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Being God’s Loving Embrace

One of my earliest memories of Christmas is of my grandmother’s visit. She would come on Christmas Eve, spend the night, and celebrate Christmas Day with us. I remember, as Christmas approached, anticipating her visit. What I looked forward to the most was not the candy or the gifts that she would bring, but the hugs and love I would receive.

When she arrived, she hugged each of us as if she had not seen us in years. She would hold us tight and say, “I love you so much.” Which had her hug even tighter. Then she would say, “Oh, you have grown so much. You are almost as tall as I am.” Neither of my brothers nor I, at that time, were near her height, but she made us feeI taller than we were. Through her caring and encouraging embrace she made us feel loved.

Then she would hug my mother and then my father and say something like, “Thank you for taking such good care of my boys. It is so good to see all of you.”

In a home where there was much quarreling, wrestling, and, sometimes, ugly words, her presence, her embrace, her love were transforming acts.

As I have reflected upon those hugs over the years, and more especially this year, I always come to the point of God’s embrace, of God’s hug, which we receive and celebrate at Christmas.

The Christmas story is about God coming to be with us, hugging us, and holding us close while saying, “I love you so much.”

With that in mind, take a moment to read Luke’s Christmas story. Then, sometime this week or even over the next year, make a special effort to make the Christmas story real in the lives of the people around you.

Read Luke 2:1-20

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar 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 in the guest room.

8 Now in that same 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, the 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, praising 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. 17 When 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 and 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, just as it had been told them.

Reflect on Luke 2

The story of a baby being born to humble parents, in a stable in the town of Bethlehem is Luke’s way of showing God’s love for us in a way we can understand. That is the Christmas story, the story of the incarnation of God’s love in human form. 

God comes to embrace us, to hold and hug us at the time we need it and in the way we need it the most. 

With redeeming love, God embraces us in the midst of sin and failure.  God hugs us with forgiving love even with all our hidden thoughts and feelings.  God’s love is greater than misunderstandings and misgivings.   

With accepting love, God embraces us in the midst of our struggles for meaning and purpose.  God’s encouraging love surrounds us even when we feel lonely and disconnected.  God’s love is greater than our isolation and feelings of unworthiness.   

With comforting love, God embraces us in the midst of despair and loss.  God’s caring love embraces when we feel hurt and betrayed.  God’s love is greater than all our feelings of separation due to death or distance.

I have experienced God’s loving embrace in and through the lives of the people around me.  When I have experienced God’s love in my life, I have been more able to reach out and love others the way I have been loved.

Respond to Luke 2

Take time this week to reflect on God’s embrace in your life, and then, make the time to reach out and embrace persons around you.  Embrace them with forgiving love.  Embrace them with encouraging love.  Embrace them with comforting love.  Let God hold them and love them through you.

During World War II, a soldier was concluding his guard duty on Christmas morning.  Over the years, it has been his custom to attend worship in his home church on Christmas Day. But during the war, in the outlying areas of London, he had not found a church open for worship on Christmas Day.

So, he asked several of his buddies if they would walk to the city to find a church open. As they approached the city, they came upon an old gray stone building. The sign over the main entrance read “Queen Anne’s Orphanage.” 

The soldiers decided to knock and see what kind of celebration the children were having inside. One of the caregivers at the orphanage answered the door. She explained that the children were war orphans whose parents had been killed in the bombings.

As the soldiers went inside, they noticed there was no Christmas tree decorated and there were no presents to be opened. So, they decided to stay and greet the children as they got up on that Christmas morning.

As each child came into the room, the soldiers wished them a Merry Christmas, giving them whatever they had in their pockets as gifts. There was a pack of gum, a roll of Life Savers, a nickel, a dime, a pencil, a good luck charm, and other small items. The soldiers gave attention and care to each child.

Then one soldier noticed a little boy standing alone in the corner. He approached the boy and asked, “If you could have anything, what would you want for Christmas?”

There was a moment of silence. Then the boy looked up at the soldier and asked, “Will you hold me?”  The soldier reached out, took the boy in his arms, and held him close.

In Jesus, God comes to embrace us, to hold us close, and to say, “I love you so much,” and “Look at how much you have grown. You are becoming more like I created you to be.” 

So, this week as you reflect upon God’s loving embrace in your life, take time to send a text, an email, a card, make a phone call and express your love and care to someone who has helped you experience God’s love. Reach out and hold someone who needs to be held with words of encouragement and support. Reach out and hug with acts of kindness. And just maybe you will receive the blessing of God’s loving embrace in and through those whom you embrace.

May the joy of Jesus embrace you this Christmas.

Return

Give God thanks for the people you met today. Through whom did you experience God’s embrace? Who did God embrace through you? It is Christmas. How will you become God’s loving embrace in the lives of your family, friends, colleagues, and strangers this week and over the next year? Give God thanks for the opportunities to love others as you have been loved.

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Living by the Work of Jesus

This third week of Advent, we will focus on the work of Jesus. The work of Jesus is love. To live by the work of Jesus is to love others as God in Jesus has loved you. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul expresses the work of Jesus as, “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

Too often, these words are taken as a poem idealizing love. But to do so is to miss the point. Sometimes the words are misunderstood to be a general idea of love. Again, that misses the point. Paul wrote these words to a church in the midst of conflict. He laid out the way of Christian living. In other words, to be a follower of Jesus is to love as God in Jesus has loved you. For Paul, love was the work of Jesus. 

During this third week in Advent, let’s explore the work of Christ as loving with the love of Christ.

Read Matthew 11:2-6 

“When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 

Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 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. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” (Matthew 11:2-6). 

Reflect on Matthew 11:2-6

Matthew is helping us understand that Jesus does not conform to the popular explanations and expectations of the Messiah, the Christ. Because Jesus does not conform, he tells us that even though John is a true prophet with a legitimate message, who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, is imprisoned for his prophetic preaching, and dies a martyr’s death, his faith wavers. John needs assurance. So, he sends his followers to ask Jesus if he is the one they have been expecting. 

Jesus tells John’s followers to go tell John what they hear and see. Jesus is at work. 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. Jesus is at work loving as God has loved, bringing healing and hope to all in need. 

Matthew’s story of John is an object lesson for all followers of Jesus. Your salvation is not a static possession. Being a follower of Jesus is greater than your spiritual experiences. The story is a reminder that even when your expectations are not met, the work of Jesus continues. You are challenged to listen and to see what Jesus is doing in the lives of the people around you.

Living By the Work of Christ

So, with that in mind, what does it mean to live by the work of Jesus?

Again, the work of Jesus is love. So, to answer that question, let’s start with the word “agape.” Although “agape” is not a word we use in our everyday language, it is a concept found in the New Testament. It is used to describe the distinct kind of love embodied in the life and ministry of Jesus. It is the kind of love that focuses on people and develops communities of koinonia. 

Agape defines God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for us, all of us. It is God’s ongoing, outgoing, self-sacrificing interest and concern for creation. God loves you, me, humanity, and all creation without condition. Agape is the work of Jesus. 

To put it another way, this love is not dependent upon the worth of the people being loved. It does not count the cost based on the return. It is spontaneous and does not consider beforehand whether it will be effective or proper. It is the extension of God’s love lived out in and through our relationships with each other. 

Lead with Agape

To live by the work of Jesus means:  

To live by the highest form of love described and experienced in the Bible.

It is more than an emotion. It is a matter of will. As much as I like Hallmark Christmas movies, the love that holds each of us is not a Hallmark movie love. As much as we talk about the church being a family, this love is greater than friends and family. In fact, this love is greater than race, color, or belief. It is a love that intentionally works for the good of each individual, regardless of who they are or whether you feel anything or not.

To understand the greatest expression of relationship. 

As much as I dislike conflict, this love is not about “getting along” with one another. Sometimes, for the sake of unity, we set this love aside and become nice instead of loving. It is in the midst of our differences and disagreements that love is the source of our relationships. It is working for the good of all people whether we agree or not. The purpose of Christ-centered leadership is not unity but agape, the love of God as experienced in Jesus.

To love as Jesus loves. 

It is to be focused on the good of others before it is focused on our own goodness, desires, expectations, or results. Too many times, we talk of loving others so we can get something from them, get them into the church, or meet our budgets. This love is greater than our institutional concerns. We love because God in Christ first loved us. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” This love is about being who God created us to be for no other reason than being who God created us to be.

To express through action. 

Too often, we talk about love and loving others, but are slow to live the love we talk about. John, in his first letter, wrote, “Those who say, ‘I love God’ and hate their brothers or sisters are liars. After all, those who don’t love their brothers or sisters whom they have seen can hardly love God whom they have not seen! This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also.”

(I John 4:19-21) 

Lead with Love

A different kind of love. Jesus told his followers to love one another in the same way he loved them. This was a new and different kind of love. You live this love by:  

Listening

You are quick to listen and slow to speak. You elevate the importance of a person when you take them seriously by listening. It is important for people to know that you care enough to listen to them. Too often, in conversations, we are forming our responses and interrupting before the other person finishes speaking. As important as your position and opinion might be, it is more important to listen, especially to those with whom you disagree. 

Being Patient

You are slow to anger. You are patient with people more than patient with circumstances. Regardless of how unkind and hurtful people might be, you show the same patience with others as God has shown you. The patience of love always wins. 

Being Kind

On one hand, you are quick to compliment and affirm, and on the other hand, you are clear with feedback. Being clear is kind. You build meaningful relationships with kindness. Being kind helps with connection and cooperation, as well as trust and well-being. 

Being Generous

You are slow to pass judgment and quick to offer grace. You freely offer space and time for people to be who they have been created to be. So, when people don’t move as fast as you, you are generous with “they are doing the best they can do.” Then you ask, “How can I help you?” or “What do you need from me to do what you need to do?” Being generous means you are providing what is needed at the time. 

This love is so important that the early followers of Jesus showed love in everything they did. For them, to love God and to love the people around them was motivation for everything. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Everything should be done in love” (I Corinthians 16:14 CEB). Agape love is the essence of God. Agape love is the work of Jesus. 

Agape Holds Us Together

Fred Craddock tells a story that illustrates the work of Jesus. He writes: 

 “I was walking one afternoon, and I passed a corner where a man was doing something that fascinated me. I stopped my walk and watched him. He had a pile of bricks, and the thing he was doing was measuring each brick; how long it was, how wide it was, and how deep it was. He threw a bunch of good-looking bricks out. He said, “I have to get them all exactly the same.”

I asked, “Why?”

He said, “I’m building a church, and I want it to stand.”

Craddock said, “There are people who think that the way to really have a church is to get people who are from the same economic and social and educational background, then they will all be together.”  He said, “The man started stacking those brinks; they were all just alike. I went by the next afternoon, and they were all just piles of brick. They had fallen down.”

I went on around the corner, and I saw a man with a pile of rocks. You have never seen such a mess in your life. No two of them are alike, round ones, dark ones, small ones, big ones, and little ones. I said, “What in the world are you doing?”

He said, “I’m building a church.”

I said, “You are nuts! The fellow around the corner had them all alike, and he couldn’t make it stand.”

He said, “This will stand.”

“No, it won’t. It won’t stand.”

“Yes, it will.”

Craddock said, “You can’t get it to stand. The fellow around the corner…

The man said, “It will stand.”

The man went over to a wood tray, took something like a hoe, and began to stir something back and forth. It looked a lot like cement to me, but that’s not what he called it. He put healthy doses of that between the stones. I went back thirty-four years later, and it was still there. It was that stuff in between that looked a lot like cement that made the difference. That’s not what he called it. But you know what it’s called…love. It is the work of Jesus.

Respond

John had his disciples ask, “Are you the one or should we expect someone else?” Loving others as God in Jesus has loved you is not easy. It will cost you your life. But, as a follower of Jesus, living by the work of Jesus is the most life-giving work you will ever do.

Pray

O God, I want to live by your love. Fill me with the love that is patient and kind. A love that is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. By your grace, help me not insist on its own way. Keep me from being irritable. Help me tear up my list of wrongs I have kept regarding the actions of others and help me rejoice in the truth of others. Keep working with me so that I become more of the person you need me to be. I offer myself to you in the name of Jesus whose love gives me meaning and purpose. Amen.

Return

At the end of the day, give God thanks for the people you met today. Where did you experience God’s love? Through whom did you experience it? With whom did you share God’s love today? Give God thanks for the opportunities to love others as you have been loved.

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Living with the Mind of Jesus

This second week of Advent, Paul writes to the church in Rome, “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:5-7)

Paul is encouraging the followers of Jesus to welcome Gentiles or to welcome the people who think, believe, and act differently than they do. So, what does Paul’s instruction mean for you and for living as a follower of Jesus? What difference does welcoming others just as Christ has welcomed you, make in your living? 

This week let’s focus on living with the mind of Jesus. 

Read Philippians 2:5-11 

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.

Therefore, God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reflect

Paul is writing to the followers of Jesus in Philippi. He is instructing them on how to live in the midst of a hostile environment. He begins by focusing on Christian conduct in relation to a hostile, unbelieving community. Then he focuses on the Christian conduct within the believing community. It is this conduct that is important for the followers of Jesus.

He writes, “If then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. 

The joy of Paul and of the church is “in Christ Jesus,” nourished by their relationship with each other. For clarity he says he has four expressions: being of the same mind (which meant having a common attitude or mission), having the same love; being in full accord, and of one mind. He repeats the call for a common attitude or mission. 

In repeating “the same mind,” Paul is preparing the followers of Jesus for his instruction on what the Christian mindset, attitude, or mission is, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” 

Living with the Mind of Christ

This attitude or mission is so important, those early Jesus followers made it into a hymn or a statement of faith to be repeated when they gathered. This is part of what it meant in The Acts of the Apostles, “They devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles.” By repeating the hymn or statement of faith, they were learning what it meant to be Christian in the world in which they lived. Liturgy was important in learning the faith. 

So, what does that mean for you as a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to live with the mind of Christ?  

Your focus is on others. 

It is a choice defined and focused on the life and health of the Christian community. Jesus “did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped but emptied himself.” To live with the mind of Jesus is to choose to lead from who you are as a follower of Jesus. 

Living as a Jesus follower is not as much about authority as it is about vulnerability. Choosing to act on behalf of others without personal gain is true love. Self-denying service for those entrusted to your care, with no claim of return, no eye upon a reward, is to live with the mind of Christ. 

Being Right or Being in a Relationship?

Tom Wiles, while university chaplain at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, purchased a new pickup truck. While the truck was parked in his driveway, his neighbor’s basketball post fell against the truck, leaving dents and scrapes on the passenger door. The scratches looked like deep white scars on the new truck’s exterior. A friend noticed the scrapes and asked, “What happened here?”  

Tom replied with a downcast voice, “My neighbor’s basketball post fell and left those dents. I asked him about it. He doesn’t feel responsible for the damage.”  

“You’re kidding! How awful! This truck is so new I can smell it.” His friend continued, “Did you contact your insurance company? How are you going to get him to pay for it?” 

Tom replied, “This has been a real spiritual journey for me. After a lot of soul-searching and discussions with my wife about hiring an attorney, it came down to this: I can either be in the right, or I can be in a relationship with my neighbor. Since my neighbor will probably be with me longer than the truck, I decided to focus on our relationship. Besides, trucks are meant to be banged up, so I got mine initiated into the real world a bit earlier than I expected.” ¹ 

Living with the mind of Christ is to choose to focus on others for the life and health of the Christian community.

Christ-centered leadership is incarnational. 

It is a choice to be present with and for the people entrusted to your care. Jesus “…emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human…” Jesus came to be with us. Your most effective witness is when you are related to and present with the people entrusted to your care. 

Max Dupree, in his book Leadership Jazz, tells the story of his granddaughter Zoe. She was born prematurely and weighed one pound and seven ounces. She was so tiny that his wedding ring fit over her arm. Additionally, Zoe’s biological father abandoned Max’s daughter the month before Zoe was born.  

The first time Max suited up in protective gear to visit Zoe in her isolate in the neonatal unit of the hospital she had two IVs in her arms, one in her navel, and a feeding tube plus a breathing tube in her mouth. A wise and caring nurse named Ruth gave Max his instructions.  

“For the next several months, you will be the surrogate father,” she told him. “I want you to come see me every day. While you are here, I would like you to rub her arms and her legs with the tip of your finger. While you are caressing her, you should tell her over and over how much you love her because she needs to connect your voice with your touch.”  

“Ruth was doing exactly the right thing for Zoe and without realizing it, she was giving me the perfect description of the work of a leader. At the core of being a leader is the ability to always connect one’s voice with one’s touch.”  

Living with the mind of Christ is to be present with and related to the people with whom you live, work, and play. It is to love them so much that you want to be with them and work for their good. You bring a human touch to the love of God.

Christ-centered leadership is about humility. 

Paul’s instruction to the Philippians was to look out for the interests of others. Your call, as a follower of Jesus, is an ultimate concern for others which is greater than your self-concern. Your call is to have the mind of Christ who emptied himself and became a servant. 

In reality, not many of us see ourselves as humble servants. In fact, we find it offensive. But let’s be honest, there is a difference between the kind of serving most of us do and the willful decision to humbly serve. When you make the decision to lead in self-giving service, you give up the right to be in charge. The amazing thing about that decision is, you become vulnerable and authentic. The joy of living with the mind of Jesus energizes your living. Rather than the pride of choosing to serve, you give yourself to be available to those God sends your way. 

Humility allows you to lead from the center of who you are as a follower of Jesus. 

There is a story of a man who asked a rabbi, “How come in the olden days God would show God’s self to people, but today nobody ever sees God?”

The rabbi replied, “Because nowadays nobody can bow low enough.” 

Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, who bowed low, emptied himself, and became a servant. Living with the mind of Christ is a choice that comes only after spending time with Jesus and the community in which you are leading. 

Respond

O God, help me live with the mind of Jesus. By your grace, help me to let go of position and prestige and to grasp your love for me. Help me become obedient in my trust in you so all I say and do brings you glory and works for the good of the people you have given me to love and serve. I offer myself to you in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen 

Return

At the end of the day, give God thanks for the people you met today. Where did you experience giving yourself up for the good of another person? In whom did you see Jesus? What opportunities did you have to love as God in Jesus has loved you? Give God thanks for the opportunities to love others as you have been loved.

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Leading Through Advent: Accepting God’s Promise

Merry Christmas! You have been discovering new ways to lead through Advent. So, as you model what it means to be a follower of Jesus, remember that you are loved and appreciated for who you are and for your leadership. 

Let me remind you to focus first on the people around you. Whether they are the people entrusted to your care or people who need special care, you are God’s instrument of love and peace both as a follower of Jesus and as a leader.

It is my prayer that you experience the joy of Jesus this week. Before reading the Christmas story with family, read this story that gives some context to the birth of Jesus.

Read Luke 1:39-45

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Reflect

With this scripture, two birth stories come together: the birth of John, son of Elizabeth (Elizabeth is married to Zechariah) and the birth of Jesus, son of Mary. The first is the story of a woman who is older. Her son will be the last of great prophets.

Zechariah and Elizabeth have been praying for a child. Zechariah learns that their prayer has been heard. The child will be named John and will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. This is important to Luke. He understood that the power of the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets. For Luke, John is the last of the great prophets.

The announcement that John would be a Spirit-filled person was not a matter of personal spirituality, but a gift of God. It is Luke’s way of announcing that the time of the Messiah was on the horizon. A new day was dawning.

Although Zechariah had been praying for a child, he could not believe the birth would happen without some additional evidence. Luke reveals his understanding of how faith is generated, validated, and maintained. Here the message seems to be that even an angel telling us our prayers are heard does not necessarily result in faith.

Mary’s Response

The second story is about a young woman whose son will usher in the kingdom of God. God chooses a young unmarried woman from an obscure village to be the mother of the Son of God. Although Mary’s response is that of a model believer, she asked questions like Zechariah. The difference is, asking questions is not itself a mark of unbelief, but to ask for signs is an indication of lack of faith. Mary has a questioning faith; Zechariah wanted a sign on which to base his faith.

William Barclay said, “God does not choose a person for ease and comfort and selfish joy but for a task that will take all that head and heart, and hand can bring to it. God chooses a person in order to use him or her.” Someone said, “Jesus Christ came not to make life easy but to make us great.”


Chosen By God

When Mary realizes she has been chosen by God, she praises God. She says, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior…because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name.” Luke 1:46-47).

So, Luke brings the two stories together. He tells of Elizabeth, moved by the Holy Spirit, recognizing that Mary is pregnant. He interprets the event as God’s saving act. The same Holy Spirit interprets the movement of the unborn John. This is Luke’s way of putting John and Jesus together for the coming of the Messiah. It is his way of saying that Mary and Elizabeth had an influence over their two boys as they began their ministries. It is his way of showing how God worked in and through John and Jesus to fulfill his promise of the messiah, the anointed one.

Then Mary says:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Relationship Between Elizabeth and Mary

When John comes on the scene preaching, “prepare the way of the Lord,” he uses the words of Isaiah (40:3-5) which are closely related to Mary’s words. Could it be that the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary influenced John’s preaching and his announcement of the coming Messiah?

I believe that is what Luke wants us to understand. There are always those who shape our values and guide our decisions. Luke wants us to know that Mary has helped pave the way for the anointed one. She models for us the faith needed to accept and receive God’s promise.

Respond to Luke 1

This Christmas take time to think about the people who have shaped your values and influenced your decision making? Who are the people who make the greatest difference in your life? Send an email or a text letting them know that you appreciate them and are grateful for their influence in your life?

Who are the people you influence? Be mindful of the difference you make in their lives. Make a special effort to show them your care and support.

Your life intertwines with other lives. Be aware of how you affect the people around you and what you might do to be a positive and loving presence in their lives.

Howard Thurman expressed it in “The Mood of Christmas”:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone

When the kings and princes are home

When the shepherds are back with their flock

The work of Christ begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among people,

To make music in the heart.

Return

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. Where did you meet Jesus? Who helped you experience a new way of living and leading? How did you express God’s love today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope, the love, the new life you experienced? How will you prepare for God’s presence and power tomorrow? Ask God to give you the faith to be the leader God has created you to be.  

Prayer – The Wesleyan Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you,
Exalted for you or brought low by you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Have a blessed Christmas and remember, who you are is how you lead!
     

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Leading Through Advent: Preparation to Lead – Part Two

During the season of Advent, you have the opportunity to become the leader God has created you to be. Being the leader needed at any given time is not easy. If you are not secure in who you are and how you are leading, you often try to overcompensate or micro-manage. Advent provides you the opportunity to examine your leadership and to change whatever you might need to change to be the leader needed for the people entrusted to your care.

So, as you are preparing to receive Jesus, keep in mind what you need to do to be the leader God has created you to be. What is crooked that needs to be straightened? What needs to be brought down and what needs to be lifted up? What rough places need to be smoothed out?

During this third week of Advent, Luke continues to offer direction in and through his story of John, the Son of Zechariah.

Read Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

15 As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Reflect on Luke 3

As we said in part one, Luke devotes the third chapter of his good news to preparing for the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. He places the coming of Jesus, the anointed one, in a particular time in world and religious history. His preciseness of history tells us that context is important to him. So, the setting of Luke’s good news is not a “once upon a time” context but is in real-world history. It tells us that Luke is attempting to bridge the gap between what has been and what is coming. He is laying the groundwork of putting Christ against Caesar, the Kingdom of God against the kingdom of Rome. (Read Leading Through Advent: Preparation to Lead Part One). 

Produce Fruit Worthy of Repentance

In preparation for recognizing and receiving the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed One, John confronts the crowds with the urgent need to “produce fruit worthy of repentance.” He warns them that baptism without a change of lifestyle is worthless. He tells them that they can no longer rely on their heritage, for being children of Abraham, because this preparation for the Messiah does not depend upon them having the character of Abraham. His challenge is to produce genuine, fruit-bearing repentance which will be revealed in concrete ethical actions.

So, in response to his call to repentance, the people ask him the same question they asked Simon Peter on the day of Pentecost, “What, then, should we do?” John gives them clear direction: Be generous and share what you have. Be fair and honest. Don’t use your position to take advantage of people. And be satisfied with what you have.

Care for People

Underneath John’s teaching is a focus upon and care for people. So said another way, don’t use your position to take advantage of people. Treat others the way you want to be treated and be generous with the people around you.

When he says, “…bear fruits worthy of your repentance,” he is saying, “Live your life the way God intended for you to live. So, be yourself. Care for people as you have been cared for.” In other words, take advantage of the opportunity to be who God created you to be.

John modeled his teaching in such a way that people saw the anointed one in him. His teaching and action were so different from that of other teachers that the people thought he might be the Messiah.

So, in preparing for the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, John is calling people to turn from their old ways of thinking about relating to people and turn toward living as God has created them to live. It is in their turning that they will experience God’s promised messiah. 

Respond to Luke 3

Tony Campolo tells the story of a pastor friend of his in California. He said she loved to go to Nordstrom department store in Bel Air during the Christmas season. She told him she couldn’t buy much but enjoyed going for the decorations and the live music.

On one of her visits, she said she was on the top floor of the store looking at some of the finest dresses in the world, when the elevator doors opened, and an out stepped woman clearly out of place. Her clothes were dirty, and her stockings were rolled down to her ankles. She just stood there holding a shopping bag in her right hand. The bag contained all her earthly possessions. It was obvious she was out of place. The dresses on that floor were in the thousand-dollar category, and this woman did not seem like the kind of person who would have that kind of money.

Campolo said his friend told him that she expected a security guard to promptly arrive and escort the woman out of the store. But instead of security guards, a well-dressed stately saleswoman came over to her and asked, “May I help you, madam?”

The woman said, “Yeah! I want to buy a dress.”

In a polite and dignified manner, the saleswoman asked, “What kind of dress?”

The woman answered, “A party dress!”

The saleswoman replied, “You have come to the right place. I think we have some of the finest party dresses in the world. Just follow me.”

The saleswoman then spent more than ten minutes matching dresses with the woman’s skin color and eye color. She did her best to match each dress with the woman’s complexion. After selecting three dresses, the saleswoman asked the woman to follow her into the dressing room.

The woman tried on the dresses with the saleswoman’s help. But then, after a few minutes, the woman said, “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to buy a dress today.”

“That’s okay,” the saleswoman said gently. “But here is my card. Should you come back to Nordstrom department store, I do hope that you will ask for me. I would consider it such a privilege to wait on you again.”

What, then, should we do?

The saleswoman is an example of John’s response to those asking, “What, then, should we do? She was who she was created to be in caring for the woman. Even though she seemed out of place, she was treated with respect and dignity, with love and care.

Listen to John, “…the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” This is John’s way of saying that you have the opportunity to be who God has created you to be, whether as a human being or as a leader. What do you need to do to be the leader God needs you to be at this time in history?

Take notice of the people around you today? What needs to change for you to love and care for people the way God loves and cares for you?

It is in your preparation for the coming Messiah that you can keep in mind that who you are is how you lead.

Return  

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. Where did you meet Jesus? Who helped you experience a new way of living and leading? How did you express God’s love today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope, the love, the new life you experienced? How will you prepare for God’s presence and power tomorrow? Ask God to give you the faith to be the leader God has created you to be.  

Prayer

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love. O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given; so, God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray, cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.  Amen

A related blog is “Leading Through Advent: Rethinking Preparation” based upon the good news according to Mark.

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Leading Through Advent: Preparation to Lead – Part One

Have you ever felt like you were wandering in the wilderness? Sometimes, it is a feeling of being lost and at other times it is the feeling that there is more to life than you are experiencing. Have you ever felt alone when you are surrounded by people and that there must be more to your relationships than you are experiencing?

It seems that the more we explore the mystery of our lives, the more we learn about ourselves, and the more mysterious we become. We are seldom content with what appears to be on the surface. We are not at ease because we sense that no matter how full our lives, there is more. 

Advent is about preparing to receive what is missing. It is about preparing to receive Jesus who can meet our search for meaning and direction at any given moment. Jesus, in his weakness and vulnerability, stands with us in the midst of our misunderstandings, misconceptions, and broken relationships. The question is, how do you lead through this wilderness into new life?

During this second week of Advent, Luke offers direction in and through his story of John, the Son of Zechariah.

Read Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

Reflect on Luke 3

Luke devotes the third chapter of his good news to preparing for the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. He places the coming of Jesus, the anointed one, in a particular time in world and religious history. His preciseness of history tells us that context is important to him. So, the setting of Luke’s good news is not a “once upon a time” context but is in real-world history. It tells us that Luke is attempting to bridge the gap between what has been and what is coming. He is laying the groundwork of putting Christ against Caesar, the Kingdom of God against the kingdom of Rome.

Luke and the Old Testament

As you read Luke, you find that he holds together what we know as the Old Testament with the coming of a new day. So, he uses Old Testament imagery to connect the past with the present and the future. With this in mind, it is interesting that he does not refer to John as “the Baptist” but as “Son of Zechariah.” 

He wants to portray John as the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets, a transitional figure who ushers out the old and announces the new. So, Luke presents John in the role of the prophets of Israel with John’s message of social justice and his resistance to the oppressive establishment of Herod and his soldiers.

Temple Piety

In that same line of thinking, Luke presents John as being from a priestly family devoted to the temple life. He places Jesus’ life and ministry within the context of temple piety. For Luke, the announcement of forgiveness of sins makes John a witness to the salvation announced in Luke, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.” (Luke 1:76-77). With those words, Luke connects John to Jesus as the one who brings forgiveness.

A Baptism of Repentance

John’s ministry is conducted in the desert near the Jordan River. He preaches “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. This was not merely a ritual washing but involved a definite break with sin. Luke sees John’s ministry as a “new exodus” to enter the land of promise. Spiritually, Israel needed to come out of the wilderness, pass through the Jordan, and enter the land of promise. John is the transitional prophet between the old and new eras and is preparing all people for God’s salvation.

So, you might think of it this way. John is the prophet whose voice is heard in the wilderness.  The wilderness being a reminder of the forty years wandering before coming to the promised land. John’s voice is calling for repentance and baptism. Repentance and baptism are related to the new life. The wilderness being the old life and the Messiah being the new life. For John, this new life is in preparation for the Messiah, the new promised land.

Respond to Luke 3

For Luke the message is clear, a voice in the wilderness, the old life, is crying out to be prepared for the new life. The new life is a new orientation. It is a new way of thinking and of perceiving people and the world. The act of repentance and baptism helps to break with the wilderness past and to step into the new day Christ.

So, Advent provides you the opportunity to lead into the new life provided by God’s Christ, Jesus.

An Unlikely Offering

Don Shelby, a retired United Methodist pastor, tells the story of the morning he came to his office at the church. He said, as he arrived, the custodian called him into the sanctuary. He wanted Don to see a strange offering which had been placed at the very center of the altar.

As Don and the custodian examined the offering, they found a pair of brown corduroy trousers, a belt, a white T-shirt, a pair of tan suede boots, and a note. There were blood stains on the shirt and on the note. The note had been written on one of the pledge cards which we had placed in the pews for that years’ Loyalty Sunday. A name was written large and underlined three times. Then the plea, “Please listen to God.” On the reverse side was an address and a phone number. And where a signature was called for, a name had been signed.

Don Shelby made a phone call to the number listed. He reached the man who had written the note. He found out the man was 19 years old. After a long wandering in a wasteland of drugs, dropping out of sight, severing contact with his family, and getting involved in one mess after another, the young man had decided to come home.

The night before he had finally reached bottom. He had been involved in a fight and almost beaten another man to death. Don said, the young man, when he realized what he had done. helped the man he had beaten to a nearby emergency room.

After leaving the hospital, the young man came by the church, found an unlocked door, and went into the sanctuary. He stayed there the rest of the night, praying and pondering. He said he asked God to forgive him and to show him the way to go. He said all at once the presence of God became very real. He knew he had been forgiven. A wonderful peace came. He committed himself to follow Jesus.

At that moment, he said he was determined to make things right. To symbolize his commitment, he had put on some clean clothes he had in his bedroll and left the others as an offering. It was like giving God his old life. He said he walked out the door a new person with a new vision and a new hope.

The Wilderness

I am sure you are not living in the wilderness that the young man was living in, but you have a wilderness in which you are wandering. So, today, be aware of the wilderness in which you are living and leading. Listen closely to the people around you. How are you being called out of the wilderness and into a new life? Take notice of people around you. Who is inviting you to reorient your life and to step into a new way of living and leading?

Stepping out of the wilderness and into the light of new life is one way of becoming who God has created you to be. So keep in mind, who you are is how you lead.

Return  

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. Where did you meet Jesus? At what moments did you feel you were living in the wilderness? Who helped you experience a new way of living and leading? How did you express God’s love today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope or the love or the new life you have experienced in and through them? How will you prepare for God’s presence and power tomorrow? Ask God to give you the faith to be the leader God has created you to be.  

Prayer

Come, Thou long expected Jesus born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. 

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom brings.
By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Looking for more? 

Enjoy a related blog, 

Leading Through Advent: Rethinking Preparation

based upon the good news according to Mark.

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Leading Through Advent: Leading with Anticipation

Have you given thought to how you will lead through the season of Advent? As a Christ centered leader, you have the opportunity to teach, lead, and model what it means to be a Jesus follower in uncertain and challenging times.

Because we are living in a time of conflicting values, when people are confused and looking for certainty, your Christ-focused leadership is needed. You already know that some people, to address the uncertainty in their lives, have become overconfident, brash, and insensitive, while others have withdrawn in anxiety and fear. As a Jesus follower, gifted to lead for this time, how will you lead in the midst of the challenges?

Advent Waiting

To help get a handle on the leadership needed, it might be helpful to begin with an understanding of Advent.

Advent began with watching and waiting for Jesus to return. Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles, that when Jesus ascended, the message to his followers was, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

Preparation and Waiting

As the centuries have passed and the church has grown weary of waiting, Advent has become more focused on preparing for the birth of Jesus with one exception, the first Sunday in Advent which focuses upon what is known as “the second coming” of Jesus.

With the focus being on the energy-draining activities of preparing for the birth of Jesus, we have little capacity to address the chaos and confusion around us with the promises of God. I know that sounds negative, but as a Christ-centered leader, you have been gifted and equipped to face the negative forces of evil and wickedness that are presenting themselves in our culture today. Be aware of the opportunities you have to teach, lead, and model God’s promises.

The Discipline of Waiting

Advent provides you with the time and space to practice the discipline of waiting in hope while you anticipate the fulfillment of God’s promises. You can model the discipline of waiting as you participate as a member of the community of faith.

In our culture, waiting is a challenge. Most of us are not very good at it. We live in a time when we want what we want when we want it. And we want it on our own terms, exactly the way we perceive it. We have not had training in waiting. Yet waiting is a necessary aspect of life and a valued characteristic of Christ-centered leaders.

Anticipating God’s Presence

Neither have we had training in anticipating God’s presence and power. So, how do you lead others in something you are not very good at yourself? Well, because most of us learn either by experience or by practice, take advantage of the Advent Season to practice waiting in anticipation.

To help focus, take a few minutes to read Luke 21:25-36. Reflect upon it from the context in which it was written, respond to it by thinking about the implications of its truth, and return at the end of the day to focus on how the scripture came to life for you. This practice of “Read, Reflect, Respond, and Return” will help you not only rethink the coming of Jesus but anticipate his coming. This practice can assist you in becoming the Christ-centered leader needed at this time.

Read Luke 21:25-36

25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Reflect on Luke 21

Luke weaves together material from Mark and from Matthew to provide a sketch of how things will happen in the end. First, Jerusalem will be overrun by enemies. Then, all of nature will erupt and shake the world powers. And finally, the son of man will come in power and glory, bringing redemption for his people.

Because Jesus frequently talked about the destruction of Jerusalem, Luke puts Jesus’ teaching into context. Luke understands the destruction of Jerusalem to be a fulfillment of prophecy.  He incorporates the tragedy into the overarching purpose of God and affirms that God is the God of all history.  So, instead of predicting the future, he is proclaiming the work of God in the present.

Be Alert!

Then he describes cosmic upheaval, “…there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars.” It is an age of great natural disasters which will afflict all the world, even the Gentile world. The “roaring of the sea and the waves” suggests the chaos of all nature”. The power of the heavens will be shaken.

So, he is reminding his readers of the reality of God’s judgment and the certainty of Christ’s return. He offers hope and assurance to those who remain faithful and alert, encouraging them to live with for the fulfilling of God’s purposes.

In other words, when the earth seems to be moving under your feet and you are in the midst of chaos and confusion, be alert and anticipate the presence and power of God, your redemption is near. in the midst of all the chaos and confusion and tragedy and turmoil, be alert, your redemption is near. So, be who you are supposed to be. Stay alert and pray. God’s presence and power is on its way.

Anticipating Hope

Regarding the coming of Jesus, it matters where you start. If you start with the preconceived idea of the coming of Jesus, you get caught up in a desperate attempt to know the future. So, you miss the point of the hope Luke is providing.

The imagery is just that, imagery. It is used to help you get the point of the coming of Jesus. Luke uses imagery as a backdrop to understand God’s promise of hope. Despite all signs to the contrary, all the hurt, chaos, wars, separation, and uncertainty, there is hope. Hope centered in the living God you know in and through Jesus. Hope that comes in the anticipation of the presence and power of God.

God’s Hope

This hope is not a domesticated political agenda or some form of a doctrine of progress. God does not provide happy endings for the futures we are engineering. God provides a future beyond our knowledge and control.

But even with this caution against wanting to know too much, we are still left with too little. We still have the question of how to hope in the meantime when nothing ever happens. And that is why the writer of Luke uses the story of the fig tree.  

Power to Be Witnesses to God’s Work

The fig tree blossoms in late spring, so that when its leaves appear, summer must be very near. You can see for yourself when God is near.

With that in mind, the good news in Luke is “Jesus not only possessed the Holy Spirit but promised the Holy Spirit to his followers.” What does the coming of Jesus in uncertain times mean within the context of Luke’s good news”

You have received power to be a witness to God’s work of salvation in the world. Whether it be with those who are theologically and religiously misguided (Acts 9:1-22), those who were marginalized because of race, nationality, or condition (Acts 8:14-39), or those who were culturally and religiously different (Acts 10:1-48), Luke has woven into the fabric of his gospel the possibility that every encounter is a possibility of the promise of God’s future. Again, in whatever situation or circumstance, you can anticipate the presence and power of God.

Those who trust the promise are able to see signs of its coming (fig tree). Those who have received the power of the Holy Spirit anticipate that something is about to happen, and it is happening now.

Keep Alert & Stay Faithful

So, Luke says, “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down…” and “be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place…”

The anticipation of the coming of Jesus should keep you alert, and faithful to being who God has created you to be.

Respond to Luke 21

Advent provides the opportunity to become the leader you are created to be. So, give yourself the space to grow in faith as you keep watch for Jesus. Be aware of how you model waiting in the difficult moments of your life. Take notice of how you teach others how to respond to the power of the Holy Spirit when they face barriers of race, nationality, gender and disagreements.

Throughout this day, be aware of how you respond to the people who are theologically and religiously misguided. Think about how you will engage in conversations of hope. Take notice of how you respond to people who are racially marginalized. Think about how you will lead with courage. Be aware of how you respond to people who are culturally and religiously different. Think about how you might model developing relationships

It is as you wait, trusting God’s leading, that you experience the grace to step out in faith and to lead with courageous action. As you learn to wait on God, God provides clear direction. It is at that point that you have the courage to act when the time is right. Christ-centered leadership is about knowing when to wait and when to act. It is about responding to God’s promise in Jesus that allows you to anticipate his presence and power in every situation and circumstance.

Return

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. Where did you anticipate God entering your life with love, hope, and peace? How did you respond in tough situations? How did you care for people around you? How did you allow others to care for you? What did you do to allow God’s love to flow through you to the people around you today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope you have experienced? How will you practice waiting and anticipating tomorrow? Ask God to give you the faith to be the leader God has created you to be. 

Click to read a related blog, “Leading Through Advent: Rethinking the Coming of Jesus” based on the good news according to Mark.

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Leading through Advent: Rethinking the Birth of Jesus

We have been exploring how the themes of Advent are opportunities for improving and enhancing your leadership. This fourth week let’s look at the theme of the birth of Jesus as another way of helping you become the leader needed at this time in history. 

How does rethinking the birth of Jesus help you be a Christ-centered leader? 

In a way, it is strange to “rethink the birth of Jesus” but slogans like “Let’s put Christ back into Christmas” and “Jesus is the reason for the season” invite us and challenge us to look closely at the meaning and purpose of the birth of Jesus.    

The Birth of Jesus

When we read the biblical stories, we find that the birth of Jesus, in a stable to humble parents, is God’s dramatic way of coming into the world in a way that we can understand. It is the story of God taking on the life of a human being and coming into this world to live with us. It is a story of incarnation. 

When you read Matthew’s story you find that the name Jesus means savior and that the name Emmanuel means God is with us. Matthew is telling us that in Jesus, God’s saving presence is with us.  

John points out that Jesus was present at the beginning with God because Jesus is God. Then God becomes flesh and lives among us. The words “became flesh and dwelt with us” literally mean “to pitch his tent.” Eugene Peterson in the Message says, “moved into our neighborhood.” John is telling us that God in Jesus has come to live with us.  

And Paul teaches us that God is in Christ “reconciling the world to himself.” It might be helpful to think of the word reconciled as being embraced or hugged. God is in Christ “embracing” the world and “hugging” us, each of us, holding us close in love. Paul tells us that God came to be with us to bring us back to him and to his purpose. 

Read Luke 2:1-20

So, let’s look at Luke’s story to discover how rethinking the birth of Jesus can help you lead through Advent. 

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar 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 in the guest room. 

8 Now in that same 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, the 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, praising 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. 17 When 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 and 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, just as it had been told them. 

Reflect 

The birth of Jesus is a story of an encounter with the divine in the midst of the ordinary. Luke uses ordinary people to introduce his good news. Within the historical context of political struggle, taxation, and the governmental and religious claims of Rome, Luke tells of God coming to be with us in the person of Jesus. In the midst of the ordinary, we have an encounter with God. 

Sometimes it seems that we have heard the story of the birth of Jesus so often that we miss Luke’s purpose in telling the story. As much as I like to think of Christmas as family gatherings, special decorations, lights, trees, candles, singing carols, and a winter wonderland, Luke’s first-century Christmas was different. 

God with Us

The birth of Jesus is about God coming to be with us. It is about light coming into our darkness.  Luke tells the story of Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, whose life is turned upside down by God’s call upon her life. In his first chapter, Luke tells of the angel Gabriel arriving with a greeting that is unsettling: “Favored woman! The Lord is with you.” As much as you and I might want to be favored by God, to be in God’s favor means God has some extraordinary work to be done. 

When you read Mary’s call to the ministry, she is “confused and disturbed.” There is always a mix of surprise, fear, and faith when you encounter God’s call. But like other stories in the scripture, we tend to focus only upon a portion of the story, like “the virgin birth,” and miss the purpose of the story.   

Luke’s good news is that Jesus not only possessed the Holy Spirit but promised the Holy Spirit to his followers. For Luke, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to communicate the good news of God beyond the barriers that separate people from God and one another. 

God’s Promise Fulfilled

In chapter one, the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary (1:35) in the same way Luke understood the Holy Spirit to come upon the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 1:8). The fulfillment of God’s promise, to be with us, is part of the intention of this story. Mary becomes God’s agent, God’s instrument, fulfilling God’s promise. This is Luke’s way of emphasizing the true humanity of the One who shared our life by being born, growing up and dying 

God comes to be with us, through the faithful response of Mary, to give us what we need to navigate the barriers that separate us from one another. When you read the good news according to Luke and the stories recorded in The Acts of the Apostles, you will discover that the Holy Spirit that came to Mary and the disciples is the same Holy Spirit that has been given to you. 

Holy Spirit Power

So, here is a clue for your leadership. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, O favored one, you will be given the power to witness beyond the barriers of theology, race, nationality, gender, economics, politics, social standing, etc. God’s purpose is being worked out in and through you. 

When Luke writes that there is “no place” for the newborn Messiah, he is saying that Jesus is a displaced person for whom the world will not make a place. “No room” is not simply a matter of space but a matter of choice. Jesus born in a stable will find “no vacancy” signs throughout his ministry and will finally be buried in a borrowed tomb. 

Empowered for Love

Jesus being born in a stable and placed in a manger represents solidarity with people of poverty. Luke brings this into dramatic contrast with Caesar who has a place in the empire. As a Christ-centered leader, you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a place for God’s love in the lives of the people who have been pushed aside and forgotten. 

The story of the shepherds and angels emphasizes God’s affirmation of the poor and despised. Although the image of shepherds is more positive in the Old Testament, in the first century, shepherds belonged to the lower class, irresponsible thieves who grazed their sheep on the land of other people. They were nomadic people taking advantage of others while using the care of their sheep as excuses for their behavior. 

Yet, it is to the shepherds that the angels bring the good news. Using the words and images meant for the emperor, Luke has the angels announce the birth of Jesus as the One who fulfills the aspirations and yearnings of all people. The message begins among the outsiders of Galilee and Judea and extends to Samaritans, Romans, and then to all people. 

Reimagine

The word “savior” was a word of honor often applied to the emperor and the word “lord” was a designation for the emperor and for pagan gods, as well as for the God of the Old Testament. The word “Christ” is the one anointed by God to fulfill God’s promises. The announcement was meant to reimage the empire. He was bringing good news to all people, Jews and Gentiles. As a Christ-centered leader, you are now a part of “the hopes and fears of all the years” are met in Jesus, God with us. 

The announcement of “peace” or “shalom” refers to the birth of Jesus as an act of the grace of God. Jesus is bringing wholeness and completeness to all people and every aspect of life. It carries with it the image of becoming who God created you to be. 

A Message of Peace

So, here is what is so awesome about the birth of Jesus. God gave the message of peace to amateurs. It is like the message was too important to be left to the diplomats and those in positions of power.  

Think about it. The great diplomats and ambassadors of the past 2000 years, the councils that have met, and the peace treaties that have been signed have mostly been forgotten. But we still remember and are shaped by the peacemaking messages of a host of angels, a group of unimportant shepherds, and Christ-centered leaders like you.   

After the shepherds had seen such wondrous things, they went back to their ordinary lives. And that is the rethinking of the birth of Jesus. How has the birth of Jesus changed your life and the way you relate to people? What difference has the birth of Jesus made in your leadership? 

Respond 

What does it mean to “rethink the birth of Jesus”? Slogans like “Let’s put Christ back into Christmas” and “Jesus is the reason for the season” are good slogans, but what do they mean? 

To rethink the birth of Jesus, you will have to ask yourself, “What will I do with the baby?” God has chosen to come to us in a way that we can understand. Now, how will you live and lead so others will know and understand God with us?    

After a busy morning of activity, a family decided to stop for lunch at a restaurant. The mother places her 12-month-old son, Erik, in his highchair. As soon as he was placed, he squealed with glee. He was giggling as he looked across the restaurant. 

His mother followed the direction of his eyes to see who or what had amused her son. Her eyes met a homeless-looking, unkempt old man just across from their table. With his hands waving at Erik, the man said “Hello baby. You are such a big boy.” 

Erik’s parents were startled. They were unsure how to respond to the situation. The baby didn’t seem to care that others in the restaurant were now staring at him and the old man. But his parents were uneasy. As soon as their meal arrived, they hurried and ate, not enjoying their food or one another. 

The old man was still making faces and playing with Erik. “Peek-a-boo . . . I see you.” The man was anything but cute and obviously intoxicated, but Erik didn’t care. 

As soon as they finished their meal, Erik’s dad told his wife to meet him in the parking lot and he hurried to pay the check. While Erik’s mother was gathering their belongings, she noticed that the old man sat between her and the door. “Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,” she prayed. 

As she drew closer to the man, she turned her back trying to sidestep the man and avoid any air he might be breathing. As she did, Erik leaned over her arm, reaching with both arms in a baby’s “pick-me-up” motion. Before his mom could stop him, Erik propelled himself from her arms to the old man’s arms. Suddenly the ragged, unkempt old man and the baby were face to face in a full embrace. Erik was giggling and squealing the whole time. 

The baby, in an act of total trust and love, laid his tiny head upon the man’s ragged shoulder. The man’s eyes closed, and tears filled his eyes. His old hands, full of grime and pain, cradled the baby and stroked his back. Erik’s mother stood stunned. She felt helpless and scared of the unknown. As the old man rocked and cradled Erik, he looked at the mother and said, “You take care of this baby.” 

Somehow, she managed to say, “I will.” 

He handed Erik back to her and said, “God bless you, ma’am; you’ve given me my Christmas gift.” 

She could say nothing more than mutter, “Thanks. With Erik in her arms, she walked to the car weeping, “Oh God, forgive me.” 

Rethink the Birth of Jesus

As you rethink the birth of Jesus, what are you doing with the baby? Maybe you can think of it this way, how is the birth of Jesus helping you love others as God in Jesus has loved you? 

Ann Douglas Vaughan tells the story of when she was ten, she found a wallet. There wasn’t any money in it, but even at ten years of age she knew how those things worked. She couldn’t wait to return the wallet and get her reward. All day long she called the phone number which she found in the brown leather wallet, but no one answered. 

She finally convinced her dad to drive her to the owner’s address. Once there, they found a modest military housing unit with a torn screen door. It was at that moment she noticed her dad doing something unexpected. As he rang the bell, he took three $20 bills and tucked them into the empty wallet. 

Ann Douglas Vaughan wrote, “Turns out my reward, for returning the wallet, was getting to see true love in action.” She witnessed, through the actions of her father, grace through generosity to a stranger. 

Rethink the Birth of Jesus

As you rethink the birth of Jesus, how do others experience love in action through you? How will you extend grace through generosity?   

To rethink the birth of Jesus, you will have to ask yourself, “Will I follow Jesus where he leads me?” Mary replied to the angel, “May it be to me as you have said.” You might not entirely understand what is going on. You might not anticipate what will happen. You only know that to put Christ back into Christmas, you have to allow yourself to be loved and to love others as you are loved. It means becoming vulnerable and available.    

When the Bible Grasps You

There once was a seminary student who approached the theologian Paul Tillich after a lecture on the authority of Scripture. The student was clutching a large, black, leather-bound Bible in his hand. As he approached Tillich, waving his Bible above his head, he shouted, “Do you believe this is the Word of God?” 

Tillich looked at the student’s fingers tightly gripping the Bible and responded, “Not if you think you can grasp it.” There was a moment of silence, then Tillich continued, “When the Bible grasps you, I believe it is the Word of God” 

God is Calling You to Participate in the Good News

The heartfelt music, good feelings, beautiful liturgies, nice presents, big dinners, and sweet words are all good, but they have numbed us to the intrusion of God’s love. Christmas is saying, “Yes” to something beyond all your emotions and feelings. Christmas is saying, “Yes” to a hope based on God’s initiative which has nothing to do with what you think and feel. It is believing that the salvation of the world is God’s work, and that God is calling you to not only announce the good news but to participate in it.  

So, when Jesus comes knocking on the door of your church building, be ready for his invitation. Because when you open the door to invite him in, he is going to invite you to follow him into your neighborhood. Get ready because he will introduce you to his friends. His poor, forgotten, disabled, overlooked friends. And if, by faith, you have the courage to follow him, you will take your first step in becoming the incarnational leader needed to meet the needs of people today.  

Join Mary in responding,  “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” It will be at that moment that you will join the heavenly host singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” 

Put Christ back into Christmas by loving others as God in Christ has loved you. Who you are is how you lead. 

Return  

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. What did you decide to do with the baby Jesus? How did you experience God’s love for you? How did you express God’s love for others? To whom is Jesus leading you? How will your experience of the birth of Jesus help you love as you have been loved? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope you have experienced in and through them? 

Merry Christmas! May the joy of Jesus be yours as you rethink the meaning and purpose of his birth in your life and in the lives of the people entrusted to your care.

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Leading Through Advent – Rethinking Your Focus

As you continue to lead through Advent, how are you practicing and improving your leadership skills? This season we have looked at how rethinking waiting and preparing are growth opportunities. With waiting and preparation in mind, have you considered how Advent provides you with the opportunity to rethink your focus on life and leadership?   

Life is not found by focusing on yourself but is found in giving yourself for the sake of others. It is not self-protection but self-giving that opens you to your best self. Effective leadership is not found by focusing on likes and dislikes, but by listening and responding to the hopes, dreams, and desires of those entrusted to you.   

Rethinking with John the Baptist

It is easy to get caught up in our own stories. When you think about the highs and the lows of daily life and add the chaos of disease and distress in the world, it is easy to lose focus on who is life-giving and what is important.   

In an age where the focus on self is promoted as the path to happiness, Advent provides the opportunity to rethink your focus. Today, John the Baptist teaches us to refocus by shifting our attention from ourselves to God and God’s mission. In a culture of weariness, John calls us to discover a different path to life. He invites us to focus on the light in the darkness.    

To help refocus, take a few minutes to read this scripture, John 1:6-8, 19-28. 

Read John 1:6-8, 19-28. 

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 

19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. 

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why, then, are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.” 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. 

Reflect 

John the Baptist points us toward a greater vision than ourselves. He, himself, embodies a self-giving life. Despite the attention given to him, he keeps his focus on the One who is to come after him. In other words, he refused to claim an identity that would overshadow his mission or that would take the focus off of the light, off of the Messiah, off of Jesus, the One who is coming. 

So, John, the gospel writer tells us, John the Baptist was a witness to the light. He was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. Why? So, all might believe. His focus was on his mission and not himself. 

A Voice in the Wilderness

Even when the Jews sent priests to question him, John responded, “I am not the Messiah.” “I am not Elijah.” “I am not a prophet.” He could have elevated himself to a level of importance, but he kept his focus. They asked, “Who are you?  What do you say about yourself?” 

And he answered, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” He knew who he was and his place in God’s mission. Even though some wanted to make him the center of attention, John kept his focus on his mission and not on himself. 

The Power of Self-Giving

The scripture is clear, John the Baptist’s life is a witness to the power of self-giving. His witness was a light for others, but his light was only a reflection of the One to come, the one true light. John’s life is a model of humility. 

His insistence that he is the voice in the wilderness highlights a profound humility. He is not even worthy to untie the strap of the sandal of the One who is coming. John is directing everyone to the Messiah, the Christ, the One to come, Jesus. Why? So, all might believe. 

The scripture is clear. John’s humility models for us what it means to follow Jesus. 

Respond 

This Advent season, John challenges us to rethink our focus. John invites us to turn our eyes upon Jesus and to place our attention on the mission. He came to point people to Jesus. John is calling us to do the same. 

So, as you listen to John, how are you leading through Advent? Are you focused on the baby in the manger or on the commercial aspects of Christmas? Let me be clear, it is very difficult if not impossible to give your full attention to both and hold Jesus, God with us, clearly in focus. 

Leading Through Advent

So, how are you leading through Advent? Are helping people prepare for the birth of Jesus, and the coming of Christ, or are you lost in the timing of activities and the proper trimmings of the season? Advent candles are good and necessary. They provide a way of telling the story. 

But when you get upset because someone lights the pink candle on the wrong Sunday, where is your focus? When you are more concerned about the poinsettias being delivered and properly placed than you are about the people who only attend worship once a year, with family, at Christmas, where is your focus?   

The Why of Christmas

Advent provides a wonderful opportunity to rethink your focus on why you participate in some activities. How is baking cookies, wrapping gifts, decorating, going to parties, and assisting you in keeping your focus upon “God with us” the savior of the world? They are good activities that bring joy and pleasure, the question is, how do they keep you focused on the “why” of Christmas? 

In today’s culture, we often celebrate ourselves more than we celebrate the One whom God sends to set us free. Because of God’s love for us, God sent John the Baptist to challenge us to rethink our focus. His mission was not about gaining recognition. Instead, he was committed to pointing to the One greater than himself. John the Baptist didn’t seek personal glory. His life was a message, urging people to look beyond their desires to the Messiah. 

Rethink Your Focus

So, as a Christ-centered leader, Advent provides the opportunity to rethink your focus. It is easy to lose focus of the One who calls us and equips us for leading and loving. When we are out of focus, we misunderstand the connection between serving others and the life we are called to live. It is in focusing on others and loving others, that we become more who God created us to be. 

As followers of Jesus, as good as it is, you are not invited to a life of serving others as a way to be and do good. You are invited to love and serve as a way of expressing God’s goodness you have experienced in and through Jesus. You love your neighbors as you love yourself and you love others as God has loved you. As good as it is, it is not about your service, it is about God’s love.   

Undefeated

Maybe this story will help. It is from the Academy Award-winning documentary film, “Undefeated.” 

In 2004, Bill Cortney left his position as a schoolteacher to open his own lumber business. While participating in a small group from his church, he was challenged to volunteer to go into the North Memphis neighborhoods and be a friend to some kids. Through that experience, Bill Cortney learned that the Manassas High School football team needed a coach. Through the encouragement of his friends, he volunteered to be the coach for one year.  

The Manassas High School football team had never won a playoff game. In fact, in 2004, they had only won four games in ten years. Bill Courtney offered to help the Manassas Tigers turn the football team around. 

Are you a Turkey Person?

That first year, there were 17 players on the team. About midway through the season, the coach was concerned about his relationship with his players. He felt he had a good relationship with half of them, but he wanted something more than being the coach, something of greater depth than football. So, he had a conversation with one of the seniors, Jamie, about his relationship with the team. 

The coach asked Jamie, “What is the deal? I am here every day. I’m giving all I have to give. What do I have to do?” 

Jamie responded almost dismissively, “Just keep doing what you are doing, Coach. We appreciate it.” 

Coach Courtney: “Tell me what is going on.” 

Jamie: “Real talk? I don’t want to hurt your feelings. 

Coach: “Straight talk, Jamie.” 

Jamie: “Straight up. They are trying to figure out if you are a turkey person. 

Coach: “I have no idea what you are talking about. What is a turkey person?” 

Jamie: “You know coach, every Thanksgiving and Christmas some white folks roll up into our neighborhoods in their vans and SUVs. They have turkeys, hams, and gifts. They unload them. We take the gifts and the food because we need them. But then, they all get back into their cars, vans, and SUVs and they go back out to the suburbs, and we don’t see them ever again.   

“Now, Coach, are they delivering those turkeys and gifts because they really care about us or are they going back out to the suburbs to tell people how they helped some poor black folks. Are they doing what they are doing because they care about us or just so they can feel good about themselves? 

“Coach, what are you doing? Everyone is trying to figure it out. What are you doing?” 

Loving and Nurturing

For Bill Courtney that was the beginning of six years as the Coach of the Manasses High School Tigers. Through his loving and nurturing of the players and helping them develop their physical and emotional strengths, Courtney coached the team to a winning season in 2009 and their first playoff win in the history of the football program. 

What made the difference? I think it was focus. Bill Courtney kept his focus on why he was doing what he was doing and on the people he was serving. His focus was not on himself but on the character and integrity of the players on his team. 

What is Your Focus as a Leader?

This Advent season provides you the opportunity to rethink your focus as a leader. 

Too often we are absorbed in our own worlds. We do what we do because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Even when it has implications of helping others, we too often are more concerned about how it affects us than we are about how we truly reflect the light of love and care for others.  Our actions are more self-serving than they are of humility and love. 

When you’re focused on yourself, your preferences, and your conveniences, your vision narrows, and your focus becomes blurry. When you keep your focus on Jesus, it is clear who God sends your way to love and serve. 

John the Baptist is challenging you to focus upon the light of the One who is to come. That is who you are as a Christ-centered leader. This Advent season, rethink your focus and become the leader needed for this time and season. And remember, who you are is how you lead. 

Return  

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. With whom did you rethink your focus? What brought you to the moment of refocusing? How do you clear a path for others to rethink their focus? In the future, how will you respond differently? How did you express God’s love today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope you have experienced in and through them?   

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Leading Through Advent: Rethinking Preparation

Have you ever felt that there is more to life than meets the eye? That there is more in your past than history can tell? That there is more going on in the present moment than you really know? And that there is more to your relationships with others than you are aware? 

It seems that the more we explore the mystery of our lives, the more we learn about ourselves, and the more mysterious we become. We are seldom content with what appears to be on the surface. We are not at ease because we sense that no matter how full our lives, there is more. 

Preparing to Receive Jesus

Advent is about preparing to receive what is missing. It is about preparing to receive Jesus as the Son of God who delivers us from all the threats that rob people of authentic life. It is about preparing to receive the One who stands with us against the enemies of meaninglessness; of the storms and evils of nature; of loneliness, alienation from ourselves, others, and God; of sin and guilt; hunger; sickness; and the ultimate enemy, death. It is about preparing to receive Jesus who can do only what God can do. 

Advent is about preparing to receive Jesus, who in his weakness and vulnerability, stands with us in the midst of our misunderstandings, misconceptions, and broken relationships. 

Leading through Advent

The question is, how do you lead through Advent? How do you rethink preparing in such a way that people find themselves face to face with the God who has come to be with them in the places they are hurting, suffering, broken, and need healing and hope? 

Maybe it will be helpful to start with an Advent prayer, written and put to music by Charles Wesley. 

Come, thou long expected Jesus.

Born to set thy people free.

From our fears and sins release us.

Let us find our rest in thee. 

How will you rethink preparing this Advent season?   

Read Mark 1:1-8 

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight,’”

4 so John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 

Reflect 

Mark’s story does not begin with Jesus, and not even with John. This story is part of a larger story of God’s unfolding plan that began at creation, continued through the Old Testament prophets, comes to its climax in Jesus, and continues after the resurrection in the followers of Jesus, including you and me. 

The good news according to Mark is “God sent Jesus to oppose the evil, pain, and suffering in the world.” To announce the good news, Mark starts with John the Baptist, who is seen as connecting the message of the prophets with Jesus and the preaching of the church.    

John ushers in the new age, a new order. For Mark, what is important is not John’s bizarre appearance, nor his ethics, nor his message, but the fact that the story of Jesus begins with him. John is a figure of hope. His appearance marks “the beginning of the gospel” as a continuation of the message of the prophets. He continues the story of the in-breaking of God’s new order. 

The Good News in Mark

The people who received Mark’s good news were in the midst of persecution. The followers of Jesus were tortured, crucified, and killed as insurrectionists. They were seen as people in opposition to the Roman government. So, for Mark John came announcing the coming of Jesus, God’s way of opposing the evil, pain, and suffering in the world. 

In verses 2 and 3, Mark sets the context for the new order by calling upon the memory of his readers. He has them remember the exile and homecoming of the Hebrew people. Then, he focuses upon the work, the person, and the words of John. 

Baptism is an Act of Grace

The work of John is to baptize (verses 4-5). Baptism is an act of grace giving access to the new order, God’s new day. It is an invitation to and an act of transformation. It leads into public ministry, which is seen in the work of the followers of Jesus opposing evil, pain, and suffering in our communities and neighborhoods. Baptized followers of Jesus are related to their communities and working the good of all the people living there. 

For John, baptism is identified in two ways. The first is through repentance, the turning away from the old age and all its loyalties and values and turning toward God’s new order. The second is through forgiveness, which brings with it the release of indebtedness that keeps people from freely participating in God’s new order. 

Rethinking Preparation

With this in mind, Advent is a time of rethinking preparation. One example of rethinking preparation might be John’s message of repentance which brings with it the challenge to give up our participation in the cultural consumerism that enslaves us. Another example of rethinking preparation might be John’s message of forgiveness of sins which brings with it the release from systems that dehumanize people and effect the way we relate to one another, especially the people we identify as different from us. 

The person of John is characterized as an outsider, as one who comes from the wilderness. Not only is he geographically an outsider but he has kept his distance from the seductive good things of his culture. He comes speaking of a new order which calls for an end to conventional loyalties and attitudes. He comes speaking of a new freedom that brings a different perspective regarding relationships. 

Embracing Uncertainty

With this in mind, Advent is a time of rethinking preparation. It is an occasion for embracing uncertainty, understanding ourselves and others differently, and making decisions that facilitate hope and the future. Keep in mind, as you rethink preparation, that the culture will resist any changes you make. It will want you to be well-fed, well-dressed, and well-housed so that you do not depart from old loyalties. John is reminding us that there is a greater way of living in this world.   

The words of John point beyond himself and beyond the dangerous moment in which people are living. He is like Moses pointing across to the new land. He anticipates the One who is to come, but he does not name him. Christmas is the time for naming Jesus. Advent is a time for waiting and hoping. John might not know the name of the One to come, but he knows that the work of the Spirit will bring a newness that transforms. 

Make a Difference

With this in mind, Advent is a time of rethinking preparation. It is not only a time of spiritual reconstruction but a time to make a difference in the community and the neighborhood in which you live. It is a time to stand with people as they face adversity, pain, and suffering. 

Leading through Advent means you will offer hope amid people being dehumanized and misplaced, amid cynicism about trusting God’s way in Jesus, and amid people sensing there is more but not knowing what it is. The time is right for rethinking preparation. It is right for you to announce, “God with us. There is hope for all who are changing the way they have been thinking and living and are ready to receive and to follow. Prepare the way of the Lord.”  

Respond 

John’s message is clear regarding preparation. There can be no pretense or deception. You come as you are, vulnerable and unencumbered 

The novel, The High and the Mighty, was made into a movie several years ago. It was about the passengers on an airplane that are flying over the Pacific Ocean into California. The plane began to have engine trouble which caused it to run low on fuel. As the flight continued, the news got worse and worse for all the passengers. 

One passenger, a woman, was well-dressed. Her makeup was impeccable. Her jewelry included a diamond necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings. She sat and listened to the captain as he gave updates regarding the plane’s location and situation. Then she heard the captain say, “It looks less and less likely that we will arrive at our destination. It looks like we are going to be meeting our Maker before this is over.” 

As she listened, she began to remove her jewelry. She took off her rings, her necklace, and her earrings. She removed her eyelashes and mascara. When she removed most of the cosmetics that covered her skin, she revealed a scar on her cheek. She had decided to be who she was. She was coming clean. She was going to meet her end real and true, without deception, without pretense.  

Well, eventually, the plane landed safely. And through the ordeal, she had learned something about herself. 

Come Clean

The plot of the movie reflects the story of John and the response of the people who heard his message. John offered people the opportunity to come clean. He used some wonderful images that caused people to see clearly what he was talking about.  He said, “This moment in history is like an ax being laid at the root of a tree. If the tree has not borne good fruit, it comes down.” 

He said, “This moment in history and in your life is like the moment when a person has harvested the grain, but it is still full of chaff. And he takes a large fan and while the grain is being poured from one container to another, the fan is used to blow away the chaff. This is repeated several times until all the chaff is blown away. The grain is saved but the chaff is burned.” 

“In other words, there is one coming after me, I’m not even worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandal. He is so much stranger than I; he is so much greater than I. He is coming. And one thing that he will do is cause the truth to come clean and clear. No more deception, no more pretending.” 

Preparing for the One Coming

After hearing John, people began to prepare for the One coming. They confessed to their life deceptions, distorted values, loss of priorities, and irresponsibility. They came clean and were baptized for the forgiveness of their pretentiousness and they began a new way of living. 

John the Baptist is presenting the message of the scripture. It comes in several figures of speech. Sometimes it is called a New Creation where everything is new. Sometimes it is spoken of as a New Birth. John the gospel writer refers to it as being born from above or born again. 

Sometimes it is presented as a New Life or a New Page of a notebook. And at other times the Bible uses the image of a new beginning. That is what John preached.  

New Life as a Christ-Centered Leader

What does this new life, this new beginning, look like for you as a Christ-centered leader? What does rethinking preparation mean as you lead through Advent? 

Come Clean

First, it means to come clean. It means to scrape off all the pretense and fear of what others might think and come as you are, a beloved child of God. It means that you lead with courage anchored in God’s love and grace. 

Hold the Past and Future Together

Second, look at John. He understood his present role as keeping continuity with the prophets, with Jesus, and with the church. Even though he has all the qualifications for being first, he did not give into the temptation of assuming that his contribution was better than anyone before him or greater than anyone who came behind him. 

So, as a leader, take your place as one who holds the past and future together. As you prepare for the future, do so within the context of who and what has brought you to this moment. Then ask the question, “Who will help lead us in taking the next step on our journey?” Walk with them. Be who God has created you to be for them. 

Submit to Jesus

Third, John submits himself to the greatness of Jesus. Imagine being born and prepared for a singular moment when you stand on the banks of the River Jordan and shout, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” One sentence summed up his life and ministry. 

John found his joy in Jesus and by giving up his self-serving right to happiness. Sooner or later, you learn that happiness is neither a right nor an end in itself. For the followers of Jesus, the word is not happiness but is joy. It is used in the context of submitting to the greatness and the glory of God. 

God’s Love and Joy

So, as a leader, give yourself to God’s love and receive the joy given to those who serve in love. Receive God’s love for yourself and then share God’s love with others. It means putting others first as you work for their best and well-being. It means being generous with others, allowing them to be who they are, and space to grow into who God created them to be. 

It means that you lead with grace, modeling the new order. John baptized people showing the new order was not based on ancestry, religious affiliation, or national citizenship. It was a conscious choice to turn away from the old and turn toward the new. It is coming clean so you can enter into the new life, the new order. 

So, Advent is preparing to receive what is missing in your life. So, rethinking preparation will help you become more who God created you to be by receiving the One who can and will make your life complete. Remember, who you are is how you lead. 

Return  

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. Where did you come clean today? What brought you to the moment of coming clean? How did you respond? How did you express God’s love today? With whom do you need to celebrate the hope or the love or the new life you have experienced in and through them?    

Prayer

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart. 

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.