Mary, Mary (Advent Day 8)

I'll tell you a curious thing:  Baptists don't hear many sermons on Mary, the mother of Jesus.  As a piece of anecdotal evidence (one woman's experience), I've heard more sermons about Mary of Bethany than about Mary, Jesus' mother.  I've been pondering the reason for this and what I've deduced is that we are afraid to talk much about Jesus' earthly mother because some religions have venerated her far past what the Bible proclaims.

Some have, in fact, declared that she was sinless and that she remained a virgin after Jesus' birth.1  I can find nothing in the Bible to substantiate much of what we might call Marian tradition or Marian lore.  But, that doesn't mean that we should ignore her in our Advent meditations.  What do we find in Scripture (and only the Holy Scriptures) about Mary, the mother of Jesus?

Some of the best information comes to us from the gospel of Luke.  In Luke 1:30 we read that Mary was "highly favored" by God.  Who can know the mind of God?  But, obviously, she was a very special young woman.  God had literally chosen her among all women to give birth to Jesus.  Beyond that, we have no idea what caused God the Father to choose Mary for this role.  Of course, her free will was not negated.  In Luke 1:38 we read how she agreed to take on this role.

First, though, she asks an intelligent question.  "How can this happen, since I am a virgin?" (1:34) Most of us, myself included, would likely have been so stupefied by an angel appearing to us every sensible thought would have left our heads.  Not Mary.

After receiving a satisfactory, though not fully understood, answer to that question, Mary subjects herself to the will of her God.  "Be it done unto me according to your word." (1:38)

The angel, Gabriel, tells Mary that her much older and formerly barren cousin, Elizabeth, is now six months pregnant.  Mary immediately determines to go see Elizabeth, since the two of them have a miraculous pregnancy in common. Elizabeth must have seemed like a harbor in a storm, to Mary, who could have thought, "Finally!  Someone who will understand!"  It is possible that Mary came from a family of some means, since she was able to a long trip from Nazareth to the hill country of Judah on her own.   It is likely Mary was accompanied by servants to make this trip.  Under no circumstances would she have been allowed to make the trip totally on her own.  Still, not a "shrinking violet", was Mary!

After hearing Elizabeth's greeting, Mary speaks what Luke records as the Magnificat, which has been the subject matter of many a gorgeous piece of choral music over the centuries.  The Magnificat contains several references to Old Testament scripture, which lets us know that Mary was an educated young woman.  It is also the response of a mature follower of Jehovah.

One other notable characteristic about Mary:  she thought deeply.  We know this from the Scripture that tells us she "pondered" these events in her heart.  She was a person who didn't act impulsively, but rather, thought things through.  More important than that - - - she was not omniscient.  She didn't know or understand everything at once.  Her faith was grown and cultivated over the course of her life, much as it can be with each of us who submit to the will of our Savior.

For example, there is nothing to indicate that Elizabeth had had prior warning of Mary's visit.  Their greetings to each other bear all the hallmarks of a surprise, on Elizabeth's part.  No doubt, Mary was encouraged and comforted by Elizabeth's words of greeting.  God used the prophetic utterance the Holy Spirit gave to Elizabeth as a confirmation for Mary.

Well, I had not intended this Advent series to turn into a Marian study, but just wanted to reflect on the mother of our Savior today.  Honestly, I've become somewhat disenchanted with my Tozer study aid.  It's not Tozer's fault....but, the editors who picked and chose from his writings have left me restless.

Tomorrow I think we'll look at Anna, the only woman in the New Testament to be called a prophetess.  :)

Source:

1   https://www.catholiccompany.com/content/What-the-Catholic-Church-Teaches-About-Mary.cfm

Which Advent? (Day 6)

The word "Advent" means "the arrival of a notable person".  In the case of the Christian church, it means the arrival of Jesus Christ.  And, this "arrival" usually refers to His birth, which some refer to as His "first Advent".  Interestingly, in today's Advent meditation from Tozer, he focuses on Christ's second Advent, right here in early December.  I found that a curious focus, until he hammered me.

The essential point Tozer makes is that celebrating Christ's first Advent was important to the early Church, but the anticipation of His second Advent (sometimes called His second coming) far eclipsed the first in their hearts.  Why, do you suppose?  In modern day Christianity, the birth of Christ receives far more attention...

There's certainly nothing wrong with anticipating the celebration of Christ's birth.  Doing so, meditating on prophecies of His birth, celebrating the amazing work God did in sending Christ to us, adds richness to this special season.  Tozer doesn't take anything away from that when he states that the return of Christ is "all but dead among us".  Do you believe that to be true today?  Is it true in your life?  I had to ask myself if it is true in mine; I didn't like the answer.

Members of the early Church expected the Lord to return to Earth during their lifetimes, at any moment, in fact. They were mistaken about the time of His return, but they were not mistaken in their attitude to expect it at any moment.  (Were they?)

Tozer poses several reasons for why the longing that burned in the breasts of the early believers seems to have "burned itself out" today.
1.  A relational love for Jesus Christ has been replaced with a detached, contractual obligation.  Love will carry you where mere duty never will.  Unfortunately, modern-day Christendom has overemphasized the "duty" of faith so much that the adoration of the Savior has fallen away. The drudgery of "taking up the cross" in discipleship has squeezed out the beauty of the One who died upon it.
2.  Conversely, many Christians are so comfortable in their cocoons of this life that they have little desire to leave them. This is especially true in parts of the world where faith in Jesus Christ exacts no extreme personal cost.  As long as we are healthy, happy and able to practice a "safe faith", a faith that can veer off into mere "religious entertainment", why should we forsake it for a world about which we know little?  Why should we long to be with Christ, face-to-face?
3.  And then, some just frankly don't really believe He will return at all.  "Certainly, if such an advent would occur, it won't occur for years and years....far after our generation is long gone..." Right?

A gospel song we used to sing when I was a child was called, "Will Jesus Find Us Watching"?  I've reproduced the lyrics at the bottom of this post.  I can't recall a single, modern-day song sung in church today about the second Advent, actually...can you?  Leave the title in the comments section of this post, if you can.

I don't know about you, but I always find thoughts of Jesus' second Advent very personally convicting.  "Am I loving Him as He deserves?  Does my love for Him translate into spending my days WELL?"  How would our daily lives be different, if we truly were looking for Jesus' return any day now? Would priorities re-align?  I'm quite sure they would.

When Jesus comes to reward His servants, Whether it be noon or night, Faithful to Him will He find us watching, With our lamps all trimmed and bright? Refrain: Oh, can we say we are ready, brother? Ready for the soul’s bright home? Say, will He find you and me still watching, Waiting, waiting when the Lord shall come? If, at the dawn of the early morning, He shall call us one by one, When to the Lord we restore our talents, Will He answer thee, “Well done”? Have we been true to the trust He left us? Do we seek to do our best? If in our hearts there is naught condemns us, We shall have a glorious rest. Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching, In His glory they shall share; If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, Will He find us watching there? by Fanny J. Crosby, 1876

Sources:

  Tozer, A.W. From Heaven. 2016. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL.

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Will_Jesus_Find_Us_Watching/

Meaning Behind the Merry

Have you ever watched the Jimmy Kimmel show, which is on TV after the 11:00 p.m. news?  I admit to watching at least a few minutes of it, some nights.  He has a segment often in which he sends staffers out in to the streets of Hollywood, where they ask passers-by about this-that-or-the-other. There have been times when the poor, unsuspecting folks have been presented with a "news item" that was completely untrue, but it sounded so plausible that the people faked an understanding of it to avoid looking ignorant.

I would love for The Jimmy Kimmel Show to do one of these segments, asking folks about the meaning of Christmas.  My guess is that the answers would amaze.  Even decades ago Tozer was writing about the distance most Americans had traveled in their departure from the truth about Christmas.  Oh, if you asked them, they would say the correct things.  But, what they focused on during the Christmas season would perhaps not line up with their statements.  This is something with which I constantly struggle.

Do you know how magicians are able to accomplish many of their "magic tricks"?  One indispensable element of their routine is to get you to focus on something unimportant so that you won't see the crucial action taking place elsewhere.  Satan uses this same trick in our lives, with the Christmas season being no exception.  Tozer2 described it as "magnifying trivialities and ignoring matters of greatest import".  (I started to use that in today's blog post title but then realized no one would read it!)

There's the shopping and the baking and the decorating (oh, the decorating!)  There's the rehearsing for special events, attending special events, cleaning up after special events!  THEN there's the church stuff - - - and you feel SO guilty if you don't throw yourself whole-hog into that!  The guilt can begin to pile up so much that the whole season is tainted.

As Tozer warned, it is so important that we don't miss the "meaning behind the merry", that we don't fail to celebrate the central truth of Christmas which is this:  "God came to earth in the form of the baby Jesus, who continued to grow in grace and truth until He accomplished what He came to earth to do.  Will you believe this by faith, receive and worship Him as Savior and Lord?"

The rest of the Christmas fa-la-la-la-la is just...frosting on the cake. Now, this gal loves frosting!  It can add so much flavor to the cake.  But, who only eats the frosting?  No one I've ever known....

So, it's December 1st.  This thang is just getting revved up.  Let's make ourselves a promise that we won't get so distracted by tinsel that we miss out on the treat, the birth of our Savior.

Do you have a favorite Christmas carol that says it best?  I think it might be this one:
(Note how the key phrase is repeated 3 times for emphasis....)

"Sing choirs of angels!  Sing in exultation!
Sing, all you citizens of Heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord"1

"Great is the mystery of godliness!" (1 Tim. 3:16)

Source:

1  Adeste Fidelis "O Come All Ye Faithful" (traditional carol)
2  Tozer, A.W. From Heaven. 2016. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL.

On a Starry Night

For whatever the reason, I can vividly remember as a young child being fascinated with the heavens at night.  My paternal grandmother, Granny Weezie, used to take me outside on bright, moonlit nights and would say, "I see the moon.  The moon sees me.  God bless the moon and God bless me."  The picture at the top of this post is of The Pleiades, otherwise known as The Seven Sisters, one of my favorite constellations.  There is a free app you can get on your mobile device now called "Skyview". When the app is on, you can aim your phone in any direction and the app will, after computing your location, show you what the sky looks like anywhere, even on the other side of our planet!  Amazing.

I imagine the tranquil shepherds "abiding in the fields" were similarly mesmerized by the night sky. Night after night, they watched the crawl of constellations from east to west, as simultaneously, they guarded their sheep flocks.  The ripping of the veil separating Heaven from Earth on the night of Christ's birth was something they never anticipated.

Perhaps some of them gazed up at the stars and wondered the same thing as the little boy who wandered into the school office, only to be met by a very high counter over which he could not see. Stretching his hands up over the edge he asked, "Is anybody up there?"  Do you suppose the shepherds wondered the same?

After the angels' announcement on the night of Jesus' birth, the shepherds had no doubt!  The unavoidable reality of God exploded across the night sky.  Damning the consequences, they hurriedly left their flocks unattended in the fields, in order to go see this miracle which had come to pass.

Have you ever received something you felt you truly didn't deserve?  Perhaps it was a second chance. Perhaps it was someone's favor.  Don't you know those shepherds wondered why an angel, followed by many more messengers from God's angel army, appeared to them?  Why them?

Perhaps the answer is in the angel's message (Luke 2:10 NIV)

10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 

ALL the people....The angels did not appear to a king or even to rich men.  They appeared to those people on the lowest rungs of society's ladder.  Do you think our all-wise God's choice of them was any accident?

We are all equally unworthy of the grace of God, the gift of God, that first Gift of Christmas. Reading the story of the shepherds none of us can say, "Oh, well, God's salvation is only for 'the deserving', the successful, the smart, the wealthy."  His grace was announced to the most lowly so that all of us can know for certain His matchless Gift came for ALL people, even us.

In the New Testament Greek, the beautiful word "euangelizomai" (εὐαγγελίζομαι) is rendered into English as "I bring good news"!

Good news indeed!

The Complete Package

On Fire!

On Fire! An almost-daily, expository, Christian, devotional blog, featuring a 10-minute read and, in early posts, also a 5-10 minute video synopsis.

I blogged recently about a "burning bush" in my neighborhood, a Japanese maple which, as I walked toward it at sunset, appeared to be on fire.  You can read that blog post at the link above if you choose, as it relates to today's post. This morning, I was continuing to study John 1:14, because this is Tozer's 3rd day on that particular verse (a fact which both causes me spiritual consternation but also is a healthy spiritual discipline for this ADD girl).  

Continuing to meditate on and study that magnificent verse I came upon these lines from MacLaren's Exposition (which I found at the Biblehub.com website):

"What must be the kindred and likeness between Godhood and manhood when into the frail vehicle of our humanity that wondrous treasure can be poured; when the fire of God can burn in the bush of our human nature, and that nature not be consumed? So it has been. ‘In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily".  (Emphasis mine)

The image of that  neighborhood "burning bush" returned to my mind, and I found that the image and the thought of Moses kneeling in worship, shoes off, at the burning bush of Exodus 3 helped me to better understand the Incarnation.  I was reminded of that burning bush of Moses' in the way of a "type" of the Messiah to come, Jesus Christ.  Moses marveled at how the bush itself, though paltry in comparison to the fire that fully indwelt it, remained an unharmed bush!

In the Day 3 meditation, Tozer focuses on the two words used to describe Jesus Christ in John 1:14.  As the Old Testament bush was "full" of God on that day, so Jesus Christ, in His human body, contained ALL the fullness of God!  He was, and is, the "complete package", all of God.  In his inspired attempt to describe the indescribable, John described Jesus as being full of grace and truth.

Why was He full of grace?  Because in His interactions with all of His creation, God acts with grace.  He IS grace, one of the components of His divine nature.  And, because the fallen creatures to which He came were in such desperate need of nothing more!  That is the starting point of Christian theological truth...that we are thoroughly lost apart from Jesus Christ and in no way capable of cleaning ourselves up to reach God's perfect, holy standard.

And so, He poured Himself into the vessel of a human zygote, embryo, fetus, newborn, infant.  Baby Jesus, Infant King of Kings.  Even as a youngling, earthly shepherds and kings bowed before Him.  The Divine shone forth through His baby flesh to discerning spirit eyes, even then.

How have you benefitted from Jesus Christ's magnanimous grace, that bottomless pit of goodness?

Even the lost and unbelieving benefit to some extent, whether they are conscious of it and give credit where due, or not.  Physical life is a grace.  That it continues from day-to-day is yet another gift of grace.  Another day to find Him or to serve Him is still another...Surely, if you are honest, you don't believe that you have somehow "earned" such blessings, as a result of your own inherent goodness?  As Tozer says, "Let us remember this: everything God does is by grace, for no man, no creature, no being deserves anything.  Salvation is by grace, the creation is by grace - - - all that God does is by grace and every human being has received of His fullness."

Sources:

Tozer, A.W. From Heaven. 2016. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL.

Biblehub.com/commentaries/John/1-14.htm

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Bridging the Gap - - Advent Day 2

For some reason when I turned on the TV in the bedroom this morning, the channel was set to The Blaze.  This was curious to me because I had not been watching it last night, nor does my husband watch that channel.  The first image was of a very bundled-up-in-coats Glenn Beck in what appeared to be a foreign place.  He went on to explain about how the country of Slovakia is helping those who are unable to help themselves...taking in Christian refugees fleeing Iraq.  When few other places will do so, this tiny country in the European Union is opening its arms to rescue these Christians, who have lost everything except their lives and their faith.  They were willing to lose everything for the sake of their Savior.  And, Slovakia has taken them in, demonstrating the love of God.  Glenn stated that there are families willing to take in these Iraqi Christians here in America, but that our government will not allow it.  This makes me ashamed to be an American.  God will richly bless Slovakia for their care of His own.  Wait and see.

Well, it is Day Two of the Advent Season.  Tozer's(1) meditation today focuses on the amazing mystery of God, the Limitless One, limiting Himself for our sake. Why did God do this?  And, why did He do this for humankind but not for other created beings? He did not do it for fallen angels, after all, and we are told in Hebrews that man is "a little lower than the angels"...  We can neither know the mind of God nor can we fathom the depths of His love.  The apostle John (3:16) tells us that it was because God "so loved" the world that He did this.

If you are a parent or if you become one you know (or will) that one of the most painful things in life is to be at odds with your child.  When I was growing up there was an expression, "the generation gap".  Basically, it referred to the societal difference between the older generations and the younger.  But, at a more fundamental level in the 1960s, it was about a younger generation rejecting the moral code of the older.  If you are part of a family that has not experienced this, then you are highly favored and greatly blessed.  The pain is tremendous and especially so when the children reject the parents' Christian faith.

Essentially, God saw this unbridgeable gap between Himself and his creation, mankind, a gap that the man had caused through his rejection of God's way; and, His pain was unbearable.  Knowing that the only way to reconcile His beloved creatures (us) to Himself was for Him to become one of us and make the supreme blood sacrifice, He did it.  He, who can do anything, did the unthinkable.

As the apostle Paul exclaimed when pondering this truth: "Great is the mystery of godliness!" (1 Timothy 3:16). Here's the full verse:  

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

In closing, let's consider the words of John Calvin in regards to this world-changing event in the history of mankind:

"What is there in us? If we cast our eyes upon God, and then enter into a comparison, alas! shall we come near this highness which surmounteth the heavens? Nay, rather can we have any acquaintance with it? For there is nothing hit rottenness in us; nothing but sin and death. Then let the living God, the well-spring of life, the everlasting glory, and the infinite power, come; and not only approach to us and our miseries, our wretchedness, our frailty, and to this bottomless pit of all iniquity that is in men; let not only the majesty of God come near this, but he joined to it, and made one with it, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ! What is Jesus Christ? God and man! But how God and man? What difference is there between God and man?

We know that there is nothing at all in our nature but wretchedness and misery; nothing but a bottomless pit of stench and infection; and yet in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see the glory of God who is worshipped by angels, and likewise the weakness of man; and that He is God and man. Is not this a secret and hidden thing, worthy to be set out with words, and likewise enough to ravish our hearts! The very angels could never have thought upon it, as here observed by St. Paul. Seeing it pleased the Holy Ghost to set forth the goodness of God, and show us for how precious a jewel we ought to esteem it, let us beware on our part that we be not unthankful, and have our minds so shut up, that we will not taste of it, if we cannot thoroughly and perfectly understand it." (2)

Sources:

(1). Tozer, A.W. From Heaven. 2016. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL.

(2). The Mystery of Godliness (1Timothy 3:16) - John Calvin 

The Mystery of Godliness (1Timothy 3:16) - John Calvin By Pilgrim An exposition of 1Timothy 3:16

{Please forgive the flaws in today's formatting and so forth.  I am blogging via iPad, since my computer died a quite sudden and complete death yesterday evening.}
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To Dwell Again

I was idly listening to a couple of entertainers on talk radio this afternoon as I drove home from church.  One of them was telling (true or not...) of a lady who had been a vegetarian for most of her life. Then, one day, she decided while at a coffee house, to try a turkey sandwich.  Now, she's enjoying BBQ!  She said that after one taste of that turkey sandwich, she just can't get enough!

That's the way it is for me with the study of the Word of God.  I have been severely deprived of my Bible study these past few days, due to a home/family project of large magnitude.  As a result, I am starving!

So, here we are, on the first Sunday of Advent which, this year, also happens to be the first day of Advent!  As a Baptist, we don't celebrate Advent the way the more "high church" denominations do; and, I think that's a shame, really.  So, since I love my particular denomination, I just choose to add Advent celebration on in my personal study.  Since beginning this blog, I have used two different Advent devotionals the past two Advents.  The first was from John Piper's "Solid Joys", and the last one was from Ann Voskamp's Advent study: "The Greatest Gift".  Both added a wonderful flavor to meditations on this sacred season.

This year, here in the blog (because in my personal devos) we will be hearing from A.W. Tozer, an early-to-mid-20th century theologian.  Not a Baptist, Tozer was a pastor in a denomination called the Christian and Missionary Alliance (the C&MA).  He wrote several books, including the famous "The Pursuit of God".

Today's Advent meditation concerns God's interactions with mankind, from the time of Adam and Eve until Jesus' birth.  In the Garden of Eden Genesis 3:8 tells us God walked through the Garden. Clearly, He regularly communed with Adam and Eve there freely, in their sinless states before The Fall. After their catastrophic, cataclysmic choice to believe Satan rather than God, everything changed.  God, for thousands of years, no longer "dwelt among", that is lived among, mankind.  It was not until the birth of Jesus our Savior that God once again was for a prolonged time "with us". "And His name shall be called Immanuel, 'God with us'." (Matthew 1:23)  The gospel writers were adamant about this point.  John too, in his gospel, drove the point home:  "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..."(John 1:14)

In the intervening years, from The Fall to The Incarnation, God appeared to men from time to time. He manifested Himself as various natural phenomena, such as a recurring, guiding cloud or a column of fire (the Shekinah Glory.)  At other times, He took on the form of man briefly (appearing to Abraham and to Moses, to Gideon, Daniel, Jacob and others).

But, when He put on flesh and revealed Himself as The Son, He came to abide with us, to dwell with us forever.  The Son has declared the Father, the Scriptures say in John 1:18.  In the Person of God the Son, Jesus makes manifest all the fullness of God the Father, whom no man has actually seen. We would be unable to bear such radiant majesty and glory.  We so lack the capacity to absorb His greatness that to actually see the Father would utterly destroy us.

"And we beheld His glory...." (John 1:14b)

When the first century folks saw Jesus with their physical eyes, they were looking at God, though very few realized it.  When we 21st century people "see" Jesus with eyes of the spirit, it is being revealed to us then all there is for us humans to know of God.  Jesus gives us as much of God the Father as we can tolerate in our humanness. And, Jesus does this miracle now through the Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.

Yes, today, when we embrace God through the Person of His Son, when we worship Him with the offering of our lives, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell with us forever.  He seals us as God's own, never more to be separated.  Physical death cannot then separate us from the love of God.  In fact, nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38). Nothing has that power. The Holy Spirit marks us permanently, like with a Sharpie permanent marker.  (If you've ever tried to get Sharpie ink off a surface or out of a fabric you can appreciate the analogy!) Even stronger, greater and more final than a Sharpie is the seal of the Holy Spirit on the soul of the believer in Jesus Christ.

He dwells with us who are His, and we will dwell with Him forever.