December 2010

December 1



Jesus supplants justice with mercy for those who will trust in Him.


Proverbs 21
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.

The rule of law is one of raw justice and fear. It is founded on terror and power. It is the way of the state. It is the way of unredeemed humankind. It is the way of those who either reject or have never heard of the redemption of Christ.
The Christian has a faith in a God who understands flesh and blood and who has offered a way. This way results in a change of heart through life in Christ whose spirit lives within as many as will receive him. The truth embodied in the law will then be reverenced in the lives of the believers through grace which only needs our consent to do its miracle power of change. In knowing Him all our core desires are met:
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (John 1:14-18)




December 2



…there is no event in history that has been proven to be more true by the testimony of those who witnessed Jesus and his resurrection…



Proverbs 21
16 A man who strays from the path of understanding
comes to rest in the company of the dead.

***
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
***


We can choose to build our lives on what we think or feel and miss the mark greatly. It is a very recent thing to trust ones thoughts and feelings so much that we disregard all other evidences including what has been proven historically, the experiences of others, and the testimony of God. There are those who call the Christian faith a myth. However, there is no event in history that has been proven to be more true by the testimony of those who witnessed Jesus and his resurrection, the inexplicable new courage they had after they had seen him and the proven power of Jesus to continue to change lives and give people new motivation and hope.



December 3



Proverbs 21
17 He who loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
Once again, Solomon, the judge, who has seen many cases of degenerate behavior, makes a comment from what he has learned by observation. It is the way God reveals himself in nature. Observation is the way God reveals his principles in human affairs. Observe and learn screams out all of creation:
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1: 18-20 NLT)
The love of pleasure has nothing to do with enjoyment. In fact, the pursuit of pleasure with a lustful nature is an admission that nothing is satisfying but the next high. Those who love pleasure, “wine and oil” are in a wild pursuit of trying to fill the hole in their natures that is, as Christian’s say, God-shaped. Wine represents the artificial hilarity of over indulgence. Oil represents the cosmetic aspects of rubbing oil on ones face or in one’s hair in order to make oneself look better. (The oil and wine may also indicate in themselves a metaphorical image of the good life of self-indulgent life of expensive tastes.)
God’s commentary on the indulgent life is that it will never make one better. In fact, by ignoring the higher things, such as the pursuit of God’s best through pursuing what he calls wisdom, we will end in poverty and never find the pleasure and riches behind the drive for these things.


Proverbs 21
21 He who pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.


December 4



Example, whether by good people or evil people, can be a means of deliverance.



Proverbs 21
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.

This proverb seems to turn the tables, does it not? We usually think of the righteous as becoming a ransom for the wicked. That is the whole concept of the “suffering servant” in Isaiah. Now we hear that the wicked become “a ransom for the righteous and the unfaithful for the upright.” What can this possibly mean?

First, it is a clear fact that those who live without the guidelines most people of good will generally follow will have terrible ends. Their lives become a lesson for the rest of us and many a person has been delivered from a wrong path by seeing someone who is on it come to a destructive end. I once had a friend who was a member of a local mob who told me the reason he left that course of life and became a Christian was seeing many of his friends die violent deaths.

Second, the legal system itself is established by governments to punish wrong doing. Such governments do so not only to keep order but to make examples of evil doers.

Example, whether by good people or evil people, can be a means of deliverance. Thus we listen to the tales of the martyrs and the stories of the infamous to learn where to walk on the path of life. History is full of counsel of “don’t do this” because bad people live out tragedies. It is also full of counsel of “do this” because good people live with honor.



December 5


It is time to return to common sense frugality…


Proverbs 21
20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,
but a foolish man devours all he has.

This could have been spoken by Benjamin Franklin, rich in his own right, who coined the phrase “a penny saved is a penny earned.” It seems that the days of the Christmas Club and savings account are past. People do not generally follow that kind of prudence because they have been enticed by credit card companies and credit masters to spend, spend and spend. Now when one holds onto their “wealth” they are dinosaurs. Yet, there are still dinosaurs on the earth and with them are the people who believe in frugality. It is a spiritual quality and needs to return to the masses.
Those who live closer to the soil can never get far from the concept of store houses, barns for fodder, food and resources for the hard times. While there are many farmers who have gotten away from this ideal they are usually the ones who lost the family farm just as people are buying things they cannot afford and ending up with the loss of their equity, their property and still holding the debt. It is time to return to common sense frugality which this proverb teaches and to teach it to the present upcoming generation. They will have to learn it by want, bankruptcy or instruction. I choose instruction.

Proverbs 21
22 A wise man attacks the city of the mighty
and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.



December 6


Proverbs 21
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity.

John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.


Proverbs and much of the Bible have a lot to say about the use of the tongue. Why is that? It is simply because the spoken word has power. It is power which is imitative of the Creator.

All things come into being with implementation but implementation takes place only after the idea of the thing being created is articulated. The Bible is clear: with the word of our lips we create; with the word of our lips we destroy; and with our lips we sustain that which has life. There is power resident in our words.

This understanding of God creating all things and sustaining them by His word of power is common revelation. The Greeks called the very power emanating from God the Logos. Thus it was easy for the Biblical writers to seize upon that concept, as John did, and transliterate it. In John’s Gospel we hear Him saying that the “Word” was in the beginning, was with God and was God. Who is this word? He was none other than Jesus about whom John testifies. The one thing John later adds to the notion is the fact of the incarnation when he later says:
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1; 14)
It is also important to remember that when Moses once asked God what his name was he said “Tell them I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:13-15) There is simply no way to think of God than as other than the eternal person. There is no other way to think of Jesus than the great “I AM.”


December 7


Christ is Creator: Jesus is His name


John 1
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Many scientists seeking to explain the existence of life on this planet will often conjecture informally on the origins of life on this planet by implying that the human race “evolved” from some life form left here by an alien civilization or brought here by a comet or asteroid. The committed atheists among them, while quite willing to speculate about space aliens, will venture to say nothing of how this alien life was birthed on these impacting missiles from the cosmos.
When forced to the question of origins the true scientist generally stops, as his discipline defines itself, with the physical universe. Those who are scientists and venture to speculations of how life began enter into a realm either of theology or metaphysics. That should be understood by everyone who reads the writings of Stephen Hawking or Richard Dawkins and others of like mien.
The fascination that even science has about how life began may demonstrate that we know innately that life as we know it is from beyond this earth. Even still humans have a great capacity to deny God’s involvement. One can only speculate that such willful denial may just be because of rebellion in the human heart.
Science describes process. However, even process does not answer fully how or why things came into being. That is where the Bible has the answer which is confirmed in the prophets who foretold the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the incarnation itself, the resurrection and the Holy Spirit who bears witness to Him. John tells us simply that He was in the beginning and “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”( John 1:3) As Ripley says, “Believe it or not!”

Proverbs 21
24 The proud and arrogant man-"Mocker" is his name;
he behaves with overweening pride.



December 8


People want to be with someone who gives hope, is positive, hopeful and can see possibilities.


John 1
4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
With whom do you enjoy spending time? Someone who is negative, grumpy and critical? My family makes it clear they do not like me when I am that way so I will guess that you are like them. You want to be with someone who gives hope, is positive, hopeful and can see possibilities. While Jesus was very critical of the idolatry of those who cling to futile things and make futile efforts to be righteous he offered hope to countless people who had already become bankrupt in such things. To them he said, “God blesses you who are poor (destitute spiritually) for the kingdom of God is given to you.” (Luke 6:20) Do you get it? This life is a gift! It is Light to the seeker!
Such a message to struggling people who know their foibles or feel like failures is life. And once we have received that life the lights come on. We begin to see clearly, to know assuredly, and to live boldly. This light, the scriptures continue, is always shining among us (because of the Holy Spirit who bears it to us) but “the darkness (and those who live in their various forms of delusion and self-help) has not understood it.” (John 1:4) We might add that because God is eternally present that darkness and falsehood can never wipe out the life or drive back the light.



December 9


6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. (John 1:6-7)

We love oddities, don’t we? They get our attention and become objects of fascination. In my early ministry the youth were fascinated by the singers Bob Dylan and Tiny Tim who each had new ways, sometimes exotic, of presenting themselves. Today we have country singers who wear outlandish cowboy hats, who have never lived on a ranch, and Lady GaGa whose costumes become more bizarre at every appearance. Presumably these people costume up to get attention for their music. This is always problematic because sometimes their craft is not as exciting as their gimmick.
John the Baptist was an eccentric. John may be an oddity to us but he is not like the strange ones of our time. Public figures are often strange today to compensate for the mediocrity of their gift or to make them stand out in a sea of talent. They are often short on substance and long on bravado. It is the opposite with John the Baptist.
John did come as a witness and he did attention. Almost everyone knows about him, even today. He was a man who dressed unconventionally and ate uncommon foods. He was born into an elite class but lived as a poor man like many prophets before him: separated from the clamoring voices and enticements of the city; separated for prayer; separated from the taint of political strains; and separated in the power with which he spoke. Since he came to prepare the way for the son of God he is the most important historical figure of human history. We will do well to listen to the words of John. They have eternal significance!


December 10


Those who have believed Jesus to be the son of God find new hope and new life in Him.


He (Jesus) was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. (John 1: 10)
Jesus is recognized by many as a very special teacher. A few see him as a superlative figure. Others see him as divine because none could have done what he did, live as he lived, give as he gave, die as he died and rise from the dead. Those who have believed him to be the son of God find new hope and new life in Him. Those who imitate his life may live good lives but are usually not changed in their hearts or realize the degree of hope which those who trust in his divinity have.
The fact is that if Jesus is only a good man he was either a misguided person or a charlatan. He leaves us no choice. In his own words he declared Himself to be the Son of God. As such, he needs to be taken at his word or he is being rejected.
It is ironic that he came to those who have the intuitive longing for all that he taught and demonstrated. Yet he was unrecognized. He taught love, forgiveness mercy, and of the dignity of human life. These are universally admired traits which He planted in our hearts at creation. Still, the world did not recognize Him. How can we be so close to Him and not understand the uniqueness of this one who called Himself Christ? It can only be attributed to some kind of blindness or some kind of rebellion against the truth. Yet, it is the easiest thing to repair in our lives. All we have to do is to sincerely invite Him to come into our hearts and the miracle happens as it did when He first came to earth: we get new eyes of understanding; find faith to believe in and practice forgiveness; find a new heart of love; discover a greater sense of awe and wonder; and become settled regarding our futures after we die.
Why not pray this simple prayer again? It will never hurt:

Dear Christ Jesus,
In confess my need for your forgiveness and the power to love and forgive others. I believe you died so that I will not be condemned to separation from you because of the hidden or known faults in my nature. Grant me your Spirit, O Lord. Give me a new heart. Make yourself real to me today. And draw me to yourself. Amen.


December 11


God is always working to reveal Himself to us. We have but to see, understand and receive.


11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (John 1: 11)

Many of us probably has had the experience of returning to our home, our home town or some other group where we had been an integral part only to discover that we were not as important as we thought we were. In such instances the talk and fellowship is largely among those who are local. We may also have heard the adage that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” It does not necessarily. A young man who went off to war wrote his girlfriend every day hoping to keep the bond between them intact. When he got home he discovered she had married the mailman.
The point of this text is not to talk about the absentee God who suddenly appeared. It is about the God who had always manifested his power, love, hope, ways and purpose who came among the people in the flesh and lived in that same character. In spite of Jesus’ demonstration of the Father they did not recognize Him as the promised one. The history of Israel had been replete with God’s care and provision. They had the promise of the prophets which Jesus fulfilled. Yet, the leadership and self-righteous did not recognize him.
When we meet those who are like us we usually resonate. In this case, those who were supposed to be like Christ did not. It is clear in scriptures that God did everything He could to prepare a people, to prepare an expectation, and to manifest Himself to those people. Their rejection of Christ was on them just as it may be on those of us who fail to see the manifest ways he reveals Himself today or to receive the message of His love.



December 12


Receiving is the path to significance


12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1: 10)
The central verb in this passage is the word “receive.” The interesting thing about this word is that it is much neglected in importance. Few like to think themselves as recipients. Perhaps that is because most of us think that to receive from another is to be diminished in importance or power. It is quite the contrary. When we receive from another we not only empower them to be who they are but we empower ourselves. Samuel Webster once said that “the best way to gain a friend is to ask him to do something for you.” That is because you are recognizing the importance of that person. Likewise, when you receive you are empowered by the gift of that person brings to you.
When we receive from God we are acknowledging our own dignity as persons made in His image and recognizing such by receiving Him. When we receive we also join those who call Him Father, the great Creator, who invites us into His fellowship. That, after all, was the mission of Jesus: to declare the possibilities of becoming children of God.


December 13


John 1
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Some people are not very good at visualizing. First comes, the vision. Next comes the description. Then comes the workshop. Finally, we get the prototype. Jesus came to us having been through all those stages:

The vision: Genesis 3: 15
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
The Description: Isaiah 53
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Workshop: Hebrews 5;7
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Prototype:
Romans 8:28-30 (Today's New International Version)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.


December 14

John 1
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The law is harsh and demanding. It brings discouragement and death. It can solve nothing but it does lay out the picture of what it is like to be present to God. Why is this? It is because to stand in the presence of a righteous God is an awesome. Perfection is a fearsome thing to an imperfect being. That is exactly why people who have problems hate those who appear not to have them in the same degree.
So Jesus comes to earth. In Him is the blaring light of goodness and perfection. Through him comes the challenge to live in that Truth. However, there is something different here. The law also demands perfection. It offers no help. It only condemns. Jesus then comes offering grace, help, forgiveness, encouragement, hope, and all that grace means. He says to us, the truth is still the truth but you can use my name, my authority and my power to live in that truth. You are both perfected and freed by grace and truth in Christ.


December 15


Jesus is…


John 1
18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Those who do not deny God altogether are likely to settle for concepts of Him that are vague. That God is a spirit is not difficult for them. That He is a creative power, or a force, or a powerful being is not necessarily difficult. The pantheists and deists believe this. However, it is when God got a face that the resistance got most violent. We forget that millions of Christian’s have died for proclaiming that God become flesh in Jesus Christ and that He is God. They died for this reason alone and all because that when God has a face the decisions we make about Him are personal, intrusive and uncomfortable. Yet, the facts are that when we see Jesus as God and once and for all choose to let Him into our hearts we have a real hope and indomitable motivation for the first time.
We cannot be indecisive about Christ. He does not give us that privilege. He has preempted that. We cannot allow Him any room to be a mere good man. If he is not God he was either a liar or demented. Jesus has given God a face and made his character known. There are no other humans who have ever lived, lived now or will live who will do this.

Colossians 1

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.


December 16


If God created the earth how can Jesus birth be any more of a miracle than that?


Luke 1
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
To begin with the story of Jesus’ birth is interrelated with other stories. After all, the savior of the world is all about inter-relations, is it not? Here Elizabeth is mentioned. Elizabeth is a woman who was beyond the age of conceiving. She was old. However, God chose her to be the mother of John the Baptist, the herald of the Christ.
We cannot help but note that this theme of miraculous births is repeated numerous times in the Bible. There was Sara who was the mother of the Israelites and who gave birth to a miracle child Isaac, father of Jacob. (Genesis 18) In Judges we find the story of Samson, the strong warrior and protector of pre-kingdom Israel, who was born to the wife of Manoah described as “unable to become pregnant.” (Judges 13) Then there is Hannah who gave birth to a miracle child, a great prophet, named Samuel, who established a nation of people from whom the Messiah would come. (I Samuel 1) It seems that whenever God has been ready to do something significant he has performed a miracle around a birth as if to say, “This will be my work from the beginning.”
Now we have the visitation of an angel, a messenger of God, to a young virgin to tell her she is to conceive as the Holy Spirit comes upon her and give birth to the son of God. In this instance this is a Biblical birth like the creation of first human from the dust of the earth. If God created the earth how can Jesus’ birth be any more of a miracle than that? A miracle is God intervening in the natural laws he has created to do whatever serves his purpose. One might say this act of conception was the addition of only of a few extra strands of DNA in the body of a woman. This is no greater than Him creating the universe out of nothing but his word of power. That is has not been duplicated or cannot be duplicated is beside the point. God does not have to imitate himself. On the other hand anything humans do is imitation and different standards must apply between the creator and the imitator.

Isaiah 7
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.



December 17

Luke 1
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
Brief though it is, this verse excels in the human-ness of the moment. Mary, after hearing that she and Elizabeth were to miraculously conceive, “got ready and hurried to the hill country of Judea.” This was a remarkable trip. It is so typical of someone who had just heard exciting news.
People commonly look for someone who shares their experiences. Likewise, people commonly love to check things out for themselves. In this case Mary found an enthusiastic Elizabeth who confirmed at once that they shared a common experience of divine encounter. While Elizabeth was old enough to be Mary’s mother she was to give birth to the precursor of Christ, John the Baptist. The two of them must have spent days talking and praying about the events that were to come and which were shared only by their very few close relatives.
We should note that this trip Mary made to see Elizabeth in Judea was not small one for a single woman. Even though we do not know the distance we do know Mary was single and expecting. It was also a trip which Mary was to repeat nine months later when she and Joseph would go to Bethlehem where she would give birth to Jesus.
While Mary and Martha talked together in the warm afternoons on their sleepy village streets the rest of the world lay in unawareness that dusty paths were being trodden which would blaze forth and send messages of hope and life through what was then the unknown world.


December 18

Luke 1
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
It is a Biblical principle that every word of truth is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Such witnesses may be people, the scriptures, prophecies, the convergence of circumstances, or validation by occurrence of even a part of the purported prophecy.
In this case Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, had an angel visitant while he served in the Temple. He was told by the angel that his wife, well along in years, would give birth to “one bearing the spirit and power of Elijah.” (Luke 1:11-25) The angel did not tell him that this child could be the precursor for the Messiah but it is apparent that there were clues in the words of the angel regarding the day of the Lord which would come after this “Elijah“appeared. (Mal 4) It portended a day when “the Sun of righteousness would arise with healing in his wings” which would be a sorting out of the faithful from among those who claimed to be God’s people. The validation of the angel’s prophecy is that Elizabeth actually became pregnant when she was beyond biological possibility.
When Mary entered Elizabeth’s home the scriptures testify that there was an instant recognition by Elizabeth that Mary was the mother of the Messiah to come who was associated with “sun of righteousness” of Malachi’s prophecy. What we must take away from this moment in time is that Elizabeth was prepared to encounter the divine and tuned to be his vessel. Thus when she saw Mary something happened. The baby in her womb “leaped for joy.” It was so special that Elizabeth burst out with words that were beyond her cognitive powers. They were words of inspiration, a eureka moment, a revelation like those of the prophets under momentary inspiration, or of the prophet or of the inspired scientist with sudden insight beyond his cognitive reasoning.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
It is a common thing among those of us in the 21st century to believe that divine insights are quaint. Scripture suggests they are common. In fact, the early church encouraged us to be aware that God breaks through in our voices and that we should desire to share the insights He would give. Who knows what grace may yet be available when we are “open vessels” rather than closed by our total dependence upon our reasoning powers?


December 19


46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

These words have been called the Magnificat. They have been set to music, mulled and preached over because of their vast insightfulness. Here is a simple young woman with purity of purpose and vision who “gets it!” She is not in a fog of mystical detachment. She understands that momentous things which were anticipated by prophecies and history of the past are about to happen. She sees even beyond historical horizons into the realm of the fulfillment of the purposes of God to bring down the mighty and the arrogant. She realizes that her estate of one in which God is doing what God does. He elevates the humble, fulfills the greatest longings of the lowly and is merciful. Mary simply sings the song of the God of promise who always grants what he promises.


December 20

Matthew 1
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

One must not remember the story of Jesus’ birth and life on earth without remembering all of those who played a part in his entering the culture centers of life. This most certainly includes Joseph who quietly took it upon himself and risking his good name to provide protection and care for his promised bride, Mary. At first it appears he responded as any person will do. He considered getting out of the contract he had made to marry Mary when he discovered she had conceived. Note that the text does not say he considered this because of personal reasons. It said he was righteous or “was faithful to the law” which called for purity and fidelity.
It is not known if Mary gave him any explanation but one thing is clear. He had his own visitation and, like Mary, believed what the angel told him.
It is very difficult to enter into the mind of this man but one must understand that the struggle he had was not less than any person would have with such a quandary. When he responded he was committed and obeyed in every detail including giving Jesus his name as he was directed to do. He, like us, became a partner with God in bringing about the birth of a new day of grounded assurances, benevolent historical momentum and certainty of personal transcendence and eternal life where all good is perpetually guaranteed.


December 21


Luke 2
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while
Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
It was prophesized years before that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. How then did his mother get from her home to Bethlehem? This is the explanation. Caesar made a law that a census would be taken of the entire Roman world and it was required that Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem.
It may be noted that when governments do census taking it is largely for enlarging their power. It was no less in this case but it also served the purposes of God.
We may ask if Caesar was responding to God’s will or was the prophet seeing what would occur? This is the kind of things we all like to speculate about. However, the truth always comes out the same. God is in ultimate control whether he directs or foresees. He can simply intersect the will and plans of man. In this situation it is clear that the birth of Messiah was on schedule and according to the purposes of God he would be born from the beginning to live a meek and lowly life. Consider the events of your life. Do you not see that things you thought were bad turned out to be good? Perhaps you should give thanks to God for intersecting your life line.


December 22

Luke 2

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 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.

It is interesting that this translation says there was no “guest room” available to Mary and Joseph. That is stretching the point and I must take issue with this version. Guest rooms were for the wealthy. Most inns had common sleeping areas and were called Khans.
When a poor person approached an inn they had to bed among other guests on pallets of straw, sometimes under a portico with an open sky above in the central space of their sleeping area. Usually an open fire was built there to kill the chill. Mary may have given birth to Jesus in such a Kahn but instead she was probably in an area reserved for the animals where there was a manger for food and a bed for the savior. Thus she gave birth with the dignity of privacy but with the homeliness of the meek.
There was special divine accommodation here but still the birth of Christ had to be one that made his entrance from the lowliest of places. Thus his identification with the lowliest of us began with his birth and ended with his death. No one of us can now say, there is not a human heart in heaven.


December 23


Luke 2

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 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.

Two things stand out here:
First, there are those who say Mary never had other children and gave birth only to Jesus, the savior. However, clearly the text here says Jesus was her “first born” and it means there would be other children fathered by Joseph. That means other references to the brothers of Jesus, including the name of James, were references to birth brothers.
Second, when Mary gave birth to Jesus she wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. I was once told by an expert on ancient Jewish customs, who had lived in Israel all of his life, that the cloth wrapped about Jesus was probably the band of cloth which women traditionally wore wrapped about their bodies. As they wrapped themselves in this garment each day they were to perceive it as their shroud and remember that all “flesh is grass.” It was an old way of remembering the necessity of living well before God. So – Mary draped her son in swaddling cloths, perhaps the shroud reminder that He was born to die that men may live.


December 24


8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 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.”

It is very likely that these shepherds watching their flocks near Bethlehem were watching over a very special flock. These may have been the herdsmen of the sheep used in the ritual sacrifice in the temple. They would raise only sheep of the highest pedigree, spotless, without blemish or fault of any kind.
As Temple flock shepherds they would need to know that the “lamb that would take away the sins of the world” was being born in a stable as a man. After all, these shepherds had a vested interest in watching over and discerning the purest and most perfect of the sheep for sacrifice. They would need to know that their honored profession was now unfolding into the reality which the sacrifices had portended: a perfect sacrifice that would remove the need for ritual slaughter.
Is this the reason the angels appeared to the Shepherds? Maybe. However, it is also likely that God wanted the humble to know to make a point. The point was that the powerful are not likely to receive anything because they suffer under the delusion that they are wise and sufficient to themselves. God does not need human power on his side. It is a fact that:
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 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. (I Corinthians 1: 26-27
The most ordinary of us can take joy in the fact that Christ Jesus was revealed to the humblest of citizens. It does not take brains to believe. It takes only a good heart and a person who is not so impressed with themselves that they are the last stop on Opinion Avenue.


December 25
Luke 2
15 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.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The Shepherd’s acted on what they knew and confirmed every word. What they found was true and even though they found Jesus in this humble setting they knew that something important and transformational had occurred. This is attested to the fact that they spread the word not about the angel visitation but they gave not just the details of their sighting of the angels but also the message which the angels had given them. Those who heard their tale were amazed but had to wait for 30 years before anything came of it.
I wonder sometimes if any who heard this story were alive when Christ came forth teaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. I wonder if the tale was in the hearts of those in Jerusalem when he rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. I think we can assume there were rumors floating about and this story was recalled as confirmation of Jesus’ appearance as an adult on the human scene of his day. Imagine! Shepherds were the first evangels!


December 26

Matthew 2

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 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.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 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. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘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.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 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.”
9 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. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The interesting thing of this visit of the Wise men from the east is that they were foreigners who studied the writings of texts from many places. They watched the stars probably in order to interpret the meaning of their conjunctions. They represent an element of society which we would call learned because they studied all the available material of the day. Some of what they knew bordered on science. Some of it bordered on religion. Mostly, they were probably metaphysicians. In effect they were people who loved learning and were able at times to cobble together what they knew to find the truth.

As we think of the Christmas story we cannot fall prey to class warfare of our generation. Jesus came to earth and began his life in the flesh among the poor. However, he loved the rich, the learned and the successful, also. His only problem with such people is always that sometimes wealth, knowledge and success becomes the sole purpose of human existence and we will forget that God is the giver of all we have. Such people learn to love power, lose a sense of gratitude and fall into the vanity of thinking themselves to be more than they are. The “poor,” likewise, can take pride in their class and have contempt for those who live in a better social estate.
It is wise to take inventory of our attitudes because we too can get so full of ourselves that we forget that a cup of self is a pollution of the cup’s purpose which is to be a receptacle of the Spirit of God.


December 27

12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2)
Some people believe dreams have nothing to do with reality. Contemporary people often mock those who speak of dreams – any dreams. However, in the most human of us there is that first impression, that nagging doubt, that sensitivity to danger. We, like the Wisemen, do better when we pay attention to such doubts. What ever is not faith can lead to dire consequences. In good faith the Magi could not go back to Herod and it appears they listened to the Spirit of God. This is an interesting exercise of faith because it was by those who were foreigners to the promise. How much do you exercise such discernment and faith?


December 28

Matthew 2
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”

The Magi
The Magi had a dream. Joseph had a dream of an angel of the Lord. Joseph knew from experience and informed faith that this dream was true. It meant taking a journey he did not want to take, to go among a people with whom he did not want to live and to go into a culture totally different from his own. Yet, he went. This is faith and in this case proved to be a wise choice. It was a choice that affected millions, determined histories outcome and made the difference for millions between condemnation and salvation. It is important to remember that we do not live by impulse alone. We must make choices and such choices can be demonstrably powerful.

Joseph, Mary and Jesus
There is something in this trip to Egypt that completely passes the casual reader by. Wasn’t Egypt the place from which the children of Israel had been delivered by God through Moses? It is. However, Egypt was also the refuge of the children of Israel during the great famine in the time of Joseph. It is clear that when the places we expect to be hospitable become hostile God will use the alien land as the place of refuge. This was true of David when he had to flee to the Philistines to escape Saul. It was true of Paul when his life was threatened in Jerusalem and had to escape to the desert. God makes even the wilderness a haven for his people because He is our refuge and strength.



December 29

Matthew 2
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
One cannot but help wonder how Mary and Joseph’s family felt about their moving yet again to another place this time Nazareth. After all, when Mary and Joseph left home to register for the census and Jesus was born they never went back to their families. Instead, they lived in the relative safety of Egypt until it was safe to return to Israel. By this time Jesus was a small boy and his grandparents had never seen him. Now, perhaps after sending a message to their families, they went into the hills of Galilee to live in obscurity and take up a new life. One cannot but marvel at the courage and commitment Mary and Joseph had to keeping Jesus clear of danger. They were remarkable people with a fortitude and faith not often seen. This tenacity and faith has been an inspiration for countless people through the ages and should not be underestimated as we note that the gospel of Christ has come to us because there were people who believed enough to make great sacrifices.


December 30


Jesus completely identified with the lowly.


Matthew 2
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Author: The following excerpt is from an unfinished manuscript of mine which is an ongoing project. It seems very appropriate here so I submit it to you, my friends, and readers as we close the old year. God bless you all!

Home at Last

Nazareth lies southwest of the Sea of Galilee though it was in the region of Galilee. It is nestled in a hollow of lower ranges of that region. This place was also a crossroads for caravans in that region. The North /South road was a road followed by Alexandria the Great into Palestine three hundred years before Christ. The East /West road from Nazareth led out to the sea. If one climbs northward up the slopes approaching the Sea of Galilee it is possible to see the Mediterranean in the West and the great caravan routes stretching west and south. Nazareth was no hidden village. It was a center of travelers from all over the world, a major center of world news, a mixing bowl of cultures, and home to Jesus who came to bring a word of hope to the world.

It was into this place, having already been a traveler to Egypt, that the family of Jesus came and established themselves. It was in this crossroads that Jesus learned the carpenter trade created furniture, doors, plows, tool handles, camel saddles, ox yokes and other items to lighten burdens. Here, in a carpenter’s yard, no doubt adjacent to the family living quarters, Jesus learned how to cut, hew, stack, saw, smooth and shape all of those things that provided food for the family. It was here that he developed strength, sinew, skill, creativity, business acumen and social skills that were required of a carpenter who made his living as a craftsman. His home may have been a village by our standards but it was a cosmopolitan village.


Education

Anyone reading the gospels will be struck by the fact that Jesus “grew in knowledge. (Luke 2:40) He did not come pre-programmed. He came engaging life in total quest as a human being. Likewise, his stories and analogies uncover a mind that worked over things that he observed in detail, for wisdom, in analogy, and metaphorical meaning. He was a learner who was disciplined, (memorizing large blocks of scripture in synagogue school) perceptive and intuitive. As a young man, he demonstrated an insatiable appetite for learning in his discussions in the Temple at the age of 12 so that his adept teachers were amazed at his “understanding and his answers.” (Luke 2:47)

The purvey of Jesus’ knowledge ran from practical things to transcendent things.

He was engaging socially and throughout his ministry we know people came to him spilling their innermost secrets, enjoyed being around him and willingly followed his early ministry.

He knew nature regarding the harvest, the habits of birds, signs of the weather, cycles of the seasons, the ways of fish, and other creatures. All of these are referenced in his teachings in ways that show natural knowledge as well as supernatural insight.

Jesus understood the foibles and conditions of human nature: he saw through hypocrisy; witnessed cruelty; understood how the powerful degrade people; lived under oppression of religious, political and military might; understood how the messengers of good are persecuted; saw the ravages of disease; and how men and women degrade themselves.

Finally, his education was couched in knowledge of the past. He knew the history of his people, the stories of prophets, kings, conquerors, tragedies and disasters. He was tuned to current events, nuances of political intrigue, and the building of forces that would tear apart his country years after his crucifixion. While he majored in understanding of his own heritage, he was able to apply this knowledge to timely events.

The culmination of all of his education centered upon finding order, justice, and moral balance. They synagogue gave him the tools and the discipline but life prepared him to take these into the greater sphere of humanity confronting the learning of all of the nations with a clear rationale of what works to make life meaningful.

As Jesus grew into adulthood he demonstrates he had earned the title “Teacher.” This was not accorded him because he set up shop somewhere on His own. It was accorded him because he had mounted up in the academic hierarchy of his time. He was welcomed into the synagogue to read the law, the prophets and the history of his people and to make comment upon their meaning. He may have been a carpenter, but he was also a shaper of ideas: a constructor of reform; a leader of people; a worthy advocate, adversary; a mental giant. And, all of this is an understatement because He was the son of God.


December 31

Jesus of Nazareth, continued…

Closing Shop

The day came in Nazareth when Jesus closed the carpenter shop, hung up his tools and set out on a course that would take him on an itinerary ministry throughout the whole country.

Eventually, he would first take up his seat in the synagogue in his hometown, be deposed and then strike out to the courtyards of the Temple in Jerusalem. Later still, he would gather his followers on the hillsides of the land. His message was for the common people. He went wherever he could get their hearing working with the acceptable platforms until He was rejected either by the establishment or the people.

He took his message to the Jews and then to those pagans who wanted to hear what he had to say: Samaritans, Romans and Greeks. He was constrained with five motivations. First, he had to make his message clear to His people. Second, he covered the whole of his homeland territory. Third, He would be rejected and crucified. Fourth, he prepared his disciples to take his message of Good News that death would not be then end of Him. Finally, he would endow them with His Spirit by which they would live in the power of His undefeatable Spirit.

So that day came in the “fullness of time.” Jesus hung up his manual tools and took His name from the sign that said “Joseph and Sons.” He left his kin who did not understand this turn of events and struck our on the downward road to a literal new valley of decision—the lower regions where the Jordan River spilled into the Salt Sea. He passed quite naturally from a lake of life to a lake of death, from the valley of Nazareth to the valley of the wilderness. This was to continue the journey He had begun when He came down from Heaven as the Son of Man, completely identifying with the lowly. That means all of us who recognize our condition.