What Did Jesus Do?
“For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,
the baby in my womb leaped for joy!”
Luke 1.44
The most unrestrained and wildest expressions of joy I have ever witnessed have erupted over such things as Super Bowl victories and World Series triumphs. Considering that there is absolutely no real consequence, other than fleeting fame, for winning what comes down to children's games, I wonder what kind of joy might be manifest if people were to experience something of transcendent worth? What kind of reaction would be inspired by the manifestation of something of transforming and eternal value? If people go nuts over a silly game, how might they respond to something that really matters? And don't think I am pretending to be immune to the silliness, I admit to being pretty excited a couple of years ago when the Giants upset the Patriots in the Super Bowl, but I've experienced far greater joy than that.
I can't speak with complete authority for my wife, but I the greatest joy we have ever felt is shared between two moments, and both had to do with babies—specifically, the births of our two children. There is nothing on this earth, that will ever compare to the moments when we first heard the cries of our new born son and daughter. Face it, if the birth of a child doesn't inspire great rejoicing, what can? A game? Don't be ridiculous.
Many years ago two women experienced a joy that I struggle to describe. While nothing on earth could compare with the birth of my children, the two women, Elizabeth and her young cousin Mary, experienced an incomparable joy that joined heaven and earth in matchless celebration. It was joy so great that the baby in Elizabeth's womb was leaping and dancing! This joy was not over a birth, but the anticipation of a birth—the birth of the Messiah. At the time, the celebration was limited to the two mothers-to-be, and Elizabeth's son who was still three months short of his own birthday. Nevertheless, I believe that, if I were asked to come up with a “Top Ten List” of all-time celebrations in the world, I would probably rank the rejoicing of Elizabeth and Mary number one.
The only reason I don't rank the birth of Jesus itself as number one is because that celebration was out of this world (If you recall the singing of the heavenly host.). And, even though there was more reason to rejoice on Easter morning when Christ rose from the grave, I have to rank the rejoicing that day number two on my list because there was a considerable mix of anxiety, confusion, fear, and doubt mixed in. In time, the words, “He is risen!” would be the greatest reason to rejoice, but on the day when Mary visited Elizabeth, there had never been such an occasion for joy.
It's like this, Jesus inspires joys. Always has, always will. In Christ the weak can say, “I am strong,” the poor can say, “I am rich,” the despairing can say, “I have hope,” the broken can say, “I am whole,” the condemned can say, “I am free,” those doomed to die can say, “I have eternal life in Christ Jesus!”
Advent is the perfect time to experience joy in the Lord, just as the anticipation of his birth inspired great joy in Elizabeth and the baby inside her, and moved Mary to rejoice, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...” (Luke 1.46-47). Christmas is a time to rejoice and give thanks for the Savior's birth in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, and to look forward with joyous anticipation to Christ's coming again.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mary Demurred, Then Obeyed
What Did Mary Do?
“How will this be, since I am a virgin...Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1.34, 38
I know I am supposed to be talking about what Jesus did, but it just seemed right at this time of year to consider Mary as we prepare to again celebrate the birth of her son. While I wouldn't say that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, there is no arguing that she was chosen by the Father to be the mother of our Lord.
Of course, it was most startling to be greeted by an angel sent by God. Not that Mary didn't believe in angels; she knew that God employed the divine beings as messengers. But the last thing Mary would have said, if asked what she expected that day, would have been, “I'm going to be visited by Gabriel!” Things like that just didn't happen to folks from Nazareth, and they certainly did not happen to inconsequential young women.
Yet there the angel was, greeting her directly, and not with a message of condemnation or warning, but to tell her that she, of all people, had “found favor with God.” Poor Mary, she couldn't even say, “Who, me?” because the angel spoke to her by name. And the angel's message, well, it was incredible. Sure, Mary had hoped, as had all Israel, for the Messiah; never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the Messiah would be her son!
Not yet married, how it could be that she could give birth to anybody's son, much less the Son of the Most High? It wasn't so much that Mary had any objections, she just wasn't sure how she could have a baby, never having been with a man, not even Joseph her betrothed. While we might imagine the incredulity of most teens, Mary was more than satisfied with the explanation that the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High would come upon her, so that the child she would conceive would be—the Son of God. In an instant Mary's demur, “How can this be?” was transformed into the humbly obedient, “let it be to me according to your word.” And, rightfully, Mary has ever since been known as the most blessed among women.
Not that her life as the mother of the Lord was easy, or free from terrible sacrifice and pain. How many mothers do you know who could quietly look on as their beloved son was crucified for the sins of others? How she surely must have longed for a legion of angels, foe even one angel, to come and deliver her son from the cross. But then Jesus wasn't merely Mary's son, he was also the Son of the Father. And, more than anything, Mary was committed to the Father's will, even when it meant her son had to die on a cross. Mary's faith was rewarded, as no other mother's when, along with the other women and the disciples, she learned on the first day of the week that Jesus was not dead, but had risen from the grave, just as he said he would!
Here's why I think it is a good thing for us to remember Mary. First of all, we have permission to wonder, even to question, when God call upon us. Mary was quite startled and overwhelmed at first, and God knows we will likely be as well when he calls upon us. But, like Mary, our faith needs to lead us to obey, even beyond our questioning. You see, a servant, as Mary understood herself to be, can have doubts and questions as long as obedience is the final disposition of the heart. Even prayers containing questions and expressing doubts can be faithful, when spoken from an obedient heart.
We can trust the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and bring us more and more into conformity with the person of Jesus; but we might also ask the Spirit to help us to trust and obey as the Lord's mother did. After all, we could hardly have a Christmas if not for Mary, who demurred, then obeyed.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“How will this be, since I am a virgin...Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1.34, 38
I know I am supposed to be talking about what Jesus did, but it just seemed right at this time of year to consider Mary as we prepare to again celebrate the birth of her son. While I wouldn't say that Mary is the Queen of Heaven, there is no arguing that she was chosen by the Father to be the mother of our Lord.
Of course, it was most startling to be greeted by an angel sent by God. Not that Mary didn't believe in angels; she knew that God employed the divine beings as messengers. But the last thing Mary would have said, if asked what she expected that day, would have been, “I'm going to be visited by Gabriel!” Things like that just didn't happen to folks from Nazareth, and they certainly did not happen to inconsequential young women.
Yet there the angel was, greeting her directly, and not with a message of condemnation or warning, but to tell her that she, of all people, had “found favor with God.” Poor Mary, she couldn't even say, “Who, me?” because the angel spoke to her by name. And the angel's message, well, it was incredible. Sure, Mary had hoped, as had all Israel, for the Messiah; never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the Messiah would be her son!
Not yet married, how it could be that she could give birth to anybody's son, much less the Son of the Most High? It wasn't so much that Mary had any objections, she just wasn't sure how she could have a baby, never having been with a man, not even Joseph her betrothed. While we might imagine the incredulity of most teens, Mary was more than satisfied with the explanation that the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High would come upon her, so that the child she would conceive would be—the Son of God. In an instant Mary's demur, “How can this be?” was transformed into the humbly obedient, “let it be to me according to your word.” And, rightfully, Mary has ever since been known as the most blessed among women.
Not that her life as the mother of the Lord was easy, or free from terrible sacrifice and pain. How many mothers do you know who could quietly look on as their beloved son was crucified for the sins of others? How she surely must have longed for a legion of angels, foe even one angel, to come and deliver her son from the cross. But then Jesus wasn't merely Mary's son, he was also the Son of the Father. And, more than anything, Mary was committed to the Father's will, even when it meant her son had to die on a cross. Mary's faith was rewarded, as no other mother's when, along with the other women and the disciples, she learned on the first day of the week that Jesus was not dead, but had risen from the grave, just as he said he would!
Here's why I think it is a good thing for us to remember Mary. First of all, we have permission to wonder, even to question, when God call upon us. Mary was quite startled and overwhelmed at first, and God knows we will likely be as well when he calls upon us. But, like Mary, our faith needs to lead us to obey, even beyond our questioning. You see, a servant, as Mary understood herself to be, can have doubts and questions as long as obedience is the final disposition of the heart. Even prayers containing questions and expressing doubts can be faithful, when spoken from an obedient heart.
We can trust the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and bring us more and more into conformity with the person of Jesus; but we might also ask the Spirit to help us to trust and obey as the Lord's mother did. After all, we could hardly have a Christmas if not for Mary, who demurred, then obeyed.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Jesus Followed John
What Did Jesus Do?
“...and he will go before him...to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Luke 1.17
We don't often think of Jesus as a follower, do we? It's Jesus whom we follow. While not exactly treading in another's footsteps, the Lord definitely went along a way made ready by John, his cousin. Considering how many rejected Christ even after John had prepared a way I can't imagine what kind of reception Jesus might have had if there had not been John to follow.
Sadly, tragically, many of the hearts that were discomforted by the message of John (And, make no mistake about it, John's preaching was intended to strike hearts to the quick.) still did not receive the Lord when he came along after John. But, thankfully, just as the angel Gabriel had foretold of John, the Baptist's proclamation, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” did in fact reach and turn the hearts of those whom the Father was preparing to receive the Son. A people would be made ready to hear and respond eagerly to the Good News which Jesus would announce.
In a way, there needs to be a little of John the Baptist in every believer because, well, people still need to prepare for his coming. There remain many people in the world who yet need to hear and respond to the Gospel. And, just as in the time of John and Jesus, the hearts of the lost need to be made ready, to be prepared. Now, unlike the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is full of winsome grace, John's message was a convicting hammer blow, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees!” In other words, “Repent, or get ready to be chopped up into fuel for the fires of Satan!” It wasn't that John was making threats, he was just bluntly stating hard facts which everyone needed to hear. People still need to know the facts—there are but two possible eternal destinations for all human beings: 1) Apart from Jesus, the flames and torments of Hell, or 2) In Christ, the joy and peace of Heaven. It takes the stark reality of the fate awaiting all of us because of our sins to turn our hearts to Jesus and run to him for forgiveness and new birth.
Pleas don't misunderstand me, I am not suggesting that we go about trying to frighten people into turning to the Lord. I don't believe screaming and threats are effective tools for evangelism. Nonetheless, we believers do have an obligation to be straight with the lost—without Christ they are doomed to an unspeakably painful eternity of suffering. Even if we only succeed in getting someone to begin to concede the possibility of Hell, we will have begun to prepare their heart to turn to Jesus. Though it is deeply troubling to know that many will yet ignore or reject the Lord, we need to be encouraged by the fact that every day the number of those who are being saved grows, and we have a part to play in that growth of the kingdom.
John would be the first to tell us that he never saved anyone, he knew that the work of salvation awaited one who was mightier than he who would follow him. Like John, none of us can save anyone, that's still and will always be the work of Jesus. But, again like John, we can and we must do our part to turn hearts, to prepare and make people ready for Christ to come into their lives. For Jesus still follows where the faithful prepare a way for him.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“...and he will go before him...to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Luke 1.17
We don't often think of Jesus as a follower, do we? It's Jesus whom we follow. While not exactly treading in another's footsteps, the Lord definitely went along a way made ready by John, his cousin. Considering how many rejected Christ even after John had prepared a way I can't imagine what kind of reception Jesus might have had if there had not been John to follow.
Sadly, tragically, many of the hearts that were discomforted by the message of John (And, make no mistake about it, John's preaching was intended to strike hearts to the quick.) still did not receive the Lord when he came along after John. But, thankfully, just as the angel Gabriel had foretold of John, the Baptist's proclamation, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” did in fact reach and turn the hearts of those whom the Father was preparing to receive the Son. A people would be made ready to hear and respond eagerly to the Good News which Jesus would announce.
In a way, there needs to be a little of John the Baptist in every believer because, well, people still need to prepare for his coming. There remain many people in the world who yet need to hear and respond to the Gospel. And, just as in the time of John and Jesus, the hearts of the lost need to be made ready, to be prepared. Now, unlike the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is full of winsome grace, John's message was a convicting hammer blow, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees!” In other words, “Repent, or get ready to be chopped up into fuel for the fires of Satan!” It wasn't that John was making threats, he was just bluntly stating hard facts which everyone needed to hear. People still need to know the facts—there are but two possible eternal destinations for all human beings: 1) Apart from Jesus, the flames and torments of Hell, or 2) In Christ, the joy and peace of Heaven. It takes the stark reality of the fate awaiting all of us because of our sins to turn our hearts to Jesus and run to him for forgiveness and new birth.
Pleas don't misunderstand me, I am not suggesting that we go about trying to frighten people into turning to the Lord. I don't believe screaming and threats are effective tools for evangelism. Nonetheless, we believers do have an obligation to be straight with the lost—without Christ they are doomed to an unspeakably painful eternity of suffering. Even if we only succeed in getting someone to begin to concede the possibility of Hell, we will have begun to prepare their heart to turn to Jesus. Though it is deeply troubling to know that many will yet ignore or reject the Lord, we need to be encouraged by the fact that every day the number of those who are being saved grows, and we have a part to play in that growth of the kingdom.
John would be the first to tell us that he never saved anyone, he knew that the work of salvation awaited one who was mightier than he who would follow him. Like John, none of us can save anyone, that's still and will always be the work of Jesus. But, again like John, we can and we must do our part to turn hearts, to prepare and make people ready for Christ to come into their lives. For Jesus still follows where the faithful prepare a way for him.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Monday, December 13, 2010
Jesus Entered Hearts in the Fullness of Time
What Did Jesus Do?
“But when the fullness of time had come...God has sent the Spirit of
his Son into our hearts”
Galatians 4.4, 6
As discussed in an earlier WDJD (See “Jesus Arrived on Schedule” 12/13/10), the Father's will determined the birthplace of the Son, along with the precise date of his arrival. Timing is important to God, and all time is subject to God's sovereign authority. In God's will nothing happens too soon or too late, but at the perfect Kairos moment, which is to say, “in the fullness of time.”
The Father planned the timing of the Son's coming into the world according to his sovereign will for the world's salvation. But salvation isn't really something that happens globally. Jesus came into the world, yes, but he came into the world that he might enter the hearts of men and women and children. And the timing of Christ's entering into our heart is established just as precisely by the Father as the day of Jesus's birth. The Father has ordained a moment, in the fullness of time, when each and every member of his elect will be ready to personally receive the Son into their heart. For some it is during childhood, for others it happens during adolescence. Time might not be “full” for us until we are adults, or even quite aged. But whatever the timing, it is completely according to the Father's plan for us. We become heirs in the very moment the Father has appointed, and God's “appointment” book was completed before he even laid down the foundations of the earth.
God appoints the time, and then he prepares the heart. The preparation may be relatively simple and easy, or it may be long and hard. Some of us welcome Jesus when we are quite young, others of us avoid and resist for years. Too many of us “put on” Christ, making a pretense of being Christian, without actually receiving the Spirit of Christ in our heart. No matter, in the fullness of time God uncovers our masquerade, and lays bare our heart, that we might see how barren our heart is without Jesus.
I believe that perhaps the greatest thing about celebrating Christmas every year is that it reminds us of how the Father works in the fullness of time. And it gives us the opportunity to tell others, regardless of their past, or of their present circumstances, that today, tomorrow, sometime next year, or in years to come, there's a fullness of time moment waiting for them, when the Father will send the Spirit of the Son into their heart. And, who's to say, why can't this Christmas, why can't today, be the day to become an heir to the Father's kingdom through the Son?
While “Joy to the World” only makes the play list of many churches at Christmas time, it really is an everyday hymn because it is all about fullness of time moments coming for hearts every day. We proclaim and repeat the Good News over and over because every second of every minute of every day can be the “fullness of time” for someone the Father saves through the Son. Christmas may come but once a year, but Christ comes day by day and enters the hearts of those who are being saved, in the fullness of time. That's what Jesus did, and he's still doing it!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“But when the fullness of time had come...God has sent the Spirit of
his Son into our hearts”
Galatians 4.4, 6
As discussed in an earlier WDJD (See “Jesus Arrived on Schedule” 12/13/10), the Father's will determined the birthplace of the Son, along with the precise date of his arrival. Timing is important to God, and all time is subject to God's sovereign authority. In God's will nothing happens too soon or too late, but at the perfect Kairos moment, which is to say, “in the fullness of time.”
The Father planned the timing of the Son's coming into the world according to his sovereign will for the world's salvation. But salvation isn't really something that happens globally. Jesus came into the world, yes, but he came into the world that he might enter the hearts of men and women and children. And the timing of Christ's entering into our heart is established just as precisely by the Father as the day of Jesus's birth. The Father has ordained a moment, in the fullness of time, when each and every member of his elect will be ready to personally receive the Son into their heart. For some it is during childhood, for others it happens during adolescence. Time might not be “full” for us until we are adults, or even quite aged. But whatever the timing, it is completely according to the Father's plan for us. We become heirs in the very moment the Father has appointed, and God's “appointment” book was completed before he even laid down the foundations of the earth.
God appoints the time, and then he prepares the heart. The preparation may be relatively simple and easy, or it may be long and hard. Some of us welcome Jesus when we are quite young, others of us avoid and resist for years. Too many of us “put on” Christ, making a pretense of being Christian, without actually receiving the Spirit of Christ in our heart. No matter, in the fullness of time God uncovers our masquerade, and lays bare our heart, that we might see how barren our heart is without Jesus.
I believe that perhaps the greatest thing about celebrating Christmas every year is that it reminds us of how the Father works in the fullness of time. And it gives us the opportunity to tell others, regardless of their past, or of their present circumstances, that today, tomorrow, sometime next year, or in years to come, there's a fullness of time moment waiting for them, when the Father will send the Spirit of the Son into their heart. And, who's to say, why can't this Christmas, why can't today, be the day to become an heir to the Father's kingdom through the Son?
While “Joy to the World” only makes the play list of many churches at Christmas time, it really is an everyday hymn because it is all about fullness of time moments coming for hearts every day. We proclaim and repeat the Good News over and over because every second of every minute of every day can be the “fullness of time” for someone the Father saves through the Son. Christmas may come but once a year, but Christ comes day by day and enters the hearts of those who are being saved, in the fullness of time. That's what Jesus did, and he's still doing it!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Jesus Arrived on Schedule
What Did Jesus Do?
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5.2
Please don't take this the wrong way, but God is the founder of planned parenthood. No, not the organization which seems more interested getting people to terminate their unplanned or inconvenient pregnancy, than it does in actually helping anyone become a parent (When your chief services are abortion and birth control how many babies are you really planning for?). What I mean is that the Father is the one who planned with precision “from of old” (Which means even from before “In the beginning...”) every single detail of the birth of the Son.
While December 25 may not be the actual day that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Bible is adamantly clear that the Savior's birth occurred the very day, hour, and minute that God had ordained, and in the one place in all the world where it had to happen. O sure, some may argue that Christ was born in Bethlehem because of an edict of Caesar that there should be a census, which resulted in Joseph and Mary being in Bethlehem when she went into labor and delivered her firstborn son. But the emperor of Rome only played his part, like an actor, in the divine drama scripted by God.
It wasn't that Nazareth, Joseph and Mary's home, wasn't a suitable place to give birth, Nazareth was a nice little village, the perfect place for Jesus to grow up in. But when your life is all about fulfilling the foretold (See WDJD 12/2/10), the words of Micah (Which in reality were the Word of God) are determinative as regards the place and time of your arrival.
Before you are tempted to dismiss the fact of the foretelling of the birth of the Savior as irrelevant, please consider the following two points. First and foremost, God is sovereign. His plans, or we might say his Will, is absolute and irresistible, nothing can stop it. What God says, goes. If, according to the Father's will, the Savior was to be born in Bethlehem, what do you think the chances were that he might have been born in Hoboken, or even in Nazareth? ZERO! This sovereignty of God's will is no small thing, because it means we can put complete trust in every promise contained in the Bible. THAT is security!
Secondly, knowing that God has a plan, and that everything he plans happens, know that he also has a plan for our life. While Micah and the prophets might never have said word one about your birth or mine, there are are no “accidental” births, regardless of what Planned Parenthood has to say on the matter. The date and place of our arrival is just as deliberate as that of the Savior. Who our parents are, where we are raised, are part of the Father's will for us. In fact, it is not just that God has a plan for our lives, the Father has a perfect plan for us. And the key to knowing and following the Father's perfect plan is knowing and obeying the Son.
You see, the one whose birth in Bethlehem had been foretold is the one who, against all the powers and principalities of the world, against even Satan, stood and shepherded his flock in the strength of the LORD. (Micah 5.4) In this, again, we can live secure, for Christ's greatness shall be to the ends, and to the end, of the earth.
One final thought about the relevance of all this to our lives. Everyone experiences anxiety, despair, depression, even desperation, at times in our lives when things seem to happen, or not happen, at the wrong time. Hope can be hard to hold on to when we have a pile of overdue bills in front of us and no money in our checking account, when recovery from an illness is taking a long, long time to come, when we look forward to having a child and the child never arrives. When our life, and our plans, are just a big mess, we need to remember that for us the Son was born in Bethlehem, right on schedule according to the Father's plans, and, in his time, the Father's perfect plans for our lives in Christ shall also surely be fulfilled.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5.2
Please don't take this the wrong way, but God is the founder of planned parenthood. No, not the organization which seems more interested getting people to terminate their unplanned or inconvenient pregnancy, than it does in actually helping anyone become a parent (When your chief services are abortion and birth control how many babies are you really planning for?). What I mean is that the Father is the one who planned with precision “from of old” (Which means even from before “In the beginning...”) every single detail of the birth of the Son.
While December 25 may not be the actual day that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Bible is adamantly clear that the Savior's birth occurred the very day, hour, and minute that God had ordained, and in the one place in all the world where it had to happen. O sure, some may argue that Christ was born in Bethlehem because of an edict of Caesar that there should be a census, which resulted in Joseph and Mary being in Bethlehem when she went into labor and delivered her firstborn son. But the emperor of Rome only played his part, like an actor, in the divine drama scripted by God.
It wasn't that Nazareth, Joseph and Mary's home, wasn't a suitable place to give birth, Nazareth was a nice little village, the perfect place for Jesus to grow up in. But when your life is all about fulfilling the foretold (See WDJD 12/2/10), the words of Micah (Which in reality were the Word of God) are determinative as regards the place and time of your arrival.
Before you are tempted to dismiss the fact of the foretelling of the birth of the Savior as irrelevant, please consider the following two points. First and foremost, God is sovereign. His plans, or we might say his Will, is absolute and irresistible, nothing can stop it. What God says, goes. If, according to the Father's will, the Savior was to be born in Bethlehem, what do you think the chances were that he might have been born in Hoboken, or even in Nazareth? ZERO! This sovereignty of God's will is no small thing, because it means we can put complete trust in every promise contained in the Bible. THAT is security!
Secondly, knowing that God has a plan, and that everything he plans happens, know that he also has a plan for our life. While Micah and the prophets might never have said word one about your birth or mine, there are are no “accidental” births, regardless of what Planned Parenthood has to say on the matter. The date and place of our arrival is just as deliberate as that of the Savior. Who our parents are, where we are raised, are part of the Father's will for us. In fact, it is not just that God has a plan for our lives, the Father has a perfect plan for us. And the key to knowing and following the Father's perfect plan is knowing and obeying the Son.
You see, the one whose birth in Bethlehem had been foretold is the one who, against all the powers and principalities of the world, against even Satan, stood and shepherded his flock in the strength of the LORD. (Micah 5.4) In this, again, we can live secure, for Christ's greatness shall be to the ends, and to the end, of the earth.
One final thought about the relevance of all this to our lives. Everyone experiences anxiety, despair, depression, even desperation, at times in our lives when things seem to happen, or not happen, at the wrong time. Hope can be hard to hold on to when we have a pile of overdue bills in front of us and no money in our checking account, when recovery from an illness is taking a long, long time to come, when we look forward to having a child and the child never arrives. When our life, and our plans, are just a big mess, we need to remember that for us the Son was born in Bethlehem, right on schedule according to the Father's plans, and, in his time, the Father's perfect plans for our lives in Christ shall also surely be fulfilled.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Jesus Fulfilled the Shalom of God
What Did Jesus Do?
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11.9
How sad that the Prince of Peace had to confess that he had not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. (Matthew 10.34) Well, Jesus did explain that the peace he was giving to his followers was not of the same order as the “peace” the world gives. But a sword? In truth, the Lord never directed his disciples to strap on a blade, in fact just the opposite. (See Matthew 26.52) But Christ did “arm” his people with the Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. Tragically, the world rages against the Word, thus battle must be joined in order to establish peace, the Shalom of God.
When the prophet Isaiah foretold the peace which would be established by the “Root of Jesse,” he spoke of the “rod of his mouth” and the “breath of his lips” which would overcome the world (Isaiah 11.4). Again, the Sword of the Spirit, sharper than any blade, would be the instrument by which peace would be won.
For peace is not a matter of conquering kingdoms and subduing people with bombs and guns and swords, that is the world's way of establishing peace. And to this day we can see how fragile and incomplete has been the peace won by the sword. Tragically, the world is doomed to fight war after war, with peace no more lasting than any of humanity's other vanities.
The thing is, the followers of Christ do not have the luxury of being non-combatants. We have a part to play in the struggle for peace. The Root of Jesse is our banner, the Word of God is our weapon, and the goal is to spread knowledge. This knowledge, like the peace of Christ, is qualitatively different from worldly knowledge. One of the chief accomplishments of worldly knowledge is the “advancement” from swords to nuclear bombs and chemical weapons that only destroy. Rather, the knowledge that brings peace, the true Shalom of God, is the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11.9).
The hurting and destruction that is the world's way of making peace will only come to an end when the Knowledge of the LORD fills the earth. And the only way this knowledge can move forward is for those who know to tell those who don't.
Now, don't think for a moment that everyone with whom we share this knowledge will receive it gratefully. Some will laugh at us. Many will take offense at the Word. The world plainly will reject the true way to peace. Nevertheless, we continue to take up the Sword of the Spirit, and share the knowledge of the LORD which alone brings lasting peace, true Shalom. The only way we can share it, of course, is if we first have it ourselves.
Again, we have the great advantage of this season of Advent to prepare our hearts to receive all that Christ came to give us. As they say, “No Christ—no peace; Know Christ—know peace!” Only Jesus fulfills the foretold Shalom of God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11.9
How sad that the Prince of Peace had to confess that he had not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. (Matthew 10.34) Well, Jesus did explain that the peace he was giving to his followers was not of the same order as the “peace” the world gives. But a sword? In truth, the Lord never directed his disciples to strap on a blade, in fact just the opposite. (See Matthew 26.52) But Christ did “arm” his people with the Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. Tragically, the world rages against the Word, thus battle must be joined in order to establish peace, the Shalom of God.
When the prophet Isaiah foretold the peace which would be established by the “Root of Jesse,” he spoke of the “rod of his mouth” and the “breath of his lips” which would overcome the world (Isaiah 11.4). Again, the Sword of the Spirit, sharper than any blade, would be the instrument by which peace would be won.
For peace is not a matter of conquering kingdoms and subduing people with bombs and guns and swords, that is the world's way of establishing peace. And to this day we can see how fragile and incomplete has been the peace won by the sword. Tragically, the world is doomed to fight war after war, with peace no more lasting than any of humanity's other vanities.
The thing is, the followers of Christ do not have the luxury of being non-combatants. We have a part to play in the struggle for peace. The Root of Jesse is our banner, the Word of God is our weapon, and the goal is to spread knowledge. This knowledge, like the peace of Christ, is qualitatively different from worldly knowledge. One of the chief accomplishments of worldly knowledge is the “advancement” from swords to nuclear bombs and chemical weapons that only destroy. Rather, the knowledge that brings peace, the true Shalom of God, is the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11.9).
The hurting and destruction that is the world's way of making peace will only come to an end when the Knowledge of the LORD fills the earth. And the only way this knowledge can move forward is for those who know to tell those who don't.
Now, don't think for a moment that everyone with whom we share this knowledge will receive it gratefully. Some will laugh at us. Many will take offense at the Word. The world plainly will reject the true way to peace. Nevertheless, we continue to take up the Sword of the Spirit, and share the knowledge of the LORD which alone brings lasting peace, true Shalom. The only way we can share it, of course, is if we first have it ourselves.
Again, we have the great advantage of this season of Advent to prepare our hearts to receive all that Christ came to give us. As they say, “No Christ—no peace; Know Christ—know peace!” Only Jesus fulfills the foretold Shalom of God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Jesus Fulfilled the Foretold
What Did Jesus Do?
“I have not come to abolish...but to fulfill.”
Matthew 5.17
There was a time when marketers used to remind us how many “shopping days” were left until Christmas. “Shopping days” is of course an archaic term, now that every day, 24/7, is a shopping day. In what is day by day becoming the more and more remote past, businesses used to close on Sundays, and some on Saturdays as well, thus creating a distinction between days when one could “shop,” and days when one was supposed to devote one's self to other pursuits.
Similarly, there was a time when, in most churches, the season of Advent was distinguishable from Christmas. Mercantilism swallowed up every day of the week, with Christmas season so expanding as to all but obliterate Thanksgiving in its own right (Turkey Day is now little more than a green flag for an all-out spending bacchanal that consumes just about every second of every day right up until the last online shopper clicks one final “submit order” button on Christmas Eve.). Similarly, celebrations of Christmas occupy most of the time and energy of congregations throughout the weeks of what once was Advent, so that there is little or no preparing of hearts and minds to receive Jesus at the observance of his birth. Not unlike merchants, many churches simply want to make the “sale,” to get people to “buy” Jesus, even before they truly get to know who and what they are being offered.
So, as you may have surmised by now, I for one am still a fan of Advent, though I am hardly slavish about the liturgical calendar. I believe there is much to recommend a season of preparation to receive the Lord and Savior. And I believe the Father also felt a considerable time of preparation was necessary before he sent the Son into the world. Otherwise, why would there have been more than a millennium of waiting and anticipation on the part of the Jews for the Messiah to come?
Ironically, many were critical of, even violently opposed to, Jesus because they were convinced that he was determined to abolish what they had long held on to as the foundations of their faith—the Law and the Prophets. But Jesus was quite clear that his mission was just the opposite, not the abolishment of the Law and the Prophets, but their fulfillment. What did Jesus do? Jesus fulfilled what had been foretold. And one of the best things about Advent is that it intentionally provides the Church a season of preparation, a time to study and ponder the foretelling, that we might better celebrate the birth of, the Fulfiller.
Consider this: While some anticipated that the Messiah would suddenly appear as a man, a powerful liberating king, it had in fact been foretold that he would come as a baby. There was a child to be born, a son, actually, The Son would be given. (See Isaiah 9.6) And Israel had been privileged to have had centuries of advance knowledge of the coming of the One who would fulfill the words of Isaiah and the rest of the prophets, that she might be ready to receive him when, in the fullness of time, he was born. Sadly, foreknowledge does little good when it is either ignored, or twisted to suit personal or political agendas. Rightfully, faithfully, looking forward to the Messiah's coming, Israel envisioned what will be the Second Advent. They did not understand that the Messiah first had to die for their sins (And ours!), liberation from sin and death had to come before any political deliverance. And so, Pharisees and Sadducees and priests largely condemned Christ as the abolisher, rather than the fulfiller, of all that God had promised. And God had promised a lot!
Just think, for a moment, on a few of the names given to the Fulfiller. The names tell us much about who he is, and what he did/does: Wonderful Counselor—far better than any analyst or psychologist Jesus knows the hearts and minds of men and women, and has a comforting, compassionate, and healing word for all who are troubled; Mighty God—all dominion, majesty and power belong to Jesus, our shield and defender, who is able to accomplish what we need, which is even greater than all we could ask or imagine; Everlasting Father—the Son and the Father are one, through Jesus we have seen the Father, and know him personally.
In stark contrast those who in the ancient world, and the modern, who make outrageously bold and grandiose claims for themselves, Jesus comes to us humbly to point to the words which he has fulfilled. One of the great things about Advent is that it gives every heart an opportunity to prepare Him room, which is to say that unlike children who wonder what Santa might bring them, we can know, through the foretold word, all that the Father has given us in and through the Son. How? Because Jesus fulfilled the foretold.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“I have not come to abolish...but to fulfill.”
Matthew 5.17
There was a time when marketers used to remind us how many “shopping days” were left until Christmas. “Shopping days” is of course an archaic term, now that every day, 24/7, is a shopping day. In what is day by day becoming the more and more remote past, businesses used to close on Sundays, and some on Saturdays as well, thus creating a distinction between days when one could “shop,” and days when one was supposed to devote one's self to other pursuits.
Similarly, there was a time when, in most churches, the season of Advent was distinguishable from Christmas. Mercantilism swallowed up every day of the week, with Christmas season so expanding as to all but obliterate Thanksgiving in its own right (Turkey Day is now little more than a green flag for an all-out spending bacchanal that consumes just about every second of every day right up until the last online shopper clicks one final “submit order” button on Christmas Eve.). Similarly, celebrations of Christmas occupy most of the time and energy of congregations throughout the weeks of what once was Advent, so that there is little or no preparing of hearts and minds to receive Jesus at the observance of his birth. Not unlike merchants, many churches simply want to make the “sale,” to get people to “buy” Jesus, even before they truly get to know who and what they are being offered.
So, as you may have surmised by now, I for one am still a fan of Advent, though I am hardly slavish about the liturgical calendar. I believe there is much to recommend a season of preparation to receive the Lord and Savior. And I believe the Father also felt a considerable time of preparation was necessary before he sent the Son into the world. Otherwise, why would there have been more than a millennium of waiting and anticipation on the part of the Jews for the Messiah to come?
Ironically, many were critical of, even violently opposed to, Jesus because they were convinced that he was determined to abolish what they had long held on to as the foundations of their faith—the Law and the Prophets. But Jesus was quite clear that his mission was just the opposite, not the abolishment of the Law and the Prophets, but their fulfillment. What did Jesus do? Jesus fulfilled what had been foretold. And one of the best things about Advent is that it intentionally provides the Church a season of preparation, a time to study and ponder the foretelling, that we might better celebrate the birth of, the Fulfiller.
Consider this: While some anticipated that the Messiah would suddenly appear as a man, a powerful liberating king, it had in fact been foretold that he would come as a baby. There was a child to be born, a son, actually, The Son would be given. (See Isaiah 9.6) And Israel had been privileged to have had centuries of advance knowledge of the coming of the One who would fulfill the words of Isaiah and the rest of the prophets, that she might be ready to receive him when, in the fullness of time, he was born. Sadly, foreknowledge does little good when it is either ignored, or twisted to suit personal or political agendas. Rightfully, faithfully, looking forward to the Messiah's coming, Israel envisioned what will be the Second Advent. They did not understand that the Messiah first had to die for their sins (And ours!), liberation from sin and death had to come before any political deliverance. And so, Pharisees and Sadducees and priests largely condemned Christ as the abolisher, rather than the fulfiller, of all that God had promised. And God had promised a lot!
Just think, for a moment, on a few of the names given to the Fulfiller. The names tell us much about who he is, and what he did/does: Wonderful Counselor—far better than any analyst or psychologist Jesus knows the hearts and minds of men and women, and has a comforting, compassionate, and healing word for all who are troubled; Mighty God—all dominion, majesty and power belong to Jesus, our shield and defender, who is able to accomplish what we need, which is even greater than all we could ask or imagine; Everlasting Father—the Son and the Father are one, through Jesus we have seen the Father, and know him personally.
In stark contrast those who in the ancient world, and the modern, who make outrageously bold and grandiose claims for themselves, Jesus comes to us humbly to point to the words which he has fulfilled. One of the great things about Advent is that it gives every heart an opportunity to prepare Him room, which is to say that unlike children who wonder what Santa might bring them, we can know, through the foretold word, all that the Father has given us in and through the Son. How? Because Jesus fulfilled the foretold.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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