Reaching the Lost. Discipling the Saved. Sharing the Love of Jesus with Everyone.
My eyes have seen Your salvation.
Luke 2:30
Jesus redeems, renews, and moves us forward to a next thing we may not know or expect.
A new year; a new life in Christ.
Relationship not religion. — Jesus did it all and does it all to move us ahead.
Tonight is the culmination of our series and our waiting! It all comes down to this. To HIM; born for us!
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7
May the Lord bless your celebration o f the birth of the Savior, Jesus, through Whom you, too, are “wrapped Up In Love!”
Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
There are times we put on our best. For many that was for big, special occasions, like weddings, funerals, anniversaries, and Sundays. (Remember, “Sunday best” for clothes?)
There’s something to that. Something about dressing up in our best attire for special occasions. But it can go further than that. We can also tell some people by the clothes they wear. Military uniforms tell us branches, campaigns, and ranks. Royalty can be observed with crowns and ornate robes. And, in liturgical traditions, some pastors and priests can be differentiated by their garb.
This was true in Scripture as well. In fact, when God commanded the Israelites to build a tabernacle in the desert, He also gave detailed instructions on how the priests were to dress. The outfits were very ornate. They included many aspects, but one that I find interesting is the gems on the ephod (breastplate). There were twelve, each with the names of each tribe, so that when the priest entered into the “Holy of Holies” (or “Holiest Place”), their names would be born “as a continuing memorial before the LORD” (Exodus 28:29).
But we’re getting ready for Christmas. And we see a Savior born for us and bear our name before the Father, not with gems on an ornate breastplate, but through a manger and swaddling clothes!
There is a “great exchange” which takes place tonight: a priestly intercessor for the Great intercessor. Our wretched sins for His perfection. Our worst for His best. Our hurts and pains born by Him on the cross. Our shame on His cross. Our attempt at a holy projection for the Holy One, naked and dying.
Is dressing up in our best good? Sure! But seeing the One born humbly in the manger; the One who died naked on a cross, well, that’s infinitely better!
Through faith in the One born for us, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: we have been clothed and covered with a robe of righteousness, so our soul will exalt!
O Come, O come, Immanuel!
Jonah 3:6
The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
This is a tough one. It involved being “clothed” in sackcloth and ashes. (A far cry from “Louis Vuitton” or whatever the fashionable wear is now!)
Jonah was dreading this. He knew of Nineveh’s true, utter, undisputed wickedness cruelty. And he also knew of God’s mercy for those who repent. In the off chance Nineveh would head God’s Word, Nineveh would be spared and their evil continue.
And that’s what happened.
What a disaster!
But this is precisely the point of God’s call for repentance – a turning from sin and back toward God and His ways.
So what does that have to do with clothing or sackcloth and ashes?
Being clothed in sackcloth and ashes was a sign of one’s sorrow and repentance. A sign that they were truly sorry for what they had done.
God didn’t spare the people of Nineveh because they changed their cloths and got a little dirty. He spared them because they changed their hearts and saw that they were very dirty.
The call is for us, too. We are called to repentance. True repentance. Soulful repentance. Deep repentance. Full repentance. Not an outward change of clothing or actions, but an inward transformation of the heart which produces from our very being a want and desire to change our actions.
If our repentance is done only for God and others to see, well, God sees through that; and He isn’t fooled. He wants to see that our sins, which break His heart have broken ours too. He wants to see that the actions He despises are despised by us too. He wants to see our hearts in sackcloth and ashes because we see the seriousness of our sins.
But He doesn’t leave us there! Where there is faith in Jesus there is forgiveness of our sins! Where there is confession sins there is mercy freely given! Where we were covered in ashes, He has traded us Light. Where we were drowning in sorrow and mourning, He has lifted us to peace and rejoicing. Where we wallowed in despair and hopelessness, He has stood us up in Life and hope.
Take to heart your sins, for they are serious.
Even more, take in His heart the forgiveness of all your sins through faith in Jesus, for it is certain and everlasting!
Genesis 37:3
Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
Jealousy is ugly in people. It produces hurts and feelings of inferiority. It feeds insecurities and wounds to the core of who we are, what we do, and our feelings of importance within the scheme of things. It focuses us on others, then ourselves, instead of working toward God’s good and the common good.
This can be especially true in families and for siblings. Comparisons of favor – perceived or real – can be the cause for emotional and spiritual wounds that can last a lifetime.
The story of Joseph and his father’s display of favoritism toward him in this special coat give evidence of this and the consequences that can follow.
He is sold into slavery and communicated dead to his father.
Flagrant hubris displayed through clothing produced devastating jealousy.
But that’s not where things end.
God used Joseph and the special gifts He blessed him with to save people – including those who were hurt by him and, in turn, hurt him.
God used this favorite son of Jacob to save his family, a country, and countless others!
But it goes even further: Joseph as a type of Christ!
Said differently: God’s one and only, special Son saved all!
Are we to be jealous of Jesus’ place? Of the clothing He had to wear to accomplish salvation? That would be foolish.
So it is also foolish to be jealous and hurt by others God is using for His purposes, whatever they are.
And here’s another truth: God blessed you with special, unique gifts and abilities to do His will, too! Gifts and abilities He didn’t give anyone else.
He has clothed you in your beautiful, unique skin and package to work, will, and share a message that clothes and saves others. To share Him in everything you do.
That is a truth we can all celebrate and never have to be jealous of!
Genesis 3:21
And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
The first clothes we find in the Bible are all the way back in Genesis. Adam and Eve have just committed the first sin, corrupting humanity and all creation, plunging them into a fall that fundamentally separates from connection and intimacy with God.
The importance of this rebellion cannot be overlooked or minimized. It forever changed the course of history. It brought with it death and sin and shame. A shame that needed to be dealt with. Put off. Covered.
Adam and eve tried to cover this colossal mistake with fig leaves. But that won’t do. A simply external covering will not – can not – cover the sin itself. Sin demands death. It demands the shedding of blood. And so God shows His first act of mercy in not shedding the blood of Adam and Eve, but instead making the first sacrifice of an animal. Spilling its blood to cover the sin and its hide to cover the nakedness.
Whatever your sin and shame is, through faith in Jesus it is covered. Atoned for. On the cross. Forever. His blood covered your sin. His resurrection covers your shame.
“Thank You, Lord, for covering us in every way and restoring us to You!”
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
Revelation 1:3
I love Revelation chapter 21. The description of the new heaven and earth is staggering in beauty and scale and exceeds of what we could conceive.
But as it is the Last Sunday of the Church Year when we look toward Christ’s return, it is fitting to think about the reality of what awaits those who believe in Jesus.
The real beauty, I think, is that this description probably doesn’t do justice to the reality. I think it is the best way a finite people with a limited language and understanding could paint a picture of the beauty of the Divine reality in store.
In parts of the description (not in today’s reading, we hear of things that defy our reality, like gold that is pure like glass.
Wow!
But as amazing as the description is that exceeds our understanding are parts that described that are both full of wonder and miracles in equal parts; like God wiping away all tears and no more pain; or, the very best news shared here: that in this place where we are headed, God dwells with us and we will be His people and He will be our God!
That is the very best and most amazing part of it all! That is our future! That is our heritage!
To have the almighty dwell us us! Forever!
That boggles the mind and should exceed any and every other aspect of the new creation!
Yes, Lord! Let it be!
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
We heard last week about being ready because the end really could be anytime and living as godly people every day. Today is similar but there is the added appeal: “encourage one another and build one another up.”
Let’s face it: life is already difficult. The end days will be difficult. Every day brings difficulties. That’s just as true for Christians. Just because we believe in Jesus doesn’t mean everything “comes up roses.” In fact, for some Christians – especially those in countries of persecution – being in Christ brings tremendous challenges.
So we are to help one another through it. We are to encourage each other. We are to “build up” each other.
I’d say, we know that with our head, but many times you would think there is no difference in the way Christians deal with each other as those who aren’t believers. There is gossip, backstabbing, hurt feelings and not just a lack of encouragement, but active discouragement!
May this not be!
We are one Body in Christ! One! We are to love and depend on one another; not just because it makes living and sharing in this life bearable, but because not doing so discourages others from believing and inheriting eternal life at all!
Far be it from us to take part in this!
So let’s think about those who need building up and contact them with some encouragement today. Think about those with whom you have a chilly relationship and reach out to them with a word of humility.
Because this is how the Lord deals toward us in Jesus. This is how He has called us to act. This is how the world sees a differentiation between how we deal with each other and the way the rest of the world does. This is how we are to live as children of Light and not as children of this dark age.
We are in Christ Jesus! Let us, in Faith, live it in the way we treat one another. They way we encourage one another. The way we build each other up in Jesus!
In His name and for His glory!
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Matthew 25:13
The last several Sundays before Advent focus on the end times: Judgment Day, Jesus’ return, etc,
These are things we think about only abstractly. That is to say, we don’t really think about them and, when we do, we do so only as something more theoretical instead of something that could actually happen in our lifetime.
When Jesus tells us to “watch” and “be ready” we smile and nod as if to say, “yes” but our action belie the truth in our heart: we’ll play the odds that it’s not happening while we’re around, so we don’t really need to head this warning.
But the fact is, Jesus could indeed return during our lifetime and His commands to be ready actually apply to us. Now. Today.
But it goes deeper than that. We get lax, not only in our preparation for Jesus’ return, but we are lax in all of our sanctified, obedient living! We take much of the way we live in a way that communicates to ourselves and others: godly living can wait. I don’t need to really worship weekly. I don’t need to be in Bible studies. I don’t need to be in the Word daily. I don’t need to love or help that annoying person today. Mañana is good enough. There is always tomorrow to head His warning and living in Him. I’ve got enough other things to do today.
Not an option for the Christian; for the end times or today! “WATCH!” Now! Today! Everyday! You and I are followers now; today; everyday! Let’s live like it. Live in Him like there truly may be no tomorrow. Because there truly may not be. But every day, there is His love, grace, forgiveness, and life. And that reality is what motivates us to live in His calling. Now. Today. Everyday.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come!
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12
What’s wrong with wanting to feel good about yourself? Shouldn’t we have a strong sense of self-esteem? And if we’ve worked hard and earned position, why not have it attributed to us?
This is true, to a point. But we need to be aware of something: Conceit is easy. Humility is difficult.
Pride is oneself can easily displace glory that should be given to God. If we are wanting point to look up to us instead of to our heavenly Father, that’s a problem. If we want people to receive wisdom from us instead of God’s holy, inerrant Word, that’s a problem. If we want people to look to us instead of to Jesus, that’s a problem.
We must never get in the way of people seeing, seeking, and pursuing God. When we share, we share Christ, not us. When we teach, we teach Scripture, not us. When we seek glory, it is for God, not us.
And in so doing, they are edified and God is glorified!
It’s not about us. It’s always about the Lord! May He be praised! Always!
We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Romans 3:28
The message of the Reformation is as important today as ever, because its message is Scripture’s message: Justification by faith in Jesus apart from works.
That doesn’t diminish works; it elevates God’s Grace. It elevates the work of Jesus in His incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection. It elevates saving Faith in Jesus given through the Holy Spirit.
Because we are now justified, we revel in the opportunity to do God’s good works whenever and however we can!
Such an important, timeless, Biblical message!
You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14a, 16bc
Loving our neighbors is certainly ‘good, right, and salutary,’ but is it enough?
Don’t we also need to “share the Gospel of Jesus” with them?
Of course that is excellent and desired! But loving others is a good unto itself and shines a light that ultimately brings glory to God. Our good deeds draw attention to our good God.
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