Salvation

December 31, 2024

It seems to me that most of the time when we think of what Jesus does for us, we think in solely temporal terms; he is our healer, our guide, our comfort and strength, etc. We often forget that his purpose in coming to us was far more than that. Before he made his appearance in Bethlehem that night so long ago, It was foretold that 

“she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”” —Matthew 1:21 

He will save us from our sins. Not just the consequences of them, but from the very sins themselves. Jesus came to set us free from the hold sin has upon us by not only forgiving us, but by changing our thinking. When we change how we think, we change the whole trajectory of our lives, but even that isn’t Jesus’ ultimate goal.

Someone once said it like this: “By his death and resurrection, Jesus saved us from the penalty of sin, is saving us from the power of sin, and one day will save us from the very presence of sin.” That is his ultimate goal; to eternally rescue us from that which is destroying us, even if we don’t recognize it as sin. The best thing we can do then, is to agree with Jesus’ perspective on sin and salvation so we don’t lose out on the present benefits of salvation: freedom from guilt and shame, joy-filled life, the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the fellowship of the saints…to name just a few. Ultimately however, his goal is to eternally separate us from our sins.

Think!

 December 30, 2024

“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.”                                            —Matthew 1:20-21 

I’ve known people who believe you have to cash in your brains to become a Christian. They’re unaware that some of the greatest minds in history have claimed Jesus as Savior. These include scientists, philosophers, politicians, and educators.

The sad fact is, there are people who come to Christ unthinking, and remain so afterward. Their religion is more feeling than faith, which doesn’t work when trouble comes. And trouble always comes. 

Luke tells us that when the shepherds came telling their story, Mary pondered these things in her heart. Matthew tells us here that Joseph was a thinking man. They were both poor, possibly uneducated. But one’s education doesn’t make one a thinker. The world is full of ignorant educated people who quit thinking when they graduated.

If you want to hear from God, like Joseph, you must be a thinker. Read your Bible, but don’t do it with a blank mind. Think about what you read; turn it over and over in your mind till you hear God speaking.

Dreams

 12/29/24

What do you dream about? If your dreams in the night should come true, what would that look like? I for one, wouldn’t want to live in the crazy, weird world of my dreams. I don’t think you’d want to be there, either. If dreams are as Freud believed, our unconscious selves manifesting, I must be a real psychological mess!

The Jewish people are people of dreams. Dreams were a major way God spoke to his people. Matthew tells us about Joseph’s dreams, without which he would have abandoned Mary

“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.””

—Matthew 1:20-21 

I’ve only had a couple dreams in my entire life where I knew God was speaking. It was so clear to me that I can tell you nearly 20 years later the details of the dream and what I knew God to be telling me. Not every dream is a message from God, but those that are, are worth listening to. Have you ever had God speak to you in a dream? If so, what was he telling you? If not, don't be alarmed, but pay attention; your next dream may be God calling.

An Honorable Man

 December 28, 2024

We’ve worked our way through Luke 2, that part of the Christmas story that gets read and pantomimed at countless children’s programs. Today we begin considering the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say. (If you don’t know who Paul Harvey is, look him up; he was pretty good).

“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.” —Matthew 1:18-19 

If you read the genealogy in Matthew 1, you’ll learn that Matthew records the genealogy of Joseph, not Mary. Matthew is concerned to present to a Jewish audience Jesus as the Messiah, King of the Jews. Immediately, we run into a problem: Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus. No wonder Joseph decided to divorce Mary. The amazing part is that he wanted to do it quietly. Though his heart must have been breaking at what he would have thought was the ultimate betrayal, he had no desire to bring undue shame upon Mary.

While Matthew is careful to tell us that Mary’s pregnancy is the work of the Holy Spirit, he doesn’t give us any clues as to how that actually happened. What he does tell us is that Joseph was an honorable man. 

Men, be like Joseph—faithful, honorable, kind. Ask God for his wisdom and strength to be that kind of man. Women, look for such a man. Do not settle for less. Good looks fade, money is cold and heartless, but a man who loves God and is faithful, honorable, and kind is worth his weight in gold…and more.

Rise and Fall

 December 27, 2024

Although much more could be said, this will be the last of our musings in Luke 2, with Simeon’s blessing of the baby Jesus and his mother. Tomorrow we will begin considering the birth narrative in Matthew.

Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” —Luke 2:34-35 

Simeon calls Jesus “the cause for “the rising and fall of many,” and a sign which shall be spoken against.” In case you hadn’t noticed it, these words have come true over and over again. People rise or fall at the name of Jesus. He will be the Rock upon which you build your life, or the Rock over which you stumble and fall. 

“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you  who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.” —I Peter 2:6-8 

You can talk about God all day long, and hardly anyone notices, but speak the name of Jesus and suddenly you’re a fanatic. That Name attracts controversy, animosity, ridicule, and persecution as no other. Even so, his is the only Name “under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,” so speak the Name clearly and consistently. Someone’s eternal salvation depends upon it.

Ordinary Life

December 26, 2024

The gifts are all opened, the wrapping paper gathered up. I trust the Christmas glow hasn’t completely faded with the rising sun. Maybe you have a week’s vacation, but for most, it’s back to work and ordinary life. Just like Jesus.

“And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord” —Luke 2:21-22 

Mary and Joseph did what all good Jewish parents did: brought their baby to the temple for circumcision, thus marking on his body the faith of his family for generations. We Christians often forget that Jesus was a Jew from birth to death. He lived and taught as a Jew, upholding the Law, but also fulfilling it in himself. Because he did so, obeying even from birth, and then suffering the Law’s punishment for sin, he is qualified, and the only one qualified to be our Savior. It began way back here, culminated as he hung on a cross and rose from the dead. 

If the story hadn’t played out as it did, we wouldn’t have celebrated yesterday. In fact, we never would even have heard this story. So be thankful today that from the very beginning, Jesus lived ordinary life as a Jew. Which means you can live ordinary life as a Christian.

 

Christmas

 December 25, 2024

Merry Christmas!

“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” —Luke 2:19-20 

Two very different responses to the birth of Jesus: Mary quietly thought about what had just happened to her, while the shepherds went back to work praising God and telling everyone they met what they had heard and seen.

Some people would try to tell you what the proper response is to the wonderful Gift we have been given. They would have everyone be an evangelist. Others think it is shallow and unthinking to just go off spouting about what you’ve experienced. But the record tells us that either response is acceptable. 

You may be quiet and contemplative, meditating and turning things over and over in your mind. You may be extrovertive, excitedly talking to everyone you meet. There is a danger here that many fall into: looking down your nose at the person who responds differently than you, or envying the other’s personality instead of accepting your own as a gift from God. 

Today on this Day of all days, consider the Gift of Christ, or tell others, or perhaps both—but whichever fits you, give thanks and worship.