 Extremes
Last week, we experienced what was for us here in north central Arkansas, extremely cold weather. But, this week the temperatures have risen and the rain has fallen. The combination of the thawing ground and the saturating rainfall have caused our soil to become a muddy mess. Of course some projects (construction, etc) are impossible with these circumstances. And some others (tending livestock) are made much more difficult. But, this is the natural consequence of this type of weather and the normal experience this time of year. As I wrote last week, we can find ourselves going from one set of complaints to another as our situation changes. What is amazing is just how quickly we can convince ourselves that we are doomed to our current circumstances. One constant that each of us should remember is that things will change. Temporal Engagement With all of the muddy conditions many folks have been dealing with vehicles and equipment getting stuck. Sometimes we can feel like we are stuck in a never ending loop or cycles of events, behaviors, or even decisions that we wish would change. But whether we are enduring a challenging season in our lives or enjoying a successful peak in our lives the best thing we can do is to not miss it. In these hard and difficult times, the Lord has blessings and lessons for us to learn that will allow us to be more useful for His glory and more blessed for our own good as well as others (2 Corinthians 1:3-11). In pleasant and fruitful seasons, our gracious God has provided for us and these blessings are best experienced through us purposefully engaging in these precious moments. However, one way to gain the proper perspective that will cause us to appreciate these fast and fleeting moments is our Biblical understanding of eternity. We are able to be fully present in both the pain and pleasure of this life because as believers we understand that eternity awaits us. The world, for the most part, is caught in one of two extremes. Either they are battling to preserve their youth and maximize their health because this is all there is. Or they are seeking to seize the day in a grand effort to not miss out on anything but without any real purpose or meaning. In either case, neither the present nor the future are served well. Everlasting Life Jesus told the disciples that He came to give us abundant life. And the Scripture continually points to the Christian hope of everlasting life (John 10:10). But this is not just more time but an ever increasing experience of our great God, who is life. We will always experience this fullness of life through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who is life (John 14:6). Both our possession and experience of genuine life is in Christ (1 John 5:10-12). The promise of the new covenant gospel extending even from the Old Testament period was that God would take us up from the miry mud and place us on the solid rock of the Lord Jesus Christ (Psalm 40:2)! So let me encourage you to flee the sloppy, muddy muck of temporal, fleeting passions and enticing sinful pleasures and go to the rock of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4) in full faith and confidence in the power and promises of God that are for us in Jesus Christ our Lord!
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 Winter
We are into the cold days and nights of winter. This coming weekend and through the next week or so local weather forecasts are calling for very cold conditions. Everybody has their own preferences when it comes to weather. In reality the weather is going to be what it is going to be regardless of what we want or wish for. However, our attitude can play a big role in how we deal with changing weather from the hot and humid dog days of summer to these bone chilling cold winter nights. Goldilocks When I was in High School I learned a poem from our ag teacher, Mr. Todd Prothro. It went like this: People may falter, but their bold; When it's hot, they want it cold; When it’s cold, they want it hot; Always wanting what is not! Through some quick searching on the internet I found that it has been published more often in another form: As a rule, man is a fool; When it’s hot, he wants it cool; When it’s cool, he wants it hot; Always wanting what is not! I personally prefer Mr. Prothro’s version, but that may just be nostalgia. The point of the silly little limerick is that people tend to not be content or satisfied regardless of the circumstances. This is maybe an even more prevalent problem in our day as we have become accustomed to so many comforts and conveniences. In some ways, we have become like the mythical character Goldilocks. We want everything just right. The problem is that everything is never just right. If we spend our lives seeking out the just right conditions we will miss out on all the wonderful moments that often are so great because they are not just right. We must be on guard against the tyranny of perfection. I don’t just mean in critiquing the weather but much more the people that we have been blessed with in our lives. You and I are not members of the perfect people friend group because we are not perfect people. I might also add that whoever you think is in the perfect people friend group they are not because they are not perfect people either. The people the Lord has placed in my life, especially in our local church, are not perfect but according to His purposes they are perfect for me. Enjoy So what should we do when things are not to our preferences, or honestly even when they are, we should rejoice in the Lord. Remember Paul told the Philippians from prison that they should rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4)! The Scripture also tells us that this is the day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in this day (Psalm 118:24). There really are elements to be appreciated about all the seasons. I’ll also challenge you that many of your best days probably were not perfect days. Instead many of the days with the best stories and most meaning are the days when you overcame adversity to accomplish a goal or succeed in a task. In the classic film, “Ol’ Yeller,” Fess Parker playing the father character says to Travis, the coming of age young man, “You can’t waste the good time fretten about the bad. That makes it all bad.” So no matter what comes to us, may we rest in the Lord for His day is called “today” (Hebrews 4:1-13)!  New Things
One of the things that I have been trying to do to help my understanding and comprehension of the scriptures is to change up the translation that I use for my daily Bible reading from year to year. I am not prescribing this as a practice for you because the benefit of getting really comfortable with one translation is also very helpful. However, because I am regularly teaching and preaching from my preferred translation (ESV) this has been a refreshing practice. Sometimes the differing choices of the translators is helpful to cause me to think again about something that seems rather familiar. It is the new year and no doubt many pundits, prophets, and gurus will be proclaiming the year of advantage and favor available to those who believe it, claim it, or speak it. Of course what they mean by favor is probably a mix of carnal pleasures, casual employment, and comfortable requirements. But is this how the Bible uses the idea of being favored by God? Favorites Favorites are things that we love or enjoy the most. Of course, we assume that being fair and just requires that God does not have favorites. It is true that the scriptures are clear that God abhors the sin of partiality (James 2:1-13). This kind of favoritism is that which comes from preferring one over another based on the advantages or privileges that this one possesses. My point is that God commands us not to prefer one over another regarding things such as wealth or poverty, prominence or obscurity, beauty or disformity, ability or disability or a host of other distinctions we might make. The reason is that God, who has made men to differ, does not judge based on these external standards but rather based upon His own perfect choosing (1 Corinthians 4:6-7). The reality is that God does make distinctions between men, but not based on the differences between the men but rather based on His infinite and eternal purposes (Romans 9:6-29). So the basis for the election or choosing is found in God. This is not only dealing with eternal salvation but also with God’s providence over the unfolding circumstances of every life. God is in control of both the macro and micro levels of action and reaction within His creation. Grace But how is it that God can make distinctions between people without it being favoritism? The answer is found in the definition of grace. I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I was brought to this subject matter through reading a different translation of the Bible. I am most familiar with the ESV (English Standard Version) translation, however this year I am doing my Old Testament reading in the NKJV (New King James Version). In Genesis 6:8, the ESV states that “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” but in the NKJV it says that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” The Hebrew word translated here carries the idea of acceptance but that acceptance is based not on the object, in this case Noah, but on the One giving the acceptance. In this case it is the LORD. If we read the ESV translation of Noah finding favor, which is a good and acceptable translation, as God seeing that Noah was better than everyone else then we negate the point of this word “favor.” Genesis 6:9 goes on to describe Noah as a just man, perfect in his generations, who also walked with God. But did Noah find favor and grace with God based on these characteristics? I think it is more consistent with the use of this word “favor” or “grace” and the order and flow of the text in Genesis 3 to conclude that Noah has these traits because the LORD accepted him. Grace is best defined as unmerited favor. That’s really the key to understanding not only how God chose Noah but also how God could choose you and I. God’s choice is not based on some merit in us but on His unmerited favor. This means that everyone that God claims and redeems is a trophy to His divine grace and not to human effort or work or achievement. So If you have decided that you are too sinful or too stupid or too stained to be accepted by God, simply turn to Him in faith because His salvation is based entirely on gracious unmerited favor (Ephesians 2:1-10)!  Passage
Time is an interesting dimension of our reality. Time is of course relative to where we are located within the space of the universe, yet it is inescapable. Time is relentless in its passing. No matter what happens, time does not stop. The passage of time varies among the planets and galaxies, but it is always marching on. As immutable as our experience of time is, we still tend to think of time in abstract forms and assumptions conditioned by our cultural background. What I mean is that we view time from the perspective of our cosmological understanding. This means that a person with a secular, materialist mindset is going to view the passage of time differently than a spiritual person that believes in God and reality beyond the dimensions of matter, space, and time. Eastern Sphere The first way we can see this cultural or worldview influence on our understanding of time is by looking at the eastern view. The eastern worldview is the philosophical underpinning of systems such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and other views rising from India and the orient. Much of this type of thinking has been combined into what we would call today the New Age or Occult thinking. In the eastern mind, time is cyclical. This is why these groups tend to believe in things such as ancestor worship or reincarnation because they understand time as recurring. This leads to a kind of inevitable fatalism that perceives salvation or hope only in escaping this cycle in favor of nothingness or singularity. Western Line Western thought is generally more linear. This means that time is measured and accounted for in a series of moments. This tends to promote an expectation of progress or an expectation of disaster. Either way, the current state of things will have a conclusion. Western thought has been more heavily impacted by Biblical and Christian ideas even if not all of our concept of time is fully Biblical. Right Time A biblical view of time will recognize that there is a real progression of time from a definite beginning point in the creation to a definitive end point in the final consummation of all things (2 Peter 3:8-13). But within this continuum of time there is also a cycle seen in the days, months, seasons, and years (Genesis 1:14-19). So we must conclude that along the narrative of history there will be recurring themes evident in nations, cultures, families, and individuals. So as we come to the end of this year and rollover to the beginning of a new slate of months, let us recognize the change in dates and seasons while remembering the unshakable constant things (Hebrews 12:18-24). First, the LORD is gracious and He will extend His forgiveness and mercy to all who call on Him, so believe in Christ today (Romans 10:8-13)! Secondly, our God is thrice holy and He alone is worthy to be praised, so worship Him now (Revelation 22:9)! Finally, Christ is King and His reign will never end, so submit to Him always (Luke 1:31-33)! I wish you all a Happy New Year! And I pray that the Lord will bless your life in 2024 through the work of His Holy Spirit and the truth of His word!  Baby Jesus
Christmas is such a sweet season. I think this comes from so many factors contributing to this most wonderful season of feasting and fellowship. Most of us probably associate this celebration with the positive association of gifts, games, food, and family. Cozy clothes, comfort foods, and cute decorations set the scene for the holiday season. The sweetness of the season may also be that the whole celebration is centered around the birth of a baby. The infant Lord Jesus is an adorable concept to think about. But we must be careful that we do not accidentally separate the babe in the manger from the crucified Christ. The baby Jesus is the sovereign Lord. The little Lord Jesus who must learn to speak is still the one who upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:1-4). We could easily walk through many of these paradoxes of power and humility brought about through the greatness of Jesus’ incarnation. Humility We must remember that while Jesus was born in the humble circumstances of Bethlehem, it was His condescension to be born in human form at all that is most astounding (Philippians 2:5-8). The eternal God stepping into the temporal realm to save mortal men is an amazing act of humble love. Jesus was not ashamed to join us in our frailty. He was willing to suffer with us in our weakness. He was willing to identify with us as our atoning sacrifice. Our divine King was willing to share in our humanity. What is most astounding to think about is that Jesus volunteered to come and save us. This was Yahweh’s sovereign plan from all eternity. This means that this was Christ’s plan eternally. He was painted into a compromised position with no other options but rather was acting decisively and definitively to rescue His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Honor This means that Jesus is worthy of honor and glory just because of who He is. He is Yahweh! Jesus is the I am that I am. So He rightly should be worshiped. Notice that even in His infancy the angels, shepherds, wise men, and people in the temple are worshiping Him. They did not wait for Him to complete His mission but rather they worshiped Him for who He is. But Jesus is also worthy of worship because of what He has accomplished (Revelation 5:11-14). Have you ever noticed how so many of our Christmas songs are about glory? This is not a coincidence but rather our proper imitation of what is expressed in the scripture. Over and over from Mary, to the angels, to the shepherds, we see that news of the birth of the Messiah was a catalyst for God glorifying praise. Hope The other thing that we must not forget about the baby Jesus is that He was fulfilling numerous prophecies. God had made many promises concerning the context and circumstances of the Messiah’s birth and these were given so that it would be unmistakable that Jesus was the long awaited King. The leaders knew who Jesus was and they rejected Him. But the promises were still proved true and God was vindicated in His faithfulness. Today, we know that our hope is well founded in the future and eternal promises of God because of His faithfulness in every past promise. So let me encourage you to enjoy these days of celebration with awe and wonder, with faith and hope because God has and will keep all His promises. I wish all of you a blessed and merry Christmas!  Reactions
What is the right way to react to an amazing gift? Or what about an amazing act of love or sacrifice? We sometimes see videos of people reacting wildly to some unexpected event. It could be a marriage proposal, the return of a loved one from a military deployment, or the meeting of a crucial need. The point I want to make is that these people do not need to be told how to react. They react instinctively. There is not necessarily a right way that they should react. They overflow with authentic emotion because of the genuine impact of the event. It would be strange if we chastised the mother who unceremoniously falls to the floor upon seeing her son return from a two year deployment. We also would not think it right to criticize the first time father brought to tears when he first learns of his wife being pregnant. These are examples of raw emotion, they are not wrong even if they may not be to the standards of cultural propriety. Precedents The scripture also gives us examples of these kinds of extraordinary responses. First consider King David in 2 Samuel 6:12-23, dancing with all his strength in celebration before Yahweh. David’s wife Michal confronts David for this shameful and contemptible even vulgar behavior but David defends himself because he was worshiping God authentically. David is not seeking to dishonor God but rather to express his joy and excitement because of the blessing of the Lord. Another example is that of the woman who tearfully washed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:36-50). The Pharisee who had invited Jesus to dine in his home was scandalized that Jesus would allow Himself to be soiled by contact with such a sinner. However, Jesus contrasts the lack of even culturally appropriate hospitality that was shown by the Pharisee with the overwhelming display of love shown by this wretched sinner who has experienced real forgiveness. Instructions My point is that we must be careful not to define proper worship with such strict restrictions that genuine emotion is relegated as vulgar or common. The Lord desires for us to worship God with all our minds, souls, and hearts. I must admit that I have often recognized the danger of overly emotional and sentimental expressions that were not wedded to real truth. But it is also wrong for us to impose restrictions that the scriptures do not give. The Bible must be our standard for proper worship and obedient faithfulness. Faithfulness and not formality ought to govern by why and how we worship our God and King. Illustrations Imagine the heavenly hosts on that first advent evening constrained by some perfunctory formality. It’s unimaginable! They were precisely and perfectly praising God when they sang out, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Christmas is about worship! God is worshiped by Mary in her humble song in Luke 1. Again, God is praised after the birth of John the Baptist by his father Zechariah in Luke 1. Then, of course, the angels sing of God’s glory, peace, and sovereignty in Luke 2. Then, the shepherds respond to their evangelistic song by searching for and celebrating the infant Lord according to the divine message. Only days later when Jesus is presented in the temple, the righteous and devoted Simeon blessed God with his praised filled prophecy. Immediately after this, the elderly prophetess Anna gave thanks to God and spread the news that redemption has come. We also know from Matthew’s gospel that the wise men came later to find the newborn King and worship Him! So as we reflect on the fun and festivities of Christmas and enjoy food and family and take every opportunity to tell the good news of the gospel to needy sinners, let us also worship Him, just as the angels and everyone else did!  Family
Most of us would say that family is central to our celebration and experience of the holiday season. For some of us, our family may also be key to the strain and the stress of the holidays. Whatever your relationship looks like, my point is that most of our traditions and experiences, especially regarding Christmas, deal with our families. While most of us as Christians are probably quick to remind everyone that the Christmas celebration is about Jesus and the importance of the gospel, it is important to note that family ties are an important part of the Christmas story. So let us reflect on a couple of the key familial factors in the Christmas narrative. The Priestly Line It is fairly common knowledge that Jesus is descended from David so that he can fulfill the promises made to the Davidic line of the true King who would reign forever. But Jesus is also the great High Priest who came to make the necessary atonement for us before the throne of God (Hebrews 4:14-16). So how can Jesus be both King and Priest. The tribe of Judah is the royal line and the Messiah was promised to be from David’s line. In both of the genealogies in Matthew and Luke the lineage goes back through David. But, the priestly lineage was from the tribe of Levi and through Aaron’s descendants. So again we must ask how Jesus is descended from Aaron? In Luke 1, we are told that John the Baptist’s parents are a priest named Zechariah and Elizabeth, who was from the daughters of Aaron. This means that both Zechariah and Elizabeth are of the priestly lineage. Luke also tells us later in verse 36 that Elizabeth is Mary’s relative, so Mary must have been related to Elizabeth on her maternal side making Jesus a descendant of Aaron and still descended from David on Mary’s paternal side. The Royal Line It seems that the genealogical information given in Luke is about Mary’s family. The first reason to think this is that it says that Jesus was the son of Joseph so it is supposed. Joseph was not really in that lineage mentioned in Luke 3. The second reason is that Luke records a lot of information about Jesus' birth that is from Mary’s point of view. It is possible, even probable, that Luke got this information by interviewing Mary herself and so it would be likely that his genealogy would be of her side of the family. Also, Matthew records the account from Joseph’s perspective so it would make sense that Matthew’s genealogy would be from Joseph’s line. Finally, regardless of which genealogy we align with Joseph or Mary, both records record that Jesus is the descendant of David either through Nathan in Luke’s gospel or Solomon in Matthew’s. So Jesus qualified to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7. The Divine Line But most important of all was that the One who would be the champion to defeat sin, throw off the curse, and destroy the power of the ancient serpent (Hebrews 2:14-15), would not be Adam’s son, but rather God’s son. Back in Genesis 3:15 the promise was that the singular seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. The seed of the woman is also the heir promised to Abraham. But Paul explains to us that the heir promised to Abraham was the singular Christ (Galatians 3:16-18). Even when the angel came to tell Mary that she would be the mother of the Lord Jesus, she asked how because she was a virgin (Luke 1:34-35). But it was essential that Christ was not going to be the son of a natural union, but rather the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit brought about the conception of the holy child. And this One who is truly the Son of God is able to live for us, die for us, and rise for us so that we can have life only by trusting fully in Him!  It’s Here
It’s finally here! Even those timid souls who wag their finger saying that Christmas festivities should not start until after Thanksgiving or until December, have to admit that it’s here now. The most wonderful time of the year! I love this time of year for so many reasons. Let me tell you just a few. First, I love winter! I know all of you summer lovers can’t wait for the heat and humidity to return, but I just love the cool brisk air of winter. Second, this is the time of my favorite sporting event of the year. The National Finals Rodeo will start December 7th continuing through the 16th. But most of all, I love celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that there are many debates and controversies surrounding the dating of the birth of Christ, but I just love to sing about, and read about, and meditate on, and celebrate the precious and powerful coming of Jesus Christ! Wonder Full As we think about what it really means that God came into His creation, it is hard to fully grasp the weight and glory of such an act of condescension and kindness. Jesus was born in a human form, but His birth was not like any other. Remember, Jesus is not the product of the seed of any man, but rather He is conceived in the virgin's womb by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:30-35). He has not inherited the guilt and shame of Adam’s fall even though He is coming to remedy that very curse (Genesis 3). We often refer to Jesus as the second person of the trinity, but we must be careful not to think of Jesus or the Holy Spirit as any less God than the Father. The three divine persons share fully and completely the one divine being of God. So when Jesus came in human form, it was God in human form (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why it is right for Jesus to also be referred to with the name “Immanuel” for He is God with us (Matthew 1:18-25)! The word “wonderful” is usually used to refer to something being really great or excellent. But think about the words that are combined. Wonder Full. I think that perfectly describes the effect that the incarnation of Christ should have on us. And it just happens to be that our holiday festivities are pointing us in the direction of that ecstatic response. Just imagine riding through a Christmas light display with a toddler who is mesmerized by the brilliance and beauty of all the colors and creations. That is the kind of fullness of wonder that ought to be ours perpetually as we think about the glorious gospel reality of Christmas. Jesus came to save us from our sin and shame by sharing our human condition so that we could, by the free gift of His grace, share in His eternal inheritance. That is the most wonderful news that we could ever hear. The Prophet Isaiah also tells us that one of His names is Wonderful Counselor. Jesus came near to us in His flesh so that we could be near to Him in the Spirit (Isaiah 9:6-7). And He retains His glorified body so that we in our glorified flesh can live in eternal fellowship with Him. So let’s enjoy and celebrate this wonderful time as we look forward to our wonderful timeless eternity with Christ!  Black Friday
Yesterday was the Thanksgiving holiday. A day marked in our culture with feasting and fellowship. Usually, the abundance of food leaves us with additional portions of various dishes stored away in tupperware, or, if you are genuinely cultured in country ways, you use old butter and cool whip bowls. But this day is also known for its abundance in another kind of overflow. This is the day known as Black Friday. To the best of my knowledge, this term comes from the fact that many retail businesses move into the profitable category for the year based on the sales that take place on this day each year or at least the sales over this extended weekend. An active shopping weekend as folks get a jump on their Christmas shopping, ends up being a bountiful reason for Thanksgiving for the stores and retailers. Blessings Abound But dollars and cents are not really what we should be most thankful for as we enter the holiday season. Many of us probably overlook the lavish blessing that our affluent abundance affords us. Take for example the leftover sample of the holiday feast mentioned above. Those are not just some tasty morsels tempting us to indulge, but rather they are reminders of the overflowing supply that God has graciously given us. Besides, we all know that the best part of the Thanksgiving food is the turkey sandwich the next day. The real blessing of the feast is the fellowship shared with those that we love, both blood related and blood bought! Our leftovers (memories) are meant to be for us a lingering blessing of love and grace from God. They also serve to call us back to the table for faithful and fruitful fellowship. Sometimes we get tempted to neglect the old traditions for shiny new trends or we become overwhelmed by busyness, cutting the margin out from our blessings. In any case, we ought to recognize the sweetness of the simple but substantial bounty from the Lord. Baskets Jesus wasn’t afraid to have a few leftovers around either. Remember when Jesus fed the multitudes on those couple of occasions. Have you ever wondered why the portions were not exact? I mean, Jesus had the ability to feed thousands of hungry bellies from the measly rations of five loaves and two fish on one occasion (John 6:3-13) and seven loaves and a few fish in the other situation (Matthew 15:32-39). With this kind of sovereign omnipotence surely He could have made the perfect amount to meet the need. But that’s exactly the point, His calculations were perfect! The Lord Jesus did not make more than He intended, but exactly what He intended to show His abundant grace. He poured out more than the people needed. There are so many important points that could be drawn from what the Lord was doing, but I would like to deal with just one in the remainder of this post. In the passage in John 6, Jesus is showing that He is greater than Moses and greater than the gift of manna from heaven. He is the true bread that comes down from heaven that fully and completely satisfies. Remember in the wilderness the children of Israel were not allowed to collect any extra. This meant that they had to trust God to provide each day. But now in Jesus’ provision, we also continue in faith but that is seen in the abundance of baskets that the disciples gathered after the feast. Let me encourage you to enjoy both the assurance and the rest that you have as a believer in Christ. Jesus is more than enough! Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas, Saints! |
