Category Archives: Christmas

January 1, 2013 · 12:00 am

Holy Name

Christ Blessing the Children, Nicolas Maes, 1652-53Yeshua (ישוע) – Deliverer

Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

In Judaism names have meaning. A name does more than merely identify someone. It speaks to their character, to their calling, and to the blessing that God has placed upon them. Abram was renamed by God so that he became Abraham, the father of many nations. Jacob became Israel because he had wrestled with God and had prevailed. Simon became Peter, the rock upon whom God would build His church.

The Son of God was named Jesus or, in Hebrew, Yeshua which means God saves:

 An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  (Matthew:18-21)

It was customary in Judaism to dedicate each male child to God on the eighth after his birth. This was the time that the make child was circumcised and was also given his name:

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  (Luke 2:21)

By naming a child the priest was speaking a word from God over that child. If we allow Jesus our great High Priest to bless us in this way, then we are receiving a blessing and prophecy from God. That is to say if we submit ourselves to Him, if we surrender our heart to Him, then Jesus will bless us by making us a new creation in Him. We must have our hearts circumcised. Just taking on His name without understanding what His name means will not produce the new birth in us that God desires. We must surrender. Abram submitted. Jacob submitted. Simon submitted. The Son of God submitted to the Father:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (Philippians 2:5-8)

God has always desired to bless His people and place His name on them. During the time of Moses He instructed His priests how to do this:

The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”  (Numbers 6:27-28)

There is power with the name of Jesus:

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”   (Mark 16:16-18)

Are we so blessed to have the name of our Lord placed upon us? We are called Christian because Jesus is making us into His image.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12)

When we receive the name of our Lord with humility and thanksgiving God deposits His seed for the new birth within us:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

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December 30, 2012 · 12:00 am

First Sunday after Christmas, Year C

paolo_veronese_jesus_among_the_doctors_in_the_temple_700-e1355024824211Advancing in the Word

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Today we have readings of two young boys who have dedicated their lives to God. Both of them have chosen to spend time ministering within His temple. One of them is Samuel and the other is Jesus. They share another similarity. In the scriptures it is recorded that the both grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

How many of our young people today make a high priority of spending time with God? The formative years of children determine, to a large degree, who they will become and how they will lead their lives. If young people are no longer interested in the Church then who is to blame?

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.   (Proverbs 22:6)

 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”   (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

There are dividends for meditating on the Word of God, both in this lifetime and in the life to come. Our young people live in a very confused world as do we all. What is the remedy?

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.   (Colossians 3:15-16)

We need the Word of God. We need it down in our spirit and our soul. Our young people are starving for the Word.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.   (James 1:21-22)

Alternate Readings for the Episcopal Church

jesus-baptism-header-e1338498306391Born of God

Isaiah 61:10-62:3;  Psalm 147 or 147:13-21;  Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7;  John 1:1-18

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.   (John 1:6-18)

Are we born of God? The Son of God came into the world so that we might be reborn. This is not a physical birth. It is a spiritual one whereby we take on the very nature of God. Jesus attempted to explain this birth to Nicodemus in his famous visit to Jesus in the dark of night:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”   (John 3:3-8)

What does this new birth mean to us today? It means that we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives. All we have to do is believe and receive the gift that Christ has provided for us:

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.   (Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7)

We strive so much for personal power and fulfillment. But if we would but yield to Christ He would give us a power far beyond ourselves:

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

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December 28, 2012 · 12:00 am

Holy Innocents

flight-into-egyptWeeping for Our Children

Jeremiah 31:15-17; Psalm 124; Revelation 21:1-7; Matthew 2:13-18

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”   (Jeremiah 31:15)

The Christ Child was more than an inconvenience to Herod. After all, the wisemen had called the child King of the Jews and sought Him out to worship. This was just too much for Herod to comprehend. Not understanding Judaism and the prophecy concerning the child, Herod could take no chances. His very kingdom might be threatened. Herod was a godless and ruthless man.

Jesus would later sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world, but His time had not yet come. God the Father had to take steps to secure the safety of His Son:

When the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”   (Matthew 2:13-15)

How do we protect our children today? Do we not abort our children up to nine months of pregnancy simply because they are an inconvenience to us? Are they a threat to our lifestyle? Perhaps we should change our lifestyle. We live in a day when there is little fear of God. Do we place our personal pleasure above the life and safety of others? Now is a time for confession and repentance.

What about the recent slaughter of innocent school children? What was behind such a horrific act? Perhaps we are now living in a godless society with little hope and purpose. Whatever the case might be we should know that any political solution is not the answer, as we watch politicians trip over themselves to gain some personal advantage at the expense of God’s truth.

There is only one solution for the evil that plagues the earth. The Apostle John on the Island of Patmos had a vision which contained the answer and promise of God to His people:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.   (Revelation 21:1-7)

How do we live while we await the culmination of Christ’s ministry? We need to conduct ourselves in a more godly way while we are still on earth. We need to take responsibility for the care of our children. The Church has been largely silent about this issue. Now is the time to speak out against evil. Now is the time for each one of us to do all that we can, by the grace of God, to bare witness to the truth:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.   (John 10:10)

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December 27, 2012 · 12:00 am

Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist

saint-john-the-apostle-08Walk in the Light

Exodus 33:18-23; Psalm 92 or 92:1-4,11-14; 1 John 1:1-9; John 21:19b-24

When all the other disciples had deserted Jesus at the cross John was there with Mary the mother of Jesus. He was called the disciple that Jesus loved. He wrote a Gospel which has the simplest structure and words with regard to reading level, but which contains some of the deepest understandings of the nature of God and His purposes. John was probably the only Apostle who died of old age. John was exceptional in so many ways. His message was also exceptional. Many scholars want to write the authenticity and validity of John’s Gospel as well as his epistles. Others will say that his Book of Revelation was some sort of mystery code written only for its day. However, John cannot be ignored if we are to grasp the essence of the Christian Faith.

What is John’s message? Can we summarize what the Spirit of God was saying through his writings? Let us say that John was the messenger of Light in a dark world. Jesus is that Light and He draws us to Himself through a community of love:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:5-9)

For many people today Christianity is a self-help program. John teaches us that we must live in community, that we cannot have true fellowship with one another unless we are transparent. We must live in the Light of God if we are to have true fellowship. The only downside is that we will be exposed for who we really are. We are sinners. That is why we prefer the darkness of this world:

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.   (John 3:18-20)

If we understand the Gospel of John then we will not stop at the edge of the Light. We must enter into the Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. We must enter into Jesus. When we do we have this promise from Him:

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John’s teachings are the culmination of the season of Advent message and an invitation to live in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Will that be our Christmas this year? If so, how long can we make it last? It will last for an eternity if we remain in the Light.

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December 26, 2012 · 12:00 am

Saint Stephen

Vittore_Carpaccio_circaXXThe_Sermon_of_St._Stephen_in_Jerusalem_circa_1514First Martyr for the Faith

Jeremiah 26:1-9,12-15; Psalm 31 or 31:1-5; Acts 6:8-7:2a,51c-60 ; Matthew 23:34-39

For those who refuse to change the truth of God is unbearable. This has always been true and is still true today. Let us look at some examples. God sent Jeremiah to King Jehoiakim to warn the nation of impending doom if the people did not repent. This is how the people in authority responded to his prophecy:

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.   (Jeremiah 26:7-9)

The messenger of God is often rejected because the message of God is rejected. It is not just that the message of the prophet was rejected because God was rejected.

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”   (Matthew 23:37-39)

Jesus was crucified because the Jewish leaders could not bear His message. They rejected Him because they also rejected God the Father. They rejected His plan for their nation and the whole world. They wanted a different message and a different Messiah.

In today’s Epistle lesson we have the example of Stephen:

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.   (Acts 6:8-11)

Stephen was not only a servant of the Church as a deacon, he was a powerful purveyor of the Gospel. The leaders could not withstand the message of Stephen which was by the Holy Spirit. Thus they rejected Stephen. Stephen became the first martyr for the Faith. He was an innocent man full of God’s grace and power, yet he was stoned to death in the name of religion.

People have a certain concept of God. When challenged by God’s truth they often will do anything , including destroying the messenger of God, to keep from hearing and complying with His Word. How far are we willing to go today to reject the Word of God. The Word was made flesh for us and died on the cross as payment for our sins. Are we to reject such a great salvation? Are we to reject healings? Are we to reject prophecy in our day? Some of our religions do not allow for these things and that is because these religions do not allow for God’s truth. Church doctrine does not take the place of the truths of God.

Where do we stand today? Are we open to God. Are we seeking his revelation in our lives. Is His Word all important to us? If it is then we will be persecuted for it, even within the Church. When that occurs will we still hold on to the truth at all costs? Lastly, will we follow the example of Stephen and forgive our persecutors? We will if we have received the implanted Word which is able to save our souls.

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December 24, 2012 · 12:00 am

The Season of Christmas

07adoratChristmas is a celebration unlike any other celebration found in all the world’s religions. It marks the day of the Incarnation. In this celebration we have the partial prophetic fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles where God Himself has chosen to dwell with His people in bodily form:

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.   (Colossians 2:8-10)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.   (John 1{1-3)

Other religions may say that Jesus was a prophet or a teacher, but they do not believe that He is God. They do not believe that He is Immanuel – God with us.

When Jesus returns again to the earth the prophetic fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles will be complete. Until that time we are to celebrate the Incarnation for all the world to see:

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.   (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

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