"It is hard to celebrate Christ's birth with joy when I read about Herod killing all the boy babies of Bethlehem. Can we find any beam of light shining through this horrible and senseless event?" * * * We could wish that Matthew's Christmas story stopped with the Magi and the wondrous star, but it doesn't. The Magi had asked Herod's help in locating the newborn king, and the tyrannical despot had asked them to return with the baby's exact address. Instructed by a heavenly dream, they returned home instead (Matt. 2:1-12). When he realized that the Magi had come and gone, Herod ordered that … [Read more...]
WHEN GOD BECAME MAN
The greater miracle, it has been said, is not the virgin birth of Jesus but the fact that in that wondrous conception the eternal God took on human nature and the Creator condescended to join his creation. Mary's son is none other than Immanuel -- "God with us" (Matt. 1:23). Like the Magi, we fall down and worship him. The Christmas carol has it right: "Hail, the incarnate deity!" He who existed in the form of God emptied himself and was made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:6-7). It is part of the mystery of godliness that in Jesus of Nazareth God was "revealed in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). He … [Read more...]
CHRISTMAS — PROPHECY FULFILLED
This Christmas I am impressed anew that we are seeing biblical prophecy fulfilled before our eyes. Not the kind of prophetic fulfillment about which the sensationalists talk and write best-seller books for the gullible masses -- about Middle Eastern conflict and geopolitics and world banks and bar codes at the supermarkets. No, something far more solid and biblical than any of that! God's word to Isaiah 2,700 years ago has come to pass: "The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope." All you have to do is turn on the radio, or go … [Read more...]
OBSERVING CHRISTMAS
A gracEmail subscriber writes: "The church that I attend doesn't recognize Christ's birth at Christmas. Our minister talks about mothers on Mother's Day, veterans on Veteran's Day and being thankful on Thanksgiving, but never do we hear a word about Jesus' birth during the Christmas season. We have a 'holiday' party after one of our church services and sing Jingle Bells but never Silent Night or Away in a Manger. Doesn't it seem selfish to leave Jesus out of our holidays?" * * * By ignoring Christmas as a religious occasion, your church is following a tradition as ancient as the Reformer … [Read more...]
MATTHEW’S GENEALOGY OF JESUS
Matthew begins his Gospel with a selective list of Jesus' ancestors that both omits from and adds to the official records in First Chronicles 1-3. His intent is not to recite a detailed family tree but to make three points about Jesus. First, Jesus is the prototype of a new creation. The word "genealogy" in Matthew 1:1 translates the Greek word genesis, as does "birth" in Matthew 1:18 in the better manuscripts. Matthew's opening phrase, "The book of the genesis of," appears ten times in the Greek version of Genesis, where it organizes those ancient stories of origins (Gen. 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; … [Read more...]
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
She could have said "no," you understand. It was a sacrifice unheard of -- a call to trust and submission unprecedented in human history. This young Jewish virgin sees an angel, who tells her that she will miraculously conceive the Son of God who will reign on David's throne (Luke 1:26-35). But who will believe her? Joseph, to whom she is betrothed? Her parents? The villagers in Nazareth? Rumors will fly. There will be furtive looks -- and obvious stares. A virginal conception. Right. But Mary is full of faith. "Behold, the bondslave of the LORD," she replies. "Be it done to me according to … [Read more...]
THREE ANGELIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Luke was a practicing physician, a prudent man -- and his Christmas story is sober truth. It is sobering truth as well. For it says that approximately 2,000 years ago, on days that were otherwise inconspicuous, in an obscure sliver of the globe three angelic visitations occurred, each announcing the coming of the Savior of the world. The first visitation was to an old priest named Zacharias (Luke 1:5-22), the second to a young virgin named Mary (1:26-38), the third to a group of humble shepherds (2:8-20). As we might expect with sudden visits from angels, the recipients in each instance … [Read more...]
SALVATION HISTORY RENEWED
The Bible relates the story of God's activities in human space and time, by which he intends to rescue very many people from judgment, death and all the consequences of human sin. The British refer to this divine agenda as "the scheme of redemption." Americans call it "the plan of salvation." The Germans label it "salvation history." Scripture writers speak of God's "purpose" or "good will." This salvation history is both earthly and heavenly -- it happens on earth, but with heavenly power and with a heavenly goal. God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary results. The Old … [Read more...]
ISAIAH, LUKE AND US
Can you think of a book with two major divisions and 66 smaller parts? The first division contains 39 parts and the second has 27. The second division begins with "a voice in the wilderness" and ends with "new heavens and earth." In the middle it tells of an innocent man who dies for the sins of others. The Bible? Yes -- but also the Book of Isaiah, one of the three Old Testament books most quoted by New Testament authors (the other two are Deuteronomy and Psalms). Of all New Testament writers, Luke pays most attention to Isaiah. Dr. Luke was the only New Testament author who was not a Jew, … [Read more...]
WHAT ABOUT ADVENT?
Someone asks what Advent means in the Christian calendar, where it is found in the Bible, and whether Christians ought to observe it. * * * Within 300-400 years after Christ, many Christians set aside an Advent season as a time for fasting, reflection and penitence to prepare for Epiphany, a day celebrating Christ's "epiphany" or appearance to the Wise Men (in the Western church) or his baptism (in the Eastern church). With the evolution of Christmas as a special day on December 25, the focus of Advent gradually moved from Epiphany to the "coming" (adventus in Latin) of Christ at his … [Read more...]
