Today I want to share a word about Ignorance Is Not Bliss, as I comment on Nehemiah 8:1—3 and 8-10. This Scripture reads:
All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You:
An old saying goes, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Sadly, that statement is more of a wish than it is a fact. Often times what you don’t know can cause you many problems. I found this out years ago when I was a young officer in the U.S. Army, Let me explain:
At the time this incident happened, I was a Military Police lieutenant, and I was working as the duty officer for the midnight shift. My duty day ended at 7:00am, and then I would go home and go to sleep so that I could get up in time to spend the evening with my wife before reporting for duty at 11:00pm that same day. It was the day after my last night of a three-night tour as duty officer, and I was tired. I slept like a log!
The problem was that just after I left the installation to drive home, an unannounced inspection of my unit took place. I was home sleeping like a dead man while my phone in my living room rang off the hook! When I finally heard it ringing and got u to answer it, one of my squad leaders was on the other end of the line. “Hey sir,” he said. “You’re sleeping through our surprise inspection!”
I just shook my head, climbed back into my uniform, and headed off to the base. It was all over but the shouting by the time I got there, and even though I had a reason for not showing up, that did not ingratiate me at all with my commander, who, to tell the truth, didn’t really like me much in any case.
What I didn’t know may not have hurt me, but it didn’t help me, and it was awkward, to say the least!
Ignorance is Not Bliss:
By the time Nehemiah had journeyed to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city Ezra the High the priest had also returned from exile in Babylon. While Nehemiah was primarily concerned about the defenses of the city, Ezra was concerned about the spiritual condition of the Jews there. Their interests merged at the time when the new walls were dedicated to God. Ezra was asked to bring out the Word of God and to read it to the people. He did so, and not only did he read it, but he also explained it.
When the Children of Israel heard the Word, they were shattered. They wept because they had sinned against God. They did not know God’s standards and His intent, because they had not read God’s Word. What they didn’t know was hurting them. Now they had a choice to make.
They could choose to go on living as they had before. They could go on ignoring God’s Word and His Ways. They could continue to live in their sin, and suffer the consequences of it.
On the other hand, they could choose to hear and obey God’s Word. They could make a decision of their will and repent of their wicked ways. They could follow the Word now that they knew it.
What would they do?
Bliss is Knowing God:
Ezra, Nehemiah, and other leaders in Israel knew God. They knew that God loved His people and that He had allowed them to rebuild their city. They also knew that God was gracious to allow them to hear God’s Word and understand His Way. From their perspective, repentance was a good thing!
So the leaders of Israel told the people to wipe their tears and to celebrate the God that loved them. Instead of hiding in shame, or running away in fear, they should enjoy their revived and refreshed relationship with their God. They should rest in the knowledge that their God is a loving God and one who forgives the repentant sinner.
Conclusion:
A true saying that I learned is the Army is that “Bad news does not get better with age!” We need to take a hard and realistic look at our lives. We need to compare our lives to the revealed Will of God as found in His Holy Word. Instead of ignoring the difference, we need to embrace it, to repent of it, and to turn to God for His forgiveness and Him to rebuild our lives.
Thank God today for His love and care for us in that God that He gives us the bad news to turn us toward the Good News. Let’s yield our lives to God and learn to follow His Word and His Way, and to receive His glorious blessings!
Today I want to share a word about the distinction that makes a difference, as I comment on Psalm 36:5-10.
This Scripture reads:
Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
The Distinction that Makes a Difference:
Human have many different ways of saying the same thing. For example:
“Six of one and half a dozen of another.”
“Lead, guide, and direct . . .”
“Working mother”
“Am I right, or am I right?”
“A nod is as good as a wink”
“Two sides of the same coin”
“Its the same difference”
We call these types of comments, “distinctions without a difference.” In Psalm 36, the Psalmist, however, was making a clear distinction between the wicked, whom he described in verses 1-4, and God, whom He exalts in verses 5-10. The qualities of God that the Psalmist made his focus are still active on our lives today.
The Extent of the Difference:
It is easy to see that the Psalmist is trying to describe a God whose difference from frail, fragile, and fault-filled humanity is unlimited. It is as high as the sky and as deep as the bottom of the ocean. It is as rugged and imposing as mountains, and it includes all creatures. God is just . . . different! Greater! Higher! Better!
People struggle with getting the right balance in our relationship to God. For some of us, God is our best friend and we expect Him to be as understanding of our failures as a close friend. For others, God is an awe-inspiring terror who is all-righteous, almighty, and all controlling. The truth is He is both and neither at the same time.
God is just so great and mighty and so far above us our words fail us when we try to describe Him. The Psalmist did well in this passage, but even he could not do God justice. One point is driven home however. God is different! Wow, is He different!
The Quality of the Difference:
As we stand in awe of God and how different He is from us, we would have every right to be afraid. Humans often shy away from something with which they are not familiar or which they do not understand. The blessing for us, then, is that difference we find in God is not just overwhelmingly huge, it also has the quality of love.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 that greatness without love is useless:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
The good news for us is that, like John told us, “God is Love.” The Psalmist expressed that love in a number of vibrant word pictures that showed us the quality of love God has for His people. His love is as great as the difference is between Himself and humanity. As Paul also said, God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” What an encouraging thought in difficult times!
The Endurance of the Difference:
The Psalmist concluded this passage by making the point that, not only is the difference great, and not only is the difference a blessing, the difference is also continuous. God will continue to love His people with a great and mighty, life altering love.
I have always preached with notes, and in recent years I have begun to take a tablet into the pulpit instead of paper notes. I always have a tablet with me, so there is no need to print notes which will be discarded after the sermon is preached. The one thing I have to remember to do, however, is to make sure the screen of my tablet doesn’t shut itself off in the middle of a sermon. I need my tablet screen to display my notes continually during a sermon. Otherwise, I may lose my place and it can get ugly.
It is a good thing for us that God’s love never switches itself off and neither does it have an expiration date. The Psalmist knew this, and he encouraged God’s people to trust Him and rely upon Him for He is trustworthy. Today we can claim the promise that Jesus gave the Disciples, “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God is with us for the long haul and we can rest in Him!
Conclusion:
The Psalmist fell over himself trying to describe how God is different than wicked humanity. He did well, but because he, too, is human, his words fall short of God’s true glory.
As great and wonderful as the Psalmist said God is, the amazing thing is that God is even greater. What that means for us is that God is willing, able, and qualified to bless us beyond measure, and He will never stop loving us.
Thank God today for His love and care in our lives. Learn to rest in Him and receive His glorious blessings!
Today I want to share a word about getting more than you bargained for, as I comment on Luke 3:15-17 and 21-22:
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
MORE THAN THEY BARGAINED FOR:
Sometimes we get more than we bargained for. I remember once when Teddy, our Chocolate Labrador, was a puppy and he decided to get in the face of Oreo, one of our momma goats, barking as dogs do when they want to intimidate another animal. He discovered that he'd made a mistake when she, as goats do, launched herself at him, horns and head first. Teddy boy was knocked sideways for several feet, and after that he decided to leave Oreo alone.
I have to believe that the people who gathered at the river to inquire of John about Messiah had no idea what they were about to hear and see. From the time of Adam and Eve, people have been caught off guard by God again, and again, and again. It seems to me that the Baptism of Jesus was one of those occasions.
MORE THAN JOHN:
John was a remarkable man with a remarkable ministry. His birth, too, was eagerly awaited and involved the Hand of God, but John was not the Messiah. The people there on the riverbank that day may not have been ready to hear John say that, since they had been so blessed by his ministry, so he gave them two concrete examples of the superiority of the real Messiah.
First, the Messiah would give people spiritual power by sending God’s Spirit upon them. People, as a species, are talented, but we are spiritually weak and addicted to our sin. Power from the Messiah is the only hope humanity has to overcome their fragility. John could only call them to repentance, but the Messiah would give them power to live for God.
Second, John was a mere mortal. As dynamic a preacher as he was, and as much as he denied himself to serve God, he was just like everyone else gathered at the river that day. Like them, he knew that his righteousness was like filthy rags as compared to the Messiah. He was, like them, a sinner in need of a Savior.
The people gathered at the river knew John, and they followed John, but John was not enough. They, too needed a Savior, a Savior that John was not and could never be.
MORE THAN A MIRACLE WORKER:
One part of this passage that we often overlook is John’s description of Jesus as farmer who separates the wheat from the tares. Because the Messiah is righteous, He has the authority to do this. Because the Messiah is spiritually powerful, He has the ability to do this. Because He was responsible to His Father, He had the responsibility to do this.
Many people came to Jesus during His ministry seeking a miracle as entertainment or to resolve a crisis sin their lives. Jesus did help people, but His priority was not to heal physical wounds, but to heal spiritual wounds. His priority was not to make our lives more comfortable, but to transform them and make them new. This requires a spiritual winnowing that can be compared to the way a farmer discards the tares but retains the wheat or how a smith refines silver by burning away the dross.
The Messiah was more than a miracle worker; He was a purifying agent for sinful humanity.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:
When Jesus came to John for Baptism, other passages of Scripture record that the crowd paid no attention to Him. He appeared to be an ordinary Jewish man, with nothing visible to mark Him as different, as Holy.
Only John recognized Him and the tried to prevent Jesus from being Baptized, because he knew Jesus had no reason to repent. Jesus, however, knew that there was more than one reason to be baptized. He needed to be obedient to His Father and to fulfill all righteousness.
When Jesus came up from the water, God the Father affirmed Him visibly and audibly. It must have been an amazing event!
Those who took Jesus for granted did so at their own peril. He was so much more than what could be seen and the same is still true today!
Today I want to share a word about Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving, as I comment on Matthew 12:1-12.
This passage reads,
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’’’ Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
A SEASON OF GIFTS REFLECTS A GIVING RELATIONSHIP:
A big part of Christmas is the giving and receiving of gifts, but some aspects of Christmas gifts have been lost over the years. Take, for example, the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” What we miss about that song is that the first day of Christmas from the perspective of that song is actually Christmas Day. The song follows an old custom in some Christian churches of giving gifts during the season of Christmas, which extends almost two weeks past Christmas day. If you added in the season of Advent before Christmas from which we get the custom of Advent Calendars, we actually see a season of giving gifts which last well over a month.
Truthfully, Christmas is a gift that keeps on giving. What we see here is a model for our whole lives. We receive from God (the baby Jesus) and we return gifts to Him (in this case, Gold Frankincense, and Myrrh). The giving of gifts a Christmas is not just a seasonal event. In fact, receiving from God and returning blessings to Him must go on all year long. Truly, Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving!
Today I want us to consider about some very specific areas in which we receive from God and in which we need to return blessings to Him.
FIRST, WE RECEIVE AND RETURN LIFE:
John 1:1-5 tells us:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
God is the author of all life. He created this world for us as an expression of His love. It all belongs to Him and yet He has given it to us. Psalm 50 says that the cattle on a thousand hills belong to God. I like to say that not only the cattle on a thousand hills, but the hills, the gold under the hills, and the oil under the gold under the hills all belong to God.
Sadly, we received life from God but retuned death: Adam and Eve rejected God’s blessings and each and every human continues to do that. We have ruined God’s creation and spoiled it.
Imagine, what if someone borrowed your new car and trashed it? How would you respond to them? What would that do to your relationship? We trashed God’s wonderful creation yet, God did not give up on us. In fact, He doubled down on His investment in us!
He sent His uniquely begotten Son to save us, and He continued to give, to us despite our rebellion. In fact, He has even given us the ability to overcome our rebellion. Our only proper response is to return life to Him.
1 Corinthians 6:20 says: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”
Colossians 3:3 says: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Galatians 2:20 says: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Our best gift to God is very ourselves! This is why God’s uses marriage as an analogy for our relationship with Him.
NEXT, WE RECEIVE AND RETURN RELATIONSHIP:
John 1:12-14 tells us:
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Sadly, we often treat God the way we treat our families. We have to work to support our families and we also have to work to support our churches and ministries. Work, however, is no substitute for relationship. One study showed that for every additional $10,000 made by a father, the time spent with their children decreased by 5 minutes each day. We are so busy “doing” we have no time to “be” with each other like the couple I knew who was always at church but who later divorced.
Can you imagine it? God’s desire is to relate to us! God came to the Garden, and He walked in the cool of the day with Adam & Eve. . God met with Moses on the mountain and Moses’ face shown. God hid Elijah in the cleft of the rock so that He could reveal Himself to Him. This, however, was not enough. Jesus came as a baby and lived among us, and He gave us the right to become God’s children! How powerful is this truth!
I am often amazed by the fact that my wife loves me and wants to relate to me. I often just think . . . wow! And yet, how much more powerful it is that God was to come into my life and be with me!
Our response must be to return that relationship to God! We need to converse with Him and share our lives with Him. Children love to hear their grandfathers’ stories even when they have heard them before we need to spend time with Him! With God, we need to spell love “T.I.M.E.”
If God came all the way to your house to visit with you, wouldn’t you want to spend time with Him? Well, He has, and we should!
WE ALSO RECEIVE AND RETURN SPIRITUAL GIFTS:
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:1, tells us: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant”
Since God is a Spirit, He give us Spiritual Gifts. We must remember that talents are not spiritual gifts. I once knew a welder who told me he was so good that he “could weld the crack of dawn if you could hold it for me." He was a talented welder, but that was not his spiritual gift!
The word “gifts” here is not in the original texts. Originally, this verse said, “Now concerning spirituals . . .” Yet even the issue of spirituality involved receiving gifts. We know these as “Spiritual Gifts” and they are found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4.
By giving us these spiritual gifts, God empowers us to do things in ministry and life that we can’t do in our own power. Every Christian has at least one of these and they vary as to the way they are manifested. None are more important than the other and each one is to be used for God’s blessing.
1 Peter 4:10-11 says:
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Do you see the pattern? God gives us a blessing; we use it and are blessed by it. We use it to bless others and to build God’s church and we return it to God as we cause His people to bless Him.
We’ve been given tremendous gifts and talents by God, and we must return these to Him by using them in His church!
FINALLY, WE RECEIVE AND RETURN THE WORLD:
Our perspective is often too narrow. We tend to focus on the tasks at hand like mules with blinders on, seeing neither left nor right. This can cause paralysis in our lives, the way a jet fighter wingman can follow his leader into the ground.
We must realize that we are part of a huge enterprise. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that, “God is not willing that any should perish but that all shall come to eternal life.”
The Great Commission is great because the task is huge. God wants all people in all places to come to Him. He wants to eradicate all sin and all darkness, and He wants each of us to have a part in that work.
We need to take ownership of our responsibility. We didn’t ask for this responsibility, yet we must step up to the plate. If we don’t, someone might die and go to Hell that didn’t need to.
The Lord deserves our best efforts as we fulfill our part in His global plan.
CONCLUSION:
Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving. Because Jesus came to us, we receive from God and return to Him:
Life
Relationship
Spiritual Gifts
The World
Are we giving as good as we are receiving? We should be!
Today I want to share a word about Christ is Christmas as I comment on Hebrews 1:1-4.
Christmas is many things: family gatherings, presents, music, cold weather, trees, decorations, special worship services, Santa Claus, time off from work, and many other things.
While Christmas is many things to us, what Christmas really is about is Christ! Christ is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior.
While we enjoy Christmas this year, let us remember what it is really about, as we will see as we review Hebrews 1:1-4, which is our text for today
Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.
CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PERSON:
Seeing people in person often changes your impression of them. People may be shorter or taller; thinner or fatter than you imagine them. They may have a strong or weak handshake or they may be nice or rude.
When I was in college I was attending a Christian conference at the old Omni in Atlanta when I was introduced to a professional football player who was an offensive lineman for Falcons. I was stunned by how tall and big he was! His hands were like catcher’s mitts! I have always been a bigger than average person, but I felt like a grasshopper next to him! I know how the Israelite spies felt at Kadesh-Barnea!
No one had ever looked God face-to-face before Jesus came, because if you looked upon Him you'd die. Also, God is spirit and you can't see spirits. He had given written word, but this was not the same as giving us the Living Word.
Jesus allowed mankind to see God, face to face. In most careers, “Face time” with your boss important to your development. Jesus allowed us to see God in our world and when he did, we saw the brightness of God's glory. We saw the express image of His person.
The “old saying 'seeing is believing” is true with God! Once we see Him in His glory we will never be the same!
CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S POWER:
The world revolves around power. It is more prized than money because power is ability to do work and to cause things to happen. Having a lot of money does not necessarily make one powerful, but having power allows people to acquire money. It is a fact of politics everywhere even, or especially, in the United States.
How did Jesus show God's power?
He created the world.
He lived a sinless life.
He performed miracles, even raising the dead.
He rose again after His own crucifixion.
What does all this mean to us in our daily lives? We can see God's power: that He can do everything . We can access that power: use it to live our lives.
Several years ago I was scheduled to do a missions presentation in a church during the morning worship service. I arrived early with my computer, projector, and speaker, and I proceeded to install the equipment on the front pew of the sanctuary. I ran the cable for an extension cord forward to the platform and inserted the plug into a socket under the Lord’s Table. Everything had power and was working correctly.
My wife and I sat on the front pew next to my equipment and enjoyed worshipping with the congregation, that is until the offering was taken. During that evolution, I noticed that my projector and speaker no longer had any power. I observed that both were still connected to the extension cord which still had its plug inserted into the receptacle under the Lord’s Table. I was mystified and chagrinned. I had to change my plans on the fly, and while my presentation as acceptable, it was not what I hoped it would be.
Later I discovered that the receptacle under the Lord’s Table was wired into the lighting circuit of a room in the basement. When the Sunday school class in that room dismissed for worship, that light was switched off, killing power to my equipment!
We can’t accomplish anything without power! We certainly can't accomplish anything that lasts without God's power as revealed in Christ!
CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PARDON:
What do condemned prisoners on death row need? They don’t need a last meal: it does them no good. They don’t need a stay of execution: this only delays the execution of their sentence. They don’t need a group outside the prison protesting their death or capital punishment in general.
What a condemned soul really needs is a pardon. A pardon forgives all their offenses and it restores all their rights, duties, and legal privileges. The issue is, of course, that a pardon can only be granted by proper authority.
The first car my wife and I bought was a Toyota Tercel. It was a small, highly economical, and zippy car, but one which was not strongly built. Only a couple of years after we bought it we had to have its brakes replaced, which we had done by a national car care chain. This repair supposedly came with a lifetime warranty, which we thought was a feature that somewhat offset the cost of the repairs.
Sadly, when we had to replace the brakes later in a different state, but at a location of that same car care chain, we found that they refused to honor the warranty. Apparently the branch of that chain in our previous state had violated the rules and the other branches refused to honor their warranties. A guarantee, warranty, or pardon is only as good as the authority who issues them!
Jesus offers the condemned a pardon which provided complete forgiveness and complete restoration. There are no strings attached and He stands by His work. The only requirement is, like a Christmas gift, His pardon must be accepted before it can go into effect.
CHRIST REVEALED GOD'S PROVISION:
The writer of Hebrews, who ever that was, made a point to demonstrate God’s provision for His Son, Jesus. He gave Him a vaunted position on His right hand. He also gave Him a valuable inheritance.
God also has made provisions for His People, the Church: We are the inheritance of Jesus and we know that He is an obedient Son. Christ will be a wonderful steward of His inheritance.
In addition, God also has made provision for all the world. People was God’s highest creation, and it was not His fault that mankind’s sin has ruined the relationship between them and God. However, God loves the people He created and He revealed a way of salvation for those estranged by their sin.
Many people acknowledge that God exists, they just don’t think He plays a part in their lives. The truth is that He wants to, and He has provided a way for that to take place. We only have to let Him provide for us and accept His gracious gifts!
CONCLUSION:
The most important questions today are these: Have we kept Christ In Christmas? Do we focus on who Jesus Was and Is? Do we remember the difference Jesus has made in our lives?
The only healthy answer to those questions is “Yes!”
The only acceptable answer to those questions is “Yes!”
Today I want to share a word about Families and Christmas, as I comment on passages from Luke 1 and Matthew 1.
Let’s Begin by reading Luke 1:26-33:
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Christmas is a time for families. It’s a time when families gather for parties, sharing food, fellowship, and gifts. It is also a when a lot of stress is put on families, because of the greater expectations that the season brings. The sad fact is that rates of violent crime go up during holiday season.
Families are vital but fragile institutions. In my hometown, one of the prominent churches is call the Church of the Holy Family. Many of our churches today can just as easily be called “The Church of the Broken Family” because so many marriages fail and so many families are dysfunctional.
As we think of Christmas, and its impact on families, let’s take a closer look at the real Holy Family. I believe we can learn many useful things from them!
Let’s Begin with the Appointment of Mary:
When the angel come to Mary, her condition as a conventional one for a young woman of her time. She was virgin, which demonstrated her purity as well as her obedience to the Jewish law. She was also be betrothed to Joseph who was a carpenter. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that, either.
Betrothal was a state which was less than being fully married, but much more than the modern custom of engagement. Of course, all marriages were arranged then. You learned to love your spouse AFTER the wedding, if at all. As strange as this is for us today, it was perfectly normal in the First Century.
Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, which was an ordinary town with nothing to make it famous. In fact, we will find that, if anything, it was looked down upon. Later on, Nathaniel, a disciple of Jesus, asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” We also know that Jesus and his ministry were also later rejected in Nazareth as well.
Mary was a perfect normal young lady with a perfectly normal life until Gabriel came to her. Then her life was turned upside-down. According to the Angel, she was “highly favored” and “blessed among men.” This difference came from nothing that she did, but it came solely from the grace of God.
In fact, the term “highly favored” actually means, “filled with grace.” God chose an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life, in an ordinary place to do something extraordinary: to give birth to the Uniquely Begotten Son of God.
If God can choose Mary to bless and to use in a marvelous way, can He not choose us today?
Next, let’s read Luke 1:34-38:
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Next, We See the Acceptance of Mary:
Understandably, Mary was cautious! She was troubled because this was totally out of the ordinary! In her culture, what she was being told was more of a cause for fear than for rejoicing. In fact, she rightfully looked at this as a troubling development in her ordinary, serene, and calm life.
Mary could be forgiven if she looked at the Angel like many of us would look at the modern equivalent of a snake oil salesman. So often when we hear someone say, “Have I got a deal for you!” we wind up saying, “What did I get myself into?” The ordinary response would be to run away, but Mary did not. She listened to the Angel, and it was good that she did.
Gabriel told her this was going to be no ordinary birth. Her conception would be without sin which meant that she had not sinned, and that Jesus would be born without sin. Gabriel also told her that this conception would be by the Holy Spirit, which meant it was an act of God, not humanity. He went on to tell her that the child who was conceived was a Holy One who was set apart for a special purpose.
Amazingly, this ordinary lady who had been confronted with an extraordinary message, responded with an immediate acceptance of God’s will. Truth the told, this should be our ordinary response when faced with the extraordinary blessing presented to us by our extraordinary God!
Next, lets read again Luke 1:31-33:
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
We Also See the Annunciation of Jesus:
Every child is precious to God and the Scriptures tell us that God is the one who knits us together in our mother’s womb. This, however, does mean that every child is special. In saying that, we know that the love of a mother wants every child to be special, but in truth, most children are ordinary, and they grow up to be ordinary adults. This does not mean that they are not precious, and that they should not be loved, cherished, and nurtured, but simply that they too, like Mary and Joseph, are merely ordinary people.
One of the most beloved and feared professors I had in college was our speech professor. He was convinced that grading at the collegiate level had become lax and suffered from grade inflation. He also believed that, if the grade scaled indicated that average work should receive a “C” grade, then that was what he would give to the average student in his classes. He would award one or two “A” grades, a few more “B” grades, and the majority of the class received a “C” grade. He would not survive today in the era of awarding participation trophies and the pressure from parents and social media to give everyone an “A”. The line from the Gilbert and Sullivan play which was used in the movie “Chariots of Fire” rings true even today, “If everybody’s somebody, then no one’s anybody!”
Jesus, however, according to the Angel, was truly special. His name meant “The Lord is Our Savior” and this hearkened back to the Joshua who led the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. This child was going to be known as “the Son of the Highest,” and He would not just reign over Israel, but His Kingdom would also be eternal and never end. This is in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, like Isaiah 9:6-7, which says,
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it an establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Jesus was truly special, and He was like no other child born, either before or since. Charles Spurgeon said: “Christ is the greatest central fact of the world’s history. All lines of history converge upon Him. All the great purposes of God culminate in Him!”
If this extraordinary child could enter and transform the life of ordinary people like Mary and Joseph, He can also enter our lives and transform them as well!
Finally, let’s read Matthew 1:18-24:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Finally, We See the Amazing Faith of Joseph:
Like Mary, Joseph was an ordinary person. So ordinary was Joseph that we know very little about him. He lived in Nazareth, and he was a carpenter. We also know from the fact that he took Mary and Jesus to the Temple at least twice that he was an observant Jew. We also know he was of the house and lineage of David and that he took measures to protect his family from King Herod. And that’s about it, except . . .
We know he was a just man; he wanted to uphold righteousness. We also know he was a merciful man; he did not want to hurt Mary and he didn’t want to ruin her life. So often we find ourselves struggling to balance our conviction with our compassion and vice versa, but Joseph came up with a way. He decided to do the right thing, but in a gracious and merciful way. That says a great deal about his character as a man.
We also know he was a faithful man. He trusted the Angel that exonerated Mary. He had the kind of faith that the writer of Hebrews describes in Hebrew 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is a shot in the dark, but with a guided missile, and God is the guidance system!
Finally, we know he was an obedient man. He didn’t divorce Mary, and he also kept her a virgin. This, of course, was done at great risk to their reputation: his, Mary’s, and the child’s. Joseph’s attitude was that found in Psalm 15:4:
“Who shall abide in thy tabernacle, O God? He that sweareth to his own hurt and changest not!”
We really know all we need to know about Joseph. He was a kind, just, faithful, and obedient servant of the Lord His God. If that is all that it takes to be used of God in a mighty way, what is keeping us from following the example of Joseph?
Conclusion:
This Christmas, we should consider the witness of our family as compared to the Holy Family.
-Are we righteous like this family?
-Is our faith as strong as in this family?
-Is our obedience as ready as in this family?
-Is our walk with God as close as in this family?
While we are all ordinary people, we serve an extraordinary God. This was revealed in the lives Mary and Joseph and God stands ready to do it in our lives also, if we would just let Him!
Today I want to share a word about the Coming of Christmas, as I comment on Mark 1:1-11.
It's hard to believe, but Christmas is fast approaching. Soon we'll all be shopping, and wrapping presents, and singing Christmas carols. Remember the carol: "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"? Well, John the Baptist was singing a similar tune as he preached in the wilderness. As we look forward to Christmas this day, let's look how John the Baptist about preached the coming of Christ in Mark 1:1-11
This Scripture reads:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’ ” John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
THE ORIGIN OF THE GOSPEL:
When you tell a story it is best to begin at the beginning. It is hard to figure out what is going on when you start in the middle and it is disappointing you if you begin at end, because you already know what happened!
Mark wanted to make this story clear and so in he began at one of only two possible places to begin, the start of Jesus's work on earth. The only other place to begin would be at manger. Otherwise, Jesus, who is eternal, has no beginning or ending. Mark’s focus was on telling the good news, not writing a biography.
So, what is this Good News that Mark talked about in Verse 1?
It is that God loves each of us, and wants a relationship to us.
It is that God made a way for that to happen.
It is that we can enjoy our lives after receiving that blessing.
Whenever someone says to me, “I have good news and bad news for you, which do you want first?” I always ask for the bad news first because I want to end on a positive note. The bad news is that our human sin separates us from God, but the good news was that Jesus came to us to solve that problem!
PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL:
Every major work needs preparation for it to be a success. The ground needs preparing by the farmer before planting. Marketing surveys must be done before a company makes a new product. A manufacturer must amass raw materials before building a ship or airplane.
Even unseen preparation is important to success of a new work. Some of my family members had trouble for years with their home because the lot was not properly prepared by the builder. Their foundation settled and they had to have material pumped into the ground underneath it before the house was level again
In Verses 2 and 3, we see that God prepared for Jesus to come in a couple of different ways.
First, He gave us His Word in the Old Testament which contains dozens of different prophecies concerning Jesus. Josh McDowell has said that the chance of any one man satisfying just eight of the these prophecies would be about the same as if you filled the borders of the state of Texas two feet deed with silver dollars and then asked a blindfolded man to pick out the one you had marked with an “x”. Needless to say, the chances of that happening are astronomical!
Second, God also sent John the Baptist to tell people to repent. In many ways, John was like Jonah, only he didn’t try to shirk his assignment!
God prepared the people in the Old Testament and in the 1st Century to receive the Gospel, but does God prepare us today to receive the Gospel?
Yes, He does, by using our life circumstances, either good or bad: A man who was a life-long agnostic was convinced that God exists after witnessing the birth of their baby girl
Yes, He does, by the wooing of the Holy Spirit: Ever since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been drawing people to Christ. It is a major portion of His work.
Yes, He does by the sending us friends to tell us the plan of salvation: God has called all His people to be witnesses for Him as we negotiate our daily lives
Not only does God sow the seeds, but He also prepares the ground!
FORERUNNER OF THE GOSPEL:
Preachers are stereotyped in many people's minds: All preachers are supposed to like fried chicken, they should dress, walk, and talk certain ways. and they might even be expected to drive a certain type of car. Because preachers are considered to be different, people must act differently around them, so they feel that they must apologize to preachers when rude language is used in their presence.
John the Baptist broke all of those stereotypes. He didn't preach in a church, but in the wilderness. He dressed and looked rough, and spoke plainly and he ate funny food. John was not was not the normal rabbi, nor the ordinary prophet.
Maybe we should put aside our stereotypes of ministers?
We can't deny the effectiveness of John's ministry, and it might change our mind about who can be called into ministry.We might also change our mind about methods we use in ministry, and who we can reach with them!
THE PERSON OF THE GOSPEL:
Although John certainly gained a great deal of notice, the goal of his work was to make him unemployed! His preaching was not about himself, but about Jesus. His job was to prepare the way for Jesus, and then fade away.
Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf was a leader of the Moravian movement in Europe in the 18th Century. He would tell the young ministers that he trained, “Preach the gospel, die and be forgotten.” John would have agreed with such sentiments.
John tells us in Verses 7-11 that Christmas is about the Person of The Gospel. It isn't about toys, parties, or family reunions. It is about the coming of the Prince of Peace. And he would want us to remember the character of the Prince:
He is more worthy than John, and all the prophets.
He has spiritual power.
He is the Son of God.
He pleases God, and through Him we can please God.
CONCLUSION:
If John could be with us this Christmas season, he would probably ask us some very probing questions:
Are we making a way for The Savior in our hearts and lives?
Are we helping make a way for The Savior in our friends’ hearts and lives?
Are we preparing for the return of The Savior?
Are we taking this seriously?
John certainly did all these things! And so should we!
