I always get nervous when election time comes because of how some Christians act. Many people believe that conservative Christians and evangelicals are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites and a right wing voting bloc for the Republican Party. On the other hand many believe that liberal churches and black churches are simply Democratic voting blocs. Unfortunately our actions often feed these stereotypes and I believe do great damage to the true cause of Christ and the gospel. I strongly believe that Christians should be involved in the political process and that we should be fully engaged in the culture bringing biblical principles such as justice and truth to the forefront. Jesus said we are to be the salt and light in the world, however, that is far different from trying to be manipulators of the political process and power brokers.

Recently 150 evangelical leaders met on a ranch in Texas to debate the current group of Republican candidates so they can throw their weight behind a chosen candidate. I think it is interesting that there has been great secrecy about who these 150 leaders are. I find that when a lot of decision making is going on behind closed doors and they don’t even want the public to know who is behind the closed doors we need to be wary. I’m sure these men are wonderful men who are well intentioned but I believe they are making a serious mistake for several reasons. First of all trying to play kingmaker and deliver a united evangelical does not work. The group anointed senator Rick Santorum as their choice and we see how well that worked in South Carolina.

But by far the greater problem is that by trying to manipulate the political process we feed the opinion of far too many that evangelicals are primarily a right wing political action group whose primary agenda is abortion and homosexuality. The majority of the nation knows more about what evangelicals are against than what we are for. Many people believe we hate sinners, which is exactly the opposite message of Christ who said he came for sinners. Sinners just like you and me.

Every time throughout history the church grabbed political power both the state and the church suffered. History has shown that political power corrupts many, including church leaders. Whenever we succumb to the siren song of political power we lose the focus we must have on the gospel. The radicals in Jesus’ day wanted him to lead a political movement against Rome, but he refused. We must resist that temptation as well because when we don’t we lose our reputation to present the gospel.

For example several years ago most of these same Christian leaders denounced in the strongest terms the infidelity and lack of moral character of Bill Clinton. They asserted in the strongest terms that character matters. Now, however, many of them are supporting Newt Gingrich who has had multiple affairs and asked his second wife for an open marriage so he could continue his affair with his now third wife. That sounds hypocritical to me, and I’m an evangelical. That makes it seem like we don’t really believe in our principles; we just want political power, which is disgusting.

These problems have caused some to swing the pendulum to the other side and decide that faith and values have no place in the public arena. Either extreme distorts where God has called us to live. Let’s be wise and not allow our churches or ourselves to be seen as primarily a voting bloc. Let’s be the prophetic voice God has called us to be and proclaim Christ. 

By now we have all heard the story and seen the pictures of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia running aground in Italy. It is hard to imagine how the captain could have intentionally sailed four miles off course and brought the boat so close to land. Now there are many reports of the captain abandoning ship and refusing the direct order to go back on board and lead. Last night on TV I heard he said he just “fell into one of the lifeboats.” I burst out laughing at that one.

Captains are not the only ones with responsibilities. When those who are responsible for the lives of others fall down on their job or let personal desires dictate their behavior many people suffer. When the captain of a ship neglects his job the consequences can be disastrous. When parents fall down on their job innocent children suffer. When spouses forget their commitments to one another marriages drift into dangerous waters. A wise mentor once told me, “Bob, I don’t have time to make all the mistakes myself, so I choose to learn as much as I can from the bad choices of others.”  There is much we can learn from Captain Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia. 

First, keep your ego in check. Apparently he wanted to impress someone with how close he could sail to that island. Ego and poor judgment started this crisis.   Second, do a careful analysis of risks involved in any decision. Do your homework. He had gotten close to the island before and gotten away with it.

Remember your first calling and commitment. Don’t forget your responsibilities to others who are depending on you. Stay calm and do not panic.  People are looking to you for both direction and a clue of how to respond. When we panic we most always make horrible decisions and we lead others to panic as well.

Don’t abandon ship. In a crisis you must step up and lead. The worse thing you can do is to create a leadership vacuum by acting like a victim or making excuses. Give clear and strong direction to others. This is not the time to have a large committee meeting and debate the issues. This is the time for action.

Plan ahead. None of us knows when a disaster will strike. Sometimes it will come because of a poor decision we made. Other times a crisis finds us through no fault of our own. As a boy I was taught the Boy Scout motto “be prepared” and it is worth taking the time to figure out where in our lives a crisis may occur and find ways to be prepared. The more prepared you are the quicker you can begin to act with wisdom to deal with the situation.

If you don’t have a plan, develop one quickly and implement it. A mediocre plan that is well communicated and implemented is far better than no plan, or a great plan that everyone forgets in the panic. You must exhibit great self-discipline and force yourself to do the right thing.

Bring all available resources to bear. Delegate responsibility and make things happen. Make sure your communication is clear and constant. Confusion is rampant in a crisis and you must constantly be communicating as the situation changes.

Some of you are in the middle of a family, health, marriage, health, or work crisis. Remember that Philippians 4:13-14 tells us, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Now is the time to step up and lead. Others are depending on you. Be a faithful man or woman of God. 

Years ago Sam, (not his real name), sat in my office. He told me all about his unhappy marriage and his uncaring and unresponsive wife. He realized that he had been unhappy for years. Now he had met someone new at work. She was everything that his wife was not and since he started having an affair with her he was happier than he had been in a long time. He told me, “I know God wants me happy and this woman makes me happy, so I believe the Lord led me to her. The Lord will forgive me for the affair and once my divorce goes through and I remarry, this will all be great.”

Unfortunately, Sam is not alone; I have talked to many men and women like him through the years. We make excuses to God, others, and ourselves for doing what we want to do with the rationale that “God wants me happy.” But what if it makes me happy to spend all my money on me and not give much to others? Living a life of ease, comfort, and pleasure makes me happy. Having everything go my way makes me happy. Does this mean God wants me to live a life of self-indulgence? Of course not. While a life of self-indulgence makes me happy for the moment it leads to a life of insignificance and misery.

The truth is that God does want us truly happy; he wants us to live in pure joy. But far more than just being happy, God wants us holy. When we live in Christ and pursue his holiness we will find the real love, joy, and peace we are looking for. The path to real happiness is never sin. Happiness will never go against what God lays out in the Bible as his standards.

Unfortunately many of us have a lousy and untrue image of God. We believe that God is up there in heaven with a big frown on his face, ready to zap us if we have fun. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus said he came to give us an abundant life, a life to the fullest, a life to the max. What I missed for a long time was I did not have to choose between life of joy and a life of holiness. When we pursue God and his holiness with all our hearts he will give us the desires of our heart. He will give us a life full of joy.

This means, however, that many times I must choose long-term joy over short-term pleasure and happiness. I choose not to eat an entire carrot cake, which would bring me immediate happiness, because I want the long-term joy of better health.  Rather than sitting and watching TV for hours I choose to get up and exercise because I want the long-term joy of being in shape. Rather than the immediate thrill of an affair I choose to continue to love my wife and work through all her stubbornness (of course I don’t have any) because I know the greatest joy comes through being intimate with someone for a lifetime.

The book of Hebrews tells us: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” When I make happiness my goal, I will end up miserable. When I make holiness and being like Christ my goal I end up with true joy and fulfillment.

Most everyone I know uses some sort of to-do list to keep things organized in their life. One of the frustrating challenges many of us face on a daily basis is figuring out how in the world can we get done all that needs to be done. My to-do lists grow and grow and there never seems to be enough time. Some folks get frustrated and just give up and do whatever hits them that day. Unfortunately that is a receipt for disaster. We fall into what Charles E. Hummel called the “Tyranny of the Urgent.” This little booklet was written decades ago and although he had no idea how enslaved we would become to our instant access internet age this booklet is a relevant and powerful reminder to make sure we get our priorities and values set before we start making to-do lists. You can read it yourself for free by googling, “Tyranny of the Urgent pdf,” or you can pick it up at your local Christian bookstore. I promise you it will be worth the few minutes it takes to read it.

A basic maxim he teaches has stayed with me for 35 years; “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” I believe everyone needs a good time management system to not only get things done quickly, but also most importantly to get the right things done.

Every job description at Brookwood Church includes both a section on character and a section on duties. Most job descriptions I see only address the what; the list of responsibilities and duties that job requires. That section may give you a roadmap of the to-do’s you have to accomplish but it leaves out a fundamental part of your job and responsibilities. Before Brookwood gets to the what, we focus on the who. I read years ago that each of us needs not just a to-do list but also a to-be list. In fact, if you mess up on the to-be or character list it does not matter how great a job you do at accomplishing the to-do lists.

I hope you made some specific and measureable goals for 2012, not just some lame New Years resolutions. But the best goals, those items you really want on a to-do list, flow out of who you are and who you want to become. When the first century church first hit conflict and the future of the church was threatened the church needed strong leaders to stand in the gap and get some things done. Someone had to get a handle on the distribution of food to widows and to deal with all the grumbling and anger. I’m sure there was a list of needed qualifications such as leadership and the ability to organize and handle details. However the two qualifications the church looked for were character related, not to-do list qualifications. They were looking for men who were “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” When the Spirit leads us we are much less likely to let the urgent crowd out the important.

What kind of person are you trying to become in 2012? What character traits are you praying about and working on? I promise you these will be far more important and fulfilling than a resolution to lose weight or save money. Paul tells us to nail to the cross our sinful desires, the things that destroy our character, and to put on the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Let’s focus on our to-be list in 2012 not just our to-do lists. 

The Christmas season is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I love the lights, music, trees, smells, and parties with friends, and let’s not forget the food. I really love getting with family.  Most of all I love the worship and focus on Christ as our Savior and Lord. And there is something special about Christmas and children. I still remember our boy’s faces when they were preschoolers as they gazed at the all the Christmas lights. When they were in elementary school, during the days before Christmas, all three boys would drag out sleeping bags or blankets and sleep on the floor around the Christmas tree, basking in it’s colorful glow. Every year for 30 years we have had one or more of our children with us for a Christmas Eve worship service and there Christmas morning to eat our special breakfast and open presents. This year will be different.

Time continues to march on. Sometimes as much as we like the status quo, things never stay the same. This is all a part of God’s wonderful plan so we can either wring our hands in despair or accept how life changes. As folks get older I hear lots of complaints like, “it is just not the way it used to be.” And you know what, they are right. Life and times change and the rate of change in our society is accelerating. For me that raises two questions.  Are we celebrating and enjoying today to the fullest? And second, is my happiness and hope based on current circumstances or the future God has for me?

Actually this year I’m just glad to be here after my recent health scares. My cancer battle two years ago has made each Christmas even more precious than it was before. This year, however, will be different for several reasons. This will be our first Christmas in 30 years with none of children here Christmas morning. This will also be our first Christmas without Deb’s mom who passed away this year. Our boys are all grown and married. One lives in California, another in Texas, and our youngest in Wilmington. He and his new bride will be spending Christmas morning with her family this year. This Christmas is certainly not the way it used to be.

We could focus on the negative, but we have so much to be thankful for. We are actually delighted and grateful for their lives and families. Our son from California was in Charlotte for business this week and we will get to spend this weekend together. Our son in Wilmington and his wife will come up as well. In addition, Deb’s dad is driving up to be with us. So we are going to celebrate a week early with those who can make it.

When people were complaining to Jesus that he was not doing things the way they used to be done, “Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I’” (John 5:17).  To me that truth is a great comfort. While times continue to change God is always at work. I can rest in his sovereignty. I choose to fully embrace each day, and each Christmas and soak all the joy I can out of each moment. And I also know that my happiness and hope are not based on current circumstances but rather on the incredible future God has for me. Let’s lay up some treasure in heaven this season, because this life is not all there is. 

While we often read the gospel of Luke at Christmas the gospel of Matthew offers some interesting insights. Matthew starts with the genealogy of Jesus. He was trying to convince Jews that Jesus was the Messiah that they have been waiting to come for over 1000 years.

If I’m honest I usually jump right over this long list of names of so and so was the father of whoever. I quickly recognize some of the big names, like Abraham, Isaac, and King David. But honestly, who cares about guys like Perez and Zerah? If, however, you skim right over all these names you will miss one of the great messages of Christmas.

As you read through Matthew’s list some interesting people and stories jump out. People you would not expect to be there. In ancient days there was a great deal of pressure to make your history and genealogy look respectable. Historians were usually paid by kings and high officials who wanted to be sure their history looked good. I was told once that if you read the ancient history of Egypt by Egyptians you would not read of one military defeat. They won every battle, or the battle did not exist.

So if you were writing the genealogy of the Messiah, trying to convince folks of his divine origin, I would think you would make sure you highlighted the great names, the heroes, and jump over or omit the black sheep. Matthew does not include every name, every mother, or even every generation, and that is not surprising. What is amazing is whom he does include. He seems to go out of his way to highlight some of the people who made major mistakes or whose story is problematic.

For example, Matthew tells us that “Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar)…” (Matthew 1:3). Judah was one of God’s surprising choices. Judah was one of twelve sons of Jacob, and God could have chosen anyone of them to be the one though whom the Messiah would come. But God did not choose Ruben, the oldest, or Joseph, the godly, faithful son who rose to power in Egypt and saved the family. He chose Judah, who came up with the idea to sell Joseph into slavery, was a liar, and an unfaithful man and father.

Matthew makes sure everyone was reminded that Tamar was also in Christ’s genealogy. After Judah lied to her and refused to give her his son as her husband she dressed up like a prostitute to seduce Judah, knowing what kind of man he was. From this union came their son Perez.

Why would Matthew make sure we are reminded of the not so pretty ancestors of Jesus? This is the point; Jesus is no ordinary Messiah. He did not come just for the rich, the famous, the good, the religious, or the righteous.  This Messiah is for the mess-ups, the unfaithful, and the sinners. The entire Christmas story is a story of love, grace, and forgiveness.

Why do you think that was so important to Matthew? Could it be because as a tax collector he was one of those folks? He knew from personal experience that Jesus came for the worst of the worst. Jesus did not exclude anyone, regardless of where they came from, what their family was like, or what they had done, or not done. And he does not exclude you. I pray you will warmly invite everyone to be a part of Christmas at your church.  

The Christmas story is one of the best known in all of human history. Most everything we know about that first Christmas we know because we read it in the Bible. What is interesting is that in the gospels, the early recorded histories of the life of Christ, each tells the story in a different manner. Why would God have done it that way?  

Many today believe there is just one way to share the gospel of Christ, and if you don’t do it their way, using their language, then you are not sharing the full gospel or the correct gospel. We all know of churches or groups that believe they are the only ones going to heaven. I would love to see their faces when they do get to heaven, if they actually go, and they see all the “wrong” kind of folks there. Actually God including some of the “wrong” kind of people is an integral part of the Christmas story.

 Some Christians believe that if you adapt or adjust your style to better fit those you are trying to reach you have compromised the gospel and God’s truth. Some even believe that God has already determined who will go to heaven and who will not so to adjust the message or style to communicate better to those seeking God is wasted time at best, or worse is compromising the gospel. What they don’t realize is that this practice is not only biblical; it is as old as the gospel itself.

 In the New Testament we have four gospels that tell us the story of Jesus. Mark was written to the Gentiles, the Greeks, so you will read a lot about the actions of Jesus. They understood action. Mark starts with the ministry of John the Baptist and says nothing about the birth of Christ. Why? Because his audience was not impressed with Jewish history, so he left it out. This was not a compromise of the gospel; it was his being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as to what to share and what to leave out.

 The gospel of John starts with the Word of God being eternal, and then goes to John the Baptist. Luke, also writing to a Gentile, begins with the birth announcement of John the Baptist and then goes into the birth of Christ. The gospel of Matthew takes a different approach. He starts with the genealogy of Jesus. He did this because Matthew was writing to the Jews and he knew this was of vital importance to them. Every Jewish boy and girl knew the Messiah was not only Jewish, but also the descendent of the greatest Jewish king who ever lived, King David. Matthew himself was a Jew although not a very good one. What is even more interesting is that Matthew records some of the “wrong” kind of people in this list, folks he might have skipped.

 Each gospel is written with a different audience in mind. This is something we have to remember when we present truth to folks. It is biblical to be aware and sensitive to whom you are trying to reach. We must never change the truth, for the gospel is eternal. We must, however, always be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and adjust our presentation and message to the style and culture of those we are trying to reach. Missionaries have known this for centuries; now it is time for each of us to reach out to our neighbors in a way that best communicates with them. This is as old as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

George dreaded Thanksgiving with this wife’s family. Sure he liked all the turkey and fixings, but it was all the people and emotional drama that drove him nuts. He did not like the condescending way they treated his wife. Even though she was in her mid thirties and had two children they sometimes treated her like she was still an immature college student who did not know how to use a knife to cut up the carrots. Her Mom will complain the entire time about how they do not call or visit them enough.

Uncle Joe will be there with all his annoying and fabricated stories. No matter how sick George had been this year, Joe had been sicker. George knew when he talked about their kid’s activities this year; Joe’s kids had done more. George still remembers the year he told everyone he caught a 35 pound black fin tuna deep-sea fishing, and Joe informed everyone he had caught a 36-pound tuna. Aunt Mary will secretly complain to everyone what a horrible marriage she is stuck in, but will do nothing about it, just as she has done for the past eight years. And the cousins; they are wild, disrespectful, and a bad influence on the kids. It will take them a couple of weeks to get the kids to unlearn some of those bad attitudes and behaviors. George has almost given up on having a great thanksgiving. 

Thankfully, for those who are followers of Christ, we are not trapped by our circumstances. The apostle Paul wrote some amazing words to guide us in these situations. In 1 Thessalonians he tells us to “rejoice always.” That does not mean every situation is going to be pleasant; Mom and Uncle Joe are still going to be annoying. But we can rejoice in Christ in any circumstance, if our own attitude is right. We cannot control the behaviors of others, but we are fully in charge of our own attitudes and behaviors. If we focus on what God has given us, and all the blessings we have, our entire perspective will change. George can focus on the fact that Mom loves them, and truly loves the kids. He can rejoice that the kids have a grandma and extended family that are involved in their lives. He can rejoice that Thanksgiving gives him several days with his own kids away from work. He can even rejoice that they don’t have to be with everyone for more than two days.

Paul goes on to say, “pray without ceasing.” The entire time the family is together God is calling on George to talk to him about what is going on. Maybe his kids can be a positive influence on the cousins. He can pray that God will deepen the relationship between his wife and her siblings. He can pray that they might be an encouragement to Aunt Mary and her husband, and maybe even be the catalyst to get them some help in their marriage. George can be in an ongoing conversation with Christ about Uncle Joe, seeing the insecure and hurting man he really is inside.

Finally Paul says, “In everything give thanks.” Yes, this is the true spirit of Thanksgiving. It is not about us; it is about thanking God for all he has blessed us with. George can thank God for his wonderful wife and kids. He can thank the Lord for his job, and his financial provision this year. So this thanksgiving George can stay positive, and see God moving even through all the messy relationships. Besides, grandma makes an awesome pumpkin pie.  

It is always a relief to get good news. This Wednesday Deb and I walked into the surgeon’s office 22 months after she found lung cancer and removed the upper right lobe of my lung. Thankfully she told us today there are no signs of cancer at this time. Unfortunately because of my sarcoidosis, which is the other condition that causes cysts to form in my lungs and lymph system, they can’t say with certainty what is going on. I again get the privilege of living month by month with no assurance of my long-term health. But I’m reminded that is the way I’m supposed to live anyhow because none of us knows when the Lord may call us home.

When I was younger I never thought about life being uncertain or brief. Even as a pastor who visited people in the hospital on a regular basis and conducted funerals the end of my life was something far off in the distant future. I had survived a near fatal auto accident when I was young plus several near fatal rock climbing incidents and I had a sense of invincibility. I was athletic, and full of energy and optimism. I hope I used that time and those blessings wisely because I now know they don’t last forever. Throughout my years I built a number of close friendships that have stood the test of time. I have found those friendships to be more and more precious to me.

With the blessing of growing older I have a better appreciation of life’s uncertainty and how right God was when he said our lives are like a mist or a fog that is here today and gone tomorrow. Both my parents have died, as have some of my best friends. As the TV commercial says, life comes at you fast. I’m glad I have good friends that I built great relationships with when times were good so we can walk together through the difficult times when they come; and they will.

Periodically I call or write these friends just to touch base. Christmas is often a time we get caught up with many life long friends through emails or Christmas letters. While we usually start with some interesting recent events we quickly move to what matters most to us; our families, including our children and now grandchildren, our faith, and our friendship. These friendships are a constant source of joy and blessing to me. These friends and my precious church family were the ones who rallied around me when I went through my health crisis.

For those of us who like to move at the speed of light and rush through our days my encouragement is to slow down enough to nurture those long-term friendships, for one day that opportunity will be gone. Reconnect with some old friends and let them know their friendship matters to you. “A real friend sticks closer than a brother “ (Proverbs 18:24).

If you think about it I bet you can come up with a list of names of friends that would love to reconnect with you through phone, email, or even Skype. As the old saying goes, the measure of one’s life is not found in one’s wealth, but in your relationships with friends, family, and God. Use this Christmas to invest in something far greater than gold; invest in precious friends and be a blessing to someone. One day, it may be too late and you will regret the lost opportunity.

It was going to be a battle to get these big white pills down Rudy’s throat, but that is what the vet said he needed and somehow it became my job. Rudy was our usually affectionate beagle mutt. He had a sweet adorable face and sad eyes that stole Deb’s heart when she first saw him at the pound. Our boys were young at that time and over my better judgment we brought him home and the boys loved him. The vet recommended we put the pill in a banana, but Rudy would have none of it. When anyone tried to force that pill into his mouth he became anything but sweet. He growled and fought with everything he had. In fact he seemed to know when it was coming and took off. I think he could smell that pill and was often nowhere to be found. There had to be a better way.

I read of a woman who had to give her dog a liquid medicine and he was as fond of it as Rudy was his pills. Day after day she forced that liquid down the dog’s throat. One day in the midst of the struggle the bottle slipped out of her hand and the medicine fell to the floor. To her amazement her dog started lapping it up. What she found was that it wasn’t that the dog hated the medicine, he hated how it was being forced down his throat.

Sometimes as Christians we get so convicted about telling others about Christ that we try to confront them or force the gospel on them. Often the way we present it can repel someone rather than draw them. When sharing our faith is like selling something someone does not like we probably have the wrong approach. When I was young I was taught several “in your face” methods of evangelism. One of them entailed a 20 to 30 minute presentation where I talked and the other person listened. What was amazing is that God used even that method at times to bring people to himself; in spite of how badly I did my job. I believe that the cross should be what offends someone, not the way I come across. I found that trying to cram it down someone’s throat rarely works. And I believe what people often reject is not the gospel but the way we present it. People are often not rejecting Christ, but Christians.

“If someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

But do this in a gentle and respectful way” (1 Peter 3:15). All of us need to be ready to share our faith. When we share our faith, however, we are to do this in a gentle and respectful way. Trying to force anything down someone’s throat is not gentle. You never read of Jesus forcing someone to accept his message. In fact, the ones he rebuked the most were the religious folks.

When we talk with people with respect we honor them and value them. When we try to manipulate them they can smell it coming, just like Rudy could smell that pill before he saw it. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict and draw our friends to the Lord, not ours. Learn to have interesting and mutual spiritual conversations with people and listen to their point of view and their struggles. Love them, rather than condemn them. Let’s leave the cramming of things down a throat to the poor folks who have to get their dog to take some medicine.