The cost of Christmas

 The birth of Jesus was a shocking event.

Mary, a beautiful virgin betrothed to Joseph, was found to be pregnant before they married. This would have been a major scandal in small town Nazareth. It is hard to realise today just how shameful and disgraceful it was in that culture to be an unmarried mother. 

However the criticism would not just have been reserved for Mary but also for her parents. People would have thought her parents had not brought her up correctly nor had they watched over her. I expect Mum and Dad were hugely disappointed in their daughter. They would have hoped she knew better. Her parents would have greeted with great suspicion the story that she was still a virgin and that this baby was conceived by the Holy Ghost. It was certainly not something to share with the neighbours. That would have added ridicule to condemnation. 

Joseph was also no doubt sceptical about tales of an immaculate conception. In fact he was mindful to divorce Mary quietly to avoid further public humiliation for her until the intervention of the angel. Having confirmed that this baby was indeed conceived by God, Joseph being righteous, married her. This would not have stopped the wagging tongues though. It would just have pulled Joseph into the public disgrace as everyone would have assumed the baby was his. 

Four people would now have been criticised and suffered public humiliation even though no one had done anything wrong. In fact they had been selected for the highest honour of all - being parents and grandparents to the Son of God. Who would believe that? 

I wonder if as Mary and Joseph discussed the upcoming birth they deliberated if they would have to go to Bethlehem. After all that is where the Scriptures said the Messiah would be born. It doesn’t appear so because it took the intervention of an ungodly Roman Emperor to get them to the right place at the right time. They left for the weeklong journey to Bethlehem when Mary was almost full term, not recommended in any culture, let alone one with modest health care facilities. 

I am sure Mary and Joseph were optimistic that God would provide somewhere suitable for the baby to be born. If nothing else, they must have both had extended family in Bethlehem. Perhaps there was no room anywhere because news of the pregnancy outside marriage had gone before them? We can only imagine the disappointment turning to despair when all they were offered was a stable. 

So Mary gave birth to her precious first born, the Son of God, in a stable with the animals. Under any circumstances that is shocking. 

I think it is all too easy to romanticise and sanitise the Christmas story as we lustily sing our favourite Christmas carols. However it is good to remember how much it cost the key players to fulfil their destiny so that God could become Man and live amongst us. 

Today there are many, many Christians suffering for their faith all over the world. For many becoming a Christian can mean being ostracised by their family or even society, losing jobs or access to good education. Just like Mary all those years ago, too many Christians today are treated shockingly. Let’s remember and pray for them as we celebrate again the wonderful Christmas story.

The authentic Christian life?

We were driving in one of our favourite places on the planet. Not just the Kruger National Park in South Africa but the Pafuri area in the far north of the park.

The beautiful Luvuvhu River

The whole area has a beautiful atmosphere.  The peace of the African bush, the gorgeous lush vegetation, amazing baobab and fever trees and everywhere exotic birds flitting through the foliage and along the Luvuvhu River. Animals may have been in short supply but the beautiful environment with the Luvuvhu Gorge as a backdrop was breath taking.

I was overwhelmed with thankfulness to God for showing us this amazing part of his creation that a relatively small number of people have experienced. Gratitude flooded my soul and a deep desire never to take this for granted.

On our return to our accommodation I continued to read my novel,Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, which concerns the house church in China, and depicts the persecution that many of these secret believers face from the Chinese government.

The Communist government tolerates the official churches, sanctioned by themselves and which have to tow the party line but the Bible believing house churches are persecuted with believers and especially leaders of the churches imprisoned, tortured and even martyred if they will not renounce their Christianity.

I was shocked by the contrast I had experienced that day. On the one hand I had been blessed amazingly and on the other many, many Christians throughout the world are suffering terribly for their faith – not my experience at all.

What is even more shocking is that it is the Chinese Christians who appear to be experiencing a more Bible based Christianity that I am.   Jesus himself said ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 11 – 12.

His brother James wrote, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2 – 4

The apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 2 Thessalonians 1: 4.

There are many New Testament references to persecution and trials. 

In China and the many other countries where Christians are routinely persecuted for their faith, they have nothing to cling to but Jesus. They have to be 100% convinced of their salvation and their Christian beliefs. 

What is more, Christians persecuted in this way seem to regard it as an incredible honour to suffer as Jesus did. They are overjoyed when Jesus is glorified by many coming to salvation and they consider their lives as nothing as long as the Kingdom advances. 

In fact this seems to be the normal life for the Christian.  All the apostles with the exception of John, were martyred.  Many Christians believe death to be something not to talk about as it means dying and that is morbid. Death as a believer however is not morbid but glorious. It brings us into our eternal destiny. It takes us to our true home.

Jesus himself encouraged us.  ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.³⁶ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

So how on earth do I reconcile my Christian faith with those of my brothers and sisters living in poverty, hardship or under persecution? Do I just thank God for the abundance of my possessions and carry on? I believe we owe the persecuted Church a lot more than that. 

Christians who are persecuted and even those living in poverty say that what they really value are our prayers and Bibles.  Generously supporting charities that help distribute Bibles, as well as helping lift people out of extreme poverty, is a wonderful way to show love to the suffering part of the Body of Christ. And prayers. The Church that is being persecuted or living in poverty love to know that they are not forgotten and people are thinking and praying for them. 

We have a vital role to play in supporting and strengthening our persecuted Christian brothers. Let’s rise to the challenge because we have been blessed to be a blessing. 

Follow my example

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11: 1

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4: 12

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2: 21

In a previous blog (Catch me if you can), I wrote about passing on a spiritual inheritance to the next generation so they can lay hold of what others may have taken much effort and paid a great price to obtain. 

If we are to pass on this spiritual inheritance which can spur those younger in the faith to take the baton and run with it, we need to be those living a life that provides an example to follow and be inspirational. This comes first from an authentic, passionate relationship with Jesus. This is based not on our love for Jesus but on his for us. If it is based on our love it will be a fragile affair but if based on Christ’s powerful, unconditional love it will hold us in the good and bad times.

Everyone’s example can be an inspiration if it mirrors a faith based on a genuine relationship with God. Our daughter-in-law said in her baptismal testimony that she was inspired by a couple: ‘Seeing two people who really gave their lives for their faith resonated with me. It wasn’t something you just say but something you live.’ Another inspirational lady was ‘strong and passionate in her friendship with the Lord.’

A passionate relationship with Jesus is not enough though. It has to flow into a lifestyle that is markedly different to others. It is not enough to be ‘nice’ or ‘kind’. The world is full of people who are not Christians but who are very nice and genuinely kind who do all sorts of amazing things for others.

What should mark out the Christian is a different attitude to every aspect of life – a life that does not take on the world’s values or lifestyles but Christians whose lives are based on a Godly set of values and morals, not spending everything on themselves or pleasure but investing in every way to see God’s Kingdom come. J John says ‘We have not been saved to live as we want to live; we have been saved to live like Christ’.

If we truly want the next generation to follow Jesus more passionately than ourselves, to become people who desire to see his Kingdom come then we must show that our lives are radically different in the way we spend our time, our money and our attitude to others especially when others don’t deal well with us.

Joseph and Daniel both had trouble with those who were their ‘bosses’. Joseph paid a heavy price for refusing Mrs Potiphar’s advances but maintained his moral integrity and ended up in prison. Daniel would not give up his daily prayer schedule and ended up in the lions’ den. Today many Christians face great persecution in their faith. Lions’ dens may have gone out of fashion but being ostracised from family, losing jobs, facing prison, torture and even death are an increasing reality for many Christians.

Learning to follow Jesus example of grace and forgiveness whilst never condoning sin is a wonderful model. I have been inspired to follow the example of both those facing genuine persecution as well as Christians treated shamefully by others. These Christians have maintained their dignity and integrity and have never given up their faith or their determination to do the right thing despite strong provocation. That is authentic Christianity because it follows the example of Jesus.

We all need Godly examples to follow and we all need to be Godly examples. Both those younger in the faith and the world need to see a sincere Christianity that actually works in faith, in deeds and in words. Something that models love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and sacrifice.  Something in fact that looks a bit like Jesus.

God's Word is not chained

This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 2 Timothy 2: 9

Paul wrote these words to Timothy at the end of his life but they still resonate today. You cannot chain, silence or stifle God’s Word, the Bible. The most oppressive empires, regimes, governments and even societies down the centuries have all tried and failed. The Bible, the Word of God, the life giving and active word cannot be chained or silenced.

Persecuted Christians in Eritrea 

I love the story in God’s Smuggler of Brother Andrew from the Netherlands taking Bibles into Communist Eastern Europe in the fifties and sixties. He found himself with a Romania pastor who spoke no German or Dutch and of course Brother Andrew spoke no Romanian. So they conversed together using the Bible. They showed one another a verse and then they looked it up in their own language. ItB started with Brother Andrew saying:

I Corinthians 16: 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

The Romanian pastor replied: Proverbs 25: 25 Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

Brother Andrew: Philemon 4 – 7 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

And so on. God’s word cannot be chained. The Bible has all the answers to life, the universe and everything.  That is why the Bible is still in print thousands of years after being written and still in great demand in every country in the world especially where Christians face great persecution. Believers are still risking their lives to take and distribute the Word.

Countries facing the greatest religious persecution 

From North Korea, the country where Christians face the most extreme persecution all across southern Asia (Chine and India), through the Middle East and North Africa to even Colombia in South America believers suffer for their faith. Islam not Communism is the great persecutor these days.  What these Christians crave most of all is Bibles.

There is a well-known Christian organization that sends aid, Bibles and other Christian literature to countries in great need. In one situation they use drug smugglers to take the Bibles into a country where it is banned. The smugglers take drugs one way but on the return trip through the mountains the mules have no cargo. The society has negotiated a deal whereby the mules are loaded with Bibles and when the organization hears from local pastors that the Bibles have safely arrived, they pay the smugglers. Ethically it sounds a bit dubious but lets face it – smuggling Bibles into these countries is illegal so how it is done isn’t really an issue. 

The hunger for God’s word in these nations is immense and the demand far outweighs the supply.

Bible study

In the West we are spoilt – everyone of us has so many Bibles that supply far outweighs demand. We have every available resource to accompany the Word and teaching is easily accessed through the internet let alone through book stores.

The organization Bibles Unbound says that believers in countries facing great persecution ask for two things – our prayers and that we send Bibles. 

Next time we open our Bibles, pray for those who have no Bible but would love one and let us value and treasure ours as the life giving Word of God – active and powerful that just cannot be chained.