Christmas!

How did the Christmas season go this time round? Carols, cakes and shopping – the three wise men that we wait for round the year finally arrived. This time round I couldn’t be home since I didn’t get vacation at work. Christmas is an avalanche experience. There is the winter, then come the lights, the carols, the vacation planning, the shopping. The first signs of the season start with the winter chill that meets you late November. Then the vacation planning adds its ‘thing’ to the season. Now we are in December and our vacations are planned. The season gathers momentum as the Christmas carols hit the music scene. Weekends are filled with Carol singsong services. The Christmas avalanche has gathered quite a bit of snow now. Living rooms suddenly sprout indoor plantation called Christmas trees loaded with tinsel and confetti. Stars dangle from porches and light arrangement greet you in the local store. Before you know it, Christmas shopping is here. It gets added to the huge Christmas avalanche. And “then one foggy Christmas eve, Santa came to sleigh” as the song goes, Santa with his plastic smile makes an appearance either at your Carol service or the Carol rounds. Cakes have vanished from the Baker’s counter overnight. The avalanche has picked up everything on the way now and has reached top speed. Christmas wishes start dominating SMS content and there you are at the eye of the storm. It’s Christmas eve. It’s a magical world. A glow everywhere. A glint in every eye. A smile on every face. Then the whole season culminates at the Christmas mass. The avalanche is about to hit the rock. The Church aisle is a heady mix of perfumes and new clothes. The Christmas day dawns as we leave church and reach home groggy from the rollercoaster ride. The avalanche has truly hit the rock and has collapsed leaving the riders dizzy.


Well, what is Christmas? In my opinion it’s an excuse for Christians to have fun. They would have you believe otherwise. They call it “a season of love”. “It’s the time to remember our Lord’s birth” they would tell you. Their carols speak of “peace on earth and goodwill to men”. But I would whistle and walk away singing an empty line from a silly song “tis a season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la” as if to tell them that the season and all its accompaniments are as empty as the line.

To me Christmas is not the season. To me it’s the birth of our Lord. It is not remembering the birth. It’s the actual birth of our Lord. When a man would look at himself in comparison with God and cry out in his heart like Peter did on the shores of Galilee “Go away from me Lord, for I’m a sinner”, then its Christmas. When Christ is born in a man’s life just like he was formed in Mary’s womb miraculously by the Holy Spirit, its Christmas. When that birth is apart from man and only by God, just like the first Christmas, then its Christmas – the birth of Christ. Christmas happens when nobody expects it. It happens suddenly. It happens of God.

It’s not remembering the birth of the Lord, for you can remember all you want about the nativity and the manger scene but it still would make no difference to your life. The world will know when Christmas happens. It will show in the Christian’s life. You don’t have to sing carols and wear new clothes. The world will know by your life. The world will know when Christmas happens in a home. We don’t have to put up a Christmas tree and suspend a plastic star in the porch. The world will know. It knew when it happened in one Zacchaeus’ home and it will know when it happens in your home too.

What is Your Life - 2

The whole world is out on a search. They are searching for something. Some who are articulate enough would tell you that they are searching for meaning. Some would say they are out there to get happiness. The world is always on the pursuit of something. Most are unaware of their own pursuit. But nevertheless they are searching. They are trying to figure out something.


Now, you tell a man that “you are searching for God”, he wouldn’t agree. When they tell you that “we are searching for the meaning of life”, in effect they are searching for the creator because man, apart from his creator has no reason for his existence. Most are on the lookout for something without knowing it.

We find a picture of this in the Old Testament of the Bible. Turn to the 2nd chapter of the book of Daniel. Here’s king Nebuchadnezzar who saw a dream and wants the interpretation. He doesn’t tell the dream for the fear of empty interpretation that you get from most learned men. So he demands that the dream be told and as well the interpretation be revealed.

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"

The King is a picture of the world. The world wants you to tell them what they are searching for and as well reveal the mystery. Could Daniel reveal the mystery and as well tell the king his dream? No sir. He couldn’t. Look at him reply the king in the very next verse.

27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,

Daniel is the picture of the Church/Christians today. Can the Christians reveal the mystery to the world? No, they can’t! Who can? See Daniel's reply in Vs 28. Only God in heaven can reveal mysteries.

28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.


Only God can reveal mysteries. The Christians cannot interpret the mystery on their own just Daniel couldn't on his own.
This story is the picture of the world and the New Testament Christians today. The world is waiting for someone to reveal the mystery. That’s why there’s a craze for all kinds of self-help gurus and books. People are searching for something unawares. Who can reveal the mystery? Only God can. Whom does he use? He uses the Christians just like he used Daniel.

Why did God reveal the mystery to Daniel? Daniel gives the answer in the 30th verse -

30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

The only reason God revealed it to Daniel was that so the king may know the interpretation. The only reason that God reveals his mysteries to the Christians today is that the world will come to know the interpretation. Look at the exact parallel passage of this in the New Testament. Turn to Colossians1:26,27

26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It is the exact parallel passage to that of Daniel 2nd chapter. The mystery is now disclosed to saints just like it was made known to Daniel. That they may make known the mystery to the gentiles/world. What is the mystery? The mystery which is “Christ in you the hope of glory”. Christ in us is the gospel.

Let me paraphrase it for you the verses – 26The mystery that was kept hidden till Jesus came to this earth is revealed to you the Christians. 27God has chosen you to reveal this to the world. Reveal what? This, that Christ lives in you and that because of that you have a hope of eternal life.

This is our duty. To reveal to the world the Christ life. When the world sees us it needs to see this mystery revealed. It needs to see Christ in us. That’s the only reason God saved us and revealed this life in us.

What is your life?

What is your life?

James in his letter to the Jews scattered all over the world says “13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Well, there is no harm in the above plan – Go to a place, work/trade and get money in return. I find no harm in such an honest idea. I think everyone of us have such an idea. Go to a place, work and earn money to live. But James poses a question to the ones who have such a common idea. In fact he thunders “What is your life?” James is very direct. He slaps you in your face and makes you think. James’ question is a very important one. “What is your life?” Have you thought about this question? Have you thought of answering this question? Have you thought what your life is? James is not asking “What is life?” rather he is asking “What is your life?” Many of us carry on living even if we don’t know why. We need not be philosophers to answer James’ question. We know what our life is. We know what we life for.

Just like Christ was crucified between two thieves, now there are two kinds of Christians. Those two thieves each had something to say to Jesus that day. Both of them had just a few more hours to live. So it was almost their last words spoken. It was of high importance. Those last words reflected their philosophies of life. One said “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us.” Look at what he said. There is no harm in this. He was being honest. He wanted to live. He knew that the Messiah could do anything. He needed a miracle and he asked for it. Of course he asked the right person. In a few hours he would be killed. If there was one person who could save him from that it was the Messiah. Clever chap!

Look at what the other thief said. The other thief said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. What was that!! That was not very clever. C’mon here was the Messiah next to you and you ask him something that you cannot see now. Hey, don’t you want to live in the present? The Messiah is the maker of the universe. He made everything and he could do anything. Why would a thief with his death few hours away utter such a vague wish? Strange.

There are two kinds of Christians today in the Church. One kind is like the first thief. They seem to say “Lord, since you are the God of this universe - omnipotent, all-powerful, please get me this job. I could live comfortably with this secure job.” And you would hear them quote scripture too “Lord, since its written in your word that you will do much more than we ask for and beyond our imagination we ask you to help us build this Church building, because we don’t have a place to sit on Sunday mornings.” Does this sound similar to the prayers in your church? Well, this kind of Christians are only bothered about this life (this life that James calls a mist). This life is very precious to them. They are always looking to be secure and comfortable. Their idea of God blessing a person is when he gets a good job and is comfortable. Their idea of God blessing a church is when the church can afford a mega structure with air conditioning or arrange mega meetings in the city with star preachers. You’ll find this kind everywhere. “Of course, God said he offers life to the full” is what they say.

There is another kind. They are like the second thief. Their attitude to life is very different. They rarely pray for things. They are not bothered about this life very much. They live here but they are always thinking about eternity. Their prayers are for spiritual growth – things that would matter in eternity. Their prayers are for other people. You rarely see them pray long public prayers. They are not bothered much about salaries or possessions. They are pre-occupied with going the way Jesus went. They study Jesus’ life and try to follow that. Their idea of God blessing a person is when there is power in that person's witness. You rarely find people from this group. They are not the ones in the lime light. They are not the ones who pray in meetings. But we will only know them in eternity when we stand before the Judgment seat.

What is your life?

Reckless Abandon (contd.)

Alfred Tennyson in his poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ talks of soldiers who would not disobey the command to charge despite knowing that the command was a big blunder and it would eventually cost them their lives. The lines go thus – “Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die…”; Yes, ours is to follow and His is to lead. Ours in not to ask “why”, and ours is not to look for reason. Ours is to do and if it requires, die. Ours is to just obey. Obedience most often is out of fashion. Jim Elliot was one of the five martyrs who died in Ecuador trying to reach the Aucas with the Gospel. Elliot, a compelling preacher and a winsome personality, could have stayed back in the US and stirred the youth of his day. Why did he go to some obscure jungle station in Ecuador where his eloquence will not matter? Did he go there to be a martyr? Did he go there to die a hero’s death? No, Sir. He was just obeying the voice of God. He went to Ecuador to be an ordinary missionary. He went there in obedience to the Call of God. Hear him say this in his journal “Impelled, then, by these voices, I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish.” He went there to do the thankless job of working among Quichua tribesmen and he ended up dying a martyr’s death. When staying back in his home country was considered wise and necessary, he would heed God’s call. It’s that recklessness in obeying God that made him look foolish in man’s eyes. Recklessness will always be looked down upon as foolishness. But recklessness in obeying God was what marked these men apart. Elliot wrote in his journal “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”. John in his camel hair attire and locust meal, pitching a tent in the wilderness; Ed Mc Cully abandoning his Law studies to preach to tribesmen in a foreign country; Stephen the star preacher faithfully distributing food; Jim Elliot walking away from a preaching career in the USA to some obscure village in Ecuador – Reckless Abandon in obedience. No questions asked. No reasons given. Yes, theirs was only to follow the call. Men of reckless abandon.

God requires holiness from HIS men

In the story of Gideon in Judges 6 we see that Gideon offered a sacrifice to know if it is God who is speaking to him. In verses17-19 - 17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return." 19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah [b] of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

In the New Testament the unleavened bread is symbolic of a holy life. We see that in ICor5:7-9. Paul likens the unleavened bread to sincerity and truth in vs 8.

When God chooses his men he requires them to offer him 'unleavened bread' which is a holy life. Just like the way Gideon went inside to make the unleavened bread while the LORD said, "I will wait until you return" (Judg6:18) He also waits untill the man he has chosen offers a life of holiness. Look at Jesus' life. Before he started his ministry, before God's hand could be mightily manifested in his ministry he had to go to the wilderness to be tempted. It was the same with Paul. He was sent to Tarsus (Acts9:30). God waits for His man to offer a holy life and then He'll come and manifest his hand upon his ministry with fire just like the fire consumed Gideon's offering on the rock. When Gideon saw that fire consumed his offering he knew that it was God who called him.

If you know you are chosen by God and are still not seeing his hand in your life, then he is waiting for you to offer a holy life as an offering. It could take years but God waits. He said to Gideon "I will wait untill you return" and He says the same to us. Once you've offered the offering of holy life God's fire will be upon your work and everyone will know that it is so.

Our Sufficiency is in HIM

When Pharaoh asked Joseph whether he could interpret dreams Joseph replies (Gen41:16) "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Remember Joseph by then had experienced success at everything he set his hand to. Hear Jesus in John 5:19 - "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself;”. Jesus when he uttered these words was sought after for his miracles. But each of them showed total dependence on God while at the top of their game. This is what God is looking for in the man he chooses. Total dependence upon Him in everything. We are too reliant on our abilities that we handicap God to work through us. Leonard Ravenhill cried out “Brethren, our abilities are our handicaps, and our talents our stumbling blocks!” He was right because today we have smart men doing great things without God. For example with some eloquence and humour you could deliver a perfect sermon that would satisfy a crowd. You could make your church go back to their homes thinking that they worshipped God with some nice, slow, soulish music and some husky voiced singing. We are reliant on our equipment and endowments rather than the El-Shaddai. We are reliant on our own will power to overcome sin. We are reliant on psychology and crowd dynamics to ‘move’ the people and thats why our preaching is filled with gimmicks and antics. Oh for a man like John Baptist who would serve the plain diet of repentance hot to his cold hearers! Oh for a man like Paul whose religion was Christ and Christ only.

Jim Elliot entered this in his journal on October 27, 1948 – "Sufficiency in myself is a persistent thought, though I try to judge it. Lord Jesus, Tender Lover of this brute soul, wilt Thou make me weak? I long to understand Thy sufficiency and my inadequacy, and how can I sense this except in experience? So, Lord, Thou knowest what I am able to bear. Send trouble that I might know peace; send anxiety that I might know rest in Thee. Send hard things that I may learn to rely on Thy dissolving them. Strange askings, and I do not know what I speak, but “my desire is toward Thee”—anything that will intensify and make me tender, Savior. O desire to be like Thee, Thou knowest."

Lord, let me be constantly reminded of my insufficiency and of thy all-sufficient grace.

Stephen the forerunner to Paul

I’d like to think that when Stephen, being stoned after that great sermon, prayed "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"(Acts 7:59), the Lord received his spirit and put it upon one Saul standing there. I think it was a moment like the one that happened on the banks of Jordan years ago between Elijah and Elisha (2Kings2:9). Just like how Elisha received double the portion of Elijah’s spirit (note that it was his spirit and not blessings that Elisha received as some preachers would like to preach), I would like to think that Saul standing there received double portion of the spirit of Stephen that day. Paul went on to preach blistering sermons like Stephen, he was found arguing and teaching scriptures in synagogues just like Stephen did, he was stoned once and left for dead just like Stephen, he was falsely accused and persecuted like his predecessor Stephen and finally like Stephen he died a martyr’s death. I think Stephen was a forerunner to Paul. I think when Stephen passed into glory his spirit (rather double portion of his spirit) landed on his murderer. Paul stood there that day little knowing that he would later go on to live the life that Stephen, the very man that he killed that day, would have lived. HIS ways are mysterious. Have your way in me Lord!