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Matthew 2:1-12
2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. “Jesus Christ is Lord.” The Magi come to Herod looking for a king, but they find an impostor. Yes, technically Herod was the monarch, ruling under the authority of Caesar, the emperor. But he was not the king these wise men sought. His kingdom extended over several million acres of land. But they were searching for the King of the Earth. Herod (and Caesar for that matter) is a pretender to the throne. They can beat their chests and puff themselves up all they want, but the rulers of this world are, at very best, underlings. Jesus is not. He is the absolute monarch of Israel, but of an Israel without borders. Jesus was born to rule all that was promised to Abraham. He is the King whose Kingdom extends to the four corners of the universe. Recall that Abraham was promised, not that he would be the father of a single son, but the father of many nations, and that all nations of the earth would be blessed by his offspring. To this, Saint Paul adds that it is those who believe in Jesus Christ who are the heirs of Abraham. (Romans 4:16-22) As the Son of David, Jesus could lay claim to the throne of Israel. He could have asserted His rights, gathered an army, and taken up his ancestral claim. Jesus took a pass, however, not because He was too humble to sit on the throne, but because it was too small of a thing. Jesus seeks to sit on the throne of the universe. He will rule all creation or nothing. The Son of David bypasses the palace in Jerusalem for the cross just outside its gates. There, under the banner “King of the Jews”, He hangs exalted, drawing all men to Himself. (John 12:32) There, with His divine blood, He purchases-redeems!-the entire creation. Jesus Christ is Lord of the Universe. This is He whom the Magi seek out. Jesus is the King, even of these foreign idolaters. And Jesus is the King whose reign transcends time. Risen from the dead, He has no expiration date. He is the Emperor of your life. Like the Magi, we are led by the Word of God, by God’s miraculous intervention, by the nose, to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. This eternal, all-powerful Lord rules His creation for your good. (Romans 8:28) He is not merely working things out to the end that He arbitrarily desires, but to the end that is best for you and for everyone that He has called to be His own. All of the rules, the suffering, the disasters, the hardships, all the joy and grace and forgiveness and love, is guiding us with one purpose: eternal bliss with God in His new creation. A Merry Christmas to you all, and a blessed Epiphany.
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John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Over the past 4 years we have all been reminded on just how infections spread. A disease can go from one body to another-to many others-and grow. Sometimes the spread of a disease can help build immunity, but generally speaking, infections are bad. We don’t want them to spread. In today’s passage, Jesus is described as “life and light”. More than that, Jesus is “the only begotten Son” who makes “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” It is as if Jesus is a reverse infection. He comes into a dark and fallen world, a world that is the enemy of the good God. And everywhere He goes, the light spreads. God’s enemies are infected, not with bacteria or a virus, but with son-ship. Think about it. Jesus encounters a leper, reaches out and touches him. Rather than Jesus contracting leprosy, the leper contracts Jesus’ cleanness. Jesus touches the sinful and His righteousness fills them. Jesus meets the dead, and they are infected with His life. Jesus is at work among us still today, spreading light and life, infecting sinners and doubters with forgiveness and faith. When you hear His Word, it enters your very soul and begins to work, spreading light to the dark corners, planting forgiveness, and growing faith. May Jesus infect you with His life and light, and may you be a vehicle for its spread to others. Luke 2:41-51
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. This passage is riddled with foreshadowing. Luke, knowing how the story will end, and inspired by the Holy Ghost, highlights details about Jesus’ young life that, in retrospect, broadcast what is to come several decades later. [It should not surprise us that Luke does this. Afterall, he has to exclude some facts about Jesus early life, or, as Johns says, “I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” (John 21:25) If Luke has to decide what events to include and which ones to leave silent, it makes perfect sense that he would choose stories that highlight the ultimate mission of Jesus on earth, the goal of His life and ministry.] A few items stand out as examples of foreshadowing. The first is that this event takes place in Jerusalem. Jesus spent most of His life and ministry in Galilee, not Judea. Galilee is a Jewish occupied territory to the north of Judea with the territory of Samaria in between.Yet here we read about Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Passover. This is exactly what we see at the end of the Gospel. Jesus goes to Judea to Jerusalem for the Passover, not just to celebrate it, but to fulfill it. (Luke 19-23) Jesus is then left behind for 3 days. In the minds of Joseph and Marry it must have been as likely as not that Jesus was lost to them, kidnapped or murdered. They seek Him sorrowing.“ (Luke 2:48) Yet, their sorrow is turned to joy when they see Jesus teaching the teachers. Certainly this is meant to spring our minds forward to the cross, where Jesus is left dead for 3 days and 2 other Marys–Magdalene and the mother of James–will seek Him, sorrowing. (Luke 24:10) And their sorrow will transform into joy when they see the resurrected Jesus. A third piece of foreshadowing is that Jesus amazes and astonishes Joseph and Mary with His wisdom and knowledge. Their sorrow is transformed into awe and wonder. Certainly the disciples of Jesus, His relatives and friends, were filled with wonder at His resurrection. Are you? Do you wonder at the birth of God in human flesh? Are you amazed that He would take on your sins and die in your place? Does it astonish you that He rose three days later bringin life and immortality to light? I pray that the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus fills you with faith and wonder and hope, that you are amazed and astonished that all this was God’s plan to redeem you, save you from destruction, and grant you the status of “child of God”. Luke 2:39-40 39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Jesus Christ fulfills the entire Law of God, even in His infancy, even when He is unable to walk or talk. Mary and Joseph performed all things according to the Law. We can see why it was important for the mother and guardian of Jesus to be pious Israelites. Yet, even in His innocence and perfection, there is growth. Jesus “waxed strong in spirit.” He grows in wisdom and favor with God. See also Luke 2:52 where it says, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” It seems that being morally righteous does not make one stagnant. It does not stop growth in spiritual matters, but rather fuels it. This side of paradise none of us can claim moral perfection. But the grace of God is upon us too. God showers you with favor through His Word preached, taught, read, and sung. He pours out the Spirit in Baptism as our sins are cleansed and our lives are renewed through the resurrection of Jesus. He nourishes us with the Spirit as we eat and drink His body and blood at the Lord’s Table. Through all of these God fuels and spurs our growth in spirit, our increase in wisdom, and as we grow, He delights in our growth. In that growth, however, we are not completely passive. There is some effort on our part to move in the direction of life and wisdom rather than death and destruction. Reading the Scriptures is the best way to gain wisdom. It is the wisdom of God in book form, and so we should read it as often as we can. Worshiping with other Christians and sharing fellowship with them outside of worship are also opportunities to help one another grow in spirit. Iron sharpens iron. (Proverbs 27:17) Discipline, or practice, also plays a part. We do not simply input knowledge, but we must put that knowledge to use. When God teaches us something new, it is good to make a habit of it. Whether in worship, prayer, or daily life, discipline is of much value for growth in spirit. The strength of Jesus in spirit and wisdom accomplishes our salvation. It also increases our own strength. That strength is not used to save ourselves. That work is already done. But it is used to grow stronger in wisdom, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ all the more closely that we may be as He is. Luke 2:22-38
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. It was Job, that great sufferer, who longed for the day when his Redeemer, his God, would stand upon the earth, the day when he would see God with his own eyes. (Job 19:25-27) Job does not get this, at least not yet. He will receive this in the resurrection on the Last Day. Simeon, however, gets what Job longed for here in time. 2000 years ago Simeon stood upon the earth and beheld God, his Redeemer, with his own eyes. Simeon sees what all who seek consolation long for: God-with-us. Too often we think of “consolation” as a sort of runner-up prize. Consolation is what we get when we cannot have what we really want. But that is not what Simeon receives. That is not what Jesus is. Simeon’s response to seeing Jesus is not to say, “Well, at least I have this.” Instead, he takes the child in his arms, blesses God and the baby’s parents, and delights that the Lord has blessed him in this way. Jesus is not the “consolation prize”. He is the only prize that matters. The Christ child is not born so that you could feel better about not getting what you want, but to be the fulfillment of all Hope! Simeon is ready to die now, because he has seen the very best that God has to offer: His own Son. This interaction with Simeon and Anna shows us that Jesus is far more than we could ever hope or expect. He is holy to the Lord (v 23), the consolation of Israel (v 25), the anointed one (v 26), salvation (v 30). This infant is light and glory (v 32), the feller and raiser of many (v 34), and sign and revealer (vs 34-35). Jesus is the Redeemer (v 38). May the Spirit of our God move you, as it moved Simeon and Anna, to receive Jesus Christ, the consolation of Israel, as the fulfillment of your hope. May you rejoice at His coming as they rejoiced. Luke 2:21
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. “His name was called Jesus.” Names mean thing, and they carry weight and power. Why else would God be so specific, so picky, about what His Son would be named? It will not be left up to chance, to the whims of Mary and Joseph. This is the name of the child that will save the universe by the shedding of His blood, but more than that, this is “the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” As the hymn says, “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name.” Here are a few examples of that power. Acts 2:38 - And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 3:6 - But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Acts 3:16 - And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. Acts 4:10 - let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. Acts 4:29-30 - And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 8:12 - But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts 10:48 - And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Acts 16:16-18 - As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. Acts 21:13 - Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” The name of Jesus heals, exorcises, rebukes, resurrects, baptizes, and moves believers to risk their lives for Him. Yes, there is power in that name, and there is no other name which gives such a great salvation. (Acts 4:12) So never forget that your God has a name, and His name is Jesus. Fear, love, and trust in Him above all things. Call upon Him in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks. Do all things in His name. And when you hear the archangel clear his throat and speak the name of Jesus, hit your knees and get ready for the refrain: “Jesus Christ is Lord!” |
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