The Christmas Story - What’s In A Name

 What is the Bible all about? Jesus and the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus is very important part of the Bible and most people think that Luke chapter 2 gives us the best picture of Jesus’ birthday.  But the Christmas Story is all over the Bible and we are going to try and bring a few other parts into the story this year and also look at another important part of the story - names.

 I want to start in Luke 1:26-32

A few months before Jesus was born God sent the angel Gabriel to talk to Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will have a son, and you shall call his name Jesus (which means God saves). He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (God). 

I started here so we could see where Jesus got his name.  Now in those days names were very important and you could have other names that could tell people about you - kind of like nicknames. Here we see Jesus is also called Son of the Most High. So let’s see how many names we can see in the rest of the story.

Luke 2:1-14

The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And 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, to be registered with Mary…who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And 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.

Did you know that over 600 years before Jesus was born the prophet Isaiah talked about the birth of Jesus and told us just how special this child would be…

Isaiah said…

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

See all the names that tell us Jesus is so special. Wonderful Counselor which tells us Jesus is our special help, our guide for life, Mighty God which means Jesus is powerful enough to overcome any problems we might have, Everlasting Father reminding us that Jesus will love us forever, and Prince of Peace which tells us that Jesus can calm any troubles. And there is more so let’s keep going.

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. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 

More names, Savior (which means one who rescues) and, Christ the Lord ( which means King of Kings) and guess what there is more. Also did you notice that the angel said this special baby in a manger was a sign? Now Matthew a disciple of Jesus explains why we needed this sign.  Matthew tells us that all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

“Behold, Mary shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 

Wow another name and there are even more. But in this Christmas story what does this mean for us? It means for a very long time people were waiting and waiting and waiting for a sign, waiting for the greatest gift, waiting for the best news ever, waiting for a baby to be born in a barn, wrapped in rags, a baby named Jesus who is great, who is the Son of God, who would be our wonderful helper in all things, who would be mighty and more powerful than any problems, who would be the one that will bring us peace and comfort. The one that will be with us and love us forever and ever…but there is a little more to the story that shows us how to react to this good news.

So let’s finish…And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”

Merry Christmas!

Thoughts On A Tuesday Before A Major Storm

Psalm 63:1-2, 6-8

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory…when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

My Take: Father God, my soul searches, my heart longs for you in this wet and hurricane infested land. Through the forecast updates and storms of the night that are in my mind it is clear you are our only hope. And because of that hope, that eternal and gospel hope, because you are our God, I will dwell in your presence, I will find joy in knowing it is you that upholds us!

Abba Father, we love you - Amen and Amen

Psalm 107:28-32

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

My Take: Father God, we cry out in the trouble of this storm and come what may we thank you for your indescribable love, for your wondrous works, the many blessings, the grace we have in Christ!

Daniel 3:17-18 

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

My Take: Father God, we absolutely know you are able to calm this storm, we don’t know if you will , but we know you can.  And if you don’t our faith, our love, our adoration for you will not be shaken.

Job 1:21b

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

My Take: Father God, it is so easy to praise you in the good times but so important to praise you in the storms of life.

Looking For Love (In all the wrong places)

  

Thessalonians 2:19-20

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

This reminds me of the old song from the movie Urban Cowboy; ‘Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places.’ John Stott says that “In verses 19 and 20…Paul asks rhetorical…questions which expresses his great love…What Paul seems to mean is that his joy in this world and his glory in the next are tied up with the Thessalonians whom Christ…has so obviously transformed.”

I think Paul is reminding us that we often look for joy in the temporal circumstances of this broken world. We boast and find joy in the fish we catch, our conquests, masteries, our abilities. And while we may find some happiness in these things, these things shall surely fade away. Perhaps Our boast before the Lord should be, we are his! Perhaps we should find and give our love because Jesus first loved us! Perhaps we should live happy, joyful lives filled with love because of our transformation in Christ…

Grace and Peace!

Come and See

 

Psalm 66:5, 8-9, 20

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man…Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip…Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.

Derek Kidner says this Psalm shows us the “God of all-of many-of one.” It is an amazing and hopeful reminder. This remarkable Psalm shows us that we have a God that provides, for all even the broken like me, that we have a God that protects our weary and troubled souls, that no matter our circumstances God will not reject our prayers, that through it all God loves us always and anyway.

James Boice said of this Psalm; “For whatever our triumphs may be, they are always by the grace of God and we must say, “To God alone be glory.”

Amen and my response to this Psalm is a joyful praise to the God that helps me, that hears me, that loves me still…

Grace and Peace!

Stay Thirsty My Friends

 

Psalm 63:1-3

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

I’ve read this Psalm many times, but recently it occurred to me that when we realize the vast wasteland of our existence and our desperate need of rescue, how could we not have this overwhelming desire for God Almighty in all His Power and Glory? As we wearily approach our only hope and see that he loves us no matter what, when despite any circumstances we are secure for all eternity, how could we not praise Him?  

In John 4:13-14, Jesus said “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

That to me is the very definition of eternal hope. It shows us a gospel fueled life, an enduring love.

Chris Benefield said this about Psalm 63:

“Storms will come; winds will blow; life will bring situations that we had rather not face. But even then we are secure in the shadow of His wings. He has covered us with His abundant mercy. We are secure in His mighty hand. He is our portion and our stay. What could possibly come my way that the Lord would be unable to handle?”

In the mid 1600s, Thomas Ken wrote a hymn that has come to be known as ‘The Doxology.’  It seems appropriate to end with this…

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Grace and Peace!

Grace

 

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…

I’ve been thinking a lot about grace, my daily need of it and how life can be at times a real struggle. I read that God’s grace is his unmerited favor. And boy I sure can corner the market on unmerited!

There is a country song out titled Need A Favor by Jason DeFord (Jelly Roll). It has this lyric: 

“Who the hell am I, to expect a savior?

If I only talk to God, when I need a favor?

But God, I need a favor.”

That is so me. Seems all I do is ask for favors. I give our great, loving and merciful God a to do list, but it seems every day I do need a favor.

It is during my struggles that I realize that my only true hope, my only hope is unmerited favor, that my only hope is the favor of God. And as I worry and fret it hits me that because of God’s love, because of Christ’s finished and complete work, because of grace, I am granted favor. Because of grace, I am saved. And that is good, refreshing, restoring news!

Hallelujah and thank you Jesus! And boy do I need a favor!

Grace and Peace!

Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all those providing mother relationships to the world. Moms, mom-in-laws, wives, sisters, daughters, nieces, cousins, aunts, friends, mentors, and neighbors…

Proverbs provides us a picture of these mother influences.

Proverbs 31:25-29

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

And in Isaiah we see the loving comfort of God and the loving comfort provided by our mother influences. 

Isaiah 66:12a, 13a, 14a

For thus says the LORD:

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you…

You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice…

This day I see and I am thankful and rejoicing for all the strong, wise, kind and caring mother influences in my life. 

Grace and Peace!

Grace and Peace

Philippians 1:1-2

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So much in the two opening verses of Philippians but the big idea for me is that grace is required for any real, true, shalom peace, at least for me. I know grace is the only way we have peace with God. But oh how I need grace to have that internal peace deep down in my broken, selfish, prideful, sinful soul. God’s grace secured for us by Jesus is the one thing that late at night and in my darkest times allows my heart, mind and soul to rest!

James Boice reminds that “Grace is the unmerited and abounding favor of God toward men and peace is the result of that favor. It is the result of the reconciliation of man and God through Jesus’ death - peace obtained at the cross of Christ.”

Serven and Griffith tell us that: “The word Saint does not mean a perfect person. The Bible talks about how a Saint is someone who has been chosen by God, who has been set apart by God, who had been loved by God with a special love. But saints aren’t better people. They are just as messed up as the rest of us…that doesn’t change the fact that saints are loved by God and set apart by him. They are still loved by Christ and forgiven by him. This love motivates them, albeit inconsistently, to live more God-pleasing lives.”

With the grace of God, even an imperfect and broken Saint like me can find peace…

Grace and Peace y’all!

Psalm Thoughts

 

Psalm 46:1, 7-11

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

John Stott wrote “we live in an epoch of crisis.” This seems especially true these days. This Psalm gives me comfort in trying times, this doesn’t mean we won’t have trying and very difficult times, but it reminds me that Jesus is with us through it all, he is a present help in our times of trouble, our fortress here and now, our gain for all eternity.  

It is said that with his dying breath John Wesley exclaimed; “The best of all is, God is with us.”

So in these crazy days, let’s remember that God is God and he is with us!

Easter 2023

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Oh how I need the message of Easter, especially this year. In all my brokenness, in a time where I seem to get swallowed by my fears and shortcomings, where it seems I am driven by my doubts and insecurities, surrounded by a world of brokenness, and at times I have just this hopeless feeling. 

But, Easter tells me I can rest, I can be at peace because with Jesus it is finished. It shouts to me that I can be hope-filled and joyful because it will be so much better farther on. It proves to me that I can be thankful in all circumstances.  It assures me that I am redeemed, forgiven and steadfastly loved. And it inspires me to be amazed by the riches of God’s grace!  

Oh Lord how I need you everyday and wonderfully Easter convinces me that no matter what you are with us…

Happy Easter Everyone - He has risen! 

Lessons From James

The book of James has a strange impact on me. It causes me to struggle. There is tension - Gospel tension. With 59 commands in 108 verses how do I reconcile these commands and my inability to live up to these commands. James merely shows me my hopeless state, and yet if we look closely in James there is hope, Gospel Hope.  It seems to me, James is pointing me to Jesus. Point is not strong enough, it sends me running to Jesus, it humbles me, it shows me that grace is the only hope for me, a sinner. 

James teaches us that mercy triumphs over judgement (2:13) and reminds us the Lord is compassionate and merciful (5:11) and then shows us the hope we broken ragamuffins have in Christ with a simple yet overwhelming and breathtaking statement; ‘But he gives more grace!’ (4:6) Oh that amazing, healing, restoring grace! Thank you Lord Jesus. 

And Lord help me humbly walk along this path with a merciful and forgiving heart, with compassion and grace just as you have had mercy on me, forgiving me with the compassion and grace that only you can provide. 

You know God is love! 

Grace and peace!

Beautifully Broken

Warren Haynes has a song that is titled Beautifully Broken with a haunting (at least for me) chorus:

Beautifully broken

Shaped by the wind

Dangerously twisted

Here I go again

Here I go again

I know that I often feel this way on my walk in this broken world. But we have a very real and a very comforting assurance. Hebrews 2:11 assures us as follows:

…For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers…

This verse show us that with the help and presence of our loving and perfect big brother, we can turn from our present imperfections toward a less imperfect path with faith and trust in the future grace we will need.

What assurance we have, assurance that we now stand perfect and complete in the eyes of our Good, Good Father not because we are perfect now,  or because we are complete, but entirely because of the perfect and complete work of our big brother who is shaping us (sanctifying, setting apart, being made holy) step by step…day by day.

This is the perfect picture of oneness in Christ…the perfect picture of our perfect and holy and loving big brother leading us from beautifully broken to more beautiful and less broken! We know we are now traveling in grace and we can trust in future grace along the way!

Safe travels for sure…

Grace and peace!

Utter Dependence

Psalm 121:1-3

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Oh Father, in these crazy days I have become so aware of my (our) utter dependence on you! Forgive me  Father God for thinking I could do it on my own.  Yet how hopeful that my (our) help comes from you, the maker of heaven and earth!

So Father I cry out for help…help us with pandemics and variants, with political, social, economic, and racial divisions, with so many environmental and climate issues and for us on the Gulf Coast with this thing called red tide. 

Help me (us) be a little more like Jesus, inch by inch…step by step. Help us all to be kind to one another, to love and forgive and just care about others. 

And Father I don’t pretend to know your ways and I don’t know if you will help like I think of help, but I sure do know you can!  

Abba Father, trusting you and praying these things in the most beautiful and wonderful name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen! 

Dazed and Confused

 

Father God,

Psalm 138:7-8 says:

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

Oh Father, in a time, at least for me, of feeling lost and not a losing faith kind of lost as my faith seems to be growing, I am more amazed by you every day, my love for you is growing as I come to terms with the sacrifice you made to love me first.  This lost feeling is more a dazed and confused kind of feeling with all that is going on in the world, it’s a feeling of which direction and wondering what’s next.  

At times (lots of times) I do feel like I am walking in the midst of trouble filled with enemies while also recognizing that most of these so called troubles and enemies are of my own making. Yet you preserve my life, you deliver me and even more astounding is that you love me and will forever, and because of that love my purpose will be fulfilled even if I don’t see it or understand it right now. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

So, my prayer today is for the sojourners of this broken and crazy world (and aren’t we all sojourners). That we would continue to seek you first, that we would continue one step at a time despite the circumstances of life, the negative, the divisive, the concerning. That we would move forward by trusting you and not our understanding, that we would in all ways acknowledge you and your grace, your love and your oh so tender mercies. May we all press on in the knowledge no matter our path that you are with us always. May we all press on knowing that Christ has gone before us. May we all press on empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Abba Father, I love you too and pray in the astonishing name of Jesus Christ. 

Amen and Amen!