And just as Jesus “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2), we look to the cross of Christ with joy, for through his death and resurrection, he has secured our redemption, reconciled us to God, and given us eternal life. This he did not by condoning sin but in perfect righteousness, not by compromising of his deity but by divine justice, and not by making himself “safe” but victorious. “’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the king, I tell you.”
Category Archives: Advent
Life Lived in the Love of God
It seems to me the modern Evangelical pastime is to lament the condition of our culture. We are seemingly surprised at the prevalence of the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life[2] in a world following the prince of the power of the air, who continues his work in the children of disobedience.[3] And yet, I am often asked, “Can you believe how bad’s it’s gotten?” To which I often reply, “Yes, almost as bad as the days of Noah,” which is of course sarcasm, since as bad as we perceive our age to be, we cannot say that every intention of the thoughts of our neighbors is only evil continually[4] (although perhaps a few we know come close). But really, think about it: What was the condition of the culture of Noah’s day? What dominated mankind’s thoughts? Only evil continually. What motivated his actions? Only evil continually. What did he do all day, every day? Only evil continually. Literally, “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).
Hope in Her Offspring
And so, while time continues, history repeating itself with seemingly endless consistency, there will be a last day, and every person will stand in judgment before the Son of God. On that day, the offspring of Satan will be revealed and readied for eternal damnation, the anguish of their suffering even more consistent than their sin upon the earth. But all who look to the promised Son of Hope in faith will be found righteous and right with God. And though our human hearts may cry with little Anne of Green Gables, “I’ll try to do and be anything you want me, if you’ll only keep me,” God’s Word tells us Christ has done it all, redeeming us the image-bearers we were created to be, kept in Christ, for all eternity.
Salvation Is He
Although not our text for today, I want us to begin thinking about the seventy-second psalm, which serves as a description of Israel’s ideal king. Likely written by Solomon, upon first reading the psalm sounds self-descriptive. He prays for God-given justice and righteousness and the ability to govern accordingly, all kingly blessings. He prays for prosperity from the land and protection for the people, all national blessings. From its beginning, the psalm sounds like the prayerful petitions of a king known for his wisdom.
Good News of Great Joy
We often think of the sudden, supernatural appearance of the heavenly host in relation to Jesus’ birth, and rightly so. But in a sense, their explosion of praise is but a commencement of our continued celebration. Paul said, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord,” and so we do, boasting in what God has done in sending his Son. Think about it: We have assembled on this Lord’s Day, the day of Christ’s resurrection, based on the full revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is only fitting that we join the heavenly host in crying out, “Glory to God in the highest!” For, our greatest joy comes in and through the good news of Jesus Christ.
Behold Your God!
This light has been shining in the darkness of spiritual depravity and blindness since Christ’s coming, advancing according to Christ’s commission. His unstoppable gospel will advance, disciples will be made, his church will assemble, and he shall be praised to the ends of the earth. And then, the end shall come, and the glory of God will be revealed in the second coming of his Son and the redemption of his people. The kingdom of God will conquer all kingdoms in a Word, and “nations shall come to [the] light, and kings to the brightness of [the] rising” (Isa. 60:3). Unbelievers will be judged and condemned to eternal damnation and believers will be found standing only in the righteousness of Christ. The world will be filled with reverence and awe, as a loud voice is heard saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev. 21:3). And darkness will be no more, only the pure light of God’s radiance, and we will hear what our hearts’ desire: “Behold your God!” And so we shall, forever.
The Dwelling Place of God
Have you ever longed for something, with great anticipation, only to find that when that something arrived it fell far short of what you imagined? How often is our ideal contrary to reality? How often does this lead to frustration with our circumstances and discouragement in the moment? It is likely that all of us have experienced this to one degree or another. But what if your religion, family, home, nationality, your identity, were all connected and directed toward what was to come, and what if you had waited not three or four years but seventy? It sounds like a set-up for disappointment. Coming out of the Babylonian exile and returning to their homeland, the children of Israel were more than disappointed; they were despondent.
Post Tenebras Lux
Of Judah’s kings, there were the good, the bad, and the ugly. Perhaps there was a bit of ugly in all of them, but Hezekiah was one of the good ones. During his reign, he cleansed the temple of idols, restored right and regular worship, including reinstating Passover. He trusted the Lord for victory over the Assyrians and for personal healing of a life-threatening disease. But for the good reign he enjoyed, he personally did not finish well, falling prey to pride in his possessions and an ugly selfishness that characterized his last recorded words.
God and Sinners Reconciled
I think our culture is willing to openly acknowledge Christ at this time of year more than any other, don’t you? It is a time when Christian virtues, such as hope, love, joy, and peace are openly connected to Christ, whether he is known personally or not. Perhaps it is because Christ’s birth is more culturally palatable than Christ’s cross, but in our post-Christian era Christmas still carries not only its name but its significance, even if buried in secular interpretation and consumerism. In settings that would typically reject the authority of God’s Word, carols rich in Scriptural reference are still sung. In a public venue, I recently heard Charles Wesley’s hymn caroled with gusto: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”[2]
Sing for Joy
So, let us sing for joy. For, he has turned his anger away from us for the sake of the cross of Christ, and he comforts us by his Spirit. Let us sing for joy, for he is our salvation and strength. Let us sing for joy, for he is the fountain of living water. Let us sing for joy that the peoples may know of his deeds and join us in worshipful exaltation. Let us sing for joy that the world may know that he who “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,” he who “upholds the universe by the word of his power,” he who after “making purification for sins … sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3) is in our midst, “the Holy One of Israel.”
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 