advent - Dead Man Not Walking

December 27, 2022December 27, 2022

Simeon

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32, NASB)

Eight days after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary took their Baby from Bethlehem to the Temple in Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. The Law of Moses mandated that the firstborn of all creatures belonged to the Lord. The firstborn of people, however, could be redeemed by a sacrifice. Since Joseph and Mary were poor, their sacrifice could be “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:24)

While at the Temple, they met a man named Simeon, who had been sent there by the Holy Spirit. Doctor Luke describes Simeon as “righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel.” “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

When he saw Jesus, Simeon “took Him into his arms, and blessed God.” Simeon knew this Baby was the Messiah, his Savior! Luke attributes the poem at the end of the portion above to Simeon, and the sentiment is replicated in the Michael Card song below. Simeon could now die a happy man, now that he had met his Savior!

Simeon was seeking “the redemption of Israel,” the Messiah. When he saw Jesus, he worshiped. The purpose of the Advent season is meant to prepare our hearts for the arrival of the newborn King. Simeon was prepared! Everyday should be Christmas. Everyday should be Resurrection Day. We must prepare our hearts for when Jesus returns, the Second Christmas!

Worship: “Now that I’ve Held Him In My Arms,” by Michael Card

Worship: “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” by Rod + Rose

December 24, 2022December 24, 2022

Christmas Eve

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10, NASB)

Christmas is a love story. The Apostle John wrote several books of the New Testament, and two of his main themes are “love” and “light.” “For God SO loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whoever believes in Him SHALL NOT PERISH, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, emphasis mine)

Jesus loves us so much that He left the majesty and comfort of His heavenly home on the greatest rescue mission in history. After all, He came to rescue ME! Jesus was born in the humblest of all circumstances, in a stable, and was laid in an animal’s feeding trough. God came down from heaven, took on flesh, and became like us–subject to the same discomforts of life that we feel. What other god would think to do that but our God?

When the Father’s timing was right, Jesus submitted Himself to horrific torture and crucifixion. He did so willingly, and He did so for us. Why? Because He loves us so much that He was willing to take the punishment we all deserve because of our sins.

If you don’t know Jesus, will you place your trust and hopes in Him this Christmas?

Worship: “Stille Nacht,” by Mannheim Steamroller

Worship: “O Holy Night,” by Jesus Image

December 21, 2022December 21, 2022

Mary

“. . . And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 2:31-38, NASB)

Doctor Luke writes the account of Mary’s encounter with the archangel Gabriel. This is the one time I can think of when an angel did not lead off with “Be not afraid.” Instead, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” God’s servant continues, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:28, 30) We continue with the portion above.

Gabriel tells Mary that she will give birth to a boy, whose name will be Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Can you imagine what was going through Mary’s mind? She was most likely in her mid-teens, because that’s the age young ladies married then. She, not being married, faced shame from the townspeople; from her family; and from her fiance, Joseph. According to the Law of Moses, she faced possible death by stoning. Mary wondered how she could be pregnant, since she was a virgin. Gabriel told her that she would be visited by the Holy Spirit.

Mary replied with the most impressive statement imaginable: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” This is incredible! Despite all that could happen to a young girl in her position, Mary gave herself up in total surrender to God’s will. Oh, that I had that kind of faith!

O Lord my God, please let me learn from Mary’s example. Please help me to see Your will, and then do it, no matter the consequences. If You are with me, then who could possibly stand against me? Please help me remember this. In the matchless name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Worship: “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song),” by Point of Grace

Worship: “Bethlehem Morning,” by Sandi Patty

December 18, 2022

Shepherds

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:8-14, NASB)

Isn’t it interesting that God would choose to announce the birth of His Son to the shepherds? These men were on the bottom of the social and economic scale. I guess God was being consistent: The Bible says that God humbles the proud, and exalts the humble.

The angel starts with the traditional greeting: “Do not be afraid . . . ” He then goes on to tell them of the miraculous birth of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The shepherds undoubtedly knew to expect, at some point, the Messiah. “Christ” is from a Greek word, meaning “Messiah.” We can imagine their excitement when they heard this news from an agent of God!

christmas-according-to-the-angels-luke-21-15 — “Christmas According to the Angels–Luke 2:1-15,” found at HubPages, https://discover.hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Christmas-According-to-the-Angels-Luke-21-15

“When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.'” (Luke 2:15) The shepherds went straight to Bethlehem, found Joseph, Mary, and the Baby, and they worshiped their newborn King.

While we most likely will not have an experience like the shepherds did, we’re called to worship the King. God’s Christmas present to us was given in perfect love. It’s up to us to either accept the gift or to reject it. I pray that as we celebrate the Advent of Jesus Christ, those of us who haven’t trusted in God’s gift, will call upon the name of the Lord, and be saved!

Worship: “Noel,” by Chris Tomlin, ft. Lauren Daigle, w/ scenes from “The Nativity Story”

Worship: “Oh What a Glorious Night,” by Sidewalk Prophets

Quiz: According to the song, “Rudolph the Red – Nosed Reindeer,” name all the reindeer.

Answer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, and . . .

. . . Olive. Olive was a mean one. “Olive, the other reindeer, used to laugh and call [Rudolph] names . . . “

December 15, 2022December 15, 2022

Wise Men

Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:7-12, NASB)

Bible quiz: How many wise men (magi) visited Baby Jesus soon after He was born?

Answer: If you said “Three,” you may or may not be correct.

The Bible doesn’t tell us how many magi traveled to Israel to pay homage to the newborn King. Tradition says it was three, probably because there were three gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Tradition also tells us names for the three: Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior.

Another myth is that the three visited our Savior on the night of His birth, along with the shepherds. This is perpetuated in nativity scenes and movies, but it’s not biblically accurate (I know, I’m a Scrooge). How do we know? In the passage above from Matthew, “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.” Joseph would’ve had to relocate his little family. But I think the three visited Jesus in Nazareth.

If we piece a timeline together using the books of Matthew and Luke, we see this: Jesus is born. The shepherds visit. On the eighth day, Joseph and Mary take their Baby to the Temple in Jerusalem to present Him and have Him circumcised. They go back to Nazareth. The magi visit. The magi return home, avoiding Jerusalem and Herod.

It may have been months after Jesus was born before the magi visited. When he realized the magi weren’t coming back, Herod “became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.” (Matthew 2:16) If Herod slew the boys two years old and under, it was a considerable time since Jesus’ birth and the visit.

The wise men determined, based on the star and its position, that a great King would be born. They traveled a great distance to give Him honor. Whether they realized just Who they were visiting, the Bible doesn’t say. They bowed down before Him. Even today, we have to pay homage to this great King, God’s Christmas present to us. The Bible tells us that there will come a day when “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess” that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. It’s best that we do it here on this earth while we have the choice. Old bumper sticker: “Wise men still seek Him!”

Worship: “Follow That Star,” by Paul Beloche

Sue has asked me if there’s a difference between “Emmanuel” and “Immanuel.” I think they both mean “God with us.” I think the difference is in the pronunciation. “Emmanuel” seems to be the English version. The Bible uses “Immanuel,”which seems to me to be the phonetic Hebrew. We pronounce both of them the same, but Joshua Aaron pronounces “Immanuel” correctly in the song below.

Worship: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” by Joshua Aaron

December 12, 2022December 12, 2022

Joseph

And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25,NASB)

We know very little about Joseph, the earthly, legal father of Jesus. The Bible teaches us that Joseph’s father was named Jacob, and that Joseph was the husband of Mary (Matthew 1:16); that Joseph was a righteous man (v. 19); he was obedient to God’s commands (vv. 24-25); he was a descendant of King David (Luke 2:4); and Joseph was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55).

In the passage above, Joseph had found his fiance with Child, and was pondering divorce. An angel of the Lord visited Joseph in a dream, and told him to marry Mary, who was pregnant with the Son of God. Joseph was obedient to God’s command.

“With a Father’s Heart,” found at Opus Dei, https://opusdei.org/en/article/year-of-saint-joseph-begins-with-a-father-s-heart/

We all know that Joseph took his wife to Bethlehem to take part in the census proclaimed by Caesar Augustus, and that Mary gave birth to Jesus there. All indications are that Joseph was “a righteous man,” which was why God chose him to raise His Son. Jesus grew up in a devout Jewish home, which was God’s plan. Jesus was an obedient son to Mary and Joseph: “. . . and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51) Jesus was a great example to all of us as He grew up, honoring His father and mother. Joseph disappears from the Bible narrative after Jesus was a young Man. We presume he died before Jesus’ public ministry. But he kept God’s commands, and raised His Son.

While we don’t know a lot about Joseph, we do know he was righteous, and kept God’s commands. He set a great example for us, bringing his adopted son up according to biblical principles. God trusted Joseph to bring up His Son in a devout home. And Joseph did just that!

Worship: “Joseph’s Song,” by Michael Card

Worship: “Joseph’s Lullaby,” by MercyMe

December 9, 2022December 9, 2022

Angels

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:26-33, NASB)

A recent Bible study mentioned the prominent role of angels in the story of the Advent of Jesus. Whether by name, or by mention, they played a key part.

The archangel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias as he was performing his priestly duties, to announce that he and wife Elizabeth would, in their old age, become the parents of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:11-20) Next, Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of the Messiah, the mother of her Savior. (the Bible verses above)

Next, “an angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream,” to tell him not to be afraid to marry Mary, who was pregnant with God’s Son. (Matthew 1:19-24) Then, “an angel of the Lord” appeared to some shepherds on the outskirts of Bethlehem, to announce the birth of the Christ Child, and tell them where to go to find Him. (Luke 2:9-14) And finally, “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph [again!] in a dream,” and told him to flee to Egypt with the Child, as Herod was trying to kill Him. (Matthew 2:13)

The angel Gabriel talking to Mary — The Angel Gabriel Visits Mary, found at https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/true-faith/the-angel-gabriel-visits-mary/

It’s a common occurrence in the Bible when a person encounters an angel, to have the angel tell them to not be afraid. Either the appearance of angels is frightening, or their showing up is so unexpected, that the angel gives this reassurance.

The other day on The 700 Club, Gordon Robertson was discussing angels. He told the audience that the Bible says that “angels” are appointed to watch over us. He said that’s at least two!

The angels in the Christmas story add a sense of wonder as we read. As followers of Jesus, we not only have the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Teacher, we have at least two angels watching over us! I think we should not hinder all of them from doing their work!

Worship;: “Angelic Proclamation,” by BarlowGirl

Worship: “He Shall Reign Forevermore,” by Chris Tomlin

December 6, 2022December 6, 2022

Immanuel

“. . . She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:21-23, NASB)

The Apostle Matthew, in his account of Jesus’ birth, writes that when Joseph found out that his fiance, Mary, was pregnant, Joseph, “being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.” (Matthew 1:19) But an angel visited him in a dream. The angel told him that Mary’s child was conceived from the Holy Spirit, and not to be afraid to take Mary for his wife. (v. 20)

The option Joseph considered was divorce (betrothal was as good as marriage at the time). The possible penalty for Mary, according to the Law of Moses, was being stoned to death. But Joseph is described as “a righteous man,” and didn’t want “to disgrace her.” The angel also describes Joseph as “son of David,” along whose lineage the Messiah would come.

“The Dream of Saint Joseph,” by Philippe de Champaigne. Found at Wikipedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Dream_of_Saint_Joseph.jpg

In the passage above, the angel tells Joseph that the Child’s name would be “Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew reports, “Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.'”

The prophet Isaiah foretold the event we celebrate on Christmas. “Immanuel” means “God with us.” If you’re a Jesus-follower, not only is God with us, but He lives in us in the person of the Holy Spirit! If you don’t know Jesus, this season of Advent would be the perfect time to ask Him to be the Lord of your life! Would you do this today? Then God would not only be WITH you, He would be IN you! That’s the hope of Christmas!

Worship: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” by Joshua Aaron, from “The Chosen” Christmas Special

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” by Amy Grant

November 30, 2022November 30, 2022

Jesus’ Earthly Lineage

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar . . . Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah . . . Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon . . . Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-3, 5-6, 11, 16-17, NASB)

The books of Matthew and Luke both have earthly genealogies of our Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Luke’s version traces Jesus’ ancestry all the way back to Adam. Matthew’s genealogy begins with father Abraham. I think most Bible scholars combine the two, beginning with Luke’s account, from Adam to Abraham, and picking up from Abraham on using Matthew’s narrative. The difference between the two is from King David onward, Matthew showing Solomon to be David’s son, while Luke reports Nathan as the son. Both are correct, ending with Joseph, Jesus’ adopted earthly father.

Matthew (a.k.a. Levi), the former tax collector, was chosen by Jesus to follow Him. Matthew wrote his gospel as a way to attract Jewish people to become followers of the Messiah. He begins his account with the genealogy to prove that Jesus is a descendant of King David, which was foretold by the prophets. Matthew’s lineage is called “The Royal Line,” because it goes through the kings of Judah.

To me, of interest is the cast of characters we find in the Royal Line. We see saints and sinners, good kings and bad, Gentiles, and ordinary people. Isn’t that just like God? Satan tried many times to thwart the genealogy of Jesus, but was defeated each time. Let’s meet some of the people involved:

The Genealogy of Jesus, found at Lincoln Park UBF, https://lincolnparkubf2442.squarespace.com/blog/2016/12/5/the-genealogy-of-jesus

Judah was one of the sons of Jacob. One of Judah’s sons married Tamar, and he died. Tamar disguised herself as a harlot, tricked her father-in-law, and they had a son, Perez.

Rahab was a harlot in Jericho. When the Israelites first entered the Promised Land, Joshua sent spies to survey the city. Rahab hid the spies in return for safety for her and her family when Israel invaded Jericho. Rahab married Salmon, and became the great-great-grandmother of David.

Ruth was the heroine of the book of Ruth. She was a Gentile from Moab, married Boaz, and was the great-grandmother of David.

Bathsheba was married to Uriah the Hittite, who was off to war. King David had an affair with her, got her pregnant, and later had Uriah murdered. David took Bathsheba as his wife, but the child died. Later, they had a son, Solomon.

Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, adopted Him. Adoption was, and is, considered just as legal as being the natural father, hence the genealogy runs through Joseph.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Son of David. He was, and is, the Messiah, foretold by the prophets of old. It’s He Who we celebrate during this Advent season. Is He the Lord of your life? He is the Savior of the world!

Worship: “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” by Meredith Andrews

December 30, 2021December 30, 2021

Herod

Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:“A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, Because they were no more.” (Matthew 2:16-18, NASB)

The great tragedy in the Christmas story is the “Massacre of the Innocents,” when Herod the king murdered all the little boys in the area of Bethlehem.

The magi, the wise men from the east, saw the star of the King of the Jews, and traveled to Judea to honor Him. They were granted an audience with Herod, and inquired as to where they could find the newborn King. Herod sent them off in search of the Child, and instructed the magi to report back to him “so that I too may come and worship Him.” (Matthew 2:8) The magi then went to visit the Holy family, and worship the newborn King. “And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” (v. 12)

Herod was appointed king over the region of Judea by the occupational Roman government. He was quite paranoid over any challenge to his authority, and any threat to interruption to the kingly line of his heirs. When he realized the magi had not come back to him, Herod was “very enraged.” He “sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.” (v. 16)

“Massacre of the Innocents,” by Peter Paul Rubens, between 1611 and 1612. Found at Wikipedia Commons, commons.wikipedia.org

Meanwhile, Joseph had been warned by God in a dream to take his family to Egypt, as Herod would try to kill the Child. They remained in Egypt until Herod’s death.
This was yet another attempt by Satan to thwart God’s plan of redemption. Ever since God announced His plan in the Garden of Eden (“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head,And you shall bruise him on the heel.” [Genesis 3:15]), Satan had tried to interrupt the ancestral line between Adam and Christ. This time he tried to kill God’s Son Himself before He could grow up and go to the cross.

So Herod the king slew all the male children two years and younger in the Bethlehem area. Despite the birth of the Christ Child, an atrocity like this still occurred. This tragedy is a part of the Christmas story to remind us of the evil that takes place in the world still today. Jesus told His disciples that there would always be troubles in this world. But He gave us hope, because He said He had overcome the world. He defeated Satan by completing His mission on earth. He went to the cross and took the punishment I deserve so that by accepting His sacrifice, I can have eternal fellowship with God the Father!

The “Coventry Carol” is a beautiful, but haunting piece about the “Massacre of the Innocents.” Whenever I hear it I’m reminded of the injustices that remain in this world. How God calls us to seek justice and love mercy. And how we won’t see injustice done away until Jesus comes back again. We spend Advent and the Christmas season preparing our hearts for His birth. Let’s prepare our hearts for His return!

“Coventry Carol,” performed by Clamavi De Profundis