He's Not a Baby Anymore...

Nativity scenes are precious. I love them. I literally can sit and stare at ours and have time stand still. These scenes picture the pivot-point of history, the arrival of Immanuel--God with US!

Wow...words escape me.

I'd say the same about songs like "Silent Night," reportedly written by Martin Luther. It just makes you tear-up to think about what it would have been like to stand in the field with those shepherds who heard the angels celebrate and then found their way to the farm and ultimately the manger.

Amazing!

But here's the catch. Lately, I've noticed something that troubles me. In my nativity scene at home and most others I've noticed, Jesus is laying there on his back with his hands outspread, palms up, as if he were leading a worship service from his crib. I doubt that happened during that first Christmas, mainly because he was a newborn infant, not a worship leader. But isn't it weird that we want to focus on an adult-thinking Jesus, who's still a helpless baby?

The other scene we constantly hold-out is that of Jesus hanging on the cross. Now it's true He died--and that's awesome news for us! It IS through his death that our sins can be forgiven. But just as he wasn't and isn't' now acting like a spiritual Stewie from "Family Guy," (helpless and hours old, yet thinking as a 40 year old man); he's also not now, still hanging dead on a tree.

But really, it's not the adult-acting-baby or the image of a dead man on the cross that bothers me. Actually, what bothers me is the reason we've decided to picture Him that way. I can only think of one reason we've decided to repeatedly present the Savior only as a newborn or a dead guy:

* We like thinking of him as helpless and/or harmless.

Why?

A baby can't lead us nor can a corpse. An infant or cadaver wouldn't ask us to stop doing something or have influence over our decision-making process. Babies and dead people can't talk, let alone give explicit orders. We like the Savior image of Jesus humbling Himself as a child or dying for us on the cross. But, do we know and accept the image of a powerful LORD Jesus--ruling the universe from the control center in heaven? Do we like the idea of him coming again--not meek and quiet, but with eyes burning like a blast furnace and a voice that will cause mountains to explode?

Not usually....

So I guess what I'm suggesting is--balance. While we celebrate the humility of Jesus via. his incarnation and the nativity, PLEASE don't forget that He's not a baby anymore. And, when Easter comes, let's remember that he didn't stay on the cross or in the grave. The empty tomb and the power of the resurrection is critical folks. We need to LIVE in the power of the resurrected Christ. Our world needs us to!

I don't know about you, but I'm tired and weary of Christians living like they ONLY worshiped a baby or dead Jesus! We sleep-around, lie, cheat, abuse, get drunk, and do just about everything the rest of the world does. More destructively, we refuse to share the gospel about Jesus of give to those in need--just as the world neglects these same things. We're materialistic and often oblivious to the pain of others. We gossip, argue, nit-pick, and are divided just as pagans....

Could it be that we really have forgotten that He's not a baby anymore?

Church--it's time for Christians everywhere to stand up and engage our culture. It's time for us to love and serve and share. It's time for us REALLY to be salt and light--just as Jesus called us to be. Are you ready? I honestly believe that very soon, we'll have no choice. We'll either be witness for Him or we'll be in compliance to a sick and dying world--one or the other.

So, despite my serious and not-so-festive ramblings, celebrate Christmas with joy. It really IS good to remember the humility of our God. But when it's over, remember that He grew up, lived a perfect life, taught us how to follow His example, died, rose again, lives in us now, and will return soon!

THAT's where the "happy new year," following the "Merry Christmas" will come from....

In His Love,
Pastor Joel

Merry Christmas Mill Ponders!

I'm so sorry we had to cancel services Sunday, but we WILL go forward with our Kidz Church Christmas Play next Sunday, December 27th--so tell your friends! I've also spoken to the owner of the property to ensure that plowing is done by 7:30 AM from now on so we can "go for it" the next time there's a storm that doesn't generate a State of Emergency or Power Failure, etc.

Anyway, I hope you had time to rest with family, etc., and prepare to celebrate the best Christmas ever! To help, I recorded what was to be last week's sermon and will do a couple of things for you so you can watch it between now and next week:

1. We'll turn it in to NCTV Channel 14 for airing Sunday evening and next Tuesday as well (8:00 PM and 8:30 PM respectively).
And,
2. We'll post it with a link from our website, www.millpondchurch.org by this Wednesday evening.

The sermon, "coincidentally," (wink-wink), is about the Gift of the Holy Spirit." I say this tongue-in-cheek because lately, the other leaders and I have felt God moving us more and more to recognize our need for the power and person of the Holy Spirit in our ministry and it just "worked-out" that we were reading this chapter during this season. We know however, that collective fullness and revival won't happen fully until our individual regular attendees and members are also taking full advantage of the "Gift From Afar," promised by Jesus in John 16. As you open your gifts, unwrap this gift with me via video won't you?

I'd also like to encourage as many as possible to attend the dramatic joint Christmas Eve service we're holding with New Life Church at the Oakdale Theater in Cheshire, Thursday evening starting at 6:00 PM. We expect over 1,000 people to celebrate our Lord together in prayer, song, and in God's Word. This is a great opportunity to bring unchurched friends and family--it will be "top notch," and you won't forget it. I'm opening the service and hope to have a special section for Mill Ponders to sit together and be recognized together as a church family.

Above all--take time this Christmas to thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus. Pray for more and more appreciation of who He is, why He came, what He did, what he does in your life today, and finally--what He promises to do in the future. THAT is the REAL blessing of Christmas! Amen?

I Love you all and am eternally grateful to be your pastor!

In Jesus,
Pastor Joel

WEATHER CANCELLATION!

Unfortunately, services for today, Dec 20th, are cancelled due to weather. Essentially we were unable to get the parking lot plowed and cleared in time. Not to fear, the children's concert will be held next week instead. Be safe!

Dec 20th services cancelled, concert postponed until next week!

UPDATE!

Unfortunately, services for today, Dec 20th, are cancelled due to weather.  Essentially we were unable to get the parking lot plowed and cleared in time.  Not to fear, the children's concert will be held next week instead. Be safe!

Hey All!

FYI--Mill Pond Church rarely cancels worship services. Exceptions would be the declaration of a state of emergency by the governor, a power failure, or the inability of plows to clear the parking in time for church/set-up. From what we can tell thus far, none of these will be an issue for tomorrow, so we're still planning to go forward with our special Christmas Concert and Service, 9:30 AM tomorrow, December 19th. Please pray for safe travel for all and that the turnout will be good despite the weather between now and then.

In case of an emergency, we place notices of cancellation on our website, Pond Place, FaceBook, Twitter, and broadcast them via TV Channels 3 and 30 and via. radio on WTIC AM 1080 in Hartford.

Thanks!

In Jesus,
Pastor Joel

Merry Christmas All!

I just finished a pastorpod I hope you'll view via our blog or Pond Place (see below) before Christmas. We often celebrate Jesus coming without remembering why...did he come just to die (although that's important for our salvation), or did he have more to accomplish, teach, model, etc. Check-out pastorpod, "Christmas--Why Jesus Came," when you can.


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This past Sunday was Great and we appreciate Jeremy's sermon tremendously. Attendance and giving was great too and we praise God for providing! Of course this coming week is the Kidz Church Concert--a celebration of Christmas you won't want to miss. I'm telling you--grab your neighbors, your boss, your friends, your family, shucks--grab complete strangers and drag them in. You won't be disappointed. We'll also talk about "A Gift From Afar," a Christmas message about a gift Jesus promised after his resurrection. It's literally a "gift that keeps on giving." Don't miss it!

In the meantime, take time to rest this season OK? Too many of us are running around, stressed out, and thus at risk of missing the messiah, the true reason for Christmas. Remember, it was Jesus who said, "Come to me...and I will give you rest....(Matt. 11:28)." My prayer is that you'll take advantage of that despite all the activities, shopping, etc.

In His Love,

Pastor Joel

"How Long Will You Waver?"

In I Kings chapter 18, The prophet Elijah is facing-down the people of Israel and the false prophets serving the pagan god Baal. As a nation seeking tolerance and syncretism, they had "covered their bases" by worshiping both Baal the pagan god and Yahweh, the God of scripture. Seen as progressive, (like our Western Post-Christian culture today), they "had it all"--pagans and Jews worshiping together with zeal and a false sense of unity and celebrated diversity...

...But that was about to change.

Before I share the rest of the story, I want to tell you about a phone call I received this week. A woman who didn't identify herself called and chewed me out for about 15 minutes. Apparently, she had received one of our postcard mailings and was "Offended by (our) movement." She wanted "to be removed from our mailing list" and when I tried three times to tell her that there was no list, but that this was merely a bulk mailing to everyone in her zip code area, she would interrupt me and launch into another tirade about how she can't stand evangelicals and is "offended" by our very existence.

Why?

She couldn't really explain it except that we think we're right and we're "out to save the world." So, to clarify, she was offended by our exclusivity of faith--that is, that Jesus is the way to salvation (John 14:6). Furthermore, she was so offended by our existence that she didn't want to know we are here and was "deeply troubled" by seeing a postcard from us. She would no-doubt describe herself as tolerant and us as intolerant. Ironically, the purpose of her call was to tell me she couldn't tolerate our existence.

So she is tolerant of everyone except for people who believe they are right...which is everyone. This is confusing--let me try again. She hates Evangelicals because we're intolerant, but she's tolerant--of everyone, except for everyone who thinks they are right, like Evangelicals. But, she thinks she is right, so she's tolerantly intolerant of everyone--except herself...or maybe that means she can't tolerate herself for her own intolerance...maybe...I think....?

Do you see the problem here? Ecumenism and Pluralism and Syncretism and Unitarianism are all flawed. They are based on confusion and ultimately a lie. The lie is that people really believe that others are "just as right" as they are. Truth is--nobody believes that. And, when it comes to the one true God--nobody SHOULD believe that others are "just as good" or their teachings are "just as right."

Now back to Elijah. He "nails it!" He says to the people, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal is God, follow him.' But the people said nothing ( I Kings 18:21 NIV)."

How about you? Are you saying "nothing?" Are you and I silent to the nonsensical insanity of religious pluralism in our culture? Worse, are we part of it? To all of us, Elijah's words present a necessary challenge--"If the Lord is God, follow him!"

Will you?

I believe you will---and be blessed in the process!

In Jesus,
Pastor Joel

Healing After Loss

As I mentioned last Sunday, this season often brings the highest number of suicides and the highest number of reported cases of depression. Christians aren't immune from this--in fact, we're often the Enemy's TARGET for these things.

So what do we do about it?

I like using the examples of Elijah (1 Kings 19) and Job (Job 1-42) to illustrate the process. In both cases, these powerful men of God experienced loss. Elijah was threatened by Jezebel and feared for his life. Job lost his crops, his kids, his health and almost his marriage too. Still, both men were restored and with that restoration, gave us some powerful lessons.

Click read more for a summary of some material I presented this week at the Newington Reemployment Group, Monday evening in the Newington Library Community Room:

When Life Stinks...

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When life throws you a curve (or a grenade), do you ask why or get mad that God doesn't fix it "NOW?" This pastorpod looks at a different approach.

Put Him First...and He'll Lead

The other day during my quiet time, the Lord led me to Exodus chapter 13. There's an interesting, almost random arrangement to the chapter in that the first part starts off talking about how Israel was commanded to give their "firstfruits," the firstborn and the best of their crops, animals, and even people to the Lord. In the case of people, they would redeem a financial gift, etc., but the point was that they were required to put God first.

God tells them to teach and remind their children regarding this custom and to pass on through the generations that the reason for the law of the firstborn and firstfruits was to remember how he had taken the firstborn of the Egyptians so they would set the Hebrew slaves free and release them from Egypt. Powerful stuff and miraculous memories!

Then, almost out of order in the flow of the text, Moses says in verses 21-22, "Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might go by day and by night the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night didn't depart from before the people."

Wow--you mean if they gave God their best and their first and remembered what he had done for them in the past--He--God--would lead them and remain with them?

I'm sure you get the point God was impressing on me. It's WAY too easy to let anything and everything, anyone and everyone take first place over God. Actually, it's easiest of all to let self be God. Bur, when we roll out of bed onto our knees and start the day with Him, or make sure that the first of our pay, our calendar, our thought life, our everything is His, HE WILL LEAD AND HE WILL NEVER LEAVE!

Good stuff to keep in mind during the hectic pace of the holidays right?

In His Love,
Pastor Joel