Don’t Stand Aloof. Fly to the Fount.

In Acts 5:12–16, we see an amazing scene glowing red hot with signs and wonders and astounding church growth. But nestled within this wild scene is an exhortation that we can’t allow to sneak past us for all the action. Don’t stand aloof from Jesus. Come to him.

We find the action that gives rise to the dramatic results in verse 12,

 

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.

 

God the Holy Spirit powerfully works signs and wonders through the apostles among the people and in the gathered church. The result:

 

more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

 

Now, at this point in Acts, the Lord had already been adding people to the church in huge numbers: Three thousand at Pentecost. Two thousand or perhaps even five thousand after Peter and John heal the lame man. So the church, counting women and children, is already pushing ten thousand at this point. And now more than ever believers were added to the Lord (Acts 5:14). The scene had to have been a wild one in Jerusalem. How do you even begin to report it. Well, Luke essentially drops us into a theater seat here and offers us a glimpse of the glorious, divinely directed play. People in the streets on cots. People pouring in from all the surrounding cities threatening to burst the walls of Jerusalem. All healed.

A good question to ask at this point is this: did the signs and wonders do this? They certainly played a part, or Luke would not have pointed them out. But what part did they fill in this divine comedy? Were they the lead role? Or, were they the supporting role. Acts 2:22 gives us the answer:

 

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22).

 

The purpose of signs and wonders and the miraculous when Jesus walked the earth was to attest to Jesus. Acts 14:3 confirms that this remains the purpose of signs and wonders and miracles in the ministry of the church. There Luke describes Paul and Barnabas’s ministry in Iconium, saying,

 

So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands (Acts 14:3).

 

Thus, the Holy Spirit performs signs and wonders through the church for the purpose of attesting to and bearing witness to Jesus and the gospel. Signs and wonders are the supporting character that shines the spotlight on the lead character, Jesus. Signs and wonders show Jesus. That’s their purpose, and they cannot be divorced from that purpose. They are never alone, but accompany the gospel.

So, when we consider a scene like Acts 5:12–16, we must recognize that Luke assumes the gospel here. These signs and wonders were done while the apostles boldly proclaimed the gospel (Acts 4:30–31). If this is the case, then, people are flocking to Jesus and availing themselves of all his benefits promised in the gospel. Thus, as Luke notes, believers, that is believers in Jesus, were added to the Lord (5:14). And as they came bringing the sick and demon afflicted, or perhaps sick and afflicted themselves, they found healing. Here in Acts 5:12, you can see the desperate hope. You can almost smell the mass of humanity. You can hear the commotion—cries of need from the sick and afflicted mingled with spontaneous exultations of the healed and delivered. Wonder upon wonder!

And, tucked away in this sensory scene is an implicit exhortation. In v. 13 we read,

 

None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem (Acts 5:13).

 

While believers frantically flock to Jesus, there are others or the rest, the people (formulaic in Acts for those outside the church) who keep their distance. And yet, we also see that these people are divided even within themselves.

The people, while not daring to join the church still hold them (the apostles and the church) in high esteem. A more literal translation could be they magnify them. This Greek word that we render hold in high esteem or magnify (μεγαλύνω) usually attaches itself to the Lord or Jesus in the NT. For example, the Lord Jesus was extolled or magnified in Acts 19:17. In the OT, the Greek word translates the Hebrew word that communicates the idea of making great. Again, this word most often refers to God being made great. However, when it is applied to a man in the OT, that man is typically made great or magnified only because of his association with God and his glory. That is, God makes them great in the eyes of men (For example, Genesis 12:12; 2 Samuel 5:10).

The payoff of this little word study is this: These people who keep their distance magnify the apostles and the church not in spite of Jesus and his glory, but because of him. They recognize that God is with the church and doing something through them for his glory in the name of Jesus. And yet, they dare not join them.

When Jesus enters the scene, we can rest assured that there will always be division. That’s because Jesus demands all or nothing. But in return, he gives so much more,

 

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).

 

When these people in Acts 5:13 see Jesus, they sheepishly stop short—content just to spectate and admire. Others see Jesus and furiously fly—not content until he is theirs and they are his. And it is only those who come to Jesus who find healing (Acts 5:16).

Let this exhort us.

When God reveals his glory to us in face of Jesus

When Scripture shows Jesus in all his exacting elegance

When the preached Word pricks our hardened hearts with the call of Christ

When the Holy Spirit works a sign or wonder or miracle to throw light on the love of God in Jesus

Do not stand aloof. Fly to the fount.

 

Nothing in my hand I bring

Simply to the cross I cling

Naked come to thee for dress

Helpless look to thee for grace

Wretched to the fount I fly

Wash me Savior or I die [1]

 

[1] Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me by Augustus Toplady (1776).

God Loves You More Than You Love Him

God is more excited about your redemption than you are. Zephaniah 3:14–20 prophesies of the coming day of redemption for God’s people through the gospel of Jesus. It is a day of great joy. And, the joy of some is greater than others. In short, God’s joy in and love for you so outshines your joy in and love for him that when you finally witness it in full, it will quite literally take your breath away. Consider some bits of the passage.

 

The Joy of the Redeemed
Zephaniah 3:14 exhorts you to express your joy fervently:

 

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! (Zephaniah 3:14)

 

God through his prophet gives you three commands: (1) Sing aloud, (2) Rejoice, and (3) Exult. God’s people are a people who must sing and sing loudly! They are a people who must rejoice and exult with all their hearts. In the same way the Great Commandment exhorts you to love the LORD your God with all your heart, Zephaniah exhorts you to sing loudly as you rejoice and exult with all your heart.

Why? Two categorical reasons. Because of your redemption and because of your redeemer. The next verse makes this clear.

 

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. (Zephaniah 3:15)

 

The three commands of sing aloud, rejoice, and exult have three reasons that we can shuffle into the two categories of redemption and redeemer: (1) the LORD has taken away the judgments against you; (2) the Lord has cleared away your enemies; and (3) the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst.

 

Your Redemption
First, you sing, rejoice, and exult because of your redemption. Consider the first two reasons that make up your redemption. (1) “the LORD has taken away the judgments against” you, and (2) the LORD “has cleared away your enemies.” Zephaniah makes a word play here that we don’t get in our English translation. The Hebrew word that we translate “take away” conveys the meaning of turn aside. We could translate then, “the LORD has turned aside the judgments against you.” Similarly, the Hebrew word we translate “cleared away” conveys the meaning of turn to. So we could translate “he has turned to your enemies.”

The full effect here is this. In your sin, you were an enemy of God under his rightful judgment. Yet, the promise of redemption in Jesus means that God has turned aside his judgments against you because they have all landed on Jesus. No more wrath for sins remains for you. Thus, as a result, the LORD now turns to all your enemies—sin, Satan and his demonic forces, and death itself—in order that they may feel the full weight of his divine judgment. Because of Jesus, the LORD has turned aside his wrath from you and has turned toward your enemies in his hot, blazing wrath. This is enough in and of itself to lead to great joy. But there’s more.

 

Your Redeemer
Second, you sing, rejoice, and exult because of your redeemer. The third reason in Zephaniah 3:15 doesn’t describe your redemption but your redeemer—the King is in your midst. Notice how the prophet describes the king. He is not merely “the King of Israel.” He is “the King of Israel, the LORD” who is in your midst. This King is YHWH. That is, Jesus Christ your King, the Son of God, dwells in the midst of his people now spiritually, and he will dwell in the midst of his people forever in the new heavens and new earth.

The reasons for joy have piled up so high that you should be boiling over with loud singing, rejoicing, and exulting! You who are in Christ should be the most joyful people because of your redemption and your redeemer. And you should be experts at expressing it with passion. However, there is one whose excitement for your redemption outpaces even your own. Look at what else the prophet has to say.

 

The Joy of Your Redeemer
In Zephaniah 3:17, the prophet moves away from describing the joy of the redeemed and begins to describe the joy of the redeemer.

 

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17).

 

The command to you is to sing loudly, rejoice, and exult with all your heart in your redemption and in your redeemer. And yet, what you read here is that your redeemer—the King, the LORD who is in your midst—also rejoices. And notice what or rather who he is rejoicing in—“he will rejoice over you with gladness.” Specifically, the prophet says (1) he will rejoice over you, (2) he will exult over you, and (3) he will sing over you. The prophet begins to paint a picture for you here.

As you come to the LORD, singing, rejoicing, and exulting with everything you have, he is doing the exact same thing. And what is the result? Is it a joyful back and forth of singing? Surprisingly, no. The prophet says you will actually stop your singing at the sight of the LORD—he will quiet you by his love. The Hebrew word for “quiet” here does not convey the idea of calming down or comforting like you might comfort and quiet a fussy or sad child. Rather, the word conveys the idea of keeping silent. The picture suddenly takes on more color. You come to the LORD with great joy, singing loudly, rejoicing and exulting with all of your heart. But you quickly find that the LORD’s joy completely eclipses yours. God’s delight in you, whom he has redeemed, is so great that it moves you to shocked silence.

 

Stand in Awe of Your Redeemer
God is more excited about your redemption than even you are. And his joy in and love for you will so outshine your joy in and love for him that it will quite literally take your breath away. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that right now for you in Christ, you should worship him with all you have. Specifically, according to Zephaniah, (1) you must sing and sing loudly, (2) you must rejoice with all of your heart, and (3) you must exult with all of your heart. You should express the entire scope of your joy and happiness in your redemption and in your redeemer. But it also means that you should expect in foretaste now and in full flavor in eternity to be moved to shocked silence—hand over your mouth, awe—when you see, experience, and know God’s joy and love for you in Christ that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:17–19). It also means that even when you are not delighting in and rejoicing in him or when you may be tempted to doubt his love for you, he has not ceased to delight in and rejoice in you.

As excited as you may be about your redemption, and as much as you might delight in and love your redeemer, his excitement over, delight in, and love for you far surpasses it. Look at the joy and love of your redeemer, and be moved to silence. Stand in awe of King Jesus, the LORD your God, in your midst.

Welcomed by God

Are you a weary sinner worn down by your idolatrous pursuits, guilt-ridden and ashamed to return to God? God welcomes you in Christ. Are you a weary saint worn down by the trials and tribulations of life, wondering if any of your labors will bear fruit, reward, or glory for your king or whether such labor will be overshadowed by your feebleness and failings? God welcomes you in Christ.

This Sunday, we will consider this high calling in Romans 15:7,

 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

 

To do this, we must first consider this: How does Christ welcome us?

 

Weary Sinners
First, Jesus has welcomed us as we are, sinners in need of a savior. When we come to God in our weakness and need, he welcomes us as the father welcomed his prodigal son in Luke 15:17–24. We often come to God like this prodigal son came to his father. We come with a plan. Consider Luke 15:17–19,

 

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

 

Notice the plan: (Step 1) I’ll confess, (Step 2) I’ll declare my unworthiness, (Step 3) I’ll take a demoted position and work to earn my place. The plan is heartfelt and marked with genuine humility. Yet some subtle but substantive misunderstanding of the father tinctures this plan. And so too often with us when we return to God from our wayward ways. And God in Jesus blows up our categories of restoration with his profound grace. Just consider how the father receives his returning son,

 

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

 

Notice, the son begins to implement his plan, and what is the father’s response? He doesn’t even acknowledge his sons attempt earn the restoration. Luke uses the key word “But” to show us the contrast in the father’s response to the son’s expectation of being treated as a servant. The son offers his spiel, but the father puts on mercy’s robe and a ring of grace.[1] The father welcomes his son home with abundant mercy, grace, and celebration. There is no time for self-flagellation when a son who was dead returns alive.

This is how Christ welcomes weary sinners. This is how Christ welcomes you. He welcomes you with staggering mercy, confounding grace, and exuberant celebration. But what’s arguably more breathtaking is the welcome weary saints receive when King Jesus returns.

 

Weary Saints
Second, Jesus welcomes weary saints with refreshing. Jesus offers us a parable to illustrate this in Luke 12:35–40. There, Jesus offers a parable to warn his people to remain faithful and expectant of his future return rather than being distracted by and invested in earthly things. Consider Jesus’ words,

 

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

 

The promise to the servants who are faithfully waiting their master’s return is that when the master does finally return, he greet his faithful, joyful servants happily. Then the servants will, in their joy, have their master sit as they begin to serve him. Is that the promise? No. The unexpected promise is that when the master returns and finds his servants faithfully working, he will have them sit, and he will serve them in joy. We can never outdo the hospitality of God in Jesus. The promise for you weary saint is that no matter how arduous or up and down the journey to eternity seems, no matter how long you have awaited the return of your master, if you remain faithful, he will come to you. And though you would welcome him, he will welcome you with times of refreshing.

 

Welcomed by God
God welcomes weary sinners and weary saints in Jesus. The promise for you weary, prodigal sinner is that if you will come to God in Jesus, he will welcome you. He will clothe you. He will adorn you. He will kill the fattened calf and celebrate you. There will be no place for guilt or demotion. The promise for you weary but faithful saint is that when Jesus returns, he will welcome you. He will wipe the sweat from your brow. He will sit you down at table. He will offer you a cool drink from the river of life. And he will set a feast before you. So if you are weary, a weary sinner or a weary saint, let the tried and true words of that great hymn by Joseph Hart be your anthem,

 

I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in His arms
In the arms of my dear Savior
Oh, there are ten thousand charms (Joesph Hart, “Come Ye Sinners” [1759])

 

This is your king, the one who welcomes you with ten thousand charms. Come weary sinner. Come weary saint. You are welcomed by God.

 

 

[1] “mercy’s robe” and “a ring of grace” are lyrics found in “The Prodigal” by Sovereign Grace Music. Music and words by Meghan Baird and Ryan Baird. © 2009 Sovereign Grace Worship/ASCAP (adm. by Integrity Music). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved.

Snow and the Kindness of God

Snow should remind us who are in Christ of God’s kindness.

According to Queen City News, Charlotte has not seen measurable snow since January 2022. That’s a three year snow drought. That means, we (the Smith family) have never seen snow in Charlotte. But as I write this, snow sits on the ground outside our house. Our first NC snow! As many of you know, we moved here from the Midwest—namely Kansas City, MO, by way of Minneapolis, MN,—where we grew quite accustomed to lots and lots and LOTS of snow. But, let me tell you, it hasn’t taken very long for us to lose our familiarity with it. Three years of no snow may as well be thirty. So that makes our very first snow in Charlotte and the first snow in three years for many of you as fascinating and magical as ever. And, while there can often be some inconveniences with snow, these white crystals of frozen water that captivate us from the time we’re young should also spark flames of praise to our Heavenly Father. Consider the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 147,

 

Praise the LORD!

He sends out his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

He gives snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;

who can stand before his cold? (Psalm 147:1, 15–17)

 

God is the inventor and maker of snow, and that should lead to our wonder and praise. And, when this rare snow starts to melt, which is likely to be rather quickly, that too should remind us to send up praises to the Creator. Again, the Psalmist,

 

He sends out his word, and melts them;

he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. (Psalm 147:18)

 

Snow should lead us to praise God. But do we praise God merely for this mesmerizing gift of snow as wonder-inducing as it may be? No. This sprinkle of snow and ice, its falling and its ultimate melting, is simply a kind reminder from God that he has been uniquely kind to us who are in Christ. That’s because, just as he sent this snow by his word, he has kindly revealed himself to us by declaring his Word to us. Again, the Psalmist,

 

He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and rules to Israel.

He has not dealt thus with any other nation;

they do not know his rules. (Psalm 147:19–20)

 

If you know the gospel, if you know God’s Word, it is only because he has spoken it to you and revealed it to you. It is only because God has kindly shown mercy to you.

 

Just as God speaks to send the snow and take the snow away, he spoke to reveal himself, awaken our hearts, and remove our sinfulness through the gospel of Jesus. As long as a three year snow drought may seem, we were on a trajectory of lifelong spiritual drought. And God in his kindness permanently broke the drought. Snow should remind us who are in Christ of God’s kindness to us. This snow, therefore, should lead all of us who are in Christ to one thing. It should lead us to repeat the refrain of the Psalmist,

 

Praise the Lord! (Psalm 147:20)

Christmas Exposes the Heart

Christmas exposes the heart. That is to say, Jesus’ presence exposes the heart.

Christmas does so in two ways,

  1. Christmas exposes what the heart treasures
  2. Christmas exposes the heart’s knowledge of or lack of knowledge of God

We can see this illustrated in the familiar story of the wise men coming to worship Jesus in Matthew 2:1–12.

First we’ll consider how the first Christmas (Jesus’ initial presence on earth) revealed what the hearts of the wise men treasure. Then, we’ll consider how that first Christmas revealed what Herod’s heart treasured. And finally, we’ll see how Christmas revealed the wise men’s knowledge of God and exposed Herod’s lack of knowledge of God.

 

1) Christmas Exposes What the Heart Treasures
To arrive at our conclusion about what the wise men’s hearts treasure, let’s make atwo observations about the wise men that Jesus’ first advent reveals.

 

The Wise Men
First, the wise men are looking for and waiting for King Jesus. What is the quest of the wise men? Matthew 2:2 tells us: They come to Herod in Jerusalem “saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?’”

The wise men are searching for the new born Jesus. Why now? What inspired them to search now? The reason they offer is: “For we saw his star when it rose” (Matthew 2:2).

These wise men are familiar with the prophecy that Balaam spoke concerning Israel when they were camped on the plains of Moab. While Israel made their way to the Promised Land, Balaam prophesied that a king would rise from the Jews like a star. Numbers 24:17 records the prophecy,

 

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

 

The wise men knew this prophecy, and they sat on it in hopeful anticipation. A when a stellar phenomenon appeared in the sky, they took this as their cue: the king is coming. The wise men were not caught off guard by his coming. Rather, the wise men were looking for his coming in hopeful anticipation. The wise men were looking for and waiting for King Jesus.

 

Second, Jesus’ presence moves the wise men to joyful, sacrificial worship. The rest of Matthew 2:2 makes clear that the wise men, upon seeing the star, seek out Jesus in order to worship him,

 

“we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2)

 

How do they worship Jesus? Joyfully. Well this isn’t hum drum dutiful worship. This is white hot, joyful, incandescent worship. Matthew piles up the descriptions of their joy in 2:10 when he tells us that when they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Jesus’ presence is their joy.

What else marks their worship? Sacrificial giving. Matthew 2:11 tells us that they give gifts, treasures to him—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The wise men were waiting for Jesus and they came to joyfully worship him personally by giving gifts.

What do these two observations (their hopeful waiting for the king and their joyful, sacrificial worship) together tell us about what the wise men’s hearts treasure? To answer, let’s ask one more question: Does Jesus, the Son of God and King of all creation need the wise men’s presence or their gifts? The answer is a resounding no.

The Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe needs nothing. Jesus the Son of God incarnate certainly has no need of something these wise men or his worshipers could bring as a gift or provide by their presence. So why do the wise men look and wait for Jesus to come and then journey what was likely a great distance to personally bring Jesus these treasures? They waited for Jesus, they journeyed to Jesus, and they brought Jesus these treasures not because Jesus had need of them personally or what they could provide, but because they had need of Jesus.

The wise men did all this as a way of saying, “Jesus, you are worth more than these or any earthly treasures.”

Piper reflecting on this scene says this,

 

When you give a gift to Christ like this, it’s a way of saying something like this: The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things in the hope of enjoying you more, not the things. By giving to you what you do not need an what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, ‘You are my treasure, not these things.’ [1]

 

When Jesus, whom they had waited for in hopeful anticipation, showed up at that first Christmas, their response was rejoicing with exceedingly great joy. Their response was to go and worship. That first Christmas, Jesus’ presence revealed that the wise men’s hearts treasured Jesus above all else.

Compare this to Herod.

 

Herod
First, Herod was not looking for or waiting for Jesus. What was Herod’s response when the wise men informed him of their mission? First, Matthew 2:3 makes clear that Herod was surprised. Matthew tells us that upon hearing the news from the wise men of the coming promised king, Herod had to ask his chief priests and scribes where the Christ was going to be born. Here is a king in Israel, who is not even looking for the coming of the promised Messiah. Jesus is not even on his radar.

Second, Jesus’ presence troubles Herod. Matthew 2:3 makes clear that upon hearing the news of Jesus’ presence, Herod wasn’t only taken off guard in surprise, he was also troubled. Herod’s response was not to rejoice exceedingly with great joy. His response was distress. Why?

Well, what did Herod ultimately seek to do? Herod sought to kill Jesus, and he went so far as killing all the male children in Bethlehem two years old and under (Matthew 2:16–18). What does this tell us? Herod saw Jesus’ presence not as a reason for joy, but as a threat to his joy, namely his throne.

So, Herod was not even looking for Jesus, and at his arrival he was greatly troubled and sought to destroy him because he saw him as a threat. What do these two observations tell us about what Herod’s heart treasures? Herod’s heart treasures his own rule and reign over Jesus.

So here in the wise men and King Herod’s response to that first Christmas, we get a picture into the human heart. When Jesus enters into our lives, his presence demands a response. Our response to his presence exposes what our heart truly treasures. Do we treasure Jesus above all things, or do we see him as a threat to something we treasure more?

If we are growing in Christ, both of these responses will be present in our lives. We should worship Jesus with white hot passion sacrificially giving our time, energy, and resources as a way of expressing our treasuring of him and for the sake of his kingdom advance. But we should not be surprised when we suddenly find ourselves feeling disturbed by Jesus’ presence either. None of us treasures Jesus as we should. We should expect that his presence in our lives will begin to reveal things we tend to treasure more than him. And when he exposes those idols and rises like a star in our hearts to remind us, “I am your King. I am your treasure. Worship me,” we should shake off our troubled thoughts, emphatically cast aside and abandon our idols, and run to him, rejoicing exceedingly with great joy in worship.

Christmas exposes what the heart treasures. And, by doing so, the bottom line is this: Christmas exposes who we know or think God is.

 

2) Christmas Exposes the Heart’s Knowledge of or Lack of Knowledge of God
Christmas reveals whether the heart rightly knows God as the all benevolent giver or wrongly thinks of God as a malevolent taker. Consider the contrast between the wise men and Herod again.

 

The Wise Men
The wise men’s treasuring of Jesus above all else reveals that they know God to be the most benevolent giver. They recognize that the God, who has need of nothing, has given to them something they desperately need in Jesus. Their actions reveal that they recognize Jesus’ presence will cost them something, because they give up expensive treasures and time and energy just to be with him. Yet their worship reveals that they know whatever God may demand from them, he has given them something so much more in Jesus. They trust God’s goodness toward them to take away what they don’t need and give them what they truly need. The wise men know God to be the most benevolent giver.

 

Herod
Herod’s treasuring of his throne exposes that he sees God as a malevolent taker. He does not truly know God, who gives eternal joy and life, and who seeks nothing nor needs nothing in return other than one’s joyful surrender to his rule and reign. Herod sees God’s king, Jesus, as one who would take his power to his ultimate harm. But, Jesus would take only in order to give something greater: salvation. Herod wrongly believes God to be a malevolent taker.

 

Christmas Reveals Who God Is
Christmas reveals that God is the God who would give us his very own Son so that we might be with him forever. And if this is the case, how will he not give us all things?

 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

 

God is the most benevolent of givers, who needs and seeks nothing in return but your joy, and who offers us the greatest treasure in his Son. So let Christmas has its full effect on your heart this year—let the presence of Jesus expose your heart. And, see Jesus as your greatest treasure. Rejoice at his presence. And, when you find yourself disturbed by his presence exposing a hidden treasure you didn’t know was there, bring it to him freely. For he promises to give you so much more in return.

[1] John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014), 51–52.

The Promise of Christmas: The Promised Offspring

At Christmas, many of us open presents. And, oh, what a joy it is to open a present. Even adults must admit that they love the feeling. Some of us might try to suppress our excitement to be, you know, ‘grown up’ about it; however, inside, we’re giddy. Children, on the other hand, express the joy of opening presents far better. Consider for a moment how children often judge presents. If you were to set two different presents, one big and one small, in front of a young child, which one will they typically go for first? The big one. Why? Because as a child you often associate the value of the gift with its size. The bigger, the better. However, as we grow older we discover the most value is often packed into the smaller present. A diamond ring comes in a small package, so that small package proves far more valuable than a big box that contains a giant stuffed toy. This same principle applies to some of the words we come across in Scripture. There is often a payload of theological treasure jampacked into small, seemingly straightforward words. And we should be more excited about these little words than we are presents at Christmas. Let’s consider one very relevant word for this advent season.

In Galatians 3:16, Paul says this,

 

“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ.”

 

Paul takes one word, “offspring” and makes what on the surface appears to be quite the exegetical and theological leap by saying offspring refers to Christ, that is, Jesus the long-awaited Messiah who saves God’s people. Paul does the same thing when he writes Timothy,

 

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel” (2 Timothy 2:8).

 

Jesus is the offspring of David. Now David had many sons. What makes Jesus the offspring, and why is that so important? We may be tempted to say, “Well Paul can come to these conclusions and make these assertions because he is an Apostle.” But, I think Paul actually instructs us how to read our Bibles here. Paul offers a couple of clues in these two verses that inform his word choice. Paul connects Jesus being the offspring to two people: David and Abraham. So with those two clues in hand, let’s just consider this tiny little word offspring. One of the best ways to begin to unpack this wonderful gift is to read our Bible’s backwards, beginning with a couple of very well-known Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah, Jesus. So let’s start unwrapping, because treasure of immeasurable worth lies hidden in this word, offspring.

 

The Offspring of David

First, Isaiah prophesies in Isaiah 9:6–7—a verse that often comes to mind around the Christmas season. In fact, many of us may have memorized—“to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Isaiah says that son is divine, that “his name shall be called…Mighty God” among other divine monikers. And, Isaiah declares that God will send this divine child, this son, to be the righteous ruler of his kingdom. Isaiah says that this son will sit on David’s throne—“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…on the throne of David and over his kingdom” (Isaiah 9:7). Right before declaring this, Isaiah says in Isaiah 7:13–14, that this promised divine son who will rule on David’s throne is the same son who will be called “Immanuel” (God with us), who will be born of a virgin unto the house of David. It doesn’t get much more Christmas than that!

Well, so far we have not seen the word offspring, but David shows up a lot. Isaiah certainly understands that David is connected to this promised son . Where does Isaiah get this? Again, we’re tempted to chalk it up to Isaiah being a prophet. However, Isaiah, just like Paul, shows us what Holy Spirit empowered, Christ-centered reading of Scripture looks like. Isaiah teaches us how to read our Bibles. So let’s continue reading backwards. For Isaiah takes his cue from a promise that God had already made to David.

We see in 2 Samuel 7:12–13 (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:11–14), that God declared to David, “I will raise up your offspring after you…and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Aha! Here we find our key word. The promised divine son prophesied by Isaiah is the offspring of David that God promised would reign forever. This promise to David ignited within David humble adoration and profuse praise to God (2 Samuel 7:18–29). Just consider some of David’s words in response to this promise,

 

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?…You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you?…Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears” (2 Samuel 7:18–22).

 

David is obviously elated. Behind this elation, though, there does seem to be more than just joy for the promise of a son who will reign as king forever—as spectacular as that is. Indeed, David says this promise of God to him is “instruction for mankind” (2 Samuel 7:19). What does David have in mind?

David understands this promise of an offspring to be the coming fulfillment of an accumulation of God’s promises to his people. David is of the tribe of Judah the son of Jacob, and God had already made clear in Scripture—Scripture that David would have been familiar with—that a promised king would come from Jacob and specifically Judah, who would crush God’s peoples’ enemies and rule over all peoples (Numbers 24:17; Genesis 49:10).

Just as Isaiah understood the promised divine son to be the promised forever king who was David’s son, David understood the offspring promised to him, to be the promised ruler who would come from Judah and Jacob to crush all enemies and rule over all peoples.

So the offspring’s connection to David is clear. But what about Abraham? Well, Isaiah, David, and the people of Judah and Jacob all would have understood the promised offspring to be the promised offspring of Abraham, just as Paul did.

 

The Offspring of Abraham

Recall, God promised Abraham that his “offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:17–18). This is the promise Paul had in mind when he wrote the words of Galatians 3:16 and 2 Timothy 2:8.

Let’s review, then. The divine son born of a virgin, the son and offspring of David who would reign forever, the enemy crushing king of Judah and Jacob is one promise. And that promise is the promised offspring of Abraham who would possess the gate of all his enemies and bless all the nations of the earth. Paul, Isaiah, and David understood that it would be through a promised offspring that God would fulfill his promise to Abraham to bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1–3).

But we’re not quite done unwrapping this word yet. There is one more way Paul, Isaiah, David, and even Abraham would have understood this promise of an offspring. To discover that, we must go all the way back to the beginning.

 

The Promised Offspring of David Is the Promised Offspring of Abraham Is the Promised Offspring of the Woman

In Genesis 3:15, after that awful day in history we call the Fall, God declares to the Serpent, in earshot of Adam and Eve these words,

 

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15)

 

Paul, Isaiah, David, and Abraham all understood that the promise of an offspring was the promise to destroy Satan and save God’s people from the curse of sin and death. What Abraham, David, and Isaiah all hoped for but never saw fulfilled, Paul declares we now behold in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus Is the Promised Offspring

When Paul declares Jesus is the offspring of Abraham and David, this is what Paul has in mind:

 

Jesus is the promised offspring in Isaiah who is the divine son born of a virgin, God with us, who reigns in righteousness forever (Isaiah 7:13–14; 9:6–7).

 

Jesus is the promised offspring of David who will defeat death and reign on David’s throne forever (2 Samual 7:12–13; 1 Chronicles 17:11–14; Acts 2:22–32).

 

Jesus is the promised offspring who is the ruler from Jacob and Judah who will crush his enemies and have the obedience of all peoples (Numbers 24:17; Genesis 49:10).

 

Jesus is the promised offspring of Abraham who will bless all families of all nations (Genesis 12:1–3; 22:17–18).

 

And Jesus is the promised offspring of Eve who would crush the head of the Serpent and undo the curse of sin and death (Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8).

 

Great Treasure in a Small Word

Jesus is the promised offspring. It seems our principle proves true. A seemingly small package, the word offspring, contains with in it a payload of such immense worth and value, that we should be like a kid at Christmas when we happen to stumble across this word in our Bible reading. Hidden within this word “offspring” is the very promise our salvation. That is something worth getting excited for this Christmas when the promised offspring’s, Jesus’, first advent is so clearly in view.

The Harmful Bloom of Bitterness

Harmful blue-green algae blooms can devastate a fresh water ecosystem like a pond or lake. The bacteria that forms the scummy mats that cover the surface of a body of water are always present within the water. However, when conditions are just right, these bacteria can blossom rapidly—in a matter of days—into a harmful bloom that covers the entire body of water. Once the bloom begins to form, the disruptive effects on the ecosystem are immediate. Other living organisms in the watery environment begin to suffer from deadly toxins, lack of sunlight, insufficient oxygen, and other effects that trickle down the food web. This can lead to a large dying off event. But the harmful bloom doesn’t just affect organisms that live in the water. It can also harm organisms that drink the water, come into contact with it, or inhale the water droplets. Ultimately, the bloom itself will die off because there no longer remains enough nutrients to sustain it. In a sense, the bloom destroys itself. So, in short, the potential for a harmful blue-green algae bloom remains hidden in the water until, suddenly, it seems to explode from out of nowhere. It then begins to systematically destroy other living organism within the ecosystem until it ultimately succumbs to its own gluttonous appetite that leaves no nutrients to sustain its own life.

What’s the illustration here? Obviously, this is the nature of sin. Sin remains hidden under the surface, and, when the conditions are right, it erupts to harm others and self. One specific sin that is particularly sneaky in this way is the sin of bitterness. Bitterness can lay under the surface for a long, long time. Then, when conditions are just right, it breaks out. The outcome of a bloom of bitterness is always devastating. A small droplet of bitterness will rapidly grow until it strips away the very inheritance of eternal life that Christ offers us. How do we overcome this insidious sin?

Consider Matthew 5:44–45,

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:44–45).

Focus on verse 44 through the first half of verse 45: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Follow Jesus’ logic here. Loving one’s enemies and praying for those who persecute you results in becoming a son of God the Father. This truth contains two implications:

Implication 1: You are not a son of God the Father due to your sinfulness in general.

Implication 2: You will not be a son of God the Father if you harbor bitterness for your enemies.

These implications are the reasons Jesus gives the command. He gives the command to wake us up to the reality that we are separated from God the Father by our sin. He gives the command to warn us that if we remain in our sin we will remain separated from God the Father. Another reason Jesus gives the command, though, is this: Our tendency due to our sinful flesh is to not love our enemies but to become embittered toward them. That is, our fallen, sinful natures prevent us from loving our enemies and propel us to harbor bitterness toward them. And that bitterness, like a harmful algae bloom, bides its time until conditions cause it to erupt in harmful desires for and acts of vengeance. Paul warns about this in Romans 12:19,

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

The command here is simple. We must not become embittered and seek vengeance. Rather, we should trust God to act justly. Our conundrum, though (as we’ve just pointed out) is that in our fallen nature we are bent to not love our enemies but rather harbor bitterness toward them. Likewise, we do not pray for those who persecute us but pine for vengeance. What’s the solution? How do we become sons of God the Father if we cannot overcome our inherent bent toward bitterness and vengeance? We need one who is already a son of the Father to show us the way. We need the Son.

Jesus, the Son of God, offers us the supreme example of loving one’s enemies rather than becoming embittered toward them. Consider 1 Peter 2:21–23,

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21–23).

What was the key to Jesus’ love in the face of such injustice and persecution that, if we experienced it, would move every fiber of our being toward bitterness and vengeance? It’s found in v. 23: Jesus continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. Just as Paul made clear in Romans 12:19, God the Father is a just judge. He will right every injustice. He will repay all the wrongs to you by your enemies. Vengeance is his. Trusting the Father is the example Jesus offers us. On top of that, the injustices Jesus suffered far outweigh any we do because he is the sinless Son of God. And yet, Jesus still entrusted himself to his Father.

Only the Son of God could know this way, and he has showed it to us. We of course could not know this way because in our sin we are not sons who would be inclined to trust God the Father. Romans 12:19 reveals that as well. Our bitterness and desire for vengeance springs from our lack of trust in God to act justly. In our sin we see God as a stranger and enemy. In our sin, we are his enemies. And this is where Jesus the Son of God proves to be more than just a model and an example for us. Jesus proves to be a savior and a son-making brother. Consider what Peter follows up his illustration of Jesus our example with in 1 Peter 2:24,

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:24–25)

Peter follows up Jesus our example with Jesus our savior. We, sinful man, were straying sheep in need of a seeking-shepherd. We were wounded by our own sin and in need of a healer. We were dying from the curse in need of a savior. And, in the heat of our fully bloomed sinful bitterness toward God and our fellow-man, we killed the Son of God.

And Jesus did not become bitter toward us but prayed for us even when we persecuted him to death,

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)

And Jesus rather than seeking vengeance entrusted himself to his Father,

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:47)

And by doing these things—by fulfilling the very command in Matthew 5:34 that he laid before lost, sinful, embittered men who were not sons of God but enemies of him—Jesus bore our sins in his body that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; Jesus healed us; Jesus chased us down like a shepherd seeks out his straying sheep to return us to God the Father. Jesus the Son of God saved us and made us sons of God again (Romans 8:14–17) because he did not become bitter toward us, his enemies.

So how do we overcome sneaky, insidious bitterness that would threaten to bloom to the harm of others and the eternal harm of ourselves? In Jesus the Son of God, we have been given the example to follow. We entrust ourselves to God the Father to do right. And we can do this, because in Jesus the Son of God we are no longer sin-enslaved enemies of the Father who distrust him with our lives. Rather, Jesus the Son has made us sons with him—sons who know and trust the Father, and who are able to follow in the way that Jesus has showed us.

Delighted, Not Dependent: God’s Glory and Your Good

God can make children of Abraham out of rocks. God will be glorified with or without you. And yet, God delights to use you for his glory and your good in his kingdom plans. At the same time, he is not dependent on you to accomplish them. This is a principle that John the Baptist reminds the Pharisees and Sadducees of (cf. Matthew 3:9 — “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”) We see this principle illustrated in Acts 1:15–26. There we witness a memorable scene play out. Peter leads the disciples to fill the void in the twelve left by Judas with a qualified disciple, in keeping with the necessary fulfillment of God’s Word with regard to kingdom restoration (cf. Psalms 69:25; 109:8). Two fellas, the man with three names, Joseph-Barsabbas-Justus, and the man with one name, Matthias, meet the stipulations. That is, both Joseph and Matthias are qualified to be counted among the twelve and receive a share in their ministry. And yet, only one will be chosen. In the end, King Jesus reveals his choice of Matthias. Check out the final movements in the scene:

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24–26)

The disciples pray for the Lord to reveal his choice, and he does. We may wonder: What did Joseph do after this? Did he leave in a huff? Did he ask for a recasting of the lots? Did he take his ball and go home? I think it is safe to say no to all of the above. Here’s why.

The very next thing we read in Acts 2:1 is this,

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

They here refers to all of the disciples of Jesus who were present in the preceding scene: the eleven and the roughly 120 including the newly added to the eleven, Matthias, and Joseph. All of these were baptized in the Holy Spirit and became instrumental witnesses of Jesus Christ in the founding of the early church. Some traditions even say that Joseph went on to become a bishop in the early church. But, we may still wonder: Why was Matthias chosen over Joseph?

The short answer, as we’ve made clear at the top, is because Jesus delighted to choose Matthias and wasn’t beholding or dependent to pick one over the other. But there might be more to say on the matter.

We find one other valuable insight in Acts 1:24. From the disciples’ human perspective, the choice is a toss-up. All the objective evidence they can observe suggests that these men are equally qualified. There are no glaring reasons why one and not the other should be chosen. Therefore, they pray. Notice the content of their prayer again. Not only do they confess that Jesus has already made his choice (he simply needs to reveal it) but they address Jesus as the knower of hearts. They recognize that not only does the Lord know the hearts of these men in a way that they as outside observers certainly can’t, but that the Lord also knows Joseph and Matthias’ hearts more intimately than even Joseph and Matthias can. We’re reminded here of the Psalmist:

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. (Psalm 19:12)

 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

Perhaps, there was something in the heart of Joseph that better suited him to not be one of the twelve. For that matter, perhaps there was something in Matthias’ heart that better suited him to be one of the twelve. What was it? We don’t know. We can only speculate on the specifics. But what we can know for sure is that this choice by the Lord was a grace to both men.

Everything God does for his people, he does for his glory and their good. God’s will for his people is their conformity to Jesus and their ultimate glorification with him (Romans 8:29–31). Therefore, God works all things toward this ultimate good for those who love him and are called according to this purpose and plan unto his own glory (Rom 8:28; 11:36). By taking away from Joseph the role of being one of the twelve, King Jesus was doing what was most glorifying for himself and what was best for Joseph. Likewise, by giving to Matthias the role of being one of the twelve, King Jesus was doing what was most glorifying for himself and what was best for Matthias. This is instructive for us.

Our identity should never be wrapped up in anything other than Jesus—not even our particularly calling or ministry. If Joseph bound his identity to being named one of the twelve because he thought it was what was best for him and the kingdom, the loss of this possibility might have driven him to despair. By taking this role from Joseph, then, we can trust that God was working a particular grace in his life that otherwise wouldn’t have come about. Perhaps he was exposing things in Joseph for his good. Perhaps he was protecting Joseph from hidden things in his heart that wouldn’t have been revealed and dealt with otherwise. So, for you, when God takes something away, even when it is what you believe he has called you to, you can rest assured of this: God gives and God takes away always for your ultimate good and his glory.

God is not dependent on you for his kingdom plans to succeed. He is not beholden to use you in any specific ministry or way. Rather, God delights to use you in the way that will most glorify him and conform you into the image of Jesus (Rom 8:28–31). The picture of Matthias being chosen rather than Joseph illustrates this reality for us in a memorable way.

God can make children of Abraham out of rocks. God will be glorified with or without you. But, in his kindness, he has delighted to call you to wrap yourself up completely in his Son, Jesus. He has delighted to call you to glorify him in the way he chooses. Submit to his call knowing that he will work all things for your good. For, his glory is your good.

The Promise of the Father: Overloaded Fuses of Love

The Father made a promise to his people. Acts 1:4–5 tells us that Jesus assured his disciples that they would receive that promise from the Father—the gift of the Holy Spirit. We see the heavenly delivery of this gift in Acts 2. What came with that promise? Well, there are different aspects we could highlight—purity and power just to name a couple. But another astounding reality that comes with the Father’s promise is the promise of his permanent, unmediated, abiding presence.

God’s salvation program has always aimed at him dwelling with his people. This is what makes God’s people his people. Moses understood this and longed for the presence of God.

 

And he [Moses] said to him [YHWH], “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15–16).

 

And so God promised to dwell and did dwell with his people. Consider Leviticus 26:11,

 

I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people (Leviticus 26:11–12).

 

And he remained with them in this special way until, because of their ongoing rebellion, God’s glory departed the temple, and he handed them over to exile (Ezekiel 10:18; 2 Chronicles 36:20–21). But God’s story of salvation did not end there. God has already written the end of his story of salvation, and he will dwell with his people in a way never known or experienced before. Revelation 21:1–4 gives us as close a glimpse as we can get on this side of the new heavens and new earth of the wonders of the ineffable future reality to come,

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1–4)

 

This is the endgame, eternity in God’s joyous presence for those who have surrendered to King Jesus (Psalm 16:11). And, in God’s grand wisdom, how is it that we get there? By God’s presence with us now.

Ezekiel and Jeremiah, having experienced both the fall of the seat of God’s earthly kingdom, Jerusalem, and the exile of God’s people, foresaw and longed for the day when God’s presence would return in a new way to his people under a new covenant. He would not only dwell with them. He would dwell in them.

 

And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God (Ezekiel 36:27–28).

 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Jeremiah 31:33).

 

And, what again is the payoff of God dwelling with his people? It’s Moses’ insight we noted above. God’s presence with his people identifies them as God’s people. God’s presence with his people assures them, they are his. Jeremiah foresaw this new covenant promise of God’s abiding presence resulting in knowing God in a new, intimate, expansive way never before seen,

 

And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:34).

 

This is the promise of the Father—the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God’s permanent, abiding presence with and within his people—that Jesus poured out on his people in Acts 2. This is the gift he has given us who are in him. Put simply, the promise of the Father, the gift of God’s presence in us by the Holy Spirit, is the gift of assurance. It is the sure knowledge that God’s is ours and we are his. God’s presence in us by the Holy Spirit assures us that we are his children,

 

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:14–16).

 

And at times God delights to overwhelm us with the presence of his Holy Spirit in order to fill us with fresh knowledge of his abiding presence with us and love for us. Martyn Lloyd-Jones captures such experiences well, saying,

 

“The fuses of love are so overloaded they almost blow out.”[1]

 

And, when the fuses of love are overloaded with the knowledge of God’s love for us, that’s when we sing his praises and declare his mighty works through the gospel of Jesus with such joy and boldness that the world takes notice and the kingdom of God advances. Again, Lloyd Jones,

 

The subconscious doubts…are gone! And in their place is utter and indestructible assurance, so that you know that you know that you know that God is real and that Jesus lives and that you are loved, and that to be saved is the greatest thing in the world. And as you walk on down the street you can scarcely contain yourself, and you want to cry out, “My father loves me! My father loves me! O, what a great father I have! What a father! What a father!”[2]

 

The Father made a promise. And what the prophets of the old covenant foresaw, we get to experience in the new covenant. We live with the permanent, abiding presence of God dwelling in us by the Holy Spirit. And because of this, we know him, we know his love for us, and we know we are his children. And he delights to remind us of this at the most unexpected times in fresh, wonderful ways. If you haven’t experienced that in some time, just ask your Father for it. For your Father delights to give you the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). In this way—you being filled with the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God and his love for you, which leads you to declare his mighty works of salvation through Jesus because of your joy in him—in this way, God will take his kingdom to the ends of the earth. Through your overloaded fuses of love, the Father will make his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[1] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit (Random House Publishing Group, 2000).

[2] Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable.

From the Deep Well of Past Blog Posts: What Has Straw in Common With Wheat?

[Every now and then, we like to dip back into the well of past blog posts. This week, Coty is beginning a new series in Jeremiah titled, The Word of Life, the Word of Judgment. The theme for this Sunday is “Father, You Have Put Your Words in Our Mouths .” If you can’t tell, the common theme here is God’s Word. In light of this, consider this past blog post that observes how Jeremiah 23 reveals the immeasurable worth of God’s Word that he has graciously given to us. Read and be edified.]

Are you hungry? Why don’t you go collect grass clippings from your lawn, pile them up on your plate, and sit down to a sumptuous feast?

Doesn’t that sound appealing?

Which would you choose: That plate of grass clippings, or a loaf of piping hot bread, right from the oven?

Jeremiah tells us that the Word of God is like wheat, and any other words of advice, of counsel, of experience, are like grass, like straw. The Word of God is that much more valuable than all other words.

Does that image reflect the relative value you give the Word of God compared to other voices?

The image comes from the prophet Jeremiah. God gave him a difficult message to deliver to the nation: The Babylonians would come and destroy Jerusalem. The Lord God would bring about this punishment because of centuries of rebellion against Him.

Jeremiah faithfully delivered the message.

But many other false prophets were telling the people that all would be fine: They said the attacking Babylonian army would depart, the exiles who had been taken away to Babylon a few years earlier would return, and the kingdom would be secure. They claimed to have received dreams from God revealing these truths.

In response to these false dreams of the false prophets, God says through Jeremiah:

Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:28-29)

The prophets’ dreams were like straw, like grass – like that plateful of grass clippings. Those dreams provided no nourishment. As God says a few verses later, “They do not profit this people at all” (Jeremiah 23:32).

In contrast, God’s Word is like wheat: Nourishing; satisfying; filling; sustaining.

And no one would mistake straw for wheat! No one would pick up grass clippings and think, “Oh, let me grind this up to make fresh flour!”

Just so – if we have eyes to see – there is a stark difference in value between the Word of God and other writings that claim authority.

Daily, hourly, minute by minute, words pound against our ears and messages present themselves to our eyes, saying: Buy this! Vote for that! Advocate this! Write a letter about that! Heal your relationships via this technique! Get your life together through that miracle cure! Make a million through this investment! Become attractive through these clothes! Become healthy via this exercise regime!

Among all those messages, some are totally false. Some are harmful. Some, on the other hand, are useful in one way or another.

But in comparison to the truths God graciously provides us in His Word, all of those are straw. All are a pile of grass clippings, compared to the satisfying, fragrant, filling bread of His Word.

And the bread is not just for our personal consumption! His Word, says the Lord, is like “a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jeremiah 23:29). Picture a sledgehammer, shattering the concrete barriers we have erected between us and God. God’s Word breaks through those barriers, leaving us “exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). Exposed, we can only fall on our faces before Him, humbly seeking the forgiveness He offers through Jesus Christ.

So we must proclaim that Word, so that it might have its intended, shattering effect.

Now, the effect of that proclamation is often not pleasant. Indeed, when the sledgehammer is at work, hearers may oppose the Word harshly. This was the case with Jeremiah. He was thrown in prison more than once for speaking God’s Word. He was even tempted to quit speaking. But God would not let him. Jeremiah writes,

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot (Jeremiah 20:9).

God’s Word is like a fire (Jeremiah 20:9; 23:29). It burns within us. Like the Yosemite wildfire, it spreads and spreads. We can’t hold it in. We can’t contain it. We must speak it.

Many pastors have applied these verses to the preaching ministry. Indeed, my prayers prior to preaching almost always echo Jeremiah 23:29.

But the Word should be a fire in every one of God’s people. The Word is a hammer, breaking the rock into pieces, whenever any Christian faithfully speaks that Word to others.

So, first: value God’s Word above all the other voices you hear – consider it like a hot loaf of fresh bread compared to grass clippings. Second, remember that it is like a sledgehammer, which will break down the barriers we erect between ourselves and God. Finally: that Word is a fire within us – it must come out!

May we speak that Word faithfully and fully – so that all might know the difference between straw and wheat.