Birthday Celebration

Merry Christmas! (Click on the images to enlarge them)

I hope our celebration of Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection will continue every day this next year.

1 Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

John 14:5-6
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Christmas Eve²

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

I'm chilling here in NC, though not literally since it's mid-60s. Chicago never has weather like this! Planting a church in Wilmington or Richmond would be a warm decision, though whether it's the right decision or not is unclear right now.

I just finished writing a sermon on Psalm 23 & John 10:10-18 on the LORD being our shepherd, and even so, Jesus being our Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep. The reason He came to earth was very much in line with His death for us (see also Matthew 1:21).

A few weeks ago, I went through the Sermon on the Mount to see how much was instructional vs. observational. Here are some things I took from the Sermon on the Mount, not comprehensive by any means, but definitely somewhat exhaustive:

Direct Instructions from the Sermon on the Mount:

- Rejoice when you are persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5:12)
- Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven (Matthew 5:16)
- Make relationships right before God before giving a gift to God (Matthew 5:24).
- Come to peace quickly in situations of disagreement, especially with your adversary (Matthew 5:25)
- Get rid of offenses of the flesh and body (Matthew 5:29-30)
- Do not swear oaths (Matthew 5:34)
- Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no' (Matthew 5:37)
- Do not return evil for evil, but rather do much good (Matthew 5:39-42)
- Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44)
- Bless those who curse you (Matthew 5:44)
- Do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:44)
- Pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44)
- Be complete in your love/perfect (Matthew 5:48)
- Do not do your alms like the Pharisees, but rather do them in a spirit of humility (Matthew 6:1-4)
- Pray authentically and in humility (Matthew 6:5-6)
- Do not pray using vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7-8)
- Pray according to the model in the 'Lord's Prayer' (Matthew 6:9-13)
- Fast in humility, not in hypocrisy (Matthew 6:16-18)
- Lay up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21)
- Trust God to provide for life matters (Matthew 6:25-32)
- Seek God's Kingdom first and He will provide for your needs (Matthew 6:33)
- Do not worry about the future/tomorrow (Matthew 6:34)
- Do not condemn or judge hypocritically (Matthew 7:1-5)
- Do not cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)
- Ask in prayer persistently (Matthew 7:7-8)
- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12)
- Enter in the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14)
- Beware of false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20)

Implicit Applications from the Sermon on the Mount:

- Be poor in spirit -- you will be heaven-bound (Matthew 5:3)
- Mourn -- you will be comforted (Matthew 5:4)
- Be meek -- you will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5)
- Hunger and thirst after righteousness -- you will be filled (Matthew 5:6)
- Be merciful -- you will obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7)
- Be pure in heart -- you will see God (Matthew 5:8)
- Be peacemakers -- you will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9)
- Endure persecution -- you will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10)
- Be persecuted only for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5:10)
- Be sure that slander against you is actually false (Matthew 5:11)
- Follow Jesus and you will be persecuted and reviled (Matthew 5:11)
- Be glad in persecution since the faithful of the past were also persecuted (Matthew 5:12, cf. Hebrews 11)
- Christians need to be and are the salt of the earth -- useful and not good for nothing (Matthew 5:13)
- Christians need to be and are the light of the world, shining forth God's light (Matthew 5:14)
- The light of Jesus should be evident to all through the Christian's life (Matthew 5:14)
- Jesus came to fulfill the Law -- not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17)
- The Law of the Lord will be fulfilled completely before the end comes (Matthew 5:18)
- Keep the Lord's commandments and teach obedience concerning them to others (Matthew 5:19)
- Do not be self-righteous as the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20)
- Do not be angry at your brother without cause (Matthew 5:22)
- Anger harbored is murder in the heart (Matthew 5:22)
- Be wise in disputes (Matthew 5:25-26)
- Do not lust after a woman in your heart (Matthew 5:28)
- Lust harbored is adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28)
- Get rid of sin and sinful vices at all costs (Matthew 5:29-30)
- Fornication is the only reason in a marriage in which divorce is a valid possibility (Matthew 5:32)
- Keep heart matters intentionally focused between you and God, not you and others who see you (Matthew 6:1-8)
- The volume of words does not determine the direction of God's ear (Matthew 6:7)
- The Lord knows all of our needs even before we speak them (Matthew 6:8)
- Our Father is in Heaven (Matthew 6:9)
- Our Father is Holy/Hallowed (Matthew 6:9)
- The Lord's will is done in Heaven (Matthew 6:10)
- We should desire God's will to be done on earth (Matthew 6:10)
- The Lord provides for our material needs (Matthew 6:11)
- We should request forgiveness (Matthew 6:12)
- We should forgive others (Matthew 6:12)
- We should ask the Lord for deliverance from temptation and evil (Matthew 6:13)
- The Lord is King: mighty and glorious and eternal (Matthew 6:13)
- The Lord forgives us openly once we forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15)
- Be full of light (Matthew 6:22)
- Be pure (Matthew 6:22-23)
- Serve God, not money/mammon (Matthew 6:24)
- You cannot serve God and money/mammon (Matthew 6:24)
- The Lord cares for even the most minute parts of His Creation (Matthew 6:26, 28, 30)
- Do not seek what the world seeks -- trust in God (Matthew 6:32)
- Persistent and Faithful Prayer works (Matthew 7:7-8)
- God gives the best gifts -- they are always good (Matthew 7:9-11)
- The broad way leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13)
- The narrow way leads to life (Matthew 7:14)
- False prophets are as ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15)
- Test prophets' fruit in ministry (Matthew 7:16-18)
- False prophets will be punished (Matthew 7:19)
- Not all who claim to be Christians actually are in God's sight (Matthew 7:21)
- Do God's Will (Matthew 7:21)
- Don't just be a hearer, but also a doer of the Word (Matthew 7:24-25, cf. James 1:22)
- Don't be foolish and neglect the Word (Matthew 7:26-27)

Post-Sermon Response of the People

- Jesus had REAL authority (Matthew 7:29)
- Jesus was not common in his teaching, as the scribes (Matthew 7:29)
- Thus, people were astonished (Matthew 7:28)

God bless you, and Merry Christmas Eve²!

Late

It's really late.

I saw many people from my high school graduating class tonight, as Laura put together an informal 6.5-year reunion. It'll be interesting to see over the years what people do, how they develop and change, etc. Most people were still in school in one form or another.

That being said, I'm glad to be done with the semester. I have ONE MORE to go. Wow.

In January, if things go through on the school-side (it's looking pretty good), then I'm planning a 10-week Sunday School series on the Minor Prophets. There are 12 Minor Prophets, and an intro & conclusion that would be tight to put in. Here is one option:

(1) Intro & Jonah
(2) Obadiah & Joel
(3) Hosea
(4) Amos
(5) Micah
(6) Nahum & Zephaniah
(7) Habakkuk
(8) Haggai
(9) Zechariah
(10) Malachi & Conclusion

This puts the books in general approximate chronological order, though there is some +/- there. Haggai could also be combined with another book if necessary since it's 2 chapters, though there's definitely a lot to Haggai.

The study would focus mainly on Applications & Theological Observations (what can we learn about God from this book?). Example from Habakkuk:

Theological Observations

-The LORD allows questioning. He is not threatened by it (1:2-4ff.)
-The LORD responds graciously but firmly to Habakkuk’s questioning (1:5-11, 2:2ff.)
-The LORD hears the distressed prayers of faithful Habakkuk (e.g. 1:5-11)
-The LORD uses judgment and chastisement to bring His people back to Him (1:5-11)
-The LORD uses even the most unexpected agents to carry out His purposes (1:6-11)
-The LORD knows what He’s doing (1:14-17ff.)
-The LORD is faithful to keep His Word (2:2-3)
-The LORD is massively just (2:6-20)
-The LORD is powerful and mighty to save (Chapter 3)
-The LORD brings hope (3:16-19)
-The LORD is our strength (3:19)

Applications

-The LORD has been faithful throughout history and will continue to be faithful.
-The LORD is so faithful to His covenant with us that He even would give His Son for us, even after centuries of unfaithfulness.
-Question the LORD faithfully, rooted in hope.
-Run to the LORD in trials and chastisement, not away from Him.
-The LORD often uses people and groups of people as a means of blessing and judging (1:6-11)
-Do not despise the chastening of the LORD (cf. Hebrews 12:6)
-Let us get rid of any idols in our own lives, as the people of Judah suffered because of it. The LORD our God is a jealous God! Let’s avoid idolatry.
-The LORD often cries out ‘How Long’ to His people, desiring them to return to Him!
-If you need to return to the LORD, repent!
-In seeing the LORD’s faithfulness and saving power, live in faith and trust in Him for salvation.
-Sometimes we must wait patiently to see an answer from the LORD (2:3)
-The LORD will preserve a remnant of people – those who live by faith (2:4)
-The LORD will in due time bring judgment (cf. Hebrews 9:27)
-Let us live by our faith in trusting the LORD’s provision and timing (cf. Romans 4)
-We are even today saved by faith in God’s plan – faith in Jesus (cf. John 3:16-18)
-In seeing the LORD’s past provision, have hope in His provision in the future (3:3-19)
-The LORD is powerful and mighty to save (3:3-13)
-The LORD also preserved His people to bring about the Messiah, Jesus (3:13)
-In the midst of despair, trust in the LORD (3:16-19)

So doing this for every book will be neat. Note that Habakkuk is pretty short, too.

I also don't know what the point of the picture on the left is. Hopefully this Christmas season, we won't fly away from God.

During this Christmas season, focus on the birth of Jesus, but also on the purpose of His coming -- to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Thanks to His coming, there is hope for mankind. Instead of being enemies of God, hopeless and destined to eternal punishment, we can be made the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus and His work for us. He was our perfect sacrifice.

And because of that, may we be thankful, and if we have not come to Him yet for salvation, may we seek Him even now to repent of our sins & accept His gift of salvation.