Poor and Rich

When Christ is born, the birth of the Savior is announced to some humble shepherds nearby. Then the birth is also revealed to some wise men, or “kings,” a great distance away. So, the shepherds certainly wouldn’t have been wealthy men. Most wouldn’t have been highly educated. But we know that the distant wise men were educated and wealthy. And they came too, with a grip of gold and some expensive, smelly stuff. Both visited the Savior. Both worshiped the Savior. And the lesson is what? The lesson is that Christ came for all men. We can all come to Christ. We can all worship the Lord with whatever we have. In the case of the wise men, they came with some really expensive gifts. But the shepherds brought a gift as well, which was the Word the Lord had spoken to them. Both worshiped. Both are honored. We are to bring what we can to Christ, to worship and to recognize that Christ came for everyone. God revealed his son, Jesus Christ, to shepherds and to royalty, the poor and the rich. Really. Christ came for anyone who would choose to believe. Go to Him. Worship Him. And bring to Him the great things that you have been given.

Pastor Jason Anderson
Living Word Bible Church
Scottsdale | Mesa | Ahwatukee

Treasure the Word

So, when Jesus is born, there are some dudes watching sheep in a field, and boom, suddenly angels are singing and telling them where to find the new born Savior of the world, Jesus. So they pop in at the manger scene, chat it up with Mary and Joseph, and worship the baby Jesus. Imagine Mary, having just given birth, and these shepherds are telling her this story about what all these angels just said. In Luke 2:19, we’re told that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Now, this makes Mary a professionally-skilled "birther" of God's Word. Think about it… the Word actually became flesh. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is the Word. Wow! How did she do it? Well, here we see that when the Word came, she treasured up these things. The word for “things” here is Rhema, which is the Word of God. So she treasured the Word of God that was spoken to those shepherds. If we want to produce God stuff in our lives, we have to begin to treasure the Word of God, the way Mary did. Jesus is the Word, and He is the treasure for all mankind. So there’s your Christmas gift. I just gave you a treasure. Merry Christmas!

Pastor Jason Anderson
Living Word Bible Church
Scottsdale | Mesa | Ahwatukee

For Everyone

In Luke 18, Jesus comes across a blind beggar. Jesus’ disciples try to keep the beggar away. They were like, “Jesus is too important for you.” But Jesus reaches out to the beggar and heals him. Then, in the very next story, Jesus calls a rich sinner out of a tree to have dinner with him. In this story, the people muttered against Jesus. "What are you doing, Jesus? He's a rich sinner." So, which kind of person did Jesus reach out to? Did He come for the poor and the beggars, or did He come for the rich, greedy sinners? Well, here He shows that it’s both. In these two examples, the people clearly rejected the very same people that Jesus accepted. Jesus came for anyone and everyone. Sometimes, people try to categorize whom Jesus will accept. It happened then, and it still happens. But don't let that discourage you; what really matters is that Jesus accepts you, and He came for you, no matter your lineage, education, social status, age, race, past, preferences, how you dress, sinner or saint. Hey, Jesus came for people. And it's a great example for all of us to learn from Christ, that we might also accept one another.

Pastor Jason Anderson
Living Word Bible Church
Scottsdale | Mesa | Ahwatukee

Home

So, Jesus is 12 years old and his parents can't find him. For three days they search, and then they find him. Do you know where he was? He was at church. So, he says to them, “Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?” Jesus is with you, and His spirit is already in you, but here in the scripture He gives us another insight. He wants us to come hang out with Him at His Father's house… church. When we receive Christ, we become children of God, and this makes our Father's house not just a house, but a home. Some people think of going to church as a chore, like going to the gym. But if you make church a chore, well you might not go. Church isn't a chore–it’s home. After a hard day, I want to go home. And after a week, I should want to go to church, which is also my home. Home is where I greet my family, eat some food, take a seat, and put up my feet. The food we eat is the Word of God. The other people are family. It's home. So, when you go to church, well… make yourself at home.

Pastor Jason Anderson
Living Word Bible Church
Scottsdale | Mesa | Ahwatukee

Sanctuary

David writes in Psalm 73, "When I tried to understand I was deeply troubled, but when I entered the sanctuary, then I understood." Have you ever tried to understand something on your own? Sure you have… every day! Well, David finds that it leaves him upset. So, what do you do when you’re deeply troubled? David went to his favorite place. Remember that for David a day in the House of the Lord was better than 1,000 days anywhere else. Whatever you're searching for in life, you can find it 1,000 times faster in the sanctuary, including some peace and some understanding. A sanctuary is a retreat, a place of safety, security, somewhere you can find peace. Not only are you the temple of the Lord, complete with a sanctuary on the inside, but there are also physical sanctuaries for your physical body, where you can meet others like you, who are just trying to figure it all out. In the sanctuary awaits some rest and understanding, and freedom from being “deeply troubled.” My guess is that there is a sanctuary you are thinking about right now; maybe it’s just up the way. Pop on by, have a moment with the Lord, and experience what David was trying to tell us.

Pastor Jason Anderson
Living Word Bible Church
Scottsdale | Mesa | Ahwatukee