Mary’s Conception

Six months after the angel, Gabriel, announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias, he appeared unto Mary, Elisabeth’s cousin (Zacharias’ wife). On this occasion he would pronounce the great tidings that she would miraculously give birth to Israel’s Messiah:

“Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

In accordance with Jewish practice, Mary was only betrothed to Joseph at this time. A betrothal was legally binding and could only be voided by divorce. Even so, the marriage usually did not come until some time later, perhaps a year. Consequently, the idea that she would conceive in her womb, without the means of human procreation, led her to ask, “how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34).

It was in response to her simple question the angel declared the miraculous nature of her conception. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God…For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:35, 37). Her conception occurred just as the angel proclaimed. Matthew records “When…Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together [had sexual relations], she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18).

Jesus was not conceived by means of an earthly human father. As Gabriel declared, He is the Son of the Highest, the Son of God. Isaiah prophesied his miraculous incarnation 700 years earlier. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6; emphasis added).

Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus presented himself as the Son of God. The Jewish leaders took exception to his claim and “sought the more to kill him, because he…said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Jesus is more than a prophet or a good example to follow. He is and claims to be the Son of God. His claim cannot be swept away. What will you do with Jesus?

Is Christ in My Christmas?

Luke records for us one of the most familiar passages in all the Scriptures, the birth of Christ. It begins, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, begin great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:1-7).

We have in this passage the record of the very first Christmas. We continue to acknowledge this sacred event even today, over 2,000 years later. But has it retained its significance, or have we allowed it to be transformed into something very different than those early observers saw? I’m sure that there will be many gatherings on Christmas day characterized by feasts of every kind and the exchange of gifts one to another. It is, after all, the consummation of many preparations including outdoor lights, decorated trees, exhaustive shopping sprees, viewing the annual array of Christmas movies, and social gatherings of every kind packed into a very busy “holiday” season.

But Christmas is about Christ. Without Christ there is no Christmas. Yet, his name seldom surfaces as we gather around the tree to exchange gifts or around the table to share in our bounty. Let’s face it, it takes work to keep Christ in the forefront of our Christmas celebrations. The timeless message of the true Christmas and the joy of its promise, a Savior, are eclipsed by the trappings of our modern Christmas celebrations as well as the sentimental yearnings for Christmases past which are enshrined in our memories.

Luke holds that promise before us. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8-11; emphasis added).

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior, and the unveiling of God’s plan of redemption for those in the bondage of sin. It is, indeed, good tidings! Have you received Christ? Is he at the center of your Christmas celebrations or is he a stranger to your festivities and looking on from the shadows?

John’s Message of Repentance

In the days immediately preceding the Lord’s earthly ministry, John the Baptist arose on the scene “preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3). Repentance was (and still is) the necessary preparation of the heart to receive the Lord. There can be no forgiveness (remission) of sins without repentance and only the Lord can forgive sins. Luke, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, testified that this message was the very heart of John’s ministry. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth” (Luke 3:4-5).

Repentance demands a change of mind about one’s sin and results in a change of practice, a turning away from that sin. Luke gives three responses by those who heard John’s message that demonstrate the results of true repentance. The first of these responses demands contentment with enough that we might be generous with those who have need. “And the people asked him [John], saying, what shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise” (Luke 3:10-12).

Avarice, extreme greed, is an evil that lies near to the heart of every man. We must learn contentment. Jesus himself taught that “take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15). Paul wrote to Timothy “the love of money is the root of all evil” (I Timothy 6:10).

The second response that John demanded was to show integrity in commerce. “Then came also the publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, exact no more than that which is appointed you” (Luke 3:12-13). The publicans were the tax collectors for the Roman government. They were required to collect a certain amount for the government, but anything above that they kept for themselves. Consequently, they often took great liberty levying taxes which far exceeded what they would remit to Rome. Taking advantage of one’s fellow man in business is a practice as old as man himself, but it is condemned by the God who made all men. “A just weight and balance are the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag are his work” (Proverbs 16:11).

The final response demanded faithfulness under authority. “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do? And he said unto them, do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14). John’s response to them required that the soldiers confine their service to the scope of their authority and that they not use their position to unjustly harm others, including plundering their belongings.

True repentance requires that we acknowledge and turn from sinful practices in our lives. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I John 1:8-10).

A Prayer is Heard

The Gospel of Luke opens by introducing us to “a certain priest named Zacharias…and his wife…Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years” (Luke 1:5-7). God chose this faithful couple, elderly and childless, to become the parents of John the Baptist.

Zacharias was performing his duties as a priest, burning incense before the Lord in the temple, when “there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11). The altar of incense was inside The Holy Place immediately in front of the veil which prevented access to The Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies and that but once a year on the Day of Atonement.

Naturally, when Zacharias saw the angel, he was both troubled and fearful. “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacarias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John” (Luke 1:13). We are not told exactly what his prayer was, but we can conclude from the context that he and his wife had prayed for a child. It is likely that those prayers had ceased long ago since they were both now quite elderly. Perhaps, he and his wife were resigned to the fact that they would have no children.

Yet the angel tells Zacharias that his prayer is heard. God never forgets the prayers of his children. He always answers them, either yes, no, or wait. Often, they are answered in a manner that is quite different than expected. But he answers our prayers!

Evidently, Zacharias had become so convinced with every passing year that he and Elisabeth would have no children that he could not bring himself to believe what the angel had said. “And Zacharias said unto the angel, whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years” (Luke 1:18). We must not be too hard on him. We know how our own confidence dissipates as time goes by and our prayers are seemingly unheard. Time, however, is of no consequence to God. He is the “same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

The ability of God to answer our prayers is never in question. The LORD challenged Jeremiah “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). Job, amid his great loss and suffering declared “I know that thou canst do everything” (Job 42:2).

God, in his grace, promised a son to Zacharias despite his unbelief. The angel rebuked him for his unbelief and failure to rest in the source of the promise. “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season” (Luke 1:19-20).

Child of God, your prayer is heard. Believe it.

Wisdom from Above

James’ epistle teaches us that true Christianity is a product of the new birth and results in a genuinely changed life – one that desires to glorify God.  This new life manifests itself in our speech.  This is natural when we recognize our speech reveals what is in our heart.  When God gives us a new heart, it follows that we have a new vocabulary!

But James goes beyond our speech to our whole manner of life.  He asks a penetrating question – who is a wise man? How can we recognize him? A genuinely wise man (or woman), James tells us, will “show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13).   When he speaks of a good conversation, he is speaking about his manner of life. A wise man shows his wisdom by the way he lives. It adds credibility to his speech.

He is able to do this because he is governed by what James refers to as “wisdom from above.”

There is a wisdom that is not from above. It is earthly, sensual, devilish.  This is the wisdom of unregenerate man, of the life before Christ. It is the wisdom of pride that leads to envying and strife and bitterness. But the wisdom that is from above, James tells us, is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3: 17).

That’s a mouthful. To put it in other words, a genuinely wise man is governed by that which God says is wise. His life is marked first by purity. By implication he is bound to truth. A man that is pure will necessarily love truth. It cannot be otherwise. Secondly, he is a lover of peace and, therefore, pursues it. Note, however, that purity precedes peace. True wisdom always looks for peace but never at the expense of truth. Why is that? Remember, this wisdom is from above, from God himself and God is truth. He cannot lie and will never act contrary to his nature.

Consequently, those who follow this wisdom are gentle and easily entreated.  They do not push themselves on others.  In fact, they put others before their own interests and desires. They are not impatient with the weaknesses or frailties of others. Ultimately, those filled with wisdom from above sincerely love others and show no favoritism in that expression of love.

This wisdom cannot be purchased online, manufactured from within, or borrowed from a friend. It is from above. Its author is God and He gives it to his children. Even so, it requires his grace to walk in its light day by day.

The Road of False Teaching

There is only one gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since the days of the early church, Satan, the destroyer of men’s souls, has provided many imitations of the true and only gospel. But there is at least one thing these false or pseudo-gospels have in common. They cannot save from sin nor deliver the soul from hell.

Paul warned the Galatian believers of those who would lead them astray from the truth. He wrote to them “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another: but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7). False teachers, “some that trouble you”, were at work in Paul’s day and they have been at work throughout church history.

Nonetheless, it is certain that these false teachers are under the judgment of Christ. Again, Paul reminded his audience “he that troubleth you shall bear his judgement, whosoever he be” (Galatians 5:10). Perhaps, this warning was meant to find its way to these perverters of truth and serve to turn them to the truth. Without such repentance, these purveyors of falsehood forfeit their own souls no matter their position or station in life.

Paul had to warn these dear saints in Galatia and many others on different occasions. This fact continues to stand as a warning to believers to this day. False teaching abounds! We must ever be on the lookout. Peter wrote “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith” (I Peter 5:8-9). We must hold every teaching, every instruction, every practice to the lens of Scripture for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Then and only then can we resist steadfast in the faith.

The danger of giving ourselves over to falsehood necessitates that we be sober and vigilant. Satan does not attack us with boldfaced lies that gain no traction with our sensibilities. Rather, as rat poison is 99% pure corn, so are Satan’s devices subtle, inviting to the simple and the foolish. Often we fall prey to his wiles because we do not look circumspectly at those things we are encouraged or invited to believe. Solomon, the wisest of men, wrote “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:25-27).

Every one of us is on the road carved out by our own choices. Those choices reflect what, or better yet, who we believe. Belief in a false gospel places one on a road that heads straight to hell. We all do well to regularly stop and examine the road we are traveling. That is what it means to ponder the path of our feet. What is the road you are traveling? Where is that road leading? It shows what and who you believe.

Loving as Christ Loved

The Apostle Paul taught the Galatian believers that the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ purchased their liberty from sin, both its penalty and its power. Therefore, they were no longer to be governed by self-love, but use this liberty to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). Paul went on to remind them “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). Consequently, he exhorted them “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Frankly, in life’s daily repertoire of personal encounters, doing good unto others is seldom our first choice. Yet the Scriptures teach us that this was the very pattern of Christ himself. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good…for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ gave some instructive insight to this matter of doing good that provides us with eternal values that are to be lived out in time.

He began by teaching that love goes beyond what is expected. “But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28). It is probably safe to say that few, if any, of us think in these terms when it comes to our enemies. Yet this command comes under the “good” we are called to do. To our surprise, our enemies are included in “all men”.  

He went on to say “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). By saying this he taught that love seeks occasion, it is proactive. As we’ve read, the Lord himself went about doing good and we are to be like him. An outgrowth of this admonition is that love is more than mere reciprocation. Again, he warned “if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even the same.”

Our expression of love is not self-seeking, but governed by an eternal perspective. “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:35). We do not do good for earthly gain, but instead we should desire the reward of our heavenly Father. Consequently, in his likeness, we are to show kindness to the unthankful and to the evil. Yet how readily are we offended by the ingratitude of many that we encounter.

Christ’s Sermon on the Mount offered much to consider when it comes to what genuine godly love looks like in its “working clothes”. We take note of his teaching and shrink back from its claims. In ourselves there is no strength to live and walk in such a manner toward our fellow man. But God has given to his children the power to do good in the person of his Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus set the example in this matter for we read that he went about doing good because God had anointed him “with the Holy Ghost and with power”.  

As his children “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). If Christ is our Savior, we have his Spirit. We are to walk as he walked and love as he loved.

Looking on the Things of Others

Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Philippians 2:4). He was instructing his audience to be mindful of the state of affairs pertaining to those around them, whether spiritual or material. Paul was not advocating that they should be nosy or meddling, but rather that they should minister aid as opportunity permitted. To be contrary to what Cain implicitly maintained, we are our “brother’s keeper” (Genesis 4:9). Underpinning this admonition is the fundamental principle that God intends for believers to “serve one another with love” (Galatians 5:13).

One way that we serve one another is by ministering to spiritual need. Paul commanded the Galatians, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). As a Christian, we should be concerned for a brother or sister that has fallen into a sin and seek to help them see its destructive influence and overcome the sin. This must be done prayerfully, scripturally, and humbly in love. To help a brother or sister walk in obedience to the Lord is indeed loving. Unfortunately, it is too often the case that our own example gives little credence to a loving voice of concern and we are viewed as hypocrites. We must love the expression of truth in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Another way that we serve one another is by helping to bear the heavy burdens that fall to each of us in the course of our lives. Immediately after Paul wrote of helping those overtaken in a fault, he wrote “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ…But let every man prove his own work…for every man shall bear his own burden” (Galatians 6:2-5). Paul’s instruction seems contradictory. On one hand, we are to bear one another’s burdens, but on the other hand, we are to bear our own burdens.

The answer lies in the two different Greek words used for “burdens”. The first “burden” has to do with an overly heavy weight. There are burdens in life that come to each of us that are not intended to be born alone, e.g., the death of a loved one, overwhelming sickness, job loss, etc.  It is on these occasions where we seek God’s direction how we might minister to such needs that afflict our brothers or sisters.

The second “burden” is a word that has reference to the freight of a ship, its cargo. Specifically, it has reference to what the ship was designed to carry. In this case we are reminded that each of us has our own duties and responsibilities that belong to us in the various roles we play, e.g., husband/wife, employee, neighbor, etc. God intends for us to bear these ourselves and, consequently, not be a burden to others.

There are many ways that the Lord intends for us to help others in their journey. Perhaps, the larger issue for us is that we haven’t made it past “looking on [our] own things”. To minister to others, I must move beyond myself first.

Cut Off From the World

Have you ever thought that you just don’t fit in? I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves at one time or another feeling ill at ease with our surroundings as though we just did not belong there. For the Christian that should be a common or recurring experience as we make our journey through this life. The Apostle Paul understood well the nature and cause of this estrangement from the world in which we live. He wrote to the Galatian believers, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

Those in Paul’s day were well familiar with the cross. Rome had proliferated its use as a means of death. But Paul has reference to our Savior’s cross upon which he died in our place for our sins. It is through this cross that Paul was crucified unto the world and the world unto him. And this is true for every Christian.

Listen to Paul’s explanation of this phenomenon. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). The Christian is a new creation created in Christ Jesus through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Our new life in Christ is in polar opposition to the world and all of its ways. The Apostle John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:15-16). Christ prayed for his followers because they had been delivered from this world. “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:14-17).

What it boils down to is this. When Christ saved us, he made us new creations. We have new life that is not compatible with this world’s affections and pursuits, which are in opposition to all that pleases God. We are now citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and we “look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10). As we increasingly follow Christ’s word, his life in us becomes more evident. As a result, this world grows less attractive to us and the world’s hatred for our Savior as seen in us more apparent. As the old song teaches us, “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through”.

But our heavenly journey is not without an earthly purpose. Christ prayed to the Father, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world…neither pray I also for these alone, but for them which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:18-20). It belongs to us to testify for Christ in the paths that he has placed us that others may come to know him.

Is heaven your home? Or, are you comfortable in this present world? Are you becoming more like the Savior? Or, is his word far removed from you? In essence, are you related to Christ or to this world?

Abstain from Fornication

Many Christians struggle to know the will of God for their lives. What profession should I pursue? Should I get married? How will I know the “right” one? Where should I settle down? All of these considerations are natural to man. As believers, we can be confident that God has a plan for our lives. Yet much of God’s will for us is already recorded in the Scriptures and we pass by it.

One such testimony concerning God’s revealed will is found in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. He writes “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” (I Thessalonians 4:3). There are three important considerations in this brief statement worthy of attention.

First, Paul indicates that what he is about to say is God’s will. He is not making a suggestion or sharing a recommended guideline for living. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he is proclaiming God’s determined purpose and plan for those who know Him as their heavenly Father. Our response is to obey. There are no other acceptable responses.

Second, it is God’s will that His children are sanctified. The word means to be set apart, especially in the context of holiness. In fact, later in this same passage and context, Paul declares “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thessalonians 4:7). Peter confirms this expectation of God when he quotes from the Old Testament in his first epistle. “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [behavior]; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Peter 1:15-16).

Third, the specific outworking of sanctification in this context is that we should “abstain from fornication”. The Greek word translated fornication here is the word from which we get our English word pornography. The word used in this passage and elsewhere in the Scriptures embraces every kind of sexual sin – adultery, harlotry, homosexuality, lesbianism, sodomy, pedophilia, and every other kind of sexual uncleanness. Our society has turned its head away from condemning these practices, but be assured God has not. We are told “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). God created marriage and its sexual intimacies. He will judge those who despise his command and pervert this gift.

Modern America is given over to sexual promiscuity. One would have to be willfully ignorant to think otherwise. Humor, advertising, clothing, entertainment, and just about every other arena of life has been touched to one degree or another by a growing appetite for sexual expression. We would do well to earnestly reflect on the will of God in this matter of fornication. Often, sin’s encroachment is subtle, barely noticeable, as it makes its way into our daily path. But once we have grown comfortable to its presence, it becomes bolder in claiming new areas in our lives. Even so, what God has commanded, he enables us to do. God help us to abstain from fornication.