Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Think of the person that you love the most. For me it is my wife. I am a pretty decent husband. My wife tells me I am. She tells me that I love her well and that she feels loved by me.
When I read the verses in 1 Corinthians that you just read, I am embarrassed of my love. I am not always kind or patient. I am often proud and rude and easily angered. I hold wrongs against my wife. I am not always protective, trusting or hopeful. I am a failure at the Biblical definition of love.
I am that way with the person I love the most. The bad news is that you're the same way. The good news is that Jesus does not care. He came as love to show us how to love, knowing we would not ever do it fully. But He came anyway.
That is the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our failure does not diminish our acceptance. I want to say that again in a more personal way. Your failure does not diminish your acceptance. The love of God overcomes your failure, and it is not dependant upon you in any way. Jesus is the perfect love; it is love that has no condition.
Advent 2009:: The Coming LOVE Monday
Monday Love::
Read Romans 5:8
The greatest act of love this world has ever seen is God giving His son Jesus. John 3:16 says that God sent His son because He loves us so much, and that if we would just believe in Jesus we would have eternal life.
There is more to this love than just that familiar verse. Read Romans 5:8. There are two striking phrases that are here. The first is easy to miss without knowledge of the Greek language. The phrase is, “God shows his love…” The word that is translated as “shows” is profound.
The word picture that is painted is placing something within your reach. This book that you are holding is within your reach. When my children were very small, we had to make sure things that would hurt them were outside of their reach. There was nothing sharp left too low.
The second phrase is, “still sinners.” As sinners, we are repulsive to God. God cannot be in the presence of sin; it would contradict His holiness. Romans 3 says that as sinners our mouths are as open graves and filled with disease. In our most wretched and repulsive state, love came to our world.
This is what is happening here. As sinners, we are dead and unable to move toward God. But God’s plan to redeem us was to place His life-giving love within the reach of a dead man. Jesus is that love personified, and with the birth of Jesus that love is within our reach. That is what we celebrate this season and what we celebrate in THE COMING of love.
Read Romans 5:8
The greatest act of love this world has ever seen is God giving His son Jesus. John 3:16 says that God sent His son because He loves us so much, and that if we would just believe in Jesus we would have eternal life.
There is more to this love than just that familiar verse. Read Romans 5:8. There are two striking phrases that are here. The first is easy to miss without knowledge of the Greek language. The phrase is, “God shows his love…” The word that is translated as “shows” is profound.
The word picture that is painted is placing something within your reach. This book that you are holding is within your reach. When my children were very small, we had to make sure things that would hurt them were outside of their reach. There was nothing sharp left too low.
The second phrase is, “still sinners.” As sinners, we are repulsive to God. God cannot be in the presence of sin; it would contradict His holiness. Romans 3 says that as sinners our mouths are as open graves and filled with disease. In our most wretched and repulsive state, love came to our world.
This is what is happening here. As sinners, we are dead and unable to move toward God. But God’s plan to redeem us was to place His life-giving love within the reach of a dead man. Jesus is that love personified, and with the birth of Jesus that love is within our reach. That is what we celebrate this season and what we celebrate in THE COMING of love.
Advent 2009:: The Coming PEACE Wednesday
Wednesday Peace::
I have a good friend in Afghanistan who flies attack helicopters in the war. He gets a chance every now and then to send me pictures and emails about some of the stuff happening. He asks me to pray for his wife and kids who are home without their husband and father. He asks me to pray for the people that he serves with who have been wounded. And he asks me to pray for the families of those who have died in the battles.
As I do that, I reflect on the pain that he and his fellow service men must be facing and that his fellow service men face. I also reflect on the stress and fear that has to overcome these guys’ families. This is not the first time my friend has been in Afghanistan. When he returned home the last time, the reunion of my friend and his family was cherished because they knew intimately what it meant to be apart, to be separated. The peace they have in those moments of reunion is a peace that I cannot fully understand, because I have not been in an attack helicopter over enemy territory.
I think we cannot truly appreciate the peace we enjoy unless we know the pain, fear and difficulties of what it means to be at war. In today’s reading, we see the place that we are before Christ comes into our lives with his peace.
I have a good friend in Afghanistan who flies attack helicopters in the war. He gets a chance every now and then to send me pictures and emails about some of the stuff happening. He asks me to pray for his wife and kids who are home without their husband and father. He asks me to pray for the people that he serves with who have been wounded. And he asks me to pray for the families of those who have died in the battles.
As I do that, I reflect on the pain that he and his fellow service men must be facing and that his fellow service men face. I also reflect on the stress and fear that has to overcome these guys’ families. This is not the first time my friend has been in Afghanistan. When he returned home the last time, the reunion of my friend and his family was cherished because they knew intimately what it meant to be apart, to be separated. The peace they have in those moments of reunion is a peace that I cannot fully understand, because I have not been in an attack helicopter over enemy territory.
I think we cannot truly appreciate the peace we enjoy unless we know the pain, fear and difficulties of what it means to be at war. In today’s reading, we see the place that we are before Christ comes into our lives with his peace.
Advent 2009:: The Coming PEACE Monday and Tuesday
Monday Peace::
The following comes from a sermon by Tim Keller given on December 21, 2001 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York.
At some point in all relationships, you get in a conversation that goes something like this:
“You’re to blame!”
“No, it’s your fault!”
“No, it’s you.”
“No it isn’t. It’s you.”
What’s happening? The relationship is falling apart because neither side will take the blame, budge an inch or make any concession. Neither side will admit wrong or drop defenses. And as long as defenses are up, the relationship is going awry.
But then something happens:
“You’re to blame!”
“No, it’s your fault!”
“No, it’s you.”
“No it isn’t. It’s you.”
“Okay, it’s me.”
One person drops defenses. The relationship starts to come back because one person is willing to say, “Yeah it’s me. I am to blame here.” One person makes himself/herself vulnerable, and the relationship is restored.
Why would a person do that? Because in midst of all the yelling and all the hostility, one person decides that, despite how distorted the other person has become because of anger, he/she wants the other person back. He/she wants the relationship to be restored.
The only way to do that is to take down the shield, become vulnerable, and let one of the verbal blows land. It hurts, but it’s the only way. It’s a costly act of redemption. And it works because we were created in the image of the One who gave the ultimate expression of this part of his own nature at Christmas.
Tuesday Peace::
In this passage we see interaction between Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Mary are related in some way. We are never told how exactly; they are probably close cousins of some sort. In these verses, Mary is pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist.
Read Luke 1:39-45
"Blessed (in Luke 1:39-45) is to be brought back to full shalom, full human functioning. It makes you everything that God meant for you to be. What Elizabeth is saying is that if Mary believes and owns this incarnation that the angel is speaking to her, she will be totally changed, transformed…blessed." -Tim Keller
This is peace that is offered. We were made to enjoy eternal peace with God. We were made to enjoy Him and His creation and be enjoyed by Him. But the fracture of self dependence and self provision has come. That fracture has taken away our peace, leaving us longing for something more and different.
Even the irreligious would admit that there is something within each of us that longs for something more. We are longing to get back this “full shalom,” this full peace that came in the form of a baby. Celebrate this baby today and the peace that He brings.
My prayer for you this week is that you will have a deeper knowledge and experience of the peace that Jesus came to bring to you and to the world.
The following comes from a sermon by Tim Keller given on December 21, 2001 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York.
At some point in all relationships, you get in a conversation that goes something like this:
“You’re to blame!”
“No, it’s your fault!”
“No, it’s you.”
“No it isn’t. It’s you.”
What’s happening? The relationship is falling apart because neither side will take the blame, budge an inch or make any concession. Neither side will admit wrong or drop defenses. And as long as defenses are up, the relationship is going awry.
But then something happens:
“You’re to blame!”
“No, it’s your fault!”
“No, it’s you.”
“No it isn’t. It’s you.”
“Okay, it’s me.”
One person drops defenses. The relationship starts to come back because one person is willing to say, “Yeah it’s me. I am to blame here.” One person makes himself/herself vulnerable, and the relationship is restored.
Why would a person do that? Because in midst of all the yelling and all the hostility, one person decides that, despite how distorted the other person has become because of anger, he/she wants the other person back. He/she wants the relationship to be restored.
The only way to do that is to take down the shield, become vulnerable, and let one of the verbal blows land. It hurts, but it’s the only way. It’s a costly act of redemption. And it works because we were created in the image of the One who gave the ultimate expression of this part of his own nature at Christmas.
Tuesday Peace::
In this passage we see interaction between Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Mary are related in some way. We are never told how exactly; they are probably close cousins of some sort. In these verses, Mary is pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist.
Read Luke 1:39-45
"Blessed (in Luke 1:39-45) is to be brought back to full shalom, full human functioning. It makes you everything that God meant for you to be. What Elizabeth is saying is that if Mary believes and owns this incarnation that the angel is speaking to her, she will be totally changed, transformed…blessed." -Tim Keller
This is peace that is offered. We were made to enjoy eternal peace with God. We were made to enjoy Him and His creation and be enjoyed by Him. But the fracture of self dependence and self provision has come. That fracture has taken away our peace, leaving us longing for something more and different.
Even the irreligious would admit that there is something within each of us that longs for something more. We are longing to get back this “full shalom,” this full peace that came in the form of a baby. Celebrate this baby today and the peace that He brings.
My prayer for you this week is that you will have a deeper knowledge and experience of the peace that Jesus came to bring to you and to the world.
Advent 2009:: The Coming JOY Friday
Friday Joy::
Philippians is book that deals greatly with joy and greatly with Jesus. It is a short book. Take a chance this weekend to read the entire book, more than once, if you can. The Apostle Paul wrote the book and uses a form of the word “joy” 12 times in this short book. Many scholars consider joy to be this book’s theme.
Here’s some background for you on the book: Paul’s major job was to start churches. He would go into a town and draw people with his teaching about Jesus, and then he would appoint pastors and invest in them and help them start a church. He’d then go into the next town. Paul did this thing in the city of Philippi . Years later, he wrote this book to the people of Philippi .
Paul is in prison and in very poor health as he writes the book. He expects to be killed for his belief in Jesus and the things he’s spoken about Him. Paul hopes to see the Philippians again, but he expects to be killed by his captors.
There is a man named Epaphroditus, who was one of the pastors of the church in Philippi . The Philippians sent Epaphroditus to Paul during his time in prison. While Epaphroditus was with Paul, he developed a nearly fatal illness.
Philippians is book that deals greatly with joy and greatly with Jesus. It is a short book. Take a chance this weekend to read the entire book, more than once, if you can. The Apostle Paul wrote the book and uses a form of the word “joy” 12 times in this short book. Many scholars consider joy to be this book’s theme.
Here’s some background for you on the book: Paul’s major job was to start churches. He would go into a town and draw people with his teaching about Jesus, and then he would appoint pastors and invest in them and help them start a church. He’d then go into the next town. Paul did this thing in the city of Philippi . Years later, he wrote this book to the people of Philippi .
Paul is in prison and in very poor health as he writes the book. He expects to be killed for his belief in Jesus and the things he’s spoken about Him. Paul hopes to see the Philippians again, but he expects to be killed by his captors.
There is a man named Epaphroditus, who was one of the pastors of the church in Philippi . The Philippians sent Epaphroditus to Paul during his time in prison. While Epaphroditus was with Paul, he developed a nearly fatal illness.
Advent 2009:: The Coming JOY Thursday
Thursday:: Joy
Joy is not found in the circumstances of your life. Circumstances can change; health can fade, the economy can fall apart, jobs can be lost. If your joy is found in these things, it can fade, fall apart or be lost. The joy that THE COMING of Jesus brought to this world is deeper than that.
Scripture says in 1 Peter that the follower of Christ has an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. That same passage says that we are strangers in this world and that we were not meant to live in a broken and fallen world. It is a world with death and disease and heartache. But God has given us a hope and a peace that is the epicenter of our joy.
I have a friend named Denny. Denny had a son named Jon who died in a tragic accident just after his junior year of high school. The days and weeks following his death were very difficult on Denny and the rest of his family. I do not remember a father and son closer than Denny and Jon. They were best friends.
As time went by, Denny began to talk about how grateful he was that God gave him the 17 years with Jon and the great memories that would never be lost. He was grateful for the fact they were best friends. There is a lot that Denny likes to talk about in regards to Jon, but this is the most profound for me. Denny doesn’t simply mourn the loss of his son. Denny celebrates his son. Denny celebrates the God who allowed him to spend 17 great years with Jon.
Denny’s joy was not and is not bound by his circumstances. In John 14:6, Jesus calls himself the truth. The definition of the type of truth Jesus uses here is a truth that is unaffected by circumstances. Think of a concrete pillar holding up a great bridge. The waves and boats that pass by do not affect the pillar. This is Jesus. This is the kind of joy THE COMING brought.
If the joy in your life is bound to the circumstances in your life, I invite you to investigate this Jesus that came to bring you real joy that is unaffected by circumstances. Think on that joy – the joy brought by THE COMING of Jesus.
Joy is not found in the circumstances of your life. Circumstances can change; health can fade, the economy can fall apart, jobs can be lost. If your joy is found in these things, it can fade, fall apart or be lost. The joy that THE COMING of Jesus brought to this world is deeper than that.
Scripture says in 1 Peter that the follower of Christ has an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. That same passage says that we are strangers in this world and that we were not meant to live in a broken and fallen world. It is a world with death and disease and heartache. But God has given us a hope and a peace that is the epicenter of our joy.
I have a friend named Denny. Denny had a son named Jon who died in a tragic accident just after his junior year of high school. The days and weeks following his death were very difficult on Denny and the rest of his family. I do not remember a father and son closer than Denny and Jon. They were best friends.
As time went by, Denny began to talk about how grateful he was that God gave him the 17 years with Jon and the great memories that would never be lost. He was grateful for the fact they were best friends. There is a lot that Denny likes to talk about in regards to Jon, but this is the most profound for me. Denny doesn’t simply mourn the loss of his son. Denny celebrates his son. Denny celebrates the God who allowed him to spend 17 great years with Jon.
Denny’s joy was not and is not bound by his circumstances. In John 14:6, Jesus calls himself the truth. The definition of the type of truth Jesus uses here is a truth that is unaffected by circumstances. Think of a concrete pillar holding up a great bridge. The waves and boats that pass by do not affect the pillar. This is Jesus. This is the kind of joy THE COMING brought.
If the joy in your life is bound to the circumstances in your life, I invite you to investigate this Jesus that came to bring you real joy that is unaffected by circumstances. Think on that joy – the joy brought by THE COMING of Jesus.
Advent 2009:: The Coming JOY Wednesday
Wednesday Joy::
In Genesis 22, you find the story of Abraham and Isaac. You might know this story. Abraham is over 100 years old when the story takes place, and his son Isaac is just a boy. God has promised Abraham that he will be the father of God’s people. Isaac is the beginning of the fulfillment of that promise.
Then God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Sin is a big deal to God, and in the Old Testament times, God’s people offered sacrifices to appease the wrath of God toward sin. So Abraham trusted God and resolved to surrender his promising-fulfilling son.
The Bible says that Abraham traveled to a mountain and bound his son on an altar and took a knife to slaughter him. As the knife in Abraham’s hand reached its apex, an angel of the Lord commanded him to stop.
In the moments between the command to sacrifice Isaac and the command to stop, Abraham had to be filled with fear. As a father, this story always brings great sorrow to my heart. One of my greatest fears is the loss of one of my children. The scriptures say there were four days from the command to sacrifice until the command to stop. Fear had to grip Abraham. He had to have fear of God, fear of people and what would they think of him, fear of Isaac’s mother, fear of being misunderstood, and fear of the culture having a backlash at God and blaming him for this death. Fear gripped that man on that journey to that mountain.
Imagine what had to be running through Abraham’s mind for those 96 hours. Think on it deeply. Think also on the joy that filled his heart when God stopped the sacrifice. God provided a ram that was nearby to be the sacrifice. Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide," as it is said to this day.
The Lord will provide, and has provided. Celebrate the joy that God has provided for you today.
In Genesis 22, you find the story of Abraham and Isaac. You might know this story. Abraham is over 100 years old when the story takes place, and his son Isaac is just a boy. God has promised Abraham that he will be the father of God’s people. Isaac is the beginning of the fulfillment of that promise.
Then God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Sin is a big deal to God, and in the Old Testament times, God’s people offered sacrifices to appease the wrath of God toward sin. So Abraham trusted God and resolved to surrender his promising-fulfilling son.
The Bible says that Abraham traveled to a mountain and bound his son on an altar and took a knife to slaughter him. As the knife in Abraham’s hand reached its apex, an angel of the Lord commanded him to stop.
In the moments between the command to sacrifice Isaac and the command to stop, Abraham had to be filled with fear. As a father, this story always brings great sorrow to my heart. One of my greatest fears is the loss of one of my children. The scriptures say there were four days from the command to sacrifice until the command to stop. Fear had to grip Abraham. He had to have fear of God, fear of people and what would they think of him, fear of Isaac’s mother, fear of being misunderstood, and fear of the culture having a backlash at God and blaming him for this death. Fear gripped that man on that journey to that mountain.
Imagine what had to be running through Abraham’s mind for those 96 hours. Think on it deeply. Think also on the joy that filled his heart when God stopped the sacrifice. God provided a ram that was nearby to be the sacrifice. Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide," as it is said to this day.
The Lord will provide, and has provided. Celebrate the joy that God has provided for you today.
