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Birth of the King

Published December 23, 2013 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Bethlehem, Christmas, Christmas story, Herod, Nativity

The birth of Jesus Christ is the most significant event in the history of the world. It has been said that “the hinge of history is on the door of the Bethlehem stable.”

It may seem strange that the Son of God, the divine King of Kings, was born the way He was, when He was, and how He was. But the gulf that exists between sinful man and a holy God is so immense, there is no way for man to approach God even if he wanted to. The only way to bring the creature close to his Creator was for the Creator Himself to breach that gulf and come to the creature. This the Lord did in the Person of His Son. Really, God’s plan for the redemption of mankind, which began with the “Christmas story,” was brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed.

The King is born, Matthew 1:18—25

The story begins with a shocking discovery:

These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18 TLB)

The KJV says that Mary was “found with child,” although we are never told exactly who “found” her in that condition! Did it become so obvious that her family and her fiance, Joseph, could tell? Or did she fess up to Joseph in private? We don’t know, but what we do know is that Mary knew the truth: her baby was of supernatural origin.

Her delicate condition put her in a precarious position. Mosaic Law cut a pregnant single woman absolutely no slack; she would have been stoned to death. But we tip our hats to Joseph who proved he was stand up guy:

Then Joseph, her fiance, being a man of stern principle, decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her. (Matthew 1:19 TLB)

He didn’t want to expose Mary to disgrace or danger, so as far as he was concerned, though he loved this woman dearly, he was willing to “divorce” her on down low. To break an engagement at this time in Judaism amounted to a divorce. Mary, freed from Joseph, would quietly leave town to have her baby and live in exile.

But God had other plans for Joseph:

As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20 TLB)

In order to prevent a tragic situation from occurring, and in order to fulfill ancient Biblical prophecies, an angel, probably Gabriel, appeared to Joseph as he did to Mary to let Joseph in on the secret. Mary needed to know the truth in order to save her sanity and Joseph needed to know the same truth to save the marriage and to preserve his wife’s reputation in his eyes. She had never been unfaithful to him but had been completely faithful to God. Any husband would love to have a wife as faithful as Mary was!

Let’s pause for a moment. Remember, for some 400 years before the events we are looking at, God had been silent. There were no visions, no prophecies, to miraculous interventions, and certainly no angelic visitations. Though God had never forgotten His people, He was not in close communication with them anymore. But all that changed with the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Consider how many people in the “Christmas story” saw and heard angels! Truly the time for the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy had come:

After I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all of you! Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your old men will dream dreams, and your young men see visions. (Joel 2:28 TLB)

Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and others all bear witness to an inescapable fact: the distance between Heaven and Earth was closing fast! The King of Glory was coming and nothing was going to stop Him from coming to us.

Mary’s faith was astounding, but, then, so was Joseph’s. He was in a tight spot to be sure, but he heeded what the angel told him; any fears or misgivings Joseph may have had surrounding Mary and their situation, disappeared. By making Mary his wife, bringing her into his heart and his home, this man, Joseph, would do God’s will, protect his wife and mother of the Lord, be blessed by God in ways we could never comprehend and show himself to be a true descendant of King David.

Martin Luther’s observations on this are invaluable:

It is an honor for the wedded state that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was not born of a simple, unmarried maid but of Mary, who was espoused as a true wife of Joseph, her husband. Our Lord was born of his mother according to the Law in wedlock and honored it with his birth.

Something that Matthew thought was very important was the idea that the events surrounding our Lord’s birth fulfilled Bible prophecy:

This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets… (Matthew 1:22 TLB)

The reason why Matthew points this out is that he wrote his Gospel to fellow Jews—unconverted Jews who needed to understand that what happened during the “first Christmas” fulfilled many things written about in their Scriptures!

The King is sought after, Matthew 2:1—8

Jesus was born in a small town just south of Jerusalem called Bethlehem. That name means “House of Bread,” which is certainly an appropriate name for the birth place of the Bread of Heaven! He was born during the reign of Herod the Great, as he was known in history. During the Babylonian captivity, a race of people known as Idumeans (Edomites), had settled in and taken over the southern part of Judah. By 125 BC, John Hyrcanus, high priest and ruler of the Jewish nation at this time, compelled these Idumeans to be circumcised, thus becoming, at least nominally, Jews. Herod was part of these people, and his religion was at best skin-deep. He was cruel and ruled without conscience.

Into this political atmosphere, Jesus was born and the Magi journeyed:

At about that time some astrologers from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1b—2 TLB)

The Living Bible calls these magoi, “magi,” “astrologers.” “Magi” originally referred to priests in Persia and Babylon. As used by Matthew, though, these “wise men” were just that, and they were honorable. In ways we may never understand, these men connected the appearance of new star in the eastern sky with the birth of a new king in Israel. But did these men have in mind an earthly king or the King of Heaven? The word “worship” has reference to bowing down before an earthly ruler and/or before God, so we may never know what was really in the minds of these wonderful visitors from an eastern kingdom.

But we know what was in Herod’s mind:

King Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, and all Jerusalem was filled with rumors. (Matthew 2:3 TLB)

Jerusalem was “filled with rumors,” not because anybody in it saw that strange star, but they heard about what the magi had said. As the rumor mill churned on, Herod became more and more worried. Could it be true? Had a king really been born somewhere in his realm? Would this new king cause his people to turn against him? Like the magi, Herod decided he needed to seek out this king, but for a very different reason:

Then Herod sent a private message to the astrologers, asking them to come to see him; at this meeting he found out from them the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him too!” (Matthew 2:7, 8 TLB)

Of course, Herod had no interest in finding the king to worship him! He wanted to kill him—to eliminate the competition.

Time to pause again and think about something. Think about this:

“Where is the newborn King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in far-off eastern lands and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2 TLB)

After this interview the astrologers started out again. And look! The star appeared to them again, standing over Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:9 TLB)

We wonder: did these magi lose sight of the star when (or possibly because) they strayed off the road to consult with Herod and the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem? We also wonder if these wise men, instead of seeking human guidance, had just continued on into Bethlehem, would the “slaughter of the innocents” have taken place? Herod may never have known about the birth of Jesus if only these wise men had just kept their eyes on the star. Another good question to ask ourselves is this one: Do we get ourselves (or others) in trouble when we seek out human advice and guidance from the wrong people when should be paying attention to God’s guidance? Let’s keep our eyes on Him and His star!

The King is worshiped, Matthew 2:9—12

The fact that this star “appeared again” shows it was of supernatural origin; this was no ordinary star! It had the ability to appear, disappear, then reappear! These men traveled a great distance for a long time to find this King:

Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. (Matthew 2:11 HCSB)

Most scholars and many translations agree that by now Jesus was a child, not a baby. This young family wasn’t in a manger any longer; Joseph had apparently found and rented a house for them to live in. He was a carpenter, so he could ply his trade anywhere. Scholars think the magi reached them a year after the birth took place! They “worshiped” this young King and gave him gifts of immense value: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts have some significance. Gold, of course, was precious and costly back then as it is today. It was an entirely appropriate gift to give a king. Frankincense was an appropriate gift for a priest because it was used in temple services. And myrrh was something you gave someone who was dying; appropriate for the One who was destined to die for the sins of others. As William Barclay noted:

These three gifts foretold that [Jesus] was to be the true King, the perfect High Priest, and in the end the supreme Savior of men.

Perhaps this is where the tradition of giving others gifts at Christmastime came from. On this, Chuck Swindoll noted:

Some gifts you can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value: Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell someone you love them. Give something away—anonymously. Forgive someone who has treated you wrong. Turn away wrath with a soft answer. Visit someone in a nursing home. Apologize if you were wrong. Be especially kind to someone with whom you work. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or reservation, or hypocrisy.

These wise men were obedient to God whether they knew it or not and God honored their obedience. He, by means of a dream, warned them not to return to Herod. They may have thought Herod was sincere as they were in his desire to find and worship this young king. But, again, in obedience, they returned home by another route.

These magi; these foreigners, are a picture of the firstfruits of the Gentiles who would come to Christ for salvation. How interesting it is that Matthew begins his Gospel with this visit to Jesus by some Gentile wise men and he closes it with the Great Commission for believers to evangelize the whole world.

The birth of Jesus and all the events and people surrounding it make for an interesting study and show a Divine purpose. Like pieces of an immense puzzle, they give us a glimpse at the intricacies of God’s great redemptive plan.

Mary’s Song

Published December 18, 2013 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Christmas, Magnificat, Mary, virgin birth

Luke 1:26 – 56

Christianity rests on the words of this chapter; arguably the deepest, most theological chapter in all the Bible. How much theology is packed into these verses? Consider what is covered in just a few of them:

the divinity of Jesus Christ, verses 32, 35
His role as Messiah and reign over the kingdom, verses 32 – 33
God as “the Most High,” verses 32, 35
the power of the Holy Spirit, verse 35
God’s grace, verses 29 – 30; 34, 35; 38

So, the story of Jesus’ nativity is really much more than the stuff of Christmas carols and cards; it’s the bedrock of the faith.

1. Jesus’ birth foretold, Luke 1:26 – 33

It’s obvious that Luke, the physician, wrote his gospel to Gentiles:

The following month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. (Luke 1:26, 27 TLB)

Only non-Jews would need to be told where Nazareth was. What’s particularly interesting about these two verses is the fact that God directly inserts Himself into Mary’s life through the angel Gabriel. In fact, God had, six months earlier, sent Gabriel to Zechariah, an old man, with an important message, and now he appears to Mary, a young virgin, with an important message for her.

Mary was young, probably barely into her teens, when these events transpired. This betrothal to Joseph was legally binding. So even though they were not technically married, they were as good as. Only death or divorce could break a Jewish betrothal like this.

Joseph was “a descendant of King David,” but then so was Mary. The fact that Luke mentions only Joseph’s heritage tells us that he considers Jesus to be a legitimate heir of the royal line by “adoption.” God was really Jesus’ Father in all eternity, but Joseph became Jesus’ earthly father, giving Jesus a rightful claim on David’s throne.

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 TLB)

The root of “favored” is grace, the unmerited favor given by God. God is the agent here. Why was she “favored”? Simply because God had chosen Mary to be the mother of His Son. Mary received God’s blessing; she never dispensed it, as Roman Catholicism teaches. God was surely with Mary in a number of ways. As a Jew, Yahweh was always present among His people. But given the events about to take place, this phrase takes on an added dimension.

Verse 30 seems like just a quaint statement, but it teaches us something very important about the state of Mary’s mind:

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

She was not an emotional wreck; she was in total control of her faculties at all times during this angelic encounter. Mary listened to what Gabriel was saying to her and she tried to understand it all. What he said was startling.

Very soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.’ (Luke 1:31 TLB)

This is the announcement of the Incarnation: God in the flesh. In the Son, divinity and humanity would be joined in a union that would never be broken. His Name would be “Jesus,” a common enough name in Israel during this time. It’s the Greek version of the Hebrew “Joshua.”

He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. (Luke 1:32 TLB)

This verse is significant in that we see the true greatness of Jesus: man will recognize His greatness and realize this Jesus IS the Son of God, but at the same time, Jesus’ heavenly Father will see His Son’s greatness and give Him the throne of David. Thus, Jesus’ Sonship and Messianic claims will be clear in both Heaven and on Earth!

2. Mary, submission and faith, Luke 1:34 – 45

Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” (Luke 1:34 TLB)

Again we see something of the character of Mary, and the quality of her considerable faith. Unlike Zechariah, there was no unbelief in Mary. Like Nicodemus, Mary was interested in HOW this miracle would take place. She asked for no sign, only an explanation. You have to admire this woman and her simple faith. It would be normal for Mary to think of Joseph in regard to having a son; there is no indication that Gabriel told her of a “virgin birth” or that her mind hearkened back to Isaiah 7:14. Was Mary given a special insight as Gabriel unfolded his message to her? Perhaps, for she seemed to assume something unusual was about to happen IN her that did not involve Joseph, her betrothed.

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God. (Luke 1:35 TLB)

Mary’s sincere question was answered by Gabriel sincerely. Curiously, the answer doesn’t clarify the mystery, just how it will come to pass. The Holy Spirit – acting on behalf of the Godhead – will take the place of a husband in a way that is unexplained and, perhaps, unexplainable. No man had anything to do with the birth of Jesus. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, we are told that a woman becomes unclean in the birth of her child because she is bringing a sinner into the world. Here, Mary is told that she is not bringing another sinner into the world, but the completely Holy Son of God. Human parents are capable only of producing a sinner. David understood this:

But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5 TLB)

But Mary’s Son would be different. By being born of a virgin, the Son of God could become a member of the human family yet remain untainted by its sinful condition. This would be accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit. The “overshadowing of the power of God” is an interesting statement that suggests not only the miracle of the virgin birth, but a continued supervision, care, and even protection of Mary.

Mary believed in the impossible. Her faith is inspiring.

Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” And then the angel disappeared. (Luke 1:38 TLB)

Not many of us can say in good conscience what Mary said here in verse 38! With so much at stake, she was able to so say, “I am willing to do whatever he wants.” What an exemplary attitude of servanthood. This is what real dedication and consecration looks like. Even knowing that the future would be difficult for her – with rumors and slander and innuendos – she expressed complete co-operation with God in His plans. Mary’s last sentence is simple, brief, yet theologically perfect. Her attitude is simply this: she is God’s willing property for Him to use as He wishes.

3. Mary magnifies the Lord, Luke 1:46 – 55

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Mary, servant of God, becomes a poetess and even prophetess of God. This is one of the great hymns of the Church, yet it was not composed by a scholar or a musician or an educated wordsmith. The Magnificat, as this passage has come to be known, is simply the emotional outpouring, the “improvisation of happy faith,” of a blessed woman of God.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. (Luke 1:46, 47 KJV)

The first line of this couplet announces the theme of the whole hymn: Mary magnifies God. To “magnify” is to make great and glorious by what we say of a person. It is possible to magnify any person, but all our magnifying will never be able to express the greatness and glory of Almighty God.

Of particular note is the phrase “God my Savior.” In spite of the deification of Mary, she realized she needed a Savior as all sinners do. She may have been blessed, but she was a sinner in need of saving!

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:48 KJV)

Mary knew herself well; she knew her position in the world. Of this verse, Martin Luther concluded that Mary realized God could have chosen to use a woman of high position in the world’s eyes to bear the Savior, but instead He chose her, a “lowly handmaiden.” Mary was aware of her unworthiness, and this why she added, “all generations shall call me blessed.” She was referring, not to herself, but to to God’s greatness. Successive generations would call Mary “blessed” because God blessed her so greatly.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. (Luke 1:49 KJV)

Mary had noted her unworthiness and now she notes the “great things” God has done for her. She had revealed God as a “Savior,” and now she speaks of His might and holiness. But what does Mary mean when she wrote “great things”? She is referring to all the great things she has been privy to: her choosing by God, the sending of Gabriel, the miraculous conception, and the revealing of the mystery to Elizabeth. All of these things are “great” and Mary was truly blessed to have been a part of them all.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50 KJV)

Mary is in absolute awe of God – of the Mighty One – Whose great power had been directed toward her. But she recognizes another aspect of His character: God’s mercy. God’s mercy is clearly revealed in the Incarnation, but it has been shown from generation to generation to those who have feared Him. Now, though, God’s mercy is especially manifested in the gift of His Son to the world.

This verse also shows us something important regarding who may receive God’s mercy: it is available ONLY to those who “fear Him,” or revere Him. This “fear” denotes the awe that fills your heart and mind when you are in the presence of One who is full of power, holiness, and righteousness.

He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, And exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, In remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, To Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (Luke 1:51 – 55 KJV)

In this paragraph, all the main verbs are aorists and timeless, stating that what God does at any time – past, present, or future – has already been done. In other words, even though the good things mentioned here are in the past tense (in English), they may be regarded as things God is doing now and will do. As He did in the past, so He does now, so He will do again.

Look at the great works of our God: He judges men righteously and justly; He exalts those who honor Him and disregards those who don’t; God is the benevolent Provider, the One who feeds the hungry and meets those temporal needs; God never forgets His people; He always keeps His promises. God is always faithful and full of mercy.

God had done great things for Mary and, in fact, God has done great things for all people who trust Him. Mary knew what God had done for her; do YOU know what He has done for you? Mary, just a woman, was blessed beyond measure though she didn’t deserve it. She stands forever as an example of trust and dedication to the Lord; of gratitude to Him for all He did for her and for others throughout time. Mary was the picture of humility who knew and followed the Word of the Lord. This is why she found favor with the Lord, which would allow her to be used by Him as part of His plan of salvation.

NIGHT OF THE INCARNATION

Published December 24, 2012 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Christmas, Incarnation, Luke

nativity

Luke 2:1-20

It’s interesting to compare chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s Gospel. Chapter 1 is long and very complex, yet chapter 2 is comparatively brief even though it contains the story of Jesus’ birth.

In chapter 2, Luke stresses three main points:

The political situation, which explains why Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem;
Bethlehem was the town of David, which explains why Jesus had a rightful claim to the throne of David;
The humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth.

At the very outset of Luke’s version of the story, we are confronted with Caesar Augustus. Luke probably mentions his name to give Theophilus, to whom this Gospel was written, historical context. But we should also see a glaring contrast between the decree of earthly king versus that of God.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (Luke 2:1)

Government decrees are rarely cause for rejoicing! This “decree” issued by Caesar August was terribly burdensome. Can you imagine if President Obama issued a similar decree today? There would be national chaos. Caesar’s decree, which disrupted every life in the Roman Empire, was for the purpose of taxation. This particular taxing though, was not a one-time thing. It was a continual effort that went on periodically over at least a 14 year period. An earthly tyrant may issue a decree, but that decree was all part of God’s plan to bring His Son into the world at the right time, in the right place to fulfill ancient prophecies. As far back as Micah 5:2, we read God’s decree:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Man only thinks he is in charge. God, in fact, orchestrates the events of this world for the sole purpose of bringing Himself glory and pointing sinful man to Him. In a strange twist, Caesar Augustus brought about the the fulfillment of God’s will by creating the necessary circumstances.

We have to sit back and smile and ask ourselves, Is anything too hard for God? How can there be when God is in complete control?

1. The arrival

…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:7)

Use of the phrase “her firstborn son” tells us that, in spite of Roman Catholic doctrine, Mary did have other children. But it also tells us something else very significant: Jesus was her first child. She was, in fact, the virgin prophesied in Isaiah. Jesus was born the natural way, but His conception was miraculous.

There are all kinds of apocryphal stories and legends surrounding the night the Light of the World came into the world. We know that Bethlehem would have been overcrowded with families coming in for the census, plus there would have been Roman soldiers in town to quell any protests or riots. So, it makes sense that there was no “guest room” available for them. The image we have is that of a young family, about to have a baby, trying to find a hotel room. This probably is not an entirely accurate image. The birth narratives indicate that Mary and Joseph had been in town for a while before Jesus was born. Since this was his home town, he probably had family there. Luke’s “guest room” could refer to there being no room at his relative’s home as well as no room at any inn in town. Where would they stay? In all likelihood, the notion of a “cave” is also apocryphal, having been first put forward by Origen’s time.

It’s not romantic, but Mary and Joseph probably stayed in some sort of family shed or outbuilding that provided warmth and shelter. Hallmark cards are not the best when it comes to Biblical interpretation.

Still, nobody had room for this young couple or their soon-coming baby. Is it any different today? There is still no room for Jesus is the lives of most people, and, sadly, even in the lives of those who call themselves Christians, Jesus – whom they claim to be their Savior – is relegated to the outbuilding of their hearts. Even in the Church of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man has no pillow on which to lay His head. It’s hard to imagine a Church where Jesus isn’t welcome! But any time a Church has no time for the Word of God, it has no room for Jesus. He is the living Word, after all.

Many of the “social gospel” persuasion love to stress the notion that Mary and Joseph were destitute and dirt poor, which is why they couldn’t get a room. This is probably another legend with no basis in fact. Joseph was a tradesman – a carpenter – and he was as good as married to Mary, according to Jewish tradition. He no doubt had been preparing for his marriage by saving and working. By no means rich, he probably was not part of the “poorest of the poor” in Jewish society.

Luke in his narrative describes the humble circumstances of the Lord’s birth to show how strange an occurrence this event was to be. Here was a King, born in a shed. Here was the Lord, coming to His people in a small, overcrowded town.

2. The proclamation

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:8-12, 10 and 11 cited)

“Christ the Lord’s” coming was announced by “the angel of the Lord,” accompanied by the “glory of the Lord.” There was no more lowly occupation in Palestine than that of shepherd. It was hard work; it was dirty work; it was lonely work. Why did God choose to announce the birth of His Son to men like this? Shepherds were considered untrustworthy and unclean. Shouldn’t God have chosen men whose occupations were a little more respected? Why not religious leaders? Or political leaders? Obviously, these shepherds were men God could trust to see the glorious spectacle and hear the angelic announcement. It is fitting that the Great Shepard chose to reveal His birth to shepherds; that social outcasts would be the first to hear about the birth of One who Himself would be an outcast among His people.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Jesus was probably not born in December, although He could have been. The Bible is silent on precisely when the event took place, so it probably isn’t important for us to know. It’s funny that so much has been written on this topic. Christians are generally pretty good at majoring on minor points.

For their part, when the angel of the Lord appeared to them, the shepherds were terrified, just as Zechariah was. Who wouldn’t have been afraid by this amazing sight? Neither Zechariah nor these shepherds had seen such a thing before. But the angel spoke words of comfort, and he spoke words that Luke, though not an eyewitness, would deem as being most important as he uses them again and again in his Gospel. The words “Savior” and “salvation” occur well over 40 times in the writings of Luke and that of his friend, Paul. The “angel of the Lord” announced good news: the birth of the Savior. The shepherds would have interpreted that as a political savior had just been born, but God’s idea of salvation has to do with the soul of man. Circumstances in life change; good times come and go, but the soul is immortal, and without Christ, it’s sick and has no future. Jesus Christ came into our world to heal the sick soul and give it a future!

As if the angel of the Lord wasn’t enough, suddenly the shepherds saw and heard even more:

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13, 14)

We can only imagine how the angels felt that night as they delivered this stunning news to this band of lowly shepherds. Of all the things angels can do, one thing they can never experience is redemption and salvation.

…Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:12)

All they can do is “look” and marvel at what God has done and continues to do for those who call out to Him.

3. Inquiry and Testimony

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:15, 16)

We have no English equivalent for the Greek behind “Let’s go.” It is an urgency, these shepherds thought, to get to Bethlehem to confirm what they had just been told. The “this thing” refers to the birth of the Savior, and they rushed off to find Him. Luke makes it sound like they went right to Him, but it probably took them some time find where this Savior was born.

They heard the word from heaven, they believed the word, and they acted on it. It’s a shame that more Christians don’t behave more like these shepherds. If Christians would hear Word, believe the Word, and most of all ACT on the Word of God, they, like the shepherds, would find Jesus. These shepherds didn’t take time debate what they had seen and heard; they didn’t call a meeting to form a consensus of opinion. They had the wisdom to simply say, “Let’s go…and see this thing that has happened.” That’s faith!

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, (Luke 2:17)

They believed and they “spread the word.” These simple shepherds were the first evangelists. They proved the power of God’s Word in their own experience. Again, it would be nice if more Christians proved the power of God’s Word in the same way. The shepherds were full of joy; they were thrilled with what they had seen, heard, and experienced.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Are you spreading this “trustworthy saying?” There’s a world of sinners that needs to hear what you know and what you have experienced!

People that heard what the shepherds had to say “wondered” about it. They, after all, hadn’t seen or heard what they saw and heard. They “wondered.” They didn’t know what to think. But Mary’s response to all this is interesting:

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

Her response was quite different to that of the shepherds and even those who heard their story and “wondered.” She, the mother of Jesus, kept her thoughts to herself. Mary knew more about her Child than anybody else on Earth. But there was a lot she didn’t know and even more she didn’t understand. But what she had seen, heard, and experienced didn’t stagger her faith. She simply kept her thoughts to herself as “precious memories” to be pondered and prayed about.

But there was NO keeping these shepherds quiet!

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)

These poor shepherds returned to the their jobs; to the old familiar routine of their daily grind. But they were changed; their hearts had changed by what they had seen, heard, and experienced. The last we see of these shepherds, they are still praising God and rejoicing for what they had been privileged to be a part of, this night of the Incarnation.

The Gospel – the Good News – is full of good news! We who are born again should take special note of the role the shepherds played this night. The:

Heard;
Believed;
Obeyed;
Received;
Testified;
Rejoiced;
Praised.

Jesus changes lives.

THE PURPOSES OF ADVENT, Part Two

Published December 13, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Advent, Christmas, man jesus, relationship with god, Second Coming

For the purpose of this miniseries, we determined that Jesus came to Earth for four reasons. The first two included (1) to destroy the Devil’s works, and (2) to take away sins. The third and fourth reasons for the Son of God coming in the flesh are (3) to reveal the Father and (4) to prepare for the Second Advent.

1. To reveal the Father, John 14:9

Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

By the time we get to John 14, Jesus’ end is near. He had been talking to His friends and three times He was interrupted. First by Thomas, who asked:

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (vs. 5)

While He was answering Thomas, Philip piped up and asked:

“Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (vs. 8)

Finally, Judas (the other one), butted in and asked:

“But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (vs. 22)

We have to admire our Lord’s patience with His “closest friends.” For three years these men walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, were witnesses to multiplied miracles and still they were clueless about who this Man was.

But it was Philip’s question that really showed what these men wanted. They understood that somehow this Man Jesus had a unique relationship with God, and what these men really wanted to was see Yahweh—to have the same special relationship with Him that Jesus had. Jesus’ answer to Philip was so simple, it must have left the apostle speechless:

Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (vs. 9)

We get the impression that Jesus was mildly surprised that Philip hadn’t recognized Him for who He was. But then it’s not all that uncommon to miss God because we all approach the subject of “God the Father” with different preconceived notions that may or may not bear any resemblance to the reality of who He really is.

A lot of people today—Christians included—are like the Hebrews of the Old Testament, who had a highly intellectual concept of God because God had taught them all about Himself through His prophets and His Word. You can’t read the Old Testament without seeing the effort God went to to reveal Himself to His covenant people. From Genesis to Malachi we can see a kind of progressive revelation of God to the Hebrews. And yet, in spite of a growing head-knowledge of God, there was at the same time a corresponding moral decay in the people. Knowing facts about God is not what changes a life. It may change behavior for a while, but unless God is experienced at the heart level, a person will remain dedicated to serving themselves, not Him.

The profusion of religions and cults around Israel showed that man was always looking for something or someone to worship. Sin had so separated him from the true God that instead of seeking Him, man created gods in his image or in images that sprang from his imagination.

But all that changed with Advent, 2,000 years ago. Before He visited man in the flesh of man, in the person of His Son, God’s presence among His people was highly symbolic and sporadic. The fact is, before the coming of Christ, there was really no abiding presence of God on Earth or in His people. At various times throughout the Old Testament dispensation, the Spirit of God would come upon a person for a time to accomplish a special purpose. With the exception of King David, we have no record of God’s Spirit dwelling in anybody. God would manifest His presence in the form of clouds or smoke or in other supernatural manifestations. At the Advent, though, Jesus appeared to manifest God.

In answer to Philip’s question to to “see the Father,” Jesus’ response suggested that after three years, Philip had seen enough of Jesus to see the Father in Him. But, what exactly did Philip see in Jesus?

Philip was the very first man Jesus called to follow Him, though not the first one to actually follow our Lord. After Jesus asked Philip to follow Him, note what Philip did:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45)

That was the first thing Philip saw in Jesus: here was the One who embodied all the ideals of Moses and the prophets.

Next, we see Jesus asking Philip a question about where to get some bread to feed a large group of hungry followers. We are told that our Lord asked him this question to “test Philip.” Philip’s answer showed that he considered it impossible to feel all the people:

“Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7)

And yet right after that, we see Philip, along with the other apostles, sitting down with all those hungry people, waiting to be fed. Philip saw in Jesus One who was, in some unfathomable way, able to satisfy human hunger. He didn’t understand how it was possible, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying what Jesus was offering.

In John 12, we see Philip again. This time, a group of Greeks approached Philip wanting to see Jesus. Jesus’ response to Philip showed a perfect harmony between the Son and the Father:

“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (John 12:27, 28)

This is what Philip saw and heard!

Finally, in John 14, Philip wanted to see the Father. How could Philip not see the Father in Jesus after all he had seen Jesus do and say? But he didn’t. He may have seen and heard, but what he saw and heard didn’t meant anything at the time. It wasn’t until after Pentecost that the light finally dawned upon Philip. It was then that Philip saw it all, and he knew that Jesus came to reveal the Father.

2. To prepare for a Second Advent, Hebrews 9:28

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Here is the final reason Jesus came: He came to prepare for another coming. The first three reasons for Advent were all necessary in order that there could be a second Advent.

At Christmas time, the First Coming was greeting with joy and gladness.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13, 14)

Certainly the angels were thrilled that the Son of God appeared in the flesh, and a handful of thoughtful men were excited, but then what? All that happiness and goodwill sort of faded away. Something was missing in the first Advent. Certainly the Messiah came, but what really changed in the world. Jesus came to end the Devil’s works, to take away sin, and to reveal the Father, but as we look at the world around us even today, we’d be hard-pressed to see any of that taking place. No, the First Advent really demands something more.

The writer to the Hebrews makes a startling assertion: Christ will appear a second time. This is not referring to some kind of mystical, spiritual coming into people’s hearts! We’re talking a literal, physical, visible appearing of Christ. This Second Coming is all over the Old Testament and the New Testament; it is an essential doctrine; it is the consummation of all things.

It is unfortunate that so many Christian fail to see the surety of the Second Coming, and among those who know it’s going to happen remain unmoved! When Christ ascended to Heaven, angels appeared to those who saw Him leave:

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11b)

There’s no doubt about it, men of Jerusalem! Jesus is going to come back, but not as He came the first time, but as He left. The angels cannot be wrong! Jesus Christ is going to come back.

Paul cannot be wrong!

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17)

This is the blessed hope of the Church! This great doctrine of the Second Advent is what gave the early Church its hope, motivation, and encouragement. It should still do that for us today. Imagine what the Church would look like if ever day she lifted her face toward the eastern sky in expectation that this day could be that day of days! Wouldn’t we take our faith much more seriously if we honestly believed that our Lord could appear at any moment?

James, the half-brother of our Lord can’t be wrong:

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (James 5:8)

Peter wrote these encouraging words; he can’t be wrong:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)

John, the apostle who was perhaps closest to Jesus, was he wrong when he wrote:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

And Jude couldn’t have been wrong:

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude, vs 20, 21)

Every New Testament writer writes about a Second Advent. But the writer to Hebrews gives us the reason: to bring salvation to those waiting for Him. Before we deal with what that means, note that when Jesus comes the second time, it will NOT be to bear sin. The whole of the First Advent revolved around sin. Jesus came to deal with sin. His first Advent actually revealed sin. From the Slaughter of the Innocents to the His death on the Cross, the presence of Christ on earth brought sin into the light for all to see.

He not only shone the light on sin, but he bore sin, and not just on the Cross, but all through His life, Jesus bore sin. He bore its limitations while He was living and working as a Man. In poverty, sorrow, and loneliness, our Lord bore sin. Ultimately, of course, He bore sin all the way to the Cross, where He dealt with it once and for all.

At the First Advent, sin at its very root was dealt with, at His Second Advent all creation will celebrate the victory that sin has been crushed. Jesus Christ will not come in sorrow and sadness, but to bring everlasting joy. He won’t come in loneliness, but the saints of the ages will come with Him. We celebrate the First Advent, where there was no room at the Inn for Him. But at the Second Advent, the whole universe will have to make room for Him. The First Advent was for atonement. The Second Advent for administration, for Jesus Christ will come the second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to establish an everlasting kingdom in righteousness and holiness.

At His Second Advent, there will be complete salvation for the believer—complete righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The Second Advent will be a joyous occasion for those who know Christ. We are waiting, patiently, in the midst of earth’s struggle, which is really our struggle. When Jesus comes, the conflict that persists within every believer will finally be over; we will be made whole in every way. Heaven is waiting for the Second Advent. Hell is waiting for the Second Advent. Indeed, all creation is groaning in anticipation of the Second Advent.

He is coming! This Christmas Season, may the hope of the Second Advent fill your hearts. Today, we stand between the Advents. Our relation to the first determines our relation to the second. May Jesus Christ find room in your hearts today to prepare you for the day when He comes again.

(c) 2011 Witzend

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Birth of the King

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NIGHT OF THE INCARNATION

THE PURPOSES OF ADVENT, Part Two

(c) 2011 Witzend

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