christmas at fbj blog
by: Bonnie Snellgrove
Preschool MInister
God’s Great Love
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son. That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
When we think about scripture and all the holidays in the year, we tend to think more on this verse at Easter than we do at Christmas. This is our focus verse this month with our FBJ Preschool because it helps them see an aspect of Christmas that their minds can easily grasp, LOVE.
There are scriptures and songs that we read and sing with preschoolers and children that I feel as adults we tend to just read or sing without much thought to the meaning because we have heard them so many times. When we stop and dwell on the words and meanings, they are still very applicable to our lives today just as when we were young children.
Let’s look at the first part of this verse and how it shows us the importance of love in the Christmas story.
“For God so LOVED the world…”
God loves each and every one of us, no matter our age. As a mother, I look at my children and think my heart can hardly contain all the love I feel for them. Think about how much Mary loved her baby boy. Can you imagine how God feels when He considers His children?
“That He gave His only SON…”
And because He loves us so much, He came down. He came as a baby who needed to be cared for. He came so that we might know that He is not so far above us that He cannot hear our cries for help. He came so that we may see His love on full display. So that we may know Him and experience the fullness of His grace, mercy, and love.
As we go through the holidays and the days beyond, I challenge you to take the time to pause and reflect on how immense and incredible God’s love really is. How can we show this kind of love to our family, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone around us? I pray that we will all shine His light and love brightly into a world who desperately needs a Savior.
As we go through the holidays and the days beyond, I challenge you to take the time to pause and reflect on how immense and incredible God’s love really is. How can we show this kind of love to our family, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone around us?
christmas at fbj blog
by: Zach DePriest
Student Pastor
The Prince of Peace
The Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the cooler weather (at least on some days), getting to eat potato soup with way too much cheese in it, seeing the Christmas lights as I drive around town, and listening to my favorite Christmas album on repeat – starting after Thanksgiving of course. As much as I enjoy the Christmas season for those reasons, there are several reasons the Christmas season can be a difficult one for everyone. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of the season can make Christmas seem anything but peaceful. We might finally experience a little bit of peace once all of the food is prepared, exams are finished, deadlines at work have been met, and all the decorations have been put up – but even then we have this feeling inside knowing it won’t last long and that dishes will need to be cleaned, spring semester will soon begin, holidays at work only last so long, and the attic will soon be calling for the boxes of decorations to be put back in place.
As peaceful as we picture Christmas to be, we often times miss out on taking time to reflect on the true peace of Christmas. I love how John records Jesus’ last night with the disciples on the night of his arrest. Starting in John 13 all the way until his arrest in John 18, we see Jesus have special moments with his disciples and with just Him and the Father while praying. Jesus pours his heart out to the disciples with all sorts of “final words of wisdom” He has for them. In the midst of it all and telling them what was going to happen, He tells them to find peace in Him. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to just have peace that things might be okay one day. He doesn’t tell them to find peace in the season or in each other. He tells them that in the days, months, and years ahead when their life will be challenging because of what they believe and are going to teach, when their master is no longer walking with them, when it seems like all hope is lost, to find peace in Him. That is the peace of Christmas – found only in Jesus. My prayer is that we never seek our peace in anything other than Jesus. Seeking anywhere else will leave us in a place where we never have or understand true peace. Our peace is found in Jesus – the Prince of Peace.
Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to just have peace that things might be okay one day. He doesn’t tell them to find peace in the season or in each other. He tells them when their life will be challenging because of what they believe and are going to teach, when it seems like all hope is lost, to find peace in Him.
christmas at fbj blog
by: Emily Oswalt
Children’s MInister
The Gift of Joy
Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner? It’s the most wonderful time of the year and sometimes the most hectic too. Many stores and homes are decorated for Christmas with lights, trees and stockings which are always fun and festive! There are holiday parties, activities, plays, and performances to attend. From creating to cooking to giving, our days are certainly full! So, how do we focus on having a Christ-centered Christmas, remembering the true meaning of Christmas not just during this season but all year round?
If we look back to when Jesus was born, life was hectic too. It was tax season. Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for the census. There was no place for them to stay, and Mary was about to have a baby. Amid all the chaos, Christ came. It was in a humble, hay-filled manger, that the Holy Child was laid in swaddling clothes. It was so commonplace that even the townspeople and guests did not notice what was taking place. The shepherds would have missed the event had it not been for the angel proclaiming, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” The gospel of Matthew declares, “And His name will be called Emmanuel, God with us.” This is the true meaning of Christmas.
In God’s plan, the little things are the big things; the weak things are the powerful things; the commonplace things are the most extraordinary things. The easily overlooked things tend to be the most important. The birth of a Savior, little and weak, hidden in a manger in a village, tells us this is so.
Let us remember this Christmas that the parties, plays and performances will end, and the decorations will be put away, but Christ came to stay. He is God with us. This good news that causes great joy for all people is life changing.
In God’s plan . . . the easily overlooked things tend to be the most important. The birth of a Savior, little and weak, hidden in a manger in a village, tells us this is so.
christmas at fbj blog
by: Tom Washburn
Associate Pastor
Pastoral Ministry/
Adults with Seniority
The Hope for All
Christmas is full of surprises. People you don’t expect to see, gifts you didn’t expect to get, pounds you didn’t expect to gain. Expect the unexpected at Christmas. Let’s discover one of the biggest surprises of Christmas in a very unusual place. That place is easy to skip over when you are reading God’s Word. The place I mean, is in the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, in that seemingly boring genealogy of Jesus. In this seldom dusted corner of God’s Word, you and I can find the wonderful gift of HOPE.
Matthew makes sure we are well aware of Jesus’ “pedigree.” The ancient Jews didn’t need 23 and Me, because they knew their heritage. These were folks very aware of their ancestry. It is vital to them that Matthew prove that Jesus is a “pure-blooded” Jew, who could trace His ancestry to Abraham and King David. If Matthew can’t quickly show his first readers this important connection, then they are not going to be open to reading this account. Matthew does this so well that the enemies of Jesus never thought about questioning His ancestral line, to dispute Jesus’ claims.
Every family tree has a bad apple, I suppose, and Matthew makes a point to include those in Jesus’ family tree. Amongst the heroes of faith, there are folks in this list who have moral failures, and those whose pride led to the division of their nation. There are rough characters in this list among the good ones. Matthew presents the factual genealogy, warts and all! And in doing so, reminds us that Jesus had outlaws for in-laws! Christmas reminds us there is HOPE FOR SINNERS!
And goodness, Matthew dares to do the unthinkable in that day – he included WOMEN! Rahab is listed, and her profession surely would have excluded her. And get this, some of the women were not even Jewish. Do you hear Matthew reminding us that there is HOPE FOR OUTSIDERS. There are so many ways we can feel like an outsider today, but take heart – Jesus understands, and includes outsiders!
Tamar is another in the list, and her story reminds us that families sometimes fail. Those with failed families find HOPE WITH OUR LORD.
Those in this genealogy with less than stellar pasts, might make us ask “WHY?” But Jesus, Himself, answers that in Matthew 9, when He says, “I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Apparently failed lives are welcome in Jesus’ family! The HOPE of Christmas is that Jesus calls us all to Himself like we are, and He changes us!
One last group worth a quick look, would be the nine names in this list who are not known to scholars. There are nine names listed that don’t appear anywhere else in the Bible. What a great reminder that there is HOPE FOR THOSE WHO FEEL FORGOTEN. It is easy to feel forgotten this time of year. If you feel like nobody knows you or remembers you, find comfort in this list of nine included folks nobody knows!
The fact that Jesus chose these outlaws, these hurting people, these foreign people and these unknown people, is a great reminder for us that He choses us! Hear today His wonderful invitation: “WHOSOEVER will, may come”. Come to Jesus and find the HOPE you have been looking for.
The HOPE of Christmas is that Jesus calls us all to Himself like we are, and He changes us!
christmas at fbj blog
by: Bruce Warf
Associate Pastor
Discipleship / Family Ministry
The Light of Christmas
Do you have a Christmas tradition in your family or ever had one? Maybe it is the annual Christmas tree hunt, making a gingerbread house, going to the local Christmas parade, or the Christmas Eve dinner together as a family. Family traditions solicit memories of the past, joy in the present, and expectations for the future.
One of our families’ favorite traditions and one that I grew up with, is going to look at Christmas lights. Christmas itself is about celebrating THE light! Scripture shows us that Jesus is the light that was sent into the darkness to be reveal His glory, majesty, and give each of us an opportunity to have a relationship with Him so that we could have eternal life. Scripture also shows that you and I have an opportunity to share that light. Briefly read Luke 2:8-9, Matthew 2:2, John 8:12, and Matthew 5:14-16.
The thing about light is that it gives us direction. When there is light, darkness is absent. We see things more clearly and know exactly where we are going. Light is comforting. Like a warm blanket on a cold winter night, it brings warmth and arguably even a feeling of “home.” Light also dispels fear. Specifically, drawing closer to THE light we know our Creator walks with us.
This Christmas season focus on the one light that came as a baby boy in Jesus. Reflect on Him and His light. Give the dark uncertainties of your life to Him and replace them with joy knowing that our Heavenly Father loves you. For the next few weeks our family ministry staff hopes that you will find direction, hope, comfort, and peace in the One who was sent as light to the world. A familiar song that we all here this time of year captures perfectly the birth of Jesus meant for the world then and for us today. Ever more, our “weary world” today can find joy in Christ. May we all be filled will a “thrill of hope” this Christmas as we focus on Him.
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
Family Challenge:
Drive around this Christmas season looking at the lights while listening to a few of the following songs together focusing on the true meaning of the season:
This Christmas season focus on the one light that came as a baby boy in Jesus. Reflect on Him and His light. Give the dark uncertainties of your life to Him and replace them with joy knowing that our Heavenly Father loves you.
read to feed the soul
Written by FBJ Women for Women
Exposed!
“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” John 3:20.
It’s a truth I must face. I tend to be partial to the cloudy, wintry days that arrest the bright sunlight and hold it at bay – only when it comes to the indoors. Let me explain. I’m an outside person – digging in the dirt, raking leaves and debris, planting seeds, trimming shrubs and lugging heavy stones from place to place – it’s the world I love. The inside of our dwelling is an entirely different animal.
I detest housekeeping which I understand to be ridding it of dust, grime, stains, germs and clutter. If I nurture and care for a blooming plant outdoors, the plant rewards me with new life and beautiful blooms. If I “housekeep” our home, it sparkles and gleams for an abbreviated time only to be revisited with dust, grime, stains, germs and clutter. It’s an endless task.
As for the cloudy, wintry days, they camouflage the dust and give me lengthier days between cleaning and dusting. Then here comes spring and summer with its piercing rays that flood through our “need-cleaning” windows onto our furniture and glass table surfaces that wreak of dust. The bright rays expose not only my dust but my poor rating as a proficient housekeeper. There’s no escaping the evidence. The sunlight makes it obvious.
Perhaps that’s why a lot of believers neglect regular Bible reading. Isn’t it amazing that manuscripts written by multiple persons over centuries of time are still so relevant and can actually call our name through the readings? The Word is light and shines that light into any darkness. The Word exposes sin – not just “their” sin but mine!
Prayer works the same way. In the stillness and silence of prayer, we seek audience with a holy God. Sin stands as a wall, separating me from the Father. As I pray, He shines His light into any sin that shrouds my life – touchiness, anger, unforgiving spirit, pride, selfishness, gossip, hate, judgmental attitude . . . The list seems endless, but the Father longs for our fellowship, so He shines His blazing light into our hearts to seek out those separating sins.
His radiant light is pure and as we repent and confess, the Light warms our hearts and reflects His Light into the lives around us. And – when we consider that His Holy Spirit is dwelling in the hearts of all believers, shouldn’t we be vigilant to provide Him a spotless, squeaky clean home?
Spotless Lamb of God, increase our desire to keep our temples clean, free from sin, so that You may be glorified in the way we keep house. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.
read to feed the soul
Written by FBJ Women for Women
Daily Perspective
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
How our world near and far has changed. A global pandemic stretched across this giant globe with a vengeance that distances couldn’t affect. It found no barriers. Now COVID is a universal word, recognized and feared by most.
As we swap our calendars for 2022, we linger over the thoughts of what this year holds. Will the pandemic continue to mutate into other challenges and fears? Will cold wars continue to escalate? Will inflation create and demand new lifestyles for families? Will crime continue to rise? Will corruption and immorality become an accepted trend?
The questions could lead us down a tunnel of doom and gloom – especially when we focus on the “what ifs” instead of our Refuge and Protection.
We church-goers are all familiar with the Lord’s model prayer. It’s a routine prayer in some congregations and consists of words that can flow from our lips without sinking into our hearts.
How often I have prayed in unison: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Yet I tend to think in weeks – even months. Jesus told us to observe the birds. Their daily supply never ends. His design is for His children to depend on His care and provision a day at a time.
Just stop and think how much stress would dissipate if our tomorrows didn’t rob us of today’s blessings. We would live today solely in today and depend on our caring Father for these twenty-four hours. After all, tomorrows never actually come.
Lord of all, Your directions for the abundant life aren’t complex. Teach us to live one day at a time with trust and joy to the extent we make the lost long for what we have. Amen.
read to feed the soul
Written by FBJ Women for Women
by: Camille Anding
An Icy Death Threat
“But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand.”
Psalm 31:14-15
There’s a mental landmark along Highway 30 between Oxford and New Albany that Othel and I will always remember. It was a 20° early Sunday morning when we were on our way to a visit to church with our children. The fields were frosty white and the highway abandoned
As we hit the straightaway along some large sections of farmland, Othel and I gasped. A pickup truck was overturned in the ditch to our right, and a cloud of steam and smoke billowed from it. Othel hit his brakes and pulled off the highway. We saw a body lying in the frozen field three car lengths from the truck.
Othel sped back onto the highway to a nearby house and shouted to the occupants to call 911. He squealed out of the drive back to the accident. The highway was still deathly quiet. Othel rushed from our vehicle across the ditch to the body. It was a young college student, semiconscious and groaning in pain. Othel grabbed a coat from his truck and covered him. With other clothes, he tried to cushion his body from the frozen mattress of earth. Then he knelt down beside him and told him help was on the way. The wait for the ambulance seemed endless, but Othel continued to assure the young man with his presence.
Last week Othel received a Thanksgiving card from the young man’s family, similar to the one he gets from them each Thanksgiving. They continue to express their gratitude to Othel for stopping, for getting help, and for staying by his side. They thank God for their son’s life being spared in the accident and for Othel’s timely first aid in the icy temperatures.
As we mainstream into the Christmas season I think of what Christ’s birth mean to mankind, and my heart is filled with thanksgiving. He came as a gift to all who would receive Him. What an enormous love and sacrifice!
Too bad the world tends to celebrate this great gift just during the Christmas holidays and with little thought of its true significance. Because of His coming to earth with His salvation plan, we need to express thanksgiving on a daily basis.
Each year in Othel’s card those parents say, “Thank you for staying with our son.” That was just a tiny picture of what God did for us on that night in Bethlehem. He sent Jesus – Immanuel – God (staying) with us . . . for eternity.
Holy God, prepare our hearts to celebrate the gift of Your Son this Christmas season and for the days that follow. Teach us how to express our gratitude for so great a Gift. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
read to feed the soul
Written by FBJ Women for Women
by: Camille Anding
On Time
“Then she left him and returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” John 11:28
Sorrow and grief were Mary’s foreboding companions. Her brother was gone. The nearest she could ever be to him again would be at his entombment. Life was stagnant, cold – just steps away from depression. It was good to have Martha with her, but life would be so different without Lazarus. He was more than a brother; he meant protection and security for two females in their male dominated society.
Suddenly Martha broke through Mary’s wall of grief. The Teacher had finally arrived but. . . too late. What could she say to Him now? She was certain that her disappointment in Jesus’ late arrival would be etched on her face.
Yet her dearest friend was here. She rose quickly, wiped her tears and hurried to Him. When she saw those tender eyes meet hers, she fell at His feet. It was her same posture when she had anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. But that posture was one of worship; this meeting was heavy with grief. “Lord,” she spoke through tears, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Mary had witnessed and heard of Jesus’ power in restoring sight to the blind and healing the sick. There was no doubt that her LORD would have cast out the sickness. Lazarus would still be alive and well.
Without any words of comfort or regret, Jesus said, “Where have you laid him?”
What was it that brought the next emotion from Jesus? John recorded that He wept. Did the depths of sorrow and despair felt by his sisters and friends engulf Him, also? Did He shed tears over the animosity of others who He was able to discern, or was it the sorrow He felt for all who must deal with sin’s final blow?
In the next unimaginable scene, Jesus orders the stone to the corpse’s tomb be removed. Then among the doubting, the skeptics, and the grieving, He thanked God for hearing Him so all would know that He was sent by God. Then the Creator and Life-Giver shouted for all to hear, “Lazarus, come forth!”
I once heard a preacher say, “If Jesus hadn’t called Lazarus’ name, every dead person would have come forth from their graves.”
There’s never been a reunion like the one in Bethany that day. Mary and Martha now understood why Jesus had delayed. He displayed His ultimate power and in doing so placed a “Just Waiting” sign over every Christian’s grave.
Omnipotent Father, There are no words – only praise for our Savior who conquered death. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
read to feed the soul
Written by FBJ Women for Women
by: Camille Anding
Timed Memories
‘For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you . . .’” Says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”
On a recent trip to visit our grandchildren and to keep them for an over-nighter for their parents, it was my assignment to check homework and sign worksheets for the day’s work just completed. When I was handed a neat page of addition – rows of them – it catapulted me into my childhood. It screamed: SPEED DRILL!
The memories flooded over me with the same nauseating sensation. I could hear my fourth grade teacher’s voice: “When I say go, turn over your math sheet and begin.” My hands grew sweaty as I reached for my yellow pencil. The winding of her timer meant there was no time to run and no place to hide. I wanted to tell her that I hated speed drills – that I considered them torture, but we couldn’t speak during tests. I wanted to raise my hand to go to the restroom, but you couldn’t leave your seat during speed drills. I wanted my mother or . . . a power outage . . or a tsunami! Where were those desk-shaking earthquakes when you needed them?
The timer was in place, and the sound of the guillotine crashed on my head. I grabbed my pencil and attacked the first row. Some were easy, but some required fingers. As I descended the rows, I needed fingers AND toes. Surely the timer had to be about to ring, but I wasn’t finished! But at least its ring meant that I could breathe and my heart would stop pounding – that is, until we exchanged papers and began checking our answers. The dreaded check marks could ruin the remainder of my day. Why couldn’t we check the ones we got right or circle the rows of correct answers?
I didn’t realize it them, but the speed drills and tests were just the beginning of life’s cycle of testing and sorting and grouping. Mankind has always found a way to “grade” whether by appearance, clothing labels, income, family tree, or any of an infinite number of classifications.
That’s why my discovery of God’s grace left me dumbfounded. One wonderful day I realized that there’s nothing I would ever do or not do that would make Him love me any more or any less. “But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children.”Psalm 103:17. A steadfast love – an everlasting love – what a love! He loves ME; He told me so – check marks or no check marks.
Wonderful, Merciful Father, thank you seems much too small an expression for Your love to me. You see me, not as I am, but as I am to become. How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior’s love for me!! Amen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR