman in Pennsylvania on the man called Secret Santa, who passes out $100 bills to strangers. Spending his own money, this man usually gives out more than $100,000 a year to bless people. This story from Redding, PA, featured an answer to prayer. The mystery man was asked if he cared how the money was used, and he replied, "No, because I do not judge." One of the recipients of the gifts was a man who the night before had an argument with his girlfriend about his heroin addiction. This man had taken their son's toys and sold them for his addiction. The girlfriend, who has not left the man because of her love for him said, "Why don't you throw up a quick prayer to God? I know you don't believe in God, but maybe you can start?" So, he did. The next day the secret Santa sits next to him and hands him several $100 bills. The man said, "I didn't earn that!" Secret Santa yes, "You you did because you're a good man." Steve Hartman asked him, "When was the last time you heard that?" The man begins to weep and said, "Maybe from my mom." The man had not seen this kind of kindness before and it was too much a coincidence for him to bear. He decided he would check into a treatment facility. Even though this has happened before, this was the first time he entered into one with a belief in a higher power.

This story goes with these gifts that God has given the One whom we prepare for during Advent. The Lord of love and hope who comes with all the psalmist said he would, to deliver and make right those in situations that were not of God, such as addictions. The oppressor of drugs can and should be crushed; and those under the hold of such a power should be delivered.

Advent is a time of spiritual preparation and what better way to prepare than to turn over to God those things that don't belong to Him and have been destroying or harming your life? God brings justice to those who seek Him, and as a result the prosperity of peace will be theirs.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to me and my need. I turn over to You those things that have been stealing, killing and destroying my life. I seek the fullness and abundance of life that Jesus offers. And then, may I share that news with others. This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

God's Upside Down World

image from truthnet.org

Advent means Get Ready for Some Crazy Unheard Of Things!

From Isaiah 11: 1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

I'm sad parents don't take advantage of the greatest free deal in town which is Sunday school. From one perspective, it's a free hour of child care. From the true perspective, it's an hour's encounter with God's love and truth. I remember loving Sunday school once I understood it for what it offered to me, and I clearly remember declaring to my parents that I wished the world was the other way around. "I wish I could go to Sunday school from Monday to Friday and then on Sunday regular school!" My parents laughed and they must have realized that I would eventually wind up working for the Lord. I didn't realize that at the time, I just knew that Sunday school was more fun than regular school. One of the things I loved was seeing pictures that made me think. One of those appears above. As a child I loved animals of all kinds and to see this picture of a little child in the midst of what I thought was a zoo was incredible and beautiful. In my opinion there are two of the greatest zoos in the world; the San Antonio Zoo because that was our main annual vacation from Kingsville; and the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville because they have done a great job in putting a zoo together that ranks up there among all zoos. The picture shows that this child is safe even among a lion, a wolf and other animals. I didn't see the bars and barriers of safety and protection of a zoo between that child and the animals of that zoo. It would be years later that this passage of Isaiah would explain the picture to me.

The prophet said that something outrageous was coming in the form of a gift from God. A person straight from the royal line of Israel, anointed with God's Spirit and blessed with wisdom and understanding, counsel and might; a spirit of knowledge of and fear of the Lord God. A person whose joy would be to fear God and not judge what he sees or decides with what he hears, but instead by righteousness bring justice to the poor and equity for the meek. What he would share would strike at the heart of all people, even death to wickedness. And here's the picture; nature turned upside down. Natural enemies becoming friends. Predators turning into protectors. Natural eating habits will not involve the eating of each other but the sharing of straw. And in all this upside-down-ness is a child that will lead them.

The prophet was speaking for God and the coming day of this child who would meet all of the above shared qualities and gifts. The people hearing it from the prophet did not quite understand it if at all; and those reading it before knowing Jesus did not either. In the realm of the knowledge of Jesus comes the understanding of that which God can and has done for humanity and nature for that matter. The kingdom of heaven becoming the kingdom of God among all people. Do you believe?

It will take our faithfulness to bring about this new fruitfulness. Are you ready and willing to be a part of it?

PRAYER: Come, wondrous God again to my life and being. Let me be part of that peaceful kingdom even in the midst of the strife and enmity that exists among us still. I believe and I want others to believe and belong. In the name of the child who came, Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Love Letters

Nothing like an encouraging letter from home...

From Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus,6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; 10 and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; 11 and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; 12 and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Reverend Dr. Samuel Wells was Dean of the Duke Chapel for seven years. It was there that he started writing books, two of which I'm reading now. In one, "Learning to Dream Again: Rediscovering the Heart of God" he shares how his mom died while he was still young. As she was dying, she got all things in order to the point where she wrote him a letter and bought him a gift for his 21st birthday. This was some years away and two years before he turned 21, someone broke into their home and stole the letter and the present. To this day he does not know what the letter said. He writes, "Just imagine if that were your story and you really did find that letter many years later. Wouldn't you hold it reverently in two hands, as if blessed by its wondrous existence, its miraculous reappearance in your life after all those years?" This is what Paul is saying about scripture and the role it should play in our lives. It was 'written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope."

How do you read your Bible each day? Is it with this joy and hope as Paul shares in this passage? Does it instruct you to be a better person, living harmoniously with others, glorifying God? Do you welcome all people? Or do you look for the ones you know and are glad to see? As a pastor I'm sad when I see greeters excelling at their jobs at welcoming members and almost ignoring guests. Paul says to welcome in the way that Christ has welcomed us, for that brings glory to God. Christ's life among us was as a servant of truth and confirmation of the promises given to the forebears of our faith.

May our Advent Journey fill us all with joy and peace in our faith so that our hope grows and grows to the point where we can't just keep it to ourselves!

PRAYER: Loving God, may it be so in my life. I want to glorify You and explode with hope and joy. This is my prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

People Get Ready!

from pericope.org

Here Comes the Kingdom of Heaven!

From Matthew 3: 1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea announcing, 2 "Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!" 3 He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said: The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, "Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight." 4 John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River came to him. 6 As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 7 Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John. He said to them, "You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon?8 Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. 9 And don't even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham's children from these stones. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire. 11 I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I'm not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.12 The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can't be put out."

Any journey we take involves packing and unpacking. We ask ourselves over and over again, do I have everything I need? Have I packed everything? Do I really need this?

As we prepare for the journey towards Christ's birth and for Christ's return, the words of John the Baptist have a list of those things that we should pack and unpack. Our hearts and lives should be changed. Unpack those negative things in our heart like hate, indifference, and other obstacles to true love. The same is true for the things in our lives that tend to lead us away from the love of God. After all, the coming kingdom is a big deal and we should be ready in our hearts and lives. John continues with a message that says we should confess our sins and have them washed away. Sins in our hearts and lives serve no good purpose, and will eventually, as Paul says later, will give birth to death. John says that the coming judgement is an angry one and what we need to be producing is a fruitful life that shows the presence and power of God in our lives is doing good for us and for others. And we can't hide behind pedigrees or legacies such as "My grandfather planted this tree for this church and..." or "My great aunt donated the sofa that's in the parsonage. It was her first sofa from 1896!" The only things we should show is what we have done and shared with God's work in our lives. And we can't do it on our own; our journey requires full submission to Jesus, "the one who is coming after me is stronger than I am," John proclaimed. He's got power to get things done and will do it.

Our call is to faithfulness and fruitfulness. It is a call to get busy with the things shared with us by Jesus on His first arrival, because we believe Jesus will come again and we must show that we took serious what Jesus shared the first time and we loved God and neighbor enough to do the work expected of us. Our journey should involved our remembering our baptism and what it meant and means to us each day; our hearts and lives should be changed for the better each day. As we journey each day, are we living closer to God than ever before? Are we truly loving towards one another like God instructed?

In worship yesterday we sang "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," and the verse that may seldom be sung, verse 7 struck me: "O come, Desire of nations bind all peoples in one heart and mind. From dust thou brought us forth to life; deliver us from earthly strife."

May it be so.

PRAYER: Loving God, we are salvation people living in a spiritual realm that touches us with power if we so allow it. May it be so in my life that I undergo a changed heart and life. As we sang yesterday, may we sing today in our lives, deliver us from earthly strife, and bind us all in one heart and mind. In the name of the One whose birth and second coming we await, Jesus our Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde