Rejoice Exceedingly with Great Joy!

Charlotte airport arrivals, Tuesday, almost midnight. My 3-year-old grandson Simon hasn’t seen me for four months. Pushed in his stroller around a corner, he notices me. His face lights up. Breaking into a huge smile, he cries out, “Papa!” He laughs and snuggles up against me.

I am near tears (a not uncommon occurrence these days!). Seeing me, Simon rejoices exceedingly with great joy.

Matthew uses those words to describe the wise men’s reaction when the star leads them to the infant King (Matthew 2:10). They have traveled far to worship Him, and they rejoice to see Him at long last.  Similarly, the angel tells the shepherds “good news of great joy” – their Savior is born, and they can see Him nearby, in Bethlehem (Luke 2:10).

In our present age, we do not yet have the joy of seeing Jesus in person. Yet we do have joy – just as Simon eagerly anticipated seeing Beth and me when his parents told him weeks ago about the upcoming trip. But then, upon their arrival, Simon’s joy seeing us face to face both fulfilled and surpassed the joy of that eager expectation.

Peter describes this present joy: “Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

But this state of joyful expectation is temporary. Jesus will return. Our joy will be full. We will break into huge smiles and laugh. We will see Him face to face. We will see in that face the complete acceptance made possible by His sacrifice during His incarnation, the deep love that prompted that sacrifice, and His pure delight in welcoming us into His family forever.

This Christmas remember the “wonders of His love.” See this Jesus as your Savior, your King, your Treasure. And long to see Him face to face.

Christmas, Confession, and Forgiveness

This season we will sing one of Charles Wesley’s great hymns:

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild:
God and sinners reconciled!”

How does the birth of the King lead to the reconciliation of God with sinners?

As 1 John 1:7 tells us: “The blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin.” That is, Jesus took on Himself the punishment that we deserve for our rebellion against God. On the cross, God “laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). These benefits of His death accrue to all who trust in Him as the payment for their sins, who see Him as their true King, who treasure Him above all the world has to offer. Then, reconciled to God through Jesus, we live our lives to His glory – not sinlessly, but continually forgiven because of the redemption we have in Jesus.

Thus, John continues in his first epistle:

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)

1 John 1:9 leads to a question: Is our forgiveness contingent on our confession? John has just said that believers can’t say they have no sin. We all sin every day. We confess those sins that we are aware of. But what about the sins we’re not aware of? Can I be lost – not reconciled to God – because I never confess the sins I’ve failed to recognize?

The question arises from a misunderstanding of the verse. John is not talking about a one-for-one relationship between a sin confessed and a sin forgiven: “I lusted after this woman; now I confessed it; only then does God forgive me.” Rather I confess my general sinfulness and any known sins upon coming to faith; I confess my sinfulness and any known sins daily to my loving, merciful Father; I regularly ask Him to search my heart and see if there is any grievous way in me (Psalm 139:23-24); I rightly agree with His Word in calling sin sin and not belittling or making excuses for any of my sins; I hate my remaining known and unknown sins and actively “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). That’s the idea behind “if we confess our sins.” Having done that, I trust that God is faithful and just to forgive all known and unknown sins and present me as perfectly clean before Himself because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Understood this way, confession is not something over and above “believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Confession is the daily manifestation of faith in Jesus, a daily living out of recognizing Him as Savior, Master, and Treasure, a consistent exhibit of the Gospel of God’s grace.

The baby in the manger we celebrate this season is God in the flesh, come to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), so that all of us sinners who believe in Him can be reconciled to God the Father, and then live as His beloved children every day.

So joyfully confess your sins before Him – and, forgiven in Christ, live out the true meaning of Christmas.

The Advent of the Kingdom

How should you prepare for the coming of the King?

We are entering the season of Advent – the weeks leading up to Christmas when we celebrate the incarnation and birth of King Jesus. Prior to that first coming of David’s promised descendant, many devout Jews, like Simeon, were “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). They lived “righteous and devout” lives, feeding on God’s Word, serving His people, proclaiming His promises, eagerly anticipating the fulfillment of every promise by the “God of Amen,” the “God of Truth” (Isaiah 65:16).

Today we can profitably use this season prior to Christmas to prompt ourselves to live similarly as we wait for the final consolation, eagerly anticipating the fulfillment of all the remaining promises by the same God of Amen.

But note: God grants a partial fulfillment of those promises today! As we long for the final consummation, “all the promises of God find their Yes” in Christ Jesus. And that “Yes” means that today He establishes us, He anoints us, He seals us, He puts His Spirit in us (2 Corinthians 1:20-22) so that “as He is, so also are we in this world;” indeed, “love [is] perfected with us” (1 John 4:17).

This is how we rightly celebrate Advent today: Not as a preparation for gift-giving or carol-singing, but in living our lives today in light of God’s promises and their present and future fulfillment.

Consider Psalm 81 in this regard. Like us, the Israelites of the psalmist’s day had been redeemed by God (out of Egypt) and had received God’s promise that through their offspring all the nations of the world would be blessed. But, like us, they suffered over the years from both external enemies and their own internal tendency to stray. In words that echo the opening lines of the Ten Commandments, God says:

“Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!  There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.  I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
“But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.  Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:8-16)

There are at least five explicit or implied commands here – five imperatives that tell us how to live in anticipation of God’s fulfilling His every promise:

  • “Listen to me and to no other!” God says, “Hear! Consider what happens when you listen to my words of life! Don’t listen to other claims of authority, to other claims of what leads to joy!”
  • “Worship me and no other! Others will seem to display power, will seem to exhibit wisdom, will seem to offer salvation – don’t bow down to them!”
  • “Remember my redemption! You once were slaves, and groaned in your slavery. I redeemed you, and no other. So don’t put yourselves back under the yoke of a master who only desires to use you!”
  • “Do not harden your heart! You naturally have a stubborn heart; left to your own desires and preferences, you will not listen to me, you will not submit to me; your own counsels will lead you far from me. Since you naturally will fall away from me, you must fight to open yourself up to me.”
  • “So open your mouth wide, and I will fill it! I will fill it with the finest of wheat, with honey from the rock, with what is better than you could ever imagine! Yield to me – and I will give you the deepest joy man can experience.”

How do we open our mouths wide? What does that mean?

Surely it means in part obeying the first four commands: Feed on His Word, worship Him with joy, preach the Gospel to yourself daily, and guard your heart. The fight for joy in God consists in part in this internal fight to believe God’s promises and to trust Him with our thoughts, affections, and emotions.

But “open your mouth wide” also implies our stepping out in action. Step out to serve – and God promises to fill you and use you in ways beyond your imagining. Open your mouth wide to speak the Gospel – and God promises to give His power to that proclamation, to work miracles of salvation and encouragement. Show love to the hurting – and God promises to infuse that love with His own, so that the comfort received is the comfort of God Himself.

Do you see? When we rightly prepare for the (second) coming of the King, we not only prepare ourselves; we not only prepare those around us; we actually display the coming Kingdom now! God so works through His forward-looking people that His Kingdom is manifest today in acts of mercy and words of grace.

So how will you celebrate Advent? Who can you encourage? What mercy can you show? With whom can you share the Good News of God’s grace? How will God’s Kingdom come – today! – through you?

By Faith, Joseph

Picture a nativity scene. Whether the scene consists of figurines in your home or of live persons and animals – what characters are in it?

  • Mary
  • The baby Jesus.
  • Shepherds
  • Wise men (though they didn’t arrive until several days after Jesus was born)
  • Animals (though Scripture doesn’t tell us there were any animals present)

Whom did I leave out?

Joseph.

But leaving out Joseph is not unusual.

In Scripture, Joseph’s actions are only recorded in Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 2. He is referred to five other places:

  • In Jesus’s genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3
  • Two times in John’s Gospel Jesus is referred to as the “son of Joseph”
  • Finally, in Matthew 13:55 Jesus is called “the carpenter’s son” – that’s the only verse that refers to Joseph’s profession. He’s a builder – probably working with both wood and stone.

So Scripture tells us little about Joseph.

Furthermore, Joseph tells us nothing about himself. Indeed, Joseph never speaks in Scripture.

  • Mary speaks.
  • Elizabeth speaks.
  • Zechariah speaks (when he’s not muted by the angel Gabriel).
  • The shepherds speak,
  • The wise men speak,
  • Even Balaam’s donkey speaks!

But Scripture records not one word from Joseph.

Furthermore, he disappears early in the story of Jesus. He’s present at Jesus’s birth; then when Jesus is 12, Joseph and Mary search for Him in Jerusalem after Passover. But as the narrative resumes when Jesus is about 30, Joseph is not there. Presumably he dies in the interim – but we don’t know when or how.

Thus, we know very little about Joseph.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that of the 461 songs we have sung at this church in the last almost 18 years, not one mentions Joseph.

Today we examine the Christmas story through the eyes of this man whom God chose as the earthly father of our Lord and Savior. As with Zechariah, we’ll look at Joseph’s faith – and how he fits together with those listed in the Hebrews 11 hall of fame for faith: Men and women who held firmly to God’s promises, and by His grace advanced His great plan, whether they had substantial earthly success or lost everything in this life.

Matthew gives the most detailed account of Joseph, so we’ll focus on the Christmas story told in Matthew 1:18-25 under these headings:

  • A Deep Disappointment
  • A Dramatic Dream
  • A Costly Obedience
  • Following Joseph’s Faith

A Deep Disappointment

Mary and Joseph are engaged to be married. In this culture, betrothal is binding, requiring a legal divorce to end. But there is no consummation of the marriage until the wedding day, when the groom takes his bride from her parents’ house.

Joseph knows Mary’s parents – the two families surely met to arrange the marriage. But most likely Joseph doesn’t know Mary well. They will have had little together, and most likely no time at all alone together.

Nevertheless, Joseph undoubtedly is excited, greatly looking forward to the marriage, confident that Mary is the wife God intends him to love and to serve, hopeful that they will have children together.

But then someone tells him the horrible news: Mary – his Mary, his lovely young fiancé, is pregnant. How could that happen?

He hasn’t even been permitted to be alone with her – how could someone else? This is completely contrary to all he knows about her. But then, he must admit he really doesn’t know that much.

Deeply disappointed, deeply saddened for her and her family, as well as for himself, he must act.

Marrying her is not even an option. What kind of wife will she be if she is unfaithful even during the engagement?

He only has two choices:

  • He can stand her before the entire town, display her obvious pregnancy, swear that he has not touched her, and then say that he divorces her. This will publicly shame her and her family.
  • Alternately, he can meet with her family with only two witnesses present and divorce her quietly.

Despite all his hurt, despite the temptation to lash out at the one whom he thinks has hurt him, Joseph decides on the second choice.  This will be just – the right response to apparent sexual sin – and merciful – not putting Mary and her family to public shame.

A Dramatic Dream

Before he has acted, however, Joseph dreams. He sees an angel, a messenger from God.

What does the angel say?

The angel definitely speaks the words from the middle of verse 20 to the end of verse 21. A minority of scholars – including D.A. Carson – think the angel’s words continue through “Immanuel” in verse 23. Since there are no quotation marks in ancient Greek manuscripts, we can’t know with certainty.

Here then are the angel’s words, assuming the minority is right:

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for this very one will save his people from their sins. All this has come about in order that the word spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.”  (Matthew 1:20b-23a ESV; verses 21-22, own translation).

What is the angel saying? Let me expand on these words with an interpretive paraphrase:

“Joseph, you fear that Mary has been unfaithful, that she has had sexual relations with another man. But that’s not the case. This pregnancy is not to her shame; rather, it is to her honor and glory. Indeed, this pregnancy is the greatest privilege imaginable. Remember the prophecy in Isaiah – ‘a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and that son will be Immanuel, God with us.’ That son – a descendant of David – will be the Messiah, the eternal king. Furthermore, that son will be not only a king, but also a Savior from sin. For Isaiah also prophesies, ‘The Lord will lay on Him the iniquity of you all.’ Those prophecies are now fulfilled. Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit – not by any man. Thus, this child is Immanuel. And you too, Joseph, have a great privilege. A thousand years ago, David was your ancestor. You are the heir of David – though there has been no king among your ancestors for over 500 years. But now your adopted son – this child in Mary’s womb – will be the suffering servant and eternal king. You will be his earthly father. You and Mary have central roles in God’s great plan. Take Mary as your wife.”

How does Joseph respond?

A Costly Obedience

In Zechariah’s case, the angel appears right next to him while he is serving in the temple. There can be no denying the reality of the angel.

In Joseph’s case, the angel appears in a dream. But Joseph doesn’t suggest, “Maybe I imagined that angel. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part.”

Instead:

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)

Immediately, as soon as he woke up, Joseph goes to the house of Mary’s family. He has to bring witnesses – but not for divorce. Instead, they witness a private marriage ceremony. Joseph then takes Mary to his home, but does not have sexual relations with her until after she gives birth.

Then according to the angel’s command, he names the child Jesus – not Joseph. He is obedient.

This obedience is costly. What is the cost?

In the eyes of everyone around him, Joseph is a fool, a complete fool. There’s only one way for a young girl to get pregnant. So, everyone naturally assumes that’s the case. They think: Either Joseph lacks self-control; deceiving Mary’s parents, he arranged to have sexual relations with Mary before the wedding day. Alternately, Joseph marries a woman who has been sexually promiscuous while engaged. In either case: He’s a fool.

Realize: God asks Joseph to believe in a miracle when there is an obvious, natural explanation for the event. It’s one thing to believe a miracle has occurred when an elderly woman, long past the age of childbearing – like Elizabeth – gets pregnant. It’s quite another when a young teen gets pregnant – that’s not unusual! No miracle is necessary.

The stigma of this supposed shame follows Mary, Joseph, and Jesus for decades. For example, in John 8:41, some Jewish leaders arguing with Jesus say, “We were not born of sexual immorality” – implying, “Like you!”

To fulfill God’s plan, Joseph obeys the angel – and by faith takes on himself this disgrace.

So how might we add Joseph to Hebrews 11? What statement could we make about him?

Here’s my suggestion:

By faith, Joseph took on himself the public shame of marrying a pregnant girl. Believing in God’s promise of a Messiah and Savior, he looked not at his humble origins or his perceived social standing, but gladly and immediately accepted his role as the earthly father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Following Joseph’s Faith

Joseph’s example leads to five exhortations for us:

1) Believe God’s promises

The angel does not have to convince Joseph that the Messiah is coming. Joseph knew the Scriptures. He knew what God had promised. He trusted those promises. He did not know that God would send the Messiah during his lifetime, and he had no hint about the important role he would play. But because he believed in God’s promises, when the angel spoke, reminding him of Isaiah’s prophecy, he was ready to obey.

Just so with us.

  • Believe Jesus is returning as promised
  • Believe that God will fulfill His plan, bringing all those who are His to Himself
  • Believe that those will include some from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.

These are God’s promises. These are certain to come about. Trust those promises.

2) Believe that God is using you to fulfill His promises.

Believe not only that God will use you in the future; believe that He is using you now.

Note: Joseph was already engaged to Mary before the angel spoke. He thought he was simply picking an attractive and godly wife from a good family. But all the while he was fulfilling God’s plan.

Similarly, God is using you right now. Your family, your choices, your obedience – your failures, your hurts and even your sins – God weaves all this together to bring about the fulfillment of His every promise.

My role and your role are unlikely to be as prominent as Joseph’s. But God nevertheless is using you now even while He prepares you for the purpose you will fulfill in the future.

So trust Him. Step out. As with all those listed in Hebrews 11, you can’t know ahead of time how He will use you – but He will.

3) Speaking may not be important for fulfilling your role

We preachers are called to speak – and praise God for the way He uses preaching. Praise God also for the way He uses witnessing, and words of comfort and encouragement.

But none of Joseph’s words are recorded in Scripture – only his actions.

Perhaps your actions are much more important than your words in fulfilling your role in God’s great plan.

Ask: How can I act to show the preciousness and authority of Jesus? How can I act to display the Gospel?

4) Trust and obey today

Like Joseph, when you know what following God implies, act right away.

This doesn’t mean that we should act rashly (though undoubtedly our obedient actions – like Joseph’s – may appear to be rash to others.) Scripture elsewhere exhorts us to count the cost and to seek counsel.

But when you know what actions faith in God’s promises requires, step out. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t dawdle. Joseph upon waking took Mary as his wife. Act similarly.

5) Gladly accept the cost of following Jesus

Jesus the baby appeared to be the result of sexual immorality. Joseph appeared to be an absolute fool for marrying a girl he did not impregnate. Those rumors, that innuendo, followed Jesus and presumably Joseph their entire lives. The social cost was high.

And Jesus took on even more shame: Hanging naked on a cross, executed as a common criminal, taking on Himself the punishment deserved by all His people of every century. But Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, for the joy of playing His role in glorifying God through the redemption of all His beloved people. Now He is exalted to the highest place, seated at the right hand of God. He promises to return to right all wrongs, to establish justice, to usher in His eternal Kingdom, to perfect all His people – and to say to you face to face: “Enter into the joy of your master.”

He will say that to you if you are among His people.

Are you?

If you’re not sure: Look to Him! He is gracious, merciful, and slow to anger. He is love and mercy. Repent. Confess. And God will lay your every sin, your every disobedience, your every rebellion on Jesus. He will then justly accept you as His own.

If you are sure: Know: Whatever the cost, whatever the loss, whatever the shame of playing your role in following Jesus, He is worth it.

By faith, be like Joseph. Trust the promises. Fulfill your part in God’s plan. And enter the joy of your Master.

[This devotion is based on the December 20 sermon. You can watch or listen to that service here.]

A Christmas Gift to Yourself

Advent and Christmas celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world.

But why did He come?

The Apostle Paul tells us: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

That’s the truth about Jesus. He came to glorify God through the salvation of rebels.

But that truth only helps us if we acknowledge a second truth: I am among such rebels. So the Apostle continues by stating that he is the foremost of sinners.

We must know who Jesus is.

And we must know who we are.

Only by acknowledging and responding to those truths do we reap the benefits of Jesus’ coming into the world.

Jesus’ great ancestor David elaborates on such self-knowledge in Psalm 86. Let’s learn from him four truths we need to acknowledge about ourselves.

David was among God’s people, chosen by His grace. The four truths will be true of us also if we are in Christ Jesus, having come to God by grace through faith.

First: David knows that he is God’s poor, needy servant.

We see this in Psalm 86:1, 2, 4, and 16. Indeed, in Psalm 82:16 David calls himself not only a servant but the “son of your maidservant.” He is saying, “I’m like the son of Your household slave, born into your household, and thus having no inheritance, no assets, and absolutely no social standing apart from You. I am completely dependent on You.”

Now, David was king! He ruled! He had riches! People would bow down before him!

And yet he sees himself rightly as only a servant of God, one who can accomplish nothing on his own, one whose very purpose is to do the will of God.

Do you see yourself that way?

Second: David depends on and desires God

Psalm 86:4 says David lifts up his soul to God.

Now, other than when reading Scripture, I have never used the phrase “lift up my soul.” I doubt you have either. While it’s a fairly common phrase in the Old Testament, what does it mean?

Deuteronomy 24:15 is helpful in this regard, for the phrase is translated differently in that verse. Speaking of a poor and needy hired servant, Moses commands:

You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin. (emphasis added)

“Counts on” translates the same phrase we saw in Psalm 86:4, literally “lifts up his soul.” He desires those wages. He depends on those wages to be able to buy food that evening.

From this verse and elsewhere we can see that to “lift up your soul” to something is to desire and to depend on it.

So David in Psalm 86:4 is saying: “Bring joy to my whole being, for my whole being depends on and desires you!”

Thus both the first and second truths emphasize David’s dependence on God. This second adds the element of delight in God, of desiring Him.

Third: David knows that He does not know God’s way.

Psalm 86:11: “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth.”

Again, David is king, he is seen as wise – but he acknowledges that he cannot walk in God’s truth apart from God teaching him. He can’t live rightly, fulfilling the purpose of His creation, apart from God. He needs God’s guidance. He depends on God’s revelation, His instruction, His torah.

Fourth: David knows He is beloved by God

David speaks of God’s steadfast, covenant, unfailing love in Psalm 86:5, 13, and 15. Psalm 86:13 is personal: “Great is Your steadfast love toward me.”

While we don’t recognize it in most English translations, Psalm 86:2 makes a similar point. In the ESV, this verse begins, “Preserve my life, for I am godly.” That almost sounds as if David is saying, “Preserve me because I’m such a good guy!”

However, the word translated “godly” has the same root as the word translated “steadfast love.” The word used in verse 2 refers to a person who both receives and loyally returns such steadfast love. So we might paraphrase the verse, “Guard me, O Lord, for You have put me in covenant relation with You; I am loved by You and You enable me to return loyal love to You.”

Do you know these truths? Do you know you are poor and needy, dependent on God? Do you see Him as your desire and delight? Do you acknowledge that should you try to forge your own path apart from Him, you will inevitably go astray, harming yourself and others? And do you know that if you are in Christ, you are loved with a love beyond imagining?

David knew those truths. He generally lived by those truths – and when he didn’t, he exemplified what happens when we fail to live by those truths.

Give yourself the greatest Christmas gift possible: Acknowledge who you truly are, and who that baby in the manger truly is. Repent before Him. See Him as your delight.

And then bask in the love made possible by Christmas.

[This devotion is taken in part from a section of the December 8 sermon. The sermon audio is available at this link.]

Christmas Questions

The Apostle Paul tells us:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)

How can we fulfill this verse this week? That is, how can we celebrate Christmas and New Years to the glory of God?

Christians frequently lament that Christ is not at the center of our Christmas celebrations. While this is indeed lamentable, we often speak as if those celebrations are like the weather, completely out of our control. But by our attitudes, actions, and questions we can move every celebration – whether an office party or a family gathering – more toward Christ-centeredness. The movement may consist of only one conversation, but by our boldness in broaching these subjects we let the light of the Gospel shine through us onto our families and friends.

One way to glorify God in our holiday gatherings is through the questions we ask. Here are some questions, most from Don Whitney (Christmas questions, New Years questions), that you can use around Christmas and New Years to deepen conversations and to move toward a discussion of Christ Himself. Some are baby steps in that direction, others are deeper; some are appropriate for anyone, others only for professed believers. But consider how you might use these this next week:

  • Which past Christmas stands out in your memory? Why?
  • What’s the most meaningful Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
  • What was the most appreciated Christmas gift you’ve ever given?
  • What was your favorite Christmas tradition as a child?
  • Is there a particular Scripture passage you look forward to hearing at Christmas? Why?
  • Do you have a favorite Christmas story other than the biblical accounts? Tell me about it.
  • What do you do to try to keep Christ in Christmas?
  • Why do you think people started celebrating the birth of Jesus?
  • Why do you think Jesus came to earth?
  • Why do you think Jesus was born to a poor family?
  • Do you think the birth of Jesus deserves a big celebration?
  • What’s the relationship between Christmas and Easter? Why do you think Christmas is celebrated so much more than Easter in our country? Do you think this is right?
  • What Christmas carol do you think captures the meaning of Christmas particularly well? What truths does it bring out?
  • What’s the best thing that’s happened to you in 2017?
  • What habits do you want to break or develop during the New Year?
  • What is the biggest time-waster in your life, and what steps will you take to overcome it this year?
  • What single thing do you want to do in 2018 that will matter most in 10 years? In 100 years?
  • For whose salvation will you pray for consistently this year? Can I ask you about that in a few months?
  • What habit would you like to establish this year?
  • In addition to the Bible, what book do you look forward to reading this year?

Consider how you will you respond if your conversation partner turns any of the above questions back to you. “Do all to the glory of God.” How will your answers fulfill that command?

The answers we give to other questions can also help move conversations in ways that magnify our Lord. When we see relatives and friends after a long separation, many will ask, “How have you been?” What will you say? I encourage you to answer by describing one of the ways God has blessed you in Christ this year, or a particularly challenging circumstance that God has brought you through or that you continue to struggle with by God’s grace. Resist the urge to say, “Fine! Good!” or to focus on your job, your possessions, or your physical health.

God created us to glorify Him. This season presents us with unusual opportunities to magnify the grace of God through Jesus Christ in our lives, despite all the distortions of commercialization and secularization. I pray that each of us might take advantage of those opportunities, showing that we savor Jesus above all by the questions we ask and the answers we give, by our listening ears and our willing hands.

 

Why Do You Say Merry Christmas?

Why do you say, “Merry Christmas”?

  • Some celebrate their family;
  • Some celebrate their cultural or family traditions: What they do on Christmas Eve or morning;
  • Some celebrate gift-giving, especially Santa Claus;
  • Some celebrate the winter season: snow and sleighs and Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

Indeed, the song containing that line, modestly entitled “The Christmas Song,” is a good example of all these:

  • “Jack Frost,” celebrating winter;
  • “Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,” for family;
  • “Yuletide carols being sung by a choir . . . turkey and some mistletoe,” for tradition;
  • ‘They know that Santa’s on his way; he’s bringing lots of toys and goodies,” for gift-giving.

But “The Christmas Song” makes not one mention of Jesus Christ. And although the song ends with the words, “Merry Christmas to you,” it might as well end with “Happy Holidays.”

Celebrating family, traditions, gift-giving, and winter are not bad in and of themselves; on the contrary, all are good.

But for those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior, for those who see Jesus as the greatest Treasure, Christmas should primarily be a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He is the One responsible for all the good we receive; He is the One to Whom all those goods point.

  • He gives us our true, eternal, perfect family (Romans 8:15-17).
  • He gives us our deepest traditions, pointing to the most significant underlying realities (Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
  • He Himself is the greatest gift imaginable: He is the reason we receive any good and perfect gift, the one who sacrificed Himself so that we might have the gift of faith and righteousness and reconciliation with God the Father (2 Corinthians 9:15, James 1:17, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:21-25, Romans 6:23).
  • All things – including seasons – were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:15-16).

Imagine that today is your birthday. Imagine all sorts of people come to a party on your birthday. And at that party they celebrate their families. They celebrate winter: snow and sleighs and snowmen. They celebrate with birthday cakes and candles and games. Furthermore, they give many gifts to each other. But they ignore you. They don’t look at you. They don’t speak to you. They give no gifts to you. There is no indication that this is your birthday.

What would you think of that?

That’s what many do with Christmas – Jesus becomes at most a minor part of a seasonal celebration, whether we say, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”

Don’t let that happen this year. Remember who Jesus is.

  • Remember why Immanuel, God with us, had to come as that baby in the manger.
  • Remember how He lived, loving God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength, loving each person He encountered as He loved Himself.
  • Remember Him sacrificing Himself on the cross so that you might be reconciled to God the Father through Him.
  • Remember Him risen, reigning, and returning so that the kingdom of this world becomes His Kingdom, and He reigns forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).
  • Remember God the Father wiping every tear from your eyes; remember the coming time when there will be no more sorrow nor crying nor pain, because of His work (Revelation 21:4).

So by all means, shout out, “Merry Christmas!” By all means, celebrate family and traditions and winter; give gracious and thoughtful gifts to one another.

But this year may we clearly show that all these good gifts come to us only because Jesus was born of Mary two thousand years ago. May He be our greatest joy. May we praise Him – and may we thank God with all our heart for His indescribable gift.

 

When Will Christmas Come?

When will Christmas come?

Imagine that you didn’t know when Christmas would come; it might be December 25. But it might be much later. All you have is a promise: Christmas will come. Wait for it. Expect it. Be ready for it.

Imagine that went on day after day, week after week, month after month.

Would you still believe that Christmas is coming?

At the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, the Jews are in that situation. Through the prophets God had given them many promises about a future king, a future messiah, a Son of King David who would reign in righteousness. But no such king had come.

  • King David had reigned about a thousand years previously – as far in the past as William the Conqueror’s invasion of England is today.
  • Isaiah had prophesied, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given” about seven hundred years previously – today, as far in the past as Geoffrey Chaucer’s composition of “The Canterbury Tales.”
  • About four hundred years previously, Malachi had prophesied, “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” Today, that is as far distant as when William Shakespeare wrote “Hamlet.”

Then after Malachi, there have been no other Scriptural prophecies. Just waiting. Waiting. And more waiting. No Messiah. Only long periods of oppression broken by short periods of political freedom.

But God had promised that His salvation would come at exactly the right time: “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. . . . The righteous will live by his faith” (From Habakkuk 2:3-4).

So God’s people waited and waited and waited.

Two thousand years ago, during the reign of Herod the Great, God at long last brings about His plan – the plan He had formulated before the beginning of time to redeem and perfect His people for Himself, to the praise of His glorious grace.

He chooses for the parents of the messenger prophesied in Malachi a couple too old to have children, Zechariah and Elizabeth, a godly man and woman from priestly families. They “were righteous before God” (Luke 1:6) (not meaning they were sinless, but that when they sinned they repented and offered the appropriate sacrifice ordained by God.) For many years they had prayed long and hard for a child. But that child never came. By this point, they are too old. And I think they had stopped praying for a child. God had not seen fit to give them children.  They accepted His judgment.

Zechariah was one of about 18,000 priests among the Jews at this time.  One of the most important priestly tasks was to enter the temple twice a day to burn incense. Remember, the temple as a whole is a picture of God’s presence with His people. But inside the temple was the Holy of Holies – the Most Holy Place, where God was specially pictured as present. The incense altar was right outside that room, and thus pictures the point of contact between God and His people.

Which priest had the honor of burning incense at the altar? The privilege rotated among several different groups of priests  – but within each group, the priest was chosen by lot. With so many to choose from, most likely a priest would have this privilege only once in his entire life.

So finally, in his old age, the lot falls to Zechariah! This is a real high point of his life, as he approaches God representing the people.

Now, this daily incense offering has been going on for years and years. Zechariah never heard of anything unusual happening.

But suddenly, while he is burning the incense, a mighty angel appears! Zechariah is astonished and afraid.

But the angel says, “Fear not! Your prayer has been heard! Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.”

God had heard his prayers from long ago, and although Zechariah didn’t know it, God’s answer to his request for a son was not, “No,” but, “Not yet.”

The angel tells this fearful and puzzled man that he personally will have joy and gladness. But not only that: “Many will rejoice at his birth.”  So this child is not only the answer to Zechariah’s prayers for a child, but also the answer to all these prayers the Jews have offered for centuries.

The angel continues:

“For he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:15-17).

This boy John will fulfill the promise through Malachi; the messenger like Elijah preparing the way for the Messiah is here, at long last. Like Elijah, he will turn the people to repentance and faithfulness before God, preparing the people for the coming of His Messiah.

The time is at hand! The messenger will be conceived! The Messiah will come! The long wait is over!

But how does Zechariah respond to this great news?

The angel has told Zechariah that he and many others will have great joy at this birth.

Yet faithful old Zechariah has a hard time believing this, asking, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years” (Luke 1:18). That is, “I can’t just take your word for this. This is too hard to believe! Give me a sign!”

Are you like Zechariah?

Everyone who rejects the Gospel acts like this! We hear, “This is the way to true joy! This is the way to God, the way He planned before the beginning of time! Just believe in the Lord Jesus!” And we have a tendency say: “Hey! I won’t let you pull one over on me! I’m too bright for that! Prove it to me!”

But this doubting tendency manifests itself among believers too. For we often reject God’s plan for us.

  • God says, “I am with you always even to the end of the age.” Yet we are afraid to step out in faith when it implies doing something embarrassing or receiving less income or moving to a place with much disease and poor medical care.
  • God inspires the psalmist to say, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25). But we hold on to all our little trinkets and pray, “Oh, please God, don’t make me give these up!”
  • God says through Paul, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8). But we think, “How can I possibly serve God without broadband internet access?”

God says, “Here is great joy! Follow Me!” And Zechariah – and we – say, “Hold it! That’s too hard to believe!”

Note Gabriel’s response to Zechariah’s doubts: “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news” (Luke 1:19).

That is: “Hey! Zechariah! Do you know who’s speaking to you! God sent me here! And did you notice? This is GOOD news!”

Then, to paraphrase verse 20: “You asked for a sign? I’ll give you a sign! You won’t be able to speak until the prophecy comes to pass. But note: This prophecy WILL come to pass!”

Now, Zechariah comes around. Elizabeth does become pregnant. She gives birth to a son. And when Zechariah writes, to the surprise of those present, that the baby’s name is John, his mouth is open, and he sings a great hymn of praise to God (Luke 1:68-79).

But consider how the lesson Zechariah learns applies to us today.

We too have a promise from God from long ago. We too have been waiting for centuries and millennia for that promise to be fulfilled. So long ago Jesus said, “Surely I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:20). And, indeed, many of the Old Testament promises that Zechariah knew will only be fulfilled when Jesus returns.

So wait expectantly. Trust His promises. Pray for Jesus’ return.

But we can do more than wait. We can do more than pray. Peter speaks of our “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12). Our Lord says, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

God has a role for you in hastening the return of our Lord. It may be giving to enable that Gospel to be proclaimed to all nations. It may be sending others who go. It may be going internationally yourself. It may be going to the nations who have come to Charlotte. It may be going to your next door neighbor.

But whatever role God has for you – whatever the trials, whatever the difficulties, whatever the challenges – that role for you is joyous and fulfilling. Completing that role will give you the greatest joy you can have in this life, as you fulfill the purpose for which God created you and chose you.

So eagerly expect the Second Coming. Pray for Jesus to return. And fulfill your role in hastening that long-promised return – to your great joy.

 

 

Unto You is Born . . .

How do you respond to Christmas?

  • Not to materialism, ads, crowded malls, TV specials, and fake Santas;
  • Not to performances of Nutcracker and Messiah and Dickens’ Christmas Carol;
  • Not even to caroling and Christmas Eve services.

But how do you respond to the story of the birth of Jesus?

Consider: How does a four-year-old respond to Christmas?

Most four-year-olds have only the vaguest memories of the previous Christmas, but they remember enough to be thoroughly excited.  All is fresh and wonderful and magical and delightful.

Can you recapture that wide-eyed response – to the true story of Christmas?

As we walk through Luke’s account of the first Christmas, put yourself in the place of someone who has never heard it before. Imagine yourself a traveler in Judea in the first century. You hear the story from a shepherd. All is new. All is fresh. How do you respond?

Let’s look at Luke 2:1-21 under 3 headings:

  • Action
  • Proclamation
  • Response

Action

The first action is taken by Augustus, emperor of Rome – seemingly the most powerful man in the world. He commands that all in the Roman Empire be registered for taxation. Among the Jews, this meant that the male head of each family would have to return to the town of his ancestors, Bethlehem.  So Joseph must travel with pregnant Mary.

Understand: Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem only because of the command of Caesar Augustus. Surely this is an unwelcome inconvenience for Mary, to take a several-days journey while pregnant.

But they had to go – for God had said through the prophet Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-5). So God uses Caesar Augustus to get Mary to Bethlehem, in fulfillment of prophecy.

Don’t pass over this incident. Marvel at the sovereignty of God.                Augustus had his own reasons for calling for this tax registration. He did what he thought would secure his own reign and build up his power own power. He had no idea that the most important effect of his registration concerned the new-born king who far surpasses him in power and might.

As Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” And God turned the heart of Caesar Augustus in order that Mary gave birth in Bethlehem.

The second action: Mary gives birth to her son, wraps Him in cloths, and lays Him in a manger – a feeding trough for cattle (Luke 2:6-7). Unlike in most popular accounts, Luke does not say she gave birth the night she and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. But the birth does take place as prophesied. The child is born. The son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulders. He is the long-awaited Messiah. He is the conquering King.

Yet this magnificent birth takes place in a far from magnificent setting: Within the prophesied city, yes, but not in a palace, not even in a house.

Traditionally, Mary gives birth surrounded by animals – “the friendly beasts.” But we don’t know that. All we know is what Luke tells us: There was no room for them in the normal place travelers would stay, so stayed elsewhere. Either there was an animal’s feeding trough in the place where they stayed, or, needing some resting place for the child, Joseph found an unused manger, cleaned it out, and carried it to where they stayed.

So a young girl, a virgin, gave birth to a tiny, crying baby and put him in a feeding trough.

Meanwhile,

  • the emperor gave commands,
  • armies marched,
  • politicians connived.

They all thought they were very important men of action.

But the most important event  – the most important event to that point in all of history – took place when that young girl gave birth. The Messiah is born.

Proclamation

God has planned this event since before the beginning of time. And so now He proclaims it, telling others the significance of what just happened. He sends a large number of angelic messengers to announce the birth of the long-awaited Messiah.

  • He could have sent them to Caesar Augustus, but doesn’t;
  • He could have sent them to King Herod,  but does not;
  • He could have sent them to the High Priest or the chief priests, but He avoids them.

Instead, God chooses to send His messengers to a group of poor shepherds herding their flocks in the middle of the night.

Picture the scene: The night is dark – exceptionally dark to our eyes, for of course there are no electric lights anywhere. There is not even any glow from Bethlehem or Jerusalem. They’ve collected the sheep and goats so they can guard them from predators, and have kindled a fire in their midst. It is dark. Quiet. No sound of cars or trains. Perhaps a dog barks in the distance. The only sound is the low murmur of their conversation.

Then: Flash! A tremendously bright light!  An Angel, blazing brightness, mighty in strength, overwhelming in power, appears in front of them. They are blinded, hardly able to see anything. In the midst of their surprise and fright, the angel speaks: “Fear not! For behold, I proclaim to you a good and great joy that will be for all the people.”

Why is this is so good, so joyous?

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord!”

Why did the angel say, “Unto you”? He could have truthfully said, “For a Savior, Christ, the Lord is born this day!” But he adds, ‘Unto you.”

He adds the phrase because that’s what makes it joyous! Unto you! Unto all the people!

  • Not just to the rich and powerful
  • Not just to the Pharisees and Sadducees
  • Not just to the chief priests and the scribes

But to you shepherds! To all the people, young and old, rich and poor, healthy and sick, strong and weak! The prophecy in Isaiah had been, “Unto us a child is born,” so the angel says: This child is born unto you!

So this is the long-awaited day, the day when there would be no more delay. The child is born. At last.

But who is this child? How does the angel describe Him? With three words: Savior. Christ (or Messiah). And Lord.

Realize: The normal Jewish teaching at this time did not consider the Messiah to be divine. He was clearly a descendant of David. With great power He would restore the Kingdom of Israel. So they thought of Him as a Savior in that sense: He would deliver them from their earthly enemies, their earthly oppressors.

But throughout the Old Testament, God Himself is termed the Savior, or the “God of my Salvation.” And God saves not only from earthly enemies, but also from spiritual enemies – and even death itself.

So in the Old Testament God is Savior, and the Messiah is Savior.

But the angel doesn’t only call the child Savior and Messiah. He also calls this child Lord.

This word is not usually associated with the prophecies of the Messiah in the Old Testament. Rather, in the Greek translation of the Old Testament used in Jesus’ day, this same word translated “Lord” is used in place of Hebrew name of God (Jehovah or Yahweh).

So is the angel then saying: “God is Savior; the Messiah is Savior. God is Lord; the Messiah is Lord. Therefore the Messiah is God”?

Since the word “Lord” can also be used of a king or a prominent individual, we can’t be definitive. Nevertheless, there is a strong hint in the angel’s words: “This is the Messiah that you have expected, that you have hoped for – but He is greater than you ever imagined! This Messiah is Savior – He will save you from a far greater enemy than the Romans. This Messiah is Lord – not just an earthly king, but Immanuel, God-with-us, Yahweh, God Himself.      This child born unto you is God Almighty.”

Picture the shepherds at this point: Overwhelmed with fear and surprise at the angel’s appearance; astounded and confused by the angel’s words; knowing they are at the center of a great event. And then the angel says something preposterous: “This will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

That might have been the greatest surprise of the night! That these angels would appear to poor shepherds to announce the Messiah’s birth is quite surprising. But the long-awaited Messiah – wrapped up like a common poor infant, placed in a feeding-trough?

But as if to underline that this is the greatest news the world has ever heard, so that shepherds see that being a baby in a manger does not diminish His glory, a huge number of angels now suddenly appear, praising God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.”

Indeed, God’s is bringing the highest glory, the deepest praise to Himself through the birth of His Son. And He promises peace among those with whom He is well-pleased. Not a general “goodwill toward men.” But peace with God for those who are His people, for those who are His treasured possession, for those who are the true Israel.

In the same prophecy in which Micah names Bethlehem as the place of the Messiah’s birth, he says, “He shall be their peace” (Micah 5:5). And so the angels say: “The time is now! The child is born unto you! God’s peace is here! God’s glory shines forth! The Messiah, the Savior, the Lord is with you!”

Response

The shepherds are the first to respond. They say, “We’ve got to get to Bethlehem, now! We’ve got to see what God has told us about.” So they go as fast as they can.

It must take a while – where are they to find a baby lying in a feeding trough? But they succeed. In some nondescript place, they find Mary, and Joseph, and the infant Messiah.

The shepherds excitedly tell Mary and Joseph all that happened, all the angels said. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them” (Luke 2:20).

So how do the shepherds respond?

  • Not with pride “Aren’t we special! God sent his angels to us!”
  • Not with marketing savvy: “Let’s see if we can get a book contract for the story!”
  • Nor with skepticism: “How can that poor little baby be David’s heir?

Instead, the shepherds respond with joy.  With faith. They give glory to God. They tell others – not to make a buck, but to share this great good news.

What about Mary? What is her response?

Verses 18 and 19 contrast Mary’s response with the response of those who heard the shepherds’ story: “And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:18-19).

Those who hear the shepherds wonder at the news. The word translated “wonder” can imply surprise, or even being disturbed. So for most who hear the news, the shepherds’ report becomes an interesting tidbit of news:  “Did you hear what old Joe said happened last night?” “And I heard from Sarah that . . .” The news sparked conversation. It made life interesting for a while. Each person wanted to be the first to let others know of this strange report. But like most news stories today, after being a topic of conversation, of concern for a  while, life goes on. People forget about it. They don’t talk about it any more. Oh, they have some vague recollection of the story. But it has no real impact on their lives. They have no change of heart, no deeper understanding of God.

Mary’s response was different. She took all this to heart. She turned them over and over in her mind. She didn’t understand them, but more and more she sees that her conception of her baby, this Messiah, needs to grow.

Indeed, her question is: “What child is this who laid to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping?”

And that’s your question too: Who is this child? What is your response?

  • Can you respond like a four-year-old – with wide-eyed wonder at the good and great joy?
  • Can you respond like the shepherds – with faith and excitement, praising God, telling others?
  • Can you respond like Mary – pondering these truths, treasuring them up, thinking about them over and over?

How we need all three responses!

For this is the joyous news, the greatest of all joys!

  • Unto you has been born a Savior, the Messiah – the Lord!
  • Unto you – lost in sin, dead in rebellion, doomed to destruction;
  • Unto you – mockers of God, violators of His Law, idolaters at heart;
  • Unto you  a child is born.
  • Unto you a son is given.

This Child Himself will be your peace. This Child will be your entryway to God. This child will die to pay the penalty for your sins, if you only believe in Him, if you only see Him for who He is: Your Savior, Your Messiah, Your Lord.

Unto you is born this day a Savior!

God orchestrated all events for centuries so that a Roman emperor would issue a command bringing an unknown young girl from Nazareth to Bethlehem. God enabled her to give birth in humble surroundings, yet sent His majestic army to proclaim the great joy. And similarly God has brought you to the point where you have heard this story, this great joy.

Unto you a child is born: So glory to God in the Highest! Praise Him!

How will you respond?

 

(This is a shortened and edited version of a sermon preached December 18, 2005 at Desiring God Community Church. The audio is available here.)

 

 

 

Advent and the Judgment Seat of Christ

The Advent season is upon us: Jesus is coming!

But what Jesus?

Yes, Jesus the tiny baby, born to Mary while she was still a virgin, really unable to care for Himself, really human.

Yet also Jesus the promised King, the future Judge, the One before whose Judgment Seat we all must stand, “so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

This Jesus was born on Christmas Day. The Final Judge.

And one day you will stand before Him.

Think about that: You! You, alone. Not with your father or mother. Not with your brother or your sister. Not with your pastor or your friend. You must stand before this King. And there, as Paul says, you must bear your own load alone (Galatians 6:5).

So imagine yourself there before Him. Your Judge knows all you ever did, all you ever said, all you ever thought. You can’t hide. You can’t make excuses. You can’t compare yourself to others. You can’t plead ignorance. You can’t claim there were extenuating circumstances. You can’t lean on your spouse or your parent or your child or your pastor or your friend.

Your Judge will expose every selfish motive and every hidden sin.

Ponder that encounter – that encounter that is sure to come.

Does that image strike you with fear?  Are you terrified to have all you’ve hidden brought to light?

With that coming judgment in mind, the Apostle Paul exhorts us, “Each one must examine his own work” (Galatians 6:4 NAS). We must test ourselves – and see if we pass the test.

But what is the test? Is it: “Did I do enough good works to satisfy God? Am I good enough to meet His standards?”

No! Rather, the test is a test of faith. Is my “faith” just lip-service? Or is there evidence that my faith in Christ is real?

So, Jesus the Judge asks: “Did you live a life of active dependence on Me, turning away from yourself and your own resources and your own wisdom and turning to Me? Did you acknowledge My power and My sacrifice on the cross? Did you show that I was worth more than all the world has to offer?”

If you are indeed saved by grace through faith, there should be no terror at the prospect of this judgment. No worry. No embarrassment.

For there is no purgatory, no remaining punishment for sins, no painful recompense for those in Christ. He already has paid the price! Instead, if you are in Him, the Father will wipe every tear from your eyes, and there will be no more sorrow or crying or pain.

Indeed, to the extent that you are worried about your sins coming to light at Christ’s Judgment Seat, to that extent, you are depending on works; to that extent, you are guilty of the sin of pride.

For if your faith is genuine, what will be outcome of Christ’s judgment?

Your Judge will proclaim, “I paid the penalty for all these revealed sins! My blood covers them all.”

And that leads to all the more amazement, all the more joy, all the more delight for you in the Savior. As you see the depth of your own sinfulness as never before, you will see the depth of His mercy as never before. In this way, even your sins will work to the praise of His glorious grace.

So the result is not embarrassment. Not suffering. But joy at His amazing grace.

Thus, at Christ’s judgment seat, there are two possible final statements from the Judge:

First: “Created to glorify Me, you instead showed that you despised Me. I cast you into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).

Fear that final judgment!

But if you pass the test, if you are in Christ, no matter what your sins might be, the final statement from the Judge will be: “Well-done, good and faithful servant – by My sacrifice, by My grace, enter into the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Jesus was born to Mary in order to make that final, merciful judgment possible. So throw yourself on His mercy! Lose all desire for the praise of men! Rejoice that Jesus was born to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10)!