The Prophecy Of A Virgin Birth Fulfilled

4th Sunday of Advent; Matthew 1:18-25 KJV; Through Mary and Joseph God fulfilled His prophecy of a virgin birth of a child to be our savior.

Blessed is Mary; Blessed Are We

Luke 1:46-56  KJV; 4th Sunday of Advent; All who believe are reconciled to God our Father through Jesus the Christ.

Blessed Is Mary; Blessed Are We!

Luke 1:39-45 KJV; 4th Sunday of Advent for Saturday; Blessed are we.

Believe The Witnesses!

 

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14 KJV

The disciples did not believe that Jesus had risen because they had not yet seen him. When they did see him, he chewed them out for being so stubborn; so bullheaded. They had not really believed the witness of Mary or the others who had, in fact, testified that they had seen him alive and walking around.

That is the reason for many not believing it today, either. What they cannot see with their own eyes; what they cannot touch with their own hands, they refuse to accept as truth. In their stubbornness they will not accept what they have not witnessed themselves. Even then, some will continue in their bullheadedness. A man walking on the moon is still a fabricated myth to some. Others still believe the earth is flat. Sadly, some even deem the Holocaust during World War II as a fabrication.

How hard-headed are those who refuse to believe the testimony of those who have seen Jesus! How hard-hearted are they who would follow in their own self-centered and self-motivated ways rather than the Way that Jesus prepared for us; for all people, into the Kingdom of God. Their bullheadedness will harm only themselves in the end when before the throne of God every knee will bow.

There was a man named Job. He lost everything. Yet, his faith; his belief, in God did not waiver. He trusted the Lord. He had not seen God with his own eyes, yet. But, he was convinced that he would. He was convinced that he would see him with his own eyes and not just through the testimony of others. Job, too, was in a sense very bullheaded. Although, he suffered much; he never gave up hope in his Redeemer.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)

May God help us to trust the testimony of the saints before us, as found in the Holy Scriptures, so that we might have hope in the one who died and yet lives for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

First Priority: Loving The Lord

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

                                                                        (Luke 10:39-42 KJV)

Every Christian knows that we are called to love and serve one another or at least I hope we know that. But, this story about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha reminds us that there is more to it than that. Just prior to the story about Mary and Martha, a lawyer asks Jesus what we must do to inherit eternal life. 

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10:27)

That is exactly what Mary was doing: loving the Lord while Martha was busy about doing good things. Don't get me wrong! Good things are good! But, living in the presence of God and loving Him is most necessary.

Sometimes, our busyness can get in the way of experiencing the joy of living in God's presence and of living in His love. Our good works can interfere with our worship of God when we spend so much time doing good works that there is no time left to experience real life with and in Christ.

Good works are good; but loving God is the first priority. Trust God; love Him and good works will follow that love. 

That lawyer didn't especially care for Jesus' answer so he wanted to know who his neighbor actually was. Jesus tells a parable about  a Samaritan who helped a man who had been beaten, robbed, and left the man who died on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite had come by before the Samaritan and had ignored the man lying there. Of course, the one who helped was the good neighbor. Out of compassion, he was willing to help.

We must be careful that our good works are truly helpful and not just busyness (excuses) that will keep us from the loving relationship that the Lord desires to have with us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Time To Laugh And A Time To Weep

"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." (Rom 12:15 KJV)

I have noticed that there seems to be a really strange idea in the world today. That is that the goal of life is that everyone must be happy, happy, happy all of the time. No. We do not have to be happy, happy, happy all of the time. Sometimes, even often, people suffer from great tragedies and there is much sadness. To think that we should go to them and make them happy is a very sad thing in itself. Nor, should we avoid them because we're uncomfortable with too much grief and we really like to be happy instead of sad. When people weep, we weep with them. We walk with them as far as is possible. 

The shortest verse in the Bible is two words. they are "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) When Jesus was greeted by Mary after her brother Lazarus, died he wept. He wept with her and probably for her loss. He knew that he would be raising Lazarus from the dead in a short while which would bring joy to all of his loved ones. But, in that moment of Mary's sadness, Jesus wept with her.

We walk beside our brothers and sisters. We "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." (Rom 12:15 KJV)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Celebrate Life In Christ

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

John 12:1-8 KJV

You are celebrating with friends. You are having a very pleasant time and suddenly someone begins to complain about something. Maybe, it's because you are having too much fun. Maybe, they are a bit jealous because they are not having fun. Who knows? There seems to always be someone who wants to insert a bit of drama into the party so that it is not so enjoyable for others. 

Judas was the party pooper at the party that was held in Jesus' honor. Can you imagine! Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead and Judas finds something to grumble about. Lazarus' sister, Mary, celebrated with a gift of expensive perfume poured on Jesus' feet and then let her hair down and wiped Jesus' feet with her hair. Judas was not happy. What a waste, he thought, and he let his opinion be known. Jesus has just brought a man back from the grave and rather than trust Jesus to be able to care for others, he tries to ruin the party by denigrating this gift from this woman who is rejoicing because her brother lives. Jesus excuses Mary by telling Judas to “Leave her alone, it was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (vss. 7, 8)

On Sunday morning, many of you will be celebrating by worshiping God. You will be gathered together to celebrate the fact that even as Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave; he, too, is risen from the grave and lives. Yet, there will be grumblers. There will be those within the congregation who will complain about something. Something will not be to their liking. So, instead of celebrating the risen Christ there will be those who insist on focusing on what they consider proper worship or who should or should not even be there worshiping with them. There will be those who take that time to celebrate to focus on budgets and who does or doesn't do something instead of using that time to remember and celebrate that Jesus lives and he lives among us.

Celebrate life. Celebrate your life in the living Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J