Happy Birthday Jesus

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And going into the house they (the wise men) saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

I don’t know why the wise men chose to give these gifts to Jesus.  The Bible does not tell us why the wise men gave Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh.

These gifts were certainly fit for a king.  Frequently, in Bible times, kings or persons of distinction were given similar types of gifts.

The wise men had traveled a long distance to worship and honor Jesus.  Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were valuable. When the wise men presented these gifts to Jesus they were being very generous.

This group of Gentile wise men gave gifts to Jesus because they recognized Him as “the king of the Jews”.

Gold and frankincense and myrrh can be viewed as gifts with significant symbolic meanings.

Gold

Gold was the usual gift given to kings by their subjects or by those wanting to pay their respect.  Great achievements are often rewarded with gold.  Gold is often associated with wisdom.  A large amount of gold was used in the construction of the temple.

• When you think about the wise men giving Jesus gold, be reminded that
  Jesus is “King of kings and Lord of lords”.

Frankincense

When burned, frankincense produces a pleasing aroma.  Incense was used in worship, where it was burned as an offering to God.  Burning incense symbolized prayers rising to the heavens.

… and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. (Exodus 30:8 ESV)

Now while he (Zechariah) was serving as priest before God …, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense (on the altar of incense). And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. (Luke 1:8-10 ESV)

• When you think about the wise men giving Jesus frankincense, be reminded that
  Jesus deserves our worship.

Myrrh

In Bible times myrrh was used in embalming the dead

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.  So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. (John 19:39-40 ESV)

Myrrh was also used during crucifixions. Myrrh was mixed with wine and offered to Jesus when he was dying on the cross.

And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. (Mark 15:23 ESV)

• When you think about the wise men giving Jesus myrrh, be reminded that
  Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
What gifts are you giving to Jesus this Christmas?

Merry Christmas

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At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Throughout the year we should recognize and worship the Jesus who was introduced to us by Isaiah.  Isaiah describes Jesus as a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, an everlasting father, and the Prince of Peace.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.   (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

Reflect on the follow titles:

• Wonderful Counselor

Jesus gives counsel to men with supernatural wisdom that is far beyond human capabilities.

(Jesus) Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3 ESV)

• Mighty God

Christ, being the second person of the Trinity, is God.

 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23 ESV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 ESV)

Christ is the creator.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16 ESV)

Christ is the Savior of the world.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11 ESV)

• Everlasting Father

Christ has always existed, and will exist for all of eternity.

I (Christ) am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:13 ESV)

In the beginning was the Word, … (John 1:1)

Christ is the giver of eternal life.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28 ESV)

• Prince of Peace

Because of the work of Christ it is possible for man to be reconciled with God.  A broken relationship can be restored. We can be at peace with God.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10-11 ESV)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

JESUS

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36 NLT)

Merry Christmas

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Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  I enjoy the break from “work”; I enjoy Christmas parties; I enjoy gift exchanges;  I enjoy the food; I enjoy the special events at church;  I enjoy the TV specials;  I enjoy setting up our nativity set in the front yard.  My list of favorite Christmas activities goes on and on.

Far more important than the above list is the fact that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11 ESV)

 Christmas is the celebration of the time when God gave the world a special and unique gift.

  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17 ESV)

What an awesome gift!  This is a gift we all need.

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

This may be far more serious than some people think.  We will all face a day of judgment.  Consider the following scripture verses.

 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 ESV)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)

At the end of our time here on earth we will spend eternity in heaven or we will spend eternity in hell.  There are no other options.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:34 ESV)

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41 ESV)

It’s not difficult to determine your destination.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:18 ESV)

I hope you understand.  Christmas is a special and unique holiday. For everyone who has received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, Christmas is a special time of the year.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 ESV)

Merry Christmas

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A better question is, “Why do we need Jesus?”

Our need for Jesus becomes evident to us in the first book of the Bible.  The story begins in Genesis, chapter 3.

   The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?”
   The Woman said to the serpent, “Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It’s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don’t eat from it; don’t even touch it or you’ll die.’”
   The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”
   When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
   Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.
   When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.
   God called to the Man: “Where are you?”
   He said, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid.”
   God said, “Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?”
   The Man said, “The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it.”
   God said to the Woman, “What is this that you’ve done?”
   “The serpent seduced me,” she said, “and I ate.” (The Message)

 Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God.  This sin destroyed the perfect relationship that had existed between them and God.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— (Romans 5:12 ESV)

The consequence for Adam’s sin, death, was passed on to all men (us).

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 ESV)   the wages of sin is death… . (Romans 6:23 ESV)

Death means separation from God, or to put it plainly, death means spending eternity in hell.

 And that is why we need Christmas (Jesus).

Thankfully, God had a plan.

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22 ESV)

God loved the world.

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.    (John 3:16)

I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV)

 This is what Christmas is all about.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  (Luke 2:10-11)

… because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:8-10 ESV)

Merry Christmas 

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Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! (2 Corinthians 9:15 NLT)

Approximately 2700 years ago the prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus.

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 ESV)

About 700 years later this prophesy took place

She (Mary) will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:21-23 ESV)

Before the world was created, God knew that we all would need a Savior. God used Isaiah, and other prophets, to foretell the coming of Jesus.  A little more than 2000 years ago this prophecy was fulfilled.

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)

Thanksgiving (giving thanks) should never end for anyone who is a Christian.   Christians have something to be thankful for every day of the year.  His name is Jesus.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT)

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How much of the scriptures do you understand, and understand well?

You probably understand more scripture than you think you understand.

Take a moment to list 10 Biblical principles that are clear to you.  (If you need a starting point, go back and review the scriptures I used in previous posts.  Surely you understand many of these passages and can apply them to your life.)

Are you practicing the Biblical principles you know and understand?

All too often we get hung up on the passages of scripture that are confusing to us.  Just know that there are passages of scripture that you will not understand.   You are not accountable for the things that the Lord our God has chosen to keep “secret”.

“The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.  (Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT)

You are, however, accountable for all the Biblical truths that God has revealed to you.

Act on what you know about God’s will for your life.

 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)

If you ignore the Biblical truths that you have learned, you can expect “crashes” in your life.

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:26-27 NIV)

Don’t worry about the parts of scripture you don’t understand.  Rather, focus on doing everything that you know God wants you to be doing. This will radically change your life.

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (James 1:25 New Living Translation NLT)

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
(Psalm 118:1 NLT)

Have a happy Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalm 100:4 ESV)

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A reason to be thankful.

Christians truly have hope for future glory.  The better we understand that hope, the more thankful we will be, not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year.

Consider a small part of the Christian’s hope discussed in Romans 8:18-25 (NLT)

¹⁸ Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. ¹⁹ For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.  ²⁰ Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, ²¹ the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. ²² For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. ²⁴ We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. ²⁵ But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)  (Romans 8:18-25 NLT)

A careful study of this passage describes the Christian’s current condition and also reveals the future glory Christians will experience.

This is just a small part of what Christians have to look forward to in the future.

Christians do have a reason to be thankful.

Always be joyful.

Never stop praying.

Be thankful in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you

who belong to Christ Jesus.

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT)

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