Pastor Rick Hudgens | The Christmas Gift

Monday/Dec/2009 18:09

A true account: A middle aged man named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a young boy was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.

"Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas."

The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels. "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that." Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, and then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?" "Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front on my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

"Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

"There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it... then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."

Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shingled-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said, "It's more blessed to give...."

Listen

Pastor Rick Hudgens | Jesus: The Name Says it All!

Sunday/Dec/2009 13:18

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23

But the angel said to them…“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11

I recently read about a dad who tells of the time his family was out on their annual Christmas-light drive through town. A light snow covering made the displays all the prettier: twinkling lights of reds, greens, blues, garlands, majestically decorated evergreens…the children were wide-eyed.

“Dad, pull over quick! I want to read something,” begged our first-grader.

The car was pulled over to the side of the street for a closer look. This house had a totally different look. There across the front lawn, lit up by flood lights, were large letters spelling J-E-S-U-S.

No blinking lights, no bright colors, no fancy display – just the name Jesus. There was starkness and a dignity about the display that spoke louder than all the other light shows that night.

The little first-grader spelled out each letter, “J-E-S-U-S. That spells Jesus!” she proclaimed to her younger sisters.
The simple and uncluttered name JESUS says it all.

On this Sunday before Christmas 2009, we pause to reflect upon the meaning of the name of Jesus. We invite you to bring family and friends with you to our Christmas Eve service at 5:00pm this coming Thursday.

We wish you a blessed and merry Christmas!

Listen

Pastor Rick Hudgens | Shepherds, Sheep and a Savior (children's presentation)

Sunday/Dec/2009 12:53

On a hill just outside of Bethlehem, lowly shepherds were tending their sheep at night. They didn't get much company out there. People had been passing through for several days as the census was underway, but they hardly spoke at all as they walked by on their way to Bethlehem. Nobody really wanted to talk to the shepherds.

That is, nobody except an angel! They may have been at the bottom of the social ladder in Bethlehem, but God chose shepherds to be the first ones to see the Savior! This is their story-what they heard and what they saw that marvelous night when God came to dwell with men. This morning our elementary children present the musical: Shepherds, Sheep and a Savior. This musical is about one of the most familiar parts of the Christmas story.

Special appreciation goes to Polly Barwick who directs the Children’s Choir this year. To all of our faithful volunteers who minister in the children’s area, we say thank you for your service. Amy Manshack serves as the Director of Children’s Ministries here at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene.

Listen

Pastor Rick Hudgens | Never Underestimate your Influence

Sunday/Dec/2009 13:39

Last week we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent 2009 by viewing Christmas through the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Today we continue in our teaching series by seeing Christmas through the eyes of Joseph.

I find this interesting how God treated Joseph and Mary differently. Right at the beginning the angel announced to Mary that she would conceive a son as recorded in Luke 1:26-27, "In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary."

But Joseph received no such announcement. He was forced to go through a troubling time before God revealed his divine plan for Joseph and his family. Why did God do it this way? I believe it was so that Joseph would learn how to trust God for all the important decisions that he would be called on to make in the next few years. God doesn’t always tell us his plans. He sometimes lets us struggle with circumstances so that we can learn how to take those important steps of faith.

I have read about Joseph, "If a type is to be sought in the character of Joseph, it is that of a simple, honest, hard-working, God-fearing man, who was possessed of large sympathies and a warm heart. Strict in the observance of Jewish law and custom, he was yet ready when occasion arose to make these subservient to the greater law of the Spirit. ... Joseph is known to us only as a dim figure in the background of the Gospel narratives, yet his whole-hearted reconciliation to Mary, even in the face of possible slanderings by his neighbors, is indicative that he was not unworthy to fulfill the great trust which was imposed upon him by the Eternal Father."