Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 25,
2002 - THREf"
Christmas messages from your local churches
St. Patrick’s and St. W illiam’s Catholic
Churches
‘From Anxiety To Spiritual Peace’
There is a simplicity about Christmas. We celebrate the birth
o f a baby. We cannot improve on the inspired account o f this event.
Yet we have to meditate on the event. We have to consider the meaning
o f this event. As we look around and see homes lighted brightly and
decorative. We see representations o f the Nativity Scene. We see
people shopping joyously. We hear music commemorating this event.
We hear people greet each other happily. And we have to ask
ourselves just what is the meaning o f this event.
Perhaps we listen to the words o f the Christmas Carols. One
tells us that this event was such that we sing: “O Holy Night”. Another
has us saying that this is “Joy To The World”. Then the words o f the
Angels, spoken to the shepherds, go right to the heart o f the matter:
“For to-day in the City o f David a Savior has been bom for you who
is Messiah and Lord.” (Luke 2:11) So, that is what all this excitement
is all about. The Prophet had foretold it, telling that a virgin would
conceive and bear a son and his name would be called Emmanuel.
Perhaps the shepherds knew about that prophesy. The words o f the
angels gave them the motivation to go to the City ofDavid, Bethlehem,
and see for themselves. There must have been joy in their hearts.
Maybe they wondered why this revelation had not been made to
kings or princes. What they knew was that it had been made to
them, and they rejoiced.
You and I have not only heard the prophesy, but we know
the fulfillment of the prophesy. We can learn from the example o f the
shepherds. They left their sheep to go and offer their homage to the
Infant Savior. We, too, need to leave the concerns o f our lives and
worship the Infant Savior.
We are living in a time o f anxiety. Our economy is weak, we
have experienced drought, and our country seems to be on the verge
o f war. We need the Prince o f Peace in our lives. We need not just
the tinsel and bright lights, but the reality o f the Savior in our lives.
When we have that gift we will have true joy in our lives, a joy that no
one can take from us. May this Christmas be one filled with faith in
the Savior. May we come to know with St. John that “the Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory,
the glory o f the Father’s only Son, full o f grace and truth.” (John
1:14)
-Father Gerry Condon
Heppner Nazarene Church
»‘Our Christmas gift, today, yesterday and
tomorrow’
One name or title that goes along with Jesus is the
Christmas name Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” So
what does this really mean, “God With U s?’ First read Matthew
1:18-25 (key verse 23). “This is how the birth o f Jesus Christ
came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to
Joseph, hut before they came together, she was found to be with
child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband
was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public
disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he
had considered this, an angel o f the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, “Joseph son ofD avid, do not be afraid to take
Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are
to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from
their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will
give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuef'-which means,
“God with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel
o f the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his
wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a
son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Let’s study this word in verse 23: Emmanuel <English
word o f Greek origin. Emmanouel (em-m an-ooale’) <Greek
word o f Hebrew origin. Im m anuw ’el (im -m aw noo-ale’)
<Hebrew word. Emmanuel is defined as: “God with us” or “with
us is God”; the symbolic and prophetic name o f the Messiah
(the Christ), as read in, Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14, because
Jesus was God united with man, and showed that God was
dwelling with man.
Hebrew word (‘el)- means: “God, the Mighty One; the
one true God, Jehovah (Yahweh).” The names o f God as given
in Scripture are representative o f His greatness and o f His
workings toward us. Jehovah-jireh-”the Lord will provide;”
Jehovah-nissi-”the Lord my banner;” Jehovah-shalom-"the Lord
my peace;” Jehovah-shammah-“the Lord is there;” Jehovah-
tsidkenu-”the Lord our righteousness.”
Reverently we also say the name “el Shaddai” defined
as “nourisher and com forter” . We bow before the name
“Elohim,” which means “power,” but we have come to love one
particular name o f God, because it unlocks to us all the others.
And that is the name Mary (and Joseph) gave to her firstborn
Son, the name o f Jesus. Jesus, Apostle John declared, was God’s
Word. John 1:1-4: “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God
in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him
nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that
life was the light of men.”
The Name o f “Jesus” is the same Word that had spoken
into existence everything that ever was. Jesus declared Himself
to be Bread to eat, and Light in which to walk. Jesas told us that
He is the Door to all good things, and that He is the Good
Shepherd to lead us and to seek us when we go astray.
Understanding Our Christmas gift:
1) God is SPIRIT <John 4:24>. “God is spirit, and His
worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” To the one woman
at the well o f Sychar, Jesus spoke this profound truth. In it He
affirms the personality o f God, and the common ground on which
God and humankind meet. We, too, are spirit made in G od’s
likeness.
2) God as Spirit is LIFE <John 5:26>. “For as the Father
has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in
Himself." And John 14:6 Jesus Said: “I am the w ay and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So people are spiritually "dead” until they respond to God,
through His grace. Jesus came to make that response possible.
^)God as Spinus LIGHT <1 John 1:5>.*God is light, and in
Him is no darkness at all.” And John 8:12 Jesus said, "I am the light
o f the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but
will have the light o f life.” Moral depravity is the absence o f light;
because Satan blinds people’s eyes they prefer not to come into the
light. However, if we walk in the light, the blood o f Jesus Christ will
cleanse us from all sin.
4) God as Spirit is LOVE <1 John 4:8-11 >. “Whoever does
not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God
showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the
world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice
for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to
love one another.” God is love.
Our Christmas Gift, Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow is found
in John 3:16-17. “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Now That Is Our Christmas Gift For All Time! This, then, is
what Jesus came to reveal: Emmanuel revealed God as Spirit, the
Spirit of: Life, Light and Love. For it is the best part o f the name
Emmanuel, this dawning of the reality that in Jesus, God has actually
come to where we are. Emmanuel means “God with us’” . I don’t
know any better Christmas message. It is, what Christmas is all about.
-Rev. Duane Jones
Willow Creek Baptist Church
'The Looking Glass o f Christmas
’
Have you ever noticed that the image o f an object can be
altered by viewing it through a glass lens? Some lenses alter
appearances for the better, some for the worse, and some even turn
the image upside down. The only way to see something as it truly
exists is to view it through the proper “looking glass.” Such is the
case with this wonderful celebration we call Christmas. Today, there
are many who have a distorted view o f Christmas. The only way to
view Christmas accurately is to view it through the only real looking
glass ...The Bible! Looking at Christmas through the Bible helps us
to see it in truth. It helps us see clearly who Jesus is and why He
came. A Biblical view o f Jesus reveals the Biblical meaning o f
Christmas. Let me share with you two common misconceptions
concerning Christmas.
First, we have a distorted view o f Christmas when we see
Jesus only as a baby. He was bom physically and literally o f a virgin.
That is amazing. However, it is also important to see that this meant
Jesus left the glory o f Heaven and made Himself o f no reputation to
come in the likeness o f man. He humbled Himself in obedience to
God the Father and was bom in human form to be a “bondservant”
(Phil 2:5-7). That is amazing. But that is not the most amazing part.
The most amazing part o f His birth was His death. He alone bore the
sins o f the entire world. He alone is qualified to offer a substitutionary
payment for our sin. He was bom as a baby so that He might grow to
a man. He grew to a man so that He might be put to death. It was His
death that met the requirement o f sacrifice, reconciling man to God
through faith and by grace. Without a birth there could be no death!
We celebrate the birth because we recognize the physically manifested
love and eternal plan o f God to restore relationship with man.
Secondly, we have a distorted view o f Christmas when we
see Jesus only as a giver. Christmas is the season o f giving because
Jesus gave Himself. We take this time to reflect on all that He has
given to us, and we rejoice in the blessings o f God. That is wonderful,
and as it should be. But! That is only half the story. If we are not
careful we fail to see that Jesus also came as an example for us to live
a life characterized by sacrifice and faithful service. It is true that
Jesus gives. But, He also requires! He gives salvation; but He requires
repentance. He gives joy; but He requires surrender. He gives peace;
but He requires submission. He gives life; but He requires death of
self. One day Jesus will return, and when He comes He will be
requiring! We do our children and families a great injustice when we
focus the eyes o f our heart exclusively on receiving from Jesus. I am
afraid that we have so confused our children today that when the
Lord returns, descending from Heaven, they will be the ones who
will miss the glory o f God. They will miss it because they will be
consumed with disappointment that He didn’t arrive riding on a sleigh,
with a big belly, wearing a red suit! The Bible shows Jesus as the
One who is looking for those who are faithful and obedient. That is
who Jesus is.
Do you want your family to be blessed this Christmas? The
greatest blessing o f Christmas is to see it through the clear and holy
looking glass o f the Bible. How do you see it?
-Pastor Bud Wenzel
All Saints Episcopal/Hope and Valby Lutheran Churches
‘HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
’
When the angel Gabriel proclaimed to Mary that she would
become pregnant and the son she w ould deliver would be the savior
o f the world, Mary pondered the angel's message in her heart. Now,
I ask you to ponder in your heart the true message o f Christmas and
compare that message to how Christ’s birth is experienced today.
Today the season is over-ran with commercialism and spending
uncontrollably, and I would ask that you to ponder the question
“W hy?' in your heart.
When God chose to send G od’s son to earth as a human
being God wasn’t extravagant, but rather humble. O f all the beings
o f the universe that had the right and the ability to be outlandishly
extravagant God would be the only one. However, that isn’t how
God chose to work. No, rather God chose to work through a young
unwed mother, who was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. And
instead o f making arrangements at the finest facilities of the time to
deliver the child, God's son was bom in a stable and laid in a manger.
Finally, instead o f sending out lavish birth announcements God
proclaimed Jesus’ birth to a group o f shepherds, who were watching
their flocks by night. Every step o f the way God went out o f the way
to be humble, in order that God could be in solidarity w ith humanity.
Jesus' humble beginnings w as the precedence for Jesus' future ministry,
one that reached out to sinners and tax collectors, the least, lost, last
and forsaken o f Jesus' time. Jesus was given a humble beginning; he
led a humble life and died a humiliating death.
As I ponder all these facts in my heart, I ask you, where
does all the chaos of the season come from? How is it that Christmas,
which started out so humble, has turned into something so brass?
We all have to come up with our answers to that question. However,
the good news for all o f us is this, no matter how we distort the
meaning o f Christmas; G od’s purpose for the season has never
changed. There is no amount o f commercialism that can persuade
God to change God’s mind concerning God's gift to us in the form of
salvation that arrived in the form o f a baby, wrapped in bands o f
cloth and laid in a manger because there was no room at the inn.
-Pastor Laura Snyder
Heppner Christian Missionary Fellowship
‘R ESTO R E’
“M an’s goings are o f the Lord,” (Prov. 20:24)
How can a man, his own way, understand?
The timing, the molding, the purpose,
Is up to the Potter’s hand. (Jer. 18:6)
“Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,”
“Why hast Thou made me thus?’ (Acts 9:20)
Our times are in the Potter’s hand, (Ps. 31:15)
And He’ll perform that good work in us. (Philip. 1:6)
Weeping may endure for a night, (Ps. 30:5)
But God will wipe away every tear, (Rev. 7:17 & 21:4)
When it gets the very darkest,
That’s when the morning is near.
His people have been robbed and spoiled,
And none have said, “Restore,” (Is. 42:22 & 23)
May the Man o f War rise up within us! (Ex. 15:3)
“Let him that stole steal no more!” (Eph. 4:28)
In our lives, churches, and families,
We needn’t look far to see a sign,
In our finances, communities and world,
The enemy has crossed the line! (Ps. 91:10)
It’s time to cast up the highway, (Is. 62:10)
It’s time to occupy! (Luke 19:13)
And for the abominations in the land
It’s time to sigh and cry. (Ezek. 9:4)
Having done all we’ll stand, (Eph. 6:13)
As the armour o f the Lord we wear, (Eph. 6:13-17)
No longer giving the enemy too much credit,
Instead, the power and promises o f God we declare! (Eph. 3:10)
We’ve read o f the wondrous works He has done, (Ps. 40:5 &
78:4)
And H e’s still the same today! (Heb. 13:8 & Mai. 3:6)
“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward m e ?’
(Ps. 116:12)
Now let His people say!
Though the waters may seem deep, (Is. 43:2)
And w e’d like to avoid the fire, (Dan. 3:17 & 18 & 1 Pet. 1:7)
His thoughts are not our thoughts,
And His ways are so much higher. (Is. 55:8 & 9)
We ’ll not be alone in the waters, or drowned in the rivers,
Nor burned in the fire we know! (Ps. 66:12)
Not because o f what we see or hear,
But because our Father said so! (Rom. 3:4)
So we will rejoice in the Lord, (Hab. 3:18)
He will make our feet like hind’s feet, (Hab. 3:15)
The Lord God is the strength in which,
Every challenge we will meet!
“But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in
holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none
delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith. Restore. Who among you will give
ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?“ (Isaiah
42:22-23 KJV)
by Catherine Sims
In this holiday season may each one o f us rejoice in Him who
is the reason for the season.
-Pastor Lynda L. Crane
First Christian Church
‘A Gift From A King *
In Matthew 2 we read o f the coming o f Magi (the wise men)
from the east following a star. They arrived in Jerusalem to ask for
directions to the one who has been bom king o f the Jews, for they
wished to go and worship him. O f course Herod, King o f the Jews
hears o f this request and promptly asks the Magi to locate this child
for him that he to may go and worship the king. And so Herod tells
the Magi to go and look in Bethlehem for the child bom king o f the
Jews. We know the story!!! They go and find Jesus and bow and
worship him and present to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
After they did this the passage of Scripture says that they being warned
in a dream did not go back and tell Herod about the child but went
home by a different route. It also says that Joseph was warned in a
dream to flee to Egypt in order to escape from Herod, King o f the
Jews.
The King Herod at that time gave a gift to the people o f
Bethlehem. Realizing he had been outwitted by the Magi he had every
child two and under in Bethlehem killed as to protect his precious
power. Jesus on the other hand being the true king, died for the sins
o f his people, w ho had rejected him and for the sins o f the whole
world. A gift from one king was death and sorrow and pain. The gift
from the other was freedom from all o f that.
This Christmas season let us remember Jesus the King and
the gift he gave, the forgiveness o f sins to all who believe. It was and
is so much more than anything we can give.
-Rev. Andrew Johnson
MILLER MANUFACTURING
W ishes E veryone A
Merry C hristm as And
A Happy N ew Year
This office will be closed on Dec. 25,26 & 27, and
Jan. 1,2003
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