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!
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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! |
AuthorEddie Ragsdale Archives
May 2024
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