40 Days in the Word - Day 15

Day 15 – The Birth of Jesus

Luke 1 – 2

After centuries of anticipation, the Christ Child was born in Bethlehem, and God’s promise to redeem His people was in full speed.  Today’s reading covers the various events surrounding the announcement of His birth by Gabriel to Mary as well as the birth story itself, complete with images of shepherds watching over their flocks by night and angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest.”  But could the birth story of Christ be so familiar to us today that it has lost its sense of miracle and meaning?  Do we read over these famous verses quickly, not stopping to sense the magnitude that the Almighty God was coming to this earth as a human?  Theologians call this even the “incarnation,” the moment when God clothed Himself in carnal, human flesh.  And He came not just as a human—He came as a helpless baby, totally dependent upon a young mother and a carpenter father to provide for His every need.  What kind of God does that?  What kind of God is willing to leave the glorious throne of heaven to come to earth and live among His creation?

For many people, Christmas is their favorite time of year, and they enjoy the music, decorations, traditions, and celebrations associated with the season.  But are we minimizing the birth of Jesus Christ by celebrating it as a holiday season?  As you read the story today, did you hear familiar Christmas carols playing in the background?  Did you envision brightly decorated Christmas trees, with presents and red bows everywhere?  I suppose there not so much wrong with those images, but we must not let this amazing miracle of Christ’s birth become nothing more than a holiday ornament.  The Almighty God—Creator & Sustainer of all that there is—actually took on human flesh and was born as a baby.  That’s more than a feel good holiday season.  It is the redemptive work of a loving Creator who was willing to risk everything to demonstrate His love and compassion for us.

As you consider all of the parts of this story, what element amazes you the most?  Is it the mysterious and miraculous virgin birth?  Is it the story of the shepherds hearing the announcement?  Or is your heart drawn to how God blessed Elizabeth with a son (John the Baptist) as a forerunner to Jesus?  And what about the testimonies of Simeon and Anna—aren’t they great examples of people who believed in God?  There are so many Bible characters and aspects to this story, making it a treasure trove of lessons about faith.  But the main character is God Himself.  I love the part of the shepherds, the angels, Simeon, Elizabeth, Anna, and every other element too.  But what I like the best is how this story reveals the heart of God.  He knew we could not save ourselves, so He came to earth as a helpless Babe, willing to suffer rejection, scorn, and crucifixion for me.  So, this story is not about a holiday.  It’s about a “holy day.”

40 Days in the Word - Day 14

Day 14 – Isaiah’s Prophecy of the Coming Messiah

Isaiah 9, 53, and 61

People often say that the message of the Old Testament prophets is difficult to understand, remarking that the symbols and language of prophecy are mysterious.  Today’s reading takes us to the prophecies of Isaiah, but these prophecies are quite easy to interpret as they point directly to the coming of Jesus.  Writing some 700 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Isaiah encourages his people that God would send a Messiah—the Christ—to save them and redeem them.  Some of the most beloved and familiar Old Testament verses about Jesus are found in these prophecies of Isaiah.  It is difficult for me to read some of them, such as 9:6, and not to think of majestic music anthems and sermons that proclaim Jesus as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.  Isn’t it interesting that Isaiah had such a clear picture of Christ, even centuries before He was born?  Don’t forget also that these prophecies remind us that God had prepared to send Jesus to be our Savior before the foundations of the world (Revelation 13:8).  Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection were not some last minute, hastily prepared emergency relief plan.   Aren’t you glad that God is always in control, even before the foundations of the world?

As I read through the famous prophecy in Isaiah 53, I was drawn to the phrase in verse 10, which says: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him . . .”  What do you think the prophet meant by saying that the death of Christ would “please” the Almighty God?  Surely it doesn’t mean that He took pleasure and delight in seeing His only begotten Son brutally crucified, does it?  This prophecy also clearly states that Jesus would die for the sins of others, not for His own sins since He was sinless.  I am emotionally moved to consider that God was willing to suffer loss for me.  It “pleased” Him to come to my rescue, even though it would cost Him more that I could ever possibly imagine, or ever possibly repay.  Don’t ever let anyone tell you that God is a mean-spirited, wrath filled God who delights in punishing people.  Instead, remember that He was willing to suffer loss and humiliation for our benefit.  God was “pleased to bruise Him” for our sake.  As the old song says:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

40 Days in the Word - Day 13

Day 13 – Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem

Ezra 3

After more than 50 years of being exiled to a foreign land, God’s people were allowed to begin returning to Jerusalem.  Today’s reading tells the story of how King Cyrus (who overthrew the Babylonians) gave permission for the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.  Can you imagine what an emotional experience it must have been?   Some of the exiled Jews were young enough to have remembered the splendor of Solomon’s original Temple, so they wept when realizing what a lesser Temple the second one would be (3:12).  But their weeping was mingled with shouts of joy from the younger generation who was excited to be starting fresh.  As you can see by this story, the different views of the older generation versus the younger generation are nothing new!

The fact that the exile was over and that the Temple was being rebuilt was a reminder that God had not forsaken them.  Wasn’t that the promise He had given them centuries before?  Isn’t that the promise He gives us today?  They may have still felt defeated, being unable to replicate the splendor of the Temple that once stood in Jerusalem, but they knew God was still leading them.  The story of the Old Testament people is clear evidence that God’s children are not immune from suffering and hardship.  God may not cause our pain, but He can use it for His purposes and for His glory.

I still remember the day a few years ago when I visited this same Temple Mount myself.  Today it is under Palestinian control, but tourists are allowed to visit the site and the Muslim Dome of the Rock, which stands where the Jewish Temple once stood.  It was a bright, breezy day and a milestone moment for me.  I had studied the Temple and the history of the Jews since I was a young college student, and I had finally come as a pilgrim to the world’s holiest city.  The Temple Mount, the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the place of Calvary all captivated my heart.  I can’t say that I felt like Ezra and the Jews who returned to the holy city after decades of exile, but I did feel like I was coming home.  Bill Coen, who has visited the Holy Land several times, told me that it feels like “home” when you get there, and he was certainly right.  So, for the briefest of moments, I had a small glimpse of what Ezra and the ancient Jews must have felt with their homecoming.  There is indeed something very special about the city of Jerusalem, and I can’t wait to go back home there again soon.  NOTE:  We are planning a return trip to the Holy Land in the spring of 2013, one year from now.  If you want to be on a list to receive more information about this trip, please email me at john@fbc-statesboro.org

40 Days in the Word - Day 12

Day 12 – Daniel in Babylon;  The Fiery Furnace

Daniel 2 – 3

Today’s reading takes us to the land of Babylon, where God’s people have been taken into exile after the destruction of Jerusalem.  Daniel and his companions have already attracted attention by not partaking of the kings’ delicacies (Ch. 1), and they showed better health and wisdom by not defiling themselves.  After a disturbing dream by the Babylonian king, Daniel is able to provide an interpretation after calling upon the Lord for help.  This story is a great reminder that people of faith can have great influence among non-believers, as long as we don’t compromise our faith.  To live a compromised faith and then try to demonstrate the truths of God to the world is a losing proposition every time.  In your workplace and among non-believers, are you living a genuine faith?

The second part of today’s reading takes us to the powerful story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace.  They had refused to bow down to a gold statue of the king—even after a second chance to do so (3:15-17)—so they were thrown into the furnace to a sure & certain death, or so they thought.  In one of the most dramatic scenes of the entire Old Testament, King Nebuchadnezzar looks into the fiery furnace and actually sees four people, instead of just three.  And the fourth man was “like the Son of God” (3:25).  Time and space don’t allow me to share all of the lessons learned here, and I have preached countless sermons on this dramatic story.  But don’t miss the simple truth here—that God was faithful to these three Hebrew boys who did not compromise their faith.  He protected them, honored them, and even sent the Son of God to be with them.  The world may not honor your faith.  Your non-believing friends may not honor your faith.  But God will always honor and bless those who walk by faith.

I remember one time I was preaching this story when a humorous event happened.  I had dramatically painted the scene with vivid word images, leading up to the climax of a fourth person being seen in the furnace.  I then ask the congregation what I thought was a rhetorical question:  “Who do you think that fourth person was?”  I was planning on a dramatic pause for effect, but in those few seconds when I let the silence linger, a little boy’s voice announced, “It was Jesus!”  The crown broke into laughter, and I suppose my point was made.  The power of this story is that even children understand that God is always with them.

You may or may not be in the midst of a fiery furnace, but are you holding strong to your faith in whatever circumstance you find yourself?  Neither Daniel nor these Hebrew boys compromised their faith, and their stories challenge us to do the same in world that increasingly disdains the things of God.  In the public arena of careers, civic clubs, and community groups, don’t be afraid to stand upon your faith.  God will be with you to strengthen and sustain you.  And if you happen to get thrown into a fiery furnace as a result, then God will be there with you too.

40 Days in the Word - Day 11

Day 11 – The Siege of Jerusalem and Exile of Judah

2 Kings 25

In one of the most heart breaking stories of the Old Testament, today’s reading describes the destruction of Jerusalem at the hand of the Babylonians, who are also called the Chaldeans.  God had shepherded His people ever since their departure from Egypt through Moses, but they continued to rebel against Him.  Time and time again, He would restore them and renew their faith, but they would turn their backs on Him.  Finally, after multiple warnings, God allows them to face the destruction by the hand of the Babylonians, who destroyed the Temple and took all of the precious treasure of Judah with them.  Are there times in our lives when we continually disobey and discount God that He gets our attention through some tragic result of our sin?  God may not cause the hardship we face, but sometimes He allows us to see the result of our stubbornness.  Does that make God vengeful?  Or loving?  Another interesting question—what does it say about a God who will allow His people to suffer the consequences of their own sin?  Should He have prevented the destruction of Jerusalem? 

I remember many times in my children’s lives that I allowed them to suffer the consequences of their choices, even though it caused hardship on them.  I will admit, however, that my heart as a parent wanted to rescue them each time, swooping in to keep them from harm & hardship because of their foolish choices.  But I had to learn that always rescuing them from the trouble they caused would ultimately work against them, not for them.  When God allows the destruction of Jerusalem, you can be certain that He did it with a broken heart.  He wasn’t joyfully sending down punishment with a mean-spirited, sinister smile on His face.  He yearned for their correction, just as we earthly parents yearn for our children to learn the error of their ways.

Please remember, however, that God has not completely given them up.  Although they will spend many years in exile, He will one day bring them back to the Promised Land.  And He will one day send them a Savior—His own Son, born in a manger.  Aren’t you glad that we have a God that doesn’t give up on us?  Even though we sin—even though we sometimes suffer the consequences of our sin—our Heavenly Father does not give up on us.  He continues to find ways to bring us back to Himself and to restore our trust in Him.   And isn’t that what good parents are supposed to do?

40 Days in the Word - Day 10

Day 10 – The Prophet Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

1 Kings 18

In one of the most fascinating and exciting stories of the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah challenges the prophets of the pagan god, Baal, to a contest of power.  Today’s reading from 1 Kings 18 reminds us of the amazing ministry of Elijah, and the steely, rugged determination that burned within him.  People sometimes ask me if there is any humor in the Bible, and today’s reading is a good example as Elijah  jeers the followers of Baal in verse 27.  You can almost hear him laughing as he mocks the pagan prophets in their desperate attempts to bring fire from heaven.  Today’s reading reminds me that God’s people ought to have a little more confidence in God.  For Elijah, there’s no lack of confidence in what God can do, and he even ups the ante by pouring water on the altar before praying for fire (18:33-35).  Do I live with that kind of confidence in God?  Do you?  How sad that we often reduce God to our own limitation, forgetting that nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37).

Each time I read this story, this phrase jumps off the page to me:  “And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down” (18:30).  Being the preacher/pastor that I am, I can’t help but ask, “Why was the altar of the Lord broken down? Didn’t anybody notice?”  As we go about our lives today, have we allowed our faith to be no better than broken down altars?  Do we need to rekindle the fire and rebuild the altars of a fervent faith for today?  When our lives are inattentive to the things of God, the world has a way of knocking down the altars and disheveling our faith.  At first we don’t notice, but soon we worship on broken down altars without even noticing.  We lower our standards of living, thus lowering our standard of God.  We accept less than acceptable things, and we get used to convenient sins, worldly compromises, and unholy living—all of which are acceptable only on broken down altars.  As I read today’s story, a title of a sermon series, or maybe even a future book, occurred to me:  Repairing the Altar: How to Rekindle Your Heart for God.  There are times when I need to rekindle my faith (repair the altar), and perhaps there are times when you need to do the same.

One last thought—on our trip to the Holy Land a few years ago, we spent our first night in Israel at a hotel on the foothills of Mt. Carmel.  I can’t tell you how excited I was to spend the night near the place of this great show down in 1 Kings 18, and to drive around Mt. Carmel area the next morning.  Our tour bus stop near the mountain the next day, and I read this story to our group across the intercom system of our motor coach.  God presented Himself in a mighty way to Elijah and the pagan prophets, and He left no doubt that He alone was God.  If we would remember that simple truth each day, I believe we’d get busy with repairing the altars of our faith in every possible way.

40 Days in the Word - Day 9

Day 9 – King Solomon’s Wisdom and the Temple

1 Kings 3 and 8:1-9 and 9

When presented with the chance to ask for anything, King Solomon asks for wisdom.  Today’s reading shows that God was pleased and honored Solomon for his choice.  It makes me wonder, however . . . if I could ask God for anything, would I have asked for wisdom?  What about you?  Now, be honest with yourself—would you have had the wisdom to ask for wisdom?  The story unfolds (3:16-28) with dramatic scene of Solomon being presented with two women who claim to be the mother of the same child.  In Solomonic fashion, he commands that the child be split in two, thus revealing the identity of the real mother who cried for such a thing not to happen.  Through God’s Holy Spirit, you can also have wisdom for life.  The Bible tells us:  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5 ).  Are you facing a tough decision or difficult life circumstance?  Ask for wisdom—God wants to give it, and most of us certainly need it.

Today’s reading also reminds us of the Temple built by Solomon as a house of worship for Almighty God.  The center room of the Temple was a perfect cubed space call the Holy of Holies that housed the ark of the covenant.  The tablets of the Ten Commandments were kept inside in the ark, and the Temple became a place to demonstrate God’s glory and grace.  No Temple stands today in Jerusalem, but it is interesting that the Bible says that we are now the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16).  So if Solomon’s Temple was to demonstrate God’s glory and grace, then shouldn’t our lives do the same?  And isn’t it more meaningful for a lost and hurting world to see God reflected in our lives than for them to stand in awe of some piece of architecture?  As you go forth today, show the world around you that God resides within you.  Be the temple of God, publicly displayed for all to see.