DECEMBER EDITION... 2017 (Dr. Keith J. Wise)

I. Introduction: The month of December is an active month as we end the year.  Some of us look back on the year with anxiety, some joy, some victory and some defeat.  However, as Christians we know that Jesus Christ has led us and brought us to a new vista.  With Him "...all things are possible."  This is the month of Christmas, New Years and for our Jewish friends Hanukkah.  The greatest gift of God the Father came in the most humblest and retiring form. He would come by way of a borrowed "womb" and leave us by way of  a borrowed "tomb."  So with lights, and music and great truth we proclaim Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God. 

II. DIGGING DEEPER: For the sake of the Christmas season we will bypass our study of denominations and focus on the Gospel of Luke's account of the coming of Jesus.  Luke as you know, was a gifted follower of Christ.  He was not an Apostle but collected his material from the Apostle Paul and sourced much of his material from Mark.  It is thought he wrote from Antioch (Syria) or Asia Minor (modern Turkey).  His chronology and writing was sometime in the A.D. 80's.  He was known as a Physician while traveling with Paul and comforted him as a young disciple; apparently offering his medical advise.  He is often referred to as "the beloved Physician." The writings of Luke will encompass the story of salvation from the fulfillment of God's redemption in Christ.  Cornerstone to this was through its perfect achievement in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Luke's second edition, The Acts of the Apostles will chronicle the rise and development of the church.  His research in both of these works is impeccable.  It will be noted that the major decisions and turning points given by the Apostolic leaders were guided by God to the Gentiles and the world at large.  In truth, it was in obedience to Jesus' command in the Great Commission, and shown as Peter will preach the first Gospel message on Pentecost. (Acts 2:38)  Before the ultimate salvational message could begin however, God created a foundation He prepared in history "in the fulness of time."  It was prepared Politically, Linguistically, and Religiously for that coming of Christ.  Let us see how Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the record of other inspired writers helps us in our faith when we study the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

     Every proclaimer of the gospel message of good news delivered the information of salvation.  Each of the Gospel Evangelist projected this task through a personal relationship they had with Jesus according to their particular individual talents.  We have noted Luke's gifts of being a physician, but as countless honest historians have noted, he was a detailed researcher of historical information about Jesus and his times in the Gospel of Luke, and later in the Book of Acts.  There are several prominent themes in his gospel that emerge for a sound consideration to prepare us for God's "unspeakable gift."

A. Salvation for all: The realization that God wants to save all people is hinted and noted from the very earliest Biblical references. (Gen. 3:15)  He chose a people (the Hebrews) and the record of that preservation is found throughout the scriptures of Israel that the Christians call the Old Testament.  In short, the whole purpose of Israel was to prepared for a deliverer like Joseph, like Moses, like Daniel and others.  This was a profound issue for the Jews, that Luke will deal with in his second volume of Acts.  I think it is also instructive that the early leaders were in most part Jewish.  Because of universal salvation offered in Jesus who is the Christ, there is no more "Jew or Gentile, slave or free..."  Luke is interested in echoing the message of Joy "that shall be for all people."

B. A Message of Joy: We will say more about his below, but Luke's Gospel radiates from a confidence in God's love and mercy as demonstrated in the teachings and actions of Jesus himself. The births of John the Baptist and Jesus are announced as causes of great joy.(Luke 1:14; 2:10)  The repentance of a sinner is a source of great joy in heaven (Luke 15:7-10).  The end of the Gospel of Luke pictures the disciples returning to Jerusalem filled with joy after Jesus' ascension. (Luke 24:52)

C. The Journey: All three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) begin the account of Jesus' public ministry with John the Baptist preaching from Isaiah: "Make ready the way of the Lord..." (Isa.40:3).  The mission of Jesus is presented as the continuation and culmination of the "way of the Lord" when Abraham left his homeland, and continued by faith to a land God had prepared.  The Exodus of Egypt led by Moses and, later, the return from Babylonian captivity shows a God in history guiding and preserving His people for the coming of the Christ.  Luke capitalizes on the journey theme to organize the central section of his Gospel(Lk. 19:51 &19:44).  Also, look at Luke 24:44 when Jesus has a shore lunch of fish with his Apostles in a post resurrection appearance and special message of fulfillment.  

D. Corollary to Christian Living: Luke is as much a transitional gospel in presenting Jesus as applicable to people, not only in the rural agricultural lands of Israel, but the cosmopolitan society of the first century and today. He indicates that good citizenship is compatible and expected with Christianity.  Luke will deal with the sub-themes of persecution, and possessions. (6:20,24)  In quoting Jesus about possessions one must not be enslaved by attachments to our possessions. Our focus as Christians is to use our possessions as a means of helping others. 

E. Fulfillment of Prophecy: Jesus' mission of salvation had been prepared from ages past.  Luke incorporates a surprising  amount of Old Testament teaching for his Greek readers, though not as much as Matthew will do.  One of Luke's favorite usages is "it must happen" or "it had to happen" (Luke 2:49;4:43; 9:22). Ironically, the cross, the way of suffering, was a puzzle to his Greek readers- how revolting that the Savior, Son of God and King, should be treated so shamefully.  Luke repeats again and again that the suffering had to be: it is the way of glory.(18:31-33; 24:26)

F. Ascension: One of the goals Luke pictures is Jesus' mission "to be taken up from this world." (9:51; 24:51).  The ascension comes after the resurrection; it is the act of glorification whereby Jesus takes his place at the right hand of the Father.  The Ascension is crucial to Jesus' saving work, because it is through this "glorification" that the Spirit is released on the Church to empower His kingdom.  This in turn continued to advance the universal message of salvation to the world as he now"intercedes for us" as the victorious savior and Lord.

III. A LITTLE CHRISTMAS INFORMATION...

God's perspective on great words of the Bible is amazing and wonderful.  One of the words so often associated with Christmas is "joy."  It is surprising to discover that scriptural references to "joy" are mostly found either at the very beginning, or a the very end of the early ministry of Jesus and His coming.

    The angel proclaimed "Good tidings of great joy...to all people" (Luke 2:10).  Mary "rejoiced" (Luke 1:47).  Elisabeth's kinfolks came to rejoice with her in the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:58).  Simeon and Anna were almost beside themselves with joy when Jesus was presented at the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:25ff.).  Matthew gets into the referencing here when he notes the Magi "rejoiced with exceeding great joy" when they saw the Star (Matthew 2:10)  

    A further look at the passion of Christ at the end of His life will add to this joyous triumph and for the ultimate reason for His coming.  The Apostles and early Church will increase the volume of this great word increasing this eternal truth.  Study the comments of Paul, which we don't have time to note, concerning the joy of suffering and knowing and completing the task of spreading the "Good News."

    So what of the advent meaning of joy?  It is more than Shepherds, Rome and Wise Men.  It is, without sounding too profound, the coming of God into the world. It is His coming into history and in a form that we can grasp and understand that is so epic.  Charles Wesley in one of his hymns simply says, "...he laid His glory by, He wrapped Him in our clay."  This should be sufficient grounds for rejoicing that inspires our hearts and minds. 

     Apart from the message of Bethlehem, our Christmas festivities just barley touch the hem of His garment, as one writer has said "as a pressed flower" to the living one.  As you cannot have light and warmth without the sun, so you cannot have meaningful joy unless your life is rooted in God- as the Father revealed it in Jesus.  He is the LIFE!!  This is the theology of the angelic declaration.  The message is one of joy because it declares God's act. "God has visited and redeemed his people" (Luke 1:68).

    In Luke's second treatise of Acts of the Apostles, he continues the story.  Luke expands this message of "good tidings of great joy" would be carried from Jerusalem to "Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8)  Yes, my readers, "to all people."  We can following the story as it is received by Jews, Scythians, Romans, Greeks, Ethiopians, Egyptians, barbarians, magistrates, centurions, soldiers, scholars, eunuchs, prisoners, freemen, women, children, slaves, fugitives, and the most honor and the depraved of every culture in time and space.  The message of this and every Christmas is, "There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)  "Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."

IV. Nuggets of Nourishment: A Christmas Sermon Outline-  "It was a Dark Day when the Son of God Came..."

Text: Luke 2:1-20

I. Introduction: Most of the people of the world that have heard the message, love the Christmas story.  We in America and the West love to decorate our homes with pastoral scenes and mangers with happy shepherds looking over the baby Jesus with the smiling faces of Mary and Joseph.  But as one thinks about this and compares it with the Biblical passages, one is struck with a very different atmosphere in the world at the time Jesus was born.  Let us consider some reality!

• Big government in Rome was assessing its taxes.
• Abortion was available at the time, while not easily obtainable for a poor couple, it could have been done to preserve the couple's integrity considering the surface circumstances.
• The crime rate was high from Roman sources of the period, and the prisons were full. These were violent days, and human flesh was cheap!!
• Tensions in the Middle East kept the whole world on edge.
• Religion had become formal and impersonal, worship  had become mechanical and without purpose or meaning.

It is in this climate that God decides it is time to send His son into the world and begins "in the fullness of time" to make a major announcement.

I. A Dark Time Requires a Bright Light- (Luke 2:1-8)

     A. A Grand Mess! (Luke 2:1-7)

     B. A Great Mistake? In the eyes of the world, the King was announced to the very lowest in their society of the first century. (Luke 2:8)  In Matthew 2, the "highest" are introduced to the King a year or so later. "God's inclusion, obliterates man's exclusion."

II. A Dark Time Experiences the Brightest Light- (Luke 2:9-20)

     A. God's Grand Message- (Luke 2:9-16)- His message is always needed!!

     B. God's Grand Mission- (Luke 2:17-20) Beyond the norm.

Conclusion: Both the Wise Men and the Shepherds came and bowed down and worshiped Him at different times.  I ask you today as I ask myself, are you as wise as the wise men or as humble as the shepherds to obey this great message?  Christ has come to save the world.  We must point to and encourage, in a dark hour of our lives, the greatest light to be shed and honored to our world. Beloved, "Let the Light Shine In..."

VI. Christmas Quotes:

1. "He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree."

2. "...For a good conscience is a continual Christmas." (Ben Franklin)

3. "The joy of brightening others lives, bearing others' burdens, easing others' loads, and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas." (W.C. Jones)

4. "Our tokens of compliment and love are for the most part barbarous.  Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts.  The only gift is a portion of thyself." (Emerson)