HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

Unnoticed, the little branch must have laid on the ground for months. Its green needles now having turned brown through the days as the finality of death over took it. I had walked that path many days since I had trimmed the tree and yet, it I had not noticed the branch. But, this day its scent arose and seemed to fill the brisk morning sky. The smell that came from the small dead branch awakened 10 thousand of thousands of memories from years gone by and all but forgotten. But, now they lived again; each one getting a fresh new life through fragrance of the tree. How fitting that the little branch of the long dead Christmas tree decided to give off its perfume and bring to life those memories on the resurrection morning.
Of course many of the memories were of Christmases past but the memory that was awakened to the highest was the memory of what we call the first Christmas: The miraculous birth that set the stage for a sacrificial death that would end in a miraculous resurrection. Today we are accustomed to miraculous births through our medical technology. Conception now takes place many times in a test tube. Mothers are kept alive by artificial means to allow for the development of the baby in the womb. All these advances in medical technology were not only unheard of 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, they were un thought of. Yet, the mystery of that miraculous birth is still unduplicatable even with all the advances science has seen. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:30-31, 35). Through all of our intelligence, all of our medical breakthroughs, through all of the best, fanciest and most modern technologies, man cannot duplicate the miracles that are reserved for God.
Man’s best technology has yet to produce a man in the humble form that God produced his one and only begotten son: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). That life created by God came to life to be sacrificed for our sins. As he hung on the cross dying for OUR sins his thoughts were not to save himself, but was for the salvation and welfare of others. From the cross He spokes words of forgiveness: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34). He spoke words of salvation: “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). He spoke words of love: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!” (John 19:25-26).
The smell of that little branch of a trimmed Christmas tree awakened my memories of beginnings of that life of our savior. The smell was of life coming from what was dead, as the savior died that we might have life. The day that it was smelled, Resurrection Sunday, aroused memories of that new life we all share through the resurrection: “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
In a split second all the senses came full circle. The smell of life coming from what was dead arousing memories of the birth of the savior who had to die so that we may live, the savior being resurrected that we may walk in a newness of life being born again unto a life everlasting with the savior.
We share in that mystery of death and life as we enter into Baptism. We are buried with him in Baptism: “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). And of that Gospel, Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

That morning my senses were awakened to more than the smell of a little branch of a Christmas tree; they were awakened to the smell of victory. They were awakened to the smell of life from death; they were awakened to the Gospel.

20 April 2006

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
little_sorrel@yahoo.com

Fido Is Alive

In the last few weeks states in the middle part of the United States have been hit with twisters. Lives have been scattered across fields. The memories of the happy times have been intertwined with the devastation of nature. One family went back to the sepulcher they called home to try and salvage a few memories. Luckily they had managed to get out safe, but the memories of that once happy life were now buried in a tomb made by the forces of nature. The family dog wasn’t as lucky as the family members proper. They were unable to save him. His life fell victim to a strong wind and now he lay buried in a tomb made of debris. A life that the day before was happy wagging his tail in frolic with children was now silenced and lay oblivious to a world of mourners all around. But, the owners heard a noise. They moved some rubble and found the family dog alive. He crawled out of the nature made tomb unscathed. Tears of joy flowed from family members as they looked at amazement that the family dog had rose from among the debris. But, will they be as amazed in the morning when we contemplate the risen Savior?
We live in an age when we like to say everything we don’t quite understand is a miracle; yet, the biggest miracle to ever happen for our lives is so many times just browsed over.
Jesus Christ was not only resurrected for us, he went to the grave for us. He hung on a cross to pay a price for sins that YOU and I had yet to commit. Through the corridors of time a death 2000 years ago was atonement for a sin committed yesterday, today and tomorrow. Each of the littlest sins you can think of sent a man to hang on a cross so that you may have redemption for that sin. Yet, today we seem to relegate that sacrifice of atonement to no more than a few words on a Sunday morning one time a year. (Never to enter that building nor contemplate that death and resurrection again until next year)
The same Christ that was resurrected still waits for you to take part in his resurrection. To the Philippians, Paul wrote, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). Paul wanted to know the power of that resurrection. It was a resurrection that brought us life eternal with the Savior.
Become “conformable unto his death.” “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3)? And, if we are baptized into his death, just as Christ rose again we too can rise out of that water into a newness of life: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).”
Get to know Him; don’t settle to just know about Him. Don’t let the only miracle you contemplate this season be the resurrection of Fido; Share in the resurrection of the Risen Christ.

A BOX OF ROCKS

In the last week the Christian community was rocked by the death of one of its preachers. Matthew Winkler was found gunned down. His wife and children were gone. Later the wife and family were found alive and the wife allegedly confessed to the crime. And, the windmills of the mind breathed the breeze of gossip across the lips of the saint and sinner.
For every crime there is a punishment, and Mrs. Winkler will surely face hers. With ever sin somewhere there will be consequences, and Mrs. Winkler will face the consequences of her action: as we all will. Though her trial has yet to even begin to be in the beginning stages, her fate as a Christian has been decided.
The apostle that Jesus loved wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God is not sitting in Heaven waiting for a jury of her peers. God is waiting for a confession of sin. At that point Mrs. Winkler is absolved of the sin. She is not only forgiven of that sin, but she is cleansed of all unrighteousness.
Instead of playing armchair lawyer and being among the first to know and hand out all the 411 of the case, as Christians we have a bigger responsibility. Ours is to gently in a Christian spirit restore our fallen sister. Paul wrote, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ” (Galatians 6:1).
We know this sister transgressed the law. And, in a way that we think of being more horrendous than other sins she could have committed. Though her sin may seem horrendous to us it separates her no farther from God than your sin separates you. James wrote, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). James didn’t separate sin into classes. I guess what James said was “gossip can get you to hell as quick as murder!” Sin is Sin. And, yes we look at some sins as worse than others, when it comes to separation from God sin is sin.
In the eight chapter of John Jesus is faced with a woman accused of adultery. And, the words Jesus offered in that case are fit to be used in this case. Jesus offered this advice, “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). Let us pray for the Winkler family as they go through this ordeal. Let s pray that the right people help restore Mrs. Winkler in a gentle loving Christian spirit. For those who have trouble with offering forgiveness I offer a box of rocks and I pray that you are careful of these stones that you throw.

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
www.lulu.com/cohoon
little_sorrel@yahoo.com