Eyes that See, Ears that Hear

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the filed that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well It was about the sixth hour.
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” John 1:1-7

Intro: Last Sunday, several people thanked me for asking Jake to speak

What I noticed afterward, was not what I learned, but what I felt
– a fresh awareness of how present God is to us
• two specific moments stand out when Jake explained:
◦ “it’s not about leaving our physical world or our bodies, but the veil is lifted”
and
◦ “the Psalms teach us how to talk to our nephesh [soul]”
• I believe this is the effect the gospels were meant to have on us
◦ they were meant to make us more aware of the life of the spirit
◦ both God’s Spirit and our spirit in him
– in the Synoptic gospels, Jesus awakens us to spirit using miracles and parables
• in John, Jesus awakes us with signs and dialogues
◦ for instance, Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus in ch. 3
◦ and now here, with the Samaritan woman
• Jesus leads people out of their rational-literal mind-set to a spiritual awakening
◦ to a new perception and receptivity

To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. . . .This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. . . . But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear (Mt. 13:13 and 16)

◦ the same process is at work here with the Samaritan woman and his living water

(and then also with his disciples regarding food) Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (Jn. 4:31-33)

John chapter 4 moves around to a lot of places

The story is bordered, beginning and end, by “Judea and Galilee” (vv. 3 & 54)
– also mentioned are Samaria and Sychar, Jerusalem and Gerazim, Cana and Capernaum
• one intriguing place-reference that has been long debated

After two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.” (Jn. 4:43-44)

◦ the problem is that there’s no context for this quote
◦ the only places mentioned in context are Samaria, Judea and Galilee
• Samaria could not possibly qualify as his “hometown”
◦ Galilee is eliminated too, because in the next verse we read,

So when he came to Galilee, the Galiileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast” (v. 45)

• some scholars conclude, John must mean Jesus’ hometown was Judea
◦ but there is no good reason to think his hometown would be Judea or in Judea
– John had let us know early on that Jesus was from Nazareth (1:45-46)
• but Jesus had not quoted this hometown proverb anywhere in John’s gospel
◦ but Mark had quoted it (6:4), and Matthew and Luke as well (Mt. 13:57; Lk. 4:24)
◦ and in all three, Jesus quoted the proverb when he was in Nazareth
• so the debate over what John meant dissolves when we realize that his readers knew the Synoptic gospels
◦ and this is one of the reasons John’s gospel is so different from other three
(he did not see the need to repeat them)
◦ John places the quote here to explain why Jesus, when going from Samaria to Capernaum, he avoided Nazareth

Anyway, this chapter mentions a lot of different places,
– but when we come to the heart of the chapter,
• Jesus erases the importance of space
◦ places become irrelevant when people discover the life of the Spirit

I am going to pick and choose sentences from the dialogue to discuss

I would love to walk you through the entire conversation,
– but I need to stick with my thesis
• and that is, that John has written a spiritual commentary on the Synoptic gospels

Two facts are highlighted in this conversation: Continue reading →

Podcast

We Cannot Do God’s Part

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against [Jesus], how to destroy him. Mark 3:6
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night . . . . John 3:1-2

Intro: Do you remember learning to ride a bicycle?

There is no way to learn without getting on a bike and trying
– that’s because our brains have to adapt to a new experience, that of balancing while on a bike
• new connections have to made between brain cells
◦ these connections have to be integrated in different areas of the brain
• balancing on a bike cannot be learned in a class or from a book or instructor
◦ to ask, “Please tell me how to do this” is a waste of time
◦ you have to keep trying until your body learns it–until it feels balance
• once you learn, your body never forgets
– this is how I see the story of Nicodemus
• he wants Jesus to teach him how to ride a bike
◦ but he wants to learn while sitting in a room alone with Jesus
• the Lord tells him, “Just get on the bike, Nick!”
◦ but Nicodemus keeps saying, “Yes, Jesus, but then how do I ride it?”
◦ this illustrates a central problem the Pharisees had with Jesus

In Mark chapter 3, we find two misconceptions of Jesus

Both misconceptions are degrading
– Jesus’ family thought he had lost his mind
– the scribes claimed Jesus was empowered by a demon
• his family misunderstood his devotion to others (Mk. 3:20-21)
• the scribes misunderstood who he was (Mk. 3:22)

We have seen that John’s gospel is like a spiritual commentary on the Synoptics
– John fills in the blanks that the Synoptics leave
• these mostly have to do with misunderstandings of Jesus and his teaching
• today, John will take us to the core of the Pharisees’ misunderstanding of Jesus

The Pharisees play a central role in the Synoptic gospels

They were Jesus’ primary antagonists in Matthew, Mark and Luke
– in Jesus’ time, there were several different categories of religious groups:
• the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes (not mentioned in scripture)
◦ people who served institutional religion included scribes, priests, and legal experts
• Pharisees were the “Fundamentalists,” and not that far from Jesus theologically
(the Sadducees were the “Liberals”–naturalists who did not believe in resurrection, angels or spirits; Acts 23:8)
– in the Synoptic gospels, the Pharisees are mostly “stock characters”
• rarely do we encounter a Pharisee with a distinct personality
◦ no Pharisee is ever named in Matthew, Mark or Luke
◦ most references to them are plural
(there is no use of the singular, “Pharisee” in Mark’s gospel)

The Pharisees first appeared between the time of Ezra and Christ
– to them, Israel’s only hope was absolute adherence to the law of Moses
• like our constitutional law, the Mosaic law required interpretation and application
• in some instances, they followed it down to minute details

Hebrew biblical scholar and professor, David Flusser observed, “… by Jesus’ time [the Pharisees] had become recognized as the teachers of the masses, consciously identifying themselves with popular faith.”

– in some respects, they embodied “Religion, Inc.”
• their main short-coming according to Jesus was hypocrisy
• in Matthew 23, Jesus pronounced several “woes” on the Pharisees
◦  for example:

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of God in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in (Mt. 23:13-14)

The Pharisees had reduced religion to rules
– people use rules to manage righteousness
• with their rules, they felt they had religion all buttoned up
• there may be many rules, some that are harsh or even unpleasant
◦ but religious people often like strict rules
◦ they feel they are making sacrifices for God’s sake (and are therefore better than others)
– in reality, rule-keeping is no more difficult than doing our chores
• wash dishes, take out trash, do yard work
◦ we just do these things
◦ we don’t need good attitude while doing them, and our motive is irrelevant
◦ rules are not sensitive to how we feel about others
• keeping all the rules, can make people feel good about themselves

Jesus did not criticize Pharisees for their rule-keeping Continue reading →

Podcast

Weddings and Wines

[Jesus] went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow Me.” And he rose and followed him. Mark 2:13-14
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” John 2:1-3

Intro: Last week I suggested that John’s gospel is like a spiritual commentary on the Synoptics
(Matthew, Mark and Luke)

Much of Jesus’ teaching remained a mystery for his disciples
– during the time they were with him, they did not understand him
• but after his resurrection, it all began to come together
◦ what the Scriptures said about Jesus and what he taught them (Lk. 24:44-45)
◦ and it all came pretty quickly (cf. Acts 2:16-21, 25-28, 34-35, etc.)
• John wrote in two time-frames:
◦ first, within the period of Jesus’ ministry
◦ and then years later, when he had eyes to see and ears to hear (Mk. 8:17-21)

With that in mind, what revelations will we receive from John today?

Matthew’s response to Jesus’ invitation is unique and beautiful

Matthew, who was also called Levi, was an outcast
– he was rejected by the religious community, and disliked by everyone else
• the only people who would associate with him were other tax collectors and sinners
• it was unheard of that a person in his position,
◦ would be accepted into the discipline of a godly teacher like Jesus
– after joining Jesus, Matthew’s first impulse was to introduce his friends to him
• so he hosted a dinner for people like himself
• this disturbed religious folk, and they asked,
“Why would Jesus attend a party with lowlifes and sinners?”
◦ the Lord’s answer was,

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick

◦ then he explained what he meant by that statement

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Mk. 2:17)

Mark then swings from feasting to fasting
– why were Jesus’ disciples not fasting like the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees?
• Jesus answered with an example of people at a wedding
◦ fasting is an expression of grief, and appropriate at a funeral
◦ but a wedding is a joyful event
• this was not the time for Jesus’ disciples to be sad
◦ in this analogy, Jesus is the bridegroom who brings joy to the party
– there were other times Jesus used an analogy of a bridegroom or wedding feast:

• a king prepared wedding feast for his son (Mt. 22:1-14)
• ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive (Mt. 25:1-13)
• Jesus’ followers were to be prepared, like servants waiting their master’s arrival from wedding (Lk. 12:36)
  ◦ “bridegroom” has reference to the specific context of a wedding
  ◦ rite-of-passage that celebrates the union of two lives

Jesus made two other statements regarding why his disciples did not fast

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the from the old, and a worse tear is made.
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins But new wine is for fresh wineskins (Mk. 2:21-22)

• notice that earlier Jesus had explained what he meant by Those who are well do not need a physician . . .
◦ but he did not explain what he meant by the new patch or the new wine
• these statements would not be news to those present
◦ they would think, “Of course you would sew a new patch on old clothes. Everyone knows that!”
◦ it would be like one of us saying, “Look both ways before you cross the street”
◦ like many of Jesus’ parables, the meaning would not be immediately clear
(sort of like a riddle)

John’s story of wedding in Cana is a classic

What I mean is:
– it used to be that every every teenager and alcoholic knew Jesus turned water into wine
– but that is not the point of John’s story

The wedding reception would have been literally ruined had they run out of wine
– John says, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine”
• John never mentions Mary by name
◦ even at that serious moment when she stood near Jesus’ cross Continue reading →

Podcast

A Gospel Tapestry

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Intro: Something surprising happened a couple years ago

While reading in the Gospel of John, chapter 2,
– I began exploring the thought that the same theme appears early in Mark’s gospel
• it occurs in a different context–
◦ in Mark it’s used in an illustration, whereas John tells it as an event
◦ it was like looking at the same diamond in a different setting
• I was curious as to how far I could follow this thread
◦ did the entire Gospel of John match themes in the other three gospels?
– I did not research it at that time
• but I happened to come across a similar thought in a book by John Pennington
(I will list two or three references at the end of these notes)
• last year I went through John, looking closely a how it connected with Matthew, Mark and Luke
◦ it has been an exciting adventure that at times has left me in awe

My intention is to walk you through John, showing you what I found
– I may have bitten off more than I can chew
• so if it bogs down or is too much for you or me,
◦ I’ll throw in the towel and change lanes
• but if it works for us and we hang with it,
◦ we will have a better understanding of gospels
◦ and a richer experience of Jesus

John has been a challenge from the third century to the present

It is so different from the other three gospels

By the way, Matthew, Mark and Luke are referred to as the “Synoptic” Gospels. Synoptic means “to take the same point of view.”  It is their shared point of view that has resulted in so many shared stories from the life and ministry of Jesus. So when I use the term Synoptics, I am referring to the first three gospels in the New Testament.

– John does not report the same miracles as the Synoptics
• and he introduces other, sometimes dramatic, miracles they left out
◦ for instance, the raising of Lazarus
◦ John does not include Jesus’ parables, exorcisms, Transfiguration, or the Last Supper
• how to explain this?

In the eighteenth century, John was an embarrassment for intellectuals
– they argued that it was not historically accurate
• that some of the places John mentions were fictional
• John was left out of significant critical New Testament works
– but archaeological excavations up to the present have vindicated John
• sites have been explored that confirm his accuracy
• this includes both the topography and culture of first century Israel
◦ John proves to a historically reliable document

But this still leaves us with the question, Why is it so different from the Synoptics? Continue reading →

Mary’s Christmas Podcast

Mary’s Christmas

While they were there, the days were completed for [Mary] to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the in. Luke 2:6-7

Intro: Once again I ask myself, how will I approach this familiar story?

It won’t hurt if we start right here and now, in our own world
– soon we’ll visit Mary and Joseph
• but we’re 2000 years and a world away from them
• why do we even bother with a story so old and distant?
◦ it is because we know this story was written for us
– and that raises another question – Why did Luke tell the story of Jesus?
• I’m convinced it was because he wanted us to know Jesus
◦ and Luke knew this story is for everyone
◦ it is just as the angel told the shepherds,

. . . behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people (v. 10)

• it’s not that we’re going to find the meaning of our lives in the story
◦ but we will discover that our lives have a meaning
◦ and the key to living that meaning is in the manger

Those of us who shop on online have become spoiled

In the past, when I ordered used books by phone or snail mail
– I was told it would take six to eight weeks for book to arrive
• when I first started buying books from Amazon, they arrived in two to three weeks
◦ now I can request next day delivery!
• there’s no reason for me to delay gratification or be patient
◦ I’m spoiled
– but some things we cannot rush – like a pregnancy
• Luke tells us, while in Bethlehem Mary’s package finally arrived
◦ what he actually says, the days were completed for her to give birth
◦ Mary’s pregnancy reached full term
• and the days were completed for God’s promise to be fulfilled
◦ God’s promise that Gabriel delivered to Mary
◦ and his wider promise to Eve (Gen. 3:15), to Moses (Deut. 18:15 & 18), and the prophets

I say this as a reminder of the bigger picture
– Christmas cards that depict the Bethlehem scene often have a warm glow
• it indicates not only the love of a family, but the sacredness of the moment
• Luke, however, does not create a literary glow in his story
◦ at least not at this point — he just gives information
◦ there was no infusion of glory around the manger
– so we remind ourselves that a miracle is unfolding
• there is only this small, fragile human life;
◦ a baby that cries and nurses at his mother’s breast
• yet within his tiny chest there beats the heart of God Continue reading →

According to your word – Podcast

According to Your Word

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”
And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:30-38

Intro: Recently there have been a lot of things weighing on my heart

I was feeling it yesterday when I sat down to read my Bible
– you know the story of the two sisters, Martha the hostess and Mary the contemplative

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is necessary . . . (Lk. 10:41-42)

• immediately it was obvious that I needed to hear this
◦ I quickly wrote out a short list of things troubling me
◦ there were twenty-one items on my list
• it got me wondering, was Martha supposed to turn off her anxiety,
◦ just because Jesus explained it to her?
◦ was she to leave the bread in the oven, hang up her apron, and go sit next to Mary?
– at any rate, I heard Jesus talking to me
• I know how to shut off anxiety by replacing it with trust
• so after doing that, my worry dissolved
◦ and the rest of my day flowed smoothly
◦ the Scriptures worked in me exactly as Paul described:

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Ro. 15:4)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, has something to tell us about how to hear God’s word

First, I want to point out some interesting features of this story

What I mean, is the way Luke puts it together
– for example, Mary asks a question that divides Gabriel’s message in two
• the first part in verses 30-33, he tells her what was going to happen
• the second part in verses 34-37, he tells her how it will happen
– both messages began with what would happen to her – “YOU”
• then he explained what the child would become – “HE”
• finally, Gabriel tagged something extra to end of messages
◦ he informed Mary of Elizabeth’s pregnancy
◦ this was to emphasize a specific point to reassure Mary

For nothing will be impossible with God

Another detail we hardly notice is Luke’s use of polysyndeton
– that is, the way Luke repeatedly uses the word “and”

Here is what I mean:
Verses 30-33, you have found favor with God
AND behold, you will conceive
AND bear a son
AND you shall name Him Jesus
He will be great
AND be called the Son of the Most High
AND the Lord God will give him . . .
AND He will reign . . .
AND His kingdom will have no end 
Verses 35-37, The angel answered
AND said to her, “The Holy Spirit . . .”
AND the power of the Most High . . .
AND for that reason . . .
AND behold, even your relative . . .
AND she who was called barren . . .

– the effect of all these “and’s” is to rush us from one statement to the next
• in this way, Luke creates a feeling of excitement or urgency
• we feel the bigness of what Gabriel is telling Mary

Two more details that I think are intriguing
– two times, Gabriel says “Behold”
• this is a visual cue – it tells Mary (and us) to pay attention
◦ both times it has to do with conception (Mary’s and then Elizabeth’s)
• “behold” or “Look at this,” because both instances required a miracle
– the last detail has to do with paternity
• Jesus would be called the Son of the Most High

Abraham did not have a book on systematic theology to study. What he knew about God, he learned from his encounters with him. Each encounter brought a new revelation, and with each revelation Abraham discovered a new way to refer to God. So God became to him El Shaddai (God Almighty), Yahweh Olam (the LORD eternal), and Yahweh Jireh (the LORD provides). One of the first designations he learned for God was Eylon, Eylon (the doubling of the word “high” intensifies it so that it is translated “Most High”). This he learned from a priest who arrived from Salem to bless him after a military victory. Notice that Most High implies polytheism; i.e., if there are many gods, Yahweh is the God Most High. Abraham instantly latched onto this revelation of his God being the greatest of all gods, and he used this term in turning down the rewards offered him by the king of Sodom (Gen. 14:17-24).
From then on, the Old Testament frequently makes use of the term Most High God in contexts that have specific reference to Gentile (this is not always the case, but in more times than not). It was a way for the people of Israel to refer to their God in places that had their own gods (Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8; many times in the Psalms and Book of Daniel).
In the New Testament, this term appears only two times outside of Luke’s writings; once when it a demon in pagan territory that uses it (Mk. 5:7) and once when it is used in a reference to Abraham’s story (Heb. 7:1). Luke’s use of it parallels that of the Old Testament, where reference to Gentiles or all the nations is implied.

• Gabriel also refers to Jesus’ “father David” and as “the Son of God”
◦ significantly, there is no mention of Joseph
◦ Luke is very careful about that, qualifying Joseph’s relation to Jesus in his genealogy

When He began his ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph (Lk. 3:23)

Everything in Gabriel’s message points to the special nature and greatness of Jesus

Mary has the last word in this conversation

And it’s a very important word – it is her consent to God’s purpose Continue reading →

A “Mary” Christmas

A “Mary” Christmas

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. Luke 1:26-29

Intro: I did not know until recently that Christmas invitation cards are big business

There are invitations to visit the home of a family member or friend,
– invitations to Christmas dinners, office parties, fund-raisers, and so on
• some of us get so many invitations this time of year,
◦ we have to decide which ones to decline
• others of us may wish we had that problem
– right now, I have three Christmas invitations in mind
• they are different types of events — all three are doable
◦ but might be good to decide which one gets most of our energy
• they are:

1. The traditional warmth of family gathering
   – my parents made every Christmas special
   – one fond memory is that before any present was opened, the family would sit around Dad and he would read the story of Jesus’ birth from one of the gospels. He would then pray God’s blessing on our Christmas day together.
2. The mythical, commercial holiday
   – it can be exciting and even magical
   • but it can also be exhausting
   – for some of us, it is an invitation to over-indulge
3. The invitation to celebrate Jesus
   – he became God’s answer to the longing of his people that spanned centuries

These invitations get me wondering,
Does God want me to have myself a merry little Christmas?
• I’m sure he doesn’t want me to have a miserable Christmas
• what do you suppose God wants for you?
◦ how are we going to find out?

Christmas came to Mary the same way it did to Joseph

As a complete and shocking surprise
– not as a gift so much as a calling, perhaps even a burden
• this was not something she had wanted – or even dreamed of
• and it would change the course of her life
– most of us gradually live into our destiny
• we don’t start out knowing the meaning of our lives
◦ over time, we grow into it
◦ we have to cover some ground before it comes into focus
• for Mary, however, her destiny was dropped on her all at once
◦ one day she was an ordinary girl living out a normal life
◦ the next day she was the mother of our Lord

As it was with Joseph, so also for Mary; Christmas radically altered her plans
– I wonder what she had to give up – what was taken from her
• we can venture an educated guess about some things
• but her more personal longings we will never know
– it is probably good for us to sit with our unfulfilled longings
• to get some kind of insight into them
◦ what do they tell me about myself?
◦ what kind of person am I?
◦ or what kind of person would I have been if my longings had been fulfilled?

C. S. Lewis, “For, as I say, there are two kinds of longing. The one is . . . a spiritual exercise, and the other is a disease.”

• regarding the longing that is a spiritual exercise,

William Johnston saw it as a strong human desire to see God, and that “Moses gave expression [to this desire] when he audaciously asked to see the face of God. . . . And in the mystical life, this longing becomes a gaping wound, a wound of love, the wound of one who loves God but cannot see Him.”

◦ if you have felt this wound of love, Johnston’s words are comforting
◦ if you haven’t, don’t worry about it

Mary’s immediate reaction was perplexity
Her response was to ponder

There are different ways we greet each other or begin a conversation
– each greeting gives us an idea of where the conversation is going
• for example:

“Hi Chuck! I’ve got great news . . .”
“Mr. Smith, I am sorry to inform you . . .”
“Hey Dad, are you sitting down?”

– Mary pondered what kind of greeting she had just received
• she had never heard anyone greeted in this way
◦ besides, she did not even know this person who had greeted her
◦ she had no idea where this introduction was leading
• perhaps that’s why Gabriel’s next statement was, Continue reading →

The Christmas Story Is Your Story

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold; an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife. Matthew 1:18-24

Intro: Every year I struggle with preparing Christmas messages

I have read the birth stories of Jesus a hundred times or more
– what can I say that hasn’t been said?
• still, I feel the need to keep with the spirit of Christmas
◦ it’s a season of warm emotions evoked by the scene around the manger
◦ or our own scenes around Christmas trees and dinner tables
• it’s also a time of nostalgia, loneliness and coping with loss
– I know it’s important for me to provide perspective for this season
• something to help us keep our hearts in the right place
◦ and not fall victim to the typical ways we overdo Christmas:
◦ too much spending, too many dinners, too many sweets
• these days, it’s not that the secular holiday is a distraction from the biblical story
◦ but the story seems like a distraction from all the stuff we have to do
◦ is there any way we can hear the story as if for the first time?

I decided to begin with this passage,
– even though it just sat there not speaking to me
• it seemed old and worn out – so long ago, so far away
◦ the culture and clothing of ancient Palestine shout its irrelevance
• all you have to do is imagine Joseph with a smart phone
◦ posting photos of the baby on his home page
◦ you can see how it doesn’t work
– besides the historical disconnect, I was preoccupied with other concerns
• Friday I received disturbing news from a close friend
◦ I wasn’t able to shake the emotional effect it had on me
◦ last night I woke up around 1:00 am and couldn’t get back to sleep
• and that is when I realized how this old story is our story

Joseph is not one of the main characters in Jesus’ story

He never says a word, and after Jesus’ childhood, he disappears
– he is, in fact, an “average Joe”
• we know that he was a carpenter; most likely a stone mason
◦ it’s fair to assume he was looking forward to marriage
◦ and we also assume he was shocked and wounded when he heard she was pregnant
• Joseph was a good man – he consistently chose to do what was right
◦ this becomes evident as the story goes on
– to say the least, Mary’s pregnancy ruined his plans
• whatever his dream had been–
◦ life with Mary; raising and training a son, preparing him to carry on the family name–
◦ and whatever else he had been looking forward to, died
• now, instead of fulfilling his dreams,
◦ this turn of events created new and difficult problems to solve

Regardless of what Joseph may have felt, he was still thoughtful and caring
– he came up with a ‘Plan B’ – a private and quiet divorce
• but he could not let go of the painful thoughts,
◦ the complications of his situation,
◦ and what moving on might look like

But when he had considered this . . . .

• “considered,” in this form, appears only three times in New Testament
◦ it can mean to take something to heart or to ruminate
◦ but there is also a strong emotional element to this word
– it is not surprising that the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream
• I doubt that he was sleeping well
◦ a lot of his thinking could’ve begun when his head hit the pillow
◦ and not pleasant thoughts, either
• frequently in scripture God waits for people to sleep to speak to them
◦ they were too much like us
◦ during the day, all he gets is a busy signal

God presented Joseph with a ‘Plan C’

The message was, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife
– this is what keeps us awake at night – all those fears
• “How can I fix this mess?” “How can I get out of this?”
◦ even those of us who say we have no imagination,
◦ can create hundreds of “What if” disaster scenarios Continue reading →

How We Can Keep “Christ” in Christmas

But there will be no more room for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious by the way of the sea on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
For you shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:1-7

Intro: I recently read a rant written by a Christian regarding Christmas

It began with a complaint about the abbreviation “X-mas”
– basically, this person saw it as a larger conspiracy to secularize a Christian holy day
• I don’t think she knew that Christians were first to use this abbreviation
◦ X, the Greek letter chi, is the first letter of the word “Christ”
• so let’s be good X-ians and keep X in X-mas
– Christmas is our nation’s favorite Christian holiday
• but it’s also the easiest holiday to get distracted from God
• we don’t even have to drop “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”
◦ with all the craziness goes on, we would still forget Jesus,
◦ even if we called it “The Jesus Day”

Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah made this announcement

Something we need to know about biblical prophecy
– “prophecy” does not mean “prediction”
• what it means is inspired speech
• in fact, there are times when it refers to an inspired event or activity apart from any message spoken or written (cf. 1 Sam. 19:23-24; 1 Chr. 25:1-3)
– when there is a prophetic prediction, we can’t imagine what that future would look like
• even the prophets did not know

Isaiah 45:15, Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!
Jeremiah 32:25, You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.”
Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.

• the fulfillment would arrive in a future different from the prophet’s time
◦ the message given in one context would be fulfilled in a different context

It is as Helmut Thielicke wrote, “God interprets his promises by the way he fulfills them.”

What amazes me is how quickly the disciples connected OT scripture with Jesus after his resurrection
– when Matthew reported the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, he quoted this passage in Isaiah

He introduced it, saying This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet (Mt. 4:12)

• he saw Jesus’ ministry in Galilee as God’s light shining there

What did God promise his people in this passage?

A future very different from their present experience
– it is difference of earlier times (contempt) and later on (glorious)
• they have lived in darkness, but a light would shine on them

Walter Bruggemman observes that “‘Light’ is regularly linked to the coming of Yahweh’s ‘glory,’ that is, to the visible evidence of Yahweh’s splendor, majesty, and sovereignty”

◦ that’s what Matthew saw when Jesus arrived in Galilee
• a time when the nation would grow and prosper
◦ the outstanding characteristic of new situation was a pervasive joy
◦ the people would know to attribute this blessing to God’s presence
– at last they would be rescued from oppression
• Israel’s monarchy lasted for about 400 years
◦ towards the end, they lived under constant threat of invasion
◦ more powerful nation conquered them and imposed tribute on them
• villages frequently raided by neighboring kingdoms
◦ but all of that would end

At the heart of these future changes was a person

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us

– can you hear the difference in these two lines?
• a child would be born, but a son would be given
◦ God told David he would have a son
◦ and God would establish the kingdom of that descendant – then God added,

I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me (2 Sa. 7:14)

• on that first Christmas night, angels announced to shepherds

good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is [Messiah] the Lord (Lk. 2:10-11)

– Isaiah also says, And the government will rest on his shoulders
• that is, he will have responsibility for running the nation
• it will be up to him to bring about justice, righteousness, and peace
◦ and there would be no end to the growth of his rule, neither in space or time

There’s one more statement I want to emphasize Continue reading →

“What Do You Say?”

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary
And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south. Psalm 107:1-3

Intro: I have been reading Resilience by Rick Hanson

I don’t like it – the same way I don’t like taking medicine when sick
– he said all the same things in a previous book I read
• but I’m someone who needs to be reminded to do the work
• so it’s okay that I’m going over these things again
– “resilience” is the ability to recover quickly, to bounce back from negative emotions
• one chapter in his book is devoted to gratitude

Rick Hanson says, “We spend our lives seeking to feel good in the future, but this is stressful and tiring in the present. With gratitude, you feel good already . . . .” “Thankfulness feels good in its own right.”

According to Hanson, researchers have discovered thankfulness “brings:

• More optimism, happiness, and self-worth; less envy, anxiety and depression
• More compassion, generosity and forgiveness; stronger relationships, less loneliness
• Better sleep
• Greater resilience”

I’ll tell you right now, this isn’t going to work!
– what I mean is that we’re not going to get the benefits of gratitude,
• by giving thanks just one day out of the year
• we have to learn thankfulness every day
◦ and return to it many times in a day
– a book that has helped me greatly is Ann Voskamp’s, One Thousand Gifts
• the first point she establishes is that she knows pain, grief, and suffering
• she was inspired to make a gratitude list of 1,000 items
◦ she reminds us that Jesus gave thanks before multiplying the bread for the crowds
◦ the Greek word to give thanks is eucharisteo, derived from charis (grace), which is related to chara (joy)

Voskamp says, “As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible …. Whenever—meaning now; Wherever— meaning here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location …. The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now.”

If we can get to God through giving thanks,
– then we can get to joy and all the other benefits that come from being grateful

The psalm encourages us to give thanks to the LORD

And it immediately gives us a reason,

. . . for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

– God can faithfully see me through years of difficult situations,
• but the next difficulty comes up and my first reaction is worry

GOD: Why don’t you trust Me by now? Haven’t I always been faithful to help you?
ME: Yes, Lord, but this time I don’t deserve Your help.
GOD: Chuck, you have never deserved My help.

◦ this, to me, is actually very comforting and reassuring
• the same logic for giving thanks is embedded in Psalm 136 Continue reading →