December 21, 2018

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." John 2:10

Over the past several days I have been focusing on the announcement made by the angels to the shepherds that holy night. What was this "good news of great joy"? Why don't we see more joy in the church among believers?

We have recognized there should be joy in the presence of God and joy in the pardon from God and because of the peace of God though Christ. Also, you can find joy in the power of God. Christmas was impossible but impossible things happened so Jesus could be born!

How about another reason for joy?

You can take joy in the promises of God! In the events leading up to and culminating in the birth of Jesus there were 360 prophecies fulfilled. That means that 360 things that God predicted in advance were going to happen happened! And they happened exactly as they were foretold!

That incredible fact proves that God had His fingerprints all over the events that led up to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! And the accuracy of these predictions should give us joy in knowing that the promises of God are true and reliable!

Whatever His Word promises He will do!

There is no one else you know and love who could keep his promises 100% of the time! Every person over promises and under delivers. BUT NOT GOD!

If you are facing a difficult circumstance right now and you desperately need Him to be Who His Word says He is - rejoice! Jesus is everything He promises He is and He can do and possibly has already done what ever He says. What He can do is posted in His Word. Read it, memorize it and claim it!

Find joy in praising Him that He will do what He promises to do! Christmas proves it!

December 20, 2018

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:10

Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy. In this series of posts I am taking a closer look at this topic of joy. What is it and where does it come from?

Joy comes from God's presence. Christmas is when God came to us in the person of Christ.

Also, joy comes from God's pardon.

Jesus came to be our Savior. Savior from what? He saved us from the penalty of sin. As sinners we were spiritually dead and destined for eternal death. But Jesus, because He was without sin, took our sins upon Himself. He died for you and me.

Because He took our penalty, we can be pardoned.

It would be the equivalent of you receiving a death sentence because of a heinous crime you committed. You are arrested and tried and found guilty by a jury - because you ARE guilty. When you appear before the judge he sentences you to death and you are taken to death row. You remain there for several years until the time comes for your sentence to be carried out and you hear footsteps coming down the long hallway toward your isolated cell. Your heart quickens, a big lump develops in your throat and there is a sinking feeling in your stomach. "This is it!", you think to yourself. But, the guard opens the door and announces, "You are free to go!"

"What?", you reply.

"You are free to go. Report to the Warden and he will make sure you get your belongings."

"But........why........how?"

"The Warden's son volunteered to take your death sentence. He will die tonight in you place! Since he has taken your sentence you are free!"

As the news begins to sink into your consciousness, you feel a great sense of relief and then slowly a joy arises in you as you realize you are free! You will get to grow old! You will get to see your children grow up! You will live out your days in freedom because someone's son died in your place!

That is the pardon you receive in Jesus when you put your faith in Him. And that is why Jesus came at Christmas. He came to pay the penalty for your sins so you can be pardoned!

Joy results from God's presence and joy arises from His pardon. Christmas is where it all began!

December 19, 2018

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

When you read this at first glance it appears to be a story about the birth of Jesus, but take a closer look – a second look and you will see it focuses on the immaculate conception of Jesus.

V. 18 – “but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant”

Matthew wanted to make it clear to his Jewish audience that this child conceived in Mary could not have been Joseph’s.

In the Jewish custom of arranged marriage it is possible that Mary and Joseph did not know each other well. Perhaps they had never met face to face. That would make it impossible for this pregnancy to be traced to Joseph.

V. 18b – “by the Holy Spirit”

After establishing this could not be Joseph’s child it is made clear how the conception happened and who the child belonged to – God!

The Spirit of God had melded with human cells to create a God-man who would be called Jesus.

V. 20 – “do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

For the third time in three verses the angel emphasizes that Mary's pregnancy had nothing to do with Joseph or any man. The child growing in her womb was the offspring of God's Spirit.

V. 21 – “and you shall call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins.”

Were this child the offspring of the man, Joseph, there would be no way he could have saved people from their sins for he would need a Savior himself.

So once again, the angel emphasizes the divine origin of this pregnancy.

V. 23 – “Behold a virgin shall be with child….”

Quoting from the Prophet Isaiah, the angel stresses for the fifth time that Mary will be a virgin when she conceives this child and still a virgin when she gives birth to the child.

V. 25 – “and did not know her until she had brought for her firstborn Son.”

Just in case you missed it the first five times, Mary is a virgin and has had no sexual relations with Joseph or any other man.

It seems to me that Matthew is trying to make a point here. What do you think?

Oh, Baby! You bet he is!  God’s plan of redemption and the hope of every man rested on this child being the child of God born of a woman. There are three great doctrines wrapped up in this wondrous event!

The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception which declares Mary conceived her Son  by the power of the Holy Spirit not the seed of man.

The doctrine of the Incarnation states that in the womb of the Hebrew virgin named Mary, God united His Spirit with human flesh and God became a man to dwell among us.

When we share these two truths we are talking about two foundational tenets of the doctrine of salvation! Without these two doctrinal truths Jesus couldn't have come to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins!

Now God desires to birth new life in your spirit by the power of His Spirit! His Word wants to be fleshed out in your life.

Will you respond to His calling on your life with the same faith and obedience demonstrated by Mary?

December 18, 2018

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:1-6

This is the Season of concentrating and celebrating the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Rightly so!

I want to do that by fast forwarding from the time of His birth to a significant statement He made in the days leading up to His death.

Jesus identifies Himself as "THE TRUTH".

Interesting! Truth is not just a concept or a theory or an opinion - "TRUTH IS A PERSON!" Jesus is truth! He defines it, He demonstrates it, and He demands it of His followers.

Since truth is a Person, entering into truth requires a relationship with that Person! While truth may lead you to Jesus, only entering into a faith relationship with Jesus, can you know truth.

A bold statement like this had better be well documented! The claim of truth is only as valid as the evidence supporting the claim and the evidence behind Jesus' statement is 350+ fulfilled prophecies! Over 40 prophecies were fulfilled just in the events surrounding His birth! The other 300+ were validated by His life, His ministry, His death and His resurrection.

Think about it! If 350+ predictions are made by dozens of godly people under the inspiration of God's Spirit between 1,000 to 400 years ahead of time are all perfectly fulfilled in the life of one person, shouldn't you take that Person's claims seriously? And if that person predicts His death AND His resurrection and then pulls it off, doesn't that give Him serious credibility?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He defines truth for me. Whatever lines up with His life and teachings is true and anything that contradicts them is untrue.

Those last two statements will offend many people because it will challenge their notions of truth. There is no better example of this than what has happened to Duck Dynasty founder, Phil Robertson.

By giving honest Biblical answers to questions posed to him by a journalist, he has come under heavy criticism and the loss of his TV job. Many claim to be offended by Phil's expression of what he believes to be true.

So, for those who are offended by Phil's sincerely held beliefs, what do they hold as truth and what support do they offer for their claims? What they believe is based on their opinions, perhaps recent opinion polls, their emotions, their values, and their worldview. In other words, their version of truth is based on human wisdom. 

So, now his expression of truth has been punished, Phil will have to decide if he will continue to hold to that truth or conform to the pressure of worldly wisdom.

What does this have to do with Christmas?

Everything!

The arrival of God's Son on planet earth, and all the credibility that lends to the Word of God, confronts you with the decision of choosing your personal standard for truth.

If you, like Phil, hold with Jesus for your definition of Truth you can be sure your "Phil Robertson moment of truth" is coming.

Are you ready?