Poor baby Jesus! He’s only a small child, and already his life is in danger, as we heard in the passage from Matthew 2:13-23. This passage is an example of how the events in the New Testament Gospels are the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. For example, the fact that Joseph is called to lead Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt parallels Jeremiah 31:15, where the Ephraimites were led into exile after the fall of Judah and Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. Jesus was led out of Egypt to save his people, just like Moses led the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery. The warning God gave to Joseph in Matthew 2:20 is a parallel to Exodus 4:18-20. Joseph made a home for his family in Nazareth, which was the fulfillment of the prophecy from an unknown source, possibly Judges 13:5, Isaiah 11:1 or Isaiah 53:2.

This fits in with the purpose of Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew’s Gospel was written for a Jewish audience. He wanted to prove to his audience that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah.  Matthew shows how Jesus initiated new people of faith in whom the salvation history of Israel becomes a new salvation history that is open to everyone.

God’s plan of salvation was opposed from the start. With the birth of Jesus, salvation emerges within us and within our problem-filled society. Salvation wrestles with our enemies. Jesus becomes Emmanuel-God with us-so he can lift us, especially when we battle the forces of evil. Matthew states in his Gospel that the Old Testament prophets foretold that Jesus and his followers would be hated, and they are still hated today. Jesus and the disciples often clashed with the establishment. Jesus and his disciples were persecuted. All of the early disciples except for John were put to death. It is appropriate that the term Nazarene is used to describe Jesus. The term Nazarene is a synonym for someone who is hated or despised, and people from that region of Israel were characterized in that manner. Herod’s murder of innocent children in Bethlehem led to the death of the hope people had for the future. God’s leading of the Holy Family into exile reminds us that the hope of God’s providence is the answer to the hopelessness of evil.

Joseph and Mary had to let go of a lot of things when their faith journey took them into Egypt. They left behind everything they knew, including their deepest comfort level. Sometimes we feel the same way when we have to make changes in our lives. After all, old habits are hard to break, but the only way we can grow and change as Christians is to do uncomfortable things especially when God asks us to do them. If we refuse to make changes, we turn our backs on God, the ultimate source of comfort.

Sometimes we only give in and turn our lives over to God when we are broken and without hope. Sometimes we only let God take the wheel of our lives when we are hopelessly lost. Sometimes it is only in our brokenness that God can mend us and make us whole. When God called the Holy Family to go to Egypt, he saved them from evil, and he can save us from our own place of exile today. Sometimes God puts us in a place of exile to protect us from someone or something, or to teach us something. That place of exile where we are does not have to be the place where we spend the rest of our lives.

Even when we are in a place of exile, we must demonstrate unwavering obedience to God just as Joseph did. Joseph could not see all of God’s plan except for the next step. We can’t always see the fullness of God’s plan any better than Joseph could, but like Joseph, we can be assured that our faithfulness will lead to great things even if we can’t see them. 

Bibliography

1. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, 1^st Sunday after Christmas, Year A. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible Software package.
3. Augsberger, M.S. and Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr. :The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
5. Exegesis for Matthew 2:13-23. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
6. Tom Holliday, “To Obey God, Let Go”. Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

A birth is a great adventure. it doesn’t matter if it’s the Messiah’s birth, our birth, or the birth of one of our children. Birth is a great mystery, and God is the giver of that life. At Christmas time, we celebrate the mystery of the greatest birth of all-the birth of Jesus.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, deity invaded humanity, eternity invaded time, and royalty invaded poverty. From the time He was born, Jesus identified with the common people-people who lived lives of holiness, humanity and dependence. God chose the least of all cities-Bethlehem-to host the birth of His Son, and He chose the least of society-shepherds-as the first witnesses. Shepherds were considered ceremoniously unclean because they invariably had to engage in financial transactions with the Gentiles; therefore, they were not allowed to worship in the temple. Nor were they allowed to testify in court, because they were considered unreliable witnesses. When God chose to announce the birth of Jesus to shepherds with his contingent of angels, He made his point clear: Everyone is loved by God, everyone has access to God, and everyone is desired by God.

The Glory of the Lord appeared for the first time in centuries in, of all places, an open field populated by shepherds. Mary, Zacharias and the shepherds were all in the will of God, going about their daily duties, when the supernatural broke in. Although greatly afraid in the moment, these witnesses ultimately experienced deep joy.

The phrase “do not be afraid” was a standard admonition on the heels of an epiphany, which is a brief but direct encounter with God. It was also a message for that time in history, for the anxious and restless nation of Israel had been without a word from the Lord for 400 years. The people toiled under the heavy yoke of the Roman Empire, understanding that if they did not submit, they would be destroyed. Jesus was born at a time when a message of great joy was particularly needed.

God took on flesh in the midst of a forced government relocation. He was born in a town so crowded that a feeding trough was all that was open. No one attended His birth. Lowly shepherds were the first visitors. We can’t remake Christ’s birth in our own image. Sure, compared to some people at that time the Holy Family had sufficient housing and a well-made bed, but if we emphasize the fact that they were better off compared to a lot of people then and now, we lose the importance of Christ’s birth. He was born among the lowly, not among the high, mighty and powerful.

The Jewish people of the day longed for a Saviour, but they expected Him to free them from Roman rule. The angels’ message meant something far more important: Jesus had come to reconcile humanity to Himself. People want to be saved from many things such as bad marriages, debts and others’ sins, but He came to save individuals from their own sin.

Today, we need a Saviour who can restore us and get us back on track. That Saviour came on that first Christmas Eve, and He is willing and able to come to us today. The shepherds recognized Him and worshipped Him. Those who recognize and worship Him today have nothing to fear in either this world or the next.

The angels’ message contained three components: a song of praise, a song of peace, and a song of purpose. The message of the gospel is that humanity is no longer an enemy of the Almighty; God’s Son has torn down those barriers. This message of peace was entrusted to shepherds-a hated class of people who were outcasts from society. They weren’t allowed to testify in a court of law. God gave the message of Christ’s birth to amateur peacemakers. This message is still being heard today.

At the world’s first evangelical service, the shepherds were the congregation, the herald angels were the preachers, the announcement was the gospel in all its beauty, and the invitation was responded to by everyone who heard it. The shepherds carried out the angels’ instructions and then became preachers themselves when they returned, glorifying and praising God.

News this good must not be neglected and not held to ourselves alone. Everyone needs to hear because everyone needs that Saviour and in every case, when received by faith, Jesus delivers his wonderful salvation-forgiveness of sins. eternal life and a right, living relationship with God.

In more than a few past wars, the warring nations would call a cease-fire for Christmas Day. They would agree that on Christmas Day they wouldn’t shoot at each other, drop bombs, or try to destroy one another. Then, of course, the day after Christmas they would start killing each other again. Jesus’ birth brought peace-not the abolition of war, but a different kind of peace. It is the peace for everyone who receives God’s good pleasure. This peace will come when we give glory to God in the highest.

As strange as that custom has been, in a wonderful way it is a mute testimony to the purpose for which Christ came-to bring peace. That was the message the angels proclaimed. Because of Christmas, there will come a time when everyone will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Jesus came to die to show the depth and breadth of God’s love for us.

Sin means missing the mark of God’s perfection. Because we have missed that mark, we have been separated from God. Jesus came to defeat death so that we, who are hopeless without Him, could experience love, forgiveness and freedom. Jesus came to reconcile us to God. That reconciliation brings God’s peace.

Jesus reconciles us to God. He counteracts the evil forces that divide society. We need to make peace with God, our neighbours and ourselves. God’s peace is a gift to those who are the objects of His pleasure. How blessed would we be if we took our troubles to Christ-who was born, lived, suffered, died and rose again so our lives might be changed. Even now, Jesus is speaking words of reconciliation between a lost humanity and God. The Christ child in the manger is an indication of the great lengths God will go to reconcile us to Him.

There is nothing we can do to receive God’s peace. He lived the perfect life we can’t live. He gave his life to free us from the curse of sin. When we humble ourselves, confess our sins and trust Jesus as our Saviour, God is pleased with us.

Jesus came to fix our broken world and mend our broken lives. Jesus also brought joy. Joy came because He gave the Holy Spirit to those who follow Him. That joy came because of the peace Jesus brought and the lives He mends.

How do we please God? It is only through Jesus Christ, only through the way of reconciliation He has made available to us. If we want to be reconciled to God and reconciled to others, then it must be through Christ.

Do you need some reasons for celebrating Jesus’ birth? Here are some ways that can help us move from survival to celebration:

1. We can celebrate because Jesus was born to save us.
2. Because of Jesus, we can celebrate that we don’t have to pay for the sickness of our sins.
3. Because of Jesus, we can celebrate that we have God’s presence in our lives and we have access to His power.
4. Because of Jesus, we can celebrate that we have a place waiting for us in heaven.
5. Because of Jesus, we can celebrate that while we’re living here we can keep growing to be more like Him.
6. Because of Jesus, we have peace-the peace that passes all understanding.

On earth, peace will come, because when the heart has only one aim to follow, it is delivered from dividing and distracting cares. It will come because the glory of God is so lofty an aim that it lifts the soul into the atmosphere of the heavenly and eternal world where peace reigns unbroken. It will come because we are not greatly troubled by the reverses and alternations of fortune that are incident to all work in this world, since the main object of spending eternity in heaven is always secure and beyond fear of failure.

It seems that in our secular world there is less and less room for Jesus. In fact, a growing number of people won’t even allow Jesus to stay with the animals. They want Him out of everything we can possible think of, including Christmas celebrations.

Is there room in your heart for the Lord Jesus? How often has Jesus tried to touch our lives through a circumstance or a tragedy, or even an incredible blessing? Do we say, “I’m sorry, there’s no room,” or, “Just sit over there in the corner and I’ll let you know when I’m ready for you.” Have we prepared room for Him in our hearts? Have we received Him and let Him be King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

God came to save us from a dark past, an empty present and a hopeless future. He brought hope in the dark places of His time, and He brings hope to the dark places of our lives today. Will we let His light shine in the darkest places of our lives? When we receive God’s special gift, our past is forgiven, we have a new purpose in life, and we have a home that is prepared for us in heaven.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1386-1387)
2. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 47-54)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Stolen Valor.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
5. Jill Carattini, “Imagining Christmas.” Retrieved from slice@sliceofinfinity.org
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Peace Among Those With Whom He is Pleased.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Pastor Ken Klaus, “A Living Nativity.” Retrieved form lh_min@lhm.org
8. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Celebrate His Love.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
9. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Not the Way I Would Have Done It.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
10. Pastor Dick Woodward, “Great Joy for All People.” Retrieved from Crossswalk@crosswalkmail.com
11. Sharon Jaynes, “What About Those Christmas Carols?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
12. Gwen Smith, “From Cradle to the Cross.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
13. Pastor Greg Laurie, “What Message Did the Angels Bring?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
14. Doug Fields, “Christmas: Survive or Celebrate?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
15. Dr. David Jeremiah, “A Humble Birth.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
16. Dr. Ed Young, “Worship Like Angels.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org.
17. The Rev. Canon Lee Curtis, “Christmas Eve (B): Flat Jesus.” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
18. Dr. Ed Young, “Watching Sheep Sleep.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
19. Dr. Jeff Schreve, “Has the Grinch Stolen Your Christmas?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
20. Ralph Douglas West, “Hope for the Hopeless.” Retrieved from pas@ralphdouglaswestministries.org
21. Dr. Ed Young, “Don’t Leave This Gift Unwrapped.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
22. Dr. Ed Young, “Make Room in Your Heart for Jesus.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org.
23. The Right Reverend Charlie Masters, “Advent 2018 Letter from Bishop Charlie.” Retrieved from admin@anglicannetwork.ca

Today we begin the transition from Advent to Christmas. We are led to the stable. Our hopes, dreams and longing for a Saviour are the same hopes, dreams and longings people had on that first Christmas 2,000 years ago. The birth of the Messiah pointed to the promise of the Kingdom.

To many people at that time, the promise of a coming Messiah was like a dream. They dreamed of a Messiah who would change their lives by driving out the Romans. Their dreams meant the end of their old world and their old way of life and the beginning of the kingdom. This change would not be dramatic. It would be brought about by God entering in the lives of two very ordinary people-Mary and Joseph-and an extraordinary circumstance. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He used two ordinary people to be the parents of the baby that would bring salvation to the world.

At that time, Jewish marriages took place in three stages. First, there was engagement. This was where the marriage was arranged between both sets of parents when the couple were still children. Second, there was the betrothal, which took place one year before marriage. At this stage, the girl could refuse the agreement, but if she accepted, the only way the agreement could be broken was by divorce. The couple was legally married but could not consummate the marriage until the third and final part of the marriage took place. That part was the wedding celebration, when the groom took the bride home to be his wife.

God interrupted the plans that Mary and Joseph had for their lives, and for a good reason. God’s plans for their lives had to take priority, just like his plans for our lives have to take priority. Mary was pregnant out of wedlock. That was a scandalous situation in those days, and could lead to death by stoning, unlike today where this situation is commonplace. Mary’s pregnancy was disrespectable in the eyes of the people in their home village, but it was honourable in the eyes of God. Honour also fell on Joseph because he was made part of God’s plan for his people.

Human plans were overridden so that God could do good things for us. It shows that something good can come from a messy situation. We don’t always have the control over our lives that we thought we did. We need to ask God to deepen our faith so we can accept things when the absurdities of life happen. This reminds us that Jesus is “God with us.” Jesus revealed the entirety of God. Jesus became the sins of the people so he could save us from these sins. He showed the love he had to give us the precious gift of salvation. This would not be possible if Joseph and Mary did not follow God’s call and his plans for their lives.

Speaking of dreams, God often speaks to people in a variety of ways, including dreams. Take Joseph for example. He wanted to divorce Mary privately and quietly because she was pregnant out of wedlock, but God spoke to him in a dream and told him not to divorce Mary. Dreams were a special mode of revelation by which God gave instructions to his people.

Joseph tried to live according to his faith and its traditions, but Mary’s pregnancy created a conflict between Joseph’ head and his heart. Life is like that. Life isn’t black and white, and neither are law and grace. Often we find ourselves in situations where opposites create conflict and we have to find ways to make them work together. In this case, the solution led to the miracle of Jesus’ birth. This miracle led to the gift of salvation for all people, including the religiously unclean, the poor, women and the Gentiles.

God intervened in Joseph’s plans to quietly divorce Mary by encouraging him to make a decision out of love instead of following the rules. Love is supreme in God’s Kingdom. There are times when society’s rules will have to be overruled by love for our fellow man in order to make something happen that will save lives. In other words, salvation comes when we put love above rules.

Christ was the same when he was on earth. He came into conflict with traditions, beliefs and the way of doing things. His work as the Messiah conflicted with the type of Messiah the people expected. He often clashed with “the establishment”. Man tried to resolve this conflict by nailing Jesus to the cross in hopes that he would be silenced forever. Jesus used the cross to resolve the conflict by offering his people the gift of eternal life to those who believed in him.

Our response to God when he speaks to us constitutes our prayer. Prayer is not easy, but obeying God is not easy. We will face difficulties when we obey God. It is in these times that we must remain steadfast in faith and trust God to bring us through these difficulties. We can face any hardship when we trust God. This hope is an attitude to the future.

Joseph is an example of how Christ wants his people to act. Joseph could have made a public spectacle out of the situation, but he didn’t. He acted out of love and not out of anger. He obeyed God, and God rewarded his obedience with grace. God’s grace to Mary is the starting point of the story of salvation-a story that includes suffering. God’s grace extends to everyone, and that grace includes suffering for his sake. We must endure our own suffering and encourage the suffering of others. In this painful situation, Joseph’s only concern was for Mary. This is righteousness in action. Joseph also did not make a hasty decision. He took time to consider his options, and during that time he positioned himself to hear God’s word. God instructed Joseph through his dreams.

Joseph was a righteous man, but he was not self-righteous. He did not want to cause Mary any pain, so he decided to divorce her quietly. He showed Christ-like compassion in the face of what was a “sin” in the eyes of the people. He was as perfect as humanly possible, even as God is perfect. He was righteous and obeyed the word of God perfectly. God drafted Joseph into a difficult position. If we are faithful, would we be willing to be drafted by God?

Joseph’s righteousness was deeper and more profound than observing laws and customs. It grew out of God’s presence in his life, and it allowed him to hear the voice of the angel in his dreams and obey its commands. He could look directly at what confronted him, see it and all its implications and obey God without regard for his own reputation. He could accept the angel’s message that Mary’s unborn child was of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph was a common man who dared to obey God’s will for his life. Joseph put his own ego aside and put Mary and God first. He is an example for all of us-an example of humility based on a simple trust that all things work together through God’s grace for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purposes.

Christmas is not just a holiday. It is a holy day. It is the day God came to earth as a baby to reconcile us to him. Reconciliation would lead to an exciting life of faith. To live that exciting life of faith, we have to keep on trusting God. Joseph didn’t understand what God told him, but he trusted God. He knew things that Joseph didn’t know.

The Virgin Birth was God’s greatest affirmation of humanness. God showed that he could become human without becoming sinful. He had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he died on the cross for our sins, he would have already experienced all the pain and testing himself and would be able to help where help was needed.

Today we begin our preparation to meet Christ at Christmas. We might feel confused and troubled like Joseph was. We might feel unworthy to receive Christ because we lack the virtues that Joseph displayed-charity, faith and hope. We must strive to imitate Joseph’s qualities of humility, faith and obedience.  Our Advent might not have been the season of preparedness that we wanted it to be, but it is not too late for us. We can become full of purpose and believe the promises of God that Joseph believed.

God works with us where we are, but he can bring us to where we ought to be. He came into the life of Joseph and brought him to great sanctity. He works with people who are more flawed than Joseph was and does great things with them and through them.

Christmas is a chance to worship God, to bow down and pay homage to him for humbling himself and appearing in human form. God’s word is more certain, more secure and more immoveable than any event on earth. He is the answer to our needs. He sacrificed himself to save us. That is the mystery of the Virgin Birth and the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Advent invites us to let go of the expectations of society. Advent calls on us to forget about our own expectations and remember the love of Jesus and Joseph and the love of God. We are called on to let God’s peace gradually warm our souls and free us for new expectations and the birth of something within us and for us. We need to remember the essential message of Christmas-God is with us.

Bibliography

1. Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XXV, No. 1 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary, pp. 27-36)
2. Exegesis for Matthew 1:18-25. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
3. Ray Hollenbach, “Great Preaching Through the Christmas Season”. Retrieved from www.sermoncentral.com
4. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 4^th Sunday of Advent (A)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
5. Billy Graham, “Responding to God’s Call”. Retrieved from www.billygraham.org
6. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Holiday or Holy Day?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Tom Holladay, “You Obey God by Trusting God”. Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
8. Greg Laurie, “Why We Celebrate Christmas”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Greg Laurie, “The Essential Message of Christmas”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. Dr. Jack Graham, “When God Calls You into Hard Times”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
11. Timothy Gardner, O.P., “How inscrutable His Ways”. Retrieved from www.torch.op.org
12. Euan Marley, O.P., “A Link in the Chain”. Retrieved from www.torch.op.org
13. Augsberger, M.< 7 Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.: 1982)
14. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)
15. Austin Tucker, “The Virgin-Born Savior”, Preaching Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 2, pgs. 38-40 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing Inc.)
16. Elizabeth Morris Downie, “Joseph the Righteous”. Retrieved from www.thewitness.org
17. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “The Faithfulness of Joseph”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
18. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “When the Moment of Crisis Comes”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
19. Dr. Keith Wagner, “God Is With Us”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
20. Fr. John O’Connor, O.P., “Our God Comes to Meet Us”. Retrieved from www.torch.op.org
21. The Rev. Maxwell Grant, “Expecting Christmas”. Retrieved from www.day1.org

Hello boys and girls!

Are you starting to get excited for Christmas? Are you getting excited over all of the Christmas decorations? At this time of year, we see lots of colourful ribbons, candles, stars, wreaths such as our Advent wreath, Christmas trees, Christmas lights and angels.

When you see angel decorations, what is the first thing you think of? Most of the time the first thing we think of is the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds in the field, but there is another, more important time that an angel appeared before Jesus was born. Can anyone tell me what that was? It was the time that the angel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to have a baby.

There was another time that an angel came before Jesus was born, and that story is part of our Bible lesson for today. That visit was to Joseph, and I’ll tell you about it now.

Joseph and Mary were going to be married when Joseph found out that Mary was going to have a baby. He thought long and hard about what he should do. He decided to break off the engagement, but an angel appeared to him in a dream. The angel told Joseph to go ahead and marry Mary, because the child she was carrying was Jesus, the Saviour of the world.

Joseph obeyed the angel, and he obeyed God’s plan. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he didn’t have to understand what was going on. He did not have to worry about what other people would think. He trusted God and obeyed God.

Have you ever found yourselves in a situation where you didn’t know what to do? Did you ask yourselves “What do I do now?” If we stop and listen, God will tell us what to do. He might not speak to us through an angel. He could speak to us through our friends, family members or even total strangers. He will speak to us through His Word. We have to listen and obey like Joseph did.

Let us bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, the story of Jesus’ birth fills us with joy and lessons. Help us to read your Word and listen as you give us the answers to our questions and problems. We ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. “An Angel Appears to Joseph”. Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com
2. Carolyn Larsen, The Bible Storybook, pgs. 234-236 (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing; 2009)

Have you ever been in a situation where people did not live up to the hopes and expectations you had for them? If so, you can probably understand why John the Baptist was confused in the reading we heard from Matthew’s Gospel.

Why was he confused? There are two possible reasons. One is that his imprisonment could have affected his thinking. Prisons in John’s day were not like they are today. John was locked up in a dungeon in Herod’s palace. The dungeon was like a cave-dark and depressing.

A second, more likely reason is because Jesus was not the type of Messiah John preached about, not was he the type of Messiah the people were looking for. Both John and the people were looking for a military-type of ruler who would drive out the Romans and restore Israel to the glory days of King David.

Uncertain, scary times can shake us up and cause us to have doubts about our faith. John the Baptist is a good example. When we, like John, are moved by the Holy Spirit, we vow to follow God. When we receive blessings, we are sure that Jesus is our Saviour. When we face tragedies and disasters, we question our faith. We question why these things happen. We are so wrapped up in our suffering that sometimes we can’t see, hear or feel God’s presence.

John clearly shows us what happens to his and our narrow expectations. Christ came for him but He came in a way that John did not expect. We will find reconciliation and peace if we can see beyond our expectations and look for new places where Jesus is working. Jesus came to reverse things.

Jesus did not live up to the expectations of the people. He blessed the poor in spirit, the meek and peacemakers. He called on his people not to judge others. These teachings were contrary to the actions the people expected because of John’s fire and brimstone preaching.

Jesus did not answer John’s question directly. At that time, it was shameful and dishonourable to publicly claim for oneself a higher status than one was born with. In the eyes of the people, he was a carpenter’s son and not the Son of God. He did not openly declare that He was the Messiah. Instead, He proclaimed the kingdom of God.

The expectation that was met was the expectation that society would be changed. The prophecies of healing in the last days came true when Jesus came, and they are coming true as the date of His Second Coming approaches. That healing shows its face in Jesus’ compassion-the same compassion we are to show to a hurting world.

Jesus came to help those in need, those who don’t have anyone else to help them. He didn’t come to destroy the wicked. He came to restore them and give them a second change. In other words, he came for us. We are the ones who need help. We are the ones who need someone to help us. We are the wicked who need a second chance.

Jesus did preach repentance, but he offered mercy and healing. Jesus judges us through mercy. Judgment has come, and Jesus the judge has decided that those of us who have accepted him as our Saviour by faith will receive mercy. In return, we are to continue his ministry of healing and teaching.

Faith requires doubt in order to be faith. All of us have doubts about Jesus and our faith from time to time, especially if we are suffering or praying for something. Sometimes we wonder why God allows suffering or why God doesn’t answer our prayers. At times like these we must be like John. He had doubts, but he was open to hearing Jesus say that He is the Messiah. God doesn’t get mad at us when we have doubts. In fact, he is loving and gracious. He cares about our doubts and problems, but He cares more about us. All of our doubts will be gone and all of our questions will be answered when we get to heaven.

When we have doubts, we can do the following things:

1. Admit our doubts and ask for help like John did.
2. Act on our faith and not on our doubts.
3. Keep going back to what we know to be true.

Sometimes we have blinders on. These blinders hinder our vision of where God is. If we take these blinders off we can see where God is in our lives and trust him.

Jesus answered John’s doubts with a report of His dramatic work. Matthew mentions the giving of sight to the blind first in order to highlight Jesus’ unique ministry. The Old Testament does not record the blind being healed, nor does the New Testament record any of Jesus’ disciples performing such a miracle. It is the most frequent healing miracle that Jesus performed. Jesus also healed the lame, the lepers and the deaf, and he raised the dead. Each of these compassionate acts was proof that Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus asks us to stretch our understanding of who the Messiah is-a different model than the magical problem-solver and giver of good things that we want to have. When we remain faithful in the face of prayers that are not answered or hopes that go unfulfilled. God does not promise a life without pain, but He does promise that He will walk with us and that we will come out whole in the end.

Jesus used a series of rhetorical questions to get the crowd to appraise John the Baptist. They were so interested in him because he was a humble prophet who spoke a piercing message. That message landed John the Baptist in jail. King Herod married his brother’s ex-wife, and John told him that was wrong. Herod did not like that message, so he had John the Baptist arrested.

Jesus insisted that John was more than a humble prophet because he served as His forerunner. John the Baptist was therefore greater than Isaiah, Daniel, Elijah or any of the other Old Testament prophets because only John had the privilege of personally introducing the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to the nation of Israel. He was also lesser than the least in the kingdom because he did not see the full work of Christ-his death, resurrection and ascension. We have experienced all of these because of our faith in what Christ did for us on the cross. We have experienced the actual atoning work of Christ. We are also greater than John because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

When Jesus said that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist, he was not belittling John but highlighting the extraordinary privilege of being in the kingdom. John prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah, but those in the kingdom experience its reality.

Advent is a time of expectation, a time of waiting for the coming of our Saviour. He comes among us in His Word and through the Holy Spirit. He stirs us up and gets us involved in His ministry among those who are neglected by our society. That is his expectation for us, and it is also the world’s expectation for us as Christians, so it should be our expectation as well. It is up to us to meet those expectations.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1299-1300)
2. Exegesis for Matthew 11:2-11. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
3. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Augsberger, M. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982, p. 18)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)
7. Dr. Ray Pritchard, “If I Believe, why do I Doubt?” retrieved from www.keepbelieving.org
8. Kelly McFadden, “Tunnel Vision.” Retrieved form www.homeword.com
9. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 3^rd Sunday of Advent (A).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
10. The Very Rev. Samuel Candler, “Are You the One Who Is to Come?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
11. David Lose, “Disappointed with God at Christmastime.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
12. Arland J. Hultgren, “Commentary on Matthew 11:2-11.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org.
13. The Rev. Ada Wong Nagata, “Can You See and Hear God’s presence in Your Life?” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/stw

Hello boys and girls!

Are you starting to get excited for the coming of Christmas?

Are you starting to get ready for the holidays? How about your moms and dads? Are they starting to get things ready for Christmas?

There’s always a lot of things to do to get ready for Christmas. There’s housecleaning, presents to buy, gifts to wrap, concerts and parties to go to, preparing for company. Are you helping your parents get ready for Christmas?

Can you imagine how much preparation your parents would do if someone REALLY important was coming to visit—someone like a king or queen? Well, the passage from Matthew 3:1-12 is about preparing for the coming of someone REALLY important. Can you guess who that person is? It’s Jesus!

Before Jesus began his ministry, there was someone who prepared the people for His coming. That person was John the Baptist. Let me tell you a little about him and how he prepared the people for Jesus.

John the Baptist was born at the same time as Jesus. God had a special job for him. He was to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. He was a bit unusual. He lived in the desert. He wore itchy, scratchy outfits made of camel hair. He had a big, bushy beard and long, scraggly hair. He only ate grasshoppers dipped in honey (probably to disguise the taste).

God sent John the Baptist to tell the people something important. “Stop running away from God and run to him instead. You need to be rescued. I have good news—the rescuer is coming! Make your hearts ready for him! Get ready, because your king is coming back for you.”

Large crowds of people listened to John the Baptist. They were sorry for their sins, and they wanted to stop running away from God. They wanted to be rescued, so John the Baptist baptized them—which means that he plunged them in and out of the water. It showed that they wanted to follow God and begin a new life.

When John the Baptist told the people to repent, he was telling them to turn away from their sins and ask for forgiveness. In other words, he was telling the people to behave, just like your parents tell you to behave. John the Baptist told the people that if they repented, their hearts would be ready for God because they turned toward God.

We have to make our hearts ready for the coming of Jesus too. He’s not just coming for a short visit at Christmastime (like your grandparents or other relatives). He’s coming to live in our hearts and minds so we can walk with him every day.

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to walk with us every day. Please forgive us and make our hearts clean so they will be a nice place for Jesus to live. We ask this in his name, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. Sally Lloyd-Jones: The Jesus Storybook Bible, pgs. 200-203 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz; 2007)
2. “A Voice in the Wilderness”. Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com
3. “Ready for the Christ of Christmas”. Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com

“Ah…. those were the good old days!”

How many of you have ever said or thought something similar to those words?

Thinking about the past always brings up memories, both good and bad. These memories include kids playing street hockey or climbing trees or making forts or walking 40 miles to school-uphill both ways! The problem with remembering the good old days is that sometimes they weren’t as good as we think they were!

The prophet Isaiah reminds us of the good old days when David ruled a united Israel, when life was simple in the Garden of Eden, and when God’s people fled Egypt to find a permanent home. Isaiah tells us that no matter how good the good times were even better times will happen when Christ returns. In this season of Advent, we remember both Christ’s birth in the stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming. Nothing in the past can be measured against what is yet to come.

Before Christ returns, the world will undergo trouble and strife through the Great Tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon. When Christ returns, not only will he bring with him the saints who are in heaven, but he will also redeem those Christians who are alive here on earth. That is what Isaiah means when he refers to the Messiah as a shoot or twig from Jesse. The Messiah and his earthly kingdom will grow from the remains of God’s judgment of the people on earth.

Before Christ returns, the world will be under judgment. Evil will be weeded out and what is left will be the shoot I just referred to. That shoot will be modest, just like Jesse, the father of King David, was. What Isaiah means is that the Messiah will be of the house and lineage of King David, who was the son of Jesse. The word “stem” refers to a “root-stock” or “stump”. The image of a stump indicates hope, for out of the stump will come a root or branch; namely, the Messiah. Isaiah recalls God’s promise to King David in 2 Samuel 7:16 that his descendant would rule over his kingdom forever.

David was empowered by the Holy Spirit, but the Messiah will be more richly empowered by the Holy Spirit. He will show ideal faithfulness and find deep joy in living reverently before God. The coming Messiah will be endowed with the Spirit of the Lord, who provides the wisdom, ability, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, peace and allegiance to God that are necessary to accomplish a challenging task.

That task includes transforming the social order and restoring nature to paradise. He will do what is right in His judgment and what is fair in His decisions. He will bring justice to the poor, the needy and the wicked. The peace Isaiah refers to in the animal kingdom mirrors the relief from oppressive injustice within human society. Isaiah 11:1-10 refers to the 1,000-year rule of Christ on earth after his second coming, which is also referred to in Revelation 20:4-6. It is the final earthly chapter in God’s plan to bring earth and its inhabitants back under his rule. The earth will return to the days of the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned.

Paul quotes Isaiah 11:10 in Romans 15:12 to show that salvation is for Gentiles as well as Jews. The Messiah’s rule will be over all nations. Christ will heal the hostility between the nations of the world. As I mentioned earlier, He will allow the remnants of God’s people who are left after the Great Tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon to return to Him.

In the meantime, we must make certain that we are ready for His return, because it could happen at any time. We can do this by making certain that our lives are a reflection of what his kingdom here on earth will be. That includes being fair in our dealings with other people, loving everyone and being honest in everything we do. Jesus will see our true nature, so it doesn’t make any sense for us to pretend that we are doing these things.

It has been said that the main purpose of the Old Testament prophets was to afflict the comforted and comfort the afflicted. The reading from Isaiah 11:1-10 is an example of an Old Testament prophet comforting the afflicted. It gives hope for the future. In this season of Advent, the readings refer to our need to prepare for Christ’s return-a time when there will be the hope and peace referred to by Isaiah and the final judgment proclaimed by the apostle John. In a world full of hurt and pain, Isaiah reminds us that we are children of God. We as Christians have seen the fulfillment of the hope promised by the Second Coming, so we can and should proclaim this passage from Isaiah as our hope for salvation peace to be realized in the future.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 893-894)
2. Gathering Magazine, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2017 (Toronto, ON: The United Church of Canada, p. 8)
3. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 17: Isaiah 1-39 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1993, pp. 153-158)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010, pp. 943-944)
7. Selwyn Hughes, “Don’t Forget the Parentheses.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
8. Jennifer Benson Schuldt, “Snake in a Box.” Retrieved from www.rbc.org
9. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Of Wolves and Lambs.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
10. Exegesis for Isaiah 11;1-10. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
11. Jeremiah, Dr. David: Agents of the Apocalypse (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2014)
12. Anathea Porter-Young, “Commentary on Isaiah 11:1-10.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
13. Ron Hansen, “The Peaceable Kingdom.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.org
14. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Montgomery, “Not Much, But Enough for Me.” Retrieved froom www.day1.org

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The central theme of the reading from Matthew 24:36-44 is promise. Jesus promises that when he returns he will gather his people. We don’t need to be afraid of the Great Tribulation or the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus will be with us. He will protect us.

No one knows when He will return to set up His kingdom. Periodically someone will claim to have discovered a secret that indicates the date of Christ’s return, but such claims are not true. Jesus will return when we least expect it. Christians who are expecting His return will know it will be a great day. When He returns, we will have to give an account of how we lived for Him. If we are faithful and wise servants we will be ready. Jesus will see us doing His will when He returns.

Jesus can’t make it any plainer. Even he doesn’t know the exact date and time of his return. At first glance this doesn’t make any sense because Jesus was fully God even though he was also fully human. While Jesus was on earth he learned things the same way other humans learned them. Because he was fully God at the same time, he had infinite knowledge, so how could he have not known the date and time of his return? One possibility is that he regularly lived on the basis of his human knowledge, but he could call to mind anything from his infinite knowledge.

The idea the Jesus will come like a thief in the night is found in multiple places in Scripture such as Luke 12:39, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 3:3 and Revelation 16:15. We must keep looking for Christ’s return, but we must also continue to spread the Good News. We must always be prepared because he could return at any time.

Some may wonder why Christ hasn’t returned yet. One possible reason is that he might be waiting until the affairs of the world are so messed up that waiting any longer won’t make a difference. This supports the fact that the Battle of Armageddon has to take place before Christ returns. Some people say that we are getting closer to the end of the world because of all the wars and natural disasters that are taking place in the world today.

Another sign that we are getting close to the time of Christ’s return is the falling away from the faith. Church attendance is declining. Some clergy even stand in the pulpit and deny the virgin birth and Jesus’ resurrection.

It isn’t easy for us to wait for anything, and our modern society doesn’t help. With all of our time saving devices such as microwave ovens and cell phones, we are used to getting things almost immediately. We forget to stop and look. We forget to let God interrupt our plans so that we can see Jesus. 

God reveals enough about the future to give us hope, but not so much that we do not have to live and walk by faith every day. We have His assurance about our future with Him. He will bring justice and hope to our hurting would.

Jesus said that people won’t notice His return when it happens. While it is true that the event will be reported by the media thanks to our 24-hour news channels, that does not mean that people will be paying attention. After all, how many of us pay attention to every news story on radio or TV or in the newspaper? People will keep on doing things as they have always done. They won’t realize that things will change because of Jesus’ return. It’s important that we must always be ready for Christ’s return. We don’t want Him to catch us by surprise.

The end will be unexpected. God will come into the ordinary events of our lives. His coming will cause a great separation between believers and non-believers. He doesn’t want us to have a “ho-hum” attitude about his return, but he doesn’t want us to be afraid of it either.

When Jesus returns, will we recognize him? The only way to know for certain is to get lots of practice doing what he wants us to do. In other words, we are to show his love to a hurting world by serving the less fortunate. This means feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and visiting the prisoner. These will be credited to us as if we had done them for Christ. While we are waiting for Christ to return, we are to witness to unbelievers and warn them about Christ’s judgment. We are to share God’s love and plan for salvation.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1325-1326)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Augsberger, M. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp.1339-1340)
7. Richard Inness, “Vivid Warning Signs.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
8. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Like a Thief.” Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
9. Dr. Harold Sala, “Prophecies and the Lord’s Return, 2.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
10. Exegesis for Matthew 24:36-44. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
11. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Until He Returns.” Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
12. David Lose, “A Sure and Certain Promise.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
13. Rick Morley, “Like a Thief.” Retrieved from www.rickmorley.com
14. Sarah Dylan Breuer, “First Sunday of Advent, Year A.” Retrieved from www.sarahlaughed.org
15. Ben Witherington, “Commentary on Matthew 24:36-44.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

The end is here!

We’ve reached the end of another church year. This coming Sunday is Reign of Christ Sunday, when we celebrate the mystery of Christ’s kingly power. Reign of Christ Sunday is a fairly new religious observance. It was started by Pope Pius XI in 1925. According to the papal encyclical that introduced the Reign of Christ Sunday, Christ the King rules over the church and the whole world—if not now, than at the end of time.

Reign of Christ Sunday is time for us to reflect on our lives and think about how our words and deed will be judged by others and by God. If we have been faithful to God and to our calling, we will be restored. We have to admit our shortcomings as become involved in ministering to others.

Christ is the king who saves us. He associated with sinners so that he could save everyone. The soldiers at the cross wondered how he could save others when he could not save himself. They did not realize that the salvation they wanted was of this world, but the salvation Jesus offered was eternal. Jesus is the king of the cross. He died on the cross but rose again three days later. He died to save us from eternal separation from God. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. When his flock is wandering and lost and without shepherds, God grieves. When the flock is being cared for and is growing in relationship with God, his heart is full of joy.

Jesus is the king because he is the firstborn, just like the oldest male child of a modern king will become king when the current king dies. Jesus has the pre-eminence and the right of inheritance over all creation. He existed before the universe was created and he is exalted in rank above it.

Jesus’ power as king comes not from military power but from inviting us to become one with him. His power is shown in his service to us and his willingness to accept the punishment we deserve as sinners. His everlasting kingdom speaks of the realm of salvation where all believers live in a current and eternal spiritual relationship with God. This relationship will be under the care and authority of Jesus.

When Jesus said in Luke 23:33-43, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing,” he was referring both to the people who crucified him and us. The thief who asked for salvation had a much more significant salvation than the other thief. Jesus exercised the power of pardon that he has as king. The thief who asked for forgiveness accepted responsibility for his actions, so he was able to ask for forgiveness and receive it. If we believe in Christ and accept responsibility for our actions, we can also receive forgiveness when we ask for it.

We need a Saviour who can bring good news to our sin-filled world. Jeremiah referred to the Saviour in Jeremiah 23:1-8. The people of Israel forgot about the covenant they made with God. They sold out to earthly desires and expected God to forget about what they did. Jeremiah did not want them to forget about the covenant. Their misplaced faith led to judgment. They were faithless, and God was faithful. He showed his faithfulness by sending Jesus. Jeremiah proclaimed what Christ would do. Jesus came to heal the sick, gather the lost sheep, restore the faith and rule with righteousness and justice. The oppressed were restored. Jeremiah was looking to the future, but Christ is here with us today. Jesus is a just and right ruler.

God’s people needed Jesus and so do we. Jesus is our best hope. Jesus is our only hope. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the hallmark of our Christian faith. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus fed us with God’s Word, washed us of our sins and died for us. We are called to be shepherds of Jesus’ flock. We are to follow the model of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We are to care for Jesus’ flock by sharing the Good News whenever and wherever we can.

The earthly shepherds who are our leaders are sometimes less than what they are called to be. The people under their care experienced the consequences of the evil actions of their leaders. God’s plans for the people of Israel were a reversal of what their failed leadership had done. Leadership would become a model of God as a true shepherd of the people.

Christ is the creator king. He created us. We were created to be good, but we allowed sin to pollute our lives. Jesus rules over us. As our ruler, he is the head of the Christian body. Just as a human body responds to the head, we as members of the Christian body have to respond to our head-Jesus. That is the essence of the Christian faith.

Our God is a righteous god. This concept can best be explained by acknowledging its opposite-depravity. Depravity-or our sin-filled world-is the very opposite of how we can best describe God. If we stay faithful and obedient to God, we will receive his blessings. We will not have to fear anything, and we will lack for nothing. We will be fruitful and multiply.

During the Korean War, Billy Graham visited American soldiers. He visited hospitals and talked and prayed with wounded soldiers. On one visit, he met a soldier who was lying face down in a cradle because his spine had been shattered by a bullet. A hole had been cut in the bottom of the cradle so the soldier could see through to the floor. When Billy Graham was talking to him, the soldier said, “I would like to see your face, Mr. Graham.” Billy Graham got down on his back under the cradle so the soldier could look down at his face. This is a metaphor for what God did for us through Jesus Christ. God the king came down to our level so that we could see what God is like. It reminds us of Paul’s statement that Christ is the image of the invisible God. God came down to our level to reach us and save us.

We are called on to do the Christian work of reconciliation, suffering for the sake of Christ and others, loving the lost and sharing the Cross of Christ even if it means bearing our own cross. We must never give up no matter how difficult things get. When darkness enters our lives and burnout or spiritual fatigue threaten to remove all hope, God will be in his finest hour and the prophet Jeremiah will see his finest vision. God will sustain us. When we have received the redemption, reconciliation and forgiveness that results from Christ’s death and resurrection, Christ will rule our lives. 

In Colossians 1:11-20, Paul clearly states that Christ is the truth, and if we believe in Christ, he will help us avoid the lies that will lead us away from him. We will receive his power and strength, and they come from his glory-a glory that is so overwhelming that we can’t experience it. We will be reunited with God. God has made us fit to receive his power and strength. We have been released from sin’s slavery because of the redemptive power of Christ’s blood. Christ defeated the evil powers of sin and death. When we believe in Christ we join in that victory and his power. This power is greater than any of our human powers. Christ as the head of our Christian body allows us to accomplish great things.

Jesus is God in human form. He is the window through which we see God’s true nature. He is the mediator between us and God. Everything he does and everything he is points to his supremacy as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the one by whom, for whom, and through whom everything was made. He knows what our problems are and he knows how to fix them. He can transform our lives. We as Christians and members of the church will never be in a defensive position as long as we remember that we and the church are the body of Christ through whom He intends to become head over everything else.

Who or what rules our lives? How do we answer that question for ourselves? When we declare that Christ is the king, we mean that Christ is the most important matter in our lives. Christ the king allows us to live by grace, and not by law or our own deeds. When we pursue Christ the king, we are not afraid of being uncomfortable. We are secure enough to take risks and full enough of his grace to spend big on mercy. Jesus responded when a needy person came to him, and we must also respond when a needy person comes to us. Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom where forgiveness is given to anyone who asks for it. The kingdom is a new kingdom of relationships based on equality, justice, forgiveness and compassion.

Christ’s kingdom is a mystery. It is a mystery that was hidden for thousands of years. It was revealed in Christ’s death and resurrection. Christ’s kingdom lives in us because of the Holy Spirit, but only if we are like the repentant thief and accept him by faith as our Saviour. In a world where evil reigns and we feel that there is no hope, we can take comfort in the knowledge that Christ the king is in charge. Our ultimate destiny is in the hands of the one true God who loved us enough to die for us, and the only thing he asks for in return is that we live for him. Long live the king!

Bibliography

1. Exegesis for Luke 23:33-43. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
2. Alton Wedel, “And He Shall Reign”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
3. James Merritt, “Israel: |The World’s Invincible Nation”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
4. John Wayne Clark, “The Shepherd King”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
5. R. Kevin Mohr, “Shepherds Who Will Shepherd”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
6. Mark Ellingson, “Salvation Includes Social Justice”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
7. John R. Brokhoff and Robert W. Stackel, “God’s Kind of King”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
8. Richard E. Gribble, CSC, “Conversion to Christ”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
9. Dr. Harold Sala, “Jehovah Tsidkenu (God, the Righteous One)”. Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
10. Bayless Conley, “Richer Blessings”. Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org
11. Guest, J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series; Vol. 19: Jeremiah/Lamentations (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1988)
12. Joseph M. McShane, “The Magic Kingdom”. Retrieved from www.religiononline.org
13. Exegesis for Colossians 1:11-20. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Dunnam, M.D & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series; Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
15. MacArthur, J.F. Jr. : The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
16. Rebecca Barlow Jordan, “Supremacy”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
17. Anne Graham Lotz, “Fixing What’s Wrong”. Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
18. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Christ the King, Year C”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
19. Exegesis for Jeremiah 23:1-8. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
20. King Duncan, “Christ the King”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
21. Donna Schaper, “When Christ is King”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
22. Johnny Dean, “The Invisible God”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
23. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Christ the King, Year C”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
24. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Reign of Christ, Year C. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org
25. Daniel Clendenin, Ph.D., “They Say There’s Another King, One Called Jesus”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net.

Two gas company servicemen, a senior training supervisor and a young trainee, were out checking meters in a suburban neighborhood. They parked their truck at the end of the alley and worked their way to the other end. At the last house a woman looking out her kitchen window watched the two men as they checked her gas meter.

After they finished checking the meter, the senior supervisor challenged his younger co-worker to a foot race down the alley back to the truck to prove that an older guy could outrun a younger one.  As they came running up to the truck, they realized the lady from that last house was huffing and puffing right behind them. They stopped and asked her what was wrong.
Gasping for breath, she replied, “When I see two gas men running as hard as you two were, I figured I’d better run too!”

This little story and the passage we heard from Luke 21:5-19 are examples of the old adage that things are not always what they seem to be. When the disciples saw Herod’s temple, they saw its external beauty, but they failed to see what really behind it-spiritual bankruptcy, hypocrisy, oppression, rejection of Christ and the Gospel, and Christ’s impending death at the hands of the religious authorities.

That’s why Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the false teachers who would come and proclaim that they were the promised Messiah. He knew that just like the temple’s beauty hid its ugly secrets, the false teachers with their appearances, methods and teachings would hide their true motives. False teachers exist in our society today. This can best be explained with another story. It is a comedy routine that I heard several years ago. In this routine, comedian Steve Martin is doing his imitation of a preacher. Part of the routine goes like this:

“The other day I talked to God, and he promised me that he would not talk to any other TV preachers. So if you hear any of those other TV preachers saying that they talked to God, do not send them the $1.50 for their polyester prayer handkerchief”

It is somewhat ironic though that on the Vision TV channel here in Canada you can actually see on Sunday afternoon an evangelist who actually DOES send people a Prosperity Prayer handkerchief. He claims that he personally blesses each handkerchief, and that if you call and ask for one of these handkerchiefs, you will be blessed financially, health-wise, etc. This particular evangelist along with other evangelists such as Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen promotes what is known as the Prosperity Gospel. It is the belief that God intends his followers to prosper in a materialistic way. Instead of talking about mansions in heaven, they talk about mansions here on earth. They do not tell their followers that Christ expects them to take up their cross and follow him, and their religion bears little resemblance to Jesus and his teachings, especially his teachings about being persecuted for following him.

Not all false prophets are religious. Some of them promote get-rich-quick schemes and preach a gospel of stocks, bonds and real estate. Some of you might have heard of the Bernie Madoff saga. He was the mastermind of a scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars. Unfortunately, there are all kinds of schemers out there, especially schemers who will prey on the elderly and the less fortunate in society.

Jesus does not promise us a rose garden here on earth. In fact, he makes it quite clear to us and his disciples that people will hate them and persecute them. He doesn’t tell the disciples that they will escape pain, and he doesn’t tell us that either. He promises that the persecutions that his followers will face will give them opportunities to witness to the Gospel.

Those who do Christ’s work in the world can expect to face persecution. For example, in the Third World Christians regularly face imprisonment, threats, harassment, beatings and even death for their faith. We here in the developed world do not face these extremes, but we still face the prospect of rejection, job loss or discrimination for our faith. Thankfully, in the times of trial, we can turn to God for strength, hope and support. He will give us the strength to face adversity and persecution. He will tell us what to do, say and even think, just like he promised the disciples that he will tell them what to do, say and think.

For example, Peter and John will be arrested and use the occasion to witness to the council. This is mentioned in Acts 4:1-22. The council will be amazed at their testimony and will order them not to speak of Jesus further, but fear of the people will keep them from meting out more severe punishment. Stephen will preach a long and powerful sermon to the council in Acts 7, and it will lead to his martyrdom. Paul and Silas will be arrested and flogged, but they will sing songs of praise in prison. An earthquake will free them, but they will stay in their cells and eventually convert the jailer and his family. When the authorities try to release them, they will assert their Roman citizenship and protest their wrongful arrest, forcing the authorities to apologize. This is mentioned in Acts 16:16-40.

When Rome destroyed the temple in 70 AD, the Jews were scattered to the four winds. They were without a homeland until the United Nations created the state of Israel in 1947. They survived and grew stronger and more resilient-just like they did during persecutions such as the Holocaust. They survived because Yahweh/God gave them strength. They were forced to take responsibility for worship wherever they happened to be. We are the same. When faced with adversity, we have a choice. We can let it beat us, or we can beat it. God will give us the strength to beat it, and in the process, we will become stronger and better Christians because of our experience.

Some of you might have heard of an actress named Renee Russo. She is one of the most glamorous women in Hollywood and has acted in movies with stars such as Kevin Costner, John Travolta and Mel Gibson. These things are external signs of success, but for years she did not feel successful on the inside. After she dropped out of school in her teens, she was discovered by an agent and moved to New York to model. She thought that getting jobs and recognition would make her happy, but they didn’t. They were not enough. Her low self-esteem made her feel like no amount of success was enough. She kept thinking that business success or people around her could fill the void and make her happy, but nothing did.

So she dropped out of the business and began taking classes in theology. For four years she studied theology, and slowly she began to realize that her lack of self-esteem was caused by a lack of faith. She had been going through life without any purpose, no reason for doing the things she did. She was not aware of her gifts, and she had no set goals for her life. As she learned more about faith, she understood that every life has a purpose, and that every person has something special to contribute. Now that she has a new outlook on life, she is much better able to handle her success. She is now married and the mother of a young daughter. All these things might have been out of her reach if she had never taken the time to learn about her faith.

Renee Russo was fortunate to discover that her feelings of misery and insecurity could be used in a positive way to help her find God. That is true of every experience in life. There is a meaning to life. There is a purpose. Even more importantly, behind life there is a divine intelligence that can help us turn negatives into positives, tragedies into triumphs, heartaches into hallelujahs.

Luke’s Gospel reading is one that fundamentalist, Bible-thumping preachers would love because it speaks of the “hell, fire and brimstone” that will occur before Christ returns. Are we in the end times today? Maybe yes, maybe no. Although Christ mentions the signs of his return, and many of these signs are around us today, many of these signs also appeared in the past.

We often want to know what the future looks like. That’s why some people resort to seeing false prophets or teachers such as psychics and fortune-tellers. We have the only true psychic and fortune teller, and his name is Jesus. In our Gospel reading, Jesus tells us and the disciples what the future will be like, and he does not pull any punches. The future will not be easy for his followers as they do his work in our world. We must make our brothers and sisters in Christ (as well as the lost) feel the real need to be a part of the worshipping community. If we are persecuted for our work, we can take comfort in the knowledge that in the end God will fashion eternity.

The work will not be easy. We will get tired. It’s hard to put others’ needs ahead of our own. It’s hard to volunteer to work at the local food bank or help with the local Christmas Cheer campaign or teach a Bible study and to keep on doing it week after week, month after month, year after year. It’s even tough for us to do the right thing in our lives when it is often easier to take shortcuts. It is at times like these when we need that vision of Christ’s return to sustain us. We get that hope and keep it alive through prayer and worship. They fill our spiritual gas tank and give us the energy to continue.

The cost of discipleship is obedience to God and imbedded in that cost is the gift of freedom. We know that the cost of work is service to us, long hours, tired bodies, weary minds. And it is all for the glory of God. And the gift imbedded in that strenuous activity is joy in the Lord. The good news is that we are all followers, not pioneers, and God holds us all close throughout all our life’s journey. We are indeed beloved and blessed.

Bibliography

1. Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New American Standard Version
2. Exegesis for Luke 21:5-19. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
3. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “Out of the Rubble”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
4. The Rev. Dr. Margaret Neill, “The Joy of Struggle”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
5. Abingdon Commentary, Luke 21:5-19. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
6. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package
7. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package
8. King Duncan, “Bracing for the Rough”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
9. John Wayne Clarke, “The End of Time”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
10. David Lenninger, “Of Rubble and Trouble”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
11. Larry R. Kalajainen, “Not Yet Quitting Time”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
12. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 33^rd Sunday, Year C”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org