All Saints Day
November 4, 2001
To Seek And Save the Lost
Luke 19:1-10
This summer I led a study group on prayer at church. Arriving early one night, I found myself alone in a quiet empty church. I walked over t a table that contained free literature and started thumbing through some of the material. I noticed one pamphlet concerning prayer, and since I was leading a study group on prayer, it caught my attention, and I began reading through it.
The pamphlet asked Christians to lift up in prayer specific individuals in positions of influence around the world. It listed various world leaders, heads of state, government officials and people in high profile positions in the media industry.
The pamphlet had a picture of each individual, and it gave a brief synopsis of how that person influenced world affairs followed by suggestions on how to pray for that person. One picture I immediately recognized, and it aroused my interest. It was a picture of Osama bin Laden -- a face we see and a name we hear often in the news. He's the suspected mastermind of several terrorist attacks against the United States.
When I saw the picture, I must confess that my first thought wasn't to pray for his well being but for his destruction. I don't reveal my initial thoughts with any pride or joy. I know that thought runs counter to the Gospel I preach. It wasn't a thought grounded in love but in vengeance. The Gospel message is one where God seeks sinners for salvation.
In the Bible I know of no story that better illustrates the purpose of Jesus Christ's coming than the account of a man named Zacchaeus. It illustrates how Christ came to seek and save sinners.
In the 19th chapter of Luke we meet Zacchaeus. It's a short story -- only 10 verses long. But it's a powerful message deserving our attention.
If you're like me and have children who grew up in Sunday School, the first thing that might come to mind about Zacchaeus is a son. It starts out with the line: "Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he." I like that first line. It immediately endears me to Zacchaeus. I guess it's because I love a story where Jesus seeks and saves a short guy.
The 19th chapter begins by telling us that Jesus entered the city of Jericho. Zacchaeus lived in Jericho and Luke tells us he was a chief tax collector which wasn't at all popular with the people. Being a short man, Zacchaeus couldn't see over the crowd so he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a tree for a better view. When Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was, He looked up and said: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your hose today" (v. 5). Zacchaeus immediately responded by coming down and gladly welcoming Jesus into his home.
The reaction of the crowd was shock. They couldn't believe that Jesus would associate with someone like Zacchaeus. They couldn't believe that He would enter the home of a sinner, but He did. And because He did, an amazing thing occurred.
We don't know how long Jesus spent with Zacchaeus, but when their meeting was just about over he stood up and made an amazing statement: "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (v. 8).
Jesus responded by saying: "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (vv. 9-10).
That final verse in the story may very well rank as one of the most important verses in the entire Bible. If I were put on the spot and allowed only one sentence to describe who Jesus was and why He came, I might very well have chosen verse 10.
Does Jesus need to come to your house to seek and save a lost sinner? Salvation can only come if Jesus comes. There is no other way.
The good news is that He wants to come. He wants to come because you have value. He wants to come because He loves you.
Your life needs a transformation that only Jesus can accomplish. Jesus came to seek and save lost sinners. The only open question is: Will you walk away or will you gladly invite Him into your house? (Michael Watkins)
Proper 27
November 11, 2001
The Big Question
Luke 20:27-40
I recently had a conversation with a young self-proclaimed pluralist. We sat at a small wrought iron table outside a coffee shop discussing life. He boasted of his ability to think freely about the universe, and he tenaciously opposed the possibility that truth was anything other than relative to the individual.
As the conversation progressed, my pluralist friend began constructing a theory that he'd been working on for a while. On one end of the table a lighter represented birth, and on the other end, a pack of cigarettes represented death. They were connected by a straw symbolizing the "ideal" way. The zig-zags in the mesh frame of the tabletop stood for the many roads one might take through life.
Though they didn't always stay in line with the "ideal" way, they often crossed paths, and they all led from birth to death. None of them were evil or wrong, just different. The ideal way wasn't the "right" way either, it was simply the road one would take if there were no friction in life.
According to his theory, no one could know what came before the lighter or what comes after the cigarettes because no one can remember what it was like before birth, and no one has come back from the dead to explain the hereafter.
At this point I interjected with a question: "What if someone who was both before birth and after death became one of us in order that He might tell us truths from eternity?" I then shared with him that the Christian worldview offers such hope. His name is Jesus, the Word who was in the beginning and who was resurrected from the dead.
My pluralist friend couldn't accept this though. "I just can't believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that I'm held accountable for my sin. Some people need religion; I don't," he said. He was comfortable with his theories, and refused to believe that there was just one religion with the truth, especially a religion that spoke of sin and judgement, a religion that believed in the resurrection and the afterlife, a religion that replaced autonomy with a desperate need for saving grace.
In our text today we meet another group with similar beliefs, and like my pluralist friend, they just can't believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
I. Hypothetical Deception (vv. 27-33)
The Sadducees, a group of free-thinking philosophers who denied the possibility of a resurrection, or anything supernatural, come to meet Jesus. This group, normally at odds with the Pharisees concerning doctrine, set there differences aside for a more important cause -- the extermination of Jesus. They came to set Jesus up, to bring a riddle that could not be answered, and, therefore, to prove themselves right and Jesus wrong, or so they thought.
Knowing that the Law of Moses made provision for a man who died without an heir by having his unmarried brother marry the deceased man's widow, they brought to Jesus a hypothetical designed to distort the truth.
Apart from Christ, we, too, stand in opposition to Jesus. Our hostility may take various shapes, but it reveals the same arrogance and rebellion that existed in the hearts of the Sadducees. When the holiness of Jesus stands in contrast to the hypocrisy of the depraved only two things happen -- rejection or repentance.
We live in the midst of postmodern "free" thinkers. Plurality is favored, and no one is allowed to claim absolute truth. Our culture is still in the business of exterminating the One it most desperately need. Praise God that though "we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. 5:10).
II. The Answer is in Him (vv. 34-40)
Jesus responded by turning back to the Law of Moses. The Sadducees brought this supposed problem to Jesus under the assumption that the Law didn't teach a resurrection. Jesus explained to them that there is neither marriage nor birth in the afterlife. And there is no death because, like the angels, we will be immortal. Jesus turned back to the law stating that God is the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He isn't the God of the dead but of the living.
Those listening to Jesus were silenced. And they didn't have the courage to bring any more tricks or questions. Jesus had the answer, and Jesus is our answer.
Whether we're at work, talking with our neighbor or sitting outside a coffee house discussing life, death and the universe, Jesus is our answer. His Word makes sense of the beginning, the present and the end, for He is the Alpha and the Omega. (Jonathan Kever)
Proper 28
November 18, 2001
Window of Opportunity
Luke 21:5-19
In our text today Peter, James and John ask three questions: 1) When will the temple be destroyed? 2) What will be the sign of His coming? 3) What will be the end of the age? Our Lord's reply is what we today call "The Olivet Discourse" and is expanded in Matthew 24 and 25.
Shakespeare said, "There are sermons in stones," and rightly so, for our Lord used such common place things as a little boy's lunch and a farmer's seed to teach the deep truths of His Word. As believers, we should always be sensitive to the world around us because God is constantly giving everyday opportunities to share His love. To see the windows of opportunity we must:
I. Deal with the fact of tradition
In biblical times three temples were built on the same site: Solomon's, Zerubbabel's and Herod's. Solomon built the temple on the east side of Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, "where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite" (1 Chron. 21:28; 2 Chron. 3:1).
The temple took 46 years to complete, and even then more work was done until 64 A.D., 6 years before its destruction by the Romans. It was a splendid sight, built of white marble and covered with heavy plates of gold in front rising high above its marble, cloistered courts.
Yet the beauty of the building couldn't hide the hatred and hypocrisy within the hearts of those inside. This is made evident in verse 1 when Christ pays honor to the heart of the giver and not the amount being given. Eventually Christ would correct the practices of the temple by teaching His disciples the real meaning of worship: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth ..." (John 4:23).
II. Deal with the fear of destruction
Verse six speaks not of some far in the future prophetic event, and it would see its fulfillment just forty years later. The Roman General Titus brought his army in the fall of A.D. 68, but because of a harsh winter and low supplies, he had to withdraw and didn't return until A.D. 70. The Christians in Jerusalem remembered Christ's warning and fled the city while the arrogant remained and considered Titus so discouraged that he wouldn't return.
III. Listen to the prophecy
There must be faith in the word of our Lord. The disciples asked when these things would occur not if they would occur. They asked what to expect and didn't debate with Jesus on why there should be exceptions or exemptions.
IV. Have faith in the midst of opposition.
In verse 12 Christ speaks of times of persecution for His sake, and He even warns us to beware when all men speak well of us. This will lead to great opportunities to testify on behalf of Jesus' great name. He told the disciples that the wisdom they needed during these times would be provided.
Jesus then goes on to explain more concerning this desperate time in verses 16-17, yet the Lord would protect them. There faith was in the Lord, as our faith should be in the Lord when difficult days arise. (Jeff LaBorg)
Christ The King
November 25, 2001
Remember Who You Know
Colossians 1:12-20
Have you grown accustomed to knowing Jesus? The opening verse of our passage reveals that knowing and following Jesus is intended to be a life of continuous and joyful thanks -- as though one just can't get over it and constantly collapses to his knees in overwhelming gratitude. The attentive Christian can restore that sort of joy to life by simply remembering what God has done: 1) "[He] has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light, (2) He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and (3) transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (4) in whom we have redemption, (5) the forgiveness of sins." The reason a Christian has such a superior standing is because Christ Himself is the Supreme Being. Paul describes four basic aspects of Christ's supremacy.
I. Image of the Invisible God
First, "He is the image of the invisible God." "These words assert that the glorified Son sets forth, to those who behold Him, the nature and grandeur of the Eternal Father. The image includes the glorified manhood in which the Eternal Son presents, in created and visible form, the mental and moral nature of God. Men knew the Father because they had seen the Incarnate Son (John 14:9)."1 Paul repeats and magnifies the idea in verse 19: "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him." All there is of God is in Christ.
II. Firstborn Over All Creation
This is further demonstrated in Christ's relationship to creation. "He is the firstborn over all creation." Firstborn does not imply that Jesus is a created being; rather it is a statement of His position relative to cre-ated things: He preceded Creation, and He is Sovereign over Creation. For example, in referring to things "visible and invisible", Paul alludes to the world of angels, making it clear that they are subordinate to Christ because He created them.
"All things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." All things, all things, all things -- the phrase is repeated four times. Everything is subject to Christ because "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (John 1:3). Christ is the Eternal One; in the beginning He was already there.
III. Head of the Body -- Firstborn from the Dead
Thirdly, Christ is supreme in relation to the Church. He is it's Head and it's Beginning, and the firstborn from the dead. Christ has authority over the Body. He led the way in resurrection. As Hebrews puts it, He is the Captain of our Salvation. Thus, "He is preeminent. The same eternal Logos (John 1:1) who 'became flesh' (John 1:14) and 'humbled Himself' (Phil. 2:8) is now 'exalted' by God the Father 'to the highest place' and has been given 'the name that is above every name' (Phil. 2:9)."2
IV. Peacemaker
Finally, the supremacy of Christ is in His work of reconciliation. In verse 20, we find that Christ is the agent by which all things are reconciled to God the Father. By sin, mankind put things out of sync with God -- even the natural universe (see Rom. 8:19-22). By His death, Christ has "made peace;" He sets everything back to unity with God.
Remember what a great and glorious thing it is to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ! Knowing Him is the highest knowledge, for He is the Supreme Being. Yes, He is God himself, and He is God's chosen instrument for setting things straight -- you included -- which He did by taking on a body, dying in your place, and rising again. God Himself has revealed this perfect knowledge of Christ to you. We will keep the joyful and thankful perspective God intends if we "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2 Cor. 1:20). (Doug Searle)
1J. A. Beet, Exposition of the Epistle to the Colossians
2Norman L. Geisler, "Colossians," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary
December 2, 2001
First Sunday of Advent
The Preparations of Advent
Romans 13:11-14
We cannot imagine entering the Christmas season with little or no preparation. We would not try to run a marathon, for example, without building up to it. So it is with Advent. It is a time for preparation, a season of buildup.
In writing to the Romans, the apostle Paul reminded them that the time for slumber was past. What does it mean to take seriously the preparations for Advent?
I. Remember that we live in a world of responsibilities
The Bible tells about the connected nature of life. We do not exist in isolation. We live together where the good of everyone is more important that individual wants. To remember that is part of our Advent preparation. God is part of the heritage of the United States. It appears that God will always maintain that role.
For the first time since 1976, the U.S. Mint is issuing quarters with a new design. Fifty new quarters will eventually be released honoring each state in the order in which it came into the union. The Delaware quarters were the first out of the mold since Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787. Other quarters will be released in order. The "heads" side of each of the new coins will retain the portrait of George Washington, but it will be smaller to accommodate some of the wording that used to be on the back of the coin. The words "In God We Trust" still appear on the front of the coin.
We've heard all our lives that church and state are two separate institutions. Yet, they seem to become intertwined in many situations, as evidenced by our nation's coinage. Produced by the government, our money still bears the statement, "In God We Trust." Perhaps this statement on our money can help us remember that God expects us to be good citizens of the church and good citizens of the state. We may not always agree with the words politicians use or the way elected officials vote to spend our taxes, but we are still to be model citizens of our towns, states and country. As you begin to notice the new quarters making their way into circulation, be reminded every time you spend one to remember God's expectation of how we can be responsible citizens.
II. Moral alertness helps make Advent real
Advent is a time for preparations. One such preparation is a moral checkup. While much of the world seems to be heading toward destruction, the Christian is called on to "clothe yourselves" with the Lord. That is a way of saying, "Wake up morally and live spiritually responsible lives." This is difficult to do.
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a Republican from Miami. She attended President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address in 1999 with her 11-year-old daughter, Patricia. In the proceeding weeks, Representative Ros-Lehtinen had voted to impeach the president, but that didn't stop her from asking President Clinton to pose for a photograph with her daughter following the address. As for the irony of seeking a photo op with a man she helped impeach, Ros-Lehtinen said, "My daughter knows I voted for the articles of impeachment. But what we were there to celebrate was the spirit of democracy and our institutions that we cherish. It's not whether we like Bill Clinton or dislike him. It's about the office of the presidency and the awesome responsibility that accompanies that constitutionally mandated position. So I'm proud to celebrate democracy with my daughter."
Advent comes alive when we live a God-ordered life. God is pleased to dwell among us. (Don Aycock)
December 9, 2001
Second Sunday of Advent
The Message of the Baptist
Matthew 3:1-12
Do you know what is the most difficult instrument to play in life's orchestra? It is "second fiddle." Most people want to play first chair. Nothing else seems worthwhile to some people. Yet what would an orchestra sound like if every instrument played the same notes? The rich texture of melody, counter melody and harmony would be lost. The same can be said of life in general and church life in particular.
Meet John the Baptist. He was a man who had his ego in check. John's life had balance. He neither had to be first in everything, nor was he afraid to stand up and speak his mind. John purposely accepted a role secondary to Jesus. Why did John do so? Simply put, John knew he had a mission in life. His mission was not to build his reputation but that of another. A person with a mission is a person of force and persuasion.
Listen to the message of the Baptist.
I. Repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven (vv. 1-2)
John came "preaching in the wilderness." Preaching in the Old Testament came from the prophets who heralded God's messages against the sins of the people. The earliest preaching in the New Testament was the proclamation of God's revelation. After Jesus was crucified preaching centered on Him and His atoning work.
The preaching of John the Baptist had two major themes. The first was repentance. To repent literally means to change one's mind and direction in life. To repent is to realize the nature of the problem, namely, that a person has rebelled against God. After the realization comes a basic change in life direction.
The urgency of John's message is summed up in the proclamation that the "kingdom of heaven is at hand." In all of this we see that John called on the Jews to repent of their sins, to change the way they thought about God and their relationship to Him. His kingdom was at hand. It was among them if they would accept it.
II. The Necessity of Genuine Repentance (vv. 7-10)
Not everyone who went to John was welcomed. Two groups of people were rejected by John. One group was the Pharisees. They emphasized the oral traditions of their law meant to help Jews know how to keep the law. Those oral traditions developed over generations and almost became a noose around the necks of people. The Sadducees we a priestly sect who found power and prestige associated with the Temple. They accepted only the first five books of what we call the Old Testament (the Pentateuch) and rejected many of the core beliefs held by the Pharisees.
When members of these two groups went out to John they were severely criticized. He called them a "brood of vipers." John asked, "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" The implication was that they were seeking baptism for dishonest reasons. John discerned that they were simply trying to save themselves from the coming wrath of the Messiah. They were like snakes trying to escape a burning field.
John caught onto the "game" of the religious leaders but did not play along. God knows the truth about us. He can see what is in our heart. No one can fool God. A life that is committed to Christ will be a repentant life. Spiritual fruit will grow from such a life. It might be faked in church for a while, but sooner or later the truth will emerge. The warning in verse 10 is real and should be a warning to everyone that God is not to be trifled with. A spiritual heritage can be a powerful force to lead a person to Christ. But heritage alone is not enough.
III. Focus On The One Who Was To Come (vv. 11-12)
John continued his reply to the Pharisees and Sadducees. They came to him for baptism, but John explained the difference between what he offered and what the One coming after him, the Messiah, offered. John baptized in "water for repentance." The word "for" here means "on the basis of." John's baptism was given on the basis of a person's repentance. The members of the two groups did not repent so he would not baptize them.
The One coming later would baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire." The One who could baptize with the Spirit was therefore the Messiah. He would also use "fire," a symbol here of judgment. The baptism of Jesus would be the purging of fire. John made clear the fact that when the Messiah came the time would be momentous. It would not be a picnic. John changed the image again but stayed with the idea of judgment. The Messiah would sift people with a "winnowing fork." Grain was thrown into the air with this kind of fork. The wind blew away the chaff while the grain fell back to earth. That image is used of the Messiah's judgment. A time of separation was coming between the true followers of the Messiah and those who merely pretended to follow.
The "chaff" would be burned with "unquenchable fire." This image of separation and judgment is powerful and graphic. In all of this John portrayed himself as merely the herald of the Messiah. He was not "even fit to remove His sandals." That was his way of humbling himself before Christ.
The message of John the Baptist is one of repentance and refocusing upon the Messiah. When you think of it, that's not a bad description of Advent. (Don Aycock)
Third Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2001
Old Bricks for a New Path
Isaiah 35:1-10
Digging in the garden exhilarates me. My wife has beautiful flowerbeds around the house and wanted something to outline them. Looking for the right materials to enhance the charm of those flowerbeds I discovered bricks. The new bricks are fine, but nothing gives a better appeal then old bricks to either a flower garden or a garden path. I especially like the irregular size of the bricks or ones that have a name of the company engraved on it. The irregular dimension of the bricks adds to the charm of the project, but it also makes fitting everything together more of a challenge.
The Better Homes and Garden web page gave instructions on building a new path out of old bricks. The instructions were simple: 1) Lay out the path with PVC pipe to form the pattern for the path. Marking the path's width with orange paint. 2) Dig the base. The depth should be the brick's thickness plus four inches for the sand base. 3) Add the sand once the path is cleared. 4) Leveling and tamping the sand to create a firm and even underlayment is important. Use a level device for accuracy. 5) Set the bricks, but if using old bricks from a building be sure to chip away the old mortar. 6) Lastly, fill the cracks with sand and brush away the excess.
As I read Isaiah's thoughts on a highway for the redeemed called the "Way of Holiness," I realized that God has provided a path for those walking on it. The walkway never varies from its direction, but as we walk we will be led through different settings. Some days the path will lead us through hard times physically and emotionally. Other days may find us dealing with family issues, financial stress and many more, but God's path has some non-variables to it.
Let's examine how God builds the path of holiness in our lives.
I. Holiness is laying out the path.
The path of holy living is not an option, but a necessity. If we choose to follow Jesus then we choose to follow a holy lifestyle that embodies Christ. John Knight paraphrases Romans 12:1-2 as, "Do not allow yourself to be overcome by the schemes, aims, impulses, goals, drives, urges, purposes, aspirations and secularism of the world."1
As God lays out the path to holy living He designs it as a personal relationship to Himself, His Son and the Holy Spirit. As God lays out the path to holy living He designs it as ethical in nature and character. As God lays out the path to holy living He designs it as a momentary decision of consent with a continual transformation of daily renewal.
II. Holiness is digging the base.
The path of holy living is separation of unholy things that negatively affects our lives to holy objectives that positively affects our lives.
As God digs the base we are set apart for service that gives us a holy zeal for kingdom work. As God digs the base we are radically empowered by the Holy Spirit for acts of kindness and unconditional love. As God digs the base we are given a sense of compassion that outstrips the world's understanding of concern to a godly understanding and compassion that empathizes with the hurts and disillusionment that accompanies life.
III. Holiness is creating a firm base.
As God adds the firm base He does so by His holy grace. His unmerited favor of loving us -- totally!
As God adds the firm base He does so by His holy mercy. We are no longer God's enemies, but His friends. Through our sinfulness we offended Him, but through His forgiveness and cleansing He refrained from punishing us for our sins. This is undeserved mercy from a loving God.
As God adds the firm base He does so by His holy security. God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are His possessions. Skevington Wood wrote, "To produce a perfect chord of music two notes are necessary. They must be attuned to each other. Unless there is such adjustment when they are struck, instead of one faultless chord there will be a jarring dissonance. So the witness of God's Spirit with our spirit can only be perfectly harmonious when our wills are aligned to His."2
IV. Holiness is setting the life and filling in the cracks.
As God sets our course He will fill in the open spaces as we commit ourselves to Him. His part is the cleansing and baptizing with His Spirit, but our part is availability and consecration to His desires. As life progresses we come to Him to make it meaningful. A lifestyle dedicated to holy living allows us to walk on the path marked "Way of Holiness."
Let God help you on your new path live a life that is transformed by His craftsmanship! (Derl G. Keefer)
1John Knight, The Holiness Pilgrimage (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1973), 12
2Harold Bonner, Proclaiming The Spirit (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1975), 61.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 23, 2001
God With Us!
Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew's gospel narrative about the birth of Jesus gives glimpses of His parents. Joseph is a man of compassion, courage and character. Sweet Mary is portrayed as an obedient servant, of pure innocence and a holy integrity. The truth is that as important as they are to the story the two of them are not the centerpieces.
Matthew makes it crystal clear Christmas correctly centers on Christ No figure of the Christmas story should ever replace or overshadow the person of Jesus. The author presents in two different spots what Joseph and Mary are to call their infant son. The first is found in Matthew 1:21, "... and you will call Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." The second place is Matthew 1:23, "and they will call Him Immanuel -- which means, 'God with us.'"
In retrospect we understand how Jesus will truly become the savior and lead all people from their sins. It is the meaning of the name "Immanuel" that we will focus on today.
I. God with us.
The concept that an infinite being exists throws many people into a quandary. Where is this being? What does God look like? When did He/She/It begin? How does God reveal Himself to humankind? Why does God allow suffering?
The Bible never begins with these questions; it simply takes for granted the existence of God. The Holy Scriptures reveals God as a spiritual being with freedom, intelligence and purpose. This God has an absolute perfection in all areas of existence including the moral and ethical standards. God can be described as pure love, faithful, powerful, complete nourishment, strength, and comfort. The attributes of God consists of omni-presence, changelessness, immensity, eternity, infinity and spirituality. God fills every fiber of our existence and every place so that there is no room for any other. Is it any wonder that we acknowledge His majesty! Christians believe that encased within the human body of the infant Jesus of Nazareth was this Spirit-God of the universe come to earth for one eternal purpose -- our redemption.
II. God with us.
Matthew's concept proposes that Jesus has brought God alongside us. He has come to be our companion, friend and associate. God has come in the form of Jesus to shoulder our problems, lift our spirits to greater heights and forgive our spiritual failures. God does not do that from a distance, but within us. God is not a lofty idea, but rather has a personal presence with us because of Jesus taking on human form.
God with us in unadulterated love. Karl Barth, famed theologian, was once asked by a friend, "Karl, what is the greatest thought you ever had?" His immediate response was, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
God with us in mercy. Chuck Swindoll quotes J. Dwight Pentecost, "Mercy is God's ministry to the miserable." Swindoll then comments, "It is both intensely personal and immensely practical. For when I am treated unfairly, God's mercy relieves my bitterness. When I grieve over loss, it relieves my self-pity. When I endure physical pain, it relieves my hopelessness. When I deal with being sinful, it relieves my guilt."1
God with us in consistency. God will never leave us or forsake us! He is always there in good times and in bad times.
August 16, 1968, I married Karen Hodges of Brookfield, Missouri. Together we started our lives with one another. These past thirty-three years have seen a lot of changes, but we have been with each other through it all. The years have seen the excitement of us both graduating from college ... me from seminary ... experienced moves to a pastorate in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and now Missouri as an administrator for my denomination ... the joy that accompanies the birth of two children ... fire ... near death experience for me when I was accidentally poisoned ... members of our family divorced ... a church split .... All of the with experiences that go along with life.
"God with us" isn't a glib statement on Matthew's part. He understood life's ups and downs and was overjoyed to know that God was going to be with him throughout life! Aren't you excited, too, that in all of your life God stands next to you?
III. God with us.
That is a collective statement. "Us" is the plural form of me. So we can easily say, "God with me." Now that is exciting for me to think that the God of the universe comes alongside of Derl Keefer! I'm unique. There aren't too many Derl's in the world. I only know of seven who spell their names like mine. Even if you are a Mary Jones or a John Smith and have thousands with the same name, God knows you. You are unique in your own right. God comes along side of you and me with our own personalities, quirks and sin. He knows the number of hair on the top of our heads! Awesome! He nestles close to us and refuses to move away. If we backslide it is because we move away from Him and not Him moving away from us. Why? Because His love is for me personally. That's what John 3:16 is all about. God loving Derl Gene Keefer enough to send Jesus as an infant into an unholy world to redeem me before I ever knew His name of His love.
This Christmas let us shout it from the rooftops, proclaim it in the streets, whisper it in the ears of the lost, tell it to our children, celebrate it in the church ... God is with us! (Derl Keefer)
First Sunday after Christmas
December 30, 2001
He Had to Be One of Us
Hebrews 2:10-18
Puppies for Sale," the sign said, and a young boy came to inquire. "I'd like to buy one," he said, "if they don't cost too much." "Well, son, they're $25." The boy was crushed. "I've only got two dollars and five cents .... Could I see them anyway?" "Of course," said the man. The lad's eyes danced at the sight of five little balls of fur. "I heard that one has a bad leg," he said. "Yes, I'm afraid she'll be crippled for life." "Well, that's the puppy I want. Could I pay for her a little at a time?" "But she'll always have a limp," the man responded. Smiling bravely, the boy pulled up one pant leg, revealing a brace. "I don't walk good either." Then, looking at the puppy, he continued, "I guess she'll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. It's not so easy being crippled." "Here, take her," said the man. "I know you'll give her a good home. And just forget the money." (from Our Daily Bread)
Anyone would feel sorry for her, but this boy would have a special ability to love and care for the puppy. He knows ... firsthand.
The book of Hebrews is all about the supremacy of Christ, but here in the second chapter, we have a remarkable and ironic argument: Jesus "was made for a little while lower than the angels." This allusion to Psalm 8:5 is a poetic way to say "He became a man." And in this tightly packed paragraph, the glory of His humility is unfolded. Why did the Son of God become the Son of Man? How does that demonstrate His greatness?
I. To Be the Captain of Our Salvation
God cannot tell us how to rescue ourselves. Self-rescue is impossible. We need someone to make a way for us and to lead us in it. We are not able to break through the barriers of sin and death that obstruct the path to glory. We are stuck in the grip of Satan, enslaved by our fear of death.
Only by becoming one of us could Christ make a way for us, and the way is "through death." F. F. Bruce wrote: "His death has transformed the meaning of death for [those He saves]. To them His death means not judgment, but blessing; not bondage, but liberation. And their own death, when it comes takes its character from His death. If, then, death itself cannot separate the people of Christ from God's love which has been revealed in Him, it can not longer be held over their heads by the devil or any other malign power as a means of intimidation."
Jesus is the first-born from the dead, the trail blazing Captain of our salvation. Because He is one of us, He is willing to regard us as brothers and to lead us in singing praise to the Father. He proclaims the name of God to us. In sacrificing His life, He shows us how to trust God with ours. To lead us, He had to be one of us.
II. To Be the Great High Priest
This is one of the great themes of Hebrews: Jesus is the High Priest to end all high priests. As our Captain, Jesus leads us to God. As our High Priest, He represents us before God, whose righteousness demands perfection. Such perfect righteousness can only respond to sin with wrath. Jesus brings His own life to the altar, and Justice is satisfied. To do this Jesus had to have a life to give. To die for us, He had to be one of us.
III. To Be a Present Help in Trouble
We're told here that Jesus "was tempted in that which He suffered." That phrase refers not only to enticements to sin, but also to the daily test of living in a sin-filled world. Jesus, in His perfection must have experienced the pain of broken humanity in the most acute way. He did not observe our plight from a distance; He has been in the mire Himself. He knows firsthand. Thus "He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Let us imitate the courage of our Captain. Let us rejoice in the atonement of our High Priest. Let us experience His peace and joy in a troubled world. (Doug Searle)
Contributors in this issue include: Michael Watkins, Dexter, MO; Jonathan Kever, Preaching; Jeff LaBorg, Savannah, TN; Doug Searle, Community Bible Church, Nashville, TN; Don Aycock, First Baptist Church, Palatka, FL; Derl Keefer, International Church of the Nazarene, Kansas City, MO.