TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 18
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"C od Leads Us to Goodness"
By Reverend Lea Mathieu, lone United Church of Christ
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In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And
God said, "It is very good."
God created human beings with the free will to choose God's
goodness or to choose the chaos that is not-God. Throughout
the Bible, believers tell of G od's efforts to lead us to goodness,
to G od's intention and hope for humanity and all creation.
God inspired prophets to tell people the truth. Moses said: "1
set before you this day life and death, goodness and evil. Choose
life."
Isaiah described the ideal ruler of justice and mercy who would
lead God's people to true peace: "The spirit of the Lord shall
rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit
of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of
the Lord."
Micah made G od's will clear: "G od has told you, O mortal,
what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do
justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
.. In the fullness of time, God sent not just a prophet to speak
the truth, but a human revelation that is the truth: Jesus Christ,
the light of the world, God's intention made flesh. He came to
teach and show us that love and life are eternal. At this season,
we celebrate the coming to earth of Emmanuel-God With Us.
"Something Happened H ere"
By Pastor Tim Van Cleave, Christian Life Center
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"There is bom to you in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ
the Lord." Luke 2:11.
Years ago, an old pioneer journeyed westward across the great
plains until he came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the Grand
Canyon. He gawked at the sight before him-a vast chasm one
mile deep, 18 miles across and stretching out of sight. He gasped,
"Something must have happened here!"
At the Christmas season, anyone who stops to look and listen
must ask some questions about what the hustle and noise is all
about. A thoughtful man or woman, seeing the light, the decora
tions, the festivities and the religious services might also con
clude, "Something must have happened here!"
Of course, something did happen. God has visited our planet.
His Son, Jesus Christ, came to reveal God and to die for our sin
(Jn. 1:1-14). It is the best-news ever. God became one with us
that we might live forever with Him. Remember that it takes more
than just merely believing there is a God. The demons believe
in God, but are not going to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
The Bible says that we must receive His Son (Jesus) by having
a personal relationship with Him. We must accept His Son's
sacrifice for our sins.
Have a Merry Christmas!
"Christmas is God Visible / /
Pastor Duane Jones, Church of the Nazarene
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By J. Grant Swank, Jr., Pastor, Windham, ME.
There are those who do not believe in Christmas. They say they
cannot bring themselves to hold to a fanciful story about a baby
Jesus being God. How could it be? It does not make sense. Surely
God could not bring Himself to that. Only an optimistic sucker
would look at an infant in a cow's trough and conclude that that
tiny specimen was deity.
Such persons have been labeled by various tags: agnostics,
atheists, adherents of other religions, theological liberals, skep
tics of religions faith, and the like. Understanding that the
Christmas story is far from reasonable according to the world's
logic, nevertheless, I believe in the Bethlehem baby as God. I
believe this, for it is consistent with the deity of the Old Testa
ment.
For instance, the Bible's invisible God appears to delight in
revealing Himself visibly. He cannot do this in full scope to mor
tal's eyes for His splendor would bum out our retinas. Our eyes
are in spiritually fallen bodies; therefore, our visual equipment
is inadequate to absorb the divine glory entirely. Our sockets
would hold bumt-out retinas if we were to attempt to see the
wholeness of God’s wonder.
Therefore, in graciousness toward us, He does not make
Himself totally visible until we are equipped with the perfect
bodies (and perfect visual equipment) for eternity. Nevertheless,
God still does attempt to give us sneak previews of Himself. It
is evidence of His longing to be with us ultimately in eternity
when we can see Him, not through a glass darkly, but face to
face. How earnest is His love to take us finally to Himself forever.
In the meantime, God comes to us partially: Old Testament
visibilities of God include the Lord appearing to Abraham and
Sarah at lunchtime, staying for the meal. It must have been an
awesome experience for that couple to play host and hostess to
God.
On other occasions, God showed Himself each year, in the
autumn season to the high priest. God was in the holy flame
above the Ark of the Covenant housed in the Holy of Holies.
Still at another time, God presented himself as the fourth per
son in the fiery furnace when three Hebrew believers were cast
alive into the pagan's oven.
These are minor visibilities of deity. Yet they relate a personal
God who yearns to come near us. Knowing that our present state
prohibits a full-blown visibility, He adapts Himself to the tem
porary separation.
Further, anxious to make Himself visible, God spoke through
Old Testament preachers predicting His incarnate visibility in
human form. This was yet another indication of His anticipa
tion for the ultimate embrace with His children.
Eventually, in the fullness of time, the day came. It happened
in Bethlehem. Mary was the vessel. Joseph was the caretaker.
Cows were the onlookers. Pigeons were cradle tenders.
Shepherds were nursery workers. The invisible God made
Himself visible in a baby.
Human retinas could take Him in without being burnt. Human
arms could hug Him. Human hearts could love Him. It was the
eternal made earthly. It was the forever made fathomable. How
can this then be believed as history? How can a reasonable per
son of this world take this in as fact?
Because it is consistent with deity who had revealed Himself
in the years previous to the Bethlehem babe. The divine one had
made Himself visible in the minor occurrences: mealtime with
host and hostess, burning brush, holy flame, fourth comrade in
the furnace. Now, in His consistency, He lodged His major ear
thly visibility in a human being reaching up from the straw.
Understanding this, it then would be inconsistent of deity to
do anything other than reveal Himself in a zenith visibility pro-
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when I see my fellow men in misery and want. Matthew's record
is convincing at this point: "Then they will answer, 'Lord when
did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or in
prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then He will answer them,
'Truly, I say to you, as you did not to one of the least of these,
you did it not to Me.' " (Matthew 26:43-44)
May our first gift to the Christ child be our life dedicated to
the service of our fellow men. As we bow in adoration at the
per tor the trail human body. If not becoming incarnate, he would manger, He is nearer than we think and He will renew our faith
have shown Himself to be either incomplete or less than com -in the need to give as well as receive, to serve as well as to be
passionately powerful.
served. To be willing to touch the practical problem of poverty
However, Christmas displays the completeness of the redemp and need around us is to be willing to step in on the cold floor
tion plan in all its heavenly love. Compassion had come to earth.
at Bethlehem's manger.
There is no need to trust the stars when I find this real
Salvation had been messaged to humankind. Visible Jesus
displayed the invisible God.
Bethlehem world into which God sent His gift of the Christ. He
is the gift of love that ministers to the common needs of each
The entire pageant of the Old Testament tellings then wrap
one of us. He is the gift offered to all of us who know our own
ped itself up in the swaddling clothes of humility and holiness.
That innocent infant lifted up His hands to take us in. By faith
poverty.
we still see Him and give praise with angels' chorus.
//
"To See, To M ove, To W orship"
By Father Gerry Condon, St. Patrick and St. William Parish
St. Matthew in his Gospel tells us that the Magi came seeking
the Christ Child. They said: "We have seen His star in the east
and have come to worship Him." Those words have a wealth
of meaning even for us today.
"We have seen His star." We may not see a star in the literal
sense, but from time to time we see something that is different
or unusual. It may be an insight, a grace-filled moment, a glimpse
of a better way of living. We somehow know that God has let
us see this. It may be a realization that we have been on the wrong
path of life: it may be that we are encouraged to undertake
something for the glory of God. It may be something that brings
inner peace of soul. Suddenly, it is there, and our lives are never
quite the same afterward.
"We...have come." We have begun the spiritual journey. This
is a journey of meeting obstacles along the way, generally strug
gling, sometimes failing, sometimes victorious. We struggle to
overcome our weaknesses and we strive to grow in love of God
and neighbor. Along’ the way there are signposts-prayer, the
teachings of the Lord, the companionship of, support of, and
encouragement of committed fellow Christians.
"W e...have come to worship H im ." It remains for us to bow
down before Him. We bow not only in body, but also in mind.
We become absorbed in prayerful contemplation of the Savior.
We feel that this is a glimpse of His divinity, such as was given
on Mt. Tabor to Peter, James and John.
Let us take the time, especially in these busy days before
Christmas, to see with the eyes of faith, to begin to move along
the road of enlightment, and to come and worship the newborn
Savior.
"G o d Comes into the Real W orld "
By Father Al Miller, All Saints’ Episcopal Church
I can't imagine a more real scene than something which hap
pens in a barn. Sometimes warm and sometimes cold, birth and
death, food, water and manure all make up a bam which is us
ed by livestock and animals. The farmer or rancher who sweats
over the difficult birth of a calf or a lamb knows that life is
precarious, difficult, and that death is not always too far from
bjrth. After "mucking-out" stalls for minutes and hours every
day for weeks and months, one realizes that work and livelihood
have their boring and less becoming sides to them.
Many people become disenchanted with churches and with
their personal faith when it doesn't meet their expectations, or
when things happen that upset them. Tragedy or crisis comes
along, and the promised joy of faith doesn't seem to ring true.
The chore of working at faith is too easily disposed of. The
knowledge that life does not become too much different around
us, even if our faith grows and our trust in G od's will ripens;
it makes us frustrated and open to doubt.
This might be precisely why the God of all history chose to
become human and be born in such a place as would remind
us of a barn. In the midst of the ordinary drumbeat of life, God
humbly blesses all of life by coming into the mundane, chore-
ridden, birth-and-death world of real life. God reminds us that
it is important to understand that life is precious in the first place
just by the witness of Jesus' humble birth. God chooses to il
luminate our darkness by specifically being present in the very
ordinary, tragic and life-giving places of our lives. God is not
on some mountain top distantly removed from where you and
I live out our lives. God is in our hearts and souls, in our work
and in our play, in our joys and in our sorrows. This is the God
that Christmas celebrations are about. This is the God who came
to be with us, you and me, in our humble lives each day.
May the light who comes into the world be in your hearts and
lives this Christmas season.
"Bethlehem Touches Human Need"
By Reverend John Baglien, Hope/Valby Lutheran Parish
"Peace on Earth
By Reverend Al Trachsel, United Methodist Church
Peace is a stranger to the Twentieth Century. Wars we have
had in abundance. The century began with one world war,
followed by another even more terrible within a generation. And
all this happened before the century was half over.
Almost everybody has an idea of what is meant when the word
"peace" is used, but the ideas don't always agree. For most peo
ple, the word means the absence of war. Instead of describing
peace, they think of an opposite and say what peace isn't-it isn't
war.
Arthur Brisbane, noted American editor, wrote these forceful
words: "We may sweep the world clean of militarism. We may
scrub the world white of autocracy. We may carpet it with
democracy and drape it with the flag of republicanism. We may
spend energy and effort to make the world a paradise itself, where
the lion of capitalism can lie down with the proletarian lamb.
But if we turn humankind into that splendid room with the same
old heart, deceitful and desperately wicked, we may expect to
clean house again not many days hence. What we need is peace
conference with the Prince of Peace."
The question being asked today from all walks of life is, "Where
does world peace begin?" World peace does not start way over
there somewhere. It begins in our hearts and minds.
We need not pack up and head for the Middle East, Bosnia
or the Sudan to promote goodwill. Our peace mission is cut out
for us here and now...in our hearts, homes, offices, mills, schools
and even churches.
Every day and every minute of every day we can follow after
the things which make for peace. We can follow after truth, tact
and tolerance. We can follow after patience, poise and politeness.
We can follow after love, the things that are lovely and the light
of understanding. We can follow after prayer rather than pride,
prejudice and pettiness.
When there is peace in the heart, there is peace in the family;
when there is peace in the family, there is peace in the communi
ty; when there is peace in the community, there is peace in the
nation; when there is peace in the nation, there is peace in the
world.
Christmas reminds us th a t there is hope for our battered,
bewildered world. The beautiful message of the angels to
shepherds long ago was, ' /C?lory'tp Gdd .in the highest, and on
earth, peace, good will toward m en." Amen and Amen!
"A Vision o f What is to Com e"
By Pastor Andrew Johnson, First Christian Church, Heppner
I have been doing a series of sermons through the minor pro
phets leading into the advent season and on toward Christmas.
This last Sunday, I preached a passage out of Haggai. The text
read like this in the New International Version, " 'I will shake
all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will
fill this house with glory,' says the Lord Almighty. 'The silver
is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the Lord Almighty. 'The
glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the
former house,' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will
grant peace,' declares the Lord Almighty. " (Hag. 2:7-9)
It is interesting to note that as one looks into the history behind
this passage, Haggai is talking about the glory of the temple at
Jerusalem. Solomon's temple was a very great splendor and
would probably be classified as the eighth wonder of the world.
In our human minds, we would have asked God the question
of how anything could be more glorious than this?
Haggai writes in the Old Testament the temple that Solomon
built has been destroyed and a smaller version, which is far less
glorious, is built. And get this-God says through Haggai the pro
phet that the glory of this temple will be greater than the glorious
version Solomon had built.
How can this be? Could it be because of who was in it and
not what it looked like? The New Testament was written to tell
of a new way God was dealing with mankind. Through His Son
Jesus. Most people think that a glorious Christmas is the one
where you get the most and best presents. This year, let us re
evaluate what that means. Big temple or smaller temple? More
presents or more of His presence that will last an eternity.
May you have a very Merry Christmas.
Is it so strange that some persons look to the stars for their
answers to life's questions? The growing interest in the occult
or mystery religions is inevitable if answers to life cannot be found
immediately at hand.
If learning in the arts and sciences fails to supply the individual
with answers to his needs, why not try the stars?
To me, the most astonishing aspect of Christmas is the story
of the wise men who followed a star. Guided by a brilliant star,
they arrived at their destination to find a simple, concrete life
situation at Bethlehem-a baby boy newly born into a world of
The Morrow County Com
poverty and want. While the poverty of this humble family was mission on Children and Fami
enough to cry out for their gifts, this was not the primary reason lies (MCCCF) is offering two
for the wise men being there.
scholarships to attend the Ore
The wise men followed the star and searched out the baby Jesus gon Governor's School. All
because they wanted to welcome Him as the promised King of Morrow County youth who
Kings, Lord of Lords. Their first need was to know that God's will be sophomores, juniors or
purpose for their lives was being fulfilled. The star was only a seniors during the 1997-98
temporary, practical guide to Christ, the Light of the World. "The school year can apply.
true Light that enlightens man was coming into the world. To
The school is a non-profit
all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power organization aimed at develop
to become children of G od." (John 1:9-11)
ing leadership and citizenship
No longer did the wise men need to depend upon the stars among young people. It pro
to guide their lives. And neither do we.
vides youth with a year-long,
The Christmas story teaches us that God is nearer to us than two-phase introduction to lead
we think. No need to seek Him in the stars, He is in the every ership development through a
day world in which we live. This is the mystery of God's eter blend of practical skills training,
nal love, that in Christ, bom of Mary in Bethlehem, He visited civic education, community
our planet. Now we can believe He understands our sorrows
and joys, our disappointments and successes, our hunger for dai
ly food and our hunger for justice and righteousness in the world.
He is able to communicate with us in the midst of the simple
and humble events because he came to Bethlehem.
The only problem I have this night of the Savior's birth is that
The Oregon Trail Library
regular
board
I myself am far removed from the poverty level of many of my District's
will
be
held
fellow men, to say nothing of the starvation level of many others. meeting
And, I have set aside so few gifts to help touch real human need. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.
Perhaps I am only a stargazer and I don't see the Savior of Men at the OTLD Boardman
MCCCF offering two scholarships
service, problem solving and
adult mentoring.
The commission is looking
for m ature students with
natural leadership potential,
who have a willingness to live
and work with others and have
a commitment to providing
sustained service to their com
munities.
Applications for the school
must be completed by March 15
and scholarships will be offered
upon acceptance. For applica
tion materials and information
on the scholarships, students
are encourged to contact their
high school counselor, or the
MCCCF at 676-9675.
OTLB to m eet on Decem ber 18
branch.
The next meeting will be
held Wednesday, January 15,
at 7 p.m. at the Heppner
branch.