Grace for the Race

My eldest son Brock absolutely loves fishing. He can spend hours casting out and reeling in with great joy, without ever catching a fish. At the beginning of this year’s Christmas break, instead of coming straight home from Stetson University, he visited the home of his new friend, Tyler, who lives on Florida’s west coast. They spent a great deal of time fishing and even went on an overnight trip. They caught their limit of red snapper, the fish they were seeking, having spent most of their time both casting and catching!

As Brock was telling me about his trip, it got me thinking: whether you and I ever pick up a fishing pole in our lives, we are all called to “cast”—not with a fishing pole—we are to cast our cares on God.

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Cast all your cares on [God] because he cares for you.

(1 Peter 5:7)

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How good are you at casting your cares? Notice the reason you are instructed to cast all your cares on God: “because He cares for you!” Do you believe the truth of this verse of Scripture? You might reflexively answer that question with an emphatic “Yes!” But let me say this: You can measure how much you actually believe it: It is only to the extent that you “cast your cares on God” that you truly believe this wonderful truth.

The Bible is chock-full with passages that demonstrate the care God has for His people. Here is just one example, taken from the story of the Exodus redemption:

• God sent a deliverer (Moses) into Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let the His people go.
• God sent ten miraculous plagues, demonstrating His power on behalf of His people.
• God led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt after 400 years.
• God parted the waters of the Red Sea.
• God led the Israelites through the Red Sea on dry ground.
• God drowned every one of the pursuing Egyptians.
• God sent manna from heaven to feed them for forty years.
• God poured made water come forth from a rock to quench their thirst.
• God brought them into the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey.

For forty years the Israelites wandered through the desert wilderness, with countless cares along the way. When they tried to deal with their cares themselves, things did not go well! You will remember when they grew impatient while Moses was meeting with God on Mount Sinai that—instead of casting their cares on God—they cast their gold into the fire and fashioned a golden calf to worship. God judged them for this grotesque evil, and as the people groaned under their judgment, they turned back to God and finally did cast their cares upon Him.

What are your cares today? What storm winds are blowing in your life right now? What obstacles seem to be blocking your way forward? You have only two choices in dealing with them: you can keep your cares to yourself and deal with them in your own way . . . or you can cast your cares on God.

Remember, God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. So why not cast your cares upon God? He truly does care for you!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!    

From the womb to the tomb, life is a journey. The only way to truly make it a journey of joy is to walk it with Jesus  . . . every step of the way.

Now, to walk with Jesus is to walk like Jesus, and walking like Jesus is characterized by laying your life down for others. The key that unlocks the door leading to a journey of joy in this life is understanding the biblical truth that other-orientation is more blessed than self-focus.

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Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 12:2)

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Did you see that? Jesus’ joy was you! The joy set before Jesus was the eternity He will spend with you . . . because of His life, death, and resurrection. Holding that truth in view, He endured the cross, scorning its unimaginable shame and horror. His journey was a journey of joy because He knew what the end result would be. And so do you! You have been promised an eternity in the new heavens and the new earth, where there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, or death.

In a word, our Lord’s journey of joy was marked by giving; Jesus gave of Himself by laying down His life for you. Make no mistake, the most joyful people in this world are those who give the most. They give of their time. They give of their talent. They give of their treasure. They give just like their Lord gave, and they live a joyful life.

To be sure, we all like to get stuff. There is joy in receiving the good gifts our Lord gives to us, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the Word of God makes it clear that there is infinitely more joy in giving. Remember, God’s economy is not like the world’s. By nature we are self-centered and self-absorbed; but after Jesus shows up, our hearts begin beating for Jesus (vertically) and for others (horizontally).

So . . . we’ve seen that Jesus’ joy was you; is your joy Jesus? Where in your life are you putting others first? Where are you laying down your life, your agenda, your preferences, and your expectations for the good of others? Take a look at this powerful truth as it relates to the journey of joy.

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J          = Jesus – Make Jesus your first priority in both life and death . . .

O     = Others – Next comes others—all others—to serve and care for them . . .

Y         = You – After loving God and serving others, you will find that you are walking the joy journey!

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When Jesus saved you, He saved you for service. Your salvation is not about you; it is about Jesus Christ and the life He has called you to live for His glory and the good of others. When “the joy set before you” is rooted in yourself, it is little joy indeed. But when the joy set before you is rooted in a cross-shaped life (vertically = lived for God / horizontally = lived for others), your joy will be full and satisfying all the way into glory.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!    

We all find ourselves feeling a bit down from time to time, which is simply a result of living as broken people in a broken world. Because of this truth, we need daily doses of eternal encouragement, which will lift us up when we are down.

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Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.

(Psalm 27:10)

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I have never forgotten a story my mom told me when I was a teenager about her parents abandoning her and her brother on the steps of a police station. As hard as that truth was for me to understand back then, after having four children of my own, it is truly beyond my ability to comprehend. Yet we hear awful stories like this frequently; many of those stories do not have a happy ending.

How excruciating it must have been for Jochebed, the mother of Moses, to float her infant boy down the Nile river to escape the death sentence pronounced on all Hebrew baby boys by Pharaoh (Exodus 1:22). Yet God directed Jochebed’s makeshift ark into the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter, who raised the baby in the court of Pharaoh. Later God would use Moses as the deliverer of His people.

In Psalm 27:10 above, we see that David knew well that no matter what happens in every earthly relationship, even if there were fractures in relationship with those closest to him, his eternal relationship with God was unwavering and secure. Parents may abandon you, family may betray you, friends may forsake you, but the Lord will hold you close, regardless of the cost or circumstance.

Jesus said of those who were His:

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My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

(John 10:29)

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What a comfort to know the One who is actually doing the holding! How many times I have crossed a busy street with one of my children’s hands clasped firmly in mine. To be sure, they were holding on to me, but I was the one who was truly doing the holding.

You see, being down is simply a part of life . . . part of being human! But no matter how down we may get, we are never out, because Omnipotence has a firm hold on us. When Jesus promised to never leave or forsake us, He meant what he said! Remember, He confirmed the truth of that statement with His own precious blood.

If you grew up in church, you probably heard in Sunday school that the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, went to the hill Golgotha, and there he looked at you and said clearly, “I love you this much!” He spread His arms wide to show you how much . . . and then those arms were nailed to the cross . . . and He died there, so that you and I would one day be raised up to meet Him in heaven.

You may be down, but you are never out.

So . . . how have you been feeling lately? Difficulties in your marriage?  Rancor with your relatives? Problems in your parenting?  Obstacles at the office?  Friction with your friends? Regardless of the challenges you have faced, are currently facing, or will someday face, God has promised to hold you close, even if everyone else lets you go.

Now that is a truth worth holding on to!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!    

A LOOK BACK

Today is the first day of 2016, and before you launch out on yet another year, why not take a moment today to look back and reflect on all that God has done for you over the past 365 days of 2015? Now, I certainly don’t know all that God did for you last year, but here is one universal that we all experienced that is easily missed:

ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE!

God was pleased to give to us yet another year of life. Life was one of God’s great gifts to all of us this past year, and our gift back to God was simply this: how we lived it. The end of the year is a great time to reflect on the past year and examine just how we used—and at times, misused—the precious and unrepeatable time God was so gracious to give to us.

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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

(Ephesians 5:15-17)

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Paul was telling the Ephesians, and he is telling you and me today, that it is critical to make the most of the time God gives us. It is so easy to major on the minor things of life that we can miss God’s best for us. We need to remember a few critical truths about life:

• When we spend a minute we have one less minute to spend
• When we spend an hour we have one less hour to spend
• When we spend a day we have one less day to spend
• When we spend a week we have one less week to spend
• When we spend a month we have one less month to spend
• And when we spend a year we have one less year to spend

We have been given many things in life which, if lost, we could get more of it back. We can get more money, more possessions, more jobs, more relationships, more opportunities. But we cannot get more time! Time is incredibly precious and limited; when something is precious and limited, its value increases. Compared to eternity, we are here on earth for only a fleeting moment, and none of us knows when that moment will come to an end. That is why we must make the most of every moment we have been given.

The devil will always try to convince you that you have lots more time, and those who believe his lie waste a great deal of time.

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The great Reformer John Calvin wrote:

There are so many allurements which can easily lead us astray. Our society offers us an endless variety of allurements. We need to be rid from these temptations and thorns. We must abandon every hindrance and even hard work and toil may not be an excuse for neglecting the day of grace, or neglecting to do good.

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God tells us to redeem the time, which simply means we are to value the time we currently have by rescuing the opportunities God gives us: opportunities to love unconditionally . . . opportunities to forgive completely . . . opportunities to do good . . . opportunities to serve others . . . opportunities to put God on display and advance the cause of His kingdom in this world.

So when opportunity knocks this year, will you be ready to respond to it and make the most of it? Your answer, of course, will be a resounding “Yes!” . . . IF you keep Jesus on the throne of your life and live in the light of eternity.

May God bless you as you make the most of every opportunity throughout this New Year!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

With 36 hours and 15 minutes left until the end of 2015 and the beginning of a New Year, let’s close out the old year with Part II of this message on finishing well, rooted in these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy.

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I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

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In Monday’s blog I said I wanted to employ the three phrases that Paul used in this inspired passage to evaluate how well the past year has gone for us. We discussed “fighting the good fight” and “finishing the race” on Monday; today let’s take a look at Paul’s final phrase:

I have kept the faith . . .

Here Paul was talking about the faith that is found only in the truth of the wisdom of God. Paul had pondered it, preached it, practiced it, protected it, and praised it everywhere the Spirit of God directed him to go. He fought against those who sought to distort the truth of God and against those who watered it down.

“Keeping the faith” for Paul meant keeping in view the all-consuming call God placed on his life. He refused to let anything take him off course. He lived a life of fidelity to His faithful Savior and poured himself out in unwavering service to his Lord. Yes, he did it imperfectly, as any man will, but he did it with all of his heart. There was never anything “half-hearted” in the life of Paul!

Think about it this way. Everything he did as Saul, prior to his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he did with all of his heart. Now, as Paul, with a heart that had been changed by grace, through faith, everything he did was done with all his heart for the glory of the One who had called him.

In closing out this year, let me suggest three key words that marked the life of Paul:

• Sold-out
• Steadfast
• Single-minded

Paul was able to fight the good fight because he was sold-out in fighting it. Paul was able to finish the race because he was steadfast in running it. And Paul was able to keep the faith because he was single-minded in focusing on it.

It is my prayer that you will look back on this past year and see all the good God has done both in and through you. Learn from the times you fell short of the intended mark and carry those lessons into 2016 with the confident assurance that He who began the good work in you will carry it on to completion, just like He did in the apostle Paul’s life.

Thank you for spending time with me this past year. God bless you and yours. Lord willing, we shall do it all again next year!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I would like to close out 2015 with a two-part message on finishing well, rooted in these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy:

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I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

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Let’s use the three phrases that Paul used to sum up all that God had done in His life since his Damascus Road experience to evaluate how well the past year has gone for us. Today we will look at the first two phrases; on Wednesday we’ll discuss the final one.

I have fought the good fight …

If Paul had said “I have fought A good fight,” he could have been speaking about any fight he engaged in. But he did not; he said, “THE good fight,” and the only good fight is the one God has called us to. God turned Paul’s life upside-down when He turned Saul into Paul, changing him from the persecutor of the church to the preacher and pastor to the church. Paul poured himself out in this calling; he truly did fight the good fight God had called him to!

Next Paul said . . .

I have finished the race …

Paul frequently compared his life to a race. And make no mistake; he did not compare it to a sprint, but rather a marathon. Paul lived a life that reflected the truth that He who began a good work in Paul would fully complete it. Yet Paul knew that he must continue to run, by God’s grace, putting one foot in front of the other every step of the way.

So . . . as we are nearing the end of 2015, take some time to consider both of these phrases from the apostle Paul. Can the same be said of you? Was 2015 marked by fighting the good fight and moving toward the finish line in the race God has set before you in the strength of the Almighty? Remember that, just as with Paul, I am not talking about fighting the good fight and finishing the 2015 race perfectly. Everything we do, we do imperfectly! But what I am asking you—and myself—is: Did we make God’s plan in our lives our primary passion and pursuit throughout 2015?

We’ll revisit this self-evaluation on Wednesday.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Since I was a little boy, one of my favorite holiday TV shows was “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” When I was growing up—a long time ago—you had to check the TV Guide to make sure you knew when the special presentation would air; if you missed it, you had to wait an entire year for the chance to see it again. Today, of course, my family has the DVD and we can watch it any time we want . . . and we do watch it more than once throughout the Christmas season.

My favorite scene is the one where Charlie Brown has just picked out the worst possible tree for the Christmas play. After being hammered by his friends for being such a “blockhead,” he cries plaintively, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Linus responds, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about,” and proceeds to recite this glorious story from sacred Scripture . . .

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And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

(Luke 2:8-14)

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Linus closes with these words: “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Truer words were never spoken! My prayer this Christmas Day is that we all would remember the reason for the season—not only today, but every day throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

 

The Who of Advent

Today is the final message in our four-part Advent Devotional Series. We have worked through the What, the Why, and the How of Advent. We will close this series with the most important question in all of life—one that every man, woman, and child needs to ask and answer. But before we get to that question, I want to ask and answer two other very important questions.

Let’s dive in!

Who Does God The Father Say Jesus Is?

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, plunging all of humanity and creation into ruin, God did not abandon them. He did not leave them there, shivering fearfully in their nakedness and shame and sin. God pursued those two rebels on the run; and in their presence, He made this promise to the serpent who had deceived them:

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I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

(Genesis 3:15)

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God promised Adam and Eve that He would send a Savior who would redeem His children from both the penalty of sin and the power of sin. And at the end of the third chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, God the Father announced that this promise was fulfilled in His Son, Jesus Christ, in whom He is well pleased.

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As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

(Matthew 3:16-17)

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 Who Does Jesus Say He Is?

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The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ), when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

(John 4:25-26)

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When this Samaritan woman used the term “Messiah,” she was speaking about the expected King of the Jewish people who had been promised by God and anticipated by the nation of Israel for centuries. There are many Old Testament prophecies of a promised descendant of David who would come down from heaven and save His people. Those promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

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He was saying to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

(John 8:23)

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Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

(John 8:58)

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Notice that Jesus did not say, “Before Abraham was born, I was born.” Instead He said, “I am,” indicating that He is eternally existent. His declaration immediately calls to mind the words spoken by God to Moses at the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM!” (Exodus 3:14).

But just in case any of us failed to make that connection, Jesus clearly claimed equality with God the Father. He told the Jews, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that He is the ONLY WAY to God . . . the ONLY TRUTH of God . . . and the ONLY LIFE through God.

And now here is the final question that I must ask . . . the most important question that can ever be asked . . . a question that only you can answer:

Who Do You Say He Is?

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When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 16:13-17)

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Jesus made it clear that only God can open the eyes of our hearts to know Jesus; all of Scripture reinforces this truth. This knowledge of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, to the glory of God alone, does not come through human logic or decision; it does not even come through the witness of miracles—a burning bush or some sort of Damascus Road experience. It will only come through the revelation of God, which makes the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead rise to new life.

So . . . what will you do with this Jesus, who is called Christ? Who do you say this Jesus is? This is the most important question you will ever answer. I implore you, as an ambassador of Christ, be reconciled to God through Him!

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God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

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This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The HOW of Advent

This is the third of four messages in our Advent devotional series, which will lead us up to Christmas Day. My hope and prayer is that you and I might experience afresh the passion and power of waiting on God during these last few days before we celebrate Christmas.

Part I explained what Advent is in the life of the Christian. Part II presented a word of encouragement about why Christ came to earth and took on human flesh. This third installment in our series will take a brief look at the How of Advent.

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

(Isaiah 9:6)

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At first glance, this verse might seem to contain needless repetition of the same idea. “A child is born . . . a son is given.” But there is an incredible distinction to be made between “a child born” and “a son given.” Let’s take a look!

A Child Is Born

All the way back in the Garden of Eden, God promised that a child would be born as a descendent of the woman Eve.

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I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.  

(Genesis 3:15)

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In spite of Adam and Eve’s horrific act of cosmic treason, God was gracious to pursue those rebels on the run. He promised to send the solution to their sin problem: a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

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When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law.  

(Galatians 4:4)

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Just as every child is born of a woman, Jesus was born of a woman too. However, there is one critical difference. The “seed” of every child born of woman belongs to a man, but the “seed” of Mary belonged to God the Holy Spirit and did not originate from a human man. It was a supernatural virgin birth, but a birth nonetheless; and in His humanity Jesus was a child born.

A Son Is Given

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There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  

(Luke 2:8-12)

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Yes, in His humanity, Jesus Christ was a child born. But as God’s only Son, He is not born, but given as the Savior to the world, begotten of His Father from eternity past.

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I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.  

(Psalm 2:7)

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A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  

(Matthew 3:17)

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Who can fully comprehend this incredible truth? The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon profoundly expressed it this way:

The doctrine of the eternal affiliation of Christ is to be received as an undoubted truth of our holy religion. But as to any explanation of it, no man should venture thereon, for it remaineth among the deep things of God—one of those solemn mysteries indeed, into which the angels dare not look nor do they desire to pry into it—a mystery which we must not attempt to fathom, for it is utterly beyond the grasp of any finite being.

As well might a gnat seek to drink in the ocean, as a finite creature to comprehend the Eternal God. A God whom we could understand would be no God. If we could grasp him he could not be infinite, if we could understand him, then were he not divine. Jesus Christ then, I say, as a Son, is not born to us, but given. He was not born in this world as God’s Son, but he was sent, or given, so that you clearly perceive that the distinction is a suggestive one, and conveys much good truth to us. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.”

Knowing that “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29), we can receive this truth of the How of Advent: that a child was truly born . . . and a Son was given for you and me. And if we have received this truth by grace through faith, we can be certain that it has been done “unto us” . . . and that, dear reader, truly is good news of great joy!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The WHY of Advent

This is the second of four messages in our Advent devotional series, which will lead up to Christmas Day. My hope and prayer is that you and I might experience afresh the passion and power of waiting on God during these last few days before we celebrate Christmas.

In the previous message, we looked at what Advent is in the life of the Christian. Today I’d like to offer a word of encouragement that just may surprise you. We will take a brief look at what “The Why” of Advent was not . . . and then what it was.

1. What It Was Not

It was not SIN!

As a pastor who labors to point people to Jesus each week, I consistently emphasize the point that you and I are sinners in need of a Savior.

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When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

(Genesis 3:6)

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Adam was the federal head of all humanity, perfectly created by God for this privilege. When he fell, we all fell, and all of humanity became wicked sinners who could only be redeemed by a spotless Savior. As The New England Primer, America’s first public school textbook, taught children for more than 200 years, “In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.”

But sin could not possibly have been the primary “Why” of Advent, because sin was already in the world. In Isaiah’s and Ezekiel’s references to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, we see Adam’s fall symbolically described . . . and we also see references to the malevolent spiritual power lurking behind the kings of those two cities: Satan.

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How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

(Isaiah 14:12-14)

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You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

(Ezekiel 28:15-17)

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Here we are given a glimpse behind the veil of heaven, and we see the fall of Lucifer and the sin that was in this world before the first sin of man. Jesus spoke of this in Luke 10:18 when He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

If sin was “The Why” of Advent, God would have sent Jesus to redeem the fallen angels, but that was not the purpose for His coming. The writer of Hebrews explicitly confirms this truth:

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Surely it is not angels [Jesus] helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 2:16-18)

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So, if sin was not “The Why,” then what was?

2. What It Was

LOVE!

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God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

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God came after fallen and sinful man; the reason is located in the heart of God and His love for man: a special love . . . a redeeming love . . . a love purchased by His beloved Son on a cross so that we could be the spouse of the Son—the bride of the Bridegroom!

And that is why everything works toward your salvation. God so loved you that, if you have trusted in Christ’s redeeming work on your behalf, God is working every circumstance of life (the good, the bad, and the ugly) for your eternal good (Romans 8:28).

May this truth of God’s amazing love for you bring you glad tidings of great joy this Christmas season and all the days God gives to you!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!