There is a future day which is written only on God's calendar. Though its specific date is unknown, God has made clear many details about the coming of His Son. Have you ever had the feeling that the Lord had returned and you had been left behind? The church in Thessalonica thought that the Lord had already come. Paul taught them to not worry, for certain things must take place first. In 1 Thess.2 Paul said that a great falling away would occur first. We are in essence, seeing a falling away on greater proportions than ever before. Society has rejected values and principles based upon God's Word. One aspect of this is seen in rejecting the Divine order established at creation. God made man and woman in His image and presented the woman to the man. The breakdown in marriages as well as the acceptance of gay marriage reflects societies rejection of the order God established.
Paul went on to say that the man of lawlessness would be revealed. We do not know who this individual is, but the Bible says that he will be working in concert with Satan and will set himself up as God in God's temple. The temple was destroyed about 2,000 years ago. However, orthodox Jews are preparing for the rebuilding of their temple now. It may sound strange, but utensils and the altar table have been prepared for use in the new temple. Paul said that the Anti-Christ would set himself up in the temple and declare himself to be God. The temple being planned for now is the temple that the Anti-Christ will use.
Paul goes on to say that the restrainer will be taken out of the way. If this is the church, then the church will be sidelined or as many believe, will be raptured and taken to heaven. If the restrainer is God's blessing and protection, then we see His hand lifting as more and more weather events and worldwide crisis erupt. The European nations are in crisis as their economies nosedive. US currency is not far behind. Our government has placed our country on the threshold of bankruptcy. What would emerge from a world economic meltdown? John taught in Revelations 13 that the Anti-Christ would make everyone receive a mark in order to buy and sell. Those that reject the mark will not be able to buy anything.
The prophet Zechariah said in chapter 14 that the nations would rise up against Israel and before the Day of the Lord, the nations would attack Israel. They will be supernaturally destroyed. Ezekiel 38 predicts this event and names the people groups who reside north of Israel. Israel is surrounded by nations that want to destroy her. Their hostility will build up until the day they attack and God intervenes.
As we watch the worldwide crisis continue, what is it that we should do? We are to keep watch and pray. We should keep looking up, because our redemption is near. Whether the day is close or still far way, the times in which we live present us with unique opportunities. The prophet Malachi said that the distinction between good and evil will become more evident. Live the life that God has called you too. Believers need to stand firm and be the church that God has called them to be. As people struggle and look for answers and hope, we have the answer, Jesus Christ. May we exalt Him until that final day when He returns to take us home.
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Parental Side of God
Several special days occur in May, such as May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Occidental Community Church's picnic and Mother's Day. A huge thank you to all moms! In honor of mothers (and fathers since Father's Day is next month) I want to focus on a verse in the Old Testament that describes the parental side of God. Zephaniah 3.17 "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Nothing is more comforting to a child than the mere presence of mom or dad. God is always with us. His presence is never passive, but active. We see this in the actions described in this verse. God is mighty to save. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work within us. We may face difficult challenges and possibly face defeat or failure, yet God is with us and He is able to save. God can turn any negative into a positive.
Parents take great delight in their children. At birth, moms and dads count toes and fingers numerous times. They even will wake the baby up, just to make sure everything is ok. They delight in their child at birth and that continues even into adulthood. Parents delight in their children even during the teen years. If you are a parent of a teenager, I simply refer you back to the preceding paragraph. God delights in us. He made us, redeemed us, called us. We belong to Him. God rejoices over you each and every day.
God also quiets us with his love. A child can get all worked up. It is the soothing love of a parent that will calm the child down. God's love is much deeper than any parent's love for their child. It would be hard to imagine how much God does love us except for the fact that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to die on the cross for our sins. The reason for this gracious act is that God loves us.
When my children were young, I would carry them in my arms and lean them upon my shoulder. I would often sing to them to quiet them as well as calm my own nerves. Singing is a wonderful way to express emotion and prayer requests. God rejoices over us with singing. I wonder what song God sings over you? Whatever song it is, it expresses God's heart for you! God rejoices over you. He is with you. He is able to save, in fact mighty to save. God takes great delight in you, loves you and rejoices over you in song.
Why not take a few moments right now and thank God for being your "heavenly Father."
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Nothing is more comforting to a child than the mere presence of mom or dad. God is always with us. His presence is never passive, but active. We see this in the actions described in this verse. God is mighty to save. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work within us. We may face difficult challenges and possibly face defeat or failure, yet God is with us and He is able to save. God can turn any negative into a positive.
Parents take great delight in their children. At birth, moms and dads count toes and fingers numerous times. They even will wake the baby up, just to make sure everything is ok. They delight in their child at birth and that continues even into adulthood. Parents delight in their children even during the teen years. If you are a parent of a teenager, I simply refer you back to the preceding paragraph. God delights in us. He made us, redeemed us, called us. We belong to Him. God rejoices over you each and every day.
God also quiets us with his love. A child can get all worked up. It is the soothing love of a parent that will calm the child down. God's love is much deeper than any parent's love for their child. It would be hard to imagine how much God does love us except for the fact that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to die on the cross for our sins. The reason for this gracious act is that God loves us.
When my children were young, I would carry them in my arms and lean them upon my shoulder. I would often sing to them to quiet them as well as calm my own nerves. Singing is a wonderful way to express emotion and prayer requests. God rejoices over us with singing. I wonder what song God sings over you? Whatever song it is, it expresses God's heart for you! God rejoices over you. He is with you. He is able to save, in fact mighty to save. God takes great delight in you, loves you and rejoices over you in song.
Why not take a few moments right now and thank God for being your "heavenly Father."
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Who Put Jesus on the Cross?
This is one of the most important questions we can ask, because how we choose to answer it will affect us personally.
We might think that it was the Jews who put Jesus to death. The Jewish religious leaders had Jesus arrested and condemned him to die. They made their rounds, first taking him to Pilate who promptly sent him to King Herod. When Herod sent him back, Pilate began to worry. Three times Pilate stated that he found no fault in Jesus. In presenting Jesus, Pilate announced “Here is the man!” and the Jews shouted back “crucify him!” Later, Pilate proclaimed, “Here is your King!” and the people, spurred on by their religious leaders, shouted out again, “crucify him!” We could lay the blame on the Jews or the Romans. We are quite apt at the blame game.
We could lay the blame on Satan! Certainly, if anyone was ever worthy of punishment, it would be this former head angel who once did God’s bidding but now seeks to spoil all that God does in regard to the human race. Satan is depicted as a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Jesus described Satan as a murderer and the Father of Lies. We can easily lay blame on him and have our conscience soothed.
We could also blame God. Wasn’t it God’s will that Jesus should die for mankind? The Prophet Isaiah said (Isaiah 53.10) that “it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.” Just like He did with Abraham, God provided the lamb for the sacrifice. God provided Jesus to be the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13.8). I’m sure we can feel fairly comfortable now for it is certainly God’s fault.
We could certainly lay blame on Jesus too, for he was a willing participant. In John 10.18, Jesus said that "he lays down his life on his own accord!" He wanted to do it! Why should we take the blame for something that Jesus wanted to do?
Though all of these things are true, they do not give the complete answer.
Isaiah 53.5 ff says that it was for “our transgressions...iniquities...” In other words, it was for our sin that Jesus died on the cross. Your sin and my sin. None of us can escape this, for we are at fault. You might think, “I wasn’t even there, so how can I be blamed?” The Bible states that "all have sinned" and that Jesus died for the sins of all people. While Jesus died for all, it is only applied to those who put their trust in Him.
If we cannot accept the blame, we will not accept the responsibility for our sin that helped put Jesus on the cross. If we do not accept the responsibility, we will not see the need to come to Jesus, but will continue through our life as if Christ’s death is just some religious event and Easter another religious holiday. Though it was our sin that Jesus suffered for, Jesus offers us forgiveness of sins and newness of life. Just as He died for us, He also lives for us, that we may experience the power of God in our lives. And get this: when we ask Jesus to save and forgive us, He does. Here's the beautiful part. Then we stand before God as holy and blameless. We can shift the blame and stand condemned, or we can accept the blame and be declared blameless by God.
May you live in God's grace that grants you forgiveness and God's hope that belongs to all the Saints!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
We might think that it was the Jews who put Jesus to death. The Jewish religious leaders had Jesus arrested and condemned him to die. They made their rounds, first taking him to Pilate who promptly sent him to King Herod. When Herod sent him back, Pilate began to worry. Three times Pilate stated that he found no fault in Jesus. In presenting Jesus, Pilate announced “Here is the man!” and the Jews shouted back “crucify him!” Later, Pilate proclaimed, “Here is your King!” and the people, spurred on by their religious leaders, shouted out again, “crucify him!” We could lay the blame on the Jews or the Romans. We are quite apt at the blame game.
We could lay the blame on Satan! Certainly, if anyone was ever worthy of punishment, it would be this former head angel who once did God’s bidding but now seeks to spoil all that God does in regard to the human race. Satan is depicted as a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Jesus described Satan as a murderer and the Father of Lies. We can easily lay blame on him and have our conscience soothed.
We could also blame God. Wasn’t it God’s will that Jesus should die for mankind? The Prophet Isaiah said (Isaiah 53.10) that “it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.” Just like He did with Abraham, God provided the lamb for the sacrifice. God provided Jesus to be the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13.8). I’m sure we can feel fairly comfortable now for it is certainly God’s fault.
We could certainly lay blame on Jesus too, for he was a willing participant. In John 10.18, Jesus said that "he lays down his life on his own accord!" He wanted to do it! Why should we take the blame for something that Jesus wanted to do?
Though all of these things are true, they do not give the complete answer.
Isaiah 53.5 ff says that it was for “our transgressions...iniquities...” In other words, it was for our sin that Jesus died on the cross. Your sin and my sin. None of us can escape this, for we are at fault. You might think, “I wasn’t even there, so how can I be blamed?” The Bible states that "all have sinned" and that Jesus died for the sins of all people. While Jesus died for all, it is only applied to those who put their trust in Him.
If we cannot accept the blame, we will not accept the responsibility for our sin that helped put Jesus on the cross. If we do not accept the responsibility, we will not see the need to come to Jesus, but will continue through our life as if Christ’s death is just some religious event and Easter another religious holiday. Though it was our sin that Jesus suffered for, Jesus offers us forgiveness of sins and newness of life. Just as He died for us, He also lives for us, that we may experience the power of God in our lives. And get this: when we ask Jesus to save and forgive us, He does. Here's the beautiful part. Then we stand before God as holy and blameless. We can shift the blame and stand condemned, or we can accept the blame and be declared blameless by God.
May you live in God's grace that grants you forgiveness and God's hope that belongs to all the Saints!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Friday, February 26, 2010
In The Habit Of...
Each of us has many habits. Things we do quite regularly and with timely precision. Things we often do without realizing that it is indeed our habit. Habits guide us from the moment we get up out of bed and plant our two feet on the floor. Habits such as when we get dressed, brush our teeth, make our coffee and eat our breakfast. Our habits continue out the door. Which way we drive to work, which coffee house we stop at along the way, where we park, if we bring a lunch or go to the same diner every day and so on. Habits become ingrained in us so that they become our default behavior.
Did you know that we have spiritual habits too. They are not developed by doing something once or twice, but on a regular basis. To develop a godly habit, it sometimes takes discipline. For instance, we know that reading God's Word is beneficial to us in our walk with God. But is it our habit to read it? It takes discipline to set a time each day to read and pray. When we do it regularly it changes from a discipline to a godly habit. God's Word sets the tone and invites God to be our companion as we drive, work or play throughout our day.
What is your habit regarding church? Some are in the habit of being at church weekly, looking forward to worship, instruction, fellowship and encouragement. Others have the habit of coming occasionally, monthly, at Easter and Christmas or whenever. The Bible tells us to not "give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10.25).
The church is God's plan, not man's. The church is part of God's purpose for you. When we are not in the habit of going to church, I believe that we miss out on the blessing that God has for us. You see, the church is where believers gather to minister to God. We minister to God through our worship. The church is also the place that we gather to minister to each other. We encourage one another, pray for one another, teach one another in love. When we have needs, we can bring them to the body of Christ and find mutual support and encouragement. It is through our time in God's Word that we find strength for today and hope for tomorrow, for we are learning to live our lives according to God's way as revealed in the Bible. We leave strengthened for another week, encouraged as we go out from our gathering and into a world that desperately needs Christ. As we exit, we enter the mission field. A world of opportunities to minister to those that need Jesus and yet are not aware of their need.
The habit of going to church begins with a discipline. Over time, a discipline turns into a habit. Being in church is a habit that puts us in the center of His will, making ourselves available to God for whatever He may have in store for us. What are you in the habit of doing?
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Did you know that we have spiritual habits too. They are not developed by doing something once or twice, but on a regular basis. To develop a godly habit, it sometimes takes discipline. For instance, we know that reading God's Word is beneficial to us in our walk with God. But is it our habit to read it? It takes discipline to set a time each day to read and pray. When we do it regularly it changes from a discipline to a godly habit. God's Word sets the tone and invites God to be our companion as we drive, work or play throughout our day.
What is your habit regarding church? Some are in the habit of being at church weekly, looking forward to worship, instruction, fellowship and encouragement. Others have the habit of coming occasionally, monthly, at Easter and Christmas or whenever. The Bible tells us to not "give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10.25).
The church is God's plan, not man's. The church is part of God's purpose for you. When we are not in the habit of going to church, I believe that we miss out on the blessing that God has for us. You see, the church is where believers gather to minister to God. We minister to God through our worship. The church is also the place that we gather to minister to each other. We encourage one another, pray for one another, teach one another in love. When we have needs, we can bring them to the body of Christ and find mutual support and encouragement. It is through our time in God's Word that we find strength for today and hope for tomorrow, for we are learning to live our lives according to God's way as revealed in the Bible. We leave strengthened for another week, encouraged as we go out from our gathering and into a world that desperately needs Christ. As we exit, we enter the mission field. A world of opportunities to minister to those that need Jesus and yet are not aware of their need.
The habit of going to church begins with a discipline. Over time, a discipline turns into a habit. Being in church is a habit that puts us in the center of His will, making ourselves available to God for whatever He may have in store for us. What are you in the habit of doing?
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Friday, January 29, 2010
An Anchor That Holds
Seeing the devastation in Haiti through the news has stirred the hearts of people everywhere to give and help. We see people who have lost everything. Their homes. Family. Jobs. The ability to care for themselves and their loved ones. Their world has been turned upside down.
Though we have not experienced a devastating earthquake, for many in the US our world has turned upside down. The recession struck like a thief, stealing the many things that we held dear. Things that we based our entire lives on. Like a child who has lost their "security" blanket and now experiencing difficulty in going to sleep or to go through the day. We have lost many of the things that provided us a sense of security. Our homes are more than homes. They are investments against the rise of inflation. Millions are now losing their homes or they owe more than the home is now worth. Our mantra for years has been to save for retirement. If your investment portfolio is like mine, the thief has come and now it is worth half of what it once was. Many are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. That is, if you have a job. The recession has left in its wake lives that lay in devastation and despair. People are now living in fear.
During the reign of Idi Amin in 1970's Uganda, over a half million people were slaughtered. Many of them were Christians. Everything they had was taken. They lived in the shadow of death. One survivor of that reign of terror said that "living in danger can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God."
Hebrews 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." If you read the context of this verse, you'll discover that our hope is in reference to God's oath, His word. God does what He says. He always has and always will. We can bank on it. God's promises are sure, so much so, that we can entrust our lives for all of eternity to them. There is not a better anchor that God. No one else is eternal. No one else can do all things. No one else loves us so.
When your world turns upside down (it's not "if", but "when" because tough times come to all people) then it is an opportunity to make sure that you are basing your security on things that will last. If you put your hope in the Lord, He will not disappoint. In the Lord our lives as well as our future are safe and secure. My prayer is that if you are going though difficult times, that you would turn to the Lord and grow deep in Him and discover the anchor that will hold.
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Though we have not experienced a devastating earthquake, for many in the US our world has turned upside down. The recession struck like a thief, stealing the many things that we held dear. Things that we based our entire lives on. Like a child who has lost their "security" blanket and now experiencing difficulty in going to sleep or to go through the day. We have lost many of the things that provided us a sense of security. Our homes are more than homes. They are investments against the rise of inflation. Millions are now losing their homes or they owe more than the home is now worth. Our mantra for years has been to save for retirement. If your investment portfolio is like mine, the thief has come and now it is worth half of what it once was. Many are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. That is, if you have a job. The recession has left in its wake lives that lay in devastation and despair. People are now living in fear.
During the reign of Idi Amin in 1970's Uganda, over a half million people were slaughtered. Many of them were Christians. Everything they had was taken. They lived in the shadow of death. One survivor of that reign of terror said that "living in danger can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God."
Hebrews 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." If you read the context of this verse, you'll discover that our hope is in reference to God's oath, His word. God does what He says. He always has and always will. We can bank on it. God's promises are sure, so much so, that we can entrust our lives for all of eternity to them. There is not a better anchor that God. No one else is eternal. No one else can do all things. No one else loves us so.
When your world turns upside down (it's not "if", but "when" because tough times come to all people) then it is an opportunity to make sure that you are basing your security on things that will last. If you put your hope in the Lord, He will not disappoint. In the Lord our lives as well as our future are safe and secure. My prayer is that if you are going though difficult times, that you would turn to the Lord and grow deep in Him and discover the anchor that will hold.
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Friday, January 1, 2010
A Sure Foundation
It’s On My Heart...January 2010
I haven’t come across anyone who is sad that 2009 is finally over. 2010 was like a distant friend who we knew was coming and would bring better times. Now that it is here, we already are anticipating what the year might bring. Many think that whatever happens will be better than last year. Truth be told, it really does not matter which year we are in. Whether its 2009, 2010 or 2011. Regardless of the year or where we are in life, God has promised to be right with us. With God beside us, we are able to face life’s challenges, knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and will never abandon us. We have His word on it and His promises bring encouragement when all else seems to fail.
Our theme verse for the year is found in Psalm 127.1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” It is a solemn reminder that we need the Lord in all that we do. Each of us can build elaborate lives and ministries, careers and retirement security. If however, we do it all without the Lord we miss out on His guidance and direction. In the end we will be very much like Ebenezer Scrooge before his three visitors that changed his life. He lived for business and money and forgot the more important things in life. The most important thing is not a thing. It is a person. It is God. God is always inviting us in. If we’ve blown it, He still calls. If we’ve wandered away, He still welcomes us and embraces us warmly. As we study our theme through out 2010, it will be an opportunity for us to examine our lives from top to bottom. What is it that we are building our lives upon? What is our foundation? Are we really, truly leaning upon the Lord or are we leaning upon our own wisdom and strength?
One thing about building is that the structure is only as strong as the foundation it rests upon. Jesus told a parable about this. One man built his house on the sand, but when the storms came it washed away. The other built his house on the rock and stood firm. Psalm 127.1 then is a wake up call and a challenge. May we heed God’s call and take up the challenge to build our lives God’s way. For God’s way is always the best way. In the process, we’ll discover that there is no better foundation to build and rest our lives upon. May you be the one to build upon the rock!
Have a Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
I haven’t come across anyone who is sad that 2009 is finally over. 2010 was like a distant friend who we knew was coming and would bring better times. Now that it is here, we already are anticipating what the year might bring. Many think that whatever happens will be better than last year. Truth be told, it really does not matter which year we are in. Whether its 2009, 2010 or 2011. Regardless of the year or where we are in life, God has promised to be right with us. With God beside us, we are able to face life’s challenges, knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and will never abandon us. We have His word on it and His promises bring encouragement when all else seems to fail.
Our theme verse for the year is found in Psalm 127.1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” It is a solemn reminder that we need the Lord in all that we do. Each of us can build elaborate lives and ministries, careers and retirement security. If however, we do it all without the Lord we miss out on His guidance and direction. In the end we will be very much like Ebenezer Scrooge before his three visitors that changed his life. He lived for business and money and forgot the more important things in life. The most important thing is not a thing. It is a person. It is God. God is always inviting us in. If we’ve blown it, He still calls. If we’ve wandered away, He still welcomes us and embraces us warmly. As we study our theme through out 2010, it will be an opportunity for us to examine our lives from top to bottom. What is it that we are building our lives upon? What is our foundation? Are we really, truly leaning upon the Lord or are we leaning upon our own wisdom and strength?
One thing about building is that the structure is only as strong as the foundation it rests upon. Jesus told a parable about this. One man built his house on the sand, but when the storms came it washed away. The other built his house on the rock and stood firm. Psalm 127.1 then is a wake up call and a challenge. May we heed God’s call and take up the challenge to build our lives God’s way. For God’s way is always the best way. In the process, we’ll discover that there is no better foundation to build and rest our lives upon. May you be the one to build upon the rock!
Have a Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The First Gift of Christmas
It’s On My Heart...December 2009
(The following article was written 5 years ago. Although I strive to provide fresh content each month, I thought the article was appropriate for us again this Christmas.)
The very first Christmas present was the baby Jesus, an expression of God’s love and grace for mankind. As a baby, Jesus would have 10 very tiny toes and 10 very tiny fingers. I’m sure his mother and father counted them many times over. Baby hands are beautiful, delicate, dimpled and soft. When babies grow up, their hands do too. For Jesus, his hands became the hands of a carpenter. Rough, calloused, scarred, and skilled. It was his hands that fashioned together wood projects. It was his hands that later touched people to make them well, held high to calm the raging sea, clapped together when happy, made dirty as he made mud to put onto the blind man’s eyes, washed clean as he washed his disciples feet, and blood splattered when punctured by the Roman nail that held him to the cross. His hands were the hands of God. It was these hands Jesus held out to Thomas and said, “See my hands...” Thomas saw the nail pierced hands. Jesus said, “See my side...” Thomas saw Jesus’ sword pierced side. It was Jesus standing in their midst. And he was alive.
The story of Jesus’ hands reminds us of our own story. We all begin with tiny, dimpled and soft hands that over time grow and become skillful at our hobbies and jobs. How will we use our hands? Will God be glorified by what we do? Our hands become symbolic of what we do for our Lord. While Jesus was on the cross he cried out, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” When life comes to an end for us, we too can commit ourselves into the hands of our Lord. His hands are loving hands that embrace each one of us, that sustains us in the tough times, and lifts us up in the good times. And it is His hands that will carry us to the heavenly shores and keep us for all of eternity.
At Christmas time, we celebrate the birth of Jesus who had tiny hands. Hands that would grow and reach out and minister through the years, reaching even to us today. As we celebrate Christmas, remember the tiny hands of baby Jesus that later were nailed to the cross for your sins. And don’t forget to thank the Lord for His love and grace which He poured out so freely to us in His Son.
Have a Merry Christmas,
Pastor Pete
(The following article was written 5 years ago. Although I strive to provide fresh content each month, I thought the article was appropriate for us again this Christmas.)
The very first Christmas present was the baby Jesus, an expression of God’s love and grace for mankind. As a baby, Jesus would have 10 very tiny toes and 10 very tiny fingers. I’m sure his mother and father counted them many times over. Baby hands are beautiful, delicate, dimpled and soft. When babies grow up, their hands do too. For Jesus, his hands became the hands of a carpenter. Rough, calloused, scarred, and skilled. It was his hands that fashioned together wood projects. It was his hands that later touched people to make them well, held high to calm the raging sea, clapped together when happy, made dirty as he made mud to put onto the blind man’s eyes, washed clean as he washed his disciples feet, and blood splattered when punctured by the Roman nail that held him to the cross. His hands were the hands of God. It was these hands Jesus held out to Thomas and said, “See my hands...” Thomas saw the nail pierced hands. Jesus said, “See my side...” Thomas saw Jesus’ sword pierced side. It was Jesus standing in their midst. And he was alive.
The story of Jesus’ hands reminds us of our own story. We all begin with tiny, dimpled and soft hands that over time grow and become skillful at our hobbies and jobs. How will we use our hands? Will God be glorified by what we do? Our hands become symbolic of what we do for our Lord. While Jesus was on the cross he cried out, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” When life comes to an end for us, we too can commit ourselves into the hands of our Lord. His hands are loving hands that embrace each one of us, that sustains us in the tough times, and lifts us up in the good times. And it is His hands that will carry us to the heavenly shores and keep us for all of eternity.
At Christmas time, we celebrate the birth of Jesus who had tiny hands. Hands that would grow and reach out and minister through the years, reaching even to us today. As we celebrate Christmas, remember the tiny hands of baby Jesus that later were nailed to the cross for your sins. And don’t forget to thank the Lord for His love and grace which He poured out so freely to us in His Son.
Have a Merry Christmas,
Pastor Pete
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