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A Word from Steve Jones: A Couple of Jokes to Make You Smile This Christmas!

12/23/2015

Dear pastors, missionaries, chaplains and friends,

Steve here… I thought I’d send you a couple jokes to put a smile on your face. Feel free to use them over the Christmas break. With all the busyness and stress of the season, I hope you take a moment to laugh out loud!

I know many of you are looking forward to all the delicious goodies that many of us enjoy at Christmas. Turkey, ham, sweets, etc., etc…

A man dies and as he’s getting a tour through Heaven, he meets a man with something under his arm. He asks his guide what the man has under his arm. “Well, he’s a Catholic and that is his missal,” the guide responds. He meets a second man with something under his arm. The guide says, “Well, he’s an Anglican and that is his common prayer book.” He meets a third man with something under his arm. The guide says, “Well, he’s a Baptist, and that is a casserole!”

And for all those dear people who say men don’t remember what their dear wives want for Christmas, here is a story to debunk that mythology:

A couple were Christmas shopping. The shopping centre was packed and as the wife walked around, she was surprised to discover that her husband was nowhere to be seen. She was quite upset because they had a lot to do and hence, she became so worried that she called him on her cell phone to ask him where he was.

In a quiet voice he said: “Do you remember the jewellers we went into about five years ago, where you fell in love with that diamond necklace that we couldn’t afford, and I told you that I would get it for you one day?”

The wife choked up and started to cry and said: “Yes, I do remember that shop.”

He replied: “Well, I’m in the hardware store next door!”

I hope you laughed, or at least chuckled.

May you and your family experience a most memorable and blessed Christmas. Let’s never become so accustomed that we miss the mystery of this wonderful time of year. Jesus in the cradle; may it put a smile on your face!

You won’t hear from me for a couple weeks over the Christmas and New Year’s break. Stay safe.

Have a blessed week,

Steve Jones

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A Word from Steve Jones: What Jesus' Story Has In Common With An Unwed Mother

12/14/2015

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Dear pastors, missionaries, chaplains and friends,

Steve Jones here… Are you ready for Christmas? Purchased all of your Christmas presents?

I heard of two women standing in front of a department store window with a large display of the manger scene. All the figures were there, including the baby Jesus. One of the ladies looked at her friend and said, “Look at that, the church trying to horn in on Christmas now!”

With all the busyness, preparations and vast commercialism surrounding the season… some forget Jesus was the one who started it all.

I wonder what Jesus thinks about the way we celebrate the Christmas season. All the rich food, chocolate and racing through the shopping malls. So different from the first Christmas.

Our Saviour was born in a cattle stall—an animal feeding trough in very humble circumstances. Does He have any relevance today?

Well, let’s think about that.

- He was born to an unwed mother in a violent regime, just like half the world’s population today.
- He was born in Asia, just like half the world’s population today.
- He became a refugee in Africa as a child, where we find half of the world’s
refugees today.
- He actually has a lot in common with much of humanity today.

He was born under Emperor Caesar Augustus during a peaceful time in Rome’s violent history. The peace was largely due to the very able, and sometimes ruthless leadership of Augustus. He borrowed a Greek word to describe this: “Pax Romana”. The word was “Gospel” or Good News”. He believed he was ushering in a new world order, an era and reign that would spread the light of justice and the Roman way of life. He believed his enlightened empire would last forever.

Meanwhile, in an obscure corner of his empire, a little baby was born without much notice at all.

The historians missed his birth completely, except for a few wise astronomers visiting from the East, which is now the modern day Middle East. All other politicians and dignitaries missed the birth announcement altogether.

We know about this baby because of four books written about Him years after His death. These same four biographers also borrowed the Greek word “Gospel” to describe the story of this baby. And, like Augustus, they used the term to describe the new world order this baby’s birth would inaugurate. Not a kingdom of this world, but a Spiritual Kingdom that would reign in the hearts of humanity itself.

And it all stemmed from the very humble beginnings of a baby in a manger, in the little town of Bethlehem.

Everyone loves a good story, so let’s never forget how good the “Good News” really is. Merry Christmas!

Have a blessed week,

Steve Jones

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The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada
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A Word from Steve Jones: JESUS is the DOOR who Saves!

12/10/2015

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Dear pastors, missionaries, chaplains and friends,

Steve here… Last week we discovered two facets of Jesus’ character and purpose. Jesus described Himself:

As the WORD who came to SPEAK (John 1:1-14).
As the LIGHT who came to SHINE (John 1:4-5, 8:12).

Today, let’s look at two more truths when it comes to fully appreciating Jesus’ divine identity.

In John 6:25-40 the Christ of Christmas is described:

n As the BREAD who came to SATISFY.
John chapter 6 takes place in a synagogue in Capernaum. I have stood in the 4th century synagogue where excavation work has revealed a portion of a 1stcentury mosaic floor. It is most likely that Jesus walked across this very floor. This synagogue was built by the Roman Centurion for Jews (Luke 7:1-5).

On this occasion, Jesus speaks of their short-sightedness. They desire physical bread when Christ offers them the bread of Life (John 6:25-40). Jesus has just fed bread to the 5,000 (John 6:1-15), the people have witnessed a miracle, but Jesus points out the peoples’ spiritual unbelief in verse 26. The Lord points out the true state of their anemic souls. They desired to seek and follow Him, but for all the wrong reasons.

Lots of people seek Jesus to meet some need(s) — especially during the Christmas season when many think about Him. But as Jesus points out in verse 27, their motives for seeking Him are not pure. They will never be truly satisfied.

Jesus’ primary purpose for coming is to meet our eternal need, not just our temporal needs. Only Jesus can meet our eternal need. John 6:27 declares: ‘On him (Jesus) God the Father has placed His seal of approval.’ In the ancient world, the seal rather than the signature authenticated a document. It guaranteed the contents of the package or the fulfillment of a contract. Once again, Jesus was authenticating His divine identity. He had the Fathers “SEAL of approval” to offer spiritual satisfaction to hungering souls.

This discovery caused the people to ask a question in verse 28 — what must they do to live for God? In verses 29-35, Jesus tells them not to put their faith in passing temporal things, but to trust in the One whom God sent to satisfy our spiritual need. To give confidence that our trust has been well placed in Christ, Jesus declares Himself as the “I AM”, saying “I AM the Bread of Life” (verse 35).

In other words, I AM the only SATISFIER, the only sustenance, the only bread that will satisfy your soul.

Lastly, in John 10:9-10 the Christ of Christmas is described:

As the DOOR who came to SAVE.

At the beginning of John 10 we find Jesus sharing a proverb. It is a familiar scene to His original audience. At night, a shepherd put his flock in a pen to protect them. To further protect them the shepherd slept across the gateway to protect his sheep from thieves. And so, the shepherd acted as a Door.

The shepherd, on occasion, left the pen in the care of an under-shepherd or “watchman” (verse 3). The “watchman” in this context is likely a veiled reference to John the Baptist who is later referred to in verses 40-41.

In this context, Jesus refers to Himself as, “I AM the good Shepherd.” There’s that “I AM” phrase once again – which is Jesus’ blatant attempt to identify His true divine identity. He uses this phase a second and third time in John 10:7 and 9, calling Himself “the door”, saying “I AM the Gate”.

The door or the gate into what? Jesus is the door into the pen, the safe enclosure, the fold of salvation. And Jesus is not just any door — He is THE door. He is THE gate. Jesus is not offering just another way of salvation among other choices, He is offering the only door. There is no other way to receive salvation except through Jesus.

Some call this narrow intolerance or arrogance. But the truth by its very nature is exact, precise and narrow. Truth cuts and divides and is far more exclusive than it is broad. Truth can be down-right offensive to those who see themselves as enlightened. By its very nature truth is absolutely intolerant of untruth.

And so, by Jesus’ admission, each of us are forced to make a decision. Will we accept this invitation to enter His sheep fold? Or will you allow the thief of this world to rob you of eternal life? It is your choice.

Don’t Forget the Reason for the Season

In the San Jose Mercury newspaper a story was told of a wealthy family who invited many guests to their home to witness the christening of their baby son. The coats and wraps of the guests were carried to a bedroom and thrown on a bed. After some conversation the guests were gathered to “toast” this special occasion. Some asked, “show us the baby!” The mother realized the baby had been left upstairs. They ran up the stairs in a panic. At first they struggled to find the baby until finally in their frantic search, they found the baby smothered under the coats of the guests. The chief reason for coming to the home had been forgotten, neglected, even destroyed.

This Christmas, many will forget, neglect and even be hostile to the REAL REASON for the SEASON. Jesus will be forgotten under all the tinsel, wrapping paper and ribbons. As Luke wrote, “There was no room for them in the inn.”

I trust we won’t crowd Christ out of Christmas this year.

Have a blessed week,

Steve Jones

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A Word from Steve Jones: Christmas Cheer from John’s Gospel!

12/1/2015

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Dear pastors, missionaries, chaplains and friends,

Steve Jones here… Can you really ever know a person? Is it possible to really know someone until you know all that makes up a person?

If you said you know Albert Einstein but all you knew was he worked as a patent clerk in an office in Switzerland, would it be true to say you really knew who he was? Similarly, if you said you know Jesus Christ but only know Him as a famous religious figure revered and reviled by many, would it be true to say you really knew Him as Saviour?

If anyone is to really know the true Christ of Christmas, surely it would be important to be exposed to Him from various angles. Like a diamond, it can only be fully appreciated when you view its many facets.

What can we discover about Jesus when looking at the differing facets of His character and purpose? We will more fully appreciate His significant identity, by being exposed to the varying truths about Jesus’ purpose for coming that first Christmas so many years ago.

John’s Gospel describes the Christ of Christmas in four passages.

In John 1: 1-14 Jesus describes Himself:

As the WORD who came to SPEAK

We read in verse one that Jesus is the Word, “In the beginning was the Word…” Jesus is referred to as the “Word” six times in scripture. Some believe this phrase has a Greek origin (a philosophical term) others a Hebrew origin and a reference to the wisdom of God. Likely it is a reference to the well known Old Testament phrase, “The Word of God” (used 1200 times in the Old Testament).

When you think of the Word of God you think of the Scriptures. Jesus is God’s final revelation of Himself: the personification of the written and spoken Word of God. God’s purest revelation of Himself, “became flesh” (John 1:14).

John’s point is the Word is of the same character and essence of God. Why is this important? If we’re not certain of this truth, who Jesus really is, there is no sense moving forward to discover what He has done for us.

In John 1:4-5 and John 8:12 the Christ of Christmas is described:

As the LIGHT who came to SHINE

We read in John 1:5 that, “the light shines in the darkness.” This phrase is in the present tense meaning this light has shone continuously for hundreds of years. This light is in stark contrast to the “darkness” that envelops the earth. The light of the world battles this darkness. John clearly identifies Jesus as the light in John 8:12saying He is the “I AM.” In Exodus 3:14 God uses the term, “I AM,” to refer to Himself. When Jesus calls Himself, “I AM,” this was not a subtle way of referring to His divinity. A blatant attempt to identify Himself as God. In several passages in the book of Isaiah (9:2, 42:6, 49:6, 60:1-3) the Messiah is referred to as light. Jesus is the light, He is the “I AM.”

We’ll save John’s two more exposures to the Christ of Christmas in next week’s email:

- As the BREAD who came to SATISFY (John 6:25-40).

- As the DOOR who came to SAVE (John 10: 9-10).

My prayer is that we’ll come alongside spiritual orphans this Christmas season letting them know that Jesus is the Word, the Light, the Bread and the Door who can:

SPEAK… SHINE… SATISFY… and SAVE!

The Christ of Christmas was placed in a cradle with the sole purpose of being put on a cross at Calvary. The cradle is inseparably linked to the cross. Let’s make sure that Calvary’s Cross is not a forgotten “tree” this Christmas.

Have a blessed week,
Steve Jones

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A Word from Steve Jones: A Couple of Jokes to Make You Smile This Christmas!﻿

A Word from Steve Jones: What Jesus' Story Has In Common With An Unwed Mother

A Word from Steve Jones: JESUS is the DOOR who Saves!

A Word from Steve Jones: Christmas Cheer from John’s Gospel!

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A Word from Steve Jones: A Couple of Jokes to Make You Smile This Christmas!