Hello, Emporia, and Merry Christmas
Rev. Mark Henson
Friday, December 7, 2007
By the Rev. Mark Henson
First Church of the Nazarene
I am sitting at my desk, tapping away on my keyboard, doing my best to gather thoughts that will be meaningful to all the people of Emporia.
I am drawing a blank.
I settle back into my office chair, my thoughts overshadowed by the insistent hum of my space heater. My space heater is my friend. Oh, I know it’s an inanimate object but it brings me such warmth. My mind wanders between the necessity of writing this article and my friend the heater.
I sit up in my chair, place my wind-chapped fingers on the keyboard, and nothing. My friend the heater continues to interrupt my thoughts. I know it may sound silly but my space heater has a name. Aloha Breeze. I guess he’s from Hawaii. Aloha, or Mr. Breeze as some might call him, has two whitish gray knobs that protrude on his front side. One knob controls his wattage output and the off and on switch while the other is a thermostat.
Think I’ll turn Mr. Breeze off. I can’t think with all this noise. Excuse me while I turn him off. There, now I will be able to get back to the article for the Gazette.
Tap, tap, tap…
Whew, it’s beginning to get a little chilly in here. It’s kind of difficult to ponder my thoughts with my legs so chilled. I guess I better invite Mr. Breeze back into this scenario.
Oh yes, that feels better. Did I mention earlier that Mr. Breeze is from Hawaii? Did you notice that today is Dec. 7? War started on Dec. 7, 1941.
War has been going on for a very long time. In recent years it’s been World War I, World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War (yes, it was a war), The Gulf War, and now we are in Iraq again.
I read my Bible and I find references about how in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars. I read in the gospel account of Luke in Chapter 2 Verse 14 which pretty much concludes the Christmas story and it is recorded, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” and yet war exists and there is no peace.
I have been asked the question, “How can you believe Jesus is the Messiah when there is no peace?”
My answer is simple.
Oh, you don’t have to agree. I won’t like you any less. Just because you and I disagree on matters of theology, doctrine, culture or politics doesn’t mean I don’t like you. We simply disagree.
If I disagree with you it has nothing to do with you. I will still love you regardless of what your belief is. I almost forgot (Mr. Breeze was distracting me again).
I believe Jesus is the Messiah because he brings peace to my heart. In the midst of personal relational conflict, war, rumors of war, political unrest, theological differences and community demographic shifts I find Jesus always available to bring peace to my heart and life.
You may disagree with me but you cannot take away my personal experience or my belief. I know for me the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, later became a sacrifice for me that I might have peace in my heart.
Jesus is the reason for the season. And like Mr. Breeze, once you invite him into your life he will warm you and give you peace.
Sure, you can turn him away, you can turn him off, but he is always there waiting to be invited back to warm you and give you peace.
One thing I know for certain, when you invite the presence of Jesus into your life not only does he give you peace, the constant hum of his Holy Spirit is there to remind you that he’s there.
So have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And like the old Christmas song says, “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”
- “Sunday Sermon” is a forum for Emporia area ministers to share their sermons, thoughts and observations. This week’s sermon is from the Rev. Mark Henson, pastor of Emporia’s First Church of the Nazarene.