Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

PASTOR'S PENS 2008

December 28th “It sometimes happens, even in the best of families, that a baby is born. This is not necessarily cause for alarm. The important thing is to keep your wits about you and borrow some money.”   Elinor Smith             Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve lost count. Since I first went into the ministry, I’ve visited with hundreds of families as they’ve welcomed a new baby. What happened has been pretty consistent. None of the Dads were at work. In fact, nearly every one of them took some significant time off from their jobs. Obviously, none of the new moms were at work either, though they had definitely “labored.” Each families’ schedule had dramatically changed. What was routine was now just a distant memory. Baby rooms had been prepared. Life was now unalterably different. Nothing changes life like a baby.             God sent His Son Jesus Christ for you. He gave this world a Baby boy. So is your life noticeably different because of this Baby? Has this Baby affected your work, your schedule, your home, your life? Has this Baby influenced your attitude, your love, your giving, your service?             According to a legend Satan and his demons were having a Christmas party. As the demonic guests were departing, one grinned and said to Satan, "Merry Christmas, your majesty." At that Satan replied with a growl, "Yes, keep it merry. If these Christians ever get serious about it, we'll all be in trouble." But we must get serious about it. Christmas is not just about being “merry.” It’s the birth of the Baby. It’s the Incarnation and the coming of God. It’s the intervention of God's presence among men and women. Just think about the changes that a new baby brings to a new family.             a) Time usage changes. Time is no longer your own to do with as you please. You can’t just pop in the car and go out to dinner. You have to plan for the baby. You either have to find a place that’s kid friendly or arrange for a baby sitter. Your time focus also changes. If you’re caring for a baby, a major project has to be done when the baby is sleeping or when your spouse is home to watch the baby.             A Christian doesn’t use their time like a lost person does. Our time is no longer our own to do with as we please. A priority must be put on time in the Word and prayer (2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Thes. 5:17). Weekly meeting with other believers is not optional (Hebrews 10:25). We cannot just be self absorbed but are to pour out our lives for Him and for others (Eph. 6:7). Even our leisure time changes. There are things that we just do not do because they do not please Him (1 Cor. 10:31).             b) Money usage changes. You can’t just go out and blow a wad painting the town. There is food, diapers, and clothes to buy and even college education to save for.                         A Christian uses money totally differently from a lost person. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:21, 24). A Christian can’t have it all. That’s because we are not owners but managers of His property. We are to be cheerful, generous givers. We’re to give of the first fruits (Proverbs 3:9-10). Over and over again God’s work speaks of a 10% minimum...not a minimum gift.              c) Behaviors and attitudes change. Life becomes very serious. Very few single people have life insurance, yet it’s very rare to meet someone with children who doesn’t. When you have a family, you go to work and work hard...even if you hate your job. Someone else’s crying child might have driven you around the bend. They were something to be politely tolerated. But when it’s your child, you want to know what’s wrong. Are they hurt? Sick? Hungry? And most of all, how can you fix it?             Likewise a Christian is to have Christlike behaviors and attitudes. Galatians 5:22-23 isn’t just a wall plaque, it’s a lifestyle empowered by the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”             A baby absolutely changes everything. Meeting the One who came to this earth as God Incarnate, knowing Him as your Lord and Savior should also change everything.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”             Friend, if you’ve never had that kind of change, then you’ve missed the real message of Christmas. Perhaps the “Baby” has never truly come into your life. Because when Jesus Christ comes into your life, you don’t just move around the furniture, your life is radically changed...forever!