Adult Bible Study- 9:00 am
Worship- 10:00 am
Coffee Fellowship Hour- 11:00 am

MAY THOUGHTS FROM OUR PASTOR

As the weather continues to get nicer, the flowers and trees start to bloom, and summer is just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about Christmas.

I am of a split personality when it comes to Christmas decorations.  I love putting them up, but I hate taking them down.  There is the finality of it all; my favorite holiday has come and gone.  The house just doesn’t seem quite the same without the candles in the windows, the wreaths and the garland on all the entryways, and the tree glowing beautifully in the living room.  And then there is the tedium of it all; dragging out all those boxes and wrapping everything back up again.  I keep trying to convince Amy that we should just put the tree in storage with the ornaments still on it - - no such luck.  The unofficial record for longest still-standing Christmas tree in the Andersen household is well into Lent and almost to Easter.  Granted, we don’t turn the lights on each night.  That’s a special kind of crazy that makes my decoration procrastination pale in comparison.  When I drive by a house that still has its Christmas lights on months after Christmas (not just up, mind you, but on), I intentionally slow down.  You know, as a sign of respect.

A number of years ago when we lived in Appleton, it was well into spring when I finally took the last of the decorations down. One of the last items to go was a Christmas wreath that hung on the front of the garage.  As I went to take it down I discovered that a bird had made its nest at the bottom of the wreath.  Three little eggs lay gently in the nest.  Amy and I decided that since the wreath had stayed up that long, it could stand staying up there a little while longer.  No sense punishing the bird and her babies for my feet dragging. The people who drove by our house didn't know the reason behind the wreath staying up; they probably just thought we were lazy or weird.  

Now, it’s no big deal if someone thinks I’m a little odd for still having a Christmas wreath up in May.  But what about bigger things?  What about sacrifices and life adjustments that Christ is calling us to make that may call our reputation into question? I would imagine Jesus knew a thing or two about having his reputation called into question based on things he said and people he associated with. That’s the thing about making accommodations for others – it might make people think differently of us.  Christ calls us to spread and share the Gospel message by being humble servants. “Just as I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you then should wash one another’s feet.”  (John 13:14) “The greatest in the Kingdom of heaven are the ones who humble themselves and become like a child.”  (Matthew 18:4) What would this look like if you put it into practice in your life in a practical manner?  What would it look like for you to humble yourself like a child and serve others?  And more to the point, how would you deal with what people might say about you?

So the question is this – what is more important to you?  Loving God through serving others or people’s opinions about you?  Who is the master of your life?  To whom do you pay ultimate allegiance?  “Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7).
 

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Pastor Jason