Why did Christ come? #3

Titus 2:14 corrects two wrong ideas about why Jesus came.
He didn't come just to save us as individuals, though that is wonderful.
And, though Christmas is a holiday, perhaps the biggest holiday of them all, Jesus didn't come to give us leisure. He came to put us to work.
An army of Christ followers from every tribe and nation, banded together, eager to do His work.

"He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds" (Titus2:14, NLT).

As Christmas approaches,
It's STTA (Something To Think About). 

Waiting for Christmas, #2

Why did Jesus come? #2

An old song--I suppose it is a Christmas song--says, "Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to earth for me." It is a powerful reminder that when you start in the glories of heaven, it's only possible to go down from there. Why? Why would God the Son make such an incredible journey? In a story that youngsters are fond of, Jesus tells us why. Everyone wondered why Jesus would spend time with the likes of Zacchaeaus. He was a tax-collector, a much despised profession in First Century Israel. Zacchaeus was a short man, but he had a big desire to see Jesus as He passed through Jericho, so the despised little man climbed a tree to get a better view. That's when it got interesting. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today” (Luke 19:5) What? Some people said Jesus was a Rabbi. Many considered Him sent from God. Why would He go to the home of this tax collector? "[T]he Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (v. 10), was the answer Jesus gave. That title "Son of Man," is not, as many think, a reference to Jesus humility, but is a title of great glory. Not only did Christ come to earth, He came to seek out people at their worst and remedy their lost condition. Zacchaeus may be shorter than me, and a better climber, but in our hearts we are not all that different. "All have sinned and come short of God's glory" (Romans 3:23). Find out more about Jesus coming here. As you wait for Christmas, It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Why did Christ come?

Why did Jesus come? #1

Even people who don't believe anything about the Christmas story know why the holiday is being celebrated. They may not believe any of it, but they know what is behind it. Up to a point. Actually, I think even many of us who have faith in Christ fail to realize the full import of the coming of Christ. On  this week before Christmas, let's explore this a bit. While Christmas is a wonderful holiday, Jesus Christ didn't come just so we would have a day to celebrate. No, there is no molecule in the universe and no milli-second in history--past, present, and future that is not touched by the marvelous truth that the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). The words associated with the purpose of the great event behind Christmas are words of change. He came to save, He is the Redeemer. He accomplishes the will of His Father. He overcomes. In the end, nothing will be unaffected by the event the angel proclaimed. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The  Savior--the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!" (Luke 2:10–11, NLT)   Let's just leave it there for the moment. Unless your view of Christ's coming to earth is big enough to see that He brought change that reaches from the farthest reaches of the cosmos, to the inner recesses of your heart, then you don't really know why Christmas is worth celebrating. As you wait for Christmas, It's STTA (Something To Think About).

"I'm Planting a Tree."

Planting trees Building lives

"What'ya doing, Bob?" I could see something going on from my apartment I'd walked by a time or two and saw a rectangular hole being dug. By the time I got around to asking, a second hole had been started. For all intents and purposes, the hole looked like a shallow grave for a very short, wide person. Bob told me, though. "We're planting trees."  Here on the campus at Pacific Islands University, indeed all over Guam, the rhino beetles are killing the palm trees. Bob and his buddy are planting new ones, next to some old ones. When the bugs win, and they generally do, the new ones will be big enough to take the place of the dead ones. The Spanish say, "A man plants an olive tree for his grandchildren." coconut palms grow faster than olive trees, but the commitment is the same. Digging a hole to plant a tree is no easy matter, here on Guam. Bob used a jack-hammer to break up the coral. He's hauling in dead vegetation to enrich the soil. It'll be five to ten years before those palms impressively sway in the trade winds. I told Bob, "I like your style." Can I guarantee that ten years from now this school will be alive and well? No, I can't, but I can say for sure that it won't be if we don't have that tree-planting spirit. Do I know what my life will be like in a month, a year, a decade? Absolutely not. I can be sure, however, that if I don't dig deep so my life can anchor on the rock, it won't survive.   [W]hen someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”  (Luke 6:47–49, NLT) Start digging. Do something that will last. It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Hanukkah

In John 10 we read, At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon" (John 10:22-23). Obviously, there was no Christmas celebration, yet. So we can be sure that Jesus was not out, involved in that great American, winter exercise, looking at the Christmas lights. It is probable, however, that Jesus was viewing the lights. Could it be that this was reason for his stroll through Solomon's portico in the Temple complex? He was and is human. He would appreciate the artistry of well-placed lights, just like the rest of us. The Feast of Dedication is known by a couple of other names, one you are sure to recognize. Craig Keener comments on this feast, "[T]he eight-day celebration of lights in the temple was beautiful." In fact it is sometimes called the Festival of Lights. Most of us know it as Hanukkah, the celebration that Jews are celebrating as I write. (Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Jn 10:22). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)     It is a simple children's presentation, but you can get the basics behind the celebration here.  A few years ago, in part because I was having difficulty coming up with a new idea for a Christmas series of messages, I preached a series on Hanukkah. The events commemorated are a story of bravery and dedication. Making a day's worth of oil last more than a week is the kind of thing that our great God does. To make this very personal, right now I find myself in a ministry where I'm looking to God to stretch, multiply, or in some other way step-in to make meager resources go well beyond what one would normally expect. Those of us involved in this venture are called on to deliver heroically. I think as the Lord looked at those lights in the Temple, His appreciation was for more than the aesthetics of the display. I think He took pleasure in knowing that on the very spot where He walked a group of warriors decided that they would not stand for the place dedicated to the worship of the one true God being desecrated. Some of those men gave their lives, so the temple could be cleansed. There was no doubt in the Lord's mind where He was headed. He would soon give His life. Christ "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14, emphasis added) "[D]o you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, emphasis added).    I won't be celebrating Hanukkah, but I will be remembering the courage and dedication of those who fought that the worship of God might be pure. I'll remember my God's ability to do the impossible. I want my life to show that I am dedicated to my Lord, and I want my life to shine as a light in this dark world. It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Jesus, The Supreme Example

He Humbled Himself . . .

In his Theology text, Millard Erickson gives a simple diagram of the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus. I recently created my version of it for some sermon notes. This resume of Jesus is powerfully presented in Philippians 2:1-11, where we are told that the kind of self-giving attitude that we see in Christ's incarnation should be ours (v. 5). Among the amazing truths found in this passage is one that always leaves me shaking my head in amazement. When I look at the side of the diagram that depicts God the Son's humiliation I see that He is the one who initiates the actions. He didn't regard the privileges of Deity as something to be selfishly held to. He emptied Himself. He humbled Himself. He obeyed. Yet on the other side of the diagram, He is the one Who is acted upon. God (the Father by implication) exalted Him. God gave Him a name above every name. At the crisis moment of His humiliation, we don't see Jesus strutting around like an over-confident, spoiled child who knows that it will work out. No, He prays, "If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me" (Matthew 26:39). "Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed" (John 17:5). He trusts.There isasenses--out there beyond my ability to grasp--in which the situation was out of control for the Son of God, but He did what He tells us to do, "Seek first the Kingdom of God . . ." (Matthew 6:33). So, the God of the universe prays. He prays a prayer, not unlike one that will be offered by millions of children today. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord, my soul to keep." There is more to this Christmas story than we know or understand. STTA (Something To Think About).

The Hits Keep on Coming

Another one . . .

(Those of you who follow the news will recognize that either I'm late, or I sat on this for a couple of days. It is the latter. I realize that this is sensitive. I hope it isn't needlessly offensive.) I received a text message today. It shared the news that Garrison Keillor was the latest famous guy to be accused and summarily fired over allegations of sexual misconduct. I'm not even going to try to count. Suffice to say that in recent months some of the biggest names in entertainment, the news world, and politics have fallen. Others, against whom convincing accusations have been made, have thus far avoided the ax, but for how long? The current climate is clearly more open to hearing the accuser than at any time in the recent past. We can rejoice over that. Too often, and for too long the same power that was used to abuse those who were not in positions of power, was wielded to keep those victims from bringing the abuse perpetrated on them to light. For what it's worth it's not a new problem. On the other hand: Was it during the Clarence Thomas hearings, when Anita Thomas accused the, now, Supreme Court Justice of sexual harassment, that this statement first became popular, "It's not the strength of the evidence, it's seriousness of the accusation"? Have we entered a time in which no male in any kind of public position could successfully defend himself against a serious accusation? I don't know. It seems that the mood of the public is such that one need not even try. I have no way of knowing whether Garrison Keillor deserved to be fired or not. His comment is telling, though, "I’m 75 and don’t have any interest in arguing about this.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/business/media/garrison-keillor-fired.html) Some would say that it doesn't matter if some innocent guy gets clobbered. It's about time for the shoe to be on the other foot. For too long those in positions of power have taken advantage of those who had little, if any, recourse. It's only right that power be given to those who follow in the train of those who were powerless. I imagine that there is a new breed of public relations specialist--experts at crafting statements that carefully skirt around matters of guilt or innocence, instead making sure that their clients are the first to condemn the actions of accused colleagues, whether accusations are real or imagined, because it is the seriousness of the accusation that matters. If anyone has Solomon's email address, I would appreciate them forwarding it to me. Until I hear from the sage, though, let me point out some flaws in the current system, and offer a couple of suggestions that might move us in the right direction. We absolutely should empower those who are treated wrongly, sexually, and in other ways, to be able to come forward and tell their story to the right people. Our Lord has a long history of sticking up for the weak. When the abused are throttled into silence the abuse and sin is compounded. Yet, we dare not act as if every accusation is gospel truth. The Bible gives a high standard for receiving an accusation (1 Timothy 5:19). Though scripture champions the cause of the underdog, it cautions against perverting justice to even the score (Exodus 23:2-3). Today's campaign against sexual abuse is taking place more in the newsroom and around the water-cooler than in the courtroom. Popular opinion is not a good standard of guilt and innocence. Just look at some of the fashions of the past, and examine the roster of those who have been elected to be public. The majority can be wrong. Our goal should not be to make up for past wrongs to others, by what we decide about entirely different people today. Rather our response should be to repent of past wrongs and commit ourselves to seek justice in the present--it's not about evening the score, it's about doing what is right. There is more, much more, to be said, but perhaps, for now, this is  . . . STTA (Something To Think About).    Jim Denison is a capable commenter on societal trends. His comments on the current series of revelations concerning powerful men who abused women are worth reading. Kevin Bauder raises some important thoughts about accusations, their importance, their limitations, and how to evaluate them.