A Journey to the cross (through a mother's eyes) - A glorious beginning

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Introduction:

Today's post begins a series of studies on the place and role of Mary the mother of Jesus and how she personally made her journey to the cross. Christians throughout history have fallen into two ditches when it comes to regarding Mary's place and role in Biblical understanding. The one extreme is to exalt Mary to the role of co-Redeemer with Christ or some level of mediation between believers and Jesus. The other extreme, perhaps seen mostly in Baptist and Protestant churches, has been to ignore Mary altogether and to make a token mention off her at Christmas. Scripture as always brings back into focus extremes. In scripture, Mary is neither exalted or ignored, but rather afforded a role in the account of Jesus' life that portrays her not as a redeemer, but one needing redemption. The cross is the only place we can make sense of all the details of scripture, with Mary being no different. With those observations we now turn our attention to following Mary through the Gospels and Acts as we consider a journey to the cross through a mother's eyes. Notice the very first thing regarding how this journey began...

Glorious start to the journey to the cross

The Gospels open with the glorious announcement to Mary and Joseph regarding the coming of Jesus. Matthew 1:18 states - "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit." The initital word to Joseph had been brought by the angel Gabriel, which alone constituted a word from Heaven to man on earth. Undoubtedly the news was shocking an unexpected for the couple. Joseph reasoned within himself whether Mary had been unfaithful and Mary wondered how such a thing could even occur. Matthew 1:20 gives this reassuring statement to assuage their fears - "But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." The same angel would tell Mary in Luke 1:30-35 that she had found favor with God and that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her womb and miraculously unite the humanity of Mary to the Person of the Son to conceive the truly human man that was to be named "Jesus" according to Matthew 1:21. 

This was evidence that the beginning of Mary's journey to the cross was going to be based upon the glorious revelation of God's purpose of redemption. Prophecies such as Isaiah 7:14 that predicted the virgin birth were going to be fulfilled in her according to Matthew 1:23. Moreover, incredible words of grace, encouragement and praise about her soon to be born Son would issue forth from Elizabeth her cousin in Luke 1:39-45. When Mary hears the prophetic words of Elizabeth, she herself breaks out in praise to God over the child mirculously conceived and growing in her womb. The beginnings of Jesus' human life are heralded by angels appearing to the shepherds to announce His birth (Luke 2:1-20) and eight days after Jesus' birth, Mary and Joseph bring the infant Christ to the temple.

The glorious beginning of Mary's journey to the cross seemed to have no end. Once Mary and Joseph had done their prescribed act of presenting Jesus to the Lord, a devout Jew by the name of Simeon would come on the scene. As Simeon took the infant Christ into His arms, words came forth that, at least in their beginnings, spelled forth the continuance of the theme of the grandeur of Jesus' birth. Simeon is quoted as saying in Luke 2:28-33 - "then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him."

Closing thoughts

Today we began considering a journey to the cross through a mother's eyes. We saw that the news about Jesus being incarnated in the virgin's womb was a glorious beginning. Central to the message of the Son's mission to earth was to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:23) The glories which accompanied the events of Jesus' arrival reminds us that the cross was conceived in the glory of God shared between the Father and the Son by the Holy Spirit. Mary's journey to the cross had a glorious beginning, much like what takes place when followers of Jesus Christ are called by saving faith through the glory of the new birth wrought in them by the Holy Spirit. What would follow on the heels of these glorious events would seem to be a total contrast, which we will consider tomorrow... 

Why the Virgin Birth must be affirmed - Jesus' Sinlessness and Personal Salvation

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."

Introduction:

We began yesterday looking at why the church today must affirm the virgin birth/concepption of Jesus in His humanity. The virgin birth is not just a small curious teaching of scripture, but a significant and central truth - the virgin birth/conception of Jesus Christ. Touching His deity, the Son is eternal (John 1:1; Romans 9:5); God (Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Timothy 3:15-16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:1-2) with all power and authority (Matthew 28:18). When the Son chose to come into this world (Hebrews 10:4-5) as sent from the Father (John 3:16) with Whom the Son shares in the same undivided Divine nature (John 17:1-5); He came through the vessel of a young, Jewish, virgin, peasant girl by the name of Mary (Luke 1:35) 

Many today scoff at the idea of the virgin birth conception, remarking the needless effort to try to prove it, since it is seemingly such a small incidental detail. Moreover, since virgin births simply don't happen, perhaps the church has misinterpreted the scriptures. Some have even opted to try to translate the word "virgin" recorded in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23 by the phrase "young maiden" so as to dismiss the doctrine altogether. 

Is the virgin birth/conception a small trivial detail of the Christian faith? Can we do without the virgin birth of Jesus' humanity? Would Jesus had been any less qualified of a Savior in His humanity if he had been born by natural means? This writer would say that unavoidable problems result when we deny the virgin birth accounts and thus, the incarnation (the enfleshment) of the Son into true humanity required and demanded a virgin birth conception. So the question is: what is the significance of the virgin conception/birth of Jesus' humanity? We saw in yesterday's post that to deny the virgin birth leads to denial of the Bible as being perfectly true in its details (i.e Biblical inerrancy). Today we consider a second reason to affirm the virgin birth - Jesus' sinlessness.

Affirming the virgin birth affirms Jesus' sinlessness

It is interesting how the virgin birth is associated with the perfection that is attributed to the Bible as originally revealed and now to Jesus as originally conceived in His humanity. If Jesus Christ had any trace of sin in his humanity, then He would had been disqualified as the sinner's substitute. The scriptures argue forthrightly about the sinlessness of Jesus Christ, notice:

Acts 3:14 states - "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you." If Jesus had not been sinless, He could not had saved anyone. Consider 2 Corinthians 5:21 - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus' sinlessness qualifies Him to continue ministering in His post-ressurection ministry at the Father's right hand as the believer's Highpriest. Notice Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." Other scriptures assert the fact that Jesus Christ in His humanity was without sin. (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). 

So then with Jesus' sinlessness firmly established in the scriptures, what does this have to do with the virgin birth? Everything! How? Scripture teaches that the sin nature is passed down through the father's side of the blood-line. Whenever you read for example the accounts of the kings of Israel, they were described as doing the sins of their fathers. The general overall pattern and desire to sin that is found in every human being on planet earth is due to Adam's original sin. (Romans 5:11-21). Moreover, 1 Peter 1:18 explicitly notes - "knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers". By way of the virgin birth, Jesus' incarnation by-passed the sin nature that would had been otherwise passed down had Mary had relations with Joseph. Remarkably, Jesus was able to still have a genuine, true humanity from Mary (which is why He is called "the seed of the woman" in Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4) without sin. Theologian Wayne Grudem explains the significance of this: "Jesus did not descend from Adam in exactly the same way in which every other human being has descended from Adam. And this helps us to understand why the legal guilt and moral corruption that belongs to all other human beings did not belong to Christ."

Closing thoughts

We have explored over the past two days why we need to affirm the virgin birth. Without the virgin birth, the inerrancy of the Bible would be called into question and the qualification of Jesus to be the sinless Savior would be jeopardized. Because of this, Christianity must once again affirm the truth of the virgin conception/birth of Jesus' humanity as a cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith. If he had not been born into this world through the virgin's womb, scripture would had been nullified and Jesus' sinlessness touching His human nature could not had occured. 

By implication, Jesus' virgin birth qualified him in His humanity to be our Savior. Salvation would had been of no effect were it not for the virgin birth. All who respond by faith to the Spirit's quickening work of regeneration in their souls have a miraculous new birth (John 3:3-6; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) which enables the Christian to say they have had a miraculous new birth based upon the One who in His humanity had virgin birth had a miraculous birth. Thanks be to God that Jesus, God in human flesh, was virgin born with reagrds to His humanity. He is qualified and is the sinless Savior and scripture is the inerrant, infallible Word of God. Its that important!

Why the Virgin birth must be affirmed - Biblical inerrancy

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."

Introduction:

Today's post is about asserting not just a small curious teaching of scripture, but a significant and central truth - the virgin birth/conception of Jesus Christ. Touching His deity, the Son is eternal (John 1:1; Romans 9:5); God (Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Timothy 3:15-16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:1-2) with all power and authority (Matthew 28:18). When the Son chose to come into this world (Hebrews 10:4-5) as sent from the Father (John 3:16) with Whom the Son shares in the same undivided Divine nature (John 17:1-5); He came through the vessel of a young, Jewish, virgin, peasant girl by the name of Mary (Luke 1:35). Many today scoff at the idea of the virgin birth conception, remarking the needless effort to try to prove it. For many people, the virgin birth is a seemingly small detail. Moreover, since virgin births simply don't happen, perhaps the church has misinterpreted the scriptures. Some have even opted to try to translate the word "virgin" recorded in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23 by the phrase "young maiden" so as to dismiss the doctrine altogether. 

Is the virgin birth/conception a small trivial detail of the Christian faith? Can we do without the virgin birth of Jesus' humanity? Would Jesus had been any less qualified of a Savior in His humanity if he had been born by natural means? This writer would say that unavoidable problems result. The incarnation (the enfleshment) of the Son into true humanity required and demanded a virgin birth conception. So the question is: what is the significance of the virgin conception/birth of Jesus' humanity? 

Affirming the virgin birth affirms the inerrancy of scripture

At stake in asserting the virgin conception/birth of Jesus is the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. When we read Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23, is the word translated "virgin" to be rendered "young maiden". Without going into the intricacies of the Hebrew and Greek words, suffice it to say, the word translated "virgin" in Isaiah 7:14, though frequently referring to young maidens who are of marrying age, can nonetheless refer specifically to young ladies in their virginity prior to marriage. The same word used in Isaiah 7:14 is used to describe the virgin is used the same way in Genesis 24:43 with reference to Rebekah. When used in Biblcial contexts that speak of young ladies prior to marriage, the implied meaning is with reference to them not having had physical relations with a man. Fruthermore, Rebekah is described earlier in Genesis 24:16 by a very technical Hebrew word that can only means "virgin", henceforth lending proof that it is very appropriate, given the contexts of Genesis 24:43 and Isaiah 7:14 to translate the prophecy as referring to a virgin birth. 

When we arrive at Matthew 1:23, we see Isaiah 7:14 quoted as fulfilled prophecy with reference to Jesus' conception and birth. Matthew 1:23 reads -  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” In quoting the Greek translation (called the Septuagint) of Isaiah 7:14, Matthew's words as superintended by the Holy Ghost preserve the original intent of Isaiah 7:14. Matthew uses a Greek word that is specific in its meaning: "virgin" in his quotation of Isaiah 7:14, thus demonstrating the Old Testament prophecy and New Testament fulfillment as being a true virgin birth/conception of the humanity of Jesus Christ. The New Testament repeats without apology the kind of conception/birth that made possible the humanity of Jesus - namely a virgin birth. 

These observations illustrate how exact and intentional the Holy Spirit was when He superintended the process of the writing of scripture. The very words and their selection was a combination of Matthew's vocabulary in using the Greek Old Testament version of Isaiah 7:14 and the Holy Spirit's work of Divine inspiration. Furthermore, the Spirit's inspiration of Isaiah's prophecy reinforces this point of the virgin birth as highlighting the Bible's 100% accuracy and truthfulness (inerrancy).

Closing thoughts

If we deny the virgin birth, what is at stake is the very integrity and character of scripture as being without error and Divinely inspired. 

Happy Ascension Day 2015 - What Jesus' Ascension into Heaven means to you

Luke 24:50-53 "And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God."

Today's post is featuring an event recorded in scripture that, in the words of Bible teacher R.C Sproul, puts an exclamation point on entirety of Christ's first coming: The ascension. Today many Christians all over the world are celebrating the 40th day following Easter Sunday that is called "Ascension Thursday." 

Two scriptures give us the beginning and ending points of the forty day period of time between Jesus' resurrection from the dead and His ascension into Heaven. Matthew 28:1 states: "Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave." According to Acts 1:1-3 "The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." 

Much of course occurred in that nearly six week period of time. For our interests today, we want to consider the event of the ascension itself.  By beginning to focus upon the scriptures that speak of the event of Christ's ascension, we can begin to see why this event is so crucial to our understanding and worship of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Event of The Ascension of Jesus Christ
Jesus Himself had predicted during His trials and journey to the cross that He would be ascended and seated at the right hand of God the Father in Luke 22:69 "But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” Such a statement is important and reminds us that Jesus' ascension into heaven was only possible because of His willing "descension" from heaven to earth, in the virgin birth of His incarnation and ultimately into His passion or sufferings on the cross.

The ascension as an event is recorded in the Gospels and in Acts. For now I just want to list the scriptures that record this event. Why? To remind the reader that this was no myth or fictional hallucination in the minds of the New Testament authors. This event really happened, in time and space, in history and among eyewitnesses.


Mark 16:19 "So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. "

Luke 9:51 "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem."

Luke 24:50-51 "And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven."

John 6:62 "What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?"

John 20:17 "Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

Acts 1:9 "And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."

Acts 1:22 "beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”



Thus we see that according to Jesus Himself, the New Testament scriptures and the testimonies of the early Christians, the ascension functioned as a watershed event that would fix the identity of Christ's exaltation forever in the full testimony about Him.  

Closing thoughts:
I thought I would close out this special ascension day post with a statement from the SBC "2000 Baptist Faith and Message". With other Bible-believing Christian bodies throughout the world, Southern Baptists strongly affirms the reality and significance of Christ's ascension.  Consider the following statement: "He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man." To all my readers, I bid you a happy Ascension day.  May we all think on the event of the ascension and why this event is so crucial to our understanding and worship of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Healthy Christian Souls Aim for a Good Testimony - 3 John 1:10-15 & Conclusion

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Today's post concludes a series of posts that have been derived from the smallest book in the Bible - John's 3rd Epistle. The above opening verse is identified as the key verse and spells out the theme of 3 John, namely "Healthy Christianity". The phrase within 3 John 1:2 that has governed this study has been the statement John makes regarding his readers as those who have "prospering souls". In this series we have explored the idea of "the healthy Christian soul". Thus far we have looked at how healthy Christian souls....

1. Prize walking in the truth

2. Prize faithfulness to the Lord

3. Love the work of God

4. Love to do what is right

As we conclude this series, we will consider one more trait of a healthy Christian soul, namely...

Healthy Christian Souls Prioritize a Good Testimony

3 John 1:12 points to  amn who had a good testimony - "Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true." I am sure the reader has heard it said that a good testimony results from a "test" and that any message flowing from a testimony came after a "mess". 

Within the book of 3 John, we see the mess that a villian, Diotrophes, was making in the small church to which John wrote. We saw yesterday how Diotrophes typifies unhealthy Christianity by how he was self-centered, self-sufficient, accusing, divisive and argumentative. According to 3 John 1:10, Diotrophes was abusing his leadership power to the point of excommunicating people who were otherwise spiritually healthy!

To contrast Diotrophes, John mentions to Gaius and his fellow church members the testimony of a man named Demetrius in 3 John 1:12. Though we are given scant detail about this man, it is very clear that he was a man who had a very healthy Christian soul. Everyone had nothing but good to say about Demetrius and his level of Christian piety was to such a degree that even the Apostle John could say that not only God's Word, but even the Apostles themselves recognized his testimony. Ought Christian people be the type of people who can be spoken well of, whether in the church, at the workplace, the school yard or even in the lips of enemies? Demetrius' reputation seemed nearly second to none. 

Closing thoughts

As John closes out his little letter, it is clear he has much more to say as indicated by his words in 3 John 1:13-15. Healthy Christianity is what John is urging Gaius, the church to which Gaius was a part of in fellowship and what the Holy Spirit is urging us to desire. Remember, healthy Christian souls...

1. Prize walking in the truth

2. Prize faithfulness to the Lord

3. Love the work of God

4. Love to do what is right

5. Aim for a good testimony

Would we as Christ followers attain unto being those with healthy Christian souls. 

Healthy Christian Souls love to do right - 3 John 1:9-11

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Today's post continues a series of posts derived from the smallest book in the Bible - John's 3rd Epistle. The above opening verse is identified as the key verse and spells out the theme of 3 John, namely "Healthy Christianity". The phrase within 3 John 1:2 has captured my attention in that the Apostle describes his readers as those who have "prospering souls". In this series we are exploring the idea of "the healthy Christian soul". Thus far we have looked at how healthy Christian souls....

1). Prize walking in the truth

2). Prize faithfulness to the Lord. 

3). Love the work of God

We continue onto the fourth trait of the healthy Christian soul expressed by the Apostle John in his third letter, namely...

Healthy Christian souls love doing right

3 John 1:11 reads - "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God." A healthy Christian does not view good works as duties to perform but as delightful expressions of love. When the heart of a person is regnerated and converted in saving faith, God begins to take what are "have to's" and turns them into "want to's". 

Why would John urge his readers not to imitate what is evil? There was a man at the small church to which he wrote who was exercising tyranny over the flock - a man by the name of Diotrophes. The irony of Diotrophes was that even though his name in the original Greek means "nourished by love", the kind of love he fed upon was not God's love, but self-love. The result? Chaos. A quick summary of Diotrophes unhealthy soul provides a contrast to what John is urging his readers to be: namely healthy Christiani souls. Notice quickly the signs of unhealthy Christianity in Diotrophes:

1. "loves to be first", i.e self-love 

3 John 1:9

2. "does not accept what we say", i.e self-sufficiency. 3 John 1:9

3. "unjustly accusing us with wicked words", i.e accusing. 3 John 1:10

4. "does not receive the brethren", i.e argumentative. 3 John 1:10

5. "he forbids those who do so", that is, Disotrophes opposes those who are united around the cause of those advancing God's Kingdom in Christ. Hence, Distrophes is divisive .

When we take all five of the traits of unhealthy Christianity: self-loving, self-sufficient, accusatory, divisive, argumentative; we can see why John is urging his readers not to imitate such a man. Instead, John is urging his readers to not just be good people, but to be the kind of people that have works flowing from God's goodness flowing through them. Galatians 5:22-23 explains perfectly what such a lifestyle ought to be: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Therefore healthy Christian souls love to do right.

More tomorrow

Healthy Christian Souls love God's work - 3 John 1:6-8

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Today's post continues a series of posts derived from the smallest book in the Bible - John's 3rd Epistle. The above opening verse is identified as the key verse and spells out the theme of 3 John, namely "Healthy Christianity". In this series we are exploring the idea of "the healthy Christian soul". Thus far we have looked at how healthy Christian souls prize walking in the truth and aim at being faithful to the Lord. Today we continue by noting a third traith of healthy Christianity, namely...

Healthy Christian souls love God's work

3 John 1:6-8 tells us - "and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth." We can never seperate the Person of Jesus Christ from His work. God's presence and His work are inseperable. A healthy follower of Jesus Christ cannot claim to love Jesus with all of their heart and yet not have some interest in wanting to serve Him and encourage others to do the same. John's readers both loved the church and loved those who were advancing the cause of Christ outside in the mission field. This is one of the most detailed descriptions we have in the New Testament of how early churches sent forth missionaries. Healthy Christian souls light up whenever there is opportunity to do anything for Jesus. Hence, healthy Christian souls love God's work.

More tomorrow...