Advent: He is Love | The Love Language of Inclusion

Everyone has a different way they receive love from others. For some, love is perceived as sharing a delicious home-cooked meal at a friend’s house, for others it’s an agreed upon splurge purchase with the family credit card. For me, I feel loved when my friends invite me to share part of their day. It can be as simple as helping my friend weed their garden, allowing us to have a conversation while we pull weeds. Just welcome and include me.

When I think of Advent, I remember that one of my favorite parts of the Christmas story is the Angel’s annunciation of Christ’s birth to the shepherds in the fields. God included them in the events of that incredible night.

Luke 2:8-15 TPT
“That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God. And the shepherds were terrified!”

Shepherds belonged to the lowest working class, which was due, at least in part, to the poverty associated with their humble vocation. They learned to live and work on the outskirts of town and community. It must have been a lonely life. God knew His announcement would be a shock, considering the limited nature of the shepherds’ understanding, and He sent His angel to mercifully prepare them. Out of God’s infinitely abundant love, they received a calming message with the wonderful news of the arrival of Jesus, our Savior.

“…the angel reassured them, saying, ‘Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!’”

Because the joyous news was for all people, God included the shepherds, and brought the announcement to them by special delivery! They were not left out. Their presence at the stable was evidence that Jesus’ birth was for every human being, no matter their station in life. Even the lowly shepherds were on God’s invitation list.

“Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: ‘Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.’”

Since the candlelight Christmas services of my childhood, I’ve enjoyed imagining what this part of the story looked like. The Message version phrases it as “a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises.” In my mind I can “see” the golden light of God’s Glory surrounding the angels as they floated, flew, or maybe even danced to the sound of their praise songs to God! The image of the golden light against the deep blue of the night sky must have been a breath-taking sight! And God gave this spectacular experience to the shepherds!

“When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
‘Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.’”

After a lifetime of feeling shunned and excluded, the shepherds lost their inhibitions long enough to want to see the great event with their own eyes. God’s redemptive love and mercy gave the shepherds a place in history. We do not know their names, but their mention in the biblical account of Christ’s birth has been read by a countless number of people for over two thousand years. God saw to it they were not forgotten. I am so very thankful for this further evidence of God’s eternal and inclusive love.

I think this story remains one of my favorites because it reminds me how our God sees us and includes us all in His gift of redemption. And our loving Lord also gives us an endless amount of opportunities for renewal by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

---

About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Interruptible | God Speaking Through Angels or an Audible Voice

~This week we have the privilege of hearing from guest blogger Lee Schnabel. Lee has been ministering to Latin America for almost 20 years. Lee and his wife Lisa attend CitySalt. See the end of this blog post for more details.~ 

---

Why Doesn’t God Speak to Us More Often Through Angels or with an Audible Voice?

This question plagued me for many years as a sincere Christian who like many, just wanted to know what God would like me to do so that I could fulfill His will. There were times I thought why does God make hearing his voice such a challenge? Several years ago, I discovered Jack Deere’s book entitled, Surprised by the Voice of God. Deere mentions at least fourteen different ways in which God will speak to us. If you want to see them, you can skip ahead to the end of this blog and I have listed them with supporting Bible verses. After reading Deere’s book, it became clear to me that God is communicating to us in multiple ways. Our challenge is being more aware of what these means are so that we can get the full message. But Deere did not answer the question of why God does not speak more often with an audible voice or through angelic visitations? That answer was discovered in Scripture through reading multiple examples of angelic visitations (Acts 5:17-20; 8:26-28) and places where God spoke audibly (Luke 9:28-36; Acts 9:1-9).  

Further review of these examples and others demonstrated to me that where God spoke in the Bible in an audible manner or through angelic visitations, the communication was critical for God’s overall plans being fulfilled. This supernatural communication was also key information that an individual or group of people needed so that they would have no doubt as to what God’s will is in the face of danger or severe adversity. Peter, James and John heard God speak in an audible voice that said, “This is my Son whom I love, with him I am well pleased. Listen to him” (Matthew 17: 5)! This message was likely to prepare these disciples for shock of seeing Jesus rejected by his people and crucified.

One example of supernatural communication from God in the face of great danger can be found in the example of the Apostle Paul sailing for Rome to stand trial before the Emperor Nero. This story is found in Acts 27:1-44. Acts chapters 24-26 deal with Paul being imprisoned in Caesarea for some false charges that were trumped up by a group of local Jewish leaders. During his trial before the local governor, Festus, Paul appealed his case to Nero. This was his right as a Roman citizen. Shortly after that, Paul set sail with Luke and Aristarchus along with several other prisoners under the watchful eye of a Roman centurion named Julius (Acts 27:1). Delays along the way pushed Paul’s trip to the end of the sailing season in the eastern Mediterranean. The ship hugged the shoreline of the island of Crete, but instead of waiting for a better time to sail, the ship’s captain plunged ahead and suddenly was caught in a terrible storm that began to drive them out to the open sea! Previously, Paul had warned the captain not to continue but he went anyway. After many days of a raging storm everyone aboard the ship gave up hope of being saved (Acts 27:2). Paul then addressed the captain and the sailors:

Acts 27:21-24
“Men you should have taken my advice to not sail from Crete, then you would have spared  yourself this damage and loss.” But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar[Nero]; and God has graciously given you the lives all who sail with you.”

In the end, the ship ran aground. Paul told the non-swimmers to lash themselves to planks from the ship and float in. Everyone else had to swim ashore. Amazingly, not a single person was lost. Luke even records the exact number of survivors, 276 (Acts 27:37)!

So, what are some lessons can we learn about God’s voice from this passage?

1. The severe stress of facing death in a group of non-Christians with a handful of believers required very precise instructions from an angelic visitation speaking in an audible voice.
2. Most angelic visitations are very dramatic in nature and are etched in one’s memory.
3. God’s highest purpose appears to be his desire to have Paul testify to his faith in front of the Emperor. God was NOT going to let a storm keep that from happening.
4. Curiously, the Lord took Paul through the storm rather than change the seasonal weather pattern and allow them to sail to Rome.
5. God also did NOT miraculously pick the 276 people up in the ship and drop them on the shore. Some had to swim in and the non-swimmers needed to hold on to planks to get there. God will reveal his plans but human effort often plays a key role.

So, the next time you have an angel visit you or hear the audible voice of God, you can be sure the Lord is getting you ready for something really big and exciting to occur! Oh, and by the way, here are Deere’s fourteen ways that God will speak to us:

1. The Word of God (Joshua 1:7-8; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
2. Experiences in life that have divine significance (1 Samuel 15:24-29)
3. Anointed observers that share God’s wisdom (Psalm 37: 25)
4. Miracles (signs) (John 2:11)
5. Audible voice (Luke 9:28-29; Acts 9:1-9)  
6. Internal audible voice (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
7. Voice of angels (Acts 5:17-20; 8:26-28)
8. Dreams and visions (Acts 2:17-28)
9. Internal impressions (Nehemiah 7:5)
10. Words of Knowledge (Acts 14:9)  
11. Human messengers (Ephesian 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:10)
12. Prophetic words or tongues with interpretation (Acts 13:1-3; Acts 15:28)  
13. Creation (Romans 1:20)
14. Reason (Acts 15:28)

---

About the Author

Lee has served as a pastor, missionary and educator to Latin America for nearly twenty years. His greatest passion is to equip leaders to impact their communities and nations with the saving power of the Gospel and the authority of God’s kingdom. During eight years in Chile, Lee and his wife, Lisa, saw scores of people healed in miraculous ways.

Currently, Lee and his CAPAZ ministry team are developing training programs for key church leaders in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru. Lee and Lisa have three married sons, and are enjoying their two grandsons.

Interruptible | God’s Angel Who Looked Like My Friend Linda

I vividly remember a time in which a friend’s willingness to be interrupted and then accept an urgent assignment from the Lord, helped me survive a crisis!

Subject to a political battle at work in my chosen field, I found myself shunned by coworkers in a family-owned company. This experience developed slowly, then dragged on for months. The resulting stress affected my confidence and job performance. My boss was aware of this hazing but could not stop the senior staff members that were part of this plan. The experience affected me emotionally and physically, and ultimately I was dismissed from the job. Years later I learned that I was hired for the job that another coworker wanted, and she systematically turned the opinion of other co-workers against me.

Soon after, I submitted a resume for a desktop publishing job opening at Kinko’s but did not receive a response. After a lengthy job search I started a temporary job at a grocery store deli. I sliced meat and cheese, and sold a lot of macaroni and potato salads. I dreaded going to work every day to wear an apron with a name tag. I worked hard at pushing away feelings of self-doubt and anger. But during one evening shift, I suddenly found myself in the midst of one of the most difficult and emotionally painful experiences of my life. I looked up to see the co-worker who spread the ill will at my former job. She saw me in the Deli, and looked directly at me while she slowly walked past the counter where I stood, with a sneering grin on her face. Within the same hour, another former co-worker walked into the grocery store and walked by me grinning and laughing but saying nothing. I turned away with the queasy stomach, flushed face and shallow breathing that can come with feeling humiliated. When I turned around he was gone. I exhaled the breath I did not know I was holding. I then felt a burning ache in my gut and a surging temptation to quit and run out through the automatic sliding doors.

Unexpectedly, my church friend, Linda, walked into the store. She did not see me at first and stopped just inside the front entrance as she visually scanned the closest aisles and deli area.

I gasped and called out to her. “Linda, Linda! It’s me, Sara. Please come here!” As she walked up to me, she said “I don’t know why I’m here, but the Lord clearly told me to come to this store right now.” With my heart racing, I said “Linda, it’s for me! Please pray with me right now!” She did, and I lasted through the rest of my shift. I prayed and prepared myself for the future shifts I had that week. Although I did not see any additional former coworkers, I knew the hardest challenge was to immediately improve my attitude about my job. It was a gift from God that helped me pay my bills. And I realized that besides my pride, I was afraid of operating and cleaning the meat slicer with the razor sharp, circular blade. I was afraid of seriously injuring my fingers which my livelihood as a graphic designer depended on. One day while standing at the meat slicer, I said a prayer. “Lord, this machine is dangerous, but I choose to obey you in the job you’ve given me.” The meat slicer became an altar as I prayed, “If slicing meat is the way I can serve you, then I surrender to your will. Help me bring you glory in this job.” In the following days and weeks, I felt that the heavy cloud that hung over me was gone. And I felt a new comforting assurance that God was with me, protecting me in all ways.

Six months later, I received a call from Kinko’s inviting me to interview for the same desktop publishing job I applied for previously. I got the job! After I had worked there for awhile, my supervisor told me, “We wanted to hire you in May, but suddenly, management closed the job requisition. We were not able to interview you until after they reopened the position in November.” I knew this was no coincidence. I had a test to face and pass before I could move forward. Thank you Jesus that I did not face this test alone; you were with me the entire time! And you sent your angels to help me; one of them looked like my friend Linda.

Romans 8:28 NIV
And we know that in all things God works together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

---

About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”