Rediscovering Christmas: Playing Reindeer Games

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:12 NIV






When we lived in Oregon we traveled down a winding road to get our home. On one particular evening as we came home after dark, the car headlights lit up a deer crossing sign. I remember Riley, my son, asking what the sign was about. I recall telling him it was a sign that was warning us that there were deer in the area and we should be watching as to not hit them. That teachable moment seemingly slipped by as the conversation ended.

I don’t remember how long before the next event took place: We are driving down the same road and the headlights hit the sign again. It was long after the lights slipped past the sign that Riley cried out, “Dad, Dad! I saw one!”

I replied, “What did you see?”

He responded, “A deer, a deer!”

Now I had not seen a deer, but not wanting to doubt him I asked, “What was the deer doing?”

He paused for a moment and then like any child born in Indiana he replied, “He was playing basketball!”

I immediately began to laugh and this began a game that we now play nearly every time we see a deer crossing sign. It is our reindeer game.

I have apparently been witness to deer playing basketball, cards, monopoly, yahtzee, soccer, football, ping-pong, swimming, hockey, bowling, and my personal favorite – hop scotch. I guess there really is no end to the games that reindeer can play.

I chuckle every time I am alone in the car and see a deer crossing sign. I wonder what the deer might be up to that I can’t quite see. That got me thinking about the signs that we miss, or more importantly the joy that we miss when take the signs for granted that are a part of our everyday lives.

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

There was a sign 2000 years ago and many missed it.

It was subtle.

It was shared with a few shepherds and they shared it with others, but

like so many amazing events in life, with time, the wonder and amazement lessened.

A baby was born, a sign was given. The shepherds were told. They looked for the sign and discovered Joy at the sight of the newborn.

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

The star that the Magi followed certainly shown in the sky above the shepherds that night but it took an angel from God to point out the sign to them.

Life is a continuous series of adjustments. Life is busy. Sometimes the most important details are lost in the midst of being busy.

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Babies are amazing. They do absolutely nothing and we watch with joy for hours. I believe it is a picture of true worship: God does not need to do anything more in order to receive our worship. And yet He does. He shows up in person in a manger to be with us. How can we not respond in worship and adoration.

As you have heard the Christmas story this year, for the first time or for the 50th time,

Did you see the signs?

A baby is born and God is with us.

Do you have the Joy that comes from knowing God’s son?

Have you made the adjustments to your life to allow room for Jesus?

Have you given God the adoration and worship He is due at all times good and bad?

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Do you have the Hope that God offers through Faith in Jesus Christ?

See the signs,

Believe the miracle.

Receive the God’s Gift given this Christmas season.

The signs are all around.

Don’t miss the celebration?

Merry Christmas!

Rediscovering Christmas: The Grinch

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”







In a recent national survey, more than 62 percent of respondents said watching a holiday movie is a tradition in their home, making it a more popular tradition than baking holiday cookies or hanging stockings. Additionally, respondents felt shopping (35.4 %), traveling (20.5 %) and hanging Christmas lights (17.9 %) were the worst part of the holidays, which is perhaps why so many identified with The Grinch from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," who was voted the #1 holiday movie character (18.6 %). The bad-tempered Grinch beat out unforgettable characters like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" (13 %) and even Kris Kringle from "Miracle on 34th Street" (13 %).

The Grinch is the popular cartoon character created by Dr. Seuss. He first appeared in the 1957 children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! In 1966, Ted received a call from his old friend Chuck Jones, now a successful animator. Jones convinced Ted to adapt How the Grinch Stole Christmas! for television. It was a painstaking task, as Jones used the full-animation technique that had been popular at Disney. The idea behind full animation is that one could follow the story, with or without the benefit of narration. With full animation, a half-hour television program would require approximately 25,000 drawings—over 12 times as many drawings as most animations of equal length.

The length of the story, the color of the Grinch, and the development of a script that did not end on a trite or overly religious note also had to be addressed. Again, Ted was always very particular about colors, and it took some convincing by Jones for Ted to concede to paint the Grinch green with evil red eyes. The songs were a collaborative effort between Ted and composer Albert Hague. The result had the Grinch forever immortalized by a popular television special, produced by MGM and directed by Chuck Jones. The voice of the narrator and of Mr. Grinch was unforgettably delivered by the legendary Boris Karloff.

Since then The Grinch has become a Christmas standard, and parodied or featured outside the Dr. Seuss brand frequently around the holiday season. The character is referenced by the media often in instances where a holiday display is ruined by vandals, or holiday burglaries are committed. Outside Christmas, the term "Grinch" is synonymous with "grouch", as in someone that shows great disdain for something wholesome.

The Grinch carries a theme common with other Christmas classics like The Christmas Carol by Dickens and the grouchy Ebenezer Scrooge or the film It’s A Wonderful Life and the despised Mr. Potter. But this character is so much more fun, more green, more fuzzy, more silly, that it couldn’t possibly be about me.

As with seemingly all classic Christmas cartoons there is a great moral lesson:
Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Now I am all for teaching good morals, but never forget that truth is not relative. Truth is a gift from God that is absolute.

In How the Grinch Stole Christmas! remember there was a problem. Dr. Seuss had a concern that the story not end in a way that was trite or overly religious. So, the script called for a star to rise to the heavens (rather than drop from the heavens) in order to emphasize the power of the heart.

Let me repeat that: concern that the story end in a way that was not trite or overly religious . . . so, the script called for a star to rise to the heavens (rather than drop from the sky) to emphasize the power of the heart.

I guess here is where my problem with the world’s view of Christmas (and that includes Dr. Seuss!):

Christmas no matter how you want to dissect it - will always be about the celebration of the birth of Christ. Not a celebration of the human spirit. Not a celebration of the good of humanity. Not a celebration of generosity.

During December 2008 in Washington DC there was a bus advertising campaign that was paid for by the American Humanist Association. (Fox News 11-12-08) The thought provoking campaign borrowed from the holiday song “Here Comes Santa Claus” and asked and then answered a simple question, “Why believe in God? Just be good for goodness’ sake.”

Following the campaign, a competing campaign was launched. It will covered the Washington DC busses with the following message presumably from God, “Why believe? Because I created you for goodness sake. Signed God.”

Do we really think that change will come as a result of a slogan on a bus?
Or in the Grinch’s case as the result of a bunch of ‘Whos’ singing on Christmas morning?

Do we as Christians really believe that change is that easy?

Did Dr. Seuss have it right? Could we simply have a change of heart all on our own?

God has been at work changing people’s hearts since the beginning of time. God used radical means to get our attention. A virgin gave birth. A sinless life was lived.

Jesus was radical as well in His messages. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount changed all perspectives for all times: The least became the most. The last became first. The lost became found. The forgotten remembered. Jesus brought a message of change and of hope.

Do not forget that the power to change is not found with in you, But with Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! I Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Shortly before his death, when Dr. Seuss was asked if there was anything left unsaid, he pondered the question and finally responded: “The best slogan I can think of to leave would be: ‘We can . . . and we’ve got to . . . do better than this.’”

Church we must do better than offering slogans and good morals. Church we must be willing to be people of change. Change will not come to this world, this community, our neighborhoods, or our homes, until we first change ourselves.

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. I Corinthians 5:16-20 The Message

Christ’s final words on this earth implore us to go tell others the good news.

Why?

So that others might know what we know, Behold all things are new!

Even for a Grinch, even for me, and yes even you!

Rediscovering Christmas: Frosty the Sowman

For Frosty the snow man had to hurry on his way, but he waved goodbye saying,

“Don’t you cry, I’ll be back again some day!”

Walter Rollins







Interestingly enough, like so many other songs about winter, “Frosty, the Snowman” has become well-established as a Christmas song, even though Christmas is never actually mentioned. However, some versions of the song change the last lyric to ‘I’ll be back on Christmas Day!’

It has been covered by many artists, including Jimmy Durante, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Conniff, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Beach Boys, and countless other musical acts including a 2005 recording of the song by actor Burt Reynolds. Gene Autry’s original recording reached #7 in 1950, Perry Como’s #74 in 1957, Johnny Mathis’ #29 in 2003, and Kimberly Locke’s #1 in 2005.

In 1972, the writer of the song admitted in an interview with Life magazine that initial concept for Frosty the Snowman was written as a cautionary tale pertaining to the scare of "nuclear winter." Initially it was said that nuclear fallout mixed with snow and children's dreams of a world without war were what brought Frosty to life, but the publishers and Gene Autry thought that the song would have more commercial appeal as a children's Christmas song and the idea was dropped.

To be clear, the song is about a snowman who comes to life thanks to a magic hat some children found; he then had playful adventures before he "hurried on his way". Near the end of their adventures together, the children are saddened by Frosty having to hurry on his way for the last time. However, Frosty reassures them by exclaiming, "I'll be back again someday."

Gene Autry recorded Frosty the Snowman in 1950 and it proved to be the monster Christmas hit of 1950, and became a part of popular culture.

So how did it get to be so popular?

This particular Christmas Cartoon Classic has its roots in a song and the song might never have been written if not for the success of another Gene Autry song in 1947 Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane). To that end, “Here Comes Santa Claus” led to the even greater success of “Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer” in 1949.

It was the commercial success of Rudolph that inspired a team of writers, Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson, to sit down to write a new holiday song. "Frosty the Snowman" was in many ways an imaginative echo of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Like Rudolph, Frosty was a magical new Christmas character who evoked both delight and sadness. Frosty brought much joy to the children who put the old silk hat on his head, thus bringing him to life.

'Frosty the Snowman’ went on to inspire the Golden Book of 1951 adapted by Annie North Bedford and illustrated by Corine Malverne. The book tells of a snowman that comes alive and takes the children who created it on sledding and ice-skating adventures. But Frosty melts when he and the children go to the village to see the shop windows. Golden Books kept Frosty in the mainstream long after the song was hit.

In 1954, a three-minute animated short illustrating “Frosty, the Snowman” was created and broadcast on television for the first time. Then in 1969, Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass took their animated talents and produced a TV special based upon the song. Unlike their previous puppet animation, the pair decided to venture into traditional drawn animation and aimed for the ‘look’ of a Christmas card. To that end, they hired Paul Coker Jr, who at the time was working as a greeting card illustrator. With the voice talents of Jimmy Durante (narrator) and Jackie Vernon (Frosty), the production was not done on the cheap and it showed. The result was a holiday special that placed Frosty in the heart of millions of children over the decades. “Frosty” is still broadcast regularly during the holiday season.

So, what attracts so many to Frosty?

Frosty’s charisma alone solidifies him as an enduring TV character, right up there with all-time greats such as Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Charlie Brown (1965), and The Grinch (1966).

He is magical and does things that no snowman has ever done before.

He also gives children the gift of laughter and play.

But I believe what attracts us is his promise to return at the end of the tale that sparks in us all the anticipation of an annually renewed friendship with the jolly soul.

It is this promise that I want to expand on today.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2 NIV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:30-33 NIV

2000 years ago for the countless Jews in and around Jerusalem life was pretty peaceful. The Romans had brought peace to the region, but the Romans still ruled over them and they longed for the prophecies to come true about the King of Kings that was to come and rule again like David. They too hoped for peace.

Unfortunately for most of them, they missed their hope for peace. They missed the magic in the manger that night in Bethlehem. They missed the One who came to bring peace and life everlasting.

As the infant, Jesus, grew in wisdom and stature many came to follow Him and believe in His teachings. He spoke and taught and did things that no one else had done. He brought hope to those who had lost all hope. He brought second chances to those who had been cast aside. He brought the promise of something greater. He brought the promise of peace.

But at the peak of all this, He was taken away and wrongly convicted. He was put to death on a cross and buried in a borrowed tomb. The good news of Christmas is the same good news of Easter: Christ conquered death and sin for you and me. He returned from the grave and promised the same victory for you and me. After his resurrection, He returned to Heaven.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Acts 1:10-11 NIV

This Christmas season, you will, no doubt, countless times hear the song, Frosty the Snowman. This season as you listen to the song, listen to the promise:

”He waved goodbye saying, Don't you cry, I'll be back again some day.”

In this time of unrest and doubt, in this season of expectation, rest assuredly on the promise that begins with God coming to be with us. Encourage one another and find hope in these words:

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NIV)

In other words, Don’t you cry, for God is with us and Christ will return again some day.

Rediscovering Christmas: Rudolph the Red-Nosed reindeer

“We’re just a couple of misfits. Trying to fit in”








Like many Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is one of my favorites. I like the part of the story about all of the misfit toys (a toy train with square wheels or a squirt gun with jelly, or an elephant with pink spots, or perhaps even a “Charlie-in-the-box”) and of course the misfits – Rudolph and Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist. I can relate to the misfits because most of my life I have seemingly been a bit of a misfit.

Now I have a theory about where all the toys on the Island of Misfit Toys come from. I believe these toys aren’t actually from the North Pole, but rather they are the sad victims of countless parents’ poor attempts at assembling toys without instructions on Christmas morning. Perhaps as a result of watching these misfits, or a childhood trauma, or a lesson learned as an adult, I have become an assembly instruction aficionado. I love instructions, or as my son puts it, “Where are the ‘Questions’?” I guess he has witnessed one too many instruction-less assemblies!

I believe many of us struggle with Christmas and all the associated joy. We struggle like a misfit trying to fit in while those around us relish in a season of merriment and joy. I propose to you this day that our problem is not with the product of Christmas, but rather we have failed to properly read and follow the instructions.

So let’s review the instructions given us to assemble a merry Christmas:

Step 1A Find and follow the instructions
This seems obvious, but it needs to be said. Remember the trouble shooting guide for a desk lamp says, “1) Have you checked to be sure the light bulb is good? 2) Is the lamp turned on? 3) Is the lamp plugged in?” All seems obvious, but you know someone didn’t read them. Don’t let that someone be you this year.

Our instructions will be found in the gospel of Luke in the second chapter.

Step 1B Find the important part.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:15-16

A Merry Christmas begins with a baby in a manger. This is the most unlikely place to find a Merry Christmas for some, but this is no ordinary baby. Sometimes the most unlikely part is the most important part.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

This baby was born to die so HE could be our Savior. This baby was the anointed one, our Christ. This baby is Lord of all (including us). A more joyous celebration cannot be found. The main focus of Christmas must be sought carefully and diligently or it will be missed.

Sometimes the most important part can be lost because it is so small. Christmas is found at a lowly stable in Bethlehem. You would miss it unless you were following the directions.

Step 2 Find someone else to help you celebrate.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. Luke 2:17

The whole reason for the season is found in the birth of Christ, but part of the joy of the season is sharing the news (not presents or fruitcakes). The shepherds increased their joy by spreading the good news of Jesus' birth. Keeping the story of Christmas to ourselves will rob us of the greatest opportunity we have to discover true joy and to have a Merry Christmas.

Step 3 Think it through

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:18

The true meaning of Christmas gets lost in the hustle and bustle of adding to the season things that distract us. The message was plain to those shepherds that night and it struck wonder in the hearts of those that heard their tale. The message was simple and uncomplicated.

Take time and read the story of the first Christmas and listen to the Word of God. Take the time to sit, relax and meditate on the wonder of the true story of Christmas. If by focusing and listening to the story we can rediscover the true meaning of Christmas, we will indeed have begun to assemble a Merry Christmas.

Step 4 Don't throw anything away!

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

First, understand "kept" to mean that she remembered the events of that night and the things connected to the birth of the Savior. She meditated on those things. Every detail that surrounds Christmas is important and must not be forgotten. If it is lost then our Merry Christmas is just a poor facsimile of the original. Have you ever looked at the finished product and compared it with the picture on the box?

They do look similar but if not constructed carefully there will be tell tale differences that will be evident in the copy. If you try to skip steps, the parts left over testify to a sloppy job or poor assembly, or missed instructions.
Secondly, "kept" can also signify "to observe or to celebrate". As we observe the Christmas season, let us center our traditions and celebrations around the things that remind us of that blessed event or the important part.

Step 5 Don't stop until the job is done.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them Luke 2:20

Many things are left unfinished simply because we did not take the time to finish them. The shepherds returned to their job and their responsibilities with a different attitude. They may have gone back to the same boring job but they were not the same men. The joy of the first Christmas had changed them and they shared the story of what they has seen with all they encountered.

Have you allowed Christmas to make a positive difference in your life? Do you return to work after Christmas, praising God for the gift of his Son and rejoicing in a Merry Christmas?

The steps to assembling a Merry Christmas are clear but they are not always easy. It takes some effort to assemble a Merry Christmas. It certainly took some effort on the part of the shepherds and Mary.

And let’s not forget poor Hermey and Rudolph who felt like misfits while trying to assemble a Merry Christmas.

Perhaps, you are struggling this year to put together a Merry Christmas.

This season try following the instructions to assemble a Merry Christmas.

If assembled correctly, what you build will stay with you the entire year.

So, if you are having trouble assembling a Merry Christmas, why not stop and read the instructions this year?

Rediscovering Christmas: Charlie Brown

“My trouble is Christmas.
I just don’t understand it.
Instead of feeling happy,
I feel sort of let down.“

Charlie Brown


Bringing the Peanuts characters to television was not an easy task. The strip's creators, with funding from sponsor Coca-Cola, presented the CBS network with an idea for a Christmas television special starring Charles Schulz's characters.

The production was done on a shoestring budget, resulting in a somewhat choppy animation style and, from a technical standpoint, a poorly mixed soundtrack. With the exception of the actors who voiced Charlie Brown and Lucy, none of the children had any experience doing voice work.

This was especially challenging for Kathy Steinberg, who voiced Sally: she was too young to read and needed to be cued line by line during the soundtrack recording. The technical issues are in evidence on the show's audio track, which to some may seem noticeably choppy and poorly enunciated.

Another complaint about the production was the absence of a laugh track, a common element of children's cartoons at the time. Schulz maintained that the audience should be able to enjoy the show at their own pace, without being cued when to laugh. Finally, the executives thought that the jazz style soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi would not work well for a children's program. When executives saw the final product, they were horrified and believed the special would be a complete flop.

The show first aired on Thursday, December 9, 1965, preempting The Munsters and following the Gilligan's Island episode entitled "Don't Bug the Mosquitos." To the surprise of the executives, it was both a critical and commercial hit. None of the technical problems detracted from the show's appeal; to the contrary, it is thought that these so-called quirks are what lent the show such an innovative, authentic and sincere feeling. Linus' recitation of the Christmas narrative was hailed by critics who said, "Linus' reading of the story of the Nativity was, quite simply, the dramatic highlight of the season."

The end result had 50% of the televisions in the United States were tuned to the first broadcast. A Charlie Brown Christmas went on to win an Emmy and a Peabody award, and is considered by many to be a timeless holiday classic. Watching it is now an annual tradition for countless people.

Charlie Brown asks the question we all are want to ask from time to tome, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” I believe we can all relate to Charlie Brown. I too am already tired of all the commercials, all the music, all the sales, all the commercialization of the season. It really isn’t hard to lose your joy in this world we live in and it is especially easy to lose your joy in this Christmas season.

With all the presents, trees, reindeers (Rudolph included), parties, cookies, tinsel, ornaments, lights, fruitcake, toys, carols, children, that same fruitcake now returned to you, Santa Claus, elves, stars, and yes the snowmen (especially Frosty!) it is very easy to lose heart and become discouraged. If we are honest with ourselves, we can each admit that we have wondered, “What happened to Christmas?” I believe that is the question that Charlie Brown asks for us every year, “What is Christmas all about?”

Network executives were not at all keen on several aspects of the television special, forcing Schulz and Melendez to wage some serious battles to preserve their vision. The executives did not want to have Linus reciting the story of the birth of Christ from the Gospel of Luke; the network orthodoxy of the time assumed that viewers would not want to sit through passages of the King James Version of the Bible. Charles Schulz was adamant about keeping this scene in, remarking that "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"

Perhaps Christmas has become too familiar to us. And with the familiarity, we forget the reason for the holiday. Thankfully we have Charlie Brown to remind us why it is Christmas.

Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "What do people say about me?"

The disciples answered, "Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets."

Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?"

"You are the Messiah!" Peter replied.

Mark 8:27-29 CEV

I believe Christmas comes down to this, “Who do you say this Child is?” If like Peter you believe this child is the Messiah then Christmas has meaning far beyond, the presents, trees, reindeers (Rudolph included), parties, cookies, tinsel, ornaments, lights, fruitcake, toys, carols, children, the same fruitcake still given back, Santa Claus, elves, stars, and the snowmen (Especially Frosty!).

The meaning of Christmas will not be found in the external things, but rather it will be found within. Christmas is so much more than what we see and experience. Christmas is more than we have allowed it to become. This holiday season take the time to tell the story, invite a friend to church, participate in the activities of the season, and discover as Charlie Brown did – the true meaning of Christmas will only be lost when we stop remembering and believing the message of God’s love.

The question is as haunting today as it was in 1965, "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"

Great Excuses: Not Me

The cartoon series Family Circle debuted on February 29 - Leap Year Day - in 1960, and has been in continuous production ever since. In April 1975, Keane introduced an invisible gremlin named "Not Me", who watches while the children try to shift blame for a misdeed by saying, "Not me". Additional gremlins named "Ida Know" (in September, 1975), "Nobody", "O. Yeah!", and "Just B. Cause" were introduced in later years. Although it is clear that the parents do not accept the existence of the gremlins the mother did include them as members of the family when being interviewed by a member of the US Census Bureau. Another time when the mother was sick of hearing about the gremlins from the kids she asked her mother-in-law if she ever dealt with such absurdity, causing her to remark "All I know is that he has been around since I was a little girl" in which there is a flashback to her childhood with her father demanding to know "Who scratched my new Glenn Miller record?", and "Not Me" is seen taking cover (courtesy wikipedia).

As we wrap up our series on Great Excuses from the Bible, let’s be honest and admit that we all have made excuses. Some were real and some, well they were just plain senseless. We have all at some point be caught ‘red-handed’ and loudly proclaimed, “not me!” We have even watched and witnessed business leaders, politicians, athletes, and yes even friends wiggle as they have explained away how they did it, but didn’t do it. The stories are almost too painful (and at the same time funny) to recount.

I want to tell you this morning one of the overlooked moments in the Bible that includes one of the best ‘Not Me!’ moments in the history of excuses.

The nation of Israel has been free from Egypt for 3 months. In that time, there have been 10 plagues, the Red Seas has parted, Manna has fallen from the sky every morning, and Water has been brought forth from a rock. In Chapter 19 God announces to Moses that God is going to come to Moses and give him the Laws for the people to live by. This visit comes with a warning (Exodus 19:20-22). The people heed this warning and plead with Moses to go to God on their behalf (Exodus 20:18-20). Moses departs up the Mountain to receive the Law. Chapter 32 of Exodus tells the story of the people becoming bored while Moses was gone and making a calf out of gold to worship.

Exodus 32:21-24 contains a classic excuse when Moses confronts the people with their idolatrous actions:

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

And there you have it. We didn’t do anything. We collected some jewelry, threw in the fire, and there was this golden calf. We didn’t do it. It just happened. We are not a fault. As a matter of fact, Moses, you were gone so long, what did you expect to happen? Now that I think about it, perhaps it is your fault! After all you know how evil these people are.

This activity of shifting of the blame is really as old as time. It begins in the garden when Adam confronted with his own actions proclaims, “She made me do it! – it wasn’t me."

We have been caught up in the rhetoric of crisis ever since. We spend so much time in the rhetoric of crisis and blame that we have no time to spend in the discussion and action of doing anything.

As a culture we are caught up in the crisis. Everything is a crisis. We talk over and over about the crisis. We love to talk about the problems and all the OTHER people that cause the problems.

We have forgotten the Greatness of God. We have become the people at the foot of the mountain caught up in our stupid behavior while cluelessly blaming others. We take credit where we should not – and we assess blame where we should accept it. We pass the buck – complain about the crisis – and loudly proclaim – Not me when asked . . . who is responible?

Just once, I want someone to declare, "it was me!"

Just once instead of telling us all the reasons why we have a problem, I want someone to tell us how to get out of it.

Instead of yelling there is a FIRE! How about pointing us to the exits? Better yet why not create a new exit for us to get out!

Next time we are in crisis, what if our response was “I did” instead of “not me”?

Who searched for the lost sheep? I did
Who Loved the least? I did
Who loved the unloveable? I did
Who served the lost? I did
Who invited the stranger? I did

Who loved you when you were lost, lonely, and filled with sins of the past and the present? Christ did.

Knowing that, can you respond with anything but love and adoration for God?

It's your turn.

No excuses.

How will you respond?

Great Excuses: I Sort of Did it

Let’s be honest, at some point in our lives we have all been caught ‘red-handed’ and loudly proclaimed, “not me!” "It wasn't my fault" "I didn't really do all that!"

We have even watched and witnessed business leaders, politicians, athletes, and yes even friends wiggle and squirm as they have explained away how they did it but didn’t do it. The stories are almost too painful (and at the same time funny) to recount. I want to share with you one of the overlooked stories of the Bible that includes one of the best ‘I sort of did what you asked’ moments in the history of excuses.

1-2 Samuel said to Saul, "GOD sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what GOD says. This is the GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking:
2-3 "'I'm about to get even with Amalek for ambushing Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt. Here's what you are to do: Go to war against Amalek. Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban. And no exceptions! This is to be total destruction—men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys—the works.'"
4-5 Saul called the army together at Telaim and prepared them to go to war—two hundred companies of infantry from Israel and another ten companies from Judah. Saul marched to Amalek City and hid in the canyon.
6 Then Saul got word to the Kenites: "Get out of here while you can. Evacuate the city right now or you'll get lumped in with the Amalekites. I'm warning you because you showed real kindness to the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt."
And they did. The Kenites evacuated the place.
7-9 Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border. He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban. Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.
10-11 Then GOD spoke to Samuel: "I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him."
11-12 Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, "Saul's gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal."
By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to GOD.
13 As Samuel came close, Saul called out, "GOD's blessings on you! I accomplished GOD's plan to the letter!"
14 Samuel said, "So what's this I'm hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?"
15 "Only some Amalekite loot," said Saul. "The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to GOD. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban."
16 "Enough!" interrupted Samuel. "Let me tell you what GOD told me last night."
Saul said, "Go ahead. Tell me."
17-19 And Samuel told him. "When you started out in this, you were nothing— and you knew it. Then GOD put you at the head of Israel—made you king over Israel. Then GOD sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, 'Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites, under a holy ban. Go to war against them until you have totally wiped them out.' So why did you not obey GOD? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with GOD's eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?"
20-21 Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey GOD. I did the job GOD set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to GOD at Gilgal—what's wrong with that?"
22-23 Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices — empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what GOD tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around GOD is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to GOD's command, He says No to your kingship.
24-25 Saul gave in and confessed, "I've sinned. I've trampled roughshod over GOD's Word and your instructions. I cared more about pleasing the people. I let them tell me what to do. Oh, absolve me of my sin! Take my hand and lead me to the altar so I can worship GOD!"
26 But Samuel refused: "No, I can't come alongside you in this. You rejected GOD's command. Now GOD has rejected you as king over Israel."
27-29 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed at his priestly robe and a piece tore off. Samuel said, "GOD has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are. Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says."

Go back to Verse 20. Can't you see it? Can you hear it? Saul is declaring how he did everything God asked, while having to speak louder and louder to be heard over the sound of all the sheep and cattle.

Every time I think of that moment, I am reminded of all the times I have loudly said, I am a follower of Christ! I wonder could God even hear me over all the noise of my life that said otherwise?

This story introduces the theme that God wants our obedience and not our empty activity (obedience over sacrifice).

How long have you gone through the motions?

How long have you played the game of being faithful – declaring you are a faithful follower of Christ while the actions of your life belie the words of your lips.

Could today be the day that the words of your lips might match the beliefs of your heart and that both may be revealed in the activity of your lives?

Don't let the sound of cattle and sheep drown out your witness?

Great Excuses: I'll do it later

If we are honest, we all have made excuses. Some were real, some we made up, some made sense, some, well they were probably in hindsight senseless and laughable.

I think the problem with many excuses that others use – is that we ‘see’ through them, yet we fail to see the same stupidity when we use similar excuses. It is another way perhaps of looking at the statement “remove the log from your own eye before removing the spec from your neighbor’s”

The 24th chapter of Acts in The Message contains one of my favorite excuses from the Bible: I’ll get to it later as in it’s not that I haven’t done it – your just asking at the wrong time – I will get it done later – stop asking already.

1-4 Within five days, the Chief Priest Ananias arrived with a contingent of leaders, along with Tertullus, a trial lawyer. They presented the governor with their case against Paul. When Paul was called before the court, Tertullus spoke for the prosecution: "Most Honorable Felix, we are most grateful in all times and places for your wise and gentle rule. We are much aware that it is because of you and you alone that we enjoy all this peace and gain daily profit from your reforms. I'm not going to tire you out with a long speech. I beg your kind indulgence in listening to me. I'll be quite brief. 5-8 "We've found this man time and again disturbing the peace, stirring up riots against Jews all over the world, the ringleader of a seditious sect called Nazarenes. He's a real bad apple, I must say. We caught him trying to defile our holy Temple and arrested him. You'll be able to verify all these accusations when you examine him yourself."

9 The Jews joined in: "Hear, hear! That's right!"

10-13 The governor motioned to Paul that it was now his turn. Paul said, "I count myself fortunate to be defending myself before you, Governor, knowing how fair-minded you've been in judging us all these years. I've been back in the country only twelve days—you can check out these dates easily enough. I came with the express purpose of worshiping in Jerusalem on Pentecost, and I've been minding my own business the whole time. Nobody can say they saw me arguing in the Temple or working up a crowd in the streets. Not one of their charges can be backed up with evidence or witnesses. 14-15"But I do freely admit this: In regard to the Way, which they malign as a dead-end street, I serve and worship the very same God served and worshiped by all our ancestors and embrace everything written in all our Scriptures. And I admit to living in hopeful anticipation that God will raise the dead, both the good and the bad. If that's my crime, my accusers are just as guilty as I am. 16-19"Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do. I've been out of the country for a number of years and now I'm back. While I was away, I took up a collection for the poor and brought that with me, along with offerings for the Temple. It was while making those offerings that they found me quietly at my prayers in the Temple. There was no crowd, there was no disturbance. It was some Jews from around Ephesus who started all this trouble. And you'll notice they're not here today. They're cowards, too cowardly to accuse me in front of you. 20-21 "So ask these others what crime they've caught me in. Don't let them hide behind this smooth-talking Tertullus. The only thing they have on me is that one sentence I shouted out in the council: 'It's because I believe in the resurrection that I've been hauled into this court!' Does that sound to you like grounds for a criminal case?"

22-23 Felix shilly-shallied. He knew far more about the Way than he let on, and could have settled the case then and there. But uncertain of his best move politically, he played for time. "When Captain Lysias comes down, I'll decide your case." He gave orders to the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to more or less give him the run of the place and not prevent his friends from helping him. 24-26 A few days later Felix and his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul and listened to him talk about a life of believing in Jesus Christ. As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. "That's enough for today. I'll call you back when it's convenient." At the same time he was secretly hoping that Paul would offer him a substantial bribe. These conversations were repeated frequently. 27 After two years of this, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. Still playing up to the Jews and ignoring justice, Felix left Paul in prison.

Can you imagine hearing Paul tell the story of his own encounter with Christ? Can you imagine Paul recounting the story of the change in his life? Can you imagine hearing day after day – week after week – month after month – for two years without any response?

Felix’ excuse? It is not convenient. I’ll do it later on my own time. I’ll do it when I want.

We can read the excuse given by Felix and recognize it for what it is – a poor excuse for inaction. But how often have we used the same excuse in our own life. How long do we expect God to be patient and wait for us? How long do we think we have to respond?

How often have you heard the story of Jesus and his love for you? What are you waiting for?

How long have you attended your church without formally joining? What are you waiting for?

How long have you said you would like to study the Bible? What are you waiting for?

They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don't know the One who sent me. If I hadn't come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn't be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. John 15:20 The Message

What is your excuse?

From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Our Story

As we wrap up our series of messages about moving from ordinary to extraordinary, I want to review a few things about these ordinary men we call The Disciples. These ordinary men gave up everything to follow Christ (Luke 18:28). They left homes, jobs, land, family, and friends to follow Jesus. Their sacrifice was indeed heroic.

We do not see much of their heroism in the Gospel accounts. The Gospel writers instead give us an honest portrait of these men. They are not portrayed as mythical figures, but as real and ordinary men. The disciples are never the main actors in the Gospel story - that role is always left to Christ. In those rare moments that the disciples step to center stage it is only to reveal their weakness and to bring to life the lessons that Jesus is teaching. The Gospels record the actions of Christ and the work He did to train His disciples. As a result, we can only imagine the countless untold stories of faith shared by these men.

The move for the disciples from ordinary to extraordinary comes after Jesus’ return to Heaven. It is then, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, that the Disciples begin to act in extraordinary ways. We live today with a part of the extraordinary legacy of the disciples - the church. The church is born from the extraordinary efforts of the Disciples to tell the story of God’s Messiah.

As we examine one more of the disciples, we will discover that the Bible tells us very little about this disciple. Most of the story of this particular disciple is left untold. Perhaps that is one way we can relate to him . . . Most of us will be but a mere stat in the history of time – a number – or at best a name on list or a grave marker somewhere. Our lives will be untold stories in history.

The ninth name in Luke’s list of the disciples (Luke 6:14-16) is James the son of Alphaeus. That is it. That is all we really know about him – his name. If James the son of Alphaeus ever wrote anything – it is lost. If he ever asked Jesus anything – it is unrecorded. If he ever did anything to stand out – it is untold. He never attained fame. He apparently never stood out. Even his name was common – James.

There are several men in the New Testament with the name James. There was James the son of Zebedee – brother of John – part of Jesus’ inner circle. There was another James - the son of Mary and Joseph – Jesus’ half brother. That James became a leader in the early church in Jerusalem and is the author of the Book of James.

His lack of prominence is even reflected in his nickname from Scripture – James the Less. The actual Greek word is mikros which actually means little or small in stature. Perhaps he was short or small-framed. The word can also be loosely translated to mean someone who is young of age; therefore, he might have been younger than James the son of Zebedee. This nickname would have been a way to distinguish him within the group. However, his nickname was more likely a reference to his influence as compared to that of the other James and that too set him apart. He was James the Less.

In Mark 2:14, Levi (Matthew) is referenced as the son of a man also named Alphaeus. It is possible then that James the Less was the brother of Matthew. It would make sense in that there were other sets of brothers among the twelve – Peter and Andrew and James and John. On the other hand, no actual reference is given that they were brothers.

Perhaps even more interesting is the possible lineage shared by James the Less. When we compare Mark 15:40 and John 19:25, we discover what could be a highly intriguing family connection for James. Mark 15:40 mentions, “Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of James the Less and of Joses.” John 19:25, describing the same gathering, mentions “(Jesus’) mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” It is therefore possible, and perhaps even likely, that Mary the mother of James the Less and Mary the wife of Clopas are the same person. If true, that would make James the Less the Cousin of Jesus! But alas, we do not know because it is never actually recorded.

So, he may have been Matthew’s Brother. He may have been Jesus’ cousin. He may have been a small – younger – even quiet. He may have been person who stayed mostly in the background. It may be that all of these things were true of James the Less, but we just do not know. We might say his most distinguishing mark was his obscurity and the truth is we each live most of our lives in obscurity. It is one of the things we all have in common and it is one of the things that make each of us ordinary.

Early church history is nearly silent on the life of James. Many of the early stories confuse him with the brother of Jesus and therefore are inaccurate regarding his life. There is some evidence that he took the Gospel to Syria and Persia. Even the accounts of his death differ. He apparently died as he lived – in the shadows of obscurity.

James the Less sought no recognition. He displayed no great leadership. He asked no critical questions. He demonstrated no unusual insight. And yet, his name remains. All that he did or did not do is lost to time and history, but his name remains.

James the Less was one of the twelve disciples. Jesus chose him for a reason and eternity will remember his name. I think that is the point of James the Less – that is the lesson that is left for us to discover.

What made him ordinary also made him extraordinary. For this quiet ordinary life was lived serving His Master – Jesus – The Christ – The Savior of the World and because of his service to the Master we still remember him today.

How will you be remembered?




Interested in learning more about these ordinary disciples who became extraordinary try reading John MacArthur's Book - Twelve Ordinary Men

From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Thomas' Story

I believe we all, in our own way, are seeking ways to be extraordinary. The difficulty we have is that our own ordinariness gets in the way of dreams and desires. Taking it a step further, we may believe that anything is possible. Our problem is that we refuse to believe in the possibilities in our own life.

When the television show Deal or No Deal first debuted we watched in our household. It provided for some interesting drama and some fun entertainment. But I was struck by the fact that in nearly every show, the contestant at some point would say, “Howie, I believe I have the Million Dollars in my case!”

Just once I wanted the banker to offer them the contents of their case right at the beginning. Wouldn’t that be an interesting way to test their faith? It wouldn’t make for a very long game show – perhaps that is why I have not been asked to create any television game shows? Just cut through all the drama and tell me do you believe?

Do you believe?

This question is not new to our generation. The religious leaders of Jesus’ time did not have a problem believing in the miracles of Jesus’ – many of which they had witnessed first hand – none of them denied the reality of the miracles of Jesus. It was the message that they hated - a message that carried the news that they were sinners and needed to repent.

So it is in the context of choosing to believe, we hear Thomas’ Story or the story of “Seeing to Believe”

Our main character is Thomas also called Didymus, or the twin. He is most often referred to as “Doubting Thomas” and it is this label that I find most unfair. We are no different than Thomas in that our own doubts make us ordinary. When we are honest with ourselves, doubt is one thing we all have in common. It is only when we rise above our doubts that we have any hope of becoming extraordinary.

Thomas is only mentioned 6 times in scripture and three of those are in lists contained in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The other three mentions are contained within stories in the Gospel of John. These stories reveal some of Thomas’ personality and let’s face it, Thomas was a negative person. He worried. He brooded. He was angst-ridden. He was a New Testament version of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

He would have been a perfect fit for the Old Russian saying:

“How are you today?”

“Well, not as bad as tomorrow will be. Thanks for asking”

I want to briefly examine the stories that John tells about Thomas – these are stories not of a doubter but of someone struggling to become extraordinary:

His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." John 11:13-16 NIV

That’s a positively negative outlook. Okay, let’s go so that we too may die! This is not the statement of one who doubts his faith. Optimists are supposed to be Loyal because it will eventually be good. But this pessimist remains loyal believing that the worst is still coming!

Moving from ordinary to extraordinary will demand loyalty even when thoughts and feelings betray your loyalty. Thomas is a pessimist, but he is a loyal pessimist.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" John 14:1-5 NIV

Can you see Thomas reacting to Jesus?

“You are leaving?!”

“How will we know the way if you are gone?!”

It is more of the same from this pessimist. Now, Thomas declares it is better to die with you than be left behind all alone - same loyal pessimistic view coming from Thomas. Demands for loyalty will not be satisfied in one instance. The decision to follow Jesus is not a once in a lifetime decision – it is an every day, every moment of your life decision.

Questions of doubt will always be there. In Dr. Fowler’s theory of Faith Development he has discovered that any advancement of faith is preceded by a questioning of that faith and in this instance, Thomas’ questioning is about to bring to him the ultimate discovery.

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
John 20:24-29 NIV

Although Thomas is singled out as being THE ONE that did not believe, Mark’s Gospel tells the story that all of the disciples were slow to believe. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either(Mark 16:13 NIV) Let us not forget that all of the disciples were slow to believe!

Thomas wasn’t with them we they received the report – he was depressed, sullen, wallowing in misery. For Thomas this was the final worst case scenario that he had pessimistically envisioned. Thomas must have regretted not having died with Jesus. Thomas leaves the group and is presumably alone in his misery for a week.

He is now alone, betrayed, rejected, forgotten, foolish, broken hearted, shattered, devastated, crushed, beaten down, lost, and lonely. It is after a week that Thomas makes his way back to the group. He still does not believe, but he is choosing to be loyal to friends.

It is in that moment that Jesus appears and tells Thomas he understands his weakness – his doubt.

Wow! Our Savior, our Lord, understands that we have doubts. And in those moments of doubt, HE is there with us (Hebrews 4:15). It is in this moment that Thomas declares his loyalty again! If Thomas had other times of doubt, we do not know. It is given that his loyalty to the one he called My Lord and My God did not waiver.

There is considerable evidence that Thomas carried the Gospel to India. There are today churches in south India whose roots trace back to the beginning of the church age and church tradition has Thomas as their founder. There is even a place outside of Madras, India where it is purported that Thomas was buried. Tradition has it that he was martyred by the running through of a spear. For the one who longed to see the mark of the spear on his Lord and wished to die with him, it was a perhaps a fitting end.

We will be pessimistic – it is our nature. We will have moments of doubt. We will be ordinary for it is our nature.

It is when in spite of our pessimism, in spite of our doubts, that we choose to remain loyal that we begin to move from being ordinary to becoming extraordinary. It is when we act in faith – Having not seen BUT still believing. It is in those moments that we move from being ordinary to becoming extraordinary.

Have you declared your loyalty? In spite of your doubts, in spite of your pessimism – will you declare your intent?

Jesus is still asking are you available? Do you believe? Will you follow me?

Your doubts do not need to be gone in order to begin this journey.

Is today the day to begin your move towards extraordinary?

Ordinary to Extraordinary - Andrew's Story

Perhaps in the scheme of life the small things really do matter more. However, when we look back on our lives what we remember most are the big things. The singular events of our lives. A first kiss or the first kiss that really mattered! The first day on a new job or at a new school. Our first house. You name it.

Focusing on these events leaves out most of our lives. The big things we remember because they were, well, memorable – they were unusual. But most of our lives are spent in the usual. Living our lives this way, leads us to talking about our 15 minutes of fame or always grasping at that one great achievement. We all know people like that and there is something inherently sad about those people.

I have to come understand that it really is the small things in life that are important. In our relationships, it is the little things that get overlooked, but it is these little things that keep the relationship active. Falling in love is a big deal. The first kiss is a big deal, but it is all the little things before and after that make for a lifetime of love.

In other words, most of us know that life is lived in the small stuff, but I have to admit the small stuff isn’t where the fun is. It is the small stuff that leads us to believe that we are ordinary.

Andrew’s story is often lost amidst the small stuff of the Gospels for his story is a story of nothing but small stuff.

Andrew literally means “manly” and this would seem fitting for him if not for the details we will discover. After all, Andrew was a fisherman. This was a trade not for the weak for this was net fishing – by hand! Andrew spent time with John the Baptist, the guy who wore camel’s hair clothing and ate locusts – now that is manly!

He was also Peter’s little brother. He and Peter shared a home in Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, where they presumably operated their fishing business. They were both originally from Bathsaida a nearby town.

At some point, Andrew took time away from fishing to follow and learn from John the Baptist. Andrew was actually one of John the Baptist’s disciples. He must have been continuing his search for the promised one because when Jesus came (He was there at Jesus’ baptism) he left John and began to follow Jesus.

Actually, Andrew is the first of the disciples. Andrew would then introduce his brother Peter to Jesus and shortly thereafter James and John, the sons of thunder would join Jesus. These four would become the inner circle for Jesus.

Andrew’s life as follower of Christ is one that is lost in the details, the small stuff. Andrew although part of the inner circle, does not go with Peter, James, and John to the mountaintop. He is not witness to the Transfiguration of Christ. Andrew is not invited to go with Jesus at Gethsemane. No Andrew’s life will be a story of sweatin’ the small stuff – the things that need to be done. His work will by and large go unnoticed. His work is the stuff that no one else seems to want to do.

Andrew’s story is the story of individual people, insignificant gifts, and inconspicuous service.

Andrew meets Jesus and his first act is to introduce Peter to Jesus. He must have lived in Peter’s shadow and here was his opportunity to shine, but instead he introduces Peter knowing what that would mean. Andrew begins his relationship with Jesus by putting a priority on other people and by introducing them to Jesus. Andrew will continue this activity throughout his life.

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:8-13 NIV

It is Andrew that recognizes the value of such a small gift. The gift was not large enough to accomplish the task at hand, but look at what was accomplished with such a little gift. Never underestimate the value of your gifts when put in the service of the Lord.

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew . . . John 12:20-22 NIV

Why didn’t Phillip do this? This rings of “Get Andrew. He will do anything!” Perhaps, Andrew was the original – “Get Mikey, he’ll eat anything!” For me it signifies that Andrew was the one willing to do the jobs that others didn’t not want to do.

Including these 3 stories, Andrew is actually only mentioned 9 times in scripture. Despite his leadership role he is relegated to a minor role in the Gospels. Andrew is overshadowed by his brother Peter. Luke tells the story of the calling of the first disciples without even mentioning Andrew – now that is being left out! And nearly every mention of Andrew is done so with reference to the fact that he was Peter’s brother.

Was he slighted?
Was his role insignificant?
Did Andrew get overlooked?

If he did, then count me in with the small stuff for . . .

 He was the first to hear Jesus was the Lamb of God
 He witnessed the Baptism of Jesus
 He heard a voice from Heaven
 He was the first to follow Jesus
 He was part of the inner circle of Jesus’ Friends
 He spent intimate time with Jesus
 He spent his life introducing people to Jesus

Andrew’s legacy may be lost in the shadows. Andrew’s legacy may be a list of individual people, insignificant gifts, and inconspicuous service.

By today’s standards, Andrew certainly chose the foolish things. In today’s world, he would not have been on stage, he would not have been the star, the focal point, the person at the center of attention . . .

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the things of this world that are common and looked down on. He chose what is not considered to be important to do away with what is considered to be important.I Corinthians 1:27-28 NIRV

Being available and willing is sometimes the only requirement needed in order to move from ordinary to extraordinary in God’s eyes. And that is the legacy of Andrew. A legacy of a life spent following Jesus. Give me the small stuff and I will willingly sweat the small stuff in service to Jesus.

Are you willing to sweat the small stuff and get lost in the details?

Be an Andrew this week: invite someone to church

Be an Andrew: discover the size of the gift doesn’t matter when it is given to God

Be an Andrew: find the time and/or talent to give to the church/community this week

(image from artwork by Martin Creed)

Ordinary to Extraordinary: Philips' Story

This week we take a peak at Phillip and what made him so ordinary – counting chickens or in his case people.

In all the lists of the disciples, Phillip is always the 5th one listed and it is theorized that he was the leader of the second group of four disciples. This Phillip is not to be confused with the deacon Phillip that is mentioned in the 6th chapter of Acts. Phillip was from Bathsaida the same as Andrew and Peter. And as we discovered last week, Phillip was close friends with one of the other disciples, Nathanael.

Phillip is unique within the group of disciples as he is the only disciple with a Greek name. Now Phillip must have been Jewish as scripture also tells us that all of Jesus’ disciples were Jewish. Tradition would have it that even a converted Jew would have been given a Hebrew name, but no mention of Phillip’s Hebrew name is ever made. Phillip is most likely a part of the group later referred to as the Hellenistic Jews.

What really makes Phillip unique amongst the twelve is also what makes him ordinary enough for us to identify with him. Phillip is a “by-the-book” guy. He is a facts and figures guy. He is pragmatic in his thinking. He was narrow-minded. He was not a forward thinker. He might have been described as a pessimist, a kill-joy, a cynic, a defeatist.

One writer jokingly referred to him as the “bean-counter” of the twelve. Phillip would have been the type of person that would speak up at a meeting saying, “I don’t think we can do that because . . . . “ He was the type of person that always has reasons why something won’t work.

He was the type of person that struggled with accepting that things will happen by faith.

This pragmatic one. Phillip, wants to be a forward thinker, but as we will discover has a hard time not constantly counting all the chickens. Spiritually, Phillip’s heart is in the right place, but his faith is weak.

Phillip recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, God’s son. It is his weak faith that cannot allow him to get past the pragmatic side of life.

It is this pragmatic side that makes Phillip ordinary. It is the part of our own lives that reduces us to being ordinary as well – each of us becomes ordinary when life is reduced to what we believe are the possibilities – what we can see and/or count. That brings us to today’s story of counting chickens:


When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread to feed these people?" He said this to stretch Philip's faith. He already knew what he was going to do. (John 6:5-6)

It is not by accident that Phillip is the one asked the big question, “How are we going to do this?” We know that Judas was the keeper of money, but it would stand to reason that Phillip may have been the one charged with arranging meals and taking care of the logistics for the group. This would have been a great use of his talents and abilities as revealed in his personality.

Now the non-pragmatic answer would have been easy to give in hindsight. (Most of us escape are pragmatic nature in hindsight!). Most pragmatists are really good at this. Phillip was really good at this.

Remember last week we learned that Jesus found Phillip and offered him the invitation, “Follow Me.” But to hear Phillip tell it, Phillip found Jesus! (John 1:43-44). Hindsight is always perfect and never wrong.

Remember, Phillip was at the wedding in Cana. He had already witnessed that Jesus was capable of amazing things. In this moment, could he stop counting people long enough to take a step a faith? And in his reply, we see how ordinary you can become even in the presence of Jesus:

Philip answered, "Two hundred silver pieces wouldn't be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece." (John 6:7 NIV)

There it is - a very pragmatic answer to the problem at hand.

"There is no way we can do this!" His response is driven by the analytical, the pragmatic, the material, the earth, reality. His answer is driven by what he can see and count – people and money.

But, Jesus wasn’t looking for a plan? The scripture says it was a test. Jesus already knew what he was going to do.

Phillip was probably so busy counting heads as he saw the time of day passing. Phillip was busy calculating the impossibility of it all.

Even though he recognized the one who was with him as the Son of God, he could not get past the reality of life that was in front of him. The reality was very real. There were over 5000 people to be fed. (Historic records would estimate that the crowd was actually 10-20,000 that day with women and children included)

In hindsight, I bet Phillip told people he said, “Lord if you want to feed them, then let’s feed ‘em. There’s no earthly way to get it done, but you, Lord, can do the impossible. Show me what to do so that I can be a part of this.”

But no, Phillip’s lack of faith leaves him on the sideline as a witness to the miraculous feeding of the 5000 instead of as a willing participant.

Jesus was teaching this ordinary man that in order to become extraordinary you need a little faith. Stop counting the chickens, Phillip. Trust that the provision needed will be there. You do your part and leave the rest up to me.

Remember all that God has done. Remember all that you have been witness to – close your eyes, stop counting, and believe. I have extraordinary things in store for you.

Phillip would struggle with his faith all the way to the end. Phillip is still struggling with the pragmatic side of his faith even after three years with Jesus. (John 14:8) He has the audacity to say, “Show us the father and that will be enough.” What had he been watching? Had he not seen enough in the past three years or was he to busy counting all the time to have noticed?

Phillip may have been pragmatic to a fault, but he was also among the first of the disciples to be martyred. He was stoned in Asia Minor, but he is also credited with bringing multitudes to faith – faith without seeing – through his preaching and teaching.

Perhaps those from the outside would ask, “Why would Jesus take such an unusual group of common men with ordinary ability to accomplish such an extraordinary work?” Simply put Jesus needed and wanted those individuals that would make themselves available – and if they wanted to count chickens along the way that would be okay.

Because eventually even the most pragmatic of His followers will discover that a little faith goes a long way when you are trying to become extraordinary.

What is keeping you from becoming extraordinary today?

Prejudice revealed

Prejudice comes in many ways. We most often think of prejudice in terms of race. The story of Jackie Robinson is one of moving past prejudice, but it started with the prejudice created by what we see. Jackie told part of this story in his autobiography in 1972:



I know you’re a good ballplayer, he (Branch Rickey) barked. “What I don’t know is whether you have the guts.”

Before I could react to what he had said, he leaned forward in his chair and explained.

I wasn’t just another athlete being hired by a ball club. We were playing for big stakes. This was the reason Branch Rickey’s search had been so exhaustive. The search had spanned the globe abd narrowed down to a few candidates, then finally to me. When it looked as though I might be the number-one choice, the investigation of my life, my habits, my reputation, and my character had become an intensified study.

“I’ve investigated you thoroughly, Robinson,” Mr. Rickey said. “we can’t fight our way though this, Robinson. We’ve got no army. There’s virtually nobody on our side. NO owners, no umpires, very newspapermen. And I’m afraid that many fans will be hostile. We’ll be in a tough position. We can only win if we can convince the world that I’m doing this because you’re a great ballplayer and a fine gentleman.”

He had me transfixed as he spoke. I could feel his sincerity, and I began to get a sense of how much this major step meant to him. Because of his nature and his passion for justice, he had to do what he was doing. He continued. The rumbling voice, the theatrical gestures, were gone he was speaking from a deep, quiet strength.

“SO there’s more than just playing.” He said. “I wish it meant only hits, runs, and errors – only the things they put in the box score. Because you know – yes, you would know, Robinson, that a baseball box score is a democratic thing. It doesn’t tell how big you are, what church you attend, what color you are, or how your father voted in the last election. It just tells what kind of baseball player you were on that particular day.”

I interrupted. “But it’s the box score that really counts – that and that alone, isn’t it?”

“It’s all that ought to count,” he replied. “But it isn’t. Maybe one of these days it will be all that counts. That is one of the reasons I’ve got you here.”

(from I Never Had it Made by Jackie Robinson, 1972 page 40-41)

Jackie Robinson was an ordinary man with a talent for baseball.

He is remembered for being extraordinary not only in what the box score revealed but for the man he was before and after the game.

What if our lives we were judged by our boxscore?

We have much to overcome still today.

Ordinary to Extraordinary: Nathanael's Story

I am intrigued by the concept of the new show on ABC this Fall. I guess the connection of ABC and Disney keeps anyone from filing a lawsuit - doesn't this seem to be an un-animated version of The Incredibles? or is it just me?

The Bible is filled with stories of ordinary people rising above their limitations and becoming extraordinary. I find comfort in knowing that God has always used the ordinary to complete his extraordinary work. It gives me hope in my ordinary life that there might be more.

This week we begin a series that will allow us to examine the very ordinary lives of some of the disciples and what we might learn from their ordinary lives.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, "Come, follow me." (Philip's hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.) Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, "We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus, Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!"
Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be kidding."
But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself."
When Jesus saw him coming he said, "There's a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body."
Nathanael said, "Where did you get that idea? You don't know me."
Jesus answered, "One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!"
Jesus said, "You've become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven't seen anything yet! Before this is over you're going to see heaven open and God's angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.” John 1:43-51 (New international Version)

Nathanael reveals his ordinary nature. Lest you be confused by the name Nathanael. In the other gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) Nathanael is listed as Bartholomew. This is not a discrepancy, but rather a changed in name reference. Much like some call me Pastor Frieden some call me Pastor Rodney. Nathanael was the son of Tolmai in Hebrew that would be Bar-Tolmai or Bartholomew or properly Nathanael Bar-Tolmai or Nathanael, son of Tolmai. We actually know very little about Nathanael. We know that he was from Cana in Galilee (John 21:2) and that he was friends with Phillip. Throughout scripture, Nathanael will always be paired with Phillip. Andrew goes to get his brother and Phillip goes to get his closest friend (like a brother)?

They might have worked together (perhaps they were fisherman as well) at the least they had studied together as the reference to the prophet’s writings reveals there common interest and studies.

I find it curious what Phillip does not say at this point. He doesn’t say, “I found a man who has a wonderful plan for your life. Or I found a man who can fix all your problems!” He makes no appeal on how Jesus would improve his life instead he appeals to his friend as one who is seeking – I have found the one who fulfills scripture – I have found the one who will bring meaning to our search – I have found the divine – the Messiah!

It is also a curiosity that the one that scripture calls Bar-Tolmai is introduced to the Messiah in a proper manner. Jesus is referred to as Y’shua Bar-Joseph from Nazareth. As if to say, “You’ll never believe it but that guy Jesus, you know the son of Joseph, the carpenter, the one from Nazareth. He is the Messiah?!”
It is in that moment that Nathanael reveals the very nature of man, our ordinary nature, our ability to come down rather than rise up, in that moment we can see ourselves so deeply reflected in his response, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

He could have responded by saying, “But Phillip, I am confused, we both know that the prophets foretold of the one coming from Bethlehem, How can Jesus be the one?”
Instead it is his bias, his prejudice that initially blinds him. His heart is revealed in his words.

Contempt for Nazareth, there was much Jewish contempt for Nazareth as it contained a Roman Army garrison, but there were other reasons for contempt as well - Nathanael was from Cana and to him Nazareth was the wrong side of the tracks. Nazareth was the home of the unrefined, the uneducated, even the ugly.

The picture was as a plain as IU vs. Purdue; Lawrence Central vs Lawrence North; East Coast vs West Coast; Black vs White; Rich vs Poor; English Speaking vs Spanish Speaking; Thin vs Fat; Young vs Old; Tall vs Short; White Collar vs Blue Collar, Educated vs Uneducated; Home Owner vs Homeless.

Curiosity must have gotten the best of him on that day. For in that moment, Nathanael was not completely blinded by his prejudice and Phillip was not turned off by his friend’s response. Phillip invited Nathanael to learn more, “Come and See,” and Nathanael took the opportunity to investigate more. It was in that moment of investigation that God was able to use the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary as Nathanael very quickly discovered what it would take many of the other disciples years to learn – this was the Messiah! Early church records suggest that Nathanael took the gospel to Persia, India and Armenia and in the end he was martyred for his faith.

I find the story of Nathanael interesting because it reveals a fraility of life that we all deal with. A part of our human nature that at some point or another reduces each of us to being ordinary – PREJUDICE. It is so much a part of each of us, that we all understand the adage “Don’t judge a book by the cover” from our own experience.

People, the truth is we are all very ordinary, but God chose us anyway:
Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. I Corinthians 1:27a (The Living Translation)

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:27 (The Message)

Have you limited your ability to reach others with an invitation to meet the divine because of prejudice of race, social, religious, intellect, or appearance? Do not let what you see with your eyes limit your possibilities.

God has made you for so much more than what you can now see and for that I am thankful. I am thankful that God sees more in me than what I see reflected in the mirror.