Learning, Teaching, and Laughing: Advent

Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Book: By the Waters of Babylon

Worship. It is what the church does as we strive to honor God with our lips and our lives. And then, many churches argue about worship. I have about a half-dozen books on my shelf about worship, but adding Scott Aniol’s By the Waters of Babylon to the shelf has been excellent.

First of all, Aniol’s work is not based on solving a musical debate. While that branch of worship is often the most troublesome in the local church, By the Waters of Babylon takes a broader view. The starting point is the place of the church. That place is a parallel of Psalm 137, where the people of God, Israel, found themselves in a strange land. The people of God, again, find themselves in a strange land.

Second, in summary, the book works logically to the text of Scripture, primarily Psalm 137 but well-filled with other passages. Then it works outward from how the text addresses the problems submitted in the first chapter into how worship, specifically corporate worship, should look in the 21st century Western World. The reading is easy to work through (and is aided by FOOTNOTES! over endnotes).

Finally, let us turn to the value of Aniol’s work. If you are in church leadership, you have dozens of books screaming out to be read. Or at least, you should. While the Bible is always our first look, we should take in the wisdom of many others. Is this one worth moving to the top of your stack?

It is. The biblical work is sound. The conclusions are well-grounded. In truth, if someone cannot work within the borders laid down in Aniol’s work here, then they are going to land more in entertainment than worship. This also works as a foundation for discussion in church leadership about worship disputes.

In all, this will move the discussion of worship from “hymns, choruses, drums, guitars…” to a better footing of Biblical truth and proper life as strangers and aliens in the current world.

(Book provided by Kregel Academic for review. Click HERE to read an excerpt.)

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The Great Priest: from Advent 2011

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;” Hebrews 3:1

The next gift mentioned in Matthew is called frankincense. This is where a good many of us get lost, since we do not often have much sense regarding scents. It is obtained from balsam trees, specifically ones that are indigenous to regions of Arabia and the Horn of Africa. In ancient times, it held a great value because of the localization of the economy.

Today, though, frankincense does not seem to be that big of a deal. At this moment, I can order a pound of frankincense from Amazon.com for under twenty dollars! It does not have the intrinsic worth that gold has. One reason is this: as long as you can grow a Boswellia tree, you can make more. It’s like maple syrup: there is a specific source and varied conditions can cause a shortage, but if you can grow the tree and learn how to tap it, you can have more next year.

Why, then, is frankincense valuable? We can see that it is: if you look at Exodus, frankincense is part of the holy incense prescribed in the Torah. It can also be found in Song of Solomon as a part of social and intimate life. It was part of the sacrificial system in Leviticus. Even non-canonical books mention frankincense. 3 Maccabees mentions that elephants were given frankincense and wine to drive them mad! The stuff shows up in various places.

The main use, though, is not to drug elephants. That story is actually not very reliable anyway, but it is entertaining. The primary use of frankincense is in religious observances. It is, as mentioned, part of sacrifices, anointing, and Song of Solomon puts frankincense into the marriage celebration. Why is a tree product that valuable?

As I said above, it was difficult to obtain in a non-globalized economy. It requires effort to obtain. One can pay enough for it, but one could also find a way to grow it and prepare it yourself. God is gracious like this: wealth is not the key to worship. Effort is. Action that reveals the heart of the worshipper is more important than how big of a check was written. It was valuable because God commanded it.

And frankincense represents that. It was a necessary part of worship: it was used to anoint the High Priest and used in the most important sacrifices. It was a part of the smoke of the fire on the altar that went up before God constantly. Its presence signified the presence of God.

The Magi bring it to Jesus. Whether they fully understand how He is the High Priest for all time is a question that I cannot answer. I know that they could have read of His coming from one of their predecessors, known to them as Belteshazzar. He was a wise man of Babylon who went on to be a wise man of the Persian Empire, and it is from Persia that the Magi have come. Belteshazzar has mentioned the coming of a glorious one, and based on his experiences with telling dreams, reading miraculous handwriting, and surviving lions’ dens, his voice would likely be remembered.

Daniel (that was Belteshazzar’s other name. You might remember that one better, it was the one his mother gave him!) had spoken of the coming Anointed One in his writings[1] and the Magi are standing before that One. They present Him with a gift that does not acknowledge His kingship, but rather His Priesthood. As High Priest, He represents God to the people, and the people to God. He is the embodiment of religious truth and greatness.

Let us take time this week to examine Jesus as the Great High Priest.

Scripture Passage for the Day: Hebrews 8:1-2 (NASB95)

“Now the main point of what we are saying is this:

We do have such a high priest,

who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord,

not by a mere human being.”

Hymn for the Day: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus #176

Prayer: Almighty God, I have often sought to bring to you what I consider valuable. Yet Your priorities are different than mine, and I must learn to worship You as You command. I ask for help: Jesus came not only as my King, but as the only priest that I need. Help me to come to You through Him. Through His work and His word. I have learned to say I pray in His name, but help me learn what it is to pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

[1] Daniel 9:24-25; Messiah means “Anointed One”

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Advent Reflections: Magi and Shepherds

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Four Day Five: Magi and Shepherds

“So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.” Luke 2:16 (NASB95)

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Matthew 2:10 (NASB95)

Two groups of men. Two similar reactions. Two very different backgrounds.

One group spends their nights with their eyes on the ground, watching sheep and guarding against thieves and predators. The other group spends their nights with their eyes on the skies, watching stars and guarding ancient wisdom against the ravages of time. One group is surrounded by smelly sheep and the general disdain of respectable people. The other group is the epitome of respectable people in their land. Shepherds and Magi are two groups of people whose paths would rarely, if ever cross. This is certainly true of the shepherds and Magi in the Christmas story: the shepherds are in Israel. The Magi come from “the east,” which is likely Persia or beyond.

Yet both find their way to Bethlehem. The story shows the shepherds come and find Jesus in the manger and the Magi find Him in a house.[1] There likely was a time delay between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the Magi (or Wise Men, but I like Magi). How much is one of the great debates of Christendom, but I will not try to solve that one here.[2]

The shepherds come charging in from the fields, while the Magi come ponderously from the East. The Magi stop in Jerusalem to see if anyone knows about this “King of the Jews” while the shepherds stop people on their way out of town to tell what they saw. The Magi leave quietly, the shepherds leave loudly, but neither is ever heard from again.

Seriously, neither group shows up in the story of the life of Christ. The Magi go back to their own country, the shepherds return to their sheep. What becomes of them? That’s a question I would love to answer, but I cannot. Let us consider these men. Let us see the lesson in their disappearance.

We know that neither group just went out and dropped dead. The text records the Magi returned, they survived the return trip. The shepherds also went back and glorified God, so they made it back to the field. Where they went next is the question I want to answer, but I cannot.

These groups point us to the danger at Christmas. The danger for Christians is not government censorship or consumerism. Our hearts, if given to Christ, cannot be censored by the courts and will not tolerate the idolatry of consumerism. Our danger is more subtle. It is the danger to make much of Christmas and little of Christ.

It is the danger to make the celebration of a single event greater than the life of worship and service, commitment and love, intimacy and submission, that the event should have sparked. Where is your heart this Christmas? There is no harm in celebrating the day, keeping Christmas well in your heart upon that day.

Yet there is great harm in keeping a day when we are meant to keep a life. Let the shepherds and Magi teach us this: December 26^th should be different because of December 25^th.[3] If it is not, we have missed the point.

Scripture passage for the day: Luke 2:20 (NASB95)

The shepherds went back,

glorifying and praising God

for all that they had heard and seen

just as had been told them.

Hymn for the day: We Three Kings of Orient Are #215

Prayer: Ever-faithful God, I disappear sometimes. I am not always good with follow-through and follow-up. I ask for You to help me here, that I would persist where I am. That I would have the strength and courage to not vanish after one day but to celebrate You with my life in all my days. Jesus did so much more than come at Christmas, and in His name I ask for help, Amen.

[1] I know, at Epiphany. Thank you my liturgical brethren.

[2] The Great Debates of Christendom are the issues in the Bible that only get argued about by Christians that live in relative ease and safety. There’s bound to be a book in that somewhere.

[3] Another Great Debate of Christendom: Is that date right? Irrelevant: take the point instead. Is today different because of whenever you have considered the birth of Jesus?

Monday, December 23, 2013

Advent Reflections: Joseph

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Four Day Three: Joseph

“Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,” Luke 2:4 (NASB)

Joseph. The other half of “Mary and Joseph,” one of the most famous couples in world history. When you read the whole story, you discover something I consider extraordinary: he has no lines in the Bible. There are places where he obviously had to say something: after all, you have to say “I do” or the wedding does not count.

Yet besides these points where it is implied that Joseph has to have said something, we do not know anything he actually said. You could cast a Christmas movie with Joseph played by any “strong, silent type” actor. As long as he looks like he would not panic in a pinch, you have a Joseph.

Most of us cannot do that. We have to talk, we have to express. Words flow from our mouths from the moment we get up until the hours after we go to bed. Some people even use computer software to keep talking. Yes, there’s an app for that.[1]

We could learn from Joseph. Joseph secures his place in the Christmas story by what he does more than by what he says. The story of Joseph is an action story. He takes Mary, he keeps her a virgin, and he travels to Bethlehem. From there, he gets up, flees to Egypt, and then remains there. Then, Joseph with family in tow goes and dwells in Nazareth.

We live in a world filled with words, but our actions reveal who we truly are and what we truly believe. Joseph could have paid flowery words of lip service to God and then bolted for Parthia after the angel appeared to him. He does no such thing and instead says home in Nazareth, takes his wife, and raises God’s Son in his home.

What will your actions be this year? It is easy to get involved in the uproar that surrounds Christmas in modern times. Every year there is a push to insist that people remember this is Christmas and not a generic holiday. Every year there is a pushback to keep school kids and public parks playing only Jingle Bells instead of Silent Night.

Christians can burn up a lot of words about keeping Christ in Christmas and about remembering the reason for the season, but do our actions drown them out? One calm face among the madmen on Black Friday (or Christmas Eve shopping!) can keep Christ in Christmas to a store clerk. A customer that smiles, says “please” and “thank you”, and leaves a charitable tip can say more to a waitress than demanding music about Baby Jesus in the restaurant.

Spending the time with your family at peace rather than dragging them from mall to store to mall to shopping plaza to find everything on everyone’s list may just speak the volumes about focus and love that you have been trying to say. Letting the feast be smaller but the fellowship more relaxed will kill no one and might enliven the hearts of the ones involved!

Let your actions this year be the biggest part of your Christmas.

Scripture passage for the day: Matthew 1:24-25 (NIV)

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.

Hymn for the day: O Holy Night #194

Prayer: Lord God, my actions speak so loudly that my words cannot be heard. Help my actions to glorify You so that my words are additions and not corrections. Let me speak in word and deed this Christmas, and may it become a habit that honors Jesus throughout the year. In His name I pray, Amen.

[1] Yes, I have that app. It stores items I want to put on Facebook and Twitter and posts them all around the clock. It’s called Buffer and it’s at Bufferapp.com.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Advent Reflections: Mary

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Four Day Two: Mary

“Behold, the bond-slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 (NASB95)

The focus on people in the story of Christmas has to include Mary. Though we cannot cross the line and attempt to place her equal with the Lord Jesus Christ, she is still critical to message of the Gospel. Her willingness to carry and deliver a child echoes as an example of sacrifice to this day. She alone could testify to the truth of His being born of a virgin, fulfilling Isaiah 7:14. She alone would know for certain how special her Son was, knowing who His Father was.

Her words are recorded in Luke and remembered in these days as The Magnificat. Her words remember the work that God had done and look ahead to what He will do. I will let her speak for herself in today’s Scripture passage.

Scripture passage for the day: Luke 1:46-55 (NRSV) The Magnificat

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear
him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Hymn for the day: Silent Night #206

Special Music: I would highly recommend that you acquire a copy of Brad Paisley and Sara Evans’ duet “New Again.” The single file can be downloaded or the song is on the CD Playlist: The Very Best of Brad Paisley. If you can get that disc for under $8, as it is available online, then the price is worth it for that song.

Prayer: Almighty Father, I understand that You do not need another Mary in Your plan. I thank You for her willingness to serve You and bear Your Son. I ask that You guide me and use me to do whatever is critical in Your plan. I will serve and glorify You in it all, for Jesus Christ is my Lord and in His name I pray, Amen.

Advent Reflections: The People

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Four Day One: The People

“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.” Luke 2:1

It is impossible to think of the Christmas story without dealing with people. Even the most introverted person has to acknowledge that Christmas happened among people. Luke gives us this verse, in which Caesar wanted to count all the inhabited earth. That would be a lot of people! While history helps us understand that Caesar Augustus meant to count the whole Roman Empire, I would not doubt he ordered it as a census of the whole world. After all, for an Emperor of Rome, there were only two parts of the world: Rome and the people Rome intended to conquer. He likely wanted a count of both.

What he got, at least in Judea, was a crowded inn. Here we again see people. People are everywhere in this story! The inn is so crowded that a couple, including a pregnant woman, takes shelter to deliver their baby and lay Him in a manger. Even there, people come. Shepherds from their fields come. These shepherds tell others, who tell others, who tell…well, you get the point.

Matthew gives us the picture of the family in a house in Bethlehem, and then on to Egypt. Guess what there is in Egypt? Yes indeed: more people.

Christmas just does not happen without people. There are certainly key people in this story: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and the Magi. Yet let us not miss on the people we write off as background clutter in Christmas musicals. The people that are choir behind the soloists, the background faces in the painting, all of these are important.

Why? Because Jesus came for them, too. They are important as we look at the story because they should remind us of the background faces in our life. There are people we encounter on a daily basis that we never know. It may be the family that is on the same milk-buying schedule you are on at the grocery store. You know the ones; you see them every Tuesday afternoon when they pick up a gallon of two percent. You have joked together about disregarding the expiration dates because milk does not sit still in your households!

The background people are the rest of the multitude in the doctor’s office waiting room. They are found in the other parts of your school or the next office over from yours. Perhaps they are in the unload section of your hub, while you spend all day in the load section.[1] When you try to think of them, their faces are kind of blurry in your mind. It is likely true that yours is blurry to them as well.

Our challenge is this: consider those faces. They are real people. Real people that Christmas happened for just as much as it happened for you. Jesus came for that guy in the store as much as He came for you. He came, not just for your political party, but for the opposition. Not just for your team, but for the other team. He came for the band members, too, and the groundskeepers and the people who could not care less about sports at all.

If all of these are worth Jesus covering the distance to be born, what should they be worth to you?

Scripture passage for the day: Luke 2:38 (NLT)

She[2] came along just as Simeon

was talking with Mary and Joseph,

and she began praising God.

She talked about the child to everyone

who had been waiting

expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Hymn for the day: O Little Town of Bethlehem #196

Prayer: My Lord and my God, You see people. Help me see them as well. Help me to love others as You love them. Work in my life to be the instrument of Your love for the world around me. Guide me to specific actions to take and give me the courage to do them. As Jesus came to us, I commit to go to others. In His name I pray, Amen.

[1] That’s for my UPS people. FedExers, too.

[2] Anna. The whole story is Luke 2:21-38 and worth your time to read it.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Advent Reflections: The Sacrifice without Replacement

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Three Day Six: The Sacrifice without Replacement

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.” Hebrews 10:19–20 (NLT)

The last point about Jesus as our sacrifice is that He is the sacrifice without replacement. There is no substitute for Him to be found in heaven, on earth, or under the earth. Without holding to this truth, Christmas becomes less than just another day. It ends up as a colossal drain on your energy and a big mess at the mall for no good reason.

This idea bears both repeating and expanding: Jesus is either the sacrifice without replacement or Christmas, nay Christianity, is a complete waste. For Him to be without replacement, two things must be true: He must be without equal and we must be without options.

That we are without an option is made plain by Jesus Himself. He stated that He is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through” Him.[1] This leaves us only two choices: believe Him or not. If He cannot be trusted with telling us about God, than can we trust Him with anything else? Here is a man who claimed to also be God. His statements are recorded by people who allege that He was born of a virgin, that He raised the dead, that He fed thousands with snack lunches, and that He got up and out of a tomb after a Roman crucifixion.

Disbelief is the only option open to us. We cannot pass Him off as less than He claimed or as only partially what the Gospels tell us about Him. If He is not real in all He did, what is the value of any of it? The world sees many moralists and motivators. Why would we need one from a troubled Roman province of two thousand years ago? The choice is not Jesus among many options. The choice is Jesus or no Jesus.

The reason is that Jesus is without equal. He is called the “only begotten” or “one and only” Son of God by the Apostle John. There is no one who can claim equality with Him. None of the prophets of old ever claimed to fulfill the promises of God. John the Baptist quickly distanced himself from the high praise and even the angel at the end of Revelation points to God alone as worthy of worship.

Nothing can equal Jesus. Attempting to add our own merit to His sacrifice denies that His work remains enough. There is nothing to add, for the work is done. Out of gratitude, out of a heart set free to follow Him, we ought to do what He says, but it is not for our salvation that we do it. It is for His glory.

Nothing can equal Jesus. Attempting to add the worship of a good man or woman denies that His glory remains enough. There is nothing to add, for worship belongs to God alone. Out of gratitude, out of a heart filled with joy, we worship Him. Oftentimes we worship Him with others, we have those who guide and lead our worship, but they never stand equal to Him. They do not stand above us, but only slightly in front to serve as guides.

Nothing can equal Jesus. Attempting to add the paths that diverse from Him denies that He knew the whole truth. There is nothing to add, for His truth is all that there is. Out of gratitude, out of a heart cleared of darkness to see Him clearly, we know Him and His Word. We share His Word and His work with others. Men and women help us to see His truth clearly, but they cannot add to it.

The manger holds the only hope for mankind. The irreplaceable sacrifice without spot or blemish, freely given for the world is there. He may not seem like much. He may seem easily mislaid among the divisions of mankind and especially of those who claim Him as their own, but He is there. He may seem easily hidden behind other kings and counselors, priests and intimates, but He is there. May we seek Him with all of our heart this Christmas and throughout the days to come.

Scripture passage for the day: John 5:24 (NASB95)

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word,

and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life,

and does not come into judgment,

but has passed out of death into life.

Hymn for the day: Go Tell It on the Mountain #182

Prayer: O Lord my God, You are truly without parallel in this world. Nothing can truly equal You, yet my heart sometimes tries to replace You anyway. Help my unbelief, my struggle with this. Help my whole heart, the total of my will and emotions, to be locked in to worship and service of You and You alone. Further, mold my life to be the spark to draw others to Your light. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

[1] John 14:6, modified to fit the 3^rd person grammar of the sentence.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Advent Reflections: The Sacrifice without Coercion

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Three Day Five: The Sacrifice without Coercion

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:4-5 (NLT)

The lead-in to Christmas, the time when we celebrate Advent, is many things in our culture. Not all of these things are positive. This time of year, the ‘holiday season’ seems to also be that time of year when the guilt-machine in society is turned up an extra notch or two in intensity. During Christmas, we gather with people that we avoid throughout the year, we sandwich in trips to distant relatives that in all honesty, we can barely afford.

We buy gifts for people we do not like, and sometimes for people we do not even know. Rather than say no or express our own needs, we do and give out of a guilty compulsion. It is just a part of the American Holiday Stress Syndrome.[1] Now, sometimes we try to lay off as guilty compulsion someone urging us to do what is right in the first place. After all, Christian Believers, “Honor your father and mother” is still applicable in the 21^st Century.

Still, whether guilt sends us to do what we should do or just something we do not want to do, we hardly do everything this time of year of our own free will. Even in the normal doings of life, free will is somewhat of a sideline. After all, it takes a decent amount of nutrition to exercise a free will and sometimes you do what you do not want to get that nutrition!

Christmas, though, starts with free will. Jesus did not come to this earth as a baby that night in Bethlehem because He had to. He chose to. It was of His own loving choice that He emptied Himself and dwelt among us. Really and truly, God could have simply ignored mankind or sent us packing on into eternity early. After all, He could have just made new people, right?

Instead, Jesus chooses to come to this world. He does this because He loves us. He does this because He wants to. He does this because we are trapped as the enemies of God and someone must show us the way to peace with God.

The way to peace with God, though, is through death. The universe has certain unbreakable laws. One is that sin cannot come into the presence of the Holy One. There is no loophole for this, no sneaking past the Alps to get there, no magnetic fields to shield the two opposing forces. It takes death, because death begins to remove the blemish. Death was and remains the wages of sin.

Therefore, when Jesus chose the manger, He also chose the Cross. He chose to pay for the peace between God and man, to suffer the wrath of God for the sins of men. His death on the Cross was the natural pairing of His trip into this world at Bethlehem. He came for one great purpose: to die for the sins of man. Much of the rest of His life was spent in accomplishing secondary goals and attesting His identity before the Cross.

Gloriously, the story of Jesus is not just the story of the Manger and the Cross. It is the story of the Manger, the Cross, and the Empty Tomb. For death cannot hold Him: in Him is life, not death. He is the fullness of God in the flesh. He is born to show the way, dies to atone for our sins, and rises to everlasting glory!

Consider this at Christmas this year: none of what He did was compelled. It was done for one reason and one reason only: the love of God for humanity. Take that for what you can, but for me it is the key to thankfulness and celebration at Christmas. The One who could choose to bring life did choose to bring it! With the choirs of history, I will sing and shout “Hallelujah! Praise the Lamb!”

Scripture passage for the day: John 10:18 (NASB95)

No one has taken it away from Me,

but I lay it down on My own initiative.

I have authority to lay it down,

and I have authority to take it up again.

This commandment I received from My Father.

Hymn for the day: Joy to the World! #181

Prayer: Lord Jesus, my will gets in the way. I see how much "want to" interferes with obedience. I thank You that You made the choice to come, to live, to die for sin, and to rise again. Thank you for being the mediator between God and humanity. In Your name I pray, Amen.

[1] Not a recognized disease. At least I don’t think so.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Advent Reflections: A Sense of Destiny

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Three Day Three: A Sense of Destiny

“For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.” John 12:35 (NASB95)

The sensation that is myrrh, though, does not stop in everyday use. Myrrh was a portion of the anointing oil of the Tabernacle. In fact, it was the largest portion of this oil. Exodus 30 records this oil and its purposes. Whatever was touched by this oil was considered holy. It was to be used on the priests and the implements of sacrifice. It was used on the altar and on the Ark of the Covenant.

The Ark of the Covenant was the symbol of the center of God’s presence in those times. He never expresses Himself as limited to wherever the Ark is, but for the Israelites of those years, the Ark was where they could know God certainly was. The Ark was to be kept near to the altar for sacrifice and to be kept separate from the people by a heavy curtain.

Why? Because the presence of God is so great that people cannot stand before Him. He is beyond humanity in holiness and righteousness and is unapproachable by us. In this desperation, we carry a sense of despair.

Yet the gift of myrrh shows us a sense of destiny. In the earlier covenant, God’s presence was represented by the Ark of the Covenant. In the end, though, it’s just a gold-covered box. True, the artwork is magnificent and the item carries immense historical value. The Old Testament contains a few references to God’s power affecting the Ark. In the end, though, it remains a box that God chose to use.

Jesus is different than the Ark. He is not merely the symbol of the presence of God, but the Incarnate God Himself. Incarnate means to “put on flesh,” and that is what God does through the manger. He puts on flesh. He becomes one of us, though He does not discard His true Godhood at the same time.

The myrrh He receives should draw to mind all the holy objects that were anointed with myrrh in the Old Testament. Christ fulfills the need for those and exceeds their value. He becomes the One who can bring men to God. He is eternal, which the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the Ark have proven not to be. His destiny was shown in the myrrh: He will go past the heavy curtain, He is the Holiest.

Scripture passage for the day: 1 Timothy 6:15-16 (HCSB)

“God will bring this about in His own time.

He is the blessed and only Sovereign,

the King of kings, and the Lord of lords,

the only One who has immortality,

dwelling in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him,

to Him be honor and eternal might. Amen.”

Hymn for the day: Good Christian Men, Rejoice! #183

Prayer: Almighty, Most Holy God, I cannot express enough my gratitude at what You have done for me. The more I know myself, the more I realize that it took more than I could ever do to come to You. My sin, my heart, my affections are rarely clear as they should be. Thank You for making the way through the veil for me. I know that it cost Jesus His blood, and it is in His name I pray, Amen.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Advent Reflections: Senses and Sacrifice

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Three Day One: Senses and Sacrifice

“Then their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.” Genesis 43:11 (ESV)

Coming to the last gift, we find myrrh. Myrrh, like frankincense, was an all-purpose spice. It is another agricultural product. Well, more like a silvicultural product since it comes from trees, but you get the point. It is not something valuable because it is rare. It is instead valuable because people liked it.

How do I know people liked it? If you look through the Bible alone for the uses of myrrh, it shows up in many places. The above passage is the gifts Israel, or Jacob, sent to Pharaoh during the famine. Exodus places myrrh into the sacred oil used to anoint the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Proverbs and Song of Solomon[1]move myrrh into the intimacy of marriage.

It is, apparently, a pleasant scent. Unlike frankincense, myrrh is nice on its own: frankincense is burned to release a smoke and an aroma. It can be heavy and oppressive, while myrrh is lighter. Myrrh even has medicinal effects, with some research indicating it can help with pain and cholesterol.[2]

The main use of myrrh, though, was in embalming. Ancient Egypt used myrrh in the preparation of mummies and many other nations used it for a burial spice. In prior times, deceased bodies were packed in spices to alleviate the odors involved with death.

It should not seem odd to you that the same fragrance is associated with worship, intimacy, and death. After all, modern Americans do the same thing with flowers. You find flowers on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and at funerals. You find them in hospitals to cheer the sick and on tombs to mourn the dead. We use flowers for apologies and for congratulations.

Myrrh had a similar function: it was congratulatory and conciliatory, celebration and consolation.

It is nearly the perfect fragrance for Christmas. Christmas is about the senses and the sacrifice. About God becoming man so that our senses could understand better. About Jesus being the atonement for our sins, the sacrifice that we needed for forgiveness.

Scripture passage for the day: John 19:39-40 (ESV)

“Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night,

came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes,

about seventy-five pounds in weight.

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices,

as is the burial custom of the Jews.”

Hymn for the Day: Nothing but the Blood #223

Prayer: My senses, Lord God, are easily distracted. I ask that You help me focus them. I also realize I need to understand better what it is that You are my sacrifice. There can be no doubt that I need Your help to draw near. I ask that You work through me in Jesus’ name, Amen.

[1] Or Song of Songs, or Canticles, if you prefer.

[2] This is not a medical endorsement: there are experiments about this, not certainties. Do NOT go buy some myrrh and use it for your ailments. Talk to a medical professional.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Advent Reflections: Priest Above Me

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Two Day Six: Priest Above Me

“For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NRSV)

Now we come to the crux of the matter. Jesus is certainly the Priest above all religion, practices, problems, and divisions. Yet what about you? Do you recognize that Jesus is alive to be your High Priest?

It is not enough to say that He is greater than all else. Doing so would be true, but it remains a distant truth. I readily recognize that I could not go three rounds with George Foreman. What of it? The question is irrelevant: no one expects me to box and everyone knows Foreman can.

Recognizing Jesus as the High Priest above me is bringing this entire discussion home. Sure, Jesus has the answer for the world’s problems. Do I admit He has the solution to my problem? Do I admit that He is the answer to the divisions I have with others?

More even than that: do I recognize that I cannot, on my own, make my way back to God? God is holy, righteous, and perfect. He is fundamentally different than I am. I am in one place at one time, limited in ability, knowledge, and judgment. God is not limited to locations and times, His abilities exceed my comprehension---and He understands Himself. He never makes a mistake, while I hope to avoid making fatal mistakes.

That a mere human cannot come to God without help should not surprise anyone. It should astound us that there is anyway made possible. Jesus makes that possible. The manger makes it possible. The manger is that moment when God opened the door. He put the mediator in place that could bring us back to Him.

Is that personal for you? No other mediator will work: your pastor, your friend, your parent or your child cannot stand between you and God to bring you to Him. There is one mediator. God closed the whole gap that night in Bethlehem.

Where do stand at the manger? Do you stand near or behind another? The grace of God is this: there is room enough in the front row for everyone. You do not have to take that back seat. It works, really, the other way. There is only a front row. Those who are one row back are outside, and will stay there unless they come themselves into the presence. The way is open for all who would take it. He is the High Priest above all things, and that includes individual people.

Scripture passage for the day: Revelation 19:1 (NIV)

“After this I heard what sounded

like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,”

Hymn for the day: Good Christian Men, Rejoice #183

Prayer: Lord God, help me see Jesus as the only one between You and me. I ask for your help to move up to the front row, where nothing and no one stands between us. The only thing that should matter is You. Help me to live that truth. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Advent Reflections: Priest Above All Problems

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Two Day Five: Priest Above All Problems

“Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.” Exodus 18:15-16

If a train leaves New York at 0545 traveling 60mph on the same track to Philadelphia as a train leaving Philadelphia leaves for New York at 0600 headed to New York traveling 45mph leaves on, how much time does the dispatcher have to warn both trains to stop?

Sound like a major issue? Maybe not if you live in Atlanta, but if you are on one of those trains, it is a huge deal. Yet what you see above is a typical story problem from a math book. It is, however, lacking information. For example, how far is it from Philadelphia to New York? How big of a train? After all, it takes longer to stop a 100-car banana train than to stop a 10-car passenger train.

Without that information, can you actually solve the problem? I’m not asking if your math skills are up to the division, multiplication, and addition necessary. You can see, though, that you do not possess all the information to solve the problem at hand.

This is considered a simple problem, one that a fifth grader may find in a math book. What about the problems we face in adulthood? Should I take this job? What do I do about my children? What is wrong with people these days that they just do not seem to care about their neighbors?

There is a huge demand for problem solving in our world. We take medications for our mental problems, take therapy for our emotional problems, and ask the courts to solve our family problems. Political problems have no solution and international problems cause more sleepless nights than midnight espressos.

Usually, this is because we plainly lack the whole information. Parents lack the total insight into the mind of their child, employees cannot fathom what the boss is up to, and no one knows what Congress will do. We might feel sad but not know if we have true depression, a bad day, or a nutritional problem. Then we take this solution: we go to an expert.

Except for this little issue: the experts often do not know either. If you go to the doctor, the first question you will be asked is “Why are you here?” or “What is the trouble today?” I have always resisted the urge, but there are days I am tempted to say: “You’re doctor, doctor, you tell me!” Yet our experts, the doctors, auto mechanics, lawyers, and therapists of this world are all dealing with a shortage of clear insight to the problem.

Sometimes the experts help us. A counselor says the right thing, a doctor prescribes the right medication. Maybe a Congressman makes a reasonable law or a diplomat actually persuades warring groups to make peace. On rare occasions, mechanics and computer techs actually fix the problem the first time!

Yet when this happens, something else goes wrong. So, we retain problems. They grow and compound, take on a life all their own. All around us, the world gets a little crazier every day.

What can we do? It certainly does not seem that a small baby in a manger can fix it. Yet it is only people with problems that know what Advent is really about. If everything is perfect in your life, what are you waiting for? You have no needs, no concerns, and no expectation for improvement. In fact, your biggest fear is losing the perfection. For you, there is another book or sermon to speak to your issue.

For those of us who wait for things to get better, though, that is the spirit, the feeling, of the Advent season[1]. It is a recognition that the solutions to our problems will not come from us. The answer is not only to look outside of us for help, but to look at a plan that we cannot fathom. The answer to the world’s issues is a baby? This is both undying truth and undeniably crazy from our perspective. How can this child help anyone?

He can, because His presence shows that God has not abandoned us. He is here to know what it is to suffer, to know hunger, sadness, tiredness. He is here to be tempted and overcome, to face trials and death.

And to overcome them all. There is nothing He cannot handle. Will the solution always make perfect logical sense to you and I? Of course not. I would not have sent a baby to a virgin who would have to give birth and lay Him in a manger, either.

God sees and understands the depths of our issues. And He presents Jesus, the High Priest as the solution to all of our problems. Let us see this for the truth and glory it is this year.

Scripture passage for the day: Matthew 10:26 (NLT)

“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you.

For the time is coming when everything

that is covered will be revealed,

and all that is secret will be made known to all.”

Hymn for the Day: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel #175[2]

Prayer: Lord God, You already know this, but I have problems. Some of my problems are big to me, and some are small to me. Compared to other people’s problems, mine seem big most days and small other days. However, the key to me is this: these are my problems. My issues. The things that keep me awake at night. I commit myself to do two things about these problems. The first is this: I ask that you show me problems I can solve and help me solve them. I will do this if I am solving my problems or someone else’s problems. The second is this: I ask for Your help, but I will wait for Your solution to my problems. I will stop trying to replace You with me. I trust that even if I cannot see how, through Jesus there is a solution. In His name I pray, Amen.

[1] If you would like to see this idea well-developed, read God is in the Manger, selections from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I owe an unpayable debt to this and other writings of Bonhoeffer for the work you are reading and my own preaching, teaching, and growth.

[2] For those of you who like Country Music, I recommend Sugarland’s interpretation of this song. Available as an MP3 download from Amazon or their “Gold and Green” album. I do not know if the rest of the album is worth it, though.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Advent Reflections: Priest Above All Division

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week Two Day Three: Priest Above All Division

“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” Ephesians 4:4-6

There are, unfortunately, divisions among those who claim the name of Christ. We tend to argue about things great and small. Where else can you find arguments so bitter that a person will not speak to someone five feet away?

Some of the arguments are necessary. It often happens that we take our eyes off the Cross and get greatly distracted. When that happens, wrong goals appear and wrong ideas are taught. Those times, the division is necessary. Sometimes, our vision gets blurry and we choose foolishness in our arguments.

This is sadly unavoidable because we are drawn to our self-interest more than anything else. We must remember that the debate should not be solved by our opinions or personal preferences. Rather, we must come back to our High Priest. We must come back to the manger.

Consider the manger: what division can we find in Bethlehem? The division between God and man is closing with the baby. He has come the greater difference, made the longer journey.

When we consider that, can we continue to bicker with one another? What distance are we refusing to cover?

The answer to our arguments must always come back to Him. Foremost in our mind must be this realization: Jesus is the standard of right. The follower of Christ recognizes that only Jesus has the authority to declare right from wrong. We can determine from His Word right from wrong, but it is not based on our own opinion.

As we have divisions within the family of believers, ask this: When the issue is presented to the High Priest, how will He see it?

This is not a question of unity ahead of truth: all unity among believers starts in three places: the Empty Tomb, the Cross, and the Manger. Unity without truth is more than an oxymoron: it is impossible. Rather, we should look at our divisions in light of Christ and the manger: where would be without Him at all?

We could not be divided about the time of His return, for we would not know it. We could not be divided about miracles and teachings, followers and successors, for there would be none of these things to discuss. If we start at the manger, start with remembering the relief that is finding God with us, many of those issues begin to fade in their importance.

Scripture passage for the day: Luke 2:17-18 (NIV)

“When they had seen him, they spread the word

concerning what had been told them about this child,

and all who heard it were amazed

at what the shepherds said to them.”

Hymn for the day: The First Noel #180

Prayer: Almighty God, I like to have my way. Even when “my way” is to avoid making decisions, that is what I want. This habit does not help many people, and it can bring harm and division. Yet when I gaze in wonder at the manger, I realize that I cannot embrace bitter divisions. I will not accept a false unity that denies You, but I want to live with joy alongside my fellow followers of Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Advent Reflections: King of My Life

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week One Day Six: King of My Life

“For unto us, a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NRSV)

The work of God through Jesus Christ was not merely for Him to come and remind us that He is the rightful King of Creation because He did the creating. He did not come just to check up on the spiritual portion of His kingdom, nor to merely reclaim the throne in Jerusalem. His time on earth was not spent to establish supremacy over other earthly kings. In fact, the only encounters with earthly kings and governors were disastrous: Herod the Great initiated the slaughter at Bethlehem, Herod Antipas does nothing, and Pontius Pilate orders Him crucified.

His work here was not simply to reclaim those titles. He was and remains the King of Kings. He came for a specific purpose that could not be accomplished through any other means. He came for you. He came for me. The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1 Timothy 1:15 NIV) This is one of Paul’s “trustworthy statements” that I believe he intends for Timothy and Titus to remember, teach, and apply to themselves. It’s a trustworthy statement for me to say: Christ Jesus came to save sinners, and I am the worst sinner. If I approach life with that attitude, I will ever remember the grace shown me and be ready to extend that grace.

He came to save sinners. Yet sinners are not saved merely by His coming. One can parse down to the finest point what the precise order of God’s work in saving sinners is, but it requires His coming and our surrendering. If you are counting on Jesus merely showing up to save you, it does not happen that way. Neither does it happen that you will work your way to Him.

He came that Bethlehem night to reach you. He came that you would recognize Him as King of you. That you would come, as the Magi and the shepherds, and worship. He came for you. All of what He went through was so that you would know His glory and so that you might come to Him. There is much about the price He paid: His death substituting for ours, His resurrection proving His divinity, and His ascension to power forevermore.

But today, encapsulate it here: at the manger, the baby waits. He made the trip to save you. What will you do about it? Bring Him gold? Why? In the back of the Book, we see that He uses the valuable things of this world to walk on: the extraordinary is pavement in eternity. Do you believe that? Read Revelation 21:21. The streets are made of gold.

Because the treasure of Heaven is Jesus and the presence of God, and that treasure was paid out to redeem you. Will you surrender to His kingdom? It is not for the faint of heart: it is for the fainting heart that can go no further. It is not for the self-sufficient: it is for the insufficient one who will turn to the sufficiency of Him.

If Advent passes and you have drawn no closer to the King of Kings who is also King of You, then the season is wasted. No matter what else happens, this much is critical: let Christmas not find you another year older and not a penny richer. Let Christmas find you older, certainly, but far richer in spirit and relationship with your King than it ever has before.

Scripture Passage for the Day: Revelation 21:6 (NASB95)

“Then He said to me, “It is done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the beginning and the end.

I will give to the one who thirsts

from the spring of the water of life without cost.”

Hymn for the Day: O Come, All Ye Faithful #199

Prayer: Father God, Creator-King, I have a problem. And that problem is me, most of the time. I am not often willing to release the rule of my own heart and my own life to You. I am more than ready that You rule over others, over this world, over suffering and disease, but I am not so ready that You reign over me right now. I recognize that I must stop this and change my direction. Without this, I know that I make light of Your work, of Your atoning death and Your glorious resurrection. Jesus, help me live in active obedience to You as my King. In Your name, for Your glory I pray, Amen.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Advent Reflections:

A couple of years ago, I wrote out a self-published e-book of Advent Devotions. You can still buy it from Amazon.com here: Advent Reflections. However, I’m going to re-use the whole thing for daily blog posts here on the blog this year. Next year I may have the opportunity to write a new one, I certainly hope to, but hopes and reality sometimes do not meet. The e-book is laid out on a sliding schedule, to use on respective days and weeks of Advent.

It should be noted that I drew inspiration from many works and many ideas. If you feel I have taken an idea without credit, please let me know so I can fix it.

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week One Day Four: King of All Powers

“Every person is to be in subjection to the govern authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” Romans 13:1 (NASB)

Now, let’s establish something up front: placed in context, this verse does not demand that we always obey earthly kings and governments. Whether you compare it only to Acts 5:29 where Peter and the Apostles insist that obedience to God supersedes obedience to men or also to the grand context of Scripture where injustice and evil are to be resisted no matter the source, you cannot bandy this verse about to beat people into submission. This verse reflects that we ought to recognize that governing authority derives from God, but it does not require one to not try to improve the situation.

That being said, let us look more into this idea. Jesus is not an absentee King of this world. He is the King who reigns above all earthly powers. Whether you live in a representative democracy or an oppressive dictatorship, and for those of you who think you live in one that’s really the other, at the back of that authority is God’s allowance of it.

This is true whether the government does that which is righteous or that which is evil. Beyond the scope of this brief writing is the question of why God would allow a wicked authority to come to power. That’s a question that deserves great treatment, and I’d commend you to Randy Alcorn’s If God is Good for a theological treatment of the idea and to Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy for a look at an individual who faced this issue with courage and resolve.

I see it this way: God allows human freedom. It is a messy thing to allow, for freedom to do right requires collateral freedom to do wrong, and insulating choices from having an impact on anyone else removes real consequence from the actions. Without having to consider consequences, freedom is an illusion: one that cannot hurt also cannot help.

It is difficult to praise God for wicked kings. This was a challenge throughout the Old Testament, as God used wicked kings to accomplish His purposes. It is a challenge to this day, to accept that God has a purpose for the suffering and pain caused by wicked authorities to this day. Yet He is in charge.

When the various kings and potentates rose and fell between David and Daniel, He was in charge. When Antiochus lost Israel and when the Hasmoneans gave way to Roman General Pompey, He was not sleeping. When Augustus called for a census and when Herod the Great, Pilate, and Herod Antipas were appointed, He allowed them.

As the debates rage in the United States, as revolutions rise and fall across the globe, God is in control. His kingdom is not limited to a geographic realm or to a system of government. The followers of Christ recognize that even the worst of dictators are temporary: none will escape this world alive and all will answer to God for how they have handled what they were entrusted.

Followers of Christ give their utmost allegiance to Him. Our votes, our speeches, our revolutionary activity must come in submission and obedience to Him. We trust that if our political lords and masters choose to mete out vengeance and violence that our Heavenly King will honor His word and bring us justice in due time.

Scripture Passage for the Day: James 5:10-11 (ESV)

“As an example of suffering and patience, brothers,

take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.

You have heard of the steadfastness of Job,

and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,

how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”

Song for the Day: Crown Him with Many Crowns #304

Prayer: Lord God, You are more than a lightweight, temporary ruler like the ones who appear to control this world. I know that I must deal with tyrants and crackpots in this life and I submit myself to live in a way that honors You, no matter what they demand or expect. Let me not waste efforts that should go into spreading Your truth on trifling matters, but let me also stand up and speak when justice and righteousness are at stake. Let the name of Jesus be the One Name I exalt, and in this name I pray. Amen

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Advent Reflections: Week One Day Three: King of the Spiritual World

It should be noted that I drew inspiration from many works and many ideas. If you feel I have taken an idea without credit, please let me know so I can fix it.

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week One Day Three: King of the Spiritual World

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” Job 1:6[1]

There are things around us that we cannot see. Some people do not accept this to be true, because the idea of invisible reality is too much. Most of us lean into this direction, though we do not like to admit it.

We are, generally, cynical people who barely trust our own senses. Scrooge inspires us when he attributes Marley's Ghost to underdone potato above truth. Down in, though, we fear that we're wrong. We worry about shades and spectres, the paranormal and the supernatural.

These scare us because we cannot see them. What we cannot see, we so not understand. What we do not understand, we will never control. Fear is often that: the human response to lacking control.

Yet Jesus is King of the Spiritual World as well as the visible, material one. His time here demonstrated that, as stories of casting out demons and stifling unclean spirits show. Even before Christmas, Job's story shows that angels and demons answer to Him. The time since His Ascension shows the spiritual realm still answers to His Word.

Approaching the manger, it is hard to imagine that this small child rules anything, much less the unseen realms. Scripture does not tell us He abdicated the throne, only that He emptied His glory to put on flesh.

Today, consider this: all the minor and major things that have happened to put you where you are, these are in His control. The powers that work for and against good in this world, they answer to Him.

Is it any wonder that the angels celebrated His birth? Whether they sing or say, joy is the theme of their exaltation that night. He was born, not just King of Humanity, but their King as well.

It is the opposite of weakness to come before this baby in worship and reverence. Even the strong know when help is needed, when their strength is overmatched. Be strong enough to admit your fears, your terrors to Him. Let the King in the hay be your Guide and Protector against that which you do not understand.

Scripture passage for the day: John 1:4-5 (NIV)

“In him was life,

and that life was the light of all mankind.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Hymn for the day: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Prayer: My Lord and My God, I do not understand all that that I see, much less the things that I do not see. I ask Your help in this, that I will trust that You control the many that are for us, against those set against us. Help my faith to grow and strengthen my defense against the evil ones. Let the Word of God be the strong sword I need, as I stand for You, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

[1] The word Lord renders the Hebrew covenant name for God and should be understood as distinguishing the God of the Bible from the other gods of the regions around Israel. See the inset panel on page 65 of The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook from Baker Books or the introductory material on the NASB, NIV, or NLT about the Name. Sons of God in this context refers to angelic beings.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Advent Reflections: Week One Day Two: King of Creation

It should be noted that I drew inspiration from many works and many ideas. If you feel I have taken an idea without credit, please let me know so I can fix it.

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week One Day Two: King of Creation

“All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.” (John 1:3, HCSB)

There is no shortage of people and creatures that claim to be “king of” something. The lion is “king of the jungle.” Godzilla is “king of the monsters.” There’s a Burger King, Kings of Leon, and a King of Rock and Roll. Across the pages of history are thousands of men who claimed to be king of something, from Ozymandias to George III. So, why is it that the claim of Jesus to be King is worth our time?

It’s found in the first truth of His Kingship. His Kingship does not find its root in conquest. He did not complete some momentous quest for a sword or jewel, or inherit a kingdom passed on through generations. His kingdom starts before day one, because it is through Him that all things are created.

His Kingdom is His because He made it. Take whatever look you like at the universe, and if you cannot find it the result of billions of years of randomness, a cosmic accident, then you are left with one basic option: this place was made by someone. I think that logic, theology, and science support a specific view of who that someone is.

That someone is the God of the Bible. The God who reveals Himself as eternally existing in Triune personhood, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God expresses that “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1) and then, in John 1:3 above tells us that through Jesus it was all done.

He is the King because He made it. It’s not someone else’s creation or territory, He’s not King Jesus because He conquered anyone else’s place. The marvel and majesty of stars that run by fusion, that’s His handiwork. How amazing is that? Consider that mankind can only use fusion to destroy, but stars use fusion to fuel life. Consider that there is a North Star in the Northern Hemisphere---and the Southern Hemisphere features a constellation to help find South—are these things accidents or design?

Look at the marvel of flora and fauna…consider that the Christmas Star orchid needs a moth with an 11-inch proboscis to pollinate and survive. Remarkably, the Darwin’s hawk moth lives on the same island and features just the right length of proboscis to make that happen. Hippos have birds and birds have hippos, and any casual read of a biology book will give you countless examples of symbiotic relationships that are astounding and point to the work of One to make it all start happening.

As we look toward the manger, let us remember this: this world was His in the first place. He came here not unfamiliar with what He would find, but knowing full well what was here. He made it all. The gold that was brought by the Magi?

It was through Jesus that it was made. Seventy-nine protons and electrons, eighteen different isotopes---all this was conceived in the mind of God in the first place. There is little that we can give Him that wasn’t His in the first place. Yet this year, let us give Him back what He has given us: our lives and our futures. Committing our will to obey Him is the one thing we can give: will you give that?

Scripture passage for the day: John 1:10-11 (NIV)

“He was in the world, and

though the world was made through him,

the world did not recognize him.

He came to that which was his own,

but his own did not receive him.”

Hymn for the day: In the Bleak Midwinter, Chorus is #207 “What Can I Give Him?”

Special music to listen and consider: “This is All I Have to Give” from Todd Agnew’s Do You See What I See? Album, Ardent Music, 2006.

Prayer: King Jesus, I have nothing to give You. Even if I had gold, You made it in the first place. There’s nothing within my power to hold that does not belong to You by creation. Yet this I have: my life. In truth, when I have run it my own way, it hasn’t gone that well, but I will submit it to Your kingship. As the song says, what can I give You? I will do my part. I give You my heart. My efforts, my attentions, my affections, all I have. Receive me into Your service. Let the name of Jesus, in which I pray, be the name I serve. Amen.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Advent Reflections: Week One, Day One: King of Kings

It should be noted that I drew inspiration from many works and many ideas. If you feel I have taken an idea without credit, please let me know so I can fix it.

Hymn numbers are from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal from Lifeway.

Week One, Day One: King of Kings

“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16 NASB)

The beginning of Christmas is not found at the manger. The beginning is not even found when Gabriel comes to Mary or the Angel appears to Zechariah. The beginning is found, well, at the beginning. Remember the one back in Genesis 1 where God creates all the heavens and the earth? That one.

Preparing for Christmas this year, start with the first three Christmas gifts. Leave aside everything else, for the time being, and focus on the gifts the Magi brought to the Baby Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). There is much to say about these gifts. Let's start with gold.

Gold is a precious metal in almost any society in history. It does not tarnish, does not corrode, and there is a limited supply of it in existence. Over gold, wars have been fought, kingdoms have been bought, and countless lives exchanged for it.

Gold has such a striking effect that the first artifact used by Neil MacGregor to illustrate world history is, in fact, a gilded mummy case from Ancient Egypt.[1] The presence of gold shows the presence of royalty across many cultures.

Gold drove the myriads of “Forty-Niners” to California, brought the Gold Rush to Dahlonega, Georgia, and drew all types north to Alaska. Songs exalt it as the symbol of love and permanence, businesses call their benefits packages “golden handcuffs,” and many people criticize the “golden parachutes” of executives.

Gold is hailed as the safe haven of investment, though the rules are tricky about it.[2] It is frequently blended with other metals to make jewelry, used in electronics, and even placed on football helmets and in fancy meals. The estimates, according to the Discovery Network website How Stuff Works, are that all the gold ever mined would not fill half of the Washington Monument.

Let’s face it, this is precious stuff here on earth. We don’t really play with it; we don’t treat it like we treat ordinary metals like steel or aluminum. We certainly don’t travel long distances to hand some gold over to a displaced set of new parents in another country.

Yet this is the first recorded gift of Christmas. It’s presented to a baby who doesn’t have a bed, much less a lockbox. He’s born out in the stable, not in the palace. Yet He’s given gifts like He’s a king. Gold is a kingly gift and one not to be tossed about for just any carpenter’s son.

So why gold? Because the recipient is no lightweight. He is the King. Do the Magi know this? Maybe not perfectly clearly, but they know enough. They know they come to honor a king.

For starters this Advent, let’s consider this: even by a generous estimate, we don’t know the half of the character and nature of God. We come this year towards Christmas as the Magi followed the star and bearing their gifts. We know that, at the end of the journey, at Christmas, we come before the manger and before the King.

We can start there. Do not think that degrees in theology and stacks of books are the opening necessity of Christmas. The opening necessity is far simpler: to come before the Baby in the manger, to come before the Christ Child and offer what you have. Recognize that He is the King of Kings, even if you cannot fathom all that this means.

You will find this: He will not leave you in the dark. He will show you more about Himself as the years go by than you could ever imagine.

Scripture passage for the day: Isaiah 55:8-9

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. ^{^[3]}

Hymn for the day: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne (Hymn #217)

Prayer: Lord God, I ask You to help me. I know that You are the King, but all that this means escapes me. Help me to grow in my understanding and commitment to you. I will grow in my understanding of your Kingship. I ask that You work in this world through me. In the name of Christ I pray, Amen.

[1] See his work A History of the World in 100 Objects: From the Handaxe to the Credit Card from Viking Press, 2011.

[2] No, I am not counseling you on investments. Not at all.

^{^[3]} The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Is 55:8–9.

Advent Thoughts: Introduction

It should be noted that I drew inspiration from many works and many ideas. If you feel I have taken an idea without credit, please let me know so I can fix it.

I. Introduction

As I sit down to write this, I'm 34 years old. Unemployment in the United States of America is at 9%, a major university is facing a sexual abuse scandal, the overall governing bodies of the country are less approved of than moldy leftovers, and the world is getting a little more chaotic every day. It's an easy time to be paranoid. It's an easy time to be pessimistic. We do not quite live as Charles Darnay, where it is the best of times and the worst at once, but many have not seen much worse in their lifetime.

These times sit poorly with us all. Some, perhaps, sit at ease with no regard for the world at large, but even the many who are employed, snug in their homes and well-fed, worry for their fellow man. We see news from diverse and distant lands of terror and warfare, and news from close at home of agony and frustration. Our neighbors need work, their children need education, and their families need food that many can hardly spare.

We are in need of something. Our government ran on a platform of hope and change, and the following election was the rally of “Not that kind of change.” The coming election promises little better and many truly cannot wait that long for the social ills that plague us to be solved. We fill prisons faster than factories and school detentions faster than honor rolls. Some churches fill and empty every week with precious little hope.

We are in need of something. Our economy is based on consumption. For people to have the jobs they need to earn the money to buy food, people have to buy stuff. We need to consume, use up, and purchase again. The race does not end, for a new race is necessary. The money that is spent on things to make us happy requires us to buy insurance to pay for the therapy we need when the stuff does not make us happy.

We are in need of something. Our bookstores are filled with self-help sections. The phone book is filled with therapists and counselors, and we take drugs to fix our moods. We see stadiums fill to capacity for some preachers or gurus, and our religious quests take us around the world and back again. Movies, books, music, and gadgets promise to fulfill our missing parts, to plug the vacuum in our souls.

We are in need of something, but we hardly know where to look. Our hearts yearn for something dependable. Our minds seek a solid foundation. Our souls, our very being cries out that we need meaning, purpose, significance.

We are in need of something, something greater than ourselves. We are really in need of someone that can be our refuge, our hope, our foundation, our source of meaning and significance in this world.

Some of you are wondering “What is Advent?” and further, “What in the world does Advent have to do with this?”

The heart of Advent is the idea of coming, of expectation. Today, I want to challenge you in this: as we all scurry about, worrying about whether or not we can meet all of our expectations for this year, this Christmas, this holiday season, take a few moments each day to sit back in expectation.

Expectation of finding the grace you need.

Expectation of finding the hope you need.

Expectation of finding the love you need.

Expectation of finding the strength to share all of that with not a few, but all the people you encounter.

It's a big dream.

Let's chase it together because we need more than something, we need someone...we need Jesus. Now, most people that are reading a book about Advent already know a little about Jesus. You know that whole story: born of the Virgin Mary, lived in sinless perfection, died at the hands of sinful men, rose again, and then ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. He is the perfect Son of God, unique and yet together with God Himself. He was, in that time, not God only but fully man as well. He knows weakness, need, and pain. He also holds the power for all of it.

This book will not make you any richer in pocket, and finishing it will not find you a job or fill your pantry. Unfortunately, e-ink cannot do that. My hope is that by taking a few minutes each day you can find your way a step closer to Jesus this year during Advent.

II. How to use this guide

This is meant to be a short, daily reading guide. You’ll generally find it helpful to have a Bible at hand, because most of the longer passages of Scripture will not be reproduced, but you ought to read them. Some of you will find even more benefit in firing up your CD player or iTunes to listen to a referenced song, but others may not.

Each of the four weeks will center on a specific theme of the Christmas story as we draw near to Christmas. There are six sections for each week to allow for the possibility that you’ll miss a day. Perhaps your worship time on Sunday will keep you from this book that day: there’s no harm in that. Each day will feature a Scripture segment, some thoughts related to it, a song to consider, and a challenge to put into action that day. There will be some days that feature both a hymn or carol and a "special" song, one that's meant to be listened to. Most of these can be found on various music streaming services like Rhapsody or Spotify; alternately they can be purchased from iTunes or Amazon.com. Hymn numbers will come from the 2008 Baptist Hymnal which is also published by Lifeway as The Worship Hymnal.

Yet keep this in mind: you cannot fail Advent. If Christmas comes, and it will, then the time to remember the birth of Christ comes. He never fails to come, and that’s what this is about.

A quick word to some of my historical and theological brethren and sistren: this is not about the debate over the actual birthday of Jesus. I know your arguments, I’ve read the suggestions, and I’m not up for that debate here. This is my statement: if you are willing to knock out a month of your life in August or September to celebrate the birth of Christ and take that time to tell people about Him, not about why you think September is right, then more power to you. You can have Jesus in September and Santa in December if you’d like, but most of us would rather celebrate the Christ Child than debate the timing. There are bound to be some good books out there about the debate, go read one.

Scripture passages are marked:

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) (NASB95) are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked as the author’s own translation will be based on The Greek New Testament. 4th ed. Federal Republic of Germany: United Bible Societies, 1993 by Aland, Barbara, Kurt Aland, Matthew Black et al. Author’s Greek skills are founded in undergraduate and graduate studies in the language.