This Christmas morning I woke like most Americans…to an email inbox jammed with Christmas greetings from various stores and websites I’ve made purchases from this year.   Unlike most Americans (who don’t have my impecible sense of comedy and/or deep seated desire to annoy my family) I’ve been announcing every email as it comes in.  “Guess what, family…we just got a Christmas message from Amazon!”  “Wow! Advance auto parts just sent us a Christmas greeting as well!”   “Hold on!  Just got a very nice Christmas wish from xfinity cable!” “Kohls not only sent an email…your’re never gonna believe this…there’s a 20% off coupon attached!”   Still haven’t received a greeting from Netflix…but fingers crossed…:-)

We live in a world where we are bombarded by phony “personalized” well wishes from corporations and spambots at Christmas. It’s almost impossible to imagine the creator of the universe would personally think of us…but each year as we celebrate Christmas, he does…he really does.

Remember the angel’s message to the shepherds in Luke Chapter 2?

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”   Luke 2:8-14

Jesus is good news for ALL people. That includes you. That includes me. Everyone in the world.  Throughout ALL time!  So have a great Christmas.  I hope it’s filled with laughter and joy.  I just wanted to remind you that God himself was thinking of you when he sent his son Jesus.  Even if you aren’t lucky enough to receive a Christmas wish from Walmart like I did…that has to count for something.

Merry Christmas,

Don

I’ve been involved with two “fixer uppers” in the past year. Both of the projects were approached in the same manner:

* Completely gut the inside. Save the bones
* Invest lots of muscle and very little money

One project was undertaken this way by choice. The other project commenced the same way as a result of poor choices. Let me say that neither one of them was as glamorous as those home improvement shows on HGTV.

As I jumped ahead in my study of the book of Genesis to the next big Veggie Tale story (You know – “the animals came by two-sies, two-sies….Elephants and kangaroo-sies”) it kind of struck me how God “fixed up” creation – not once – but twice in almost the same manner but with people who had made extremely different choices.

With Adam and Eve, God completely gutted his original concept of paradise on earth. Yet, He quite literally – saved their bones. They started life again with only the leather pants that God had given them. Because of their sin, they had to invest lots of muscle as they toiled and sweated in the fields. Adam and Eve had made poor choices.

Now – with Noah, God again completely gutted/flooded the earth. And once again – God chose to save Noah and his family. But here’s the kicker – even though Noah made good choices and chose not to sin, he still had to work hard. I’ve seen land after a flood – and the water doesn’t slowly seep back into pretty ripened vineyards. There had to be a lot of sweat and a lot of muscle involved in rebuilding civilization yet again.

All of that comparison to say this: The non-variable in both “reno-jobs” was God’s love for his creation. His love was (and is) consistent. Even for the sinners.

There are a lot of characters in the old testament of the bible that Sunday School teachers love to put center stage in their lessons. Eve (of the famed Adam and Eve clothed in fig leaves duo) usually isn’t cast as a heroine. But I absolutely love to envision her as a strong, courageous and undaunted woman when she speaks with God in the Garden of Eden. Eve tends to get this bad rap of being an evil temptress, when in all actuality she simply took some bad advice, hung out with the wrong crowd and made some bad choices.

I can identify with her. We all can. But what I admire most about Eve is that she doesn’t point her finger and try to blame the serpent. She just answers God’s question honestly. She accepts her punishment with determination. She understands that her sin holds consequences. And then she moves out, moves on and continues the assignment that God had originally give her – “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Gen 1:27

You see, Eve could have ranted and raved about the injustice of it all. She could have pouted and thrown a temper tantrum. After going through the first labor pains she could have been one and done. And yet in the fourth chapter of Genesis she continues to praise and thank God even though she has been condemned to toil in pain. After she is banished from the garden and given birth her words are “…With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Gen 4:1

We all stumble. We all sin. We all fall down. But, when we have the courage to get back up – when we have a humble attitude and are willing to accept grace – when we understand that our sins have consequences and we have the backbone to accept responsibility…..then and only then can we begin to rebuild our relationship with the Lord.

This Sunday is the final episode of this years “At the movies” sermon series, and we are ending with a love story.   (Yes guys…we’re doing a Nicholas Sparks movie…but we actually found one featuring Professional Bull Riding, Pick up trucks, and enough cowboy hat wearin’ “bro-country” to make it a totally manly “chick flick” :-)  Whatever your taste in movies, you won’t want to miss this week as we discuss what Jesus said about Love and Marriage, (and how it relates to our world today in 2015), and even feature our first live cooking segment in our new venue!

This week will also feature new music from “The Muddy Crows”, and of course we’ll have all the “normal” food and fun that makes actionchurch ANYTHING but a normal Sunday morning at church! We’ve even freed up more parking…so go a head and invite ALL your friends and family that have been curious about actionchurch. We look forward to seeing you at…well…at the actionchurch building (that sounds really weird somehow) :-) – 10:30 am (DIRECTIONS), and as usual, the actionkidz crew has a fantastic hour of learning and fun planned for your kids (infant to 6th grade) as well.