Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents’ house the week before Christmas. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers. The younger one began praying at the top of his lungs:

“I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE…”AND I PRAY FOR  A NINTENDO…”

His older brother leaned over, nudged him and said, “Why are you shouting? God isn’t deaf.” Then the little brother replied, “No, but Grandma is!”

Christmas is only 10 days away. On that morning, children and adults will be unpacking their Christmas “gifts”.

According to a study by the National Retail Federation, Americans are projected to spend more money on gifts this year than any other time in history.

According to a Gallup study, American adults are projected to spend an average of $856 on gifts.

Growing up in Holland, gifts were exchanged in the evening of December 5ththe day of Saint Nicholas.

It was not uncommon for the gift to have a rhyme attached to it.

Speaking of rhymes, the other day I read a story of a lady who wanted to buy Christmas gifts for her circle of friends. But she had been too busy to buy gifts.

As time was running short, so close to Christmas, she decided to give up on the gifts, and instead buy everyone a beautiful Christmas card.

She went to the local gift store, and hastily went through the Christmas cards that were left, and found a box of fifty, just exactly what she needed.

She didn’t take time to read the message, but liked the picture, portraying the spirit of Christmas, and she thought this is just perfect. She signed the back of each of the cards with “Merry Christmas”.

After the holidays, she cleaned some papers off her desk and ran across the one leftover card that she hadn’t sent. For the first time she looked inside the card and she actually read what it said.

It had a simple little rhyme: This Christmas card is just to say, a gift is on the way

Can you imagine receiving a message with the promise that a gift is on the way???

What an exciting prospect that must be. This is exactly what happened when God made the promise that a gift was on the way. He used the prophet Isaiah to deliver that message 2800 years ago.

The equivalent of that Christmas card is a message found in Isaiah 35 Earlier, Art read from Isaiah 35:  Here is your God. He will come and save you.”

5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

What a delightful message that must have been, but it took a long time of expectedly waiting before this gift was delivered.

Our opening hymn this morning was “Come thou long-expected Jesus….. For centuries the Jewish people were anxiously waiting, and expecting the arrival of the Messiah as had been foretold, all the way back in the 8thcentury BC by Isaiah.

But God does things on his timeline, not ours, and 800 years later he sent his only begotten son to dwell among the people, in other words: his “Gift” to the world.

The bible mentions “Gift” 58 times, but it is most cited in the Gospel of Matthew and Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Today’s reading in Matthew 11:2-11 depicts the arrival of “The Gift” from heaven, and the manifestation that Jesus was indeed the Messiah as had been foretold by the Isaiah.

This reading can be found on page……… of your pew bible.

But before reading the word of God, please bow down in prayer.

Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find wisdom, and in your will, discover your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 11:2-11

2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John, what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness, to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

8What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is the one, about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11Truly I tell you, among those born of women, no one has arisen, greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he………………..

Verse 2 starts with when John was in prison. You may wonder: who is john?…… John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus and born only 6 months earlier as an only child, to Zecharias and Elizabeth.

John was a teacher and prophet; he had a following of Israelites hungry and thirsty of the soul, and anxious for the anticipated arrival of the Messiah.

John received the word of God in the wilderness, to spread the message of repentance and love of others, by sharing with the less fortunate in society.

The place where he baptized was in the exact same location where Joshua had led the Israelites through the Jordan into the Promised Land 1400 years earlier, after spending 40 years in the wilderness…….

John the Baptist played a key role in the launch of Jesus’ ministry. Let me illustrate this role with the following analogy:

Did anyone see the 49er game last Sunday beating the New Orleans Saints 48-46? What an epic game that was. One of the keys, to the 49er success this year, is their amazing running record, second only in the NFL this year.

But no one can touch the record, of Emmitt Smith the all-time leading rusher in NFL history. He played for the Dallas Cowboys for 13 seasons including 3 Super Bowl victories.

Smith was the only running back to ever receive a Super Bowl MVP award.

Emmitt Smith had a carrier total of 18,350 yards running, 164 TD’s and was inducted in NFL Hall of fame in 2010.

Lesser known is the fullback, Daryl Johnston, who was the lead blocker, opening up the lanes for Emmitt Smith. He was the one who paved the way for Smith to run all these yards.

So it was with John the Baptist who paved the way for the Lord, as prophesied in Isaiah 40: clear the way of the lord, in the wilderness make smooth, in the desert a highway for our God.

But in verse 2, John had been arrested and thrown in prison for condemning King Herod, who had divorced his wife and then unlawfully took Herodias, the wife of his brother.

John asked Jesus in verse 3:  “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?

John knew that Jesus was the Messiah. Here he is confined in a prison cell, and he started to wonder if he perhaps was wrong.

The Jewish people in those days had a perception of the Messiah as the powerful warrior who would kick the Romans out the land of Israel and establish his Kingdom.

But Jesus, indisputably answers John’s doubts in verse 5 reporting on the amazing things he has done, when he said: “the blind receive their sight”; this is a true testimony of the sanctity of Jesus.

Nowhere else in the bible, is there a recording of the blind being healed, except for Jesus performing this miracle on 4 separate occasions in Matt 9:27, Mark 8:22, Mark 10:46 and John 9:1.

Then he says: the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

Every one of these compassionate acts is a solid proof that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the one Isaiah had predicted was to come in that delightful message in Isaiah 35:5.

In other words, Jesus was not the warrior Messiah that most had been expecting, but rather he was “The gift” to mankind, “The Gift” to the world.

In verse 7-9 Jesus poses some rhetorical questions by asking the crowd, what they thought of John the Baptist. Why were they so interested in him? He was a humble prophet who spoke a piercing message.

Jesus pointed out that John was more than just a prophet because he served as his forerunner.

Jesus proclaimed, that John was the greatest prophet, which is pretty amazing when we consider Moses, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah or any of the other prophets.

John had the distinct privilege, of introducing the Messiah to his fellow Jewish brothers and sisters, but also to the world.

In verse 11 Jesus said: the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist. How can that be?

He was underscoring the extraordinary privilege of being in the kingdom.

John paved the way for the coming of the messiah, but those in the kingdom, actually experience the glory of heaven.

To use another football metaphor, they get to celebrate the touchdown in the end zone and share the glory with the rest of the team.

Even the least in the Kingdom have a better understanding than all the prophets combined because they know the love of God as he showed it on the cross.

This is where “The Gift” comes into the picture.

Jesus said in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus is “The Gift” and he, in turn, is one who provides “The Gift”

He is “The Gift” that keeps on giving.

Paul calls it “the unspeakable gift of God” in 2 Cor. 9:15

And in Romans 6:23 Paul wrote: the Gift of God is eternal life

The timing of the gift is everything; let me illustrate this with a true story that I heard on my way home Friday night:

The wife of a policeman in Iowa was doing some early Christmas shopping in June 1977, looking for an appropriate gift for her husband.

She found what she was looking for but the price was out of her range and there was only one left.

So she said to the salesperson, can you put this away for me, I will pay you some money now, and will pay you monthly until I  pick it up for Christmas.

The salesperson looked her in the eyes, and said it is fine that you pay monthly until Christmas, but take this gift with you now; you never know what might happen between now and Christmas.

When she came home she was so excited, she couldn’t wait until Christmas, and gave “The Gift” to her husband that day.

Fast forward to October 1st, 1977, when the policeman responded to a robbery call, at a drug store in Bettendorf Iowa,

He walked over to the suspect’s car when suddenly the door opened and the suspect pointed a 45 caliber gun and fired from about three feet away dead center in the stomach of the policeman.”

Later that morning two officers stood at the doorstep of his home to break the bad news to his wife. When she saw the grave look on the officer’s faces, she broke down in tears.

They said, her husband is in the ER, with a huge bruise on his belly but that he will be released in hours.

The gift she had bought and prematurely given to her husband was a bulletproof vest, and it saved his life.

It is like that, with “The Gift” from God, this is the free gift that will save your life forever.

Paul wrote in Romans 6:23: but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But in order to accept this free gift we need to surrender and give ourselves to Christ.

Surrendering in light of adversity it is not easy,

Let me illustrate this with an example:

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Humboldt County experienced what they called a bomb cyclone.  The winds were so strong it knocked out power to thousands of homes including ours.

It took multiple days for the PG&E crews to restore all the power lines.

For us, it meant Thanksgiving without electricity. Our little generator kept the food in the refrigerator and freezer from spoiling, but the rest of the house was cold and dark.

As the day went on, we eventually surrendered to making the best of it, as it was getting dark, we got a fire going in the woodstove, ready to bundle up to read a book.

But then, when we were no longer expecting it, the whole house lit up at once, like a flash from heaven, when suddenly the power came back on again. It truly felt like free gift.

Often we don’t realize all the things we take for granted and we should be thankful. What a joyous moment it was, to have a warm and well-lit house again

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15 – Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Surrender to Jesus, and ask him to come in your heart.

He will respond, and he will provide you with the gift, that is so powerful, it dwarfs any Christmas gift you will ever receive.

He said in Luke 11:9 ask and it shall be given

Don’t wait any longer with asking.

Do it today and he will come into your heart and soul.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life.

When the inevitable time comes, he will lead us through the narrow gate, into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thank you,

God bless you

Merry Christmas

Good Morning,

Welcome, and thank you for coming,

Today message is titled “We Shall Overcome”

But let’s kick it off with something funny:

There was this fellow called Dave, driving on highway 101 between Arcata and Eureka, when suddenly he got a phone call from his wife calling him in a panic, warning him:

Dave, I just heard an alert on the radio: there is a car driving the wrong way between Arcata and Eureka on 101. So please be careful.'
I know Dave said, I just saw that car, but let me tell you: there isn’t just one car - there are dozens of them!'

When is the last time you were warned or got a warning?

How often are we being warned, but we either don’t recognize it as a warning, or we don’t want to hear it, we think we are just fine, and we don’t need any prompting

Let me illustrate this with an example: After the devastating 2017 fire destroying 5600 structures in and around Santa Rosa. And after the fire that destroyed the town of Paradise Ca, in 2018, PG&E filed for bankruptcy.

Earlier this summer they gave a “dire warning”, that they would turn off the power when fire conditions would warrant it, in all areas that were prone to wild fires in Northern California,

When PG&E made this announcement, most people in Humboldt County shrugged their shoulders, thinking this was not going to affect us, not here in Humboldt County, particularly on the coast with cool and moist conditions.

By the way, with two power plants capable of supplying most of the demand in this area, there was no need to worry; most of us thought we would be fine.

Then, late afternoon on October 8^th, PG&E send out a Power Shutoff Notification.

It was based on “Red Flag Warnings” of dry conditions and high winds on the inland mountain tops. The power was going to be turned off at midnight, for an unforeseen time in most of Northern California, including Humboldt County.

Suddenly chaos broke out. Long lines at gas stations, supermarkets, and sure enough midnight came, and Humboldt went dark, and complete silence set in………

Those, who had paid attention to the early warning signs were prepared and did okay.

But for most, who had ignored those warnings, found themselves scrambling for basic needs like a cup of coffee, some food or a warm shower or gas for their car …(pause)..

What does the bible say about warnings?

The Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah sternly warned the Jewish’s people, to turn from their wicked ways.

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi.

After Malachi there is 400 year period of silence, until Matthew the first book of the NT describes John the Baptist leading the way for the arrival of Jesus Christ.

The four Gospels recorded 37 miracles and 39 parables; they describe the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, capturing the Good New Message.

But is Luke 21, Jesus gives six profound predictions, which today would be analogous with “Red Flag Warnings”.

Those warnings baffled and surprised the folks listening to him, but Jesus concludes with providing hope and assurance.

In today’s vernacular we would say: “We Shall Overcome”.

This brings us to the reading in Luke 21:5-19, which can be found on page……..of your pew bible

But before reading the word of God, please bow down in prayer.

Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find wisdom, and in your will, discover your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

⁵When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts, dedicated to God, he said, ⁶“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” ⁷They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. ⁹“When you hear of wars and insurgencies, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful warnings and great signs from heaven. ¹²“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you, and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; ¹⁵for I will give you words, and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶You will be betrayed, even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷You will be hated by all, because of my name. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your souls. ……………..(pause)

Jesus said these things only days before his crucifixion, in the presence of his disciples while in Jerusalem.

When he said in verse 6: not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”, this warning proved to be spot on.

Indeed a few decades later in 70 AD, the Romans ransacked and plundered Jerusalem. Thousands were killed and the Temple came down, stone by stone.

All that is left of the Temple today is its foundation which serves as the Wailing Wall, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. 

On the same place where the temple once stood, the Muslims built the al-Aqsa mosque including the Dome of the Rock, in the 8th-Century.

Then Jesus said in verse 8; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near!’

For the last 2000 years there have been predictions about the time being near.

-The Jewish Essene sect of ascetics, saw the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66-70AD, as the final end time battle.

-French bishop Hilary of Poitiers, announced that that the end of the World would happen in the year 365AD.

-Pope Sylvester II predicted the end of the World in the year 1000.

-Columbus in his “Book of Prophesies” predicted end times in 1658.

-Jim Jones, the founder of people’s temple predicted that a nuclear holocaust would take place in 1967.

-Pat Robertson predicted in his TV program, that the World would come to an end in 1982.

-Harold Camping of “Family Radio” predicted the final day would be May 21 2011.

Jesus was right, many claimed to know and made predictions, but they were all wrong.

Then He said in verse 10: Nation will rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom.

Since then there have been countless wars, but at no time in history was there as much bloodshed as during the Second World War.

This was the epitome of the “Nation against Nation” prediction. According to the Borgenproject.org an estimated 70 million people died between 1939 and1945.

And then he said in verse 11¹¹there will be great earthquakes.

Doing some research I found that the Geological Society of America (GSA) classifies a great earthquake as an event exceeding 8+ on the Richter scale.

According to a GSA report, the annual number of “great” (8+) earthquakes nearly tripled over the last decade.

Between 2004 and 2014, 18 earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.0 or higher, were recorded around the globe. That's an increase of 265% over the average rate of the previous century, which saw 71 “great” quakes,

In verse 11 Jesus said: and there will be dreadful warnings and great signs from heaven. The increased occurrence of deadly wildfires in the last several years makes one truly wonder about this prediction.

Then he said: they will arrest you and persecute you.

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity, based in Hamilton, Massachusetts, has estimated that 100,000 Christians die annually for their faith.

According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians are denied, fundamental human rights solely based on their faith.

Of the world's three largest religions, Christians are the most persecuted with 80% of all cases, while they make up only 33% of the world's population.

An organization called “Open Doors” published their annual “World Watch List”, earlier this year.

They reported that 245 million Christians around the world experience high levels of persecution for their choice to follow Jesus, including torture, forced conversion, murder and genocide.

In verse 13 Jesus said: This will give you an opportunity to testify. Some of the most moving and powerful testimonies come from Christians in Countries where they that are denied their faith, but also from well-known public figures who came to Christ.

The other morning I heard the story about Kanye West, the rap music artist who’s known for writing music with an array of expletives and vulgarity.

A few weeks ago he released his newest album titled “Jesus is King”.

He had a conversion, and he said in an interview: quote: My job is to spread the Gospel and let people know what Jesus has done for me.

There was a time I was letting you know what high fashion had done for me, but now I’m letting you know what Jesus has done for me, and in that I’m no longer a slave, I’m a son now, a son of God. I’m free,”

Since the release of the album there has a notable rise in google searches of bible verses.

The American Bible Society, jumped on this story and set up a link abs.bible/Kanye, for anyone interested in receiving a free copy of the bible. ABS reported that Thousands of bibles have already been sent out.

Actor Anthony Hopkins, once was an atheist, but he changed his view to embrace God’s existence.

He told an audience at a recent public event, that at one time he struggled with alcoholism and he called himself (quote) “disgusted, busted and not to be trusted" but that a single question about God changed everything.

Last year at the annual LEAP Conference, an event that focuses on youth leadership and success, Hopkins, shared his testimony ………

Jesus concludes his warnings on a most inspiring and uplifting note in verses 18 and 19, when he makes the case for “We Shall Overcome”, by saying:

But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your souls.

In other words, despite false preachers, despite wars, despite the increase in great earthquakes, despite devastating wild fires, despite the persecution of Christians , there is a promise and assurance that in Christ “We Shall Overcome”.

Jesus said in john 3:16 whoever believes in me, shall not perish but have eternal life.

And in John 11:25-26 Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

Friends, a belief in Jesus Christ is the key to life eternal…..

Reading the bible, reading books, going to church, singing the hymns, all those things are good, but true belief comes when you start a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let me illustrate this with an example.

A few weeks ago we went to see a performance of Beethoven’s violin concerto by the Eureka Symphony. Beethoven wrote only one violin concerto, it is truly a master piece.

This violin concerto is one of my all-time classical favorites and I have probably listened to it on tape, CD or I-tunes over a hundred times.

But sitting in that audience in the Arkley Center, listing and watching the orchestra with Canadian soloist, Liana Berube playing the violin. Witnessing that in person, was such a thrilling experience, enough to give you goose bumps.

Sitting there, I couldn’t help but think of the difference of reading about Jesus versus having a relationship ship with him ourselves.

We can go to church, we can read books, just like listening to the music on You-Tube or I-tunes, but nothing equates to being there, and watch and listen to a live performance, so it is, when Jesus comes into our hearts.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts, through faith;

And to the Galatians he wrote in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith, in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Friends, Christ lives in the hearts of believers, he is amongst us in heart and spirit. Isn’t this awesome; the person we look up to, is amongst us.

Last month we attended the PMA show in Anaheim. 30,000 people from Produce and floral industry attend this tradeshow once a year, and the event that is recognized the world over.

At the opening breakfast, the keynote speaker was Magic Johnson. He gave an inspiring speech, but rather than giving this speech from the mainstage, Magic Johnson jumped of the stage.

He spent the majority of the time walking through the audience while giving his life’s story and intermittingly talking the members of the audience, signing jerseys, and posing for pictures. It was unique presentation.

It is like that, when you invite Jesus into your heart, he will walk with you and talk to you.

Jesus said in John 16:33 : These things I have spoken to you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

In other words, in Christ “We Shall Overcome”, when we believe deep in our hearts,

Don’t wait any longer, start a relationship with Jesus Christ.

You may ask: what do I need to do to make this happen?

Here is the answer: say this simple prayer:

Jesus: come into my life, I will repent of my sins.

I want to trust and follow you, and I accept you as my Lord and Savior..

Friends, no matter how bad the odds may appear “We Shall Overcome”.

Jesus will guide us through the jungle of life.

And when that time comes, he will lead us through that narrow gate into the Kingdom of Heaven,

Thank you

God Bless you,

Amen

.