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Revelation, and Special Topics concerning the Superior Word

Luke 1:35 (The Son of the Most High and of a Maidservant)

Charlie Garrett Gospels, Luke, Moments, Other, Sermons, Special / Holiday, Special / Holiday (Written) 0 Comment

Luke 1:35
The Son of the Highest and of a Maidservant

Read Luke 1:26-38. It’s not uncommon in today’s church for women to be upset with Paul for his directions concerning church conduct as outlined in 1 Timothy 2. In the pastoral letters of Timothy and Titus, Paul gives guidance to us concerning all manner of church conduct. Most of his words are taken at face value as things which are still relevant to the proper operation of a Bible-obedient church, even to this day.

However, in 1 Timothy 2, Paul gives directives for the church, meaning any and all churches, during this dispensation. In those directions, he puts set limits on what women can and cannot do within the church setting. They are very limiting, and they don’t square well with modern feminist sensibilities. At the end of his thoughts, he explains why –

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:13-15

What is Paul speaking of here? A woman will be saved in childbearing? Isn’t a woman saved in the same way as a man? Aren’t people saved by grace through faith? Isn’t it a gift and not of works? How can Paul say that a woman is saved by doing certain things? That seems completely contrary to what the epistles say elsewhere. Why is this being brought up during our annual Christmas sermon? And isn’t Charlie ever going to stop asking questions and get on with it?

Text Verse: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Recently, a woman was angry at me for stating in a prophecy update exactly what Paul writes about concerning a woman’s place in the church. I said his words are to be taken literally, and prescriptively, in all churches at all times. Count me one less viewer on the Superior Word YouTube channel…

She posted something angry on my Facebook page, and then she posted a comment on her own page that said something like (and I am paraphrasing here), “It is unimaginable that a woman could carry the incarnate word of God, the Savior of the world, in her womb, and yet not be allowed to serve as a deacon while administering the bread and wine at the Lord’s Table.”

Now think that one through. The highest honor of any human who ever lived was given to a woman, and yet that isn’t enough for her, or for countless other “liberated” women in the church today. Rather, for them it is better to be disobedient to the very word which God has given us, and which is the only source to tell us of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, than it is to accept the story of the Lord’s coming, and then to accept the word of that same Lord as authoritative. The breakdown in the logic is gigantic.

If she, and others like her actually studied what Paul says, they might actually drop their emotions and agree with God that His word is really the best way of all. Why do I say this? Well, we’ll look over Paul’s words before we conclude today, putting together a picture of what he is speaking of, and which is directly related to the splendid promise which was fulfilled in Gabriel’s coming to Mary with the words of what was soon to occur in her womb.

Really wonderful things are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Announcement to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)

26 Now in the sixth month

The timing of the birth of Christ can be determined by the timing of the pregnancy of Elizabeth. She is now in her sixth month of pregnancy, and so if one knows the time of her conception, then one can know the month of the year that this announcement to Mary is made. From there, one can then determine when Jesus was born, nine months later.

The exact dating of this will come in a sermon in just a couple weeks. When we arrive at Leviticus 23:23 in our series of the Feasts of the Lord, the timeline will be given then. Until then, be assured that Luke is carefully chronicling certain names and periods of time so that we can know, with all certainty, when Christ Jesus was born. For now let us just know that it is the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.

26 (con’t) the angel Gabriel was sent by God

The name Gabriel means basically “Man of God” but it means more than simply “man.” Rather, it signifies a mighty man. Thus one might say, “Mighty Man of God.”

He is found twice in the book of Daniel, and twice in Luke – once at the announcement of of the coming birth of John the Baptist, and once here with the news to be relayed to Mary. As he is a heavenly angel who passes on messages from the throne of God to humanity, he is often associated with one who speaks with authority and eloquence, and thus we remember him today in the idiom, “He has the gift of gab.”

26 (con’t) to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

The region of Galilee is mentioned six times in the Old Testament. It means “circuit” or “circle.” Most notably, it is found in the prophetic announcement of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 –

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
And afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.

  3 You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.
5 For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

6 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:1-7

The time for the prophecy to be fulfilled has arrived. The words of Gabriel are to announce that which has already been revealed through Isaiah. The specific place in Galilee is in the hometown of Mary, Nazareth. This town is never mentioned in the Old Testament, but is found 12 times in the New. It’s meaning is widely debated, but it could mean “scattered” or “sewn.”

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

People argue over whether Isaiah was prophesying of a literal virgin or not when he said “the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.” But Scripture interprets Scripture, and Matthew cites that verse and applies it to Mary in his gospel. Luke now repeats the same thought here. It is without a doubt that the Bible expects us to accept, at face value, that Mary is a virgin, and that Mary will conceive and bear a child as a virgin.

The name Joseph gives the sense of doubling or repeating. “He shall add” is an acceptable translation of his name. David means, “Beloved.” And finally, the name Mary, or Mariam, is rather hard to pin down, but it is probably based on the perfume myrrh, and means something like “Myrrhs” or “Occasions that call for Myrrh.” Looking at the uses of myrrh in the Old Testament, the prominent idea which it symbolizes is love, but more especially, love in intimate union, but not necessarily sexual in nature. What an appropriate name for the mother of the Messiah.

28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

Gabriel’s announcement is one of wonder and delight. He entered into Mary’s presence and immediately sent forth a greeting which tells us of divine favor. “Rejoice” here gives the sense of a formal greeting of well wishes of peace or joy. He then says to her that she is one who has a special station by saying “highly favored.” The word is only used here and in Ephesians 1:6. It gives the sense of one who has been accepted through the bestowing of grace.

This is then seen in the next words, “the Lord is with you.” It is a standard Hebrew greeting found in Ruth 2. But coming from Gabriel, it indicates divine favor upon her as an individual. Because of this, she is “blessed,” meaning praised, among women.

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Here the same root word is used that was seen when Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, received his greeting from Gabriel. The only difference is that for Mary, it is an intensified form. Where Zechariah was troubled, Mary is troubled through and through. She was going back and forth in her mind between her inner thoughts and her emotions. She was unable to process both the presence of Gabriel, and the meaning of his words to her.

30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Gabriel’s words are intended to quell the surge of emotions and thoughts which took hold of her. Her terror was obvious, and so he tells her to not be afraid. Her inability to understand what “highly favored” meant is then fully explained for her to grasp what he meant – she has found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son,

There is no doubt about Gabriel’s message here. He is making a purposeful connection to Isaiah 7:14. Mary is a virgin, the virgin will conceive, and the virgin will bring forth a Son. Whether she had ever heard of this prophecy or not we can’t know, but she would remember the words and would know that she was the fulfillment of them at some point, be it now, or be it as time progressed and it was revealed to her.

31 (con’t) and shall call His name Jesus.

The name Yeshua, or “Jesus,” is derived from Yehoshua, or Joshua, which means, “the Lord is Salvation.” The name Yeshua simply means, “Salvation.” And so something of a divine pun is being made on the name. As the Lord is Salvation, then we see that the Lord is Yeshua, or salvation.

It is to be His name, and it is to be His function. But Mary, if she has heard of the prophecy of Isaiah 9, would be then be even more confused. There, Isaiah said that His name would be Emanuel, or “God with us.” Unless she was highly astute, and processed the name as to its meaning, she would be left wondering why the name would be Yeshua and not Emanuel. And so to ensure that she at least begins to think it through, he continues without giving her a chance to interject…

32 He will be great,

The English almost sounds like the world’s greatest understatement. But Gabriel would have spoken to Mary in Aramaic, the language of the day. Despite this, the New Testament was written in Greek. The word megas, or “great,” is surely intended here in a superlative sense indicating “exceeding greatness.” “Mary, the Child born to you will be great.”

32 (cont’) and will be called the Son of the Highest;

The Greek word for “Highest” here is hupsistos. It too is a superlative word. In the case of the One being referred to, it then signifies the Most High. There is nothing which can exceed the station to which His Father possesses. The title here is from the Hebrew elyon which was introduced into Scripture at the time of Abraham, where Melchizedek is called priest of El Elyon, or God Most High.

32 (cont’) and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

Of the words of Isaiah, the ones most likely to have been known by Mary would be those of Isaiah 9. A coming Messiah was prophesied, and a list of names and duties were ascribed to Him. That He would sit upon the throne of David was surely known to all of the people of Israel, and Gabriel’s words now would call this prophecy to mind. This throne was to be granted to her Son, the Son of the Highest, by Yehovah Elohim, or the Lord God.

33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Though not identical to the prophecy, Gabriel’s words mirror the thought of Isaiah 9:7 which I read earlier. There will be no end to His government, and He will sit upon the throne of David forever and ever.

The house of Jacob comprises the twelve tribes of Israel. The kingship over them was granted to the throne of David, and the throne of David is now said to be granted to the Child that she would bear. And the reign of his throne over this kingdom would be without end.

But in this there now arises an obvious question for this heavenly messenger. First, Mary is betrothed to a man, but she has not yet been married to him. How could the Child she was to bear be the Son of the Most High and not the son of Joseph? And more, how could she conceive in her womb without having known a man? The betrothal to Joseph, and the obvious state of her virginity, both appeared to render the words of Gabriel impossible to reconcile.

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

It is the most obvious question of all. In the begetting of a child, it takes two to tango, and that music had not yet played in her life. The question is surely one of understanding the nature of humanity, and not one of denying the possibility of Gabriel’s words. Where Zechariah had history itself to provide an answer to his question, meaning Abraham and Sarah, among others, Mary had no such history to rely on. Not since the world was created had a woman bore a child without knowing a man. “How can this be” then is not distrust, but lack of understanding. That lack will now be corrected…

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;

The chances of Mary not knowing the creation account of Genesis would be very, very unlikely. Almost anyone with ten brain cells today will know the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” They will know where the words came from, and they will know what they signify.

The creation account would have been commonly held knowledge by the people of the land. What Gabriel is telling Mary now would take her mind right back to those early school lessons. In Genesis 1:2, it says, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The same God who created the universe, and the same God then who formed the barren, lifeless elements into shape, would come upon her and over shadow her.

Just as God uttered the words, “Let there be light,” and there was light, so God would beget a Child in her womb, and the spark of life would ignite within her. The lifeless womb would come alive, even as the lifeless creation had brought forth life. From “Let there be light,” even to “Let there be Life,” the word of God would be accomplished. There was the creation by God, and there would be entrance into that creation by God.

35 (con’t) therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Gabriel’s words have answered the “How?” which Mary asked, Now his words explain what that means. She will bear a Child, and He will be called, “the Son of God.” He will have no earthly father, and no earthly father is even necessary. And because no physical act of union will take place, there can be no sin imputed to her for violating her betrothal to Joseph.

Further, as He will be born of God, the term Holy One is given. He will be set apart unto God, and thus holy. Just as the high priest of Israel was set apart to God, and just as the people of Israel were set apart to God, there would be a special separation of this Child to God which would make Him unique above all others. It is probably here that she realized that Isaiah’s name for the Messiah, Emanuel, is actually a title. His name is Jesus, and He is “God with Us.”

Depending on her knowledge of Hebrew Scripture, she could either find herself getting lost in countless points of doctrine and how they were suddenly cleared up by the announcement which has rested upon her ears, or she could simply take the words at face value and not consider them further than what had been spoken. But what she had heard is still being pondered and studied 2000 years later, and still not all that it means has been drawn from it.

36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

Elizabeth means both “God is Seven” and “God is Oath.” The name carries both meanings. Here she is called “your relative.” In verse 1:5, she is said to be “of the daughters of Aaron,” meaning of the priestly class of Israel. Taking this in its intended sense, this means that either Mary’s father or mother was of the house of Aaron, or that the mother of Elizabeth was of the house of David.

As we are not told, we cannot speculate too far other than to say that it is possible that Christ Jesus descends from Levi through Aaron, as well as from the line of David.

What is significant about these words is that another important event has happened in the land, and it would be reason for Mary to feel that what has been told her is a part of a greater plan than just that which pertains to her alone. The Lord was working, once again, in the land of Israel, and she was to be a great and blessed part of that plan. But even more, Gabriel identifies the child to be born to Elizabeth as a son. He could not know this apart from divine revelation. Everything he says shouts out the supernatural.

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Jesus will later say in the book of Luke, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” This is the intent of what Gabriel now says to Mary. God cannot make a square circle, or make a two a seven. He also cannot violate His own character, such as being unrighteous. But those things which are deemed impossible to man are wholly possible to God. The barren womb of Elizabeth had come to life, and the virgin womb of Mary would do so as well.

*(fin) 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary’s answer to the news which she has received is the simplest and most basic words of acceptance that one could think of. There are no further questions, such as “When,” as if she wanted to be ready for things to happen. Nor does she ask “Why,” as if she was somehow unsuitable to the role she has been chosen for.

Unlike the parents of Samson, who was also divinely prophesied, she doesn’t ask for a cup full of details as to the many variables of what she should do during her pregnancy, or afterwards. Instead, with the purest of faith that if God has chosen her, and if He has the plan already in motion, then all she needs to do is submit herself to the will of the Lord and that will be sufficient.

And so in saying, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord!”, she accepts everything that has been presented as possible, and everything that will occur as in accord with His sovereign will. She simply and faithfully accepts her role in redemptive history. And with that, Gabriel departs her presence.

May it be according to Your will, O God
May my life be used as You alone see fit and right
May You guide my every step as upon the path I trod
Be with me through every day, and be with me every night

I am Your servant, and Your will is what I desire
According to Your word, I gladly live my life
From this day forward, to Your will I aspire
I am in Your hands for use, and not for insolent strife

Thank You for the Christmas Gift, our Lord Jesus
Because of Him, to You my life I submit
How grateful I am for something so very marvelous!
Because of such love, to You my life I do commit

II. The Child of God, Born of a Woman

As we opened today, I mentioned Paul’s instructions to us concerning propriety within the church, especially in regards to the conduct of women. But what does this have to do with the Christmas story? Why include this in a Christmas sermon?

Well, God established a hierarchy which hasn’t changed since the creation of man. There will never be a time that woman comes before man in the sense of creation. She came from him, and he is over her. That is what God ordained. However, there is a time when woman comes before man in the reception of a special honor. Before we get there though, we have to get through the cataclysmic event which precipitated the need for this high honor. Here are Paul’s words to the women of the church –

“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:8-15

Paul sets strict boundaries on women in the church as to what is not permitted. The words are set, and they are prescriptive. Obedience to them is expected. But he then immediately explains why these things are to be by bringing in the creation account to justify his position. He says that Adam was formed first, then Eve – Creation. He then goes from the order of creation of man – first Adam and then Eve – to the fall of man. He cites the creation account saying, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Paul’s logic is that the serpent went to the one he knew was susceptible to being deceived. If this were not so, then the Bible wouldn’t have bothered with telling us this.

What the Bible implicitly declares, and what is obvious from human nature, is the truth that women are beings which are formed differently from men, and who follow different internal guidelines in order to make decisions. And so in order to avoid the error of the fall, meaning deception, being repeated in the church, Paul gives specific directives to which there are no exceptions.

The problem with exceptions is that they eventually become the rule. This is not how affairs are to be handled, and so rules of conduct are set and fixed. The woman was deceived and fell into transgression. Lesson learned; guidelines are established based on this; doctrine set.

However, Paul then says something which seemingly makes no sense at all unless the context is maintained – “Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” First, the translation is incorrect, and so no wonder it makes no sense.

There is an article in front of “childbearing” which is left out in almost all translations. A direct translation says, “She will be saved, moreover, through the childbearing.” Paul’s context is the creation and fall of man. From there, he immediately went to the idea of salvation – “she will be saved.” The Genesis account comes alive once again at the hand of Paul – Creation/Fall/Salvation. It is all there waiting to be unpackaged.

And so what is he speaking of? Are women saved if they have children? If they don’t have children, will they go to the fiery furnace forever? Will they be “more” saved if they have lots of children? No, none of these things apply.

The second thing to notice is that the account goes from the singular to the plural. It says, “She (singular) will be saved, moreover, through the childbearing, if they (plural) abide in…” Obviously two things are on Paul’s mind, which are completely overlooked by the angry women who want to be deacons and elders in the church, despite being told it is not allowed. Paul has explained why, and now he tells them that in a way there is a great honor which they possess anyway.

Only four of the 26 versions of the Bible that I reviewed includes the definite article before “childbearing.” And two of those make it a paraphrase, although they are correct in the idea of their paraphrase nonetheless. But before we look at what Paul is referring to, let’s see how difficult this verse is when one is trying to force theology into it, instead of drawing it out. Here are the various translations that I looked at. See how they attempted to translate their way out of a theological dilemma –

Women will be saved through childbearing.
She will be saved through childbearing.
Women will be preserved through the bearing of children.
She shall be saved in childbearing.
She will be delivered through childbearing.
But she lives by her children.
She shall be saved through the childbearing. (literal)
Yet a woman will be brought safely through childbirth.

These pretty much represent all of the translations. Only one is literal, the one which includes the article before “childbearing.” A couple of them are so wrong it’s hard to imagine what they were thinking. Of the two paraphrases that get the intent of what Paul is saying, the ISV does the best job. It reads as follows –

“…even though she will be saved through the birth of the Child, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, along with good judgment.” ISV

Do you see what Paul is doing? He has already taken us back to Genesis 3. He has shown us what happened at the fall, after the creation, and he then explains how that is corrected in the same passage. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord spoke to the woman, and then while cursing the serpent, He said what is now known as the Protoevangelium, or “the first gospel.” There, a promise was made that One would come who would destroy him and his works –

And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:13-15

The Lord promises the woman will bear, and from her would issue the Messiah who would crush the head of the serpent. So who was Paul speaking of when he said, “and she shall be saved through the child-bearing,…” Who is “she?”

Well, the nearest antecedent is found in the previous verse when speaking of “the woman” who was deceived, meaning Eve. Therefore, Paul is referring to her. That is why it is in the singular. She, Eve, will be saved through the bearing of a Child. Not directly, but through her, because she stands in place of all women.

That is why Paul then switches to the plural by saying “if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self control.” It is the call of the gospel. To live in faith. And in living in faith, the woman will be saved, just as the man will be saved. And this faith is based on the grace which was given to humanity in the Christmas Child; the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so why did I include this passage from Paul’s letter to Timothy which governs church-age doctrine in a Christmas sermon? The reason is because of Mary’s simple, humble proclamation of faith, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord!” Without having all the details, and with simple faith that God is God, and His will is right, she acknowledged that she was at His disposal.

In the church of 2017, we have so much more than the limited knowledge of God’s plan that Mary had. Rather, we have the entire book, complete and sealed, which tells us of what God has done in Christ Jesus. We have the Christmas Child revealed. We have the perfect Life lived. We have the perfect Sacrifice given. And we have the acceptance of each in the resurrection of Christ. But before He accomplished these things, we have recorded for us the simple faith of Mary which set the stage for all of those other things to come to pass. “Behold the maidservant of the Lord!”

This may not be the most dramatic Christmas sermon – one which gives the warm details of the birth of Christ. Such sermons will bring us to tears when we hear of heaven’s King lying in an animal’s feeding trough. They excite us with high notes of the heavenly choir singing forth the praise of God. Those are sermons which fill us with the Christmas spirit. But we must remember that there could be no Christmas Child without a heavenly Father and an earthly mother of that Child.

The Father’s involvement shows us how much we are loved by the Creator of all things. And the mother’s teaches us a lesson about what the Father is looking for in each of us. He is looking for the simple obedience of faith, and thus for faithful obedience.

We cannot separate ourselves from our actions. They define who we are. Eve, the first female, and thus she who represents all who follow after her, is saved through the birth of the Child. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was saved through the birth of the Child, and any others who will come to Him for salvation, are saved through the birth of the Child, because the Child then died to save them as well.

Why are we expected to live out the roles assigned for us as men and women of God? Because the Child of Christmas came to die for us so that we could live for Him. He is the Creator, and He is the Redeemer. His name is Salvation, and salvation is what He gives to us, if we will simply have faith? Is disobedience to His word worth appeasing the pride that rises up in our hearts? May it never be so!

Gabriel’s words to Mary said, “…blessed are you among women.” It is the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression, but another woman was called blessed among them. Where Eve was faithless, Mary was found to be faithful. Where Eve brought about the need for salvation, she was saved through the birth of the Child named… Salvation. And that birth came through one of her own gender.

Paul’s words are not restrictive on women, they are freeing. The deception of the woman led to the fall of the man. In his fall, she fell as well. But in granting the honor to Mary of bearing the Christmas Child, the disgrace of of the fall can be erased in all of us, even those who were deceived in the first place.

God’s Gift to humanity is given, the Light shining in the dark places has come forth, and the Forgiver of all transgressions has walked among us. Let us acknowledge that His way is best, that His plan is perfect, and that obedience to Him is intended for our good in all ways and at all times. He has spoken, His word is proper, and our humble act of adhering to it will bring great reward when we stand before Him and receive our judgment for the lives we have lived.

Closing Verse: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14

Next Week: Leviticus 23:9-14 Changing from earthly to incorruptible suits… (The Feasts of the Lord, Firstfruits) (38th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He was willing to put on a body of flesh and to dwell among us despite all the pains He had to endure in the process. If He did that for you, think of how much more lies ahead when we walk with Him in glory! So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon
Her who is distressed or in agony
 As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali

And afterward more heavily oppressed her
By the way of the sea
Beyond the Jordan it shall occur
 In an area of the Gentiles around the land of Galilee

The people who walked in darkness
It is they who have seen a great Light
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death
Upon them has shined a Light so bright

You have multiplied the nation
And likewise its joy You have increased
They rejoice before You with great ovation
According to the time of harvest, a joy which will not be ceased

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil
When they receive the bounty and no longer toil

For You have the yoke of his burden broken
And the staff of his shoulder is taken away
The rod of his oppressor no longer an unfriendly token
As in the day of Midian, when he was destroyed that day

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle
And garments roooooolled in blood
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire, worthless chattel
Useless implements overtaken by time’s great flood

For unto us a Child is born
A time to rejoice and not to morn
 Unto us a Son is given
The One to lead us from death to a’livin’

And the government will be upon His shoulder
Every eye will see Him, every soul will be His beholder

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom’s realm
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever, He at the helm
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

And His name will be called Wonderful
The Counselor and Mighty God is He
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pure and white as wool
Of the increase of His government and peace, no end shall we see

Do not be afraid, for behold
I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which will be to all people, forever told
The wondrous story, the birth of a Boy

For there is born to you this day
In the city of David a Savior, it is He
Who is Christ the Lord, to whom heaven’s hosts obey
The Messiah has come, and now you may go and see

And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
Lying in a manger, a glorious view
The Christmas Child whom our Heavenly Father bestows

A Child like no other has come to dwell among us
He shall lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
And His name is called out, His name is Jesus
Come, and of the Heavenly Child partake

He is God’s gift and heaven’s treasure
He is Immanuel, God with us
And he bestows upon us grace without measure
The Christmas Child, our glorious Lord Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

Resurrection Day 2017 – John 19:30 (It Is Finished)

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John 19:30
It is Finished!

When we finish something, it really isn’t the end of what we hoped for. Actually it is more often than not, the beginning. When I built our dinner table almost 23 years ago, I was excited about getting it done. All of the planning, the careful work, the cutting, sanding, and varnishing… all of that would have been for naught if I finished and then set it on fire, unless a very time consuming and costly bonfire was what I was hoping for all along.

Rather, I spent all of that time making the thing so that it would be ready as a present for my wife. And then, once that was out of the way – I mean the hauling it into the house, placing it there while she was out, anticipating the look on her face, and all of the other things that go along with giving a present like that to someone – I mean once that was out of the way, then there would be another reason for having built the table. Right?

It was in hopes of using it for many years as a place where we could eat, sneak bits off the table for one of the dogs, place flowers, pay bills (hate paying bills!), watch TV, and on and on. And so, finishing the table was really only the starting of what the work was intended for.

As I said, the same is true with with most things. We finish school in order to be edumacated enough to get a job, or to get accepted into another school. And when we finish our job we retire, so that we can do the things that we couldn’t do when we worked.

Surely, each time we start a project, it is normally for the purpose of finishing it in order to do something else. I finished that table, and it has been fulfilling its purpose for many years. I hope I die or get raptured out of here before I have to move that thing. It is quite possibly the heaviest dinner table on the planet, but I built it to last, and last it has. Eventually though, it will come to its end as all things do. All things except for that which is truly eternal…

Text Verse:“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

God began a project too. All along it was intended as something that would be eternal, but in order for that to be the case, there had to be something to bring it about. He knew before He ever created, that if man was involved, death would also be involved. But death implies an end, whereas eternity means that which is endless.

If death was involved it was because there was something imperfect which brought that death about. That imperfection is known as “sin.” In order for sin to be eradicated, and for the imperfection to be removed, then there must be a process which is followed, a process which would involve another death.

The difference is that this death would have to be a perfect one, not involving sin in the One who dies. God knew this, and His word calls Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This is the project that God started, and this is the project which He finished through the work of Jesus Christ. But the finishing of the project was only meant as a new beginning, not the end.

Like the table that has another purpose than just being made into a table, the work of Jesus Christ which ended with the words “It is finished” had an entirely different purpose behind it. It is a purpose which involves any and all who are willing to receive it by faith, and it is one which will last… yes, for all eternity. This is what we will see in today’s resurrection day sermon, and it is a truth which is found in God’s superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. It has Begun

Genesis Chapter 1 gives us a broad brushstroke of creation, explaining in one chapter the order of what occurred, and the totality of God’s creative effort. In other words, in just 31 verses, the Bible tells us that everything which we see in the universe around us came into existence by the wisdom and power of God. And yet, the focus of all of this vast, marvelous creation is centered on one particular thing – the creation of man.

How do we know this? Well, first, the Bible is written. Writing is information in a specific form and for a specific purpose. Inanimate objects don’t need or use writing, man does. Writing isn’t used by any animate objects apart from man either. The fact that the Bible exists shows us that what is presented in it is intended for man’s use. Without man, there would be no need for a description of how creation occurred, and thus no need for a Bible.

Secondly, and with that first understanding as a key to everything that will follow in all of this book we call “the Bible,” there is a specific attention given to man in the 1st Chapter of Genesis. In the creation of the physical universe, the earth where we live is specially highlighted.

It is created, it is prepared in a particular way to receive life, the sun and the moon are singled out as being a necessary part of interaction with the earth, and then in verse 16, the rest of the entire universe is lumped into just two Hebrew words, v’eth ha’kokavim – “and the stars.”

Those two words describe everything else that exists in the physical universe, but only those stars that are visible to man are considered as important enough to even mention. We know this, because elsewhere in Scripture, constellations are mentioned by name. A constellation is only useful from one vantage point. Any other planet at any other point in the universe will see the stars differently, and those constellations will not exist as we know them. Further, by calling the sun, which is also a star, “the sun,” it means that this particular star is one prepared specifically for the earth on which we live, an earth which is specifically made for man who was to be created on it.

And so we again see the importance of man highlighted implicitly through this detail. And thirdly, as each day of creation is noted, it builds upon the previous days in order to reach a result. God carefully and methodically created with an intent and purpose, which is to provide a place where man could dwell. Everything else was created for this purpose. The room was prepared and the guests were expected.

Forth, when the sixth and final day of creation arrived, God first created the living creatures according to their kind – the cattle and the creeping things. Upon completion of that, it says, “And God saw that it was good.” Everything was ready then for the last act of His creative efforts… man. The expected guest had his house waiting for him. Everything was set and ready. Only then do we read the exceedingly special words which follow –

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28

Man bears a special garment that distinguishes him from all else in creation, He bears the image and likeness of God. It is to this image-bearer of the Creator that dominion of the earth was given.

And then there is a fifth way of knowing that man is the central purpose of God’s creation. It is because Chapters 2 and 3 of Genesis insert the many details of man’s creation and early moments which Genesis 1 left out. It is given to show specifically that the Bible is intended for man’s knowledge of who he is in relation to his Creator, and how he arrived at the place that he is now, and that the Bible is the record of these things.

After Chapter 3, the narrative continues on in this way for the next 1186 chapters, right up until the the last page, and indeed until the last word of the book of Revelation. And so, understanding this, and as our first thought today is “It has Begun,” we want to discern what, in fact, has begun.

We have the creation, we have the knowledge that it centers on what God has done in the creation of man, and from Chapter 2 of Genesis it shows that man was intended to live in a paradisaical setting where he could actually fellowship with his Creator, the Lord God. After the creation of woman who was intended to be a helper for the man, Chapter 2 ends with the words, “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.”

There was an innocence about them which was, according to the word, “very good.” In this state of innocence, they were set to have a wonderful existence which would keep them ever in the presence of the Lord, and forever free from pains, trials, or sadness. But this marvelous existence would not last very long. Indeed, it would slip away from them just as the breath itself disappears as it is exhaled on a cold morning.

Without wasting any words, Chapter 3 immediately introduces the serpent, the cunning deceiver, who would bring an end to the innocence of man and the intimate fellowship that he enjoyed with the Lord. In a mere 24 verses, Chapter 3 takes the man from a state of innocence to a state of understanding. It takes him from a state of life, to a state of death. It takes him from being in a paradise of abundance, to expulsion and exile to a place of hardship and toil. And, worst of all, it takes him from intimate fellowship with the Lord, to a state of enmity with Him.

When properly considered, it is truly the most heartbreaking set of words ever penned about man, because it describes how all of the other heartbreak of man began. And there is one more thing in the record which cannot go without note. It says that man became more, not less, like God in the process. This would seem like a good thing, but for the most part it is not. Just before his expulsion from their garden of delight, we read these words –

“Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’— 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.” Genesis 3:22, 23

The man became like his Creator in that he acquired the ability to know good and evil. But without the ability to properly use that knowledge, it is as much of a curse as it is a blessing. It may be good to know how to cut down a tree in order to build a house, but if we cut down too many trees, we might cause a mudslide which could come down upon the house we have built.

Each thing that we do may have unintended consequences, and so without knowing the end from the beginning, what is good in one instance may be bad in another. Until we learn from our mistakes, we often remain ignorant about what is truly good and what isn’t. Unless we have external guidance from one who has already learned, or from the One who knows all things, we are prone to err. And when we err, evil is more often than not the result.

But this is how it began. The life we live, the troubles we face, the lack of fellowship with God that we experience, all of it began because we didn’t do what He asked of us in the first place. From that point, we were set on a course that we could not fix, and which leaves us wandering aimlessly through one mistake after another. And this continues on until we lay our head down for the last time and return to the earth from which we came. Truly, it is a vain and hopeless existence when we don’t have all of the information we need to make the right choices.

There is a curse upon us, a self-inflicted pain
Our father Adam broke God’s command
It seems as if things will never be right again
And for his transgressions our life God will demand

But there at the beginning was a promise of One to come
Who would reverse the curse and right Adam’s wrong
Whatever this One offers, I sure want me some
To the truth of His message, I wish to belong

Who will it be, how will it come about?
The thing that He offers, I know I cannot do without

II. It Will be Resolved

The end of Chapter 3 of Genesis, and all of the misery of the world since then, should really make us wonder if going on is even worth the trouble. Why bother when all we will get is older, more feeble, less respect, and just aching bones and sleepless nights. This would be the case if we didn’t pay attention to the details of Chapter 3.

You see, right there in the middle of the chapter, there are a few words which, if understood, are enough to give even the most wearisome person hope. It was the serpent who got us into this mess, and if he could just be taken out of the way, things would turn out for good. And this is what was promised in verses 14 and 15 –

 So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:14, 15

A promise was made that the cunning deceiver would be defeated, and when this was accomplished, man would have access once again to the paradise he had lost. How do we know this is a correct reading of those words? Because it is implicitly stated from this point on. In a thousand different ways, the people of faith understood this, and the Bible records that their interpretation of it is correct. Restoration would come, and it would come when the Seed of the woman arrived.

From this point on, from Chapter 4 of Genesis on, the story of this coming Redeemer takes shape. A select line of people are highlighted, and with each new page, the story continues to unfold. The select line are known as bene ha’elohim, or “sons of the God.” Those not in this line belong to ha’adam, or “the man.” The distinction between the two comes down to what their life was directed to. Were they people of faith in the promise of God, or were they men who followed in their first father’s footsteps, trusting in the deceit of the deceiver?

Eventually, it came down to a single man named Noah. The entire world had followed after the serpent, and God determined to put an end to what He saw. However, He had made a promise, and so he spared Noah and his family in order to keep the promise alive. God is ever-faithful to His word.

In the destruction of the world, Noah was kept safe and together with his family, they arrived on the shore of a new world, one ready once again to allow man to flourish and live out his days, exercising his will in hope or in futility – the choice was his.

And once again, in the mere turning of a page, there is rebellion and there is the pronouncement of a curse. It seems that man is destined to self-ruin. But in the midst of the disobedient heart, God continues to work out His plan, carefully and methodically. With the turning of one person or group, there is the calling of another.

But, it can’t be said that one is better or more deserving than the other. Eventually from Noah’s son Shem, one of his descendants named Abraham was called, but he was called from one life to another. We read in Joshua that Abraham’s family served other gods, not the true God. His calling was an act of grace.

They were called out of this state. Therefore, it was a call of grace, and it was a call of mercy. The call was not from righteousness to righteousness, but from disobedience to righteousness. God had a plan, it was set, and he was working it out according to His wisdom. Each step is carefully recorded for us to see and to understand that we had not been abandoned, but were still the central focus of His act of creation, just as it was at the beginning.

To Abraham, a promise was made, a great and marvelous promise, one that would be realized in and through his descendants, but as time drew on, it became harder and harder to see how it could come about. His wife was barren and under the normal conditions of life, it would seem that things would not turn out as they were expected to. But Abraham believed God and remained faithful despite the barren years.

Eventually, the time came when it was seemingly impossible that the first promise could come to pass, but the Lord took him outside in the night and asked him to count the stars if he could but number them. The whole host of heaven was there before his eyes, and the Lord promised him that his descendants would be such as that which he beheld. The next words say, “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

In believing the unbelievable, and in trusting what seemed impossible, the Lord credited Abraham with righteousness. The Lord is pleased when His word is accepted at face value and believed as true.

Eventually, Abraham did have a son, a son of promise named Isaac. From Isaac came another son of promise, Jacob, who is Israel. And from Jacob came a collection of sons, all were granted the promise of Abraham. Collectively, they would be known by the name given to their father, Israel.

It is this unique and set-apart family who would continue the marvelous march towards the fulfillment of God’s plan. The resolution of the problem would come through them. Their history is chronicled, and each step of the way, God’s guiding hand is seen often in the foreground, and it is never lacking in the background, directing their affairs towards an ultimate goal. Certainly, they had no idea what lay ahead, but we can look back on their history and see it with such clarity that it is really astonishing to consider.

Seemingly random events come together to form the most marvelous tapestry as the years of Israel unfolded before them. Finally, when the time was right, God began to use them to display His glory in the world. The stories of their redemption from Egypt, their passing through the waters of the Red Sea, and the marvelous events which led them to the foot of Mount Sinai would be counted as mere fairy tales unless we knew that God was behind them. But He was, and the stories are recorded so that we can be assured that Israel’s history is not an aberration, but a carefully sculpted plan with a definite and marvelous purpose.

There at the foot of Sinai, the Lord gave them His law, He gave them His instructions for a place where He would dwell among them. He also gave them ordinances for how they could approach Him, and how they were to conduct their lives in His presence.

Each detail demonstrated that the problem would, in fact, be resolved. He was there among them, and they could live, and in fact they would live, if they adhered to His precepts. This was explicitly stated to them when He said these words –

“You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5

To live is to not die. The promise is clear. If a man does these things, he will live by them. The life that was lost in Adam could be obtained once again through this marvelous law which the Lord set before the people. Life, not death, was possible.

The resolution to the problem was now available. In being obedient to the Lord’s word, life – yes, certainly eternal life – could be obtained. This is what the word says, and this is in fact the word of the Lord.

A cross is there on the hill of Calvary
It is a sign of God’s love to the people of the world
On that cross Jesus died for you and for me
The greatest display of love ever, was on that day unfurled

Oh! That Christ would die for sinners like us!
How deep is the love of God for this to have come about?
Wondrous is the giving of His own Son, Jesus
So take hold of the promise, stand fast and do not doubt

Christ died and into the grave He went – had death won?
A lifeless body, seemingly the end of the story
But No! Death could not hold the sinless Son
He burst forth from the grave in radiant glory!

III. It is Finished

With the giving of the law, everything that was lost could be restored. At least that’s the way it appeared on the surface. But by digging deeper into what the law was showing us, it became evident that there was a problem. It was the same problem that has been seen since the very beginning, and that problem is sin.

The law made the promise that the one who did the things of the law could live by them, but what was evident right away, and what continued to be more evident with each passing year, was that nobody could do the things of the law. Instead of bringing life, it only brought death!

The argument goes like this: If there is no law, then there can be no violation of the law. In fact, a person wouldn’t know what something like coveting was without being told to not covet. But as soon as the law is given, sin then takes the opportunity through the commandment to produce the desire to covet.

Without a law, there is life, but when a commandment is given which is supposed to give life, it instead brings death. Sin uses the commandment to deceive, and through that comes death. This is the dilemma of the law. If a man does the things of the law, he will live by them, but in the giving of the law, sin is stirred up and he dies by that same law.

And what is more, even the very mediator of the law was exposed to this truth. He had the knowledge of good and evil, but sin used that knowledge to bring him death, not life. The record of this truth stands in the eventual death of Moses, of Aaron, and of every other person who ever lived under this law – high priest or layman alike. The law which promised life, did not deliver it. Instead, it continued to produce death.

Was there nothing that could free them from this body of death, which indeed it was, a body of death? The people of God, selected from among the nations of the world, given great and enduring promises, and among whom dwelt the Lord God, and who were sanctified by His presence, could not obtain the life they sought through the law they were given, despite that law being right there with them, and which was intended to guide them.

And if they, chosen and set apart, could not obtain life, then how could anyone else, not even of their line, hope to find it? What was the answer? What is the answer? To where do we turn in order to find life? Or, is it all futility ending in death? If so, why delay the inevitable?

But have we forgotten the promise? Have we become so consumed with our own works that we have failed to remember what the Lord said to the deceiver?

“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:14, 15

The Lord promised that the serpent’s head would be crushed, but it wouldn’t be one of us who would do it. Instead, it would be the Seed of the woman. What that means was long misunderstood. Eve thought it was speaking of herself.

When she had Cain, she cried out, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.”  She thought that she had a child that would handle the problem and restore her to paradise. She even claimed that the child was “from the Lord,” as if in a resounding cry of victory.

However, it wasn’t long before she realized she was wrong. With the birth of her son Abel, there was no cry of victory. When she named him, it was with a sense of despair. Life was a passing breath, and Abel reflected that futility to her.

With the continued line of people from Eve, there is often the talk of the seed which would continue on. The daughters of Lot wanted to preserve their father’s seed, intending to find life through it. David was promised that his seed, One who would come from his body, would build a house for the Lord and would establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

This theme is repeated numerous times, showing that the seed of the man was needed to bring in the eternal promise, but that promise still needed to be fulfilled in the Seed of the woman as well. It is rather confusing to consider when looking forward. However, we today are not looking forward.

We are looking back, and the picture is clear. The failures of Israel were each a lesson, and also a stepping stone, to the success of God. The law promised life to one who would do the things of the law, but the nature of man made it impossible for him to do the things of the law. And so God handled the problem for man, by becoming a Man.

In order to do this, the Holy Spirit of God, the third member of the Trinity, overshadowed a virgin woman of Israel. She, being a descendant of those to whom the promises were made, was to be the human receptacle for the incarnate Word of God.

It was He whose coming had been promised for 4000 years. The prophets spoke of Him, and the Lord testified through them in His word the things that He would accomplish, and the glory that would be revealed through Him.

As we are told by John, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In being born of a woman, but not of a man, He was truly and fully man, but also truly and fully God.

But in this state, He was born as a Man without sin. As sin is passed from father to child, and as all humans are born of both a father and a mother, all humans inherit sin. However, as He was born of a woman, but not of a man, He inherited no sin. His father being God meant that He was born in a state of sinlessness.

And yet, He was born with the knowledge of good and evil. In His sinlessness, He could handle that knowledge as no man born in sin could. But there is more. He was also born under the law of God, being a citizen of the people Israel. Therefore, with His unique ability to do the things of the law, the promise of Leviticus 18:5 could be realized in Him –

“You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5

He is a Man, is He not? Yes, He is a Son of Adam through Mary. And He has the ability to keep the statutes and judgments of the Lord, does He not? Yes, being the Lord God incarnate, He was fully capable of accomplishing this.

In doing the things of the law, life would thus be the result. This is why the gospel writers give such minute detail concerning the life of Jesus. They were chronicling the marvel of this Person who came and dwelt among them, showing us that He was qualified and capable of the task, and also showing us that He, in fact, performed what He was called to do.

Each step of the way, His obedience to the law, and to His Father, is carefully recorded. But this record isn’t for Him to revel in, it is for us to believe in. The Lord doesn’t need the word to be the Lord, or to accomplish His task. But man needs the word to understand the work of the Lord in accord with the word. And so the word is given.

In the gospels, we see the fulfillment of everything that was spoken of by the prophets, even since the very beginning. Every word they wrote was to lead us to understanding who would come and what He would do. In this, we would then know that He was the One spoken of. He said as much to the people of Israel –  

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

And then He said something that truly revealed what He had come to do. In the very next verse, He said, “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:40). In coming to Him, they could have life. The life promised in Leviticus 18:5 was to be found… in Him!

This is what the gospel writers recorded, and this is what they testify to. The fulfillment of the Scriptures is found in Jesus. And in fulfilling them, life was to be found as well. He told the leaders of Israel this, but they couldn’t grasp it. They couldn’t believe. The very people who maintained the oracles of God, failed to accept the truth of God contained in those oracles.

However, their unbelief in no way nullified the faithfulness of God. He spoke, He accomplished, and His word stands as a testimony of what He alone has done. And so, in being born sinless into the people bound to the law, in living without sin under the law, and in His death without sin, He thus died in fulfillment of the law. The One who was promised at the very beginning, willingly came, voluntarily surrendered Himself, and allowed the beings that He created to take His life so that they could live. Tell me that isn’t incredible!

Each of the four gospels details the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Each gives details from the writer’s own perspective, and they record the scene in their own words while highlighting what they were inspired to write. The gospel of John records the crucifixion in the19th Chapter of his book.

He focuses on several prophetic fulfillments of Scripture as do each of the other gospels, but John says something differently than all of the others. Beginning in the 28th verse, he says this –

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30

John notes that Jesus knew that all things were accomplished, using the word tetelestai. The word is the perfect tense of the word teleó, or “fulfilled.” John then says that in knowing that all was perfectly fulfilled that Jesus said, “I thirst” in order that Scripture might be teleiōthē, or fulfilled. It is the aorist tense of the word teleioó. It indicates working through the entire process in order to reach the final phase. If one thinks of pulling out a pirate’s telescope one stage at a time until it is fully stretched and at maximum capacity, this is the idea of what John was saying.

It then notes after Jesus received the sour wine that He said His final words, tetelestai, or “It is finished.” It is the same word as at the first, teleó, and it is again in the perfect tense. It is finished – completely and wholly. It is done.

What is being said, is that Jesus had come and fulfilled every single thing necessary to undo the work of the devil. He had fulfilled every requirement of the law, He had taken the full weight and measure of God’s wrath in fulfillment of violations of the law, and He had thus prevailed over the law, not merely in and of Himself, but for any and all who would accept what He had done.

The word teleó signifies a payment. This is why the word is translated as “finished.” When a debt is paid, the payment is fulfilled. The law of God demanded a payment for violations of that law. Adam broke the law, though it was but one law and in the negative – “You shall not.” Because of this, a payment was due.

The people of Israel violated God’s law, time and time again, but just one infraction of the law broke the entire law. And thus a payment for violating the law was due. In Christ’s fulfillment of the law through His death, the payment was made. But unlike the sin offerings which were prescribed under the law which could not take away sin, Christ’s payment could.

The animals which were sacrificed under the law only looked forward to a more perfect Sacrifice. They temporarily stayed the wrath of God that only Christ could perfectly and eternally take away. Jesus knew the point when His work had fulfilled the law, and so John notes that He then said, “I thirst” so that Scripture could be fulfilled.

The question is, “If all was fulfilled, then why did Jesus say, “I thirst” in order to fulfill Scripture?” The answer must be taken both literally and spiritually. Jesus literally thirsted. The 22nd Psalm, a psalm about the cross, says “My tongue clings to my jaws.” In response to that thirst, the 69th Psalm then says, “…for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” This literally came to pass, but Jesus’ cry was more intimate than just a physical thirst. In the 42 Psalm, we see the fulfillment of what He was referring to –

“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1, 2

The time had come, the work was complete, and Jesus longed to return to the living God from whom He came. The debt had been paid, and the tortures of His mortal life were no longer needed. We can know that this is correct, because even after His death, His lifeless body was still used to fulfill Scripture. In the piercing of His side, and in not breaking any of His bones, etc., John says that Scripture was again fulfilled –

Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36 For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” John 19:31-37

The fulfillment of the payment is what Jesus understood was completed, and the thirsting of the Lord for His God is what He desired. When one drinks, it is to prolong life, but in Jesus’ case, it was to show that despite taking that which could prolong His life, He still voluntarily gave it up. It was not taken from Him, instead He yielded it of His own will because of His thirst for His God.

The redemption of man had come, and the payment was complete. But in understanding that, we still must have a final explanation of what this means. The law says that the man who does the things of the law shall live by them. It is a promise. But we have also seen that none can meet the demands of the law. And so what does Christ’s life and death mean to us?

It goes back to the doctrine of substitution. Christ died, as the animals at the temple died, as a Substitute. In His death, we can have our sin transferred to Him. As substitution was a part of the law, and as He fulfilled the law, then He must be an acceptable Substitute for any who desire His death in their place.

In that death, sin is atoned for. And as He died in fulfillment of the law, then to God we die with Him in the transfer of our sin. Through the law we thus die to the law, and we move from Adam to Him. As we die to the law, then the law no longer has mastery over us. And as the law is what brings death, then death itself no longer has mastery over us. The deceiver can no longer deceive. The devil is defeated, and death is swallowed up in victory!

How do we know that this is true? It is the reason we’re here today. Christ didn’t just die for our sins and stay in the grave. No! Instead, He defeated death itself because He had no sin of His own. Death is the result of sin, and life is the result of obedience to God’s law, and so death could not hold Him. And as we are in Him, being counted as justified before the law, death can no longer hold us.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is defining moment of human history. For those who receive what He has done, there is but one outcome, that we too will be resurrected unto eternal life, and we too will be restored to the paradise which was lost to man so long ago. I hope that today you will take time to read the final two chapters of the book of Revelation. For any and all who will but come, Jesus Christ has shown us in His word the glories which lie ahead for us. If you have never received Him as your Lord, asking Him to forgive you and grant you eternal life, today is the day. Don’t wait another moment, but simply call out, and He will lead you back home to where we were originally intended to be.

Closing Verse: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Next Week: Leviticus 3:1-17 Peace with God! Better than even a diamond ring… (The Peace Offering) (4th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and a purpose for You. Though Paradise was lost, He offers access to it once again through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So call on Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

A Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
This is the gospel which was preached to you
It is also the one you received and on which you stand
It is the gospel of salvation, providing life that’s new

And which will carry you to the promised Holy Land
What is delivered to you is what was before received
That Christ died for our sins according to God’s word
He was buried and He rose and so we have believed

And many witnesses testify to this message you have heard
Now if Christ is preached that He is risen from the dead
How can some among you say the resurrection isn’t true?
If there is no resurrection after Christ was crucified and bled

Then our faith as well as yours is certainly askew
And if so, we are found false witnesses of God
Because we have wrongly testified of this mighty deed
And our faith is futile, no heavenly street’s we’ll trod

And we are still dead in our sins, fallen Adam’s seed
Even more, those who have fallen asleep in the Lord are gone
And we are the most pitiable creatures the world could ever look upon
But indeed Christ is risen from the dead

He is the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
And as death came through one Man, Adam our federal head
So Christ will make all alive, our souls He will keep
But there is an order to the Resurrection call

Christ was first, the pattern for the rest when He comes
When He does, He will make a shout out to us all
And we will rise as if to the sound of heavenly battle drums

Then comes the time, when He delivers the kingdom to the Father
When all rule, authority, and power have come to an end
The last enemy to be destroyed is death, never more to bother
Then the Son will to the Father eternal rule extend

But you ask, what will we be like after our time of sleep
After we have been buried in corruption’s pit so deep

Our body is sown in dishonor, but it will be raised in glory
It is sown in weakness, but raised in power – the resurrection story

The first man Adam became a living being, it’s true
The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit, life to me and you

And as was the man of dust, created so long ago
So are those likened unto Him, also made of dust
And as is the Man, the Lord from heaven, you know
That we shall bear His image for eternity just as we’ve discussed

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God
Nor can corruption inherit that which in incorrupt
Be we shall all be changed, and so heavenly streets we’ll trod
In the twinkling of an eye, the change will be abrupt

When the last trumpet sounds we will be taken to glory
We shall all be changed, completion of the gospel story
Where O Death, O where is your sting
When Christ our Savior, us to Himself does He bring

Where O Hades, O where is your victory
When Christ translates His children to eternal glory

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin the law
But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord
My beloved brethren be steadfast in all you’ve heard and saw
And cling confidently to God’s eternal word

Know for certain that your labor is not in vain
Be of good cheer, Christ is coming again

Hallelujah and Amen…

Matthew 1:18 (She was Found with Child Through the Holy Spirit)

Charlie Garrett Gospel (written), Matthew, Matthew (written), Moments, Other, Sermons, Special / Holiday, Special / Holiday (Written), Writings 0 Comment

Matthew 1:18
She Was Found with Child Through the Holy Spirit

As we celebrate this day, just as we do each year, let us remember that it isn’t a day which is founded on myths or superstitions. It may have devolved into that for most of the world, but that was never its original intent.

It has become common for people to find fault in all the assorted things we do at Christmas. We put up pine trees, and someone finds fault in the symbolism. We hang up ornaments, and someone finds fault in our doing so. Even the word “Christmas” is there for people to find fault in.

And it is true, that we should never let these customs and traditions obscure our vision of what this day actually symbolizes, but even the fault finders are to be found at fault over that. The day has real significance, and it has the greatest of importance. And so, whether traditionalist or fault-finder, most of us have never understood the true connection to the meaning of the 25th of December.

It is, in fact, the day that Christ was born, but not in the sense that most people understand. People in Korea would, but for most of the rest of the world, there is little comprehension of the day’s meaning.

You see, Korean people reckon the span of their lives differently than we do. When you ask how old they are, they will tell you an age that is different than what we are used to. I was born on 18 August 1964, and so I would be, as of today, 52 years, 4 months, and a couple of days old.

But a Korean would tell you they were 53 years old. The reason for this is that they reckon life from conception, not birth out of the womb. To the liberal left in the western world, that thought would be utterly scandalous. How can you justify killing someone in the womb if their life had actually already begun. The horror of the thought for them would certainly drive their bloodthirsty minds to madness!

But this is when life begins, whether the left likes that or not. The Koreans got it right. It is a moment to celebrate and to cherish. It is a time of light and happiness. It is the beginning of the time of our life. Our text verse today is Isaiah 7:14 –

Text Verse: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Seven hundred years before the coming of Christ, Isaiah said that something unimaginable would occur. A virgin would conceive and bear a Son. The two things are separate and yet complementary events. First she would conceive, and then she would have a Son. One follows logically after the other.

But in the normal course of events, the first would be impossible. A virgin simply cannot get pregnant. People argue over the Hebrew word that Isaiah used which we translate as “virgin,” claiming that it doesn’t necessarily have to mean “virgin.”

However, the context necessarily demands it, the Greek translation of the Old Testament supports that fact, and Matthew’s use of a word which can only mean “virgin” settles it. The virgin would become pregnant, and the Child would be called Immanuel – God with Us. The verse itself then tells us when life begins. It is not as the child leaves the womb, but when the womb is impregnated. The word “virgin” explains the matter.

As Isaiah wrote, he may or may not have had any idea what he was writing, but if he did, his mind surely went back to the first pages of the Bible where a promised Deliverer would come who was the Seed of the woman. When speaking of genealogies, it is always the seed of man which is referred to. But in Genesis 3, it is the Seed of the woman.

Whether Isaiah realized the importance of the words he penned or not, we can and should realize them. We who have the whole story penned out for us can see the whole picture. It is a picture clearly revealed in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Spark of Life

Much has been said of both the Deity and the Humanity of Jesus Christ – on both sides of the debate. There are those who believe that He is fully God and fully Man. There are those who believe He is God, but was never really a Man. There are those who believe He is a Man, but is not God. There are those who believe He is not God and that even His manhood is just a made up fable – in other words, He never even existed. And then there are those who just don’t care.

Within those views, there are more divisions – He was both a Man and God for a spell, but now is only God; He became God after being only a Man; and so, on and so on. And yet, if we take the Bible simply and at face value, even from the few words of the one verse which comprises the sermon’s title, we can really only come to one conclusion. Matthew 1:18 says

εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου –
heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou
“She was discovered in womb holding from Spirit Holy.”

Two things must be admitted here from a simple reading of the Bible. One is that Mary is a human and this Child is the product of her womb, and thus this Child is a human being. The second is that the Holy Spirit is not a human.

If one then accepts the obvious interpretation of Scripture which shows that the Holy Spirit is God, then the Child is the product of God. There is no human father, and it is the seed of the father that determines lineage in the Bible, thus this Child is Deity – He is the Son of God.

Of course, there are those who will do anything possible to diminish the Deity of the Holy Spirit because by doing so they can then tear apart the central message of the Bible. However, this stupidly-argued premise is for a debate which is unnecessary here. The Holy Spirit, in both testaments of the Bible, is clearly defined as God and is easily defended as such, and so we will overlook that as unnecessary here.

What we have in these few words, which are so quickly passed over by our eyes and our minds, is a description of the most incredible occurrence which has ever come to pass – in all of time. Not just in human history, but in all of time itself. The very creation of the universe pales in comparison to what is described by the words heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou – “She was found with Child through the Holy Spirit.”

When God created, He created not out of Himself – ex Deo, or “out of God.” God is Spirit and is not limited to that which is created. Rather, when He created, it was ex nihilo or “out of nothing.” The psalms say –

“For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:9

There was nothing. No time, no space, no matter – only God. And by the power of the spoken word, there was then something. Time began, matter stood firm, and space filled the void – both around matter and within it. Everything that we see, even to the farthest reaches of the universe, came into existence at that one moment. It is an incredible thing to contemplate, but it was of far less moment than the enormity of what occurred in the womb of Mary.

In a flash as brief as the utterance of the word of creation itself, life – the true Life of all things – sprung into existence in her womb. And yet, it was life that always existed, even before the creation of our physical realm! What a paradox, and yet what an event of the greatest marvel of all. God had united with His creation in that blessed womb – Christ had come.

Just this past year, in April, it was published that science has discovered that at the very moment of conception, a bright flash of life marks this incredible event. There is darkness in the womb, and then there is a flash of light. For Mary, there was darkness in her womb, and then there was the Light. The Light of the world had come. God stepped into our darkness and revealed Himself!. Imagine it – try to get your mind around that.

That which brought all things into existence by a mere utterance… the light of ten trillions sons, and the light of the candle on the Christmas tree, even the light of the phosphorous creatures of the deepest oceans… and all other lights that our eyes will ever behold – even for infinite days ahead – these combined are not as bright as the Light which created them… this same Light sparked in the womb of Mary. heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou – “She was found with Child through the Holy Spirit.” The Christmas Child had come.

Who can believe such a thing! Who could have imagined it in times past, and who can grasp it now that it has happened! And yet the words testify to the event. The Light has come in a form that we can experience, feel, interact with, and rely upon. In this Light, there is no darkness, and thus there is no fear.

This marvelous event is that which occurred on that cold December day in the land of Israel. We celebrate the 25th of December as the day of Christ’s birth, and it is. It is just not the birth out of the womb. Rather, the Bible points to this date as the birth within the womb.

And not without significance, this is the same time of year that the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukah, is celebrated. At times, the two events occur on the same day. Such is the case this year. This is probably what occurred that year as well. The Light of the world came into the world on that same Festival of Lights. This day is mentioned in the book of John, chapter 10, and the 22nd verse, where it is known as the Feast of Dedication –

“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.”

It got its name from the time of the Maccabees when the temple which had been defiled was cleansed and restored to proper worship. Because of this great event, it was memorialized and held annually. A later tradition concerning a day’s worth of oil lasting eight days is merely a fable recorded in the Talmud. But Flavius Josephus tells us the reason for the annual event –

“I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival.”

The Jewish people had been given a liberty beyond their hopes, a light which shone for them that God still favored them. How much more then is the fulfillment of this marvelous picture to be found in the Light which came to provide a liberty never before dreamed of.

The true temple of God, pure and undefiled, was prepared in a human body. The defiled temple which had existed from the time of Adam was, once again, made acceptable to God and for His service. This then was to be a liberty not from human rule and oppression, but that of freedom from the spiritual forces which have waged war on humanity since its very beginning.

This Light stepped into His creation in order to restore all that had gone astray. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied over his own son concerning this Light which would accomplish these marvelous things –

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

The Light was coming and John would be there to proclaim that fact, preparing the way for Israel to meet the promised Messiah. And Zechariah’s prophecy was one which built upon the words of Isaiah, pronounced 700 years earlier –

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
And afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles.
2 The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.
5 For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:1-7

What a marvel occurred in the dark recesses of the virgin womb! The Deliverer had come to deliver! The Light of the world had come as God’s divine Beacon to rescue man from himself. The Lord God Almighty had condescended to come and dwell among us. heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou – “She was found with Child through the Holy Spirit.” Christmas had arrived.

In darkness I groped, darkness of the deepest night
Looking for life that would last, but it could not be found
But then came the most marvelous Light
And with it came the heavenly chorus, a glorious sound

Through the tender mercy of our God
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us
There is now light on the path that we trod
The everlasting light of our Lord Jesus

Now there is a new hope for us, a hope eternal
To those who sit in darkness, and in death’s shadow
There is salvation from hell’s pit so infernal
There is from the Lamp of God, Christ’s eternal glow

II. Darkness and Light

The Christmas story fills our minds with wonderful pictures of days past. We revel in this time of year each year. We smell the scent of pine, we rejoice in food which fills our taste buds. The weather has returned to where it was, just twelve months before. These things delight our minds with memories of past days when we smell the same smells, taste the same tastes, and feel the same cool chill upon our necks.

It is a time to remember, and a time to make new memories. But it is a time that we should also reflect upon why we celebrate. In reality, and without the holiday, for many it is the bleakest time of the year. The nights are at their longest, painful cold has settled in, and the winter of our despair has come.

Many don’t survive the ordeal, and the true winter of eternity’s darkness arrives to claim their weary soul. God chose this unfavorable time of gloom to give us the greatest hope of all. What manner of love is it that would impel Him to do what He did? What is it about man that God takes notice of Him?

From our perspective… Oh boy, the answer is easy. “I am ME! This is MY life.” Just like the wolf whose leg is caught in a trap will chew that leg off in order to survive, we will do anything to survive and to keep on living. It is the eternal dream of man to just keep on living. Novels are written about it; movies are made about it. It is our desire to… just keep on living.

But if we try to look at things from God’s perspective, it all is so hard to figure. What on earth is of value in that mass of organisms which are nothing but rebellious, self-consumed, and hopelessly arrogant beings? We walk around in the darkness looking for anything to fill our brief existence with pleasure – going from darkness to darkness.

Maybe that’s it though. Maybe it’s because we are in darkness that we choose the darkness. No, wait… no that can’t be it. Adam was surrounded by light and yet he chose the darkness. Only after making the choice did he want the light once again. He did want it.

That must be it then, without knowing one from the other we can’t know which we want. That must be why God allowed it all to happen, and then to step in and give us a choice as to which we would choose. Surely that is it.

The Light of the world came to show us a contrast. We can choose the Light, or we can revel in the dark. The choice is ours. And sure enough, this is what the Light Himself said. In John 3, while talking at night with Nicodemus, Jesus said to him, and thus to us –

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:18-21

The distinction can be seen, the choice must be made, and all will pursue only one of two paths – towards the Light or remaining in darkness. This then is the reason for the Christmas story. It is the reason for the otherwise unimaginable thing which God has done. He has come to give us Light, if we will but just choose it.

We are here today to worship the King of the Universe, the manifestation of the unseen Father in human flesh, to behold the marvel of the Light which shines forth for us and which came to us in the most astonishing way of all. heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou – “She was found with Child through the Holy Spirit.”

God created all things out of nothing. He created something separate from Himself and yet which is contained within His omnipresence. And then He joined together with that which He created – all for the sake of frail, fallible, rebellious beings who otherwise had no hope at all.

In that stupendously marvelous act, He has given us a choice. We can continue on in the darkness, or we can come to the Light. There is no tunnel of light for us to choose after death – I’m sorry, it doesn’t work that way. There is only continued darkness which will span eternal ages. But there is a Light which we can come to now, and in so doing we are surrounded with Light which shall never end, no nor even fade.

God did this thing for us, for you. The perfection of Jesus Christ is seen from His moment of conception, through His birth in a lowly manger, in each step He ever took, and in each word He ever spoke. The perfection of Jesus Christ is seen in His torturous death on a wooden cross, and it is seen in the resurrection which came just days later.

The Child in the womb, the Baby in the manger, the Teacher on the mountain, the lifeless Body on the cross, and the Man standing victorious over death itself all speak of a wisdom and a love which spans the eons of time and the length and breadth of the universe itself. All things make sense when we ponder what God has done, and which started in the sudden flash of Light in the womb of Mary. heurethe en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou – “She was found with Child through the Holy Spirit.”

Praise God for Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise God for His infinite love, poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Lord. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Closing Verse: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” 1 John 1:1-4

Next Week: Exodus 40:1-16 Paths, and Lights, and even Lambs… (Seven I Am’s) (104th Exodus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if the world around you seems dark, there is the Light of Christ to guide you back to your heavenly Father. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Light of the World

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After the betrothal of His mother Mary had come around
Before they came together
She was with Child of the Holy Spirit found

Then Joseph her husband
Being a just man, righteousness he did display
And not wanting to make her a public example
Was minded to put her secretly away

But while he thought about these things
Behold, an angel of the Lord
Appeared to him in a dream, saying
This he did say, his spoken word

“Joseph, son of David
Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife
For that which is conceived in her
Is of the Holy Spirit; the Divine spark of Life

And she will bring forth a Son
And you shall call His name Jesus
For He will save His people from their sins
He is God’s Christmas Child; holy and marvelous

And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, I know that you agree
You are little among the thousands of Judah, it is so
Yet out of you shall come forth even unto Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel, My word is true you know

His goings forth are from of old
From everlasting, thus you have been told

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon
Her who is distressed or in agony
As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali

And afterward more heavily oppressed her
By the way of the sea
Beyond the Jordan it shall occur
In an area of the Gentiles around the land of Galilee

The people who walked in darkness
It is they who have seen a great Light
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death
Upon them has shined a light so bright

You have multiplied the nation
And likewise its joy you have increased
They rejoice before You with great ovation
According to the time of harvest, a joy which will not be ceased

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil
When they receive the bounty and no longer toil

For You have the yoke of his burden broken
And the staff of his shoulder is taken away
The rod of his oppressor no longer an unfriendly token
As in the time of Midian, when he was destroyed that day

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle
And garments roooooolled in blood
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire, worthless chattel
Useless implements overtaken by time’s great flood

Praise God O Israel, For unto us a Child is born
Praise the Lord Land of Judah, For u nto us a Son is given
And the government shall upon His shoulder be worn
And through Him shall man’s sins be forgiven

And His name will be called Wonderful
The Counselor and Mighty God is He
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pure and white as wool
Of the increase of His government and peace no end shall we see

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom’s realm
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever, He at the helm
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

The scepter shall not depart from Judah
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet
Until Shiloh comes and we shout Hallelujah
And to Him the obedience of the people shall be sweet

This helpless baby lying in a manger
Will rule the world in everlasting peace
Through Him will come security with no danger
And the rule of His glory shall never, never cease

All praise to our stupendous Lord of glory
Yes, all honor to this precious King
Praising God for the wondrous Christmas story
Let all the Lord’s redeemed shout aloud and sing

Hallelujah and Amen…