SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Christmas Messages From Area Churches
A Home in
God’s Heart
Many of us remember
this season’s song, “I’ll be
home for Christmas, if only
in my dreams.”
The desire to be with
family and friends in fa-
miliar places doing familiar
holiday things is the long-
ing this song expresses.
Some people can count
on this feeling of coming
home to be wrapped up in
the cozy blanket of all that
this season has come to of-
fer. Others are separated by
distance and circumstances
that make this a wistful
dream. And still others feel
the absence of all of this and
the emptiness that comes
from being on the outside
looking in.
There is in all of us a
deep yearning for a home.
What a comfort it would
be if, regardless of circum-
stances, everyone could
hold this feeling of being
home in their hearts. As it
turns out, that is exactly
what Christmas is about.
At one point in history,
God came to make a home
among us. This is Christ-
mas—the birthday of Jesus.
As He lived with us, Jesus
opened the heart of God to
us as our true home. To all
of us, everywhere and at
all times, God is saying,
“I have loved you with an
everlasting love, and so
with lovingkindness I will
draw you to Me” (Jeremiah
31:3). This is the dream that
was born on Christmas day.
This is the gift that wraps us
in the comfort of being at
home in God’s heart.
Peace and comfort to
us all,
Pastor Joann Dickson
Hopeful Saints
460 Gale St., Heppner
541-676-9970
Christmas Eve Service
at 6 p.m.
Sunday services at 10
a.m.; Wednesday evening
study/discussion at 6 p.m.
The Death
March
Mark records for us in
His gospel, Jesus saying
these words to His disci-
ples, “The Son of Man is
to be delivered into the
hands of men, and they
will kill Him; and when
He has been killed, He will
rise again three days later”
(Mk. 9:31).
Now, you might read
that and wonder, “What in
the world does that have to
do with Christmas? That
seems like a verse for Eas-
ter.” Well, what is important
to see in this text (which is
a bit hidden in the English
translation) is this word
“delivered.” The specific
word Mark uses here, in the
Greek, has a futuristic sense
to it, but also one conveying
fact. It is to say, “It is certain
this will take place in the
future.”
You see, Jesus was
needing to bring clarity to
His disciples about how
He would usher in His
kingdom. It would not be
(as they were incorrect-
ly thinking) with military
force. No. He was going to
crush humanity’s greatest
enemies—sin, Satan, and
death—through His suffer-
ings on the cross. He was
telling them, that was where
He was heading. He was, so
to speak, on a death march.
The relevance to
Christmas is to understand
this death march did not
begin on that day when
Jesus “set His face like a
flint” (Is. 50:7) to Jerusalem
where He was to be cruci-
fied. No. It began when the
Son of God condescended
and took on human flesh. It
began at His incarnation. As
there would be a cry in His
voice when He was born,
so there would be a cry in
His voice at His death. He
would cry out, “It is fin-
ished!” (Jn. 19:30), as if to
convey mankind’s greatest
enemies had just received a
death blow. He proved this
by rising from the grave. He
ascended in glory and was
exalted above every name,
in heaven and on earth. The
important point to make is
His path to exaltation began
in His humiliation.
Christmas is a won-
derful season to remember
our Savior coming into
the world as the Light that
shines in the darkness (Jn.
1:5). It is right to pause to
remember the wonder of
God becoming man—the
hope of the world lying
helpless in a manger. But
it is equally important to
remember the purpose to
which He came. He could
have come with a sword.
He could have come and
demanded the worship He
was due. He could have
come and demanded all
to serve Him. He is the
rightful King of creation.
He could have done that.
Instead, He came to serve.
He came to be “delivered
into the hands of men” so
that they might “kill Him.”
He came to give His life as
a ransom for many (Mk.
10:45).
We all, in a sense, are
on a death march like Je-
sus Christ. Not in that we
are heading to a cross to
die for sinners, but that we
are moving to our death
bed. You are not promised
tomorrow. While today
is called today, cry out to
God that He might save you
of your sins. Look to the
cross of Christ as your only
hope of salvation. There is
no other way. Jesus was
born to die. So were you.
The question is, “Will you
looked to the finished work
of Christ to be delivered
from your sin, or will you
be delivered into the depths
of hell for your refusal
to accept God’s gracious
gift?”
Eric Schonbachler
Pastor, Lexington Re-
formed Baptist Church
www.lexrefbc.org
The Insignifi-
cant Becomes
Significant
In a world of notables
and influencers it is easy
to feel left behind. Most of
us spend our lives quietly
going about our business,
going to school, working
our job, raising a family,
babysitting grandchildren,
or just living life. TIME
magazine is not likely to
declare any of us person of
the year anytime soon.
And while we may
feign a lack of care for such
notoriety, upon reflection,
the idea of being passed
over can be distressing.
Further still, not only are
we very often ignored, we
may be powerless to change
that or anything about the
world despite being told
the contrary from a very
young age.
Perhaps even more dis-
turbing is the thought that
even when it comes to the
small details of our lives,
we have little control over
anything when it comes
down to it. We can make
schedules or plan meals and
vacations, but everything
is subject to be disrupted at
any moment by a call from
the doctor or unexpected
news from an employer,
family member or friend.
What can be done in
the face of such despairing
odds?
Many years ago, a
young, unassuming, insig-
nificant teenage girl in a
small town received news
that shook her world to
the core. No one knew her
name except her family,
her rabbi, and her friends.
Like us, she too made plans,
which included marrying
well, living a quiet life
in a small town, raising a
family, and hopefully being
left alone. That was not to
be. Her designs would be
altered in ways that would
literally change the world
forever.
If you haven’t already
guessed, that young wom-
an was named Mary. In
the Bible in Luke, chapter
1, something astonishing
happens. Out of all the
people in the world at that
time (emperors, priests, the
wealthy, etc.) God chose
Mary to be the mother of
the Son of God. She had
no notable education or
wealth. No social media
followers. No political
power. No voice whatso-
ever. A nobody who would
become somebody because
God looked down into a
small town and chose her.
And you want to know
the most powerful aspect
of this story? Mary did not
have to be anything to be
used by a God who is every-
thing. She did not cause any
of what happened. She had
no ability to complete the
miracle of the virgin birth,
yet God did the impossible
in her life. If God could
change the world through a
nobody like Mary, couldn’t
He also do the impossible in
your life?
In God’s economy,
more often than not, it is
not the Presidents, CEOs
or Caesars through which
He moves and works. It is
the forgotten people in for-
gotten towns, the discarded
and passed over. Those are
the ones through whom He
changes the world.
The next time you de-
spair becoming aware of
your seemingly small sig-
nificance, remember Mary,
but even more so, remem-
ber God’s preference to
choose the nobodies to be
the somebodies.
Candlelight Christmas
Eve Service at 5:30 p.m.
Worship Service every
Sunday at 10 a.m. or live at
https://www.facebook.com/
wcbcheppner
By the way, isn’t it in-
teresting that even though
a literal angel is appearing
before Mary and telling her
these things, that it is the
proof of God’s working in
Elizabeth’s life, another hu-
man being, that convinces
and comforts Mary.
There is a sermon right
there.
Pastor Tripp Finch
Wi l l o w C re e k B a p t i s t
Church
560 Minor Street, Heppner
Rediscovering
Christmas at
the Ione
Community
Church
Have you noticed how
Christmas seems to come
faster every year? For kids,
it’s all about the countdown
to presents and cookies. For
adults, it might feel more
like a rush of shopping,
decorating and figuring
out whose turn it is to host
dinner.
In all the busyness of
the season, how often do
we ever stop to think about
what we’re really counting
down to?
At the Ione Community
Church, we’ve spent the last
few weeks rediscovering
Christmas, diving into what
this season truly means, and
here’s the spoiler: it’s about
way more than presents
and tinsel. It’s about hope
when life feels uncertain;
peace in the chaos; joy,
even when it’s hard; and
love that brings us together.
Let’s be honest—life in
our country has been a bit
“messy” lately. Yet Christ-
mas reminds us of a hope
so steady it doesn’t depend
on our circumstances. The
story of Simeon and Anna,
two people who spent their
whole lives waiting to meet
the promised Savior, teach-
es us that hope isn’t about
ignoring reality—it’s about
trusting in the reality of
something far greater than
ourselves.
We’ve all had those mo-
ments when life feels like a
never-ending to-do list or
a storm we can’t control.
But Christmas introduces
us to the Prince of Peace.
That peace doesn’t mean
life gets easy; it means we
don’t have to face the storm
alone.
Happiness can be as un-
predictable as the weather,
but joy? That’s something
deeper. Mary, the mother
of Jesus, and her cousin,
Elizabeth, found joy amidst
challenging circumstances
because they saw God at
work. Joy is about knowing
that, no matter what, we’re
part of something bigger.
Here’s the best part of
the Christmas story—it’s
for everyone. God didn’t
just send Jesus for a select
few; He sent Him for shep-
herds and kings, for the
religious and the outcasts,
for you and me. It’s a love
that crosses every barrier
and brings us together.
This Christmas, I in-
vite you to take a moment
to breathe and rediscover
these gifts of hope, peace,
joy and love. If you don’t al-
ready have a church home/
family of faith holding a
Christmas Eve service this
year, please know you’re
invited to join us in cele-
brating this amazing story
at our Candlelit Christmas
Eve Service, Dec. 24 at
7 p.m. at the Ione Com-
munity Church, 395 East
Main Street, Ione. Whether
you’re curious, searching,
or just need a break from
the holiday frenzy, come
as you are.
Bring a friend, a neigh-
bor, or even your great-aunt
who makes “questionable”
fruitcake. There’s room for
everyone.
All are welcome, so
bring a friend!
Pastor Jeff Clabaugh
Ione Community Church
Christmas is
the miracle of
sharing and
reaching out
As we come closer to
Christmas, we might some-
times feel that if only we
had been there when Christ
was born, we would have
been so fortunate. For that
matter, there are times when
we are overwhelmed with
doubts and wish we could
see God and be reassured
in our faith.
So, this Sunday’s re-
sponsorial Psalm puts
words to our plea: “Lord
make us turn to you; Lord
let us see your face and we
shall be saved.” The Lord
is coming. Are we ready
to see him, to meet him, to
hear him?
Today’s reading is from
the prophet Micah (5:1- 4a).
A contemporary of Isa-
iah, Amos, and Hosea, he
preached the usual message
of repentance, asking the
people to turn away from
their sins. Micah came from
the small village of Beth-
lehem. In today’s reading,
Micah reminds the people
that the Messiah will not
come from the sophisti-
cated, well-known city of
Jerusalem.
Its people were too
hardened, and their kings
had been oppressing the
people. The present kings
were no good. He points
out that the Messiah will
come from the small town
of Bethlehem, south of
Jerusalem.
“Oh Bethlehem, you
who are one of the little
clans of Judea, from you
shall come forth for me one
who is to rule Israel.”
The name Bethlehem
means “house of bread.”
This town had no impor-
tance at that time but it had
ancient ties to the dynasty
of Jesse and his son Da-
vid. Micah made the great
promise of God to His peo-
ple. Between that promise
and its fulfilment there was
a long time of waiting. Only
those who waited in hope
saw that promise fulfilled.
As believers, we want
to draw close to God, we
want to experience God and
we pray that we might en-
counter Him. We have our
expectations of how God
should come into our lives
but God has His own way.
That he will come into
our world is certain, but
will we encounter him?
Perhaps we must abandon
our “Jerusalem” and look
for little, unknown Bethle-
hem; abandon our plans and
wait in hope for His com-
ing. Have we seen Jesus on
the streets where we live?
Perhaps he does live there.
Only with eyes of faith can
we recognize Him.
In the Gospel of Luke
(1:39-45) we read of
the visit of Mary to her
cousin Elizabeth in a re-
mote village in Judea, to
be of assistance to her in
her pregnancy. It is through
Mary that God kept the
promise announced a long
time ago through the proph-
et Micah. Important is not
only the fact that God came
into her life but that she rec-
ognized His coming.
As Mary enters Eliz-
abeth’s house, Elizabeth
beholds with eyes of faith
the coming of the Lord into
her life. Though Mary could
just be a younger cousin on
a social visit that happens
to come at the right time to
help Elizabeth, Elizabeth
sees God’s hand and the
Lord’s presence in what is
happening.
“Why has this hap-
pened to me that the mother
of my Lord comes to me?”
At Christmas God
keeps His promise; that
promise is named Jesus.
That promise is revealed
to all who have faith and
fulfilled in all who have
love. We will only recog-
nize the face of Jesus when
we have love in our hearts,
love for God and love for
our neighbor.
However, so often we
act insensitively towards
those of our own home and
neighborhood. We might
look for God in the high
and mighty, yet He might
be hidden in the small, the
sick, the senile, the simple
and the social outcasts.
On Christmas we re-
member the magnanimity
of God, who shared His
only son with humanity, a
little babe bringing peace,
joy and happiness to a suf-
fering humanity.
Just as the Father
shared His own Son with
us and dispelled our gloom,
sin, shame and suffering, so,
too, we are called to dispel
the gloom, suffering and
shame of others, especially
as the world faces threat of
war and political suprem-
acies are taking an upper
hand.
For this we have a beau-
tiful example in Mary, who
reaches out to the needy of
her time, who prepared her-
self for the first Christmas
by sharing her joy with her
cousin Elizabeth.
We, too, can thus pre-
pare for Christmas, by shar-
ing with those in need, as
the miracle of Christmas is
the miracle of sharing and
reaching out.
Father Thankachan
Joseph
St. Patrick and St. Wil-
liam Catholic parishes
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We Wish All of You a
Joyous Holiday Season
and a
Merry Christmas!
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2025 a Year of
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