The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading – 1John 3-5; 2John; 3John

1John 4:9-11  On Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men

Merry Christmas and good morning. I hope you slept well. Did the kids bust in your room at 1:00 AM exclaiming that Santa came? But we’re not here to chat about Satan Claws. December 25th is the day we celebrate Emmanuel: Jesus coming in the flesh: God with us! And the reason for the season is told in 1John…

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  (1John 4:9-11)

On earth peace, good will towards men Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. This is the Christmas story. The key bringing glad tidings, edifying the breathren, having peace on earth, and good will towards everybody is Jesus: our Emmanuel. Mathhew 1:23 quotes Isaiah: ” Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  Emmanuel means God with us. God is with us. He is right here, and everywhere. If we would only realize that God is always with us: He hears and sees what we do. Knowing and believing this may help us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Maybe then we will love others as ourselves. We would not be texting messages across the church about someone who doesn’t meet your standards, or dress as well as you do. Jesus sees every where you place your thumbs, or index finger, on the keyboard. And He already knew the message you would type before creation. That may be something to think about before hitting send. Gossip is bad for everyone. Not just texting it, but speaking it also. Here is something else to think about when someone gossips to you: think about this – what are they saying about you when you are not around? What makes you think that someone is not speaking or texting the same things about you? Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you paranoid. Gossip hurts others, so maybe it’s time to put the cellphones away and concentrate on what the Preacher is preaching. Listen as the choir proclaims glory to God in song. You can proclaim God’s glory too during the congregationals. As for me, when I find out that someone has said something derogatory about me, I pray for that person. I know God hates that stuff. To me, I’m not worth God advenging me, and I would feel bad if your thumbs fell off, or you lost your voice. Let’s strive together in the new year to be more like Jesus: loving and edifying the breathren. Then maybe we can have individually peace on earth and good will to all men.

Peace (Luke 2:14)