Christmas Light

“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” – John 1:5

 

Light, what is it? Light is a form of energy that we can see. Light travels fast. NASA indicates, “Light travels at a constant, finite speed of 186,000 mi/sec. A traveler, moving at the speed of light, would circum-navigate the equator approximately 7.5 times in one second. By comparison, a traveler in a jet aircraft, moving at a ground speed of 500 mph, would cross the continental U.S. once in 4 hours.”[1] Light can bounce. It can be passed through cables. It can be divided into a spectrum of colors. When focused with a laser it can become a powerful force.

Interesting facts, but the Apostle John wasn’t thinking of any of these when he used “light.” The Apostle John was inspired to use light to define the nature of God:

·         1 John 1:5-7 - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

“God is light.” That is the essence of what John is trying to communicate with the metaphor of light. That which associated with God is illustrated with light. God is holy, just, true, faithful and all of these things are associated therefore with light.

John used light in contrast with darkness to illustrate truth about good and evil. The word “light” in the Bible occurs 263 times in 228 verses. For instance, while there apparently remains a light of belief in our country, that light is growing dimmer. Truly, “And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5).

A majority of Americans still believe in God, but the numbers are decreasing. Darkness is increasing. A recent Cyber Cast News article entitled Poll: Americans’ Belief in God is Strong – But Declining by Susan Jones (12.17.13) [2]provided the following statistics:

·         74% of Americans believe in God – down from 82% in previous years.

·         72% believe in miracles – down from 79% in 2005

·         68% believe in heaven – down from 75%

·         68% believe Jesus is God or Son of God – down from 72%

·         65% believe in the resurrection of Jesus = down from 70%

·         64% believe in survival of the soul after death – down from 69%

·         58% believe in the devil and hell – down from 62%

·         57% believe in the Virgin Birth – down from 60%

·         54% believe absolutely there is a God – down from 66% in 2003

·         47% believe in Darwin’s Theory of Evolution – up from 42%

·         42% of Americans believe in ghosts (especially younger people)

·         36% believe in Creationism, . . . and UFOs

·         29% believe in Astrology

·         26% believe in witches

·         24% believe in reincarnation – i.e. that they were once another person

The darkness is growing.

But Christmas is a time of lights. We drive through neighborhoods at night and enjoy the colored lights of Christmas decorations. People are very imaginative with lights –

Like Diana Dew, [who created] dresses that switch on and off. By using pliable plastic lamps sewn into the clothes in segments and connected to a rechargeable battery pack worn on the hip, she has been able to produce mini-dresses with throbbing hearts and pulsating belly stars, as well as pants with flashing vertical side seams and horizontal bands that march up and down the legs in luminous sequence. “They’re hyperdelic trans-sensory experiences,” says Diana. Potentiometers on the battery pack allow the wearer to produce from one to twelve flashes per second.  ^[3]

 

The dark world just doesn’t get God’s light. The word “comprehend” (Greek katalambano) means to take eagerly, possess, seize, apprehend, find, perceive; the world is in darkness; it just doesn’t get the light of Jesus. The world just doesn’t comprehend the light of God. It toys with light, but it does not comprehend the light of Jesus.

The world tries to imitate and manufacture light –

·         The world's longest lasting light bulb is the Centennial Light located at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California. It is maintained by the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. The fire department claims that the bulb is at least 110 years old and has only been turned off a handful of times. The bulb has been noted by The Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, and General Electric as being the world's longest-lasting light bulb.[4]

 

·         A daily paper contained an item telling that General Electric has perfected a light bulb which had a life expectancy of a million hours! Imagine a bulb that will burn eight hours a day, every day for over 342 years, or until the year 2295! It is estimated that this bulb will use $1,640 worth of electricity in the million hours, and give out 286,000,000 lumens, or units of light. Think of the convenience of having a light bulb that will last over 342 years!  ^[5]

 

But 110 years or 342 years of light from a bulb is nothing compared to the eternal light of Jesus. The world just doesn’t comprehend the light of God.

People reject the light of Jesus and try to work by their own light –

One of the great 19th-century French painters, Anne-Louis Girodet, worked best at night. To provide for light, he wore a wide-brim hat and positioned candles around the brim. Forty candles was the maximum illumination he needed. He also would base his fees on the number of candles used during his work. ^[6]

 

That’s a good example of the dim light humanity lives by when they do not comprehend the light of Jesus.

Jesus is the “light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5). But He also calls us to be the “light of the world” (Mat. 5:14). Like the moon we are to reflect His light in a dark world.

 

What is John trying to communicate or illustrate with “light”? When we look at how he uses “light” we see light is associated with the life God gives us; our existence; our consciousness of God; our conscience (John 1:4). Light is opposite to darkness – in light we see where to go; in darkness we are lost. In light we avoid banging into things; in darkness we bang into things and hurt ourselves. In light we gain direction; in darkness we are directionless (John 1:5). Light is what we are to witness of the Light (John 1:7-8). Light is associated with God’s truth (John 1:9; 3:21). How we respond to God’s light determines whether or not we are condemned by God (John 3:19). Light is the opposite of practicing evil (John 3:20). Light is found by walking with Jesus in obedience to Him (John 8:12). Because Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5).

 

Elsewhere in the New Testament we see light is defined as “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4-6). Light exposer of darkness (Eph. 5:13). Light is walking in the light as Jesus is in the light leads to fellowship with God and other believers and holiness; cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7). And we see that being in the light of the Lord involves loving those around us. Hate is darkness. Love is light. Light is a metaphor for living in the love of God (1 John 2:9-10).

 

The light of Jesus and His gospel, when shined into darkness, gives great hope and eternal life:

 

A man whose youth and early manhood had been spent in evil ways, and who was converted to God, was one night giving his testimony. He had met an old drinking pal during the week who chaffed him for turning pious. “I’ll tell you what,” I said to him, “you know what I am (he was a lamplighter); when I go round turning out the lights, I look back, and all the road over which I’ve been walking is all darkness, and that’s what my past is like.

 

“I look on in front, and there’s a long row of twinkling lights to guide me, and that’s what the future is since I found Jesus.” “Yes,” says my friend, “but by-and-by you get to the last lamp and turn it out, and where are you then?” “Then,” says I, “why, when the last lamp goes out it’s dawn, and there ain’t no need for lamps when the morning comes.” ^[7]

 

Jesus said:

·         John 12:35-36 - ³⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Jesus light is still shinning. It shines its life-giving hue into dark lost lives. It shines its holy light on those things that threaten to cover the light in dark sinful covers. “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” That is the Christmas light.

 

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[1] http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/Numbers/Math/Mathematical_Thinking/how_fast_is_the_speed.htm

[2] http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/poll-americans-belief-god-strong-declining

^[3]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest-lasting_light_bulbs

^[5]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[6]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

^[7]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

Christmas Presence

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Christmas Presence. That’s not a misspelling. Though we might feel as though Christmas is primarily about getting and giving presents, it is supposed to be so much more than that. In fact, Christmas is supposed to be primarily about a presence. When the angel of the Lord was announcing the birth of Jesus to Joseph he quoted Isaiah saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Mat. 1:23; cf. Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). Christmas is meant to celebrate Immanuel, God with us, the presence of God, Christmas presence.

In our secularized Christmas it’s not surprising that the presence of God has been hijacked by presents. In 2009 the buying frenzy included the following statistics:

•  For the holiday season from November 1 to December 20, US online retail sales reached $24.8bn, a 4% increase over the same period in 2008.
• Spending on 'Green Monday' December 14 was $854m, 1% less than the previous year, but the three following days each surpassed $800m.
• Tuesday, December 15 set an individual day spending record with $913m. By comparison, spending on Cyber Monday (Nov. 30) was $887m. ^[1]

Christmas is big business. The livelihood and continued existence of some companies and businesses is determined by sales during the Christmas season. The result is pressure to buy, buy, and buy. We are inundated with commercials and “great buys” and “sales,” and a host of other marketing propaganda to get us to spend, spend, spend. Now there’s nothing wrong with giving. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Getting is not that bad either. But when the material aspects of this sacred holy day of Christmas crowd out the core purpose of it, we need to reassess and get back on course. If we miss the presence of God at Christmas, we’ve missed Christmas.

How’s your Christmas spirit? Or more importantly, are you in the Spirit this Christmas? Are you focused on the presence of the Lord or presents under the tree? Maybe you’re just having a real hard time sensing the presence of the Lord this year.  Maybe you’re grieving the loss of a loved one. Maybe you’ve lost a job or are in danger of being laid off. Maybe you’re finances are so deep in debt you can’t imagine going further into debt for Christmas presents. Maybe, for whatever reason, you have a severe case of the Christmas blahs. There’s cure for that. The cure is Christmas presence. Let’s look at what God says in His word about His presence, the reason some people don’t sense it and how we can enter into and live in the presence of the LORD. Let’s ask a few questions and answer them. Hopefully we will, with God’s help, experience true Christmas presence as a result.

Where is the presence of the LORD? The presence of the LORD is everywhere (Psalm 97:5; 114:7; 139:7-10). The theological term for this is omnipresence. God is everywhere all the time. You can’t escape God’s presence.

What is the presence of the LORD like? In Psalms the presence of the LORD is described in the following way: "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). On the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Apostles and disciples of Jesus in power that Peter quoted this verse in his Pentecostal message that led to the salvation of thousands (Acts 2:28). That sounds pretty wonderful; that’s something that everyone should yearn for and live in. The presence of the LORD is the greatest present. But why don’t people seek out the presence of the LORD?

Hell is described as being removed from the presence of the LORD. In scripture it states of those in hell: “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 3:9). The greatest punishment is being removed from the presence of the LORD. If God’s presence is so great why then do some people run away from it or just don’t care about it?

Why don’t we sense the presence of the LORD? Why do some people flee from the presence of the LORD? Why don’t we sense God’s presence? Why don’t we feel it or experience it? The problem is not with God. He is not limited in any way or absent from any place. The problem is with us. Why can’t we sense the presence of the LORD? The simple profound straightforward answer is sin.

There was a time when humanity was first created that God walked and fellowshipped with us. It was a beautiful loving time of fellowshipping with God in His presence in the Garden. But Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God (Gen. 3). The consequence was our first parents no longer felt comfortable in the presence of God (Gen. 3:8).  Sin caused a great disconnect between humanity and the presence of God. When we disregard God’s word and act like Adam and Eve we too will feel uncomfortable in the presence of the LORD.

It should be mentioned that sometimes even Christians miss the presence of the LORD. This may be due to simply living in fallen bodies affected by planetary sin, or the physical problems connected with the physical fall of creation under the influence of sin (Rom. 8:18f.). But there are other times when we are indeed to blame for not experiencing the presence of the LORD.

Jealousy quenches the presence of the Lord. Cain and his jealous unloving self-centered premeditated murder of his brother Abel resulted in departing from the presence of the LORD (Gen. 4:16).  When we act like Cain in a jealous unloving self-centered manner, we too will be sent from the presence of the LORD.

Rebellion against God leads to people fleeing from the presence of the LORD. Jonah rebelled against God’s call and tried to flee the presence of the LORD. He was tracked down by God with a serious storm and great fish at sea (Jonah 1:3, 10). That got his attention and finally he turned back to God (cf. Jonah 1-4).

Sin desensitizes us to the presence of the LORD and its blessedness. Satan exacerbates the departure from the presence of the Lord by coming into the presence of the LORD himself to bring accusations against Gods people (Job 1:12; 2:7). And sometimes we sinfully simply forget to make God a priority in our lives. The presence of God is here. If you don’t sense it, ask Him, “Why?” Maybe this poem will explain why you aren’t in the presence of the Lord:

 

Into The Day

 

I got up early one morning

And rushed right into the day;

I had so much to accomplish

I didn’t have time to pray.

Troubles just tumbled about me

And heavier came each task.

Why God doesn’t help me, I wondered,

He answered, “You didn’t ask.”

I tried to come into God’s presence,

I used all my keys at the lock.

God gently and lovingly chided,

“Why child, you didn’t knock.”

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

But the day toiled on grey and bleak,

I called on the Lord for the reason—

He said “You didn’t seek.”

I woke up early this morning

And paused before entering the day.

I had so much to accomplish

That I had to take time to pray.

—Author Unknown ^[2]

 

How can we experience the presence of the LORD? The answer is that we need to repent of our sin. At Pentecost Peter in the power of the Spirit connected times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord with repentance from sin – “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times o refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).  To repent is to change your mind about sin and practically turn away from it. We need to turn away from our sin and turn toward God. To be “converted” also carries this idea of turning to God. When we do this God washes away our sins that separate us from His presence and invites into His presence (cf. Heb. 10:19-23).

Isn’t that what we need this Christmas, a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord? The word “refreshing” means rest relief, refreshing, recovery of breath, revival. Do you want to experience a revival that flows from the presence of the Lord? Go to God in prayer and ask Him to search you and then repent of any sin He points out (Psalm 51; 139). Then times of refreshing will flow into you from the presence of the Lord. We need a revival. Our nation needs a revival. It will come through repentance and conversion by God’s grace through faith in Jesus.

Have you seen those random acts of culture on You Tube? They take place at malls and highly populated areas. People will be at the food court and then all of a sudden music from Handel’s Messiah will begin to play. Then a single person stands and begins to sing a portion of The  Messiah, then another and another until the food court is filled with the sounds of the glorious Hallelujah chorus. It really can bring a lump into your throat. But sometimes those involved in those random acts of culture are living lifestyles of rebellion toward God. If we are to experience the presence of the Lord we must move beyond mere cultural performances to a genuine desire to be pleasing in the sight of God. We need more than culture. We need consecration to God. We need more than random acts. We need life impacting repentance.

Examine yourself and let God point out any sin in your life. Don’t be too quick to think you are without sin. The apostle John was inspired to say if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and if we say we have no sin we make God a liar  (1 John 1:8, 10). We need to humbly go before God and ask Him to search us and point out any sin that is keeping us from His presence (e.g. Psalm 139:23-24). If we casually allow sin to go persist in our lives, God will wait and let us try to live without His presence until we confess and repent of our sin (Psalm 66:18). If we confess our sins God is faithful and will forgive us (1 John 1:9).  If we want to experience the presence of the Lord we must confess and repent of our sin.

When we repent and come to God we are then suited to experience His presence. His presence is facilitated in our praise of Him (Psalm 22:3). And His presence is facilitated when we gather together in the name of Jesus (Mat. 18:20). All of this speaks to the importance of fellowship. When you come to the Lord, if you want to experience His presence fellowship in church with other believers is essential (cf. Heb. 10:24-25).

How should we respond in the presence of the Lord? The Holy Spirit directs us in how to respond to the presence of the Lord (John 4:23-24). Sometimes the Spirit will lead us to be silent in the presence of the Lord (cf. Zephaniah 1:7). The Spirit will always lead us to be reverent in the presence of the Lord (cf. Haggai 1:12). And the Spirit will impress on us to be humble in God’s presence (1 Cor. 1:29). There is no place for pride in the presence of the Lord (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:5-6). The Spirit will impress on us appreciation for His presence and a spirit of  thanks in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 140:13). Lastly, the Spirit will fill us with a heart to worship the Lord in His presence. Psalm 100:2 states, “Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” There’s a lot of singing at Christmas time. Make sure you remember your singing is in the presence of the LORD.

All of our responses to the presence of the Lord are summed up in worship. For all the Lord has done for us, we ought to worship Him. Since God inhabits the praises of His people, worship creates a cycle of His presence for us to dwell with Him in. Worship is the climax, the hallelujah chorus of experiencing the presence of the Lord. Glory! Glory in His presence. Glory to God in the highest!

Christmas is more than presents. It is, or should be, about the presence of God. It is about Immanuel, God with us, the presence of God. I pray you have a merry Christmas presence. God bless.

 

 

 

 

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[1] http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/5157-xmas-2009-online-retail-stats-round-up

^[2]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979

Why Did Jesus Come?

 

“. . . for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  (John 18:37).

 

Christmas has become such a busy time of year with decorations, parties, shopping, cooking and such. There is a magazine called Garbage magazine and years ago it gave the following stats about Christmas:

Americans used 28,497,464 rolls and sheets of wrapping paper, 16,826,362 packages of tags and bows, 372,430,684 greeting cards, and 35,200,000 Christmas trees.  [1]

CNN reports that during the five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years there is an extra 5 to 7 million tons of garbage produced. [2] Who can doubt that the garbage produced at Christmas this year will be even greater? Jesus didn’t come to produce garbage. But why did He come?

With all the activity it is easy to forget about the meaning of Christmas, the reason for the season. Why did He come? Why did Jesus come? If we really want to know the reason for the season we should go to Jesus and see what He said. What did Jesus say was the purpose of His coming? The specific phrase, “I have come” (in which Jesus indicates why He came), is uttered by Jesus a number of times in the gospels (e.g. Matthew 10:35; Mark 1:38; John 5:43; 6:38; 9:39; 10:10; 12:46; 18:37). On one of these occasions Jesus said:

 

·         John 18:37b – “. . . For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Now this is not what we would call a portion of scripture traditionally associated with Christmas. This is a verse more commonly connected to Resurrection Week. But John 18:37 serves us well in answering the question of Christmas, “Why Did Jesus Come?” This verse sums up the purpose of Christmas.

 

Jesus must have wanted us to know why He came to repeat why He came so many times. That’s our challenge; to recognize and reflect on the message of truth He came to bring us and to receive it into our hearts by faith. Let’s look at what Jesus said about why He came.  

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DELIVER a message. Jesus said, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”(Mark 1:38; Luke 4:43). He came to preach. Jesus even gave the content of His message saying He came to bear witness to the truth. He said, “. . . for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  (John 18:37). Jesus even described where the truth He came to preach and teach could be found saying:

·         John 17:17 - ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

God’s truth is found in His word because all of God’s word is truth (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 19:7-9; 119:9, 142, 151, 160; Proverbs 22:21; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). Have you heard His message of truth and have you received it by faith?

What did that message of truth consist of? A summary examination of the Gospels reveals that the message of Jesus consisted of:

1. Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God (i.e. God’s rule in the heart now and in the future His kingdom on earth) - Repentance is closely connected to entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 1:17; 4:17; 10:7; 11:20-24; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:1-4).
2. Jesus taught the need for discipleship (i.e. being a learner who grows in understanding and application of what is taught) - “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19); Jesus taught the blessedness of being a disciple (Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew chapters 5 through 7); Disciples are to be salt and light  (Matthew 5:13-16)
3. Jesus taught about prayer - Disciples should have a vital prayer life (Matthew 6:5-13; 9:38; 14;23; Mark 6:46; 11:24; 13:33; Luke 6:12; 9:28; 10:2; 18:1-8; 22:40 ).
4. Jesus taught about righteousness - Righteousness acceptable to God must be heart oriented and more than a religious pursuit of God (Matthew 5:20 – 6:4); true righteousness involves doing God’s will in life (Matthew 7:21-23); be heavenly oriented and trust God to provide (Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34); don’t be a hypocrite (Matthew 23).
5. Jesus taught God’s way of salvation is single and solitary – A narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14); Build your life on the rock of Jesus’ words (Matthew 7:24-27); Jesus is the only way to get to God the Father in heaven (John 14:6).
6. Jesus taught and demonstrated He could heal (Matthew 4:24; 8:4-17; 12:15; 14:14; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14).
7. Jesus taught we should beware of false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20; 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22).
8. Jesus taught servanthood - Followers of God should be humble and have servant’s hearts - If you want to follow Jesus you have to deny your self, pick up your cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-27); The greatest according to Jesus is the humblest, the least and the servant of all  (Matthew 18:1-5; 20:27-28; John 13:1-20); come humbly before God (Luke 18:9-14).
9. Jesus taught about His redeeming sacrifice - Jesus must go to the cross and die and three days later be risen form the dead for the remission of sins (Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19, 28; 26:36-46; Mark 8:31; 10:45; John 2:19-21; 10:18).
10. Jesus taught the need for salvation from sin - Jesus came to save the lost (Matthew 18:11); With God all things are possible including the salvation of sinners (Matthew 19:26); You must be born again through faith in Jesus (John 3:1-21; 5:24; 6:47); Without Jesus you will die in your sins (John  8:24); Eternal life is knowing  Jesus (John 17:3); Saving faith is a work of God in a person and therefore a gracious provision of God (John 6:29, 44; 1:16-17); Jesus taught He can free a person from sin (John 8:31-36).
11. Jesus taught that He is our source of spiritual life and nourishment - Jesus is the bread of life, the one who feeds our souls through our relationship with Him (John 6:35, 48, 51); Jesus quenches the thirsty soul (John 7:37-39); Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12); Jesus is the resurrection and life (John 11:25-26).
12. Jesus taught and proved He is God – His disciples said Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and has come to give His life a ransom to redeem the lost – Matthew 16:13-21; He is the great “I AM” (John 8:58); His opponents said He made Himself equal with God and Jesus said He should be honored as the Father is honored (John 5:16-24); The scriptures bear witness to Jesus (John 5:39);  Jesus and God the Father are one (John 10:30-33); He who sees Jesus has seen the Father also (John 12:44-45).
13. Jesus taught love  - The greatest commandment is to love God supremely and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 5:43-48; 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 6:27-36); Love involves service (John 13:34); Love is the evidence of being His disciple (John 13:35); Love involves obedience  (John 14:21-24; 15:10);  we need to abide in Jesus’ love (John 15:9-10); Our love is to be like the love Jesus modeled for us (John 15:12-13; 17:26); Love is a command of Jesus; it is not optional (John 15:17); Jesus wants to know if we love Him (John 21:15-17).
14. Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit – He promised to send the Holy Spirit to help His followers after He would ascend to heaven (John 14-16); Jesus taught that those who worship God should worship Him in spirit and truth (Matthew 4:10; John 4:23-24); Jesus’ teachings must be spiritually discerned (John 6:63).
15. Jesus taught He is coming back! - After Jesus leaves He will come again and we ought to watch for His return (Matthew 24:29-31, 36-51; Luke 21:36); When Jesus comes back at His Second Coming it will be for judgment (Matthew 24:31-46); Until Jesus returns we ought to be making disciples, baptizing people as a sign of their new life in Christ via the gospel and teaching them to obey all that Jesus taught (Matthew 28:18-20).

This is only a very brief and limited summary of the content of Jesus’ message. The message of Jesus is worth our attention and study. It would not be a bad thing to spend one’s life dissecting and living out in the Spirit the message of Jesus. Receiving the gospel gift of Jesus and living it out is the most glorious of Christmas gifts.

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIVULGE God.  The message Jesus came to communicate is of utmost importance. It’s important because the message embodies the Master Himself. In Hebrews it states:

·         Hebrews 1:1-4 - God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Jesus didn’t only communicate His message verbally, but He communicated it by His nature. Jesus said He came in His Father’s name:  “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”  (John 5:43). To come in someone’s name meant you came as a representative; you came in a way to convey the will and nature of that person. Jesus came in His Father’s name in that He revealed the nature of God because He was and is God in the flesh (John 1:1-2,14; 10:30; 14:6-11; Colossians 1:19; 2:9-10).

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DISRUPT the complacent. One of the first things Jesus did when He began His earthly ministry was to call people to repentance. In Mark it states:

·         Mark 1:14-15 - ¹⁴ Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus came and right away began to shake things up by calling the sinners to repentance. Repentance is not just feeling sorry about something but turning from it and seeking a way to be freed from the wrong sinful action (e.g. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11). You can’t come to Jesus and remain the same. Jesus comes to shake us up and wake us up to a new life in our saving relationship with Him (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIVIDE.  It is common to think that Jesus came to unite, but in fact Jesus’ own words indicate He came for just the opposite purpose; He came to divide. The evidence of this provocative statement is found in Matthew 10:34 where it states, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Jesus goes on to say that there would be family division because of Him (see Matthew 10:34-39).  Family gatherings at Christmas can often erupt into all out war. But the tension and stress and division Jesus is talking about here is not caused by family squabbles or wrong or bad gifts, it is caused by taking a stand with Jesus.

 

Our hearts are often filled with divided loyalties. We are divided between the world and Jesus; our own self centered desires (lusts) versus our relationship with Jesus. In the process of change for the better, for something to be made right, it must often first be broken down. Sometimes before peace comes, there is a battle, even a war (e.g. Before Romans 8, there is a Romans 7). A divided heart has to be broken before it can receive what God has for it (Joel 2:12-14). Jesus is either Lord of all in your life or He is not Lord at all. For Jesus to do His work in your heart, in your life and beyond that to your family and loved ones, He must be first and Lord. If Jesus is not Lord in your life, when He gives instruction by the Holy Spirit, you may not follow it, or you may only partially follow it and make things worse than they already are. You have to lose your life in Him. You have to totally trust in Jesus for Him to work effectively in you (Acts 8:37).

 

A time will come when we will need to take a stand for Jesus in the presence of our unsaved family members and friends. We are not to take such a stand in and unloving insensitivity or harshness. That would bring shame to the name of Jesus. But we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:15-16). We need to put Jesus first and care more for the lost souls of family members than merely keeping the peace or status quo of Christmas.  

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DO God’s will. Early in His ministry and life Jesus said: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38). To accomplish God’s will Jesus would have to give His life as a ransom, a payment to God’s justice for the penalty of sin (Matthew 26:36-46; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21). It is because of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice that we can be saved from our sin (1 John 1:7, 9; 2:1-2). 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came “for judgment,” to be the DECIDING factor in life. Jesus said: “For judgment I have come into this world, . . . ” (John 9:39a). Not everyone accepts that Jesus is God or even that they are separated from God because of their sin. Jesus came as the deciding factor; He came that those who are genuinely seeking can find eternal life in Him and that those who are playing games will be exposed for their hypocrisy. Jesus is the fulcrum, the watershed, the deciding factor in your eternal destiny. What you do with Jesus will determine whether or not you remain lost in or are saved from your sin. Give Jesus your heart; trust your heart to Him and He will give you a new heart suited for eternal life with Him (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26). 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DESTROY the works of the devil. The result of Jesus sacrifice was to disarm Satan and ultimately all his works. The New Testament says: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  (1 John 3:8; see also Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14). Never forget that you are in a spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Satan is a loser and he knows it. But he still has some fight in him. Christmas time is a battle of the bulge in more ways than one.

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DIE for our sins.  Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45; see also John 3:16-21).The wages or consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). That is a debt we cannot pay off. If we die in our sins we will be eternally lost. Jesus came to die for us, in our place so that we could be forgiven our sins and made righteous before God (Philippians 5:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus said:  “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). Some go on search and destroy missions; Jesus went on a search, save and disciple mission. And we are called to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to DELIVER the hurting. Remember, though there is often pain in following Jesus, He will not let you be tested beyond what you are able (1 Corinthians 10:13) and He will not allow you to be broken beyond repair. Whatever breaking God allows in your life will be used for His good purposes (Romans 8:28-29). Of Jesus it was said, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory” (Matthew 12:20; Isaiah 42:3). Trust Jesus with everything.

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to serve and DELIVER us from evil. Jesus told us we should pray to be delivered from evil (Matthew 6:13). He provides a way for us to be delivered from evil through His word and our relationship with Him. In the Gospel of John it states:

·         John 8:31-36 - ³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

If you are committing sin you are a slave of sin, and sin can be a cruel taskmaster. But Jesus, through His word and our personal relationship with Him, has provided a way to be delivered from the slavery to sin. The word of God promises a way out from under the bondage of sin (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to call everyone to make a DECISION. Jesus called the rich young ruler to make a decision between the god of his goods and God in the flesh, Jesus (Matthew 10:21). Jesus said a person cannot serve two masters; you can’t serve God and the things of this world (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; cf. also 1 John 2:15-16). Jesus said if you want to follow Him you have to put Him first and put self last (Luke 9:23-26). When Jesus’ teachings got tough He asked His disciples if they still wanted to follow Him (John 6:67). And when Jesus had been beaten and scourged He was presented before the people and Pilate asked who they wanted Jesus or Barabbas (Matthew 27:17). Jesus came to call all people to make a decision. Will you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, or will you not? No decision is a decision, against Jesus. If a person is in a burning house and rescuers call to them to come out to safety, if the person I the house just mulls over the call and casually contemplates whether or not they will heed it, they will burn to death. Indecision is decision.  What is your decision about Jesus and why He came?

 

That is why Jesus came, that mission was begun at Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Jesus came a long way for you and me. Jesus gave a lot for us; He gave His life so that you and I and every sinner could be brought out of darkness into God’s light and experience salvation from our sin, by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Has His mission been accomplished in you? Jesus has a gift that surpasses any Christmas gift you’ve ever known, life in Him. To receive that gift of life is as easy as ABC, all you have to do is:

• Admit you are a sinner (like all humans are) – Romans 3:23. Understand that sin left unattended to will lead first to physical death and then eternal death (eternal separation from God) – Romans 6:23a; Ezekiel 18:4. Turn from your sinful life to Jesus and God will give you a fresh start (Acts 2:38) and new life (Romans 6:4).
• Believe and receive Jesus as your Savior (Romans 6:23b; Romans 8:9-10). Don’t depend on your works; they can’t deal with your sin. Depend on Jesus. Jesus completed work on the cross is what deals with sin (Ephesians 2:8-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Titus 3:5).
• Commit your life wholeheartedly to Him; live for Him (Acts 2:42; 8:37; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). You life will be characterized by abundance if you do (John 10:10).

M.R. Dehaan, founder of the Radio Bible Class wrote the following poem that is a good summation of the reason Jesus came.

Can This Be Christmas

What's all this hectic rush and worry?
Where go these crowds who run and scurry?
Why all the lights -- the Christmas trees?
The jolly "fat man," tell me please!

Why, don't you know? This is the day
For parties and for fun and play;
Why this is Christmas!

So this is Christmas, do you say?
But where is Christ this Christmas day?
Has He been lost among the throng?
His voice drowned out by empty song?

No. He's not here -- you'll find Him where
Some humble soul now kneels in prayer,
Who knows the Christ of Christmas.

But see the many aimless thousands
Who gather on this Christmas Day,
Whose hearts have never yet been opened,
Or said to Him, "Come in to stay."

In countless homes the candles burning,
In countless hearts expectant yearning
For gifts and presents, food and fun,
And laughter till the day is done.

But not a tear of grief or sorrow
For Him so poor He had to borrow
A crib, a colt, a boat, a bed
Where He could lay His weary head.

I'm tired of all this empty celebration,
Of feasting, drinking, recreation;
I'll go instead to Calvary.

And there I'll kneel with those who know
The meaning of that manger low,
And find the Christ -- this Christmas.

I leap by faith across the years
To that great day when He appears
The second time, to rule and reign,
To end all sorrow, death, and pain.

In endless bliss we then shall dwell
With Him who saved our souls from hell,
And worship Christ -- not Christmas!

God bless you with His coming and have a meaningful Spirit filled Christmas.

 

 

 

 

---

[1] Garbage Magazine, 12-1991, p. 7.

 

[2] http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/12/18/holiday.excess.enn/index.html

The Giver and His Gifts

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. – James 1:17

 

Of all the holidays celebrated Christmas generates the greatest economic boost. (Halloween is second.) It seems each year stores push for an earlier beginning for this holiday. We used to see Christmas decorations go up around Thanksgiving. Now it is not uncommon to see Christmas decorations go up around Halloween. The day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday” because some companies get out of the red and into the black in their accounting records solely based on sales from this day. Some companies succeed or fail based on the income generated in connection with Christmas. It’s a big money maker. Merry Christmas!

Gifts are the topic of conversation at Christmas. What did you get? How many did you get? How much is it worth? How much did it cost? How big is it? What feature does it have? Can it do this? Can it do that? Does it fit? Can I exchange it? Can I return it? There’s a whirl of questions and thoughts and they focus on the gifts. We have been deceived and distracted from what Christmas is truly all about.

Christmas is about giving. And it is about a very special Gift. But we have drifted far from the root meaning of Christmas. We have gotten far away from the Giver and His original gift of Jesus the Christ at Christmas. We have put first things last and last things first. We have cluttered and covered what is eternally important with the wrappings of material things that will not last.

That’s sad. It shouldn’t happen. It doesn’t have to happen. In fact, why don’t we seek the LORD to help us get back on track? Lord help us get back to the proper and more valuable eternal perspective of You our Giver and Your gifts? This Christmas let’s challenge ourselves to reconnect with the Giver and His gifts. Let’s get back to that original Gift.

A gift is something given by one person to another without compensation. It is something freely given, freely received, not earned. At least that is what a gift is supposed to be. On the human horizontal plane gifts are often instruments of manipulation. We soften people up with a gift. That is not entirely unscriptural (cf. Prov. 18:16). But I think the sinful nature has taken this to an entirely lower level. We have perverted gift giving.

I want to state a bold and too often forgotten Biblical truth. Every good gift is from God. Look around you,  think about it, every good gift is from God. Every good thing we receive that we don’t deserve or that requires no compensation, is from God. The Bible states, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” (James 1:16-18). Those are words that should fill us with thanks to God.

James says, “do not be deceived.” These words imply there is some sort of deception about the Giver and His gifts (v. 16). He writes to people he cares about. We see that in the words, “my beloved brethren.” He cares that those he writes to know the truth. He doesn’t want his beloved readers to be deceived about gifts and the true Giver, God. What might the nature of the deception he is concerned about be? It could be a deception that disregards or neglects to pay homage or thanks to God as the Source of all good gifts. It might be a deflecting deception that “every good and perfect gift” comes from a source other than God. Or it may be the focusing on gifts to the neglect of the Giver. The aim of the enemy is always to deceive us and deflect glory from God.

When we focus so much on gifts that we forget about the Giver, we are deceived. Distraction from God is the work of deception. Anything that distracts us from the true meaning of Christmas, from the Giver, is a part of deception. Santa Claus, therefore, would be considered a deception because the story distracts us from God the Giver and Jesus the Gift. You may see that as a bit Scrooge-like, but it is true. Think about it.  

The word “every” (Greek pas) is an adjective that means every, all, any. The word, “good” (Greek agathŏs) is an adjective that means good,  upright, kind, benevolent, useful, acceptable, wholesome, beneficial, goods, good deeds. The word  “perfect” (Greek teleios) is an adjective that means complete, perfect, whole, full grown, mature, or adult. That which is perfect is made up of good that comes to full bloom or full maturity. Good gifts are things on the horizontal plane of life that point us to the vertical realm of God. They become perfect when we see them from an eternal perspective.

A “gift of God” is an act of His grace. James is inspired to write that good and perfect gifts are, “from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God the Father  is described as the “Father of lights.” He is the Creator of the universe with its entire starry host. As Father of lights He is of a holy pure character. There is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5).

That “there is no variation or shadow of turning” with Him refers to His unchanging stable dependable nature. The moon for instance is not always full; its reflective light is blocked by the earth as it orbits. But God is never blocked out, diluted or diminished in any way. His truth and faithfulness are steady and sure. He isn’t wishy-washy or capricious. He is dependable and true. And He bestows every good and perfect gift upon us all.

Verse 18 states, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” This points us to His great eternal gift of salvation. He brought us forth by His will and word of truth. He planted His word in us and caused it to grow in us by prevenient grace and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.   

Some gifts are unappreciated. When we think of gifts and what are in particular good gifts, we are frequently further deceived. We don’t always appreciate some of the things God allows into our lives. We don’t see certain things as gifts from God or good. The context of James 1:16-18 sheds light on the things God allows into our lives. What are some gifts God allows into our lives that we often do not appreciate?

First, trials are unappreciated gifts from God (James 1:1-8). Trials are allowed by God into our lives to build faith through patience and then character so that we will reach a point of perfection or spiritual maturity (1:1-4). Trials move us to pray (1:5a) and teach us how to add faith to our prayers (1:5b-8). There is a precious fellowship of suffering that God gives (Phil. 3:9-11).

Second, lowliness and loss are unappreciated gifts from God (1:9-11). God allows us to be in need so that it will draw us to Him for provision. When we lose the temporal it demonstrates that we ought to invest in eternal things that cannot be stolen or destroyed (Mat. 6).

Third, temptations are unappreciated gifts from God (1:12-15, 19-21). While temptations are not from God but from our sinful nature (1:12-15), God allows them so that we are put in a situation where we have opportunity to choose to follow Him. Without the potential for defeat there could be no victory (1:19-21). Without the possibility to disobey, we wouldn’t be able to know what true love is (John 14:21).

Fourth, God’s word is an unappreciated gift from God (1:22-25). We don’t realize how great a gift God’s word is. We can choose to listen to it being taught or read it with no effect on us. But only when we apply it to our lives do we discover its full value. Too often we do not appreciate God’s gift of the Bible.

Fifth, hardship in others is an unappreciated gift from God (1:26-27). Religion is a human attempt to reach God. It is ineffective in changing people. True religion is to help those in need such as widows and orphans; those who are unable to help themselves. But it is helping not to attain favor with God, but because we already have favor with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t help others to attain righteousness. We help others to show our appreciation to God for the righteousness He provides in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). We serve God by serving others. We love God supremely and so love others sacrificially. Such situations are unappreciated opportunities to be God’s ambassadors. As we help others bear burdens we fulfill one of the most important aspects of what it means to be a Christian (Gal. 6:2).

So the challenge has been made. Will you put the Giver and His gifts in their proper place this Christmas? Will you exalt the God the Giver for His most precious gift of salvation through Jesus the Christ?