Grace

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

I recently heard a message* that talked about what we know about Mary, which drew several conclusions from the text of Scripture. Gabriel’s greeting reveals that Mary was “favored”, that is, she was a recipient of grace. Gabriel’s greeting, “Chairo, charitoo” could be roughly translated “Grace to you, recipient of grace!” the Roman Catholic prayer says “Hail Mary, full of grace”. Whatever the translation, grace was with Mary, and the Lord was with her.

Mary was also possessed of a brain. Her acceptance of the angel’s message aroused her curiosity. She knew where babies came from and asked how the pregnancy would come about, since she did not have sexual relations. The angel answers her that this is a God-thing. He even encourages her in that her relative Elizabeth was even now carrying an impossible pregnancy, “for nothing will be impossible with God.” She accepts that. Her answer, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord” indicates her choice to surrender fully to His will.

Mary may have had an understanding that seems rare in today’s evangelical atmosphere. When God shows up and does a new thing, it can disturb the equilibrium of relationships. It can disrupt the peace. It can take the picture-perfect and change it into a different shape. People want to believe that God is all about our happiness, our best life now. We don’t want to accept that in the big picture, He is willing to make us very uncomfortable in the present for the sake of our eternal happiness. He is willing to allow pain to shape us to His purpose. In the big picture, He is good; and His plans for us by extension are good. But His good plans in the long term may cause us to suffer in the short term.

Mary’s praise song which we call the Magnificat indicates that she was intimately familiar with Scripture; that means that her family was a stable, synagogue-going family. Her pregnancy was going to be very difficult to explain and cause her and others a lot of trouble.

One of the most difficult aspects of accepting the call to missions for us was the unacceptance by people close to us. Some of those with whom we prayed and grew spiritually before, have never really forgiven us for pulling up and moving to Africa. Issues with aging parents and the needs of our grown children continue to cause ripples. Following the will of God does not mean having rest on every side; but taking God’s hand is taking hold of the One Who will never let go. Mary had received grace, which would take her through the hard things; and so do we.

Lord, behold, I am Your servant. As Mary took Your hand and the result was blessing and redemption, I trust that blessing and redemption will also reward my faith in You. I know that Your plan for me is good. Help me remember that when it hurts, and let Your grace be sufficient. Help me to feel Your strong hand holding me up. I know You never let me go. Thank you, Father. Amen.

(*Sermon by Dr. Danny McCain, Hillcrest Chapel, Jos, Nigeria; 21 December 2014)

Breath

Luke 3:23-28

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Luke’s Gospel was written with the Greek worldview in mind while Luke emphasizes Jesus in His humanity. Therefore his genealogy traces Jesus’ physical being through His mother, Mary. “The Greek grammar indicates that Luke knew that Heli was Joseph’s father-in-law, not father.” (Dr. Marshall Wicks, Word of Life Quiet Time Diary 2014-2015, in loc.) Matthew begin with Abraham and follows the descent to Jesus; Luke begins with Jesus and follows the ascent back to Adam.

Adam, of course, was the first human being. “…the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7) God breathed into Adam His own breath. The same breath that spoke worlds and light and skies and seas into being was now the life in human beings. He also made Adam in His own image, and we as Adam’s descendants bear that image—though marred.

Jesus was a new creation—a second Adam. God took of Adam’s flesh and made a woman. Now He takes a woman and makes of her flesh a new man.

The Apostle Paul tells us: Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life- giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

The image of God that He stamped on Adam will be restored. That restoration is begun in us when the life of Christ takes up residence in our being. The “life-giving spirit”, Jesus, breathes anew the breath of life into this flesh.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man; You breathed Your life into us and then put Your whole self into a human body so that we could go from dust to heaven! Thank you for giving us life—again. Amen.

Harlots and Heroes

Matthew 1:1-17

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Matthew wrote his Gospel account tailored for Jews, so that they would understand that Jesus of Nazareth was their Messiah. As such, he begins with a genealogy so that they would see that He met their most important human criteria for the Savior: that He was the legal descendant of King David.

Much has been said about the women who are included in this list. Tamar, who seduced her father-in-law in order to secure her place in the lineage; Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute-turned-spy; Ruth, the Moabite who risked everything; the adulterous wife of Uriah, Bathsheba.

The men in the list have the genetic qualifications needed to carry the lineage of Abraham, and the Blessing promise God gave him. The women named came from everywhere and nowhere. The women carry the human qualification in all its shabby, needful inglory. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba—these were all women who did what they had to do. The genealogy concludes with Joseph, who was not Jesus’ biological father.

I am continually grateful for the people in God’s story of redemption. There are no heroes-turned-demigods here. It gives me hope that God continually tells his story through ordinary human beings. Bathsheba’s appearance in the genealogy reminds us that the most blessed, most mighty, most heroic people have their weaknesses. God could have insisted that Christ’s line be populated only with the unblemished and unimpeachable, but He chose otherwise. That tells me that there is also hope of redemption in my story.

I can relate to the desperation and vulnerability of Tamar more than the courage and confidence of heroes and mighty men. From such as these was born the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Heavenly Father, I love Your story and I am grateful for making it so human and real, at the same time that it is so incredible. The blessings of Abraham followed a line of people who made terrible mistakes, but none of them subverted Your purpose in bringing redemption to all people. Lord, I am a sinner who is so glad to be saved by Your grace; a flawed earthen vessel so blessed to carry the treasure of Your resurrection-life. Nothing can prevent Your plan from being realized in my life. Since no one can take that from me, I am no longer desperate, I am not vulnerable. I am strong in Your strength. In all the challenges I face, You make me a hero of faith. Thank you, Lord. AMEN.

Holy

Luke 1:5-25

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." 19 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 "Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

According to historians the number of Levitical priests living in Jerusalem at the time were sufficient that the honor of entering the Holy of Holies could fall to a man only once in his lifetime, or perhaps not at all. This was a truly awesome responsibility. They were going into Most Holy place of God. It has even been said that a rope was tied to the ankle of the one who entered, in case he dropped dead while inside, so no one would have to go in to retrieve his body. The Bible does tell us that bells were sown onto the hem of the high priestly garment he wore: “You shall make … bells of gold … around the hem of the robe. And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.” (Exodus 28:33-35).

You could die in there!

So when Zechariah saw an angel beside the incense altar, of course he was afraid. But the angel’s message is a blessing. An impossible child would be born after all hope was gone. He would have the spirit and power of Elijah, something God had promised over 400 years before: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 6:5,6)

Zechariah’s disbelief resulted in him becoming mute until the child’s naming ceremony when he gives the child the name the angel instructed him to, and his tongue is released to praise. But for now, he must leave the Holy of Holies and try to convey to the others that something marvelous has happened, not just for himself, but for all Israel who waited for the Lord.

And it happened, just as the angel’s message had promised.

I know that my approach to God is not often enough marked by the reverent fear I should have in the presence of the Holy One, whose might can only be hinted at in the revelation that His spoken word can render suns from nothing; whose holiness is such that seraphim cannot cease to proclaim it day and night; whose perfection cannot be comprehended by our imperfect minds.

Years ago I heard a radio message that changed my life. (Unfortunately I did not hear the preacher’s name, nor have I been able to track it down.) The sermon was based on Isaiah 6:3,

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

 the whole earth is full of his glory!"

The whole sermon was an examination of the meaning and implications of the word “holy” as “separate, unique, distinct”. As I listened I understood that in all the universe, there is no other like God. There may be gods, but none who compare with Him. He alone is God. He is separate from Creation in the sense that He existed without it for eternity. He is unique because there is no other God and nothing in heaven or earth compares with Him. He is distinct because at His heart nothing changes or touches Who He is. He is holy.

Yet in approaching the One Who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) we are not blinded. Instead we find that the heart of holiness is love. Jealous, raging love; but for those who come at His invitation, tender, kind, compassionate love. Just as Zechariah feared judgment at the angel’s appearance but received good news concerning the hope of redemption, so we also fear a holy God (as well we should) and receive good news.

Holy Lord God Almighty. I cannot even lift my eyes in the purity and holiness of Your presence. And yet You lift me up by Your hand. For You desire for me to come into Your presence. You made a way to present me holy and blameless before You—in love. I am undone, for nothing in myself could prepare me for this, but You have done it. You are the lifter of my head This is good news! Your love and mercy are great beyond all praise, and I bow and bless Your name. AMEN.

Fullness

John 1: 14-18

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.

In a few words, John the Beloved speaks incomprehensible wonders: “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”, and John’s firsthand perception was that Christ’s flesh incarnation made visible the glory of God. Eternal, infinite, omnipotent God came to live as a human being among human beings!

Today we joke that we “become our parents”. The Middle Eastern worldview at the time saw that one “was” their parents from birth, in terms of inherited character. A son was identified with a father very closely. To say that Jesus’ glory was “as the only Son of the Father” indicated that He bore the character and name of the Father among people for them to see—and it was glorious to those who had eyes to see, glory full of grace and truth.

And from His fullness of grace and truth, John says, we have all received grace upon grace. It is a New Testament literary device to use hyperbole to attempt to describe ineffable mysteries. “Grace upon grace” is like a mathematical equation: ∞ + ∞. Freely given favor bestowed upon freely given favor. When God decided to show up in Person on the earth it was to display His character in terms of grace, not judgment (although that is coming, as He promised); and in truth. God is true in every sense of the word. To lie or deceive is sin because it goes against the character of God, who does not lie (Hebrews 6:18).

But it is “from His fullness we have all received”. Jesus, full of grace, full of truth, gives those attributes. We receive from Him what we do not ourselves possess. He does not only make God known, He gives us of His own attributes. His grace, His truth, become ours—and through these, His own glory!

Son of God, Jesus, full of grace and truth; let Your glory become visible in me, and in Your people. Let Your grace flow abundantly through our lives into others’ lives. Let me be a person of grace, and let me be true. I do not have these qualities in fullness in myself, but Your fullness becomes my own. As You displayed the qualities of Your Father, so let me display Your character. I desperately need grace, and truth, and so does the world. Thank You for becoming human so that we can become like You. Amen.

Light

3. John 1:6-13

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John has often been said to be the last of the Old Testament prophets. His prophetic burden was to bear witness to the light, not to be the light. The light which was the light of humanity was coming into the world that was made through Him—yet did not know him.

The light was too bright for “his own”. Blinded, they turned away. Light reveals much that may be offensive. Closing our eyes to it does not make what offends go away. The truth remains.

But some received Christ, who believed not only in His presence and what they saw with their eyes but “in his name”—his reputation and character, that He was the Son of God—and they also became sons and daughters of God. They were born of God. This was something only God could do.

“Nor of the will of man.” It rattles us to the core that spiritual birth is not by our will or “decision”. Yes, “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation 22:17) While we come to God for salvation, it is not the “will of man” that results in the new birth. The key, perhaps is found in James 4:5,6: “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (NKJV) The living spirit God put in each human being yearns jealously both to find and to resist salvation. Only by humble submission to the sovereignty of God do we receive grace and spiritual rebirth. It is not will, but rather surrender that brings us to say, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Surrender may be seen as a choice of the will, yet it is not the act of will, but the surrender of the will. Humility says “I receive this”, not “I take this”.

Father, may I humbly receive the gift of life. The spirit of life that You placed in me yearns jealously, which causes me both to draw near and to shrink back from the light. I desire the water of life that You give without price. Let me humbly receive You and surrender fully to Your Spirit.

Certainty

2. Luke 1:1-4

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Luke opens his narrative by informing his recipient of his purpose: “that you may have certainty.” He also tells his method: “to write an orderly account for you”; that is, to write an account that is not necessarily chronological, but chooses material according to his purpose. Luke wants to take what eyewitnesses have been telling and teaching (in obedience to Christ’s commission) and make an account that results in “certainty”.

Luke speaks of “things that have been accomplished”. Something did not just happen, something was accomplished.

Bear with me: I am not a scholar, but I love language; and the Greek language had nuances and shadings that are difficult to render in English. The Greek phrase Luke used is pragma plerophoreo.

• ·         Pragma carries a sense of a deed, a thing, a work.
• ·         Plero is defined as “replete” or “complete”.
• ·         Phoreo according to Strong’s means “to have a burden, i.e. (by analogy) to wear as clothing or a constant accompaniment:--bear, wear.”

·         Put together, plerophoreo  expresses “to carry out fully (in evidence), i.e. completely assure (or convince), entirely accomplish:--most surely believe, fully know (persuade), make full proof of.”

Pragma plerophoreo is a proven certainty that the ministers of the word were so sure of, they wore it like a suit of clothing.

Luke and Acts are parts I and II of the same narrative. Some have theorized that they were affidavits for Paul’s legal defense to show that Christianity was a legitimate offspring of Judaism, which was a legally accepted religion in the Roman Empire. Whatever Theophilus’s (the name, by the way, means “lover of God”) purpose in commissioning the accounts, Luke’s purpose was broader. He wanted those who read to know for certain that what eyewitnesses were saying about Jesus was the truth.

Do I have “certainty”? When I read the Gospel accounts of “things that have been accomplished”, do I accept the reality even when what is being told seems beyond belief? Can I wear it as clothing? Can I accept it as a done deal, a fulfillment, a completion? Can I find my sure completion here, in Jesus Christ?

In Christ, I CAN be certain of these things.

Heavenly Father, You have done something in Christ that changed everything. Let me most surely believe in what You did; let me wear this certainty like clothing. You fulfilled all Your intentions in Christ. Let me find completion and answer in Him and in what He does. Amen.

The Beginning

1.  John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The beginning. Before time (Jude 1:25), before the cosmos, even before angels; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existed in perfect, unbroken fellowship. With them was love, for God is love; light, for God is light; peace, for God is a God of peace.

To think of Christ as the Creator transforms the reading of the Word. Christ was “in the beginning”, with God, and God. All created things owe their existence to Him. All that live owe their life to Him. All stars that shine owe their light to Him. From our after-the-Fall perspective, we are immediately confronted with a problem: that if darkness, death, and evil exist, they owe their existence to our perfect Creator.

But “light shines in the darkness.” There is darkness, but the life that is in Him is light for us. “And the darkness has not overcome it;” there is hope even in the darkness that taints the purity of the creation as it was in the beginning. There is life, even in a deadly world. There is God.

God, in peace and perfect love, was first. He is in first place in the universe, and so He ought to be first in my heart and thoughts as well. Since He exists outside of time and space, He is everlasting. In the scope of time, He created everything. Then evil came into existence. But the God Who is outside of and over time and space is more than capable of conquering it. This is a light over our existence—to know the sovereignty of a loving God over all creation, over our own lives!

"You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,

and the heavens are the work of your hands;

they will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment,

like a robe you will roll them up,

like a garment they will be changed.

But you are the same,

and your years will have no end." Hebrews 1:10-13, quoting Psalm 102:25-27

Isn’t it like You, God; to make a beginning that has no end? And since You are the beginning, be first in my life. Let my priorities and plans for this year begin with You and find completion with You. Be the center and the focus of my worldview this year. You are over all things in the universe, and in my own life. You are the light and the hope of my existence. You are eternal and what You do is everlasting. You are God. Amen.