Peace on Earth, Good-will to Men

For many, like my wife, Christmas is the best time of the year. My opinion doesn’t rise to best, but the Christmas season is up there for me. More than nostalgia and family, lights and gifts, I love Christmas music and have since my youngest days when my debut vocal performance included All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth as a second grader at Balmoral Elementary School.

I loved singing Silver Bells in my high school choir and playing Sleigh Ride in my high school band. I hope to sing again Handel’s Messiah in a large choir with orchestral accompaniment like I did as a student at Bob Jones University. Now, every Advent Sunday brings great anticipation for me as our church sings together Christmas hymns.

Christmas hymns are a curious part of our Christian singing. Over the course of a calendar year, we sing them only for a few weeks but quickly recover both the text and tune. Writers penned many of our Christmas carols during the 1800s using the language and imagery of the Victorian Era. As a result, many of our Christian hymns have slid into the realm of folk music and do not deliver to us the same impact it did nearly two hundred years ago. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is an example.

American Edmund Sears began writing hymn texts at age 24, soon after his ordination in the Unitarian Church. His Unitarian doctrine is a problem, and that’s why the hymn does not include any mention of Christ or the reason for the babe in the manger, but let’s move past that for today.

When Sears wrote, the United States was at the brink of Civil War and explains the repeated call to embrace the angelic message of “Peace on Earth, good-will to men.” Sears’s heavy heart for the troubles of his day appears in a verse not in our church hymnal and omitted from most hymnals.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world hath suffered long; 
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring;
O hush the voice, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!

Now at the close of 2022 and nearly 175 years after the writing of this Christmas hymn, I find these days disheartening and discouraging. I cringe at the violence in our culture. I am saddened by the condition of our education system and what it produces and fails to produce in our children, a reality that can only lead to the decline of a once great people. I am angered by a government that upholds abortion on demand and thumbs its nose at the Creator’s design for marriage.

And then I gather with God’s people and sing our Christmas songs, many of which take us through the course of the incarnation to our Lord’s exaltation and ultimately our unification with him, and my heart is encouraged that Christ came and Christ is coming again. And by singing, I am encouraged to live today faithfully for our Lord (Colossians 3:16).

So, sing, Christians! Sing our folksy and glorious carols and be refreshed by the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

As always, I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

Long COVID in the Church

Long Covid has entered the English language. Basically, “Long COVID or long-haul COVID is a condition characterized by long-term health problems persisting or appearing after the typical recovery period of COVID-19.” Of interest to me, the term did not originate in a medical journal but as a hashtag on Twitter. The term has no single, strict definition nor do hard and fast measures exist to determine if an infirmed person is experiencing symptoms specific to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

As a pastor, I find myself regularly evaluating Long COVID in the church. I don’t mean the physical symptoms some of our members face. I mean factors now part of our church members’ lives that did not exist before March 2020.

Stress on the Employed

We have all seen the signs asking for our cooperation because a business is short staffed. Fewer automobile mechanics mean longer wait times for needed car repairs. The same goes for getting into the dentist office or finding someone to do home maintenance. For whatever reasons, there are not as many people doing jobs as there were before COVID-19. That puts stress on the still employed.

Multiple women and men in our church work far more than they need to work or desire to work because there are not enough employees to do the job. Recently, one of our church members told me there used to be 9 people on the work team. That number is now 3. The remaining 3 must do the work of the previous 9. Last Sunday, one church member was driving to our building to gather for worship when the call came to come to work, a call that could not be refused. Similar scenarios play out every week in our church and, probably, in most churches.

The call here is to pay attention to those not in attendance at our weekly gatherings or in a small group. There is a reason for their absence, and the reason may be they still have a job. When you miss someone’s presence, do the work of a disciple and contact the person. Pray with them. Inform them of announcements missed. Share with them burdens you heard others express and pass on to them the Scriptures read and studied.

Comfortable with Isolation

Remember the early days of the pandemic? Next to our church property is highway 494, a bustling thoroughfare even on snowy days like today. But in March 2020, 494 was an endless stretch of cold blacktop. We hunkered down, watched too much television, completed puzzles, and become more comfortable with isolation.

Last week the Washington Post published an opinion piece full of facts and figures detailing the decline in time spent with people and the rise in time spent alone. This grabbed my attention:

The average American spent 15 hours per week with this broader group of friends a decade ago, 12 hours per week in 2019 and only 10 hours a week in 2021.

On average, Americans did not transfer that lost time to spouses, partners or children. Instead, they chose to be alone.

I cannot speak for all pastors and churches, but I can speak for ours when I say it appears our church is not exempt from this trend. Isolation by choice is not healthy for the individual Christian nor for the whole church. God did not create us to live in isolation (Genesis 1-2), and our Lord is not leading his church to live in isolation (Ephesians 4). The call here is to consider to what extent, if any, you have become comfortable in isolation, and to counter the trend by exercising your gifts toward others in the church, by receiving from the gifts of others in the church, and by choosing to spend time with other Christians in our gatherings, our small groups, our events, and your informal get-togethers. We cannot do the work of a disciple in habitual isolation when we have the capacity to engage.

Like those continuing to experience physical symptoms from Long COVID, I suspect the church too will experience symptoms. May we rest in God’s grace to address both the physical and spiritual impact.

As always, I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

The Blessings to Self Thankfulness Brings

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times” remains one of the consistent sayings from generation to generation in American families. Moms weary from wet towels on bedroom floors and dads befuddled by hand tools left in the sandbox repeat the mantra told to them by their parents. The cycle continues.

Still, not every repeat message occurs because the hearer forgets or is neglectful. Often the importance of the message requires repetition. When God repeats something over and again, wise people listen. At more than 130 times, few topics have more references in the Bible than thankfulness.

• In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

• Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

• And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

• Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 118:1)!

Developing a pattern of thankfulness is not merely a practice in good manners. To be a genuinely thankful person is to be a spiritually maturing person.

Think about it:

Thankfulness produces liberty when you realize your life, both temporal and eternal, does not depend on you. The Christian who sees the hand of God dispensing every good gift, from his salvation to his daily bread, finds great mental relief when he affirms in thankfulness that sustaining life does not rest on his shoulders because his Father in heaven bears the responsibility to care for him.

Similarly, thankfulness delivers security when you realize that your Father in heaven watches over you in constant vigilance. Anxiety can paralyze a woman or make a man unable to act. The Christian who woke this morning thankful to God for the protection through the night finds herself in the position of protection from her Father in heaven in her restless and anxious moments of the day.

In the battle against pride, thankfulness wins the day. How can you express pride in your achievements, your stature, or your wisdom when you first express humility in thankfulness to God for the endowment of your skills, for the unknown acts of providence that delivered to you your position, or for the understanding of a situation because of the insight God gave to you?

In a world fraught with hardships and the daily penchant to complain, thankfulness overcomes grumbling, whining, and protesting. Your spouse will be much lovelier to you when thankfulness to God for her starts your morning thoughts about her. Your parents will be much less of a bother to you when you begin your day with thankfulness to God for them. You will appreciate your job all the more and work through the real challenges you face when your workday begins with thanks to God for what the income from your job provides for you and allows you to do.

While some historians debate the finer points of the story, Matthew Henry’s thankful response serves as an example to us. An English preacher in the late 1600s and early 1700s, Henry traveled by horseback on a preaching circuit through the English countryside. On one occasion four thugs attacked Matthew, robbing him of the little bit of money he possessed. Later, Henry recorded in his journal these thoughts:

Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.

While doing God’s will and serving God’s people, Matthew Henry experienced the reality of living in a sin-filled world. Who would condemn him for complaining? Yet, he finds in the event that left him poorer and the victim of a crime occasion to express thanks to God. You can do that too, can't you? As you do the will of God today as a dad, mom, son, daughter, employer, employee, and a brother or sister in Christ and experience some difficulty great or small, some point of dissatisfaction, some reason to complain, can you find a reason to be thankful to God?

Be thankful today. Your Father in heaven has been, is, and will continue to be good to you.

As always, I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

What Good Is a Dead Shepherd?

A dead shepherd can’t feed his sheep. He can’t lead his sheep, and he cannot protect his sheep. Without a living shepherd, the sheep scatter and are vulnerable. A dead shepherd is of no value to living sheep.

Last weekend, our church and Christians across the globe remembered our Lord’s Death on Good Friday and celebrated our Lord’s resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday. Sunday was a jubilant day filled with Bible reading, hymn singing, and the pronouncement, “He is risen!” And the significance of the resurrection for Christians must continue every day following Easter because a dead shepherd is of no value to living sheep.

But wait a minute, what about what Jesus said? “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” And we thank our Lord for giving his life for us. We cannot fully express the debt we owe to our Lord by giving his life a ransom for many. In his death our Lord demonstrated that he came to serve and not to be served. We are humbled by the bloodied mass on Calvary’s cross that won our redemption. But the cross is not the end, and a dead shepherd is of no value to living sheep.

When our Lord and his disciples gathered for the final meal where he established the New Covenant (Matthew 26:17-29), Jesus told his followers what was going to happen in the next few hours. In chilling words, he told the disciples of their coming betrayal of him. Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7, “I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” That’s exactly what happened. Without a living shepherd, the sheep have no idea how to survive. They run in fear and expose themselves to every predator.

It is the next words from Jesus that require focus – “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Matthew 27:32). The disciples will scatter upon his death but will gather to him upon his resurrection.

Do you remember the words of the angel at the empty tomb? Confused followers see the place where the body of Jesus should be. The burial shroud is there, but where are the Lord’s remains? None of this makes any sense. To the hurting, scattered, and defenseless the angel at the tomb says,

“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you” (Mark 16:6-7).

A dead shepherd is good for the moment. When he lays down his life for the sheep, he sacrifices himself to secure the life of the sheep in that instance, but what about the next moment, the next event, and the next circumstance? Who will care for the sheep when those come? That requires a living shepherd.

Our Lord’s resurrection from the dead confirms for Christians his ongoing leadership, protection, and provision. The Christian says, “The Lord is my shepherd!” (Psalm 23:1).

What shelter do you need today? Your living shepherd will cover you. What direction do you need today? Your living shepherd will guide you. What necessity do you lack? Your living shepherd will deliver it to you. Our Lord is not a dead shepherd who acted once but a living shepherd who acts daily for all his sheep.

Take great comfort, Christians, your shepherd lives! Of himself he says, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18).

Today, tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year will bring difficulty for you. This is the reality of living in a sin-filled and broken world, but you will not face this alone. You belong to the Great Shepherd’s flock. He knows all his sheep. He knows you, and he will act for and toward you.

Our shepherd laid down his life for us, and our shepherd lives again. Just as we rejoiced on Easter Sunday, let’s rejoice each day that our shepherd lives.

As always, I welcome your comments and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

To read past Lunchtime Musings, follow me at medium.com/@mikeverway

Mike VerWay
Pastor for Preaching & Vision

The Lost Easter of 2020

For most United States churches this Sunday will mark two years since its last Easter celebration. Think about it, there are new believers who have yet to gather with other Christians on Easter Sunday. There are children who were toddlers the last time the church came together on Easter Sunday. Now a little older, these four and five-year-olds will learn from their parents, pastors, and Sunday School teachers initial lessons on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

With them, we will celebrate the most important truth of our Christian faith, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the pinnacle event and doctrine that sets apart Christianity from all other religions. The resurrection transforms the disciples from scattered and devastated companions to unified and courageous ambassadors. The resurrection is the theme of their preaching in the book of Acts. They fearlessly announce the fact of Jesus’s resurrection and both the manner and the cause of his death (Acts 2:24). There is no hesitation in public gatherings (Acts 17:16–34), private conversations (8:26-40), and legal proceedings (Acts 4:1-22; 6:8-15) to declare the living Jesus.

From its beginning in Acts 2, the church has gathered on the first day of the week, the day of our Lord’s resurrection, to celebrate his victory over sin, death, and the grave. Over the centuries, the Christian church has set aside one Sunday a year for heightened reflection and celebration, the day we know as Easter.

Gather Easter Sunday with the church. I shouldn’t have to say this, but I must encourage the church together on the Lord’s Day. Overcome calendar challenges, reject entertainment options, and deny recreation activities. Choose to worship with others who love the living Jesus like you do.

Prepare your children for the significance of Easter Sunday. Teach your children the significance of Easter Sunday. Help them understand why this Sunday is different than the Sunday before or the Sunday after. When you help with the pretty dresses, clip-on ties, and shiny shoes, talk about Jesus. Tell them the resurrection story and why we make a big deal out of easter. Help them know that candy and eating at grandma’s are not the highlight of the day. The highlight of the day is hearing again the bold proclamation that Jesus died and is alive again.

Seize the evangelistic opportunity of Easter Sunday. I have no studies to back up my theory, but I suspect if you invite an unbelieving friend to an Easter worship service with the church, there is a strong chance they will come. They probably haven’t been to a church gathering in at least one year and maybe many more. The Sunday sermon will center on who Jesus is, what he did on the cross, and the victory he won over sin, death, and the grave. I tell my children all the time, “Don’t say no for people.” Don’t say no for your friend or family member by not extending an invitation to come hear about Jesus.

He lives! By God’s grace Christians will meet this Sunday, Easter Sunday, in worship of the resurrected Jesus.

As always, I welcome your comments and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

To read past Lunchtime Musings, follow me at medium.com/@mikeverway

Mike VerWay
Pastor for Preaching & Vision