So into this crazy, mixed up world walked a Savior. Oh he didn’t have to come. He didn’t lay aside his deity to do so. But—and man oh man this is an important but—he did make sacrifices.

He planned something. This is salvation. Messiah. God for us.

He became something. This is incarnation. Immanuel. God with us.

He paid something. This is crucifixion. Ransom. God covering us.

He didn’t have to do any of this. But he did…and so much more.

In fact, as though even the Word of God needs footnotes, the Apostle John added a last verse to his gospel: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” If you’ve read John’s historical narratives of Jesus, you should be impressed enough. Yet, there was more. And there is still more.

The footnotes are not done, because Jesus is not done…not hardly.

Into this crazy, mixed up world walked a Savior. Then he reached out. He saved. He rescued. He recruited. He befriended. He even partnered with the folks inhabiting this crazy, mixed up world. He’s still doing it. And every time he rescues and partners with someone, he creates a new footnote. He’s been creating footnotes for a long time. I’m a footnote. You are either a footnote or a footnote waiting to happen. Perhaps John is still writing…

“And Jesus sent his Spirit to North America unto the region of Washington. Passing through Silverdale he saw a man working on a car, for the man was a mechanic. Jesus, through the Spirit and his word, said, ‘Come, follow me, and I will make you a mechanic of men.’ At once the man left his shop and followed Jesus.” 

Who knows? God does. He sees your faithfulness. 

Maybe it was you the Spirit of Christ used to speak with the mechanic…or was he a teacher, a cook, a doctor, a neighbor, friend…adversary…

Maybe it was you he used to plant a seed.

Maybe it was you he used to water the seed.

Maybe it was you he used through a small act of kindness, a soft word of encouragement, or a silent moment of connection. 

Who knows? God does. And sometimes we do. Sometimes people tell us. I hope and pray the following notes encourage you. If you donated time or treasure, if you prayed, if you are in any way connected to West Sound Church and the greater body of Christ you were and are part of the Christmas Hope project for the Kitsap Jail…and you made a difference. The following are excerpts from thank you notes we received on Tuesday following the Saturday delivery of the gift bags. The bags were small in size, but apparently big in hope. Of course, names have been left out to protect the privacy of folks dearly loved by the Savior.

Dear sisters and brothers of West Sound Community Church, I am an inmate here in Kitsap County Jail. Today at dinner time we all were surprised to receive the gift that you all put together for us. Thank you for having such beautiful hearts and being so charitable to people who are looked down upon. It is a good feeling to know that there are people out there who love us for us. Yes, the candy was awesome, but the love you bestowed upon us was incredible. Thank you and God bless.

I was just reading a book called Small Things (? word was hard to read). It’s about ________ (not sure) and how they’re God’s way of showing us that he is there even in the small things of life. Thanks and God bless you all.

Thank you! Chocolate is much appreciated! Merry Christmas!

Dear West Sound Church, thank you for your thoughts and care. Please keep us in your prayers. Much love and respect.

Huge thank you to the sisters and brothers of West Sound Community Church. God bless. Inmate (identifying numbers and letters)

West Sound Community Church, thank you for the goodie bags. Please pray for me and all of us in here.

Many blessings for the church and thanks for everything.

Thank you guys for the holiday gift bags. It shows that even in times of stress and need __________ (?)  Thank you.

I just wanted to say thank you for thinking of us. It really made our night. Bless you and your church. Season’s greetings and Merry Christmas.

Thank you for the holiday gift. God bless.

The best and happiest of holidays to everyone who contributed.

Thank you. Very thoughtful. Merry Christmas!

Thank you so much for the Christmas gift. It made all of our days and we are truly grateful.

Thank ya’ll from the bottom of my heart. We all loved the care package very much.

Thank you very much for the holiday treats. Very thoughtful and greatly appreciated.

May the bright shining light of the Queen of Heaven be upon you forever.

Thank you very much. That made us all feel very good.

God bless you all. Thank you for your kind hearts. Thank you. God bless.

Thank you West Sound Community Church for making our time a little easier this holiday season. Hoping you all have a very merry Christmas! And also, if Art and Michelle and Auntie Coral are there, please tell them I love them. 

Thank you so much for the wonderful surprise gift of candy and chips. It’s quite a treat to get…given our situation. God bless.

Thank you for the bag. God bless!

Thank you for the gifts to the inmates. It made people in here feel better in bad situations. Bless you.

Thank you very much for your thoughts and consideration…not to mention the candy. It really does mean a lot to know there’s people that care and understand that we all make mistakes, but we are all souls in need. God bless.

To whom it may concern: My name is _______ _______ and I’m currently incarcerated at Kitsap County Jail. I want to thank you so much for the gift bags you donated to us. It’s such a huge blessing that God placed such a giving and caring heart in his children. May God bless you abundantly. Have a wonderful Christmas! May God be with you this holiday season.

West Sound Community Church, thank you so much for the wonderful baggy full of yummy goodies! I do greatly appreciate the wonderful surprise and wanted to relay my thanks to you. It takes a great person(s) to think of others during these times. I do have family here in Kitsap County so this gift made a great impact and brightened my day. Thank you and God bless.

There was also one written in Spanish. Please excuse me for not being able to distinguish many of the letters and words, so I thought it best not to attempt a copy.

Finally, this last one brought me to my knees…

It’s nice to know that though we are fallen we are not forgotten. Thank you for reminding us that there is still a little hope left in this world. Thank you very much.

Project Christmas Hope…that is the life-changing message of God’s love through Jesus Christ. You leave these kind of footnotes…you leave love, you leave eternal dividends. Well done my friends. I hope you are encouraged as a result of your encouragement ministry.

I love Christmas. I worship Christ.

In the following very brief video one of my favorite pastors, Chuck Swindoll, reminds us not to let Christmas become mundane. Instead, he concludes with, “It’s Christmas. Run to Bethlehem!”

If I could have said it so well, I would have. Instead, listen to Chuck, and remember, Merry Christmas…run to Bethlehem.

This penetrated my heart and found its way to my pen and my passions when I was a young pastor. Its impact on me has never diminished.

“Son, why don’t you ask the pastor your question?”

“What question, Daddy?”

“Well, you remember, the one about communion.”

“Oh, yeah!…Pastor…how old do we have to be before we can take communion?”

“Tell me,” asked the pastor, “Do you know what communion means?”

“Uh huh,” the little fella said, “Communion means that we are remembering all about Jesus.”

“That’s right,” said the pastor, “and can you tell me what we remember about Jesus?”

With this question, the pastor saw the little boy’s eyes fill with tears and begin to turn red.

With lips trembling, eyes gazing down, a deep swallow, a quivering voice, the little boy responded, “We remember that Jesus…died for us…Jesus was buried for us…Jesus was raised for us.” No longer able to hold back his tears, the little fella stood up and bolted down the hall. Running, escaping, he sought the sanctuary of his own room.

The pastor, confused, disturbed, awed, turned to the parents asking, “Is he okay?”

“Yes,” they replied, “Our little boy is fine.” 

Indeed! The little boy is fine. The tears? Tears of sadness from the heart of a child. And why sadness? Great is the pain, deep is the sorrow, when, like a child, one realizes the awful reality of our Lord’s sacrifice. Isaiah said of the man Jesus, “His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men.” The gospels tell us a battalion of soldiers beat him without mercy. Upon his head the crown of thorns ripped skin until blood flowed freely, covering his face and drenching his hair. Again, Isaiah said, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows; and acquainted with grief.”

As the Savior  –very God of very God– he took upon himself the filth of human sin.  His garden prayer reflected his divine agony, “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Upon the cross he died. And somehow, some eternally transcendent way, God the Son felt the terrible pain of separation –torn asunder, crushed, offered for sin, alone. Perhaps his garden prayer welled up more from his perfect holiness than from his human frailty. Thus, upon the cross, he cried, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Slowly the pastor walked down the hall to find the little boy whose tear-stained face lied buried in his bed covers. “Why are you crying,” asked the pastor.

The precious lad answered, “It makes me sad.”

“And so it should child,” the pastor whispered. “Remember your tears. God will honor you for this tenderness, for this love. Remember, too, his death is not all sadness. We must remember that God the Father thought it pleasing to offer the Son, so that you and I, and your Mom and Dad, and your sister, and so many others could accept him as our Savior. God loves us that much.”

Isaiah wrote, “He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous One, My servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.”  What great love is this!

Indeed!  The little boy is fine.