Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent

Psalm 139

Does the thought of someone knowing everything there is about you, and always being with you something that you don’t want to hear or know about, or does it bring you peace?  Today’s psalm is one of several favorites that I have from the Book of Psalms, and one that should bring comfort and peace to believers, but is also one that might bring discomfort to those who do not have or want God in their lives.  Let’s take a look at this beautiful psalm of David, where we see God’s omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and His righteous judgment.

Psalm 139 can be broken up into about five segments, each one highlighting a different aspect of God.  The first segment, in verses 1-6, shows us God’s omniscience.  He knows everything about each one of us completely.  He knows our actions, our thoughts, the motives behind everything we do, the words we speak, and even our unspoken intentions.  God knows us better than we know ourselves.  When David says that God knows our thoughts “afar off” (vs. 2), it means that He knows our thoughts before they even form.  He knows every word we will speak before it is even spoken (vs. 4).  God surrounds us with His protective presence.

His omniscience, His knowledge of us, is absolute (Hebrews 4:13).  This knowledge should be comforting to all those who have put their trust in Jesus.  Knowing that God knows everything about us should bring the believer peace, as He understands us when others don’t.  However, this can be terrifying to the unrepentant sinner.  We cannot hide anything from God.  Knowing that, we should walk in honesty and have a quick confession when we fall into sin.

The second segment shows us God’s omnipresence  He is with us everywhere we go (vs. 7-12).  There is no escaping from God’s presence.  There is nowhere we can hide from Him.  He is everywhere (Jeremiah 23:23-24).  The highest place on earth is Mt. Everest at 29,032’.  The deepest spot in the ocean is the Mariana Trench at 36,200’.  The remote island on earth is Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,750 miles from South Africa and over 2,000 miles from South America.  Yet if we went to any of these places, God would be there with us.  Even in the deepest darkness we cannot hide from Him (vs. 11-12).  We cannot run away from God, as Jonah found out.  This should bring comfort to the Christian, knowing that God is with us in all of our trials.  Whenever we feel lonely or we feel afraid, we can know that He is there.  We can also trust that God is with our loved ones when we are apart.

We next look at the third segment, which shows God’s creative power, and how He made each of us with a purpose (vs. 13-16).  God formed every part of us - body, soul, and personality.  He created each of us unique, with distinct fingerprints, voice patterns, retinal prints, and DNA.  No one has or ever will be exactly like another.  He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:29-30), and our name is engraved on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16).  We are “fearfully and wonderfully made (vs. 14).

This passage is foundational for the sanctity of life.  Human life begins in the womb and is sacred because God is the Creator.  It is not just a blob of cells, but is human life that God knit or wove together as delicate and intentional craftsmanship.  He ordained our days before we lived a single one (vs. 16).  Our life has purpose because God designed it, and we can trust Him with our future.

Next we see God’s righteous judgment, and how He opposes the wicked (vs. 17-22).  A believer in the Lord Jesus should always align themselves with God’s holiness, and also oppose what He opposes.  David expressed his righteous indignation towards those who hate God.  This is not personal vengeance.  Instead, it is loyalty to God’s holiness.  Hatred of evil is part of loving God (Romans 12:9).  Christians should guard their hearts from compromise with wickedness.

The final segment shows us God’s sanctifying work (vs. 23-24).  The psalm ends where it began - with God searching the heart.  David wants God to expose any sin in his life and to lead him in holiness, on the path of obedience and eternal life.  We should regularly ask God to reveal any hidden sin we might have.  His goal is not condemnation but transformation.

As we close this beautiful psalm, we see that God knows us perfectly, is with us constantly, and who made us intentionally.  We also see that God judges wickedness righteously and when we come to Him, He will sanctify us lovingly.  Let this knowledge be a comfort and a blessing to you today.

When the Lion Roars

Amos 3:1-8

When somebody important or official speaks, it is always wise to listen to what they have to say.  When the meteorologist gives an important weather warning, we really ought to listen and take heed.  If the Highway Patrol gives us a warning about road conditions ahead, it is wise to listen to that, too.  And we know that we need to pay attention to any doctor or medical warnings.  What about messages and warnings from God?  How often do we pay attention to them?  Or do we think that because we are already saved, we don’t need to be too concerned with them?   The prophet Amos has an answer to that in our Scripture today, one that teaches us how seriously God takes sin, especially among those who bear His Name.

The Book of Amos was written between 760 - 750 BC, during the reigns of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam II of Israel.  He had been a farmer and sheep herder in the southern Kingdom of Judah before the Lord called him to bring His message to the people of the northern Kingdom of Israel.  This was a time of great material prosperity in Israel, but also of great spiritual corruption, as their hearts were far from God.

As our Scripture begins, the Lord spoke His message to the people, reminding them of how He had brought them out of Egypt and made a covenant with them (vs. 1-2). They were a redeemed people, but because of that, they were accountable to Him.  God had chosen them and set them apart from others.  However, having that unique relationship with Him meant greater responsibility, not immunity to do as they chose.  How many times do people today think the same thing?  They feel that they are saved, and that God loves them no matter what, so they can live as they choose.  God’s holiness demands that His people walk in obedience to His Word.  Privilege without obedience invites His discipline, as both Israel and Judah would come to see.

Next, Amos asked the readers seven rhetorical questions in order to show that effects have causes (vs. 3-6).  There is nothing that happens just randomly.  The first question he asked is whether two people can walk together unless they are agreed (vs. 3).   If one is going to have a good and harmonious relationship with another, there must be shared belief and purpose.  They must be in agreement with each other.  Israel, and today with Christians, they cannot claim fellowship with God while they are walking in rebellion to Him.

Amos next spoke of lions, as they will roar when prey is near, and the young lion cubs will growl with satisfaction when they have their food (vs. 4).  The prophet is letting us know that God’s warnings (His roar) indicate that real judgment is coming.

A trap doesn’t spring without a reason (vs. 5).  It will snap when an animal or bird sets it off.  Israel’s calamities are not accidents.  They are God’s response to sin.  In ancient times a trumpet was blown on the city walls to warn of impending danger (vs 6).  Today we use loud sirens in our cities.  When we hear them we know it is some type of warning, sometimes weather related, or in some countries a warning of enemy attack.  Amos warned the people that if disaster comes to a city, it is because the Lord has allowed it.

God does not act in judgment without first giving us clear warning (vs. 7).  The prophets were God’s messengers.  They didn’t just make up what they said for fun.  God always sent His prophets before judgment, so Israel could not claim ignorance.  God’s Word, the Bible, is complete, it is sufficient, and it is inerrant.  It warns us plainly, and we are responsible to listen to and heed it.

Have you ever heard a lion roar?  I haven’t in real life, but I’ve seen videos of lions roaring.  God’s voice is like a lion’s roar (vs. 8). It is terrifying, authoritative, and unavoidable.  When God speaks, His prophets must speak.  Amos did not preach because he wanted to.  He was compelled by the Spirit of God.  When God warns, His people need to respond.

God graciously warns before He judges. His Word is both merciful and authoritative.  The lion’s roar means judgment is not hypothetical, it is imminent.  Believers today must not take God’s grace lightly.  We cannot walk with Him while clinging to sin, to compromise, or worldliness.  God still warns us through His Word.  Every warning passage in Scripture is an act of His mercy.

Behold the Lamb of God

John 1:29-41

Many young children love to go to petting zoos, where they can get up close to the animals there.  When my children, who are now both adults, were younger we would often go.  A favorite animal were the little lambs, with their white curly coats and cute faces.  Who couldn’t love a little lamb!  When we think of lambs in the Bible, we often think of one being protected and cared for by a shepherd.  However, there is another picture of a lamb that is not as pleasant, certainly not for the lamb.  Our Scripture today from the second half of the first chapter of the Gospel of John will touch on this.  Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

As our Scripture opens, we meet John the Baptist.  He had just recently baptized Jesus, and now he pointed Him out to his own disciples as the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world (vs. 29).  Many people today like to call Jesus a good teacher, or even a prophet.  Though He is those things, He is much, much more.  He is the Lamb of God.  What, you might ask, does that mean?  This is a title that is loaded with Old Testament meaning.  Going back to the earliest chapters of the Bible, God required a substitutionary sin sacrifice.  God required that man bring a blood sacrifice, usually a lamb or young goat, to be an atonement for sins.  That animal was sacrificed, his blood in payment for our sins.  This was what John the Baptist called the Lord Jesus.  His Blood was the substitutionary atonement for our sin, the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14).

As John spoke, he said “takes away”, which is the present tense.  Jesus’ work is effective, ongoing, and sufficient.  This opening verse affirms the heart of the Gospel - salvation is through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ alone, not through any human merit.  Every believer’s hope rests on Jesus, the Lamb of God.

John continued to bear witness to the Lord Jesus as God’s Messiah, and our substitutionary Lamb.  He stated that Jesus was before him (vs. 30).  This might seem puzzling, as John the Baptist was about six months older than Jesus.  Yet Jesus was before him, as He existed eternally (John 1:1-3).  This is a clear affirmation of Jesus Christ’s deity.  John’s testimony is unambiguous - Jesus is the divine Son, the promised Messiah (vs. 34).

After this, John the Baptist willingly directed his own followers to now follow Jesus (vs. 35-37).  Like John, Christians today are called to point others to Jesus, not to themselves.  A true and faithful servant of the Lord wants others to look towards Jesus, not towards themselves.  Their ministry will exalt the Son.  Immediately two of John’s disciples left to follow Jesus, which was only right and proper.  One was Andrew, and the other was unnamed, but possibly the apostle John.

As these two joined up with Jesus, He asked them what they were seeking, what they were looking for (vs. 38).  Jesus then invited them into personal fellowship with Himself (vs. 39).  Christianity is not a bunch of rituals to follow, but is instead a relationship with God.  It is rooted in truth, grounded in Scripture, and centered on Jesus Christ.

As our Scripture passage ends, we see that Andrew brings his brother Peter to the Lord (vs. 40-41).  That is so important.  As soon as he knew that Jesus was the Messiah, Andrew wasn’t content to keep that information to himself.  Instead, he “first” found his brother Peter and told him about Jesus.  He wasn’t worried about being “proper”, about not talking about religion to others, as many people say one shouldn’t do.  No, Andrew’s all excited about what he has found, and wants others to share it too.  He knows that salvation is so eternally important that one cannot keep that to oneself.  Throughout the Gospel of John we see Andrew bringing others to Jesus.  He brought the young boy who had some fish and bread to Jesus (John 6:8-9), and later he brought some Greeks who wanted to meet Jesus, and he brought them to Him, as well (John 12:20-22).

What important messages does God have in this Scripture passage?   First, that Jesus is the Lamb of God.  It’s not the picture of the cute and cuddly wooly lamb, but instead the Lamb sacrificed in substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world.  He is also the eternal, divine Son of God.  As we seek the truth, Jesus invites us into personal fellowship with Himself.  And once we have come to know the truth, and have found salvation through the Blood of the Lamb, we need to be sure and tell others about Jesus, just as Andrew did.

Keep your eyes fixed on the Lamb.  Your assurance, identity, and hope rest in His finished work, not in your performance.  We should also follow the example of two believers here.  We should be like John the Baptist, and point others to Jesus, not to ourselves.  We should also follow the example of the Apostle Andrew, and bring others, our family, our friends, and our neighbors, to Jesus.

A Struggling Church

I Corinthians 1:1-9

Have you ever known someone who was attempting to do something great, but right from the start was making a mess of things?  They had a whole lot of potential, but they just kept tripping.  They needed someone to come alongside, help them get back on their feet, and get going in the right direction.  Perhaps this was an athlete, who with proper training, could do well.  Maybe it was a married couple who were having problems, but with proper counseling could have a great marriage.  Or a student, if only he would buckle down, could achieve much.  Then there was a church, which very early on fell into sin, divisions, doctrinal confusion, and misuse of spiritual gifts.  They desperately needed help or they would spiritually fail, and that is when the Apostle Paul stepped in to help this group of sinking Christians.

After having been run out of the city of Thessalonica and the smaller city of Berea, the Apostle Paul made his way down to Athens, and then shortly after, traveled into Corinth, a large, cosmopolitan harbor city.  He stayed there for about 1 ½ years, and established a large and thriving church, later returning several times.  That church, though, got off to a rather rocky start, falling into sin and dissension rather quickly after Paul left, necessitating the Apostle needing to write them several letters in order to help get the new Christians back on the right track.

As our Scripture opens, though Paul knows he needs to attempt to correct these problems, he doesn’t begin with a harsh rebuke.  Instead he gives a reminder to these believers of their identity in Jesus Christ, reaffirming their position in grace.  Paul begins by identifying himself as an apostle (vs. 1).  This was not a position that he sought for himself.  As a young man, he didn’t tell others he was going to be “an apostle” when he graduated.  This was a divinely appointed commission.  For those who questioned his authority to tell them how to behave as Christians, he reminded them that his authority was rooted in God’s sovereign choice, not his own.  His words would carry the weight of divine revelation.

Paul reminded these believers that they belonged to God, as all Christians do (vs. 2).  They didn’t “belong” to Paul, even though he established the church there, nor to Apollos, though he was an early pastor there.  And though they very quickly fell flat on their face in sin and division, they were still set apart and sanctified by the Lord Jesus, to be His saints, His holy ones.  Even though they weren’t acting like it now, that was their position in Christ.

Paul proceeded to thank this group of Christians (vs. 4).  Why would he do that, when their worldly and sinful behavior was a shame?  For one, he thanked that church and was grateful to them because that was one place where he had spent one of the longest times without being run out of town by either the Jews or the Gentiles.  They had welcomed him, provided for his needs, and had protected him from hostile persecution.  Paul was grateful.  He was also thankful to God for this church, as even though they were immature and carnal, he saw evidence of God’s grace.  He was grateful for God’s ongoing work in their lives.

This young church had many spiritual gifts among the members, such as teachers and preachers, those who understood doctrine, and those who spoke in tongues (vs. 5-7).  Their spiritual gifts validated the truth of the Gospel message that Paul had preached to them.  However, these very gifts that had been given were now being misused.  As was evident in the Corinthian church, the same is true today, that spiritual giftedness is not the same as spiritual maturity.

Not only were they blessed with spiritual gifts, this group of believers were living in the expectation of Christ’s imminent return.  Imminent means that it could happen at any time, that there is nothing in the way preventing it from happening. They knew that Jesus could return at any moment, and we today should know that even more so, and be living with that expectation.

Though this group had many who were living carnal, sinful lives, Paul reminded them that if they were truly saved, then the same God who called them would sustain them (vs. 8-9).  Their blamelessness was rooted in Jesus’ righteousness, not in their own personal performance.  God is faithful.  He called them into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and He will complete what He began.

As we look back at these opening verses of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, we see that, we as believers, are called to salvation, to sanctification or holy living, as well as to fellowship with the Lord, and to future glory.  Are we living that way, or are we living more like the Corinthian church was?  The gifts which God blesses His Church with are real, and important for the functioning of His Body, but they need to be governed by truth and love.  We need to remember that God is faithful, and guarantees the believer’s final preservation.  In closing, we must remember who we are in Christ.  We represent Him to the world.  We carry His Name.  Let us not make Him ashamed.  When we trip up, let’s get back on the right track.

Out of the Pit

Psalm 40:1-10

Have you ever been physically stuck somewhere?  Where I live we can get some very deep snow in the winter, and it’s easy for a car to get stuck in a snowdrift.  Or perhaps your car has gotten stuck in the mud.  I’ve seen videos of animals who have gotten stuck in a mud pit.  They thrash about frantically, but cannot get themselves free.  In our psalm today, David found himself caught in a pit.  Perhaps he was in a literal pit, or maybe it was a pit of trouble.  That is something most of us can relate to.  There is another type of pit that all of us have been in, and from which none of us can get out of unaided, and that is the pit of sin.  Like David, we need God to rescue us from that pit.  Let’s look at what we can learn from our psalm today.

As David begins this psalm, he finds himself caught in the pit, whether physically, figuratively, or spiritually.  He cried out to God for His help, but he had to wait for His answer (vs. 1).  No one likes to wait, especially if you are caught in a pit!  However, David waited patiently, and he was rewarded as God heard his cry and brought him out of the pit (vs. 2).  Sometimes we may feel that God has let us down because He does not provide an immediate answer to our prayer.  However, waiting for the Lord can transform us into a people of growing faith.  David grew into a man after God’s own heart by waiting on the Lord (Acts 13:22; I Samuel 13:14).  When we become frustrated with God’s apparent delay in answering our prayers, it is good to remember that He is interested in developing faith and perseverance in our character.

The original language here suggests that David waited and waited and waited for God to answer his prayer.  Yet as he looked back at this time of delay, he praised God.  God “inclined” to answer David.  Just as a parent does to a young child, God bent down and showed His mercy.  He hears His children.  Our prayers are not ignored, but are attended to by a personal, caring God.

The condition that David was in was definitely not a pleasant one.  It was horrible.  It was a miry pit, a muddy, slimy, mucky, filthy place.  That is not a pleasant place to be if we are in a literal pit like that, and it certainly isn’t when we are caught up in the filth of our own sins.  We are wallowing in our own desperation.  However, when we turn to God and call for His help, He brings us up out of that pit and sets our feet on solid rock (vs. 2).  He establishes our steps so that we don’t fall back into the mire.  Salvation is God’s work from start to finish.  He rescues us, stabilizes us, and guides our steps.

When God brought David deliverance from the pit, the first thing he did was to bring worship to the Lord (vs. 3).  He shared with others a testimony of God’s faithfulness.  It wasn’t some person who helped him, as no one can help us get out of our sin condition (vs. 4).  Our faith must be placed in God alone.  Trusting in human pride or false beliefs will only lead to ruin.

David then turns and acknowledges that God does not primarily desire sacrifices and offerings from His people.  Instead, God would rather have a servant who is ready to obey Him (vs. 6-8).  Rather than having a hypocritical “follower” who brings Him a burnt sacrifice, and then turns and does whatever they want, God wants someone who has an open ear to hear what He says, and has a heart aligned with His will, who delights in obeying His Word.  If we follow religious rituals without obeying the Bible, those rituals are just empty.

We see these verses quoted in Hebrews 10:5-10, and applied to the Lord Jesus.  He is the perfect obedient Servant who came to do the Father’s will, culminating in His once-for-all sacrifice.  Jesus fulfilled what the sacrificial system was pointing towards.  We need to ask ourselves - are we merely performing religious rituals, or are we obeying God and His Word from our heart?

As our Scripture passage closes, David reiterated again the need to give public testimony of God’s goodness (vs 9-10).   He will declare God’s righteousness and faithfulness.  He will tell others about His salvation, lovingkindness, and truth.  When the Lord brings us deliverance, whether it is physically rescuing us from a dangerous situation, or a figurative rescue from a distressing problem, or especially when He brings us salvation, we need to share that with others.  Salvation is God’s work!  He hears our prayers, lifts us up out of the pit, and sets us on His path.

The Second Servant Song

Isaiah 49:1-7

Today’s Scripture comes from the Book of Isaiah, and contains his second of four “Servant Songs”, songs or poems in the Old Testament book, describing the Servant of Yahweh, the Messiah.  This particular Servant Song speaks of the mission or work of the Messiah, from eternity past to His future glory.  As we look briefly into this Scripture, we will read of His divine calling, His mission both to Israel and also to the Gentiles, His apparent rejection, and then His ultimate vindication and glory.

Our Scripture begins with God calling His Servant, the Messiah, from before He was born (vs. 1).  There were several people throughout the Bible whom God had called before they were born, whom He had set apart for a specific task that He desired for them.  The prophet Jeremiah was one (Jeremiah 1:5).  The Apostle Paul was another (Galatians 1:15-16).  God knows each one of us from the moment of our conception, and even before then.  He knew each of us when we were being formed inside our mothers (Psalm 139:13-16).  Jesus was no different.  God had called Him from eternity past, from before He was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and set Him aside for His special mission as Savior, giving Him the Name of Jesus.  Christ’s mission was never an afterthought.  Redemption was planned from eternity.

As we read on, we see that God’s Words were spoken by the Messiah (vs. 2).  He placed His Words in His mouth.  The words that we speak can be powerful.   However, God’s Word is not just powerful, it is alive, and it is sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting deep within the heart and soul of those who hear it (Hebrews 4:12).  When Jesus came to earth, He didn’t bulldoze His way through the world as a political force.  Instead, His weapon is His Word, the Bible.  It is like the polished shaft of a javelin or spear, kept in perfect condition and ready to use.  Jesus’ ministry was perfectly aimed and perfectly timed.  The power of His ministry lies in the truth He speaks, and the Words of Jesus still pierce hearts today, turning lives around.

Jesus was the ideal Servant of God, fulfilling the Law perfectly, and through Him God is glorified.  However, from a human perspective it might look as if He failed in His mission (vs. 3-4).  Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth, but was rejected by the people He came to redeem (John 1:11).  From a human perspective, His ministry might seem to have been unsuccessful.  We need to remember, though, that faithfulness is not measured by visible results.  Jesus was faithful, and entrusted His work to the Father.  He models perfect trust in God’s plan.

The Servant’s first mission was to restore the nation of Israel to God (Matthew 15:24).  Though some did come to faith, Israel as a whole rejected their Messiah (vs. 5).  That rejection, though, did not cancel God’s plan.  God’s Servant is glorious in His eyes, and His mission cannot be diminished by human unbelief.  Even when people resist His purposes, those purposes and plans will never fail.  When the people of Israel rejected the Messiah, God expanded His mission to the Gentile nations (vs. 6).  The Gospel message is a global one, as Jesus is the only Savior for the whole world.

In our final verse, we see that God’s Holy One, the Redeemer, is despised by man and abhorred by the nations, but He is still God’s Servant (vs. 7).  Kings and princes, the rulers of the world, will see Him when He returns, and they will stand in awe.  They will know that the Lord Jesus is exalted, and though they have refused to willingly bow to Him, there is coming a day when they will be forced to bow their knee and confess Him as Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).  Their rejection of Jesus is temporary, but His glory is eternal.

This concludes God’s second Servant Song in Isaiah.  We have seen in this Scripture that Jesus was not merely a man chosen by God, He is the eternal Son sent by the Father.  He fulfilled His twofold mission of restoring Israel and bringing salvation to the Gentiles.  Though it might have looked like a less-than successful mission, as He was despised at His first coming, Jesus will be exalted at His second.  God’s plan is bigger than what we can initially see.  Jesus will be vindicated, and so will all those who put their faith and trust in Him.

The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17

Our Scripture for today, from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, tells of an important event in the life of the Lord Jesus, one that is among a small handful that was spoken of in all four Gospels.  This event was the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.  Not only does this event begin Jesus’ public ministry, it is also one of only a few times when God’s Voice is audibly heard as He publicly affirms His Son, and is also a key time when the Trinity is revealed.  Let’s take a look at our Scripture.

Jesus had spent the first thirty or so years of His life in the village of Nazareth, in Galilee, and the adult years working in His foster father Joseph’s carpentry shop, learning that trade.  It is believed that Joseph died before Jesus reached thirty, so He took over running the shop.  Jesus heard the Holy Spirit speak to Him, and He left Nazareth and headed south to the Jordan River, where John the Baptist’s ministry of preaching repentance and baptizing was underway.  Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John (vs. 13).  We have to wonder, though, why Jesus was baptized by John when his baptism was one of repentance from sin?  Jesus had no sin (Hebrews 4:15), so why would the sinless Son of God submit to a baptism meant for sinners?  That is the question we will answer here.

John the Baptist actually asked the same question (vs. 14).  He felt that Jesus should baptize him, not the other way around.  He recognized Jesus’ superiority and sinlessness, and knew he was unworthy.  Jesus, though, told John that His baptism would “fulfill all righteousness” (vs. 15).  What did that mean?

First, Jesus’ baptism was not about repentance but about identification.  Jesus identified with the very sinners that He came to save (Isaiah 53:12).  When He was baptized, He was not repenting of sin.  Instead, He was aligning Himself with the mission of bearing our sins.  Jesus stood in our place as the one Man who represents all humanity before God.  He is not a sinner, but we are.  He was baptized for our sake so that the blessings of baptism come to us.  Jesus, at His baptism, stands where sinners stand, not because He needs cleansing from sin, but because we do.

By being baptized, Jesus was also submitting to the Father’s will.  Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly in every detail (Psalm 40:7-8; John 8:29).  By being baptized by John, Jesus also affirmed that John the Baptist’s ministry was from God.

Next we read how as Jesus came out of the water, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove (vs. 16).  This was a divine revelation for all to see.  The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, symbolizing purity, peace, and God’s approval of Jesus.  This is not Jesus becoming divine.  He has always been divine.  Instead, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus then, anointed Him for His Messianic work (Isaiah 61:1).

It was here that God the Father spoke in an audible Voice that those present actually heard (vs. 17).  He publicly affirmed Jesus’ identity.  He said that Jesus was His Son, and that He was well-pleased with Him.  What is very important in this Scripture passage is that the Trinity is unmistakably present.  God the Father audibly spoke.  God the Son is baptized and is acknowledged by the Father.  And the Holy Spirit comes down in the form of a dove.  This is a powerful refuting of the belief that God only exists as one singular person, but in different forms at different times (Modalism) and other anti-Trinitarian errors.  Instead, this is one of the clearest Trinitarian passages in Scripture, essential to orthodox Christianity.

Looking back over this passage, we learn that Jesus obeyed God the Father, even when John didn’t understand.  We need to always obey God’s Word, even when others might question us.  Jesus was baptized when He had no sins to confess in order to fully identify with sinners.  Now, all those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, are identified with Him.  During His baptism the heavens were opened to Jesus then, and now they are opened to all who are saved.

The Salvation of the Gentile Cornelius

Acts 10:34-38

Our Scripture today highlights a very important event in the history of the Christian Church, that being when the Gospel message was officially and specifically opened to the Gentiles.  This was God’s plan all along, but how did it come about?   Today we’ll see how God has a heart for all nations and people of the world, and how the Gospel message is for everyone.

Acts chapter 10 takes place maybe about seven to ten years after the Resurrection and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples.  During that first decade of the early church, the disciples had openly witnessed to others, bringing the Gospel message of Jesus to their relatives, friends, and neighbors, however, only to other Jews.  Jesus had told His followers that they were to make disciples of all nations, not to just only other Jews (Matthew 28:19).   Now ten years had passed, and still the message was only going out to other Jews.  It seemed like God was going to have to step in in a dramatic way for this to happen, and that is exactly what He did.

The Apostle Peter was called by a group of believers to come to the coastal cities of Lydda and Joppa in order to pray for healing of some believers there.  It was while he was there that the Lord gave him a vision.  While waiting for lunch to be prepared, Peter saw a vision of a large cloth being lowered down containing all sorts of wild, unclean animals in it, and he was told to kill and eat (Acts 10:9-16).  Peter had never eaten anything unclean, so was reluctant to obey.  However, God told him not to call anything unclean that He had cleansed.  This vision was a prelude to Peter being called to the home of the centurion Cornelius to bring the Gospel message to Gentiles, people that many Jews considered “unclean”.

Not only was Peter very scrupulous about not eating any unclean food, he was also very diligent and careful about observing the Jewish custom of not ever entering the house of a Gentile, or eating with them.  God gave Peter that vision in order to emphasize to him that when He called something clean, it was clean, and not to call any person unclean.  So when Peter was called to a Gentile home to bring God’s message, he went.  What would he say to them, though?  No one had specifically witnessed to a Gentile before.  Should they be given a different message?  This was unknown territory for Peter.

Peter decided to just proceed to tell these people who were eager to hear God’s Word what he knew.  First was to let them know that God does not show partiality based on ethnicity, nationality, social status, or background (vs. 34).  God’s character is perfectly just and impartial.  Peter knew Jesus’ words of how they were to go into all nations bringing His message.  Today, though the Gospel has been preached all around the world, there are still those who cling to prejudice.  We need to remember that God does not have favorites, and no group is “less reachable” than any other.

Cornelius had long sought after God.  He feared God, seeking to know Him, and thus God led him to call Peter in order to hear the truth (vs. 35).  God will receive anyone who reverences Him and is humble before His majesty.  Though Cornelius lived a good life before the Lord, he still needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus in order to be saved.  No one, Jewish or Gentile, is saved by any good works.  No one can come to the Father except through Jesus.  God, though, recognizes genuine seekers and will draw them to the truth (John 6:44).

Being a Gentile, Cornelius may have had just a fleeting, passing knowledge of the Old Testament, if any at all. That would be in contrast to other people that Peter was used to witnessing to.  Most Jewish people knew their Scriptures to various degrees.  Peter may have been unsure of how to proceed.  He couldn’t just start quoting Old Testament prophecies, showing how Jesus had fulfilled this one and that one.  Instead, Peter began to tell of well-known historical events in the life of Jesus, beginning with John the Baptist’s ministry, then Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, and His works of healing and deliverance (vs. 36-38).

Peter spoke of how Jesus brought peace between God and man.  Peace with God is only through Jesus, not through religious rituals, through morality, or through tradition.  The events that Peter spoke of were not hidden, but were well known by anyone living in the area.  The miracles of Jesus authenticated His deity and His mission.  His ministry revealed the heart of God towards everyone, especially the broken and the afflicted.  Peter told Cornelius about the compassion of the Lord, and how He went about doing good to all, not just to the few, and that was because God was with Him.

Peter proceeded to witness to Cornelius, his family, and his friends, and as he spoke, the Holy Spirit came down upon them as they believed (Acts 10:44-48).  And though initially Peter was given a stern reprimand for this, just like Paul later was, this was the first chapter in the opening of the doors for Gentiles to come to salvation in the Lord Jesus, which was God’s plan all along.

Faithful to His Covenant

Psalm 89:19-29

We all like to see a promise made to us fulfilled, whether it is one made by our parents or other relative, a friend, our employer, or a politician.  It can be very disappointing when, after a long period of time, we see no answer.  That can even cause anger and/or bitterness to arise.  The worst is when we feel that God has not kept His promises.  However, most of God’s promises are not ones that are made today and fulfilled tomorrow.  God’s timetable is one that extends for years, for generations.  Today’s psalm speaks of one such promise, or covenant, that the Lord made with King David.  Let’s see what this entailed, and why it is important to us today.

Psalm 89 was written by Ethan the Ezrahite.  Not much is known about Ethan.  However the one psalm he wrote describes the great covenant promise that God made to King David, called the Davidic Covenant.  The background of this great covenant is found in II Samuel 7.  After becoming king of Israel, David built himself several grand and luxurious palaces, as would be expected of a successful and wealthy king.  Then, as he observed that the Ark of the Covenant continued to reside in the tents of the Tabernacle, David was disturbed.  How could it be, that he resided in a palace while God resided in a tent?!  David told God that he would build Him a great Temple.  God told him no, because he was a man of war, yet one of his sons, who would be king after him, would build the Temple.  God proceeds to promise David that his house and royal line will last forever.

David had numerous children, and the throne was passed on to his son Solomon.  Solomon’s descendants continued to sit upon the throne of Judah for many generations, until the time of the Babylonian captivity.  By the time of the New Testament, there hadn’t been someone from David’s line on a throne in Jerusalem for many, many years, generations even.  And now, 2,000 years later, there is no throne, no king, and no indication of there ever being one.  So what happened to that promise of a royal line lasting forever?

As we look into these verses of Psalm 89, let’s see how God’s covenant has been kept.  We’ll see that God means what He says, and His covenants and promises stand.  As our Scripture opens, we see that God chose David (vs. 19).  He had chosen David years earlier when he was a young shepherd boy, and now He chose his line to endure forever.  This was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, a descendant of David’s, the ultimate “mighty one” whom God has exalted. Through His foster father Joseph, Jesus is the legal descendant of King David, which we read in the genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16.  And in case anyone might say that since Jesus wasn’t the biological son of Joseph, and that genealogy didn’t count, we have the genealogy of Mary in Luke 3:23-38, which shows that she, too, was a descendant of David’s.

Jesus was chosen out of the people so that He might know our wants and sympathize with us.  In all of our sorrow we have His sympathy.  Jesus knows our temptations, pain, disappointment, weakness, weariness, and poverty.  He has felt them all (Hebrews 4:15).  Wherever we go, in every place, He has been our forerunner.  Each burden we have to carry has once been laid on His shoulders.  Jesus was chosen out of the people so that He might be able to be our brother in the tie of kindred blood.  We can say we have a brother in heaven, a brother who is rich and a King!

Though God did protect David and his royal line from enemy conquest for several generations, their continued sins made conquest inevitable (vs. 22-23).  However, this was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who will rule without opposition in His millennial kingdom.  God Himself fights for His anointed, and victory belongs to Jesus.  He will subdue all enemies at His return (Revelation 19).

Verse 24 speaks of two covenant attributes - faithfulness, and mercy/steadfast love.  These two attributes of God upheld and blessed the Davidic line.  We also see these completely embodied in the Lord Jesus.  In verse 25 we see a vast kingdom alluded to, with expanded dominion and broad authority.  David never ruled a worldwide kingdom, so this also points forward to Christ’s universal reign.  Both David and Jesus acknowledge God as their Father and the source of salvation (vs. 26).  Jesus uniquely fulfills this relationship (John 5:19-23).

We read that God’s chosen will be made the “firstborn” (vs. 27).  This is referring to a position of preeminence, not of birth order, as neither David or his son Solomon were firstborn.  They became “firstborn” in rank.  Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15), meaning supreme over all.

God extends His covenant mercy forever (vs. 28). It is eternal, unbreakable, and rooted in His character, not our human performance.  His promises do not fail, even when His people do.  He has promised that David’s line will endure forever, which it has through Jesus Christ (vs 29).  This covenant promise endures because of God’s faithfulness, not because of man’s.  Every promise here reached its climax in the Lord Jesus. Even when circumstances seem to contradict the promise, God’s Word remains sure.  We can trust God’s promises, even when circumstances look bleak. He is faithful to His covenant.

The Servant of the Lord

Isaiah 42:1-9

On this first Sunday following the celebration of Epiphany, the Old Testament reading takes us to the Book of Isaiah.  This is a season in the Church calendar of several weeks between the day of Epiphany (January 6) and the day before Ash Wednesday, which varies from year to year depending on when Easter falls.  Many of the Scripture readings in the Lectionary during this time focus on the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world, revealing His identity and mission as the Light of the World, bringing hope to all nations.  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiah frequently throughout his book, and today’s Scripture is one of them, where he gives a portrait of Jesus as God’s chosen Servant who brings justice, light, and salvation to the world.

As our Scripture opens, God calls us to look at His Chosen One (vs. 1).  This is God’s chosen Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, which is confirmed explicitly in the New Testament in Matthew 12:15-21.  He is chosen and upheld by God.  The Father spoke audibly and publicly at both Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration that He was well pleased, was delighted in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit came fully upon Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16).  God is delighted in Jesus, and because those who are saved are in Christ, He delights in us, too.

As God’s Servant, Jesus’ ministry was marked by humility, not by political agitation (vs. 2).  He wasn’t a rabble-rouser, out in the streets organizing protest marches against Roman rule.  Jesus does not advance His Kingdom through force or loud, angry noise.  Instead, He avoided publicity, refused any political power, and ministered quietly and compassionately.  Jesus shows us that true spiritual influence is not loud or self-promoting, but is Spirit-empowered humility.

Next we come across one of the most beloved characteristics of God’s chosen Servant, and that is His tenderness towards the weak (vs. 3).  A bruised reed symbolizes someone who is weak, wounded, and failing.  A bruised reed cannot be used for any good purpose.  However, God will not break them and throw them out, but instead restores and strengthens them.  A smoking flax is a faintly burning wick, and symbolizes those whose spiritual flame is nearly gone.  Barely any light or warmth can come from them.  But God will not extinguish them.  He will blow His breath of mercy until He fans them into a flame.  Jesus does not crush the weak. He restores them.  He meets us in our weakness with gentleness, not condemnation.

Jesus, though, is not a bruised reed or smoking flax.  He will not be bruised or crushed (vs. 4).  Though Satan and the world, both during His earthly life and today, have tried to stop Jesus, put an end to His ministry, and destroy His followers, His mission will not be stopped.  Christ’s mission cannot fail.  Our hope rests on His strength and power, not ours.

God, the Creator of all things, is the One who sends the Servant (vs. 5).  This reinforces the certainty of His success.  When God calls, He equips.  His purposes cannot be frustrated.  God’s Servant, the Lord Jesus, is not merely the mediator of a covenant, He is the covenant (vs. 6).  This is fulfilled in His shed Blood (Luke 22:20). He is also the Light of the Gentiles, leading them to salvation.  He is the only source of spiritual light, which all nations need.

Another part of the Servant’s saving work is opening the eyes of the blind and setting captives free (vs. 7).  This includes both literal and spiritual deliverance.  As we read throughout the Gospels, there were numerous occasions when Jesus physically restored people’s eyesight.  However, more importantly, Jesus opens spiritual eyes, causing those who are spiritually blind to see the truth.  He also sets those who are prisoners of sin, darkness, and Satan free when they turn to Him in faith.  Jesus, alone, frees us from spiritual captivity.

As our passage nears the end, the Lord clearly tells us that He will not share His glory with anyone or anything else (vs. 8), which includes all other false religious beliefs.  All glory belongs to Christ, and anything that competes with Him is an idol.  He closes by declaring that when He tells us of something that will happen, we can rely on it happening (vs. 9).  Fulfilled prophecy authenticates God’s Word.  It strengthens our faith, knowing that He always keeps His Word.

In closing, this picture of the Messiah that Isaiah gave invites us to behold the Servant Jesus, to trust Him and follow Him with renewed confidence.  We see that Jesus is both majestic and tender.  He is the Servant who stoops low to lift up the broken, yet He is also the King who will one day bring perfect justice to the earth.

God's Mystery Revealed

Ephesians 3:1-12

Have you ever been excluded from some event you wanted to attend or from some place you wished to go?  You were told that you were not welcome there, you didn’t have the right background, you weren’t the right race or nationality, or maybe the people were just being mean and didn’t want you there.  Such incidents can be very hurtful and emotionally painful to go through.  It is especially devastating if you are seeking after God and someone tells you that you are not welcome, and to leave the building because God does not want “your kind”.  Before you think that such a thing would never happen, for centuries it did, as the Gentile people were turned away from coming to the Temple or synagogues to hear about the one true God and His Word.  At best they were sometimes allowed to sit outside the synagogue buildings and listen through the windows.  Our Scripture today, though, speaks of what God’s plans for the Gentiles are, and how they are no longer outsiders.  Let’s read what His Word has to say.

Today’s Scripture is from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, about half way through the epistle.  Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Rome.  He was reflecting on the mission that God had given him, and that was to reveal the “mystery” that the Gentiles are fully included in the Body of Christ (vs. 1-7).  All throughout his ministry, Paul was constantly under attack because of his bringing the Word of God to the Gentiles.  He was often physically assaulted, frequently run out of town, and even thrown in jail.  This particular time Paul was under house arrest in Rome because the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem accused him of defiling the Temple and for teaching that the Gospel was for Gentiles as well as for Jews.

We read three times in this brief passage the word “mystery”.  What was this mystery that Paul spoke of here, and which he spoke of many times in his other epistles?  It is not some puzzle that a detective needs to figure out, but rather a divine secret once hidden, but now revealed through Christ.  The primary one being God’s plan to unite Jews and Gentiles as one people in His Kingdom, the Church, making the Gentiles fellow heirs through faith.

Though hinted at in the past, such as a few mentions in the Book of Isaiah, this mystery was not known in previous ages, but was now revealed to the apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit.  The Gentiles are fellow heirs and are part of the same Body of Christ, and partakers of His promises in the Gospel.  They are not second-class citizens, but are fully equal members of Christ’s Body.

God has revealed that the blessings of Abraham should come upon the Gentiles.  Along with the Jews, the Gentiles would also be joint heirs and partakers of the promises.  Salvation is open for all, and that is through the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It isn’t one way for the Jews and another for the Gentiles.  Both receive salvation through accepting Jesus as Savior.  Believers, whether Jew or Gentile, have access to God through faith in Jesus (vs. 10-12).

The Lord revealed His amazing wisdom to the rulers and powers, both in this world and in the heavenlies (the spiritual realm), through the Church, which is built on the foundation set by the Messiah, Jesus Christ (vs. 10-11).  As Paul states at the close of this segment of Scripture, as believers we now have access to God (vs. 12).  God is not far away in a remote, inaccessible land.  He is omnipresent and approachable, and desires all to come into a relationship with Him.

In closing, we see that God has shown us that both Jews and Gentiles are united in Christ, forming the Church, the Body of Christ.  This was God’s eternal plan, not an afterthought.  And now we have direct access to God through faith in Jesus Christ.  No longer does anyone need to feel left out, to feel like they aren’t wanted, or have to sit on the outside.  Whether you are a Gentile or Jewish, no one should ever make you feel like you are an outsider.  If we come to God through Jesus Christ we are all fellow heirs and are of the same body.  We are all partakers of God’s promises.

Man's Lies and God's Truth

Psalm 12

The other day I was watching a video on YouTube, and my daughter Lucy happened to glance at it as she went by.  She proceeded to tell me that it wasn’t real, that the whole thing was created by AI.  That not only disappointed me because I had been impressed with what I saw, but made me wonder what else had I seen that wasn’t true, that was in reality a type of lie.  That also reminded me of the many times I had heard things in the news that the news media wanted me to believe, but turned out to be false, to be a lie.  It doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle it was coming from, both sides have put out lies to serve their agenda.  Even friends and family will sometimes tell you things that make you wonder who you can trust.  Our psalm for this week, written by David, describes a time in his life when he felt that he couldn’t trust anyone.  Let’s look into the psalm and see what he had to say.

We don’t know when this psalm was written.  It could easily have been before David was king, when he was on the run from King Saul and his men, and he had to be very wary of who to trust.  It could also have been written when he was king, as many would try to flatter and twist the truth to get in good with him.  David lamented to the Lord the moral collapse all around him.  However, he knew that there was one thing he could trust, as we will see.

As David looked around, he saw that good, godly, and faithful men and women seemed to be vanishing from society.  Instead, they were being replaced by a society which did not value the truth (vs. 1-2).  Instead of speaking the truth, what came out of their mouth was lies.  They also resorted to flattery, which is a type of lying, along with having a double heart, which is a way of saying they were hypocrites and duplicitous.

This is by no means limited to the days of David.  As we look around society today we see the truth being mocked, flattery is celebrated, and sincerity is rare.  We are surrounded by lies - our neighbors, colleagues, even our family.  Also from advertisers, politicians, the news, and social media.  Flattery, boasting, and manipulation are also types of lying.  God warns us in II Timothy 3 that the last days are marked by moral decay and self-exaltation.

These people run around saying that they can say whatever they want, that no one has the right to tell them what they can do or not do (vs. 3-4).  This is the essence of rebellion against God, and we see this in modern humanism and self-worship today.  In the last number of years we have seen some who even deny that there is such a thing as a lie, as “everyone has their own truth”.  They feel that what may be true for me is not true for them, and “their truth” might not line up with someone else, but it’s true for them just because they say so.  Just as David prayed, there is coming a day when God will cut these people and their lying lips off.  Words reveal the heart (Matthew 12:34), and God will judge every idle word.

Yahweh steps in and speaks in verse 5.  Because these people oppress the poor and needy, He will rise.  They may boast in their wickedness, but God hears and responds to the cries of His children, the righteous.  He is not a distant God who doesn’t care.  Instead, God is attentive to His faithful remnant.  When society collapses into immorality, which we see so much of today, God is not silent.  He promises to act.

David picks back up his psalm, and reveals to us exactly where we can find something that is always truthful and reliable, and that is in God’s Word, the Bible (vs. 6-7).  This is contrasted with the false and corrupt words of men.  God’s Word is pure, tried, refined, and preserved  forever.  Just as silver is refined seven times to be completely pure, God’s Word is perfectly trustworthy.  People might wonder what is wrong with a little deception if it gets their desired result. It is what Satan used with Eve.  Deceptive speech is countered, though, by God’s Word.  We can rest in the promises of the Bible.  God’s Word is not like the empty words of deceivers.  It is purified and refined.

God Himself has promised to keep and preserve His Word, the Bible, from generation to generation.  When society’s words are corrupt, the Bible is our anchor.  It does not shift with culture, politics, or trends.  Many people and nations have tried to destroy it and rid it off the world, but they have all failed.  God’s Word will remain forever!

As today’s psalm closes, it ends with a sober observation (vs. 8).  Though God’s Word is pure and preserved, the wicked still strut their vileness.  Though not intended to be pessimistic, it is a realistic conclusion.  Until Jesus returns, wickedness will continue to rise.  However, the Bible remains the believer’s refuge.  We are not promised cultural victory in this age before His return, but we are promised preservation, truth, and God’s nearness.  We should continue to cling to the Scriptures, along with guarding our speech.  Our words should reflect God’s truth, not the world’s corruption.  We should not be discouraged, but trust in God’s timing while we stand on the purity of His Word.

Hostility, Indifference, or Worship

Matthew 2:1-12

On Tuesday of this week, the Christian Church celebrates Epiphany, January 6, twelve days after Christmas.  Though we don’t know for certain on what day following the birth of Jesus the Magi arrived, it is on January 6 that we commemorate that event, which we read about in Matthew 2.  It is a Scripture passage that shows another prophecy that was fulfilled, along with showing the beginning of the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles, along with contrasting true worship with false religion.  Let’s take a look.

As we look into this passage, I will focus on three groups of people who are mentioned here, learning some important lessons from each group.  The first group is naturally the Magi.  The Magi were learned men and priests from the East, likely from Persia.  They were learned in the sciences, such as astronomy/astrology and alchemy, and they used the placement of the stars to tell current and future events.  These learned men were very familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, and when they saw a new and different star in the sky, they knew that it was linked to the Jewish prophecies of the coming of their Messiah (vs. 1-2).  Though these men were not Jewish, and were Gentiles following a pagan religion (possibly Zoroastrianism), they had studied God’s Word, and believed it to be true.  These men followed the light that they had, and God gave them more.  When they determined that this star was the one foretold (Numbers 24:17), they packed up their caravan and left, determined to find the Messiah and worship Him.

The second person to look at is King Herod (Herod the Great).  He was a vassal or puppet king, set up by the Romans to rule Judea.  He also was not Jewish, but was an Idumean or Edomite, descended from Esau.  As such, he was not a descendent of King David, and devout Jews did not look on him as having a true right to the throne.  Herod was a violent king, filled with paranoia, having killed one of his wives and several of his own sons.  When Herod heard that there might be a rival to his throne (vs. 3), he became upset, and when he was upset, the whole city worried, out of fear of what he might do.

The knowledge of Jesus Christ’s kingship still troubles and upsets those who do not want Him in their life, those who want to have full control of their life.  The Gospel message of the Savior disturbs those who are proud and want to hold on to power in their life, but He brings comfort to those who are humble.

The third group are the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem.  King Herod was ignorant of the Scriptures and any details of the coming Messiah, so he called the priests and scribes to give him the information he wanted.  He wished to know exactly where the Messiah would come.  This group knew the Scriptures, and were able to quote to him the prophecy that spoke of the Messiah coming from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

These religious leaders knew the Scriptures, but when they heard the testimony from the Magi, they did not act upon their knowledge.  Many people today have a head knowledge about God and the Bible, but without Jesus in one’s heart, it is nothing.  Biblical knowledge without obedience leads to spiritual deadness.

Our Scripture then returns to King Herod as he sought to deceive the Magi (vs. 7-8).  He wanted them to report to him exactly where the Baby was, pretending to also want to worship Him, when he actually planned on killing Him.  He is a picture of Satanic opposition - lying, scheming, and murderous.  False worship will often mask hatred of God.  We need to be aware that not everyone who speaks religiously has a heart for God.

The Magi left the king, priests, and scribes, and proceeded to follow the star to Bethlehem and the Christ Child (vs. 9-11).  When they found Him they fell down and worshiped Him.  Their joy revealed genuine faith and anticipation.  Those who truly seek Jesus will find joy, not fear or indifference.

Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were symbolic.  Gold told of Jesus’ kingship.  Frankincense showed His deity and priestly role.  Myrrh, an aromatic resin which was used in medicine, perfumes, and burial rituals, would signify Jesus’ suffering and death.

God, who is omniscient, knew of Herod’s evil plot, and He sovereignly intervened to protect the Lord Jesus (vs. 12). He warned the Magi to not return to Jerusalem and the king, but to return home by another route.  These men immediately obeyed God, which showed they had a transformed heart.  When God reveals His will to us, we should also immediately and unquestionably obey Him.

Looking back over this Scripture we can see that God’s Word is trustworthy and exact.  The prophecies of the star and where Jesus was born were exactly fulfilled.  God also directed the star, the Magi, the dreams, and the protection of Jesus.  Nothing is accidental.  We also see that the faith of the Magi would foreshadow the worldwide scope of the Gospel of Jesus.  Even at His Birth, the Savior drew all nations to Himself.  And lastly, we see a contrast of hearts.  Herod responded with hostility.  The priests and scribes with indifference.  However, the Magi responded with worship.  It is the same today.  Many respond to Jesus with hatred or with indifference, but some come to Him in worship.  What is your response?

Your Light Has Come

Isaiah 60:1-6, 9

The medical profession believes that about 5% of people worldwide suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.  SAD is a form of depression that occurs in fall and winter, especially in latitudes further away from the equator, when there is reduced daylight hours.  Those with this condition generally start to improve in the spring, when longer daylight hours return.  Right now, though, people in the Northern Hemisphere who have SAD are really feeling the effects with the shorter days and longer nights.  Light is frequently important to one’s mood.  On Tuesday of this week the Church celebrates Epiphany, the day the Church celebrates when the Magi came to worship the Christ Child, and when God brings us His light with the presence of Jesus Christ into the world.  The Old Testament reading for this week of Epiphany comes from the prophet Isaiah, and speaks of God’s light coming into the world.

As our Scripture begins, the prophet Isaiah calls upon the people to rejoice, to arise and shine because the Light, the glory of the Lord, has come upon them (vs. 1).   One of the many names that Jesus called Himself was “I am the Light of the world (John 8:12).  The Magi who came to Jesus shortly after His birth were the first of the Gentiles to come to faith and worship Him.   Later throughout His ministry there were other Gentiles, such as the centurion whose servant Jesus healed, the Syrophoenician woman with her daughter, and several Samaritans (who had a mix of Jewish and Gentile blood).  The world is beginning to arise from centuries of spiritual darkness and blindness.  On Epiphany we remember the opening of the door of faith for the Gentiles, when the Light of Jesus is spread to all people.

The world was in darkness back during the time of Isaiah.  It was also in darkness at the time of Jesus’ birth, and it continues to remain in darkness to this day (vs. 2).  As the prophet said, it was in “deep darkness”, which is also true today.  However, while the world is in darkness, the Lord rises with His light upon all who come to faith in Him.  When we enter a dark room, what is the first thing that we do?  We turn on a light if we don’t want to stumble and trip in the darkness.  If there is no light switch, or we are outside, we bring a flashlight.  Spiritual darkness is no different.  This world is in terrible spiritual darkness, and that is much worse than physical darkness.  For though you may stub your toe, or even fall and break a bone, the danger of spiritual darkness is being lost for all eternity.

Isaiah told of God’s promise to send light, which He did in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This light was not just for His chosen people, the Jewish nation, but was for all people, the Gentiles included, for people high and low (vs. 3).  This found fulfillment when Paul and the other apostles spread out throughout the world bringing the message of salvation to all people.  God will bring sons and daughters from all nations into His family (vs. 4).

As our Scripture continues, Isaiah spoke of costly gifts being brought to the Savior (vs. 5-6, 9). Though He grew up in a humble household, and not in affluence, and depended upon the love and charity of others throughout His ministry, when the Magi came to the baby Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  We don’t know how many Magi came, nor how many servants they may have brought with them, but there were undoubtedly plenty of camels, laden with the wealth of whatever countries they came from.  When Jesus returns at His Second Coming, and sets up His Millennial Kingdom, all the nations will come and bow before Him at that time, and the wealth of all nations will be His, as well.

As we close, we see that Jesus is the only true Light.  We are not a light in ourselves, however we are called to reflect His Light to others in the world.  The world is growing darker with each passing year, but God’s truth and Light shine brighter, especially as we follow Him and reflect His light.

Come and See, Go and Tell

Luke 2:15-20

When we receive good news, often one of the first things we’ll do is to tell someone else.  Good news is meant to be shared, especially if the one who told us tells us to pass it on to others.  Now that we have started a new year, and the Christmas holidays are coming to a close, I want to take one last look at the Christmas narrative from the Gospel of Luke, as there is one more lesson there that we can learn.  Let’s take a final look at the Christmas story for this year.

Most of us are very familiar with the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke, how the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus while in the stable, laying Him in the manger.  We know of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the field at night, telling them of the birth of the Savior.  Right before the angels leave, they tell the shepherds where they would find this Savior.  This meant that they were to go and find Him.  As our Scripture passage begins, the angels have gone and the shepherds are now alone with the sheep in the fields.  What were they going to do?  What would you do?

Some might decide to stay put.  They had sheep they needed to watch and protect.  It was nice and warm by the campfire.  It was the middle of the night, and no one wanted to be prowling the streets of Bethlehem then.  On the other hand, these heavenly messengers had told them a generalized location where to find this newborn Baby.  Fortunately for them, they decided to go, and go right then, not waiting for the morning (vs. 15).  Their response was immediate, not delayed.  The shepherds acted on their faith in what the Lord had revealed to them, going to see the Savior they were told of.  When God speaks through His Word to us, the right response is prompt obedience, not procrastination, excuses, or hesitation.

The shepherds left with haste.  They were eager to see what the Lord had told them, and it didn’t take them long to find the Holy Family (vs. 16).  They found them exactly as the angel had described, which confirmed the truth of God’s Word.  God’s Word is always accurate and trustworthy.  When we see God’s truth revealed, we need to always run towards it.

After a time of brief worship of the Holy Child, the shepherds left.  But now they had a new job to do, in addition to being shepherds.  They now had the task of telling others about the newborn Savior (vs. 17-18).  They were the first evangelists in the New Testament.  Evangelism should be the natural response to encountering Jesus.

God often uses ordinary people to proclaim His message. Paul spoke of this in I Corinthians 1:26-29.  God used shepherds to announce Jesus’ birth to people.  If He had wanted, He could have used a well-educated scribe or priest from the Temple in nearby Jerusalem, but He didn’t.  Instead God used uneducated, possibly illiterate shepherds.  Even though shepherds were unlikely candidates to proclaim His birth, they were effective.  The people who heard them were moved by their message.  God may ask us to do something that makes us uncomfortable, where we may not feel qualified.  God often does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.  We don’t need a title or training to share the message of Jesus.  We just need a heart transformed by God and a willingness to speak.  He used the shepherds to proclaim Jesus’ birth.

The Virgin Mary had another response.  As we read, she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (vs. 19).  Her response was different from the crowds.  She didn’t give outward excitement, but had inward reflection.  She treasured and guarded this moment in hers and Jesus’ life, pondering and meditating upon it in her heart.  True faith also includes thoughtful meditation on God’s works.  Mary sought to understand God’s purposes.  She showed that deep reflection is a vital part of spiritual growth.

The shepherds returned to their job watching sheep, but they were not the same people after this encounter with God (vs. 20).  This experience led to worship and praise in what God had revealed.  When we have a genuine encounter with Jesus in our life, it should produce lasting worship.  And when we believe and obey His Word, God will be glorified.  God delights to reveal Himself to humble, ordinary people, and then use them to spread His glory.