Questions for a Quiet Christmas #31

For our final passage in this series we turn to where we were on day 1, and once again on Christmas Day itself: John 1 

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Having made this profound announcement about the Incarnation of God the Son in verse 14, John then gives a parenthetical comment in verse 15: "This is the one John the Baptist told you about, who was before himself not only in time, but in priority." In other words: "Keep your eyes on Jesus." John the writer then gives his own commentary and witness: "Jesus Christ has revealed to us what God is like." Here is a question to wrap up this quiet Christmas: Have I learned anything more this Christmas about what God is like? Has my celebration of Christ's coming drawn me closer to God or further away from Him? Secondly, have I received what Christ brought: grace and truth? When Christ came, he brought God's Grace: the God-given ability to do what we cannot do on our own.  He came to bring salvation, which we cannot do. He came to make us generous, when we on our own tend to be selfish. He came to help us do something of value for God, which we are often to afraid or lazy to do. His grace changes us. And He came to bring truth. What lies has Christ brought you to realize, repent of, and reject? When Christ come, all lies are exposed, because He is truth.  The new year is a great time to not take these lies with you into it. 

We are going to continue on beginning tomorrow following after Jesus, walking through the Gospels with Him to see the cleansing, change, and newness He can bring. May the quietness of Christmas continue to dwell in you richly. 

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #30

The last two days we have spent looking in Luke 2 at baby Jesus and His parents at the temple. Today we look there at one more scene: 

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Anna was a godly older woman. She was a prophetess - she spoke for God. She was a rare breed in her day: committed to worship and prayer, and to watching for the Redeemer. When she came that day, she recognized Him immediately, and told others about Him.  That brings back to the surface this question: What can God with me for the rest of my days? No matter your age, that question never grows old. Let's keep that question in context here: Why was Anna there? She was there to worship and pray. That leads to this second question: What do I need to be doing daily so I can see and hear what God wants? Anna was there, every day.  She did not want to miss Him, or the opportunity to tell others about Him, so she did not sit around living life aimlessly while she waited. Everyone could depend upon her, and so, when the day came, they were ready to listen to her? Do you live life getting people ready to hear you? 

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #29

Mary and Joseph had been through quite a bit with their newborn Son, since before He was born: the angels, the journey, the shepherds. You would think not much could surprise them. But notice their response to the words of Simeon we read yesterday in Luke 2:

 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

They marveled. They were awestruck when they heard it announced in the temple that Jesus was God's appointed Savior.  Somehow, daily life wears away the things we should marvel at.  Do I still marvel at Who Christ is and what He has done? Simeon goes on to be used by God to give this prophecy about how people will respond to Jesus: many will fall humbly before Him in faith and worship, then join Him in His resurrection. But many will also oppose Him, bringing deep grief not only to Him and His Heavenly Father, but also to Mary.  Are we grieved when others reject Him? I think often we become offended and angry - even vindictive against those who reject Christ, but do we grieve, hurt as God hurts over them? These two questions are well worth our consideration during this quiet Christmas. 

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #28

Yesterday we talked about Mary & Joseph's commitment to holiness and obedience, in living out their lives before God as His children and as parents for Jesus.  Today we continue in Luke 2, looking at another man who was faithful: 

 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon was righteous.  The Bible does not say that about a whole lot of people individually, so when it does, we need to take notice. What does it mean to be righteous? Simply that He was in right relationship with God. It is often seen in actions, like Simeon being devout, committed, concerned to do what God wants.  It involves developing a closeness to God that puts you in tune with God's plan. He knew that the Messiah was coming, so he was there ready and waiting to meet Him.  Do I see myself getting closer to God so I sense more of what He is doing?  Before this event, Simeon lived a life of contentment and peace with God, but afterwards, there was a fulness to that contentment and peace like never before.  That does not mean he gave up living, or living to please God, but that he knew he had been on the right path, even as he waited all those years for this one day.  Do I have that peace and contentment in life - That I am good with God, where He wants me to be, but that I am also in a place where I'm ready to receive them more fully?

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #27

Today we continue in Luke 2, to see what happens with this Child that has been born: 

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

Like we noted yesterday, everything appeared to be "normal" for this newborn Jewish boy. The next step was for his mother to go through purification after childbirth, so she could once again enter the temple. This brings us back once again to one of our original questions from day 1 of our study: Am I hiding in the darkness? Am I living like a Child of God? Mary and Joseph were committed to holiness before God. Are we? The reason they wanted to go to the temple was for the Baby's presentation to God. This was obeying the instructions of God going all the way back to the original Passover: God had redeemed their firstborn sons from the death angel when he led them out of their slavery in Egypt; they were to present every firstborn son and redeem Him.  As we said when we looked at this passage last Sunday, this redeemed Baby is the One God sent to redeem us.  The question for us then is Have I been Redeemed?, "Have I been bought back from sin and death?", which is very close to our second original question: Am I a Child of God? As we can see, not only the birth, but the life of this Child answers the most important questions. 

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #26

 

In many peoples' minds, Christmas has come and gone, and their heart and mind has moved on from the Questions.  But for those serious about spiritual matters, the story has only begun. Luke 2 continues:
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 
Christmas was not just one day; it was at least another week afterwards. In other words, before we rush into the new year, let us continue to sit around and hold the baby Jesus, and think about what God has in store for us through Him. Our first question today is: How much more time am I willing to invest in focusing on Christ? Can I keep on doing it for one more week, or even longer? Just like any other Jewish boy of His day, Jesus was circumcised, showing a covenant commitment to a relationship with God.  Just like any other boy He was named at that time, but in this case the physical parents did not choose the name; His Heavenly Father did.  Just like in any of our lives, God's angels are around, but their presence at times will be much more obvious in His life, because the presence of God is so much more observable. In other words, as we follow on into Jesus' life: Where can I see that Jesus faced everything I do as a human person? while also asking Where can I see that Jesus is truly God and able to do what I cannot? That is what we will see not just in what He says and does, but in how people respond to Him His whole life through.  Let's keep the questions coming. 

Questions for a Quiet Christmas #25

If there is one verse for us to meditate upon for one minute on this one day, while we celebrate the Incarnation of God the Son, it is: 

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John says very simply: Jesus Christ, the Word, God the Son, has come into the world. We have seen Him, and we have gotten a glimpse of His glory.  He is the answer to so many questions: What is God like? What is God up to? What is really real? Despite all the distractions that the commotion of Christmas can bring into our lives, doing it every year can do this: It can help us refocus on Christ, and go on from here really focusing on Him as the One Who provides us the answers we need.  He brings us back to truth. He gives us the grace to go on and do what we cannot do on our own. He is God's greatest gift of all. May we rejoice today that He has come, and He is coming again.