We live in a society that glorifies the individual. Culturally, we are encouraged to be unique, and commercially, we are told we deserve the goods of life tailored to our personal tastes.

“You deserve a break today,” said a once-famous commercial. “Have it your way,” said another. “I did it my way,” declares a well-known song. No doubt your class can think of other advertisements and popular songs that cater to our sense of self-importance.

In light of this societal cult of individuality, the message of the Bible presents a jarring contrast. The ideas of community and family loom large. So, too, does the call to deny one’s self. The vast majority of the New Testament is written to congregations of believers and not individuals.

The two greatest commands in Scripture call us to look beyond ourselves so we might love God and love our neighbors. Nowhere in the Bible do we find that we deserve a break today. Instead, we are told grace has been given to the undeserving. Nowhere do we read we should have it our way. Instead, we read Jesus is the only way.

As Rick Warren wrote in the opening line of The Purpose Driven Life, “It’s not about you.” It is only as we grasp this concept that we will feel ourselves pulled out of the small circle of selfishness and into the vast purposes and works of God.

The passage this week is an “It’s-not-about-you” passage. As the Hebrew people prepared to enter into the Promised Land, the sons of Reuben and Gad saw the land they occupied was a fine area for raising livestock. They approached Moses with a proposal.

They say, “The land the Lord subdued before the people Israel [is] suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock … let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan” (Numbers 32:4-5).

Clearly, the sons of Reuben and Gad wanted to depart from the well-known plan for all the people of Israel. They had found a land they liked. They saw no reason to proceed any farther, so they asked to stay while the rest of Israel went on.

Moses rightly pointed out their selfishness. In staying behind, they forced the rest of Israel to fight the wars of conquest short-handed. By staying behind, they discouraged those who still had to go forward. By staying behind, the entire community suffered while only they benefitted.

This was neither just nor loving. Moses reminded them the Promised Land was not just about them. They were part of something larger than themselves, and the will of God and the best interests of the community had to be respected.

The Reubenites and Gadites recognized the truth of Moses’ comments. They suggested they be allowed to possess the land they currently occupied, but they offered to arm themselves and “go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place” (Numbers 32:17).

In other words, rather than  being left behind and excused from any more fighting, the men of those tribes were willing to arm themselves and lead the way so the entire community might benefit. In this arrangement, the community would bless them with the land appropriate for their needs, and they would bless the community by taking the lead in the further possession of the Promised Land.

This arrangement reveals the kind of relationships God seeks to build within the community of faith. Just as God has offered to look out for my glory if I will look out for his, so the community of faith is designed to look out for the best interests of individuals while the individuals are meant to look out for the interests of the community.

In such an arrangement, no one is left out or overlooked. In such a relationship, an individual loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind and strength, and she loves her neighbor as herself. Meanwhile, she experiences the indescribable divine love for herself, and her neighbors pour out their love for her as well. Everyone is loved. Everyone is blessed, and more good is accomplished than if each person were trying to look out solely for themselves.

Consider briefly how sin affects this arrangement. If I rebel against God’s design and look out only for myself and expect others to look out for me, too, then I contribute nothing to the community. I take, but I do not give. Like the Dead Sea in Israel, water flows in, but nothing flows out. Consequently, the Sea has become unfit to sustain life.

In coming to Christ, I am freed from the power of sin that bends all of life to be about me. Love has filled my heart, and that love draws me outside of myself. It compels me to act justly because I am genuinely concerned about the welfare of others. It compels me to give of my time, talents, and resources because I am part of something larger than me. It encourages me to lead the way so that others might benefit and be blessed.
    
Has the power of God’s love broken the power of sin and selfishness in your life? If so, what has been your response? How are you leading the way for others to be blessed?

When I was playing baseball in high school, my goal was to hit like Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. I used a Ted Williams Louisville Slugger bat, and the number on the back of my uniform was 9—Ted Williams’ number.

Needless to say, the bat and number didn’t help much, but that didn’t stop me from trying to hit like him.

Imitating others doesn’t end when we become adults. Just about everything we do is a product of what we’ve learned from someone else. And, imitating someone else isn’t inherently bad if we’re imitating the right person. For example, we’re to be imitators of Christ, but that doesn’t get us many points in the sensual society in which we live.

In Ephesians 4:17-19, Paul (who probably never had any PC training) said: “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.”

That’s quite an indictment, but those words are as reflective of our culture now as they were then.

Paul goes on to say that if you’re a Christian you don’t do certain things—such as condoning any hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, for these are improper for God’s holy people. Paul’s point is simple: you’re to imitate Christ, not the world. If you want to imitate someone, imitate Jesus. There’s no greater standard of behavior than this and no greater duty for a Christian.

Obviously, we can’t become omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent as God is, but that’s not what Paul is talking about. He’s talking about the imitation of God’s love.

There’s constancy in Paul’s command to “walk in God’s love” because it implies ongoing action. In other words, imitating the loving character of God must be a way of life, not something reserved simply for occasions of great necessity. And, such imitation should mark all we do.

The non-Christian loves when it suits him or her, or when it’s to their advantage. The Christian, however, is exhorted to “walk in love,” meaning his or her love shouldn’t come and recede like the waves of an ocean, but should be a perpetual fountain.

Christ loved us “and gave himself up for us,” which is the kind of love that doesn’t merely consist of good intentions or feelings, but expresses itself through action. And, the love of Christ also involves acting favorably towards the undeserving. After all, Jesus said “… even sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32).

Christ didn’t die for us because we’re loveable or deserving. Paul made that clear when he wrote, “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). He also wrote, “God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

When Paul commands us to “… be imitators of God,” he is saying something quite profound. To love as Christ loves requires we serve others at our own expense, and we serve those who might be unworthy recipients of our love.

When we witness someone trying to imitate the love of Christ, we tend to think they are engaged in an extraordinary act. For Christians, an act of that nature should be considered ordinary and commonplace. Such acts should, in fact, be a reflection of who we are and of what we do in the normal course of a day.

If you want to become an imitator of God’s love, you have to become familiar with who God is; which is why Paul instructs us in Ephesians 5:10 to “… find out what pleases the Lord.” And, in Ephesians 5:17, he tells us to “… understand what the Lord’s will is.”

It is by studying the example of Christ, recorded in the Bible, that we learn how to love as Christ loves. It is in the Scriptures where we learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Ability is another facet of being an imitator of God’s love. Even if we learn how to please God, even if we gain an understanding of how God loves, we’re still required to have the ability to act upon this knowledge. We know in our head that we’re to show love to our enemies, but are we actually able to execute that command?

We can all think of individuals who have deeply hurt us, but is there one on your list that seems most undeserving of your love and mercy? That’s the one to go to. That’s the one to shower with Christ’s love.

How do you do it? The word of God and the Spirit of God will aid you. When the Holy Spirit directs our behavior, we can do what would otherwise be impossible. If the church is to meaningfully affect this world, our behavior will need to be marked by the love of Christ.

We can purify a sensual world if we understand church is not someplace we go, it’s who we are.

In this week’s lesson, the Israelites are moving through Moab on their way to the Promised Land. Our perspective on this story does not come entirely from within the community of faith, but from the Moabite perspective. Balak, king of the Moabites, is afraid of the Israelites, and he summons Balaam to come and “put a curse” on them so that he might defeat them (Numbers 22:6).

Balaam, while not an Israelite, is a God-fearer. When Balak offers him a rich reward for his service, Balaam reminds him, “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God” (Numbers 22:18).

Balak and his messengers are insistent, however, and God eventually allows Balaam to go meet with the king. On his way, he has a curious and somewhat humorous encounter with God through his own donkey. It is fitting to remind ourselves at this point that God is the Lord of all creation. God’s power is not limited by physicality or our assumptions about the way God ought to work. God is truly free in this regard.

Has God ever spoken to you in an unusual or unexpected way? Have you ever encountered God when you were not looking for him? God comes when he wishes, speaks what he desires and does so in  the way he chooses. When we call God sovereign, we are recognizing this freedom and these qualities about God.
    
As an aside, such knowledge should be humbling and encouraging to preachers and teachers everywhere. None of us are completely essential to the work of the kingdom, but at the same time, if God can work so memorably through Balaam’s donkey, God is more than able to work through me.
    
Following Balaam’s reminder about God’s sovereignty, he is greeted by King Balak and makes preparations to speak what Balak hopes will be a curse upon the Israelites.

It is important to remember that before Balaam proceeds with his work, he again cautions the king, “I must speak only what God puts in my mouth” (Numbers 22:38). Such a phrase should warn the king that what he is asking and what he will receive may not be the same thing. By giving the matter to God, Balak has submitted the matter to God’s authority and ceded his own.

Had Balak really thought through his request, he would not have made it. How could he expect God to curse the people God already had blessed with the divine name and promises? Balak asked God to go against the divine will.

Unsurprisingly to us, God does not honor Balak’s request. On the contrary, rather than giving a curse for the Israelites, God pronounces a blessing upon the Israelites through Balaam.
    
Two verses from the New Testament come to mind. The first is 1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” The second verse is Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

One of the essential lessons about prayer is that prayer is not bending God to our will; it is bending our will to God’s. Balak sought to bend God to his will for his personal gain. God would not be bent and instead, worked for the good of God’s own people and purposes. When you pray, do you consciously seek to pray according to God’s will? Do you bend your will to his, or are you tempted to try to bend God’s will to yours?
    
It doesn’t take much to imagine what Balak felt when he heard Balaam utter the blessing. “What have you done?” he cried in despair (Numbers 23:11). Balaam reminded him he was under compulsion to speak only what God told him to speak. Balak, being a slow learner, thought that perhaps Balaam simply needed a change of scenery. He took him to “another place” (Numbers 23:13) and asked again for a curse. Balaam inquired of God, and again God gave a blessing. Doubly distraught, Balak tried one more time with the same results.

The story is darkly comic. The idea of Balak hopping mad after three attempts by Balaam to bring a curse resulted only in a triple blessing makes me smile, but it is a sad smile. It is sad because I know that I am a lot like Balak. I am slow to learn about the things of God. I try to make God serve me. I fail, and I get mad, and I stubbornly refuse to learn that God is working out the divine plan, not my plan. Time and again I fail to recognize that God has my best interests in mind, and I stubbornly think that any glory I can scrape together for myself is better than the glory God offers if I will follow him.

I doubt I am alone in relating to Balak this way. How can your class members pray for one another about following God’s plan rather than their own? Remind them that by grace, God has made them his children, and he is able to turn curses into blessings as he works in all things to bring about good for them.

With the beginning of the New Year comes resolutions. The ubiquitous “lose weight” and “exercise” will be on resolution lists. For Christians add to the resolutions a “better” and more “consistent” quiet/devotion time with the Lord.

How does one successfully accomplish these resolutions in life? For diet and exercise, it’s easy. Eat less and move more. Well, it’s easy in principle, not practice.

How about the quiet time resolution? A better quiet time comes from following Jesus better. What’s a believer to do in order to follow Jesus better?

There’s no checklist. If there was, then that checklist would become a new law to be followed. Jesus was more interested in guiding principles. In Matthew 5:17-28, his approach to the principles or spirit behind the Old Testament laws is explained.

Jesus on the law (Matthew 5:17-20)

For the Pharisees, Jesus certainly came across as a law breaker. An example would be his apparent violation of the Sabbath laws by working on the Sabbath. He healed or did the work of a doctor on several occasions on the Sabbath day.

Some of the Pharisees might easily have said that Jesus’ was a lawbreaker bent on abolishing the law. Jesus answered that charge before it could be leveled against him. In Matthew 5:17, he stated he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.

In fact, he asserted every aspect to the tiniest part would be accomplished before the end. He added that those who broke the law and taught others to break the law would be the least in the kingdom. According to Jesus, who is worthy to enter the kingdom? Those whose righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees.

Now, the Pharisees were known for keeping the law. They had a good reputation in first century Israel. The people admired them, for the Pharisees knew the law and obeyed the law.

Since the Pharisees held such a high moral standard of living, how could anyone’s righteousness surpass the Pharisees? Wasn’t Jesus instituting a more radical legalism than espoused by the Pharisees? Not if understood in the proper manner.

Jesus on murderous issues and thoughtful sins (Matthew 5:21-28)

The practice of the Pharisees did not work. They kept the letter of the law without keeping its intent. To put it another way, they kept the first nine commandments, which are outwardly evident, but failed to keep the 10th commandment, the one that addresses coveting things owned by others. The 10th commandment is broken in the mind and is made evident only when one of the other nine is broken. Thus, hatred is revealed as murder. Lust is understood as adultery. How is this so?

Take murder for instance. Jesus taught that extreme anger caused one to commit mental murder. The killing was not physical but mental. This distinction between physical and mental does not alleviate the sin that occurs.

The situation Jesus described is serious. Getting along with others confronts us as one of life’s most difficult challenges. Sure, there are those who are easy to get along with in life, but there also are those who rub us the wrong way. We have a difficult time getting along with them. We seem to never be able to give them the benefit of the doubt.

In this situation, conflict can occur easily. Jesus taught we should resolve the conflict quickly before it escalates. Only those who resolve such conflict can truly present themselves and their offerings to God.

Jesus applied the same principle to adultery. All it takes in order to commit adultery is the lustful thought. This commandment can be violated mentally as well as physically. Each one, the lustful thought and the adulterous action, cheapen what God intended to be good and pleasurable and thus are considered sin.

Conclusion: Living righteously in 2012

How does one live more righteously than a Pharisee? It seems Jesus did not make it any easier to follow the law.

The key is relationship. A disciple must have a close relationship with Jesus in order to live righteously. By praying, reading Scripture, and counseling with other believers, a disciple will find God’s will and be able to live righteously.

Let me illustrate. Think about a child who is told by his parent not to take and eat any cookies from the cookie jar in the kitchen. What is this boy going to do when the parent goes into another room? Right. He’s going to get a cookie and devour it. The law failed in what it intended to do.

Now, if we change the situation just a little, the boy will have a better chance at success in obeying the law. What would happen if the parent told the child not to take and eat any cookies from the cookie jar, and then asked the child if he wanted to go out in the backyard and play catch? Right. The child will not take and eat any cookies, because he is playing in the backyard with his parent.

Jesus wants to do the same thing for us. He wants us to focus on him, and by doing so, we will observe the law. The importance is focusing on the relationship with Jesus. He makes all of the difference in the lifestyle of his disciples.

The writer of Proverbs puts it very succinctly: “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags” (Proverbs 23:20-21).

Gluttons for fatty foods are not the only type of gluttonous behavior threatening the lifeblood of America.

How many people have you met who have told you that they can handle their liquor? My guess is quite a few. That shouldn’t come as a surprise since advertising brainwashes people into thinking that consuming alcohol is everything from funny to sophisticated—and that it’s a normal thing to do.

Alcohol commercials on television are much more creative than the dramas and sitcoms people watch, and many commercials imply it’s impossible to watch and enjoy a sporting event without a beer in hand. There was a time (a better time) in which alleged Christian schools that engaged in collegiate sports would have nothing to do with the alcohol industry, but these same schools now embrace the industry in order to get their share of television revenue.

Of course, advertising shows you only the glamour of drinking. It doesn’t show you the twisted, mangled bodies of those involved in alcohol-related traffic accidents. To put things in perspective, since 2003 we have had more than 6,300 soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. In that same period of time, more than 350,000-400,000 people have died in traffic accidents in this country, and some 40 plus percent of those deaths were alcohol-related.

Is this telling us alcohol is more dangerous than war? You make the call.

Of course, traffic fatalities are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how alcohol destroys lives. In America, some 30,000 lives are lost to suicide each year and some 20,000 to homicide, many of which are alcohol-related. In short, some 100,000 people in America die each year of alcohol-related causes.

But, that’s just a smidgen of the story of ruined lives as a result of alcohol, the tentacles of which grip practically every area of our society—including the church. Alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms, and it seems to go hand-in-hand with poverty. It makes beggars of people and destroys marriages and the lives of children.

There is a saying that you are what you eat, and there also  should be one saying you are what you drink.

When people need help, they often turn to the church. And, often when churches try to help people who can’t pay their rent, utility bills, put food on the table, or provide milk and diapers for a baby, they discover the adults involved are willing to do without all the essentials of life but are unwilling to give up beer and cigarettes.

Churches that initially help these people and then eventually refuse to enable them further unless they change their lifestyle are labeled hypocrites by the very same people they helped. It’s proof that no good deed goes unpunished.

When you witness people living in squalor who are unwilling to give up the buzz they get from alcohol, you’re simply seeing another facet of the many wonders of the “ha ha, aren’t we having fun” effects of rampant alcoholism in this country. Toss a few other drugs in the mix, and you have all the ingredients for all sorts of disasters, but make no mistake, alcohol is the No. 1 drug problem in the nation.

The consumption of alcohol gives one a false sense of security, exposing them to great danger. Some people are so confident of their ability to handle their liquor, they drive drunk, and God help any innocent person that gets in their way.

It is abysmal ignorance to think that alcohol does not impair one’s judgment. Any thinking person will measure the benefits of alleged social drinking against any perceived reward. 1 Peter 4:1-2 tells us we should dedicate ourselves to doing the will of God, not the lusts of men. Alcohol definitely falls in the “lust of men” category. Peter also tells us others will mock us for abstaining, but that shouldn’t matter. The popular and common use of alcohol has no place in the life of the Christian.

There is much in Scripture about why we shouldn’t drink, like concern for the weakness of others and not being a stumbling block to others (Romans 14:14-21).  While a Christian should consider his or her sphere of influence, any degree of intellect should steer a person of conscience and reason away from the seductive effects of alcohol.

When you consider the Ten Commandments, and Jesus’ interpretation of them, alcohol often is a major factor in people breaking each and every one of them. How many people choose alcohol over God?  How often is alcohol a contributing factor in people getting caught up in adultery and fornication? How much does alcohol consumption lead to young women and men losing their virginity? How many unwanted pregnancies are there because people fall under the seductive influence of alcohol? How many crimes of all kinds are committed in America because people leaned on liquid courage?

Christians should take the dangers of alcohol seriously and be proactive in helping themselves and others remain free from its clutches.

Merry Christmas!
On the day when stockings, gifts and family meals will be a priority, this lesson provides the opportunity to cut through all the wrappings of the season. On Christmas Day, our passages remind us the very first Christmas came without all of the activities and decorations that now are such an essential part of our Christmas celebrations. There were no stockings, and there was no long-anticipated unwrapping of gifts. There was no big family meal.

In fact, there was the awkward absence of the rest of Joseph’s family. Surely he wasn’t the only member of his family in Bethlehem for the census, yet no other members of the family appear in the story.

On Christmas Day 2011, it is good to remember the vast difference between our celebrations and that first Christmas Day. The event that breathes meaning into our songs, stockings and holiday sweets was a rough and humble affair filled with surprising glory.
    
As surprising as some of the events of that first Christmas were, however, the key event itself was not unexpected. The coming of the Messiah did not drop out of the clear blue sky with no warning. The act of the Word becoming flesh was new and unlike anything that had happened before, but it was an act God had long planned and about which prophets had long prophesied.
    
Of the virgin conception that the angel announced to Joseph and Mary, Matthew wrote, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophets” (Matthew 1:22). Later, as the chief priests and teachers of the law reveal Bethlehem is the place where the Messiah would be born, they say, “for this is what the prophet has written” (Matthew 2:5).

The passage in Numbers 24 also has messianic meaning. Through Baalam, God spoke of “a star” that “will come out of Jacob” (v. 17). More than 1,000 years later, Jesus, a descendant of Jacob, is born to rule.

How does it make you feel to be part of something with such a history? What do you learn about God as you contemplate the ancient prophecies and their fulfillment?

There is more to experience in this than a simple fascination at God’s ability to make and keep promises over an extremely long period of time. There also is a more personal dimension to this work. God’s making and keeping promises is about redemption and life (Matthew 1:21).

At its heart, Christmas is about God solving the problem of human sin. The manger was necessary because we are sinners. The manger was necessary because I am a sinner.
Sin is not a pleasant topic to think about, and we usually do our best on Christmas to keep unpleasant thoughts far away. Still, it is important to recall this darkness so we might better appreciate God’s Light.

We light lights this season to remember the Light of the World that shines in the darkness of sin. We decorate with greenery to remember Jesus is the life of God that outlives death. We give gifts to commemorate the unearned mercy God has given to us in Jesus.

Every package you open today reflects the grace of God. Every lighted Christmas tree is a dim reflection of the light and life available to sinners through Jesus. Every act of celebration today is a celebration precisely because God loved us in spite of our sin and blessed us with an indescribable gift.

What is the proper response to such a gift of God? Surely it is more than sending cards, wrapping and unwrapping presents, and decorating for the season. The magi give us the answer: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). Have you worshipped Jesus today?

The magi sought earnestly for him. They brought costly gifts to give him. They recognized his authority as king. They humbled themselves and bowed before him. What has been your response to Jesus on this Christmas day? Have you sought earnestly for him? Have you quieted your soul and sought his presence?

And what have you brought him? Have you given him your love and your obedience? Have you given him your time and talents? Have you given him your calendar, your priorities and your pride?

And have you recognized his authority as King?  Jesus came to save us from our sins, and Jesus came to rule. Balaam not only prophesied that “a star” would appear, he also prophesied “a scepter” would rise (Numbers 24:17). The King of Kings has come, just as the prophets foretold. Have his standard and his will been established in your life? Have his values found a home in your heart?

This Christmas, be wise like the magi and honor Jesus for all he is, for all he has done and for all he has promised to do.

Are you happy? It’s a simple question that gets to the heart of your life. Are you happy with your life? Do you have an inner joy that remains despite circumstances?

Too many people experience lives where peace, joy, hope and love are just words. They are concepts others experience, but for these hurting individuals, life is a drudgery. They are not happy.

This week’s lesson is appropriate for Christmas. The season of peace, joy, hope and love can bring depression to those disengaged from the blessings of God. Christ came to save those in turmoil, depression, despair and heartache. He came to save people from sin which is the heart of the human problem. God’s gift at Christmas is life, and Jesus described that life as abundant (John 10:10).

On the mountainside (Matthew 5:1-2)
Jesus addressed these who did not feel blessed when he preached to the crowds “on a mountainside” in Galilee a sermon called the Sermon on the Mount. His own disciples were present (v. 1), but Jesus also addressed the multitude that came to see, hear and experience him.

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)
The beatitudes depict lives that can be transformed by God. “Blessed,” or in some translation “Happy,” describes lives that are happy and experience the joy of the Lord. These lives experience such attitudes despite any given circumstance. In other words, these individuals can say, “yes,” to the question, “Are you happy?”

How does one receive such happiness? The answer comes in verses 3 and 10, “the kingdom of heaven.” People described in the beatitudes experience God’s blessings because they are participating in God’s kingdom. They are joining God in his activities. They share their lives with God. These individuals are kingdom minded.

What do kingdom-minded people do? What do they look like? How can they be recognized?

Kingdom-minded people possess humility. Note the lifestyles in verses 3 and 5, the poor in spirit and the meek exhibit humility. They are not weak, timid, feeble or even ineffective. Just the opposite is true. It takes power and strength to live in humility.

The ancient world loathed humility. It was a trait to be avoided. Christ came and turned the world upside down by teaching and demonstrating the importance of humility.

Kingdom-minded people express empathy toward others. They mourn (v. 4) for the hurts they see around them. They extend mercy (v. 7) from a life that has experienced pains. These caring individuals will have people around them needing an encouraging word from a person of deep compassion.

An extension of this type of empathy may be viewed in a desire for peace (v. 9). Since those who mourn and show mercy have such compassion for others, they do not want conflict among others. They seek was to make peace, keep peace and foster further peace. Knowing the Prince of Peace enables them to pass along complete and abiding peace.

Another trait of kingdom minded people is the desire to live the right way (vv. 6, 8). They desire as much for righteousness in their lives, as they do for daily sustenance in food and drink. They recognize the extreme holiness of God, and in order to meet with God, they want purity in their lives.

Kingdom-minded people are noticeable, and not everyone who notices these people will like what is seen. Kingdom people experience persecution. The text does not indicate they “might” face insults but that they will. It is a part of living fully in God’s kingdom.

Not every Christian will face persecution, but every Christian who embraces the beatitudes and lives them will face some sort of ostracism. Living the lifestyles of the beatitudes is too different and too extreme not to face some sort of backlash.

Kingdom-minded people realize God’s blessings in their lives precisely at the point of their need. Every beatitude describes a life attitude, and then it gives an accompanying result. The result corresponds to the attitude and brings the appropriate blessing.

Salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16)
Although kingdom-minded people are recognizable and recognition can bring persecution, the people focused upon God’s kingdom bring blessings to others. Just as salt brings flavor to blandness and light brings illumination to darkness, so too do kingdom-minded people give benefit to those they meet. People who focus on God’s kingdom are a benefit, for they bring the distinctive flavor of the Christian life and the light of world to those desperately in need of God’s touch.

“Not so much salt.” “Cover that light.” Opposition will come to those who exhibit the distinctiveness of God’s kingdom. The opposition will want kingdom people to change and not be so kingdom oriented.

Jesus’ call in these verses is to spread the goodness of God’s kingdom. It doesn’t take much to have a positive impact, and that impact needs to be spread just as salt and light need to be spread.

Conclusion
If you answered yes to the first question, “Are you happy?” then the next question is, “Are you spreading your happiness?” Christmas is the time when we are reminded to spread the fullness of being in God’s kingdom with others. Spread your happiness with others and witness God change lives this holiday season.

Taxes are nothing new, so it’s not strange Jesus’ birth happened during a time when Jews were required to return to their hometowns for registration and to pay their taxes. At the time, there were plenty of small bands of Jewish zealots who roamed the countryside attacking Romans, so keeping tabs on the populace was a tall order for the occupying army.  And, there’s also little doubt Caesar felt his army should be financed by the very country it was occupying.  Simply put, this was not a time of rejoicing by the Jewish people.

The Jewish populace didn’t like paying taxes any more than the majority of us do, but the Roman equivalent of our IRS was determined to squeeze every last penny out of everyone under Caesar’s rule. It possibly was some bureaucrat who suggested everybody be required to go to their hometown to cough up their taxes. And, while this rule, obviously, helped the local economies of towns, the primary purpose was government control.

Even with our computers and the knowledge we have gathered over the centuries, census taking is a difficult task. Imagine what it was like back then. But, strangely enough, the Roman government seemed to do a pretty good job of keeping tabs of everyone under its rule.

Joseph probably made a modest living as a carpenter.  And he probably was scrupulously honest about paying his taxes. People didn’t get to travel all that much, so one would think returning to his hometown would give him a chance to see family—other kin who were descendants of the great King David. But if he had family there, wouldn’t they have taken him and Mary in? Or is it possible his relationship with Mary made him the black sheep of the family?

Mary was expecting any day, and the rough donkey ride from Nazareth to Bethlehem was just the thing to induce labor. She was ready to have the baby before they found a place to stay in Bethlehem.

Accommodations were scarce—even for people with a lot of money. Joseph’s socioeconomic status probably didn’t help the situation. So they ended up in a stable, where the baby was born.

It’s a bit strange that shepherds were brought into the scenario. Sheep don't make much noise and neither do the shepherds. At night, after the sheep had settled down, we can imagine the shepherds building themselves a little fire, sitting around and talking about whatever shepherds talk about.

Suddenly the quiet Bethlehem skies were filled with a brilliant bright light, which must have caused some fear and trembling on the part of the shepherds.  They were reassured by an angel who brought great news—the long prophesied Messiah was born.

Then the angel even gave directions to find this baby, not in some kingly place but in a stable.

Thousands of angels lit up the sky, so chills must have run up the spines of the shepherds as they worshipped God with the angels. Then the angels proclaimed peace and good will toward men. That had to surprise the shepherds, who along with all the good Jewish people were hoping for an overthrow of the Roman government. But, the angels seemed to want peace on earth—and they wanted it right now.

They finally realized everyone had seen and heard the same thing. It was miraculous. They must have decided the Lord could tend the sheep for one night, so they headed for town to see the Christ child.

Scripture doesn’t tell us they were surprised to find the baby and his mother in a stable, but they must have been—and, after all, they probably still were in shock from what they had witnessed. They also had to be filled with wonder and awe when they laid their eyes on that beautiful baby—a baby that would change the destiny of all humankind. The shepherds all knelt down and worshipped the little baby that was the Messiah, the Savior of the world, just as the angels had promised. They must have realized they were standing at the breaking point of human history.

So what did the shepherds do after seeing the Christ-child? They did what everyone who has experienced Jesus is commanded to do: they spread the word about him and about what they had been told to all who would listen.  And, those who heard and accepted their word were amazed at what they had been told.

In a sense, the shepherds were the first disciples and evangelists. They didn’t necessarily know how to present the gospel as the apostles did, but they weren’t reluctant to share the good news they had.

God always has been about the Great Commission. It began in Genesis with the proclamation of a Messiah, Old Testament prophets took the message to everyone who would listen, the voices of angels shook the very hillsides around Bethlehem with news of his birth, and shepherds saw him and heralded the news to everyone within earshot.

Like those shepherds, we all are supposed to be messengers of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection. We must not allow anyone to stop us from telling others Jesus has come into the world, died for our sins,  and is alive and reigns supreme in the hearts of everyone who believes in him and accepts him as Lord and Savior.

Sanctuary of the Soul by Richard J. Foster (IVP Books)

It's only appropriate a book on contemplative prayer deserves serious contemplation. Richard Foster challenges Christians to embark on a journey into meditative prayer. Personally, I didn't catch up with the tour guide until the latter third of the trip.

The first two sections of the book—"Laying the Foundations" and "Stepping into Meditative Prayer"—offer theologically rich and challenging calls for "descending with the mind into the heart" and "being present where we are." The third section, by far the most accessible, deals specifically with everyday difficulties that hinder Christians who try to listen to God. Foster diagnoses distraction as the primary spiritual ailment of our day, and he prescribes a fast from electronic gadgets for one hour a day, one day a week and one week a year. Foster also offers a helpful series of questions and answers—many that bring into focus concepts that seemed fuzzy in the early parts of the book.

Sanctuary of the Soul is a short book but not an easy read. It's worth the effort.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

Dallas

On Christmas Eve & Christmas Treasures by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer (Berkley Books)

Christian artist Thomas Kinkade and best-selling author Katherine Spencer release holiday novels set in the mythical New England town of Cape Light. Throughout the series, characters move from prominence to mere mention, but the wise, caring Reverend Ben remains a constant.

In On Christmas Eve, nurse Lucy Bates meets Zoey when the clearly ill teen tries to skip out on her check at the Clam Box. Lucy's husband, Charlie, owns the diner, and the gruff curmudgeon wants to "throw the book" at the rude girl.

Instead, Lucy fetters out her story, takes her home, nurses her, discovers her real identity, and manages to talk the reluctant Charlie and their two sons into temporarily fostering the troubled 15-year-old. But Zoey has other ideas and a will every bit as stubborn as Charlie's.

Meanwhile, Betty Bowman, the divorced mother of a grown son, gears up for a busy Christmas season as a successful caterer. Her business partner arranges for Betty to date cardiologist Alex Becker. He's everything a woman would want, but then she meets Santa Claus. A fire destroys a local charity's food pantry and holiday toy storage facility. Betty and Santa, alias Nathan Daley who earns extra money playing the role, throw themselves into salvaging the holidays only to realize their own lives need salvaging.

In Christmas Treasures, Reverend Ben wonders if he's lost his passion as a pastor. The answer comes when he collapses in the pulpit the first Sunday of Advent. A young female minister temporarily steps in, although not without major challenges from a teen who skateboards through the historic sanctuary and some influential members who disagree with how she handles the situation. Reverend Isabel feels her call is to missions until Reverend Ben announces his retirement and she experiences God's church in action. Will Isabel decide to pastor the church permanently?

Meanwhile, Regina and Richard Rowan and their two children move to Cape Light when Regina inherits a distant relative's farmhouse. Richard has lost his engineering job, the bank has foreclosed on their home, and their savings have been depleted. The couple decides to fix up the dilapidated home, limp through the holidays, sell the property and divorce. But the good people of Cape Light and a caring congregation may have something to say about that.

Like Kinkade's light-warmed pictures, On Christmas Eve and Christmas Treasures paint beautiful word portraits of how the world changes when we let the Light of the World shine through us.

Kathy Robinson Hillman, former president

Woman's Missionary Union of Texas

Waco

Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas (Zondervan)

Spiritual formation writer Gary Thomas prompts believers to view themselves as whole people, teaching that bodies and souls are connected. Thomas believes that, in modern society, many Christians have grown soft both spiritually and physically. Laziness and excess rather than "healthy humiliation" define the life of too many believers in Christ. Disciplining the body, eating properly and exercising the body can correlate with a disciplined and healthy spirit, nourishing a longer life and generating the energy needed to serve God diligently and daily.

This isn't another dull medical tome or guilt-inducing self-help manual. Rather, it is a motivational and positive challenge encouraging Christians to reflect and act on an important topic that many do not hear delivered from the pulpits of most churches.

Linking Scripture, excerpts from the Christian classics and peoples' personal stories of inspiration, Every Body Matters is a call to change the lethargic culture of the body of Christ and to "run with endurance the race set out for us."

Greg Bowman, minister to students

First Baptist Church

Duncanville

There is a temptation that comes to every person who seeks to discern God’s will for their life. It is the temptation to associate God’s will with the easier path.

The temptation is powerful because it appeals to our selfish desires. The temptation is powerful because it takes a truth about God’s character (God loves us and desires the best for us) and ties it to a false assumption (the best thing for me is my comfort). The temptation especially is powerful in difficult times, assuring us God will remove the difficulties entirely.
    
We see this temptation at work in our passage this week. The 12 Hebrew spies entered the Promised Land to gauge its strengths and weaknesses and returned with their report. They reported the people the land was rich and fruitful just as they had been promised, but occupied by fierce people living in fortified cities who would violently resist any incursion into their lands.

In other words, the reward was great, but the way difficult. One of the spies, Caleb, encouraged the people to embrace the challenge, but 10 of the spies saw only the difficulties and were persuaded that possessing the land was not in their best interests. The entire congregation was motivated by the negative report, so much so that when Caleb and his fellow spy, Joshua, reiterated the goodness of the land before them and the faithfulness of God who had called them, the people considered stoning them.
    
In his book What’s Wrong with the World, G.K. Chesterton wrote: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.”

Such is the story of Israel’s rebellion at the border of the Promised Land. All too often, it is our story as well. Can you think of examples in your own life when you felt the leading of God but knew that obedience would be difficult, costly or intimidating?
    
For many Christians, the prospects of sharing the gospel with an unchurched neighbor fits this description. The rewards are obvious, but there are giants in the land—the giant fear of offending them, of looking incompetent, of being laughed at or of being asked a question to which you don’t know the answer. How do you respond when you are faced with these supposed giants?

Other Christians struggle with the clear commands of God to forgive or to love an enemy. Here the rewards may be less obvious and other giants build fortified objections, but the clarity of God’s command is the same. It may appear far easier to live in the wilderness of broken relationships, well-nurtured hatred, and bitterness than to actively love someone who has hurt you. Such broken relationships become convenient topics of conversation and accessible excuses for problems in our lives, but they are unhealthy. Though seemingly easier, they will kill our spirits and keep us from enjoying the greater blessings God has for us.

Other Christians struggle with specific aspects of service. They refuse to teach because they feel they don’t know enough. They refuse to serve on a committee or team because they feel themselves unworthy. They refuse to commit to a ministry because it may make demands of their time they do not want to give. They turn back from loving someone who is needy because they are afraid of where that relationship might take them.

The fact is, there are giants in every promised land, but God has called. The things to which God calls us are not necessarily easy or comfortable. They will stretch our faith, upset our comfortable routines and bring us into contact with people that challenge us with the depth of their need.

God, being an honest God, does not hide this from us, but rather tells us plainly that with obedience comes both difficulty and reward (Matthew 5:3-12). Into this honest space, the Tempter offers crowns without crosses, resurrection without death, cheap grace of all kinds and a form of religion without power. With Moses and Aaron, we should fall on our faces before God and ask that we be delivered from such temptation.
    
To what task is God calling you? What ministry or mission has God set before your church? What kingdom activity awaits in a land of giants? And how do you respond? If God is in it, then we can be assured of his presence and his power. Joshua and Caleb spoke the truth to their tempted and fearful people: “The Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them” (Numbers 14:9).

The same is true for all who are obedient. David expressed it in Psalm 23 when he says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me” (v. 4). He does not say God will lead him around the valley. Instead, he trusts God’s presence and power in the middle of the valley.

Will you trust God’s sufficiency and be obedient in the face of difficulty, sacrifice and fear?

Thomas Paine is credited with saying “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” Leading is the glamorous option. Getting out of the way is the selection of those who don’t want to participate for a myriad of reasons. Following is the opposite of leading. It isn’t glamorous. It’s the position of the masses, the inconsequential, the seemingly unimportant.

Churches frequently are credited with complaining that they need more leaders. No church has enough leaders. Ask a pastor about the needs the church has, and all too often the answer is leadership.

How about some followship? How many churches genuinely have a long list of followers. If Thomas Paine has analyzed life correctly, then we recognize a lack of those who lead in the church, and certainly there is an abundance of those who have gotten out of the way and are watching on the sidelines. How about followers? Do we have enough believers who actually are following—following Jesus, following the God-placed leaders in the local church, following God’s will?

Jesus begins his public ministry (Matthew 4:12-17)
After recording Jesus’ baptism and temptations, Matthew noted that John the Baptist was imprisoned (by Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great). At this point, Jesus began his public ministry. He “withdrew” from Nazareth for the larger city of Capernaum.

Capernaum, like Nazareth, was in Galilea which is where the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali were located. These tribes were in the northern part of Israel and were usually two of the tribes to be conquered first by invaders from the North. They were the first to experience the darkness of subjugation at the hands of the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C.

In the midst of such darkness, Isaiah addressed a message of hope to the defeated Israelites, and Matthew quotes that message in vv. 15-16. A light was coming. Salvation was at hand. God’s face would shine its glory on his people again. The fulfillment of this prophecy would come through a child, a son (Isaiah 9:6).

Matthew saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He was that child, that son, who brought light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death. John 1:5 speaks of the Word, Jesus, coming into the world as light, and the darkness has not overcome it.

As Jesus burst onto the scene of Capernaum, he proclaimed a simple message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Jesus’ message continued John the Baptist’s. It was a message calling for repentance, for a life change. This change was needed, because God was about to work his wonders. The people were going to see God in action, and for that, they were going to need to be prepared through repentance.

Note that Matthew said Jesus began to preach this message. Evidently, it was a common theme Jesus proclaimed, although he is not recorded in the Gospels repeating this message. The reader of Matthew should keep this message in mind while reading the rest of the story.

The call of the first disciples to follow (Matthew 4:18-22)
As Jesus walked through Galilee, he came upon two brothers fishing, Peter and Andrew. Jesus invited them to come and “follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Both brothers dropped their fishing nets and began following Jesus.

Why would two people just drop everything and follow Jesus? What had they heard about Jesus? Did they know him? John’s Gospel gives more detail to the story in John 1:35-42. It seems John the Baptist actually pointed out Jesus as the messiah to Andrew. In turn, Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus.

Still, Matthew’s message focuses upon the decision these brothers made to drop their fishing gear and follow Jesus. Their fishing gear symbolized everything. These two dropped everything to follow Jesus.

Their decision to follow Jesus involved commitment. Total commitment. This commitment involved a complete lifestyle change. How could they make such a quick decision?

Jesus gives an excellent example to follow in calling others to the faith. Jesus came to Peter and Andrew where they were. He did not ask them to come for a visit. Jesus met them at their place of work.

Also, Jesus used language that resonated with them. He spoke about fishing which was their occupation.

Then, Jesus challenged these two with a task. This task was no ordinary job. Just the way Jesus spoke, there was an air of significance to this task. It wasn’t just supplying fish to feed people, it was getting people to encounter God.

Of course, these two could not refuse such an incredible offer from Jesus. This offer was no less than to give people the opportunity to let God change their lives, to bring light into their darkness.

After meeting Peter and Andrew, Jesus met another pair of brothers, James and John. Jesus invited them to follow, and they left everything to follow Jesus.

To be a follower of Jesus, total commitment is needed. Such commitment will involve sacrifice. Peter, Andrew, James and John all could make a list of items they gave up and sacrificed in order to follow Jesus.

If we asked the people attending our churches today to list the things they had given up in order to follow Jesus, what would be on that list? Would the list include changing jobs, making a geographic move or leaving one’s family?

Let’s return to Isaiah 9, the passage Matthew quoted in verses 15-16. Isaiah told the people living in darkness to have hope in the one who was going to bring light to them. Isaiah was certain his prophecy would take place, because the coming one would have an insatiable zeal for God (Isaiah 9:7). Jesus fulfilled the prophecy, and he has an insatiable zeal for the Father. If you’re a follower of Jesus, shouldn’t you have his type of zeal, too?

Wise men came to Jerusalem seeking Jesus, which was very troubling to King Herod, and all Jerusalem with him. Was that exaggeration? It probably wasn’t. There’s an old saying in the South that “When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” In Herod’s day: “When the king ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

Herod ruled with an iron fist, setting records for the number of crucifixions ordered every year. To protect his kingship, he would kill anybody, even his own children.

In 40 B.C., the Roman Senate conferred on Herod the title “King of the Jews.”  And to say he was a bit insecure would be a gross understatement.
    
Herod wasn’t a full Jew, so his claim to the throne was shaky. Because of his insecurity, he killed all potential rivals—a brother of his wife, the husband of his sister, a trusted friend, one of his 10 wives, his mother-in-law, another husband of his sister, and three of his own sons.

So he called the chief priests and scribes together and asked where Christ was to be born. They told him Bethlehem, so he asked the wise men when the star had first appeared. They told him, enabling him to calculate the age of Jesus. That’s very important later in the story.

Herod must have thought these wise men had fallen off a turnip truck, so told them, “Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring word to me that I may come and worship him also” (Matthew 2:8).

It wouldn’t have taken any wise man long to figure out Herod. They knew he was dangerous, so they agreed to his request.
    
Christmas plays have the wise men showing up at the manger on the night Jesus was born, but he probably was about 2 years old at the time of their visit. The importance of the wise men is far greater than how many there were or when and where they saw Jesus.

The idea of a star leading the wise men to Jesus wouldn’t be strange to Matthew. In the ancient world, it was believed births and deaths of great men were marked by heavenly signs.

In Numbers 24:7, Balaam prophesied, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”

The Jews knew this prophecy, so they wouldn’t have viewed the star as an accident but as a sign from God. The star’s reappearance that led the magi to Bethlehem, where it stopped over the place Jesus lived, was further confirmation.

Many Jews thought the coming messiah wouldn’t be all that different from King Herod. The shock of the gospel is that the messiah lived as a slave and died as a criminal. He had to hang on a cross before he sat on a throne. He was the slave to all before he became Lord of all.

The magi probably had hurried their camels to Jerusalem, eager to participate in the celebration and excitement of the newborn king. If so, they were disappointed when they arrived and found everything was as usual—no dancing in the streets, no ticker tape parades, no national holiday. People didn’t even know their king had been born.
    
They also must have been shocked when they made their announcement about the birth of the King of the Jews and got a disturbed response from Herod and the people. Herod because there was a rival to his throne; the ordinary people because they knew what happened when Herod felt threatened; the priests and leaders because the birth would threaten their political alliances and public positions.

Religionists often don’t see or recognize Jesus because they’re caught up in a belief and doctrinal system that ignores a personal God who forgives instead of condemns. It’s actually easy to become so busy with religion we can’t see Jesus.  

In searching for Jesus, the magi followed protocol and first went to the local government and religious authorities, assuming they would know about Jesus and would share in their joy at his birth. But, Herod immediately wanted to kill him, and the religious leaders hoped he would.
    
These guys weren’t first-century autograph seekers wanting the thrill of being one of the first to greet the new king. They weren’t gloryhounds or publicity seekers. Their intention was “… to worship him.” So when “they saw the child with his mother, Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him.”
    
Among the first people to bow down before Christ and acknowledge him as Lord, Master and Ruler of their lives were these Gentile wise men.  And, that's not all: “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Because they believed, they gave Jesus their best.
    
The Jews had God’s word and should have understood properly what the Scriptures said about the Messiah’s birth, yet, they refused to believe.
    
Those with the treasure of salvation often become indifferent to what is theirs. There always is a two-fold reaction to Jesus. Some believe and worship, while others reject or neglect the message and curse the name of the Lord. It happened at Jesus’ birth, it happened at his death, it happened at his resurrection, and it happens today. Some believe and others don’t.