BE PATIENT LIKE THE FARMER – JAMES 5:7-8

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Are you a patient person – both on the outside and on the inside? Do you mind standing in long lines? Are you unperturbed when listening to long commercials on your TV or radio, or long, automated ads on the telephone? Are you content when put on hold for an undetermined amount of time? If your honest answer is “yes”, you are, by far, an exception to the rule!

In 2006, a survey of more than 2000 adults revealed that most people take an average of 17 minutes to lose their patience when waiting in line. Also, most people lose their patience in only 9 minutes when on hold on the phone. Impatience is a common trait; wouldn’t you agree?

James has finished his verbal chastening of the selfish, unrighteous rich people, and is continuing where he left off in his address to the churches. We see the transition in verse 7, where James now calls his readers and listeners “brethren”. He is writing once again to his brothers and sisters in Christ.

I. THE EXHORTATION (vs. 7a)

He has been telling the wicked rich people what to do before they meet their Maker. Now he is telling his fellow believers what their attitude should be in their present circumstances in order to prepare to meet their Lord and Savior. He reiterates what he said in chapter 1, verse 12: “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” In this letter, James has brought to their minds many passages from the Old Testament, and I believe he is doing so again. One Old Testament passage of Scripture that closely parallels his words is Psalm 37. In verses 7-9 of Psalm 37, King David writes: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret for him who prospers in his way, because of him who carries out wicked schemes.” Then David says in verse 9, “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” This exhortation is repeated several times in Psalm 37. I encourage you to read the whole psalm to get the full effect of what David is saying there under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

James also gives this encouragement in verse 7 in order to protect his readers and listeners from their own selfish plans and boastful attitudes (James 4:13-17). Some of them have been setting up their own timetable for what they want to accomplish for themselves, and have been boasting about it to others.

When James uses the words “until the coming of the Lord”, he may be reminding himself of the Lord Jesus’ words to him and the other disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). That’s a wonderful promise for us to cling to as well, in these troublesome times! The early church believed that Christ could come at any moment, and that was a source of joy and encouragement in their trials. Twenty centuries have passed, but Christ could still come at any moment. Are you excited about that possibility? It could become a reality at any moment!

II. THE EXAMPLE (vs. 7b)

James says, “take a good look at the farmer as an example of patience (long-suffering)”. The farmer has a lot of work to do, and he also must wait for things to happen in his fields and orchards. Plants take time to grow and fruit takes time to ripen. As his readers and listeners know, in Deuteronomy 11:13-14, God made a promise to the nation of Israel before they crossed the Jordan River and entered the promised land. “And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain . . . “. In Israel, the early rain, or autumn rain, comes in October and November, after the ground has been prepared and the seed has been sown. This rain enables the seed to germinate, produce sprouts, and grow to almost full height. The late rain, or spring rain, comes in March or April, when the buds have formed, and enables the grain to mature for the harvest. It’s important that the farmer follows this timetable set forth by God if he wants an abundant harvest. There is a time of patiently waiting for the autumn rain to arrive, for the spring rain to arrive, and for the harvesting to begin, but the farmer is kept busy preparing and repairing the equipment and the barns, and getting the laborers ready for the coming harvest. The time goes by quickly because the farmer is committed to his tasks and excited about the harvest to come.

III. THE EXHORTATION (verse 7b)

James encourages his readers and listeners to have the same attitude of perseverance and expectancy as the farmer that he has just described. There are, and have been, times in our lives that have tested our patience and posed a threat to our devotion to God and service for Him. There have also been times when we have wanted to get things done in a hurry just to get them over with! 19th-century preacher A.B. Simpson offers this advice: “Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.” Each day offers countless opportunities to learn patience. Let’s not waste them.

A PERSPECTIVE FROM ABOVE

I’m going to carry this illustration of the farmer a step further because both the Old and New Testaments do so. It is a clear, powerful, and exciting realization and motivation for us today. I have already shared scriptures concerning the early and late rains as found in the old testament. But there is another image that James may be trying to convey, and this image may be coming to the minds of his readers and listeners. It is the image of God as the patient Farmer, the Cultivator, the Planter, the Nurturer, the Pruner, and the Harvester in the lives of His people.

King David says to God is Psalm 65:9-10: “Thou dost visit the earth and cause it to overflow; Thou dost greatly enrich it. The stream of God is full of water. Thou dost prepare their grain, for thus Thou dost prepare the earth. Thou dost water its furrows abundantly; Thou dost settle its ridges. Thou dost soften it with showers; Thou dost bless its growth.” He describes God as doing the whole work of the farmer.

Psalm 121 gets more personal. “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is the shade at your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from every evil. He will keep your soul.” As the farmer takes good care of his land and crops, so the Lord takes constant care of His people.

A song that I sing to myself almost every day is the hymn, “God Will Take Care Of You”. Now I’m beginning to realize why this song is so special to me. The words. “God will take care of you” are repeated over and over again with different melodies. Singing the song brings a smile to my face and an assurance that those words are really true. It reminds me that when I was a little child, my mother used a similar method to calm me down and help take away the fear or the pain I was experiencing. She would hold me close, rock me in her arms, and say, “It’s OK, Tommy . . . It’s alright . . . I love you . . . You’re going to be alright . . . It’s gonna go away . . . You’re going to be OK.” Does that bring back memories? Those repeated words brought comfort to me, and helped take my mind off the problem. In a similar way, God tells us over and over again in the Scriptures that He loves us and will take care of us.

Isaiah 30:18 reflects the patience of a farmer. “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you. And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” “For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His delightful plant.” If God is waiting, that means He is also watching, and with joyful anticipation!

The Lord Jesus echoed the words in the psalms and prophets when He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. . . . by this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:5,8).

We believers in the Lord Jesus are God’s vineyard, God’s field. We are the fertile ground that God has prepared. He has planted the seed of His Word in us, watered it, and caused it to germinate and grow. He has provided for everything, filled us with His Spirit, and taken care of everything in our lives. Now He is waiting patiently for you and me to cooperate with Him so that we might bear much fruit before He comes again. The seed is in that fruit to bear more fruit. God wants us to depend upon His enabling, follow His example of working and waiting on Him, and so prove to be His disciples. You are equal to the task because He is the “Lord of the Harvest”, and He has called you to be His laborers. The coming of the Lord is very soon!

“For you are God’s fellow-workers: you are God’s field” (I Corinthians 3:9). May you experience the Lord’s care for you, and may your lives bear much fruit for the Lord!

I’m moving on to a new construction site: James 5:9-11. Hope to see you there once construction begins! This work-in-progress must go on until He comes! Or until I go to Him – whichever comes first! May the Lord of the Harvest bear fruit in your life today as you abide in Him! (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).

THE RICH CAN BE ROTTEN – James 5:1-6

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INTRODUCTION:

As James writes this letter, it seems as though he has a stack of issues and complaints that have been brought to him for consideration and response. Now he comes to an issue that is “written in bold letters and highlighted in red”! He uses some fiery language here in his response to the rich people among his readers and listeners. If you are a wealthy person yourself, don’t take these words of his personally until you understand the context! James is disappointed in them and he disapproves of their actions. He is not condemning wealth, but he is condemning some of the ways that they have gained that wealth, and the ways they have misused it.

In order to understand what is going on, and why it is so wrong, we will have to leave our twenty-first-century technology and see things through the minds of his first-century readers. As we will soon see, technology has changed, but people haven’t!

It’s interesting to note that some Bible commentators skip this passage of Scripture, and some others just make a quick note of it and press on. The passage doesn’t seem to fit well into the context of what James has said before it and after it. Let’s proceed and see if we can make any sense out of it!

I. WASTING THEIR WEALTH (verses 1-3)

In verse one of chapter 5, he addresses the “rich”. These are the “filthy rich” – they have so many possessions that they can’t possibly use them all. They had gained those riches unjustly and were using them selfishly. James tells them to “weep”, “wail” (scream), now, in an attitude of true repentance before they are taken out of this world and will be weeping and wailing for eternity in Hell. These rich people to whom James is making his appeal are not Christians. Their actions in disobedience to God’s Word make their spiritual condition obvious. That’s why the suffering and judgment he is referring to is eternal. So I do not believe that James is condemning them. He is condemning their actions and warning them of the eternal consequences. The word translated “wail” or “howl” in verse one is the Greek word “ololuzontes”. The word is called an onomatopoeia – a word that sounds like its meaning. Try saying the word “ololuzontes” outloud yourself a couple of times. Say it loud enough for a congregation of people to hear it clearly. If somebody hears you, you may get the response, “What are you whining about?” This is the only time that this particular word is used in the New Testament. I believe James chose this word intentionally under the inspiration of God. He wanted any “filthy rich” person who might be in the congregation, on the Sunday that his letter was read aloud, to hear what it would sound like if he didn’t let the Lord Jesus Christ have control of his life and his wealth.

In verse 2, James says to the rich, “your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.” In this country, we measure wealth by dollars and cents, and by holdings that can be converted into dollars and cents. Here, James is speaking of riches in grain and clothing. For the poor in those times, food was a matter of life and death. The prophet Micah said that the withholding of food from the poor was the equivalent of cannibalism (Micah 3:2-3). For the poor, clothing was also a basic necessity. However, for the rich, it was a way of showing off their wealth. Some of the rich had so many garments that many of them were never worn and became “food for the moths”. I guess they didn’t have mothballs or use cedar chests back in those days! The sad thing was that these rich people didn’t care! They would rather have their food and clothing go bad than contribute to the needs of the poor! They turned down the joy and blessing that they would have received from their generosity. No wonder their lives were so empty and miserable!

You may have heard this illustration, but it may be useful to hear it again. One day a certain old, rich man of a miserable disposition visited a rabbi, who took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. “Look out there. What do you see?”, asked the rabbi. “I see men, women, and children”, answered the rich man. Again the rabbi took him by the hand and this time led him to a mirror. “Now what do you see?” “Now I see myself”, the rich man replied. Then the rabbi said, “Behold, in the window there is glass, and in the mirror there is glass. But the glass of the mirror is covered with a little silver, and no sooner is the silver added, than you cease to see others, but you see only yourself.” The Lord Jesus called this phenomenon “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:19)

Citicorp Bank ran a series of billboards about money. One said: “Money changes hands – just don’t let it change the rest of you! (DB August 2010)

Verse 3 reflects the words of Jesus in His Semon on the Mount:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

In verse 3, James says to his readers: “Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure.” The word translated “rusted” here, means “to rust down” or “to corrode”. Gold and silver, wealth that we may consider to be indestructible, is going to be destroyed, and those who trust in them will be destroyed also. Like rust or corrosion, your lust for riches will eat away at your souls!

I believe that James is not only giving them a graphic description of their riches, but he is also making an urgent plea to them. “Take a good look at your possessions! Observe the rotting grain in your storehouses; make note of the moth holes on the clothes in your closets; observe the rust or corrosion on your gold and silver! It’s all plain to see! They are a witness before your eyes, and they are a witness against you before the eyes of God also! Take heed and repent of your selfishness and greed, and give the Lord Jesus Christ His rightful place as Ruler of your lives before it’s too late! You can’t take it with you beyond the grave, but you will suffer for it throughout eternity because God is your witness, and it has all been written down!

“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. . . . And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12,15)

ii. DEPRIVING LABORERS OF HARD-EARNED WAGES (verse 4)

In verse 4, James gives further proof of their selfishness, this time in their dealings with the laborers who worked in their grain fields. These were called “day laborers”. They received their pay at the end of each day, and their pay was barely enough to meet their basic needs. The wealthy landlords had the money to pay them. Yet they knowingly and willfully disobeyed God’s Law, which says, “You shall not oppress the hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15 NASB)

This next passage of Scripture is even more specific about paying the laborers: “The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.” (Leviticus 19:13 NASB). In other words, they were to pay their laborers when the day’s work was done, and before those laborers went home for the day.

Have you ever been a “day laborer” – harvesting a crop? If so, I’ll bet you have some stories to tell! My brother and I got a taste of it, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience! We were looking for work and saw a newspaper ad saying, “Grape-pickers wanted”. We arrived at the address at daybreak and saw an old bus pulling out and a large group of men standing around. While we were walking over to them, another old bus arrived, full of men. These were migrant farm-workers, brought in from tenement houses nearby, and the only one who spoke English was the foreman! Large buckets were handed out and the work began! These were wine grapes on high trellises, and there were miles of them . . . the dust, the heat, the flies, bees, wasps, and, worst of all, the spider webs and spiders! At lunch-break, my brother said “I’ve had enough!”, and I was quick to agree. We talked to the foreman and he told us what time to return at the end of the day and pick up our pay. We could afford to do that, but all those migrant workers needed the money to survive and feed their families. They were paid by the bucket, not by the hour, so they had to work hard and fast to fill as many bucket-fulls of grapes as possible by the end of the day. It was no “picnic”, believe me! If you’ve ever read John Steinbeck’s book, “The Grapes of Wrath”, you would have an image of what it must have been like to be a “day laborer” moving from field to field during harvest season.

Here in verse 4, in order to get the grain harvested and put away, the laborers had to work from dawn til dusk. The rich land-owners promised to pay their laborers a certain amount at the end of the day. The tense of the verb “withheld” indicates that those laborers would probably never get their hard-earned wages. There is a clear application for each of us in this verse. We ought to pay our bills, and pay them on time!

James has more to say to these wealthy Jewish land-owners. They think that they are going to get away with this unfairness, but James warns them that their day is going to come. He uses a very familiar passage in the book of Genesis to get his point across to them. When James says, “the pay . . . which has been withheld by you, cries out against you”, he is reminding them of God’s words to Cain after he had killed his brother Abel and then buried his body. He must have thought that he had committed the “perfect crime”. But God said to Cain: “Where’s Abel your brother? . . . What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:9-10) Then God pronounced a curse on Cain.

James ends verse 4 by saying, “the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the Lord of Sabaoth.” God is watching, and God is listening to the prayers of these laborers. The phrase “Lord of Sabaoth” or “Lord of Hosts” pictures God as powerful, invincible, and the Leader of a great army. Ladies and gentlemen, there are no “perfect crimes”, at least not in God’s sight, and He will bring judgment in His time!

III. THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES, AND YOU KNOW IT! (verse 5)

As James brings this rebuke and warning to the unrighteous rich people to a close in verses 5 and 6, I detect a note of sadness and sorrow in his words. Do you? These wealthy land-owners know how to over-feed their chickens in order to get more breast meat. They know how to feed their cattle with the best grains, as much as they will eat, in order to get more steaks. They are “preparing those animals for slaughter”! James is saying, “Can’t you see that you are doing to yourselves the same thing that you are doing to your livestock?”

James wants them to take a good look at themselves. They are living a life of luxury, satisfying their own desires and lusts. They fit Ezekiel’s description of the city of Sodom in Ezekiel 16:49. “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.”

IV. YOUR ONLY HOPE (verse 6)

In verse 6 James brings his rebuke and warning to these wealthy, selfish, unbelieving Jews to a conclusion. Throughout his epistle, the apostle James has phrased his words in such a way as to bring to mind Old Testament passages of Scripture that would be familiar to his readers and listeners. Remember that these rich Jews had also been taught the Scriptures by their parents when they were little children. They faithfully attended the synagogues with their families, hearing the Scriptures being taught by the rabbis and other teachers of the Law. Many of these sons of the wealthy may also have attended rabbinical schools for further training. Their parents wanted them to have the best education available at that time.

I can imagine that there were many rich Jews of all ages who hated the Lord Jesus Christ because He spoke many times publicly against the misuse of riches (eg. Mt. 19; Luke 6, 16). His parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus must have set the hearts of many wealthy Jews against him. It makes me wonder whether some of his rich listeners were also among those in Pilate’s courtyard yelling “Crucify, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21). Here is the literal translation of James 5:6 from the Greek: “You condemned, you murdered the righteous man. He does not resist you.” These words immediately bring to my mind the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7). These wealthy Jews knew this passage of Scripture. They heard it at home, in the synagogue, and at the temple worship services, and they had studied it in school. They also knew the last words of that chapter, which reads, “Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” I believe that many, if not all, of these selfish, wealthy Jews were standing at a distance, watching the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. They wouldn’t want to miss this event! If so, they probably heard, or were told about, this prayer that Jesus uttered on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

We don’t know for sure if this was James’ intent when he wrote the words of verse 6, but we do know that God always forgives those who truly repent of their sins, recognize that those sins were paid for by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, and let Him reign as Lord of their lives. Whether rich, poor, or in-between, that is what brings meaning, purpose, and joy to one’s life. Can you attest to the truth of those words in your own life? I sincerely hope so!

CONSTRUCTION SITE: COMPLETED

It’s time to begin a new construction project at “the vacant lot next door”!

THE RESULTS FROM EXERCISING HEAVENLY WISDOM – James 3:18

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INTRODUCTION:

Over the past three months we have examined each of the qualities of heavenly wisdom in detail. I hope that it has been a learning and growing experience for you also. We have already studied the devastating results that are produced by the exercise of human wisdom. As verse 16 explains, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (NIV) Here in verse 18, the apostle James now summarizes the results that occur when heavenly wisdom is exercised. He describes these results in one short, compact sentence: “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (NKJV version).

I. THE ONES WHO SOW

I especially like the NIV translation for this verse of Scripture because it seems to me that it brings out the intent of the writer very clearly. It reads: “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” The ones who sow are the peacemakers. James uses the word “peace” here to refer to the right relationship between man and man, not between man and God. But how can we have real outward peace with others if we do not have an inward peace with God?

James wants peace in the church and among the believers in it. He knows that peace is the only environment in which righteousness can flourish. The wisdom of this world produces trouble, whereas the wisdom from above produces peace among men.

God hates a troublemaker. Proverbs 6:16-19 says: “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” God opposes church splits and discord among the brethren. But God loves a peacemaker. Matthew 5:9 says: Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.”

II. THE PROCESS

But peacemaking is not easy. The Revised Standard Version translates James 3:18 in this way: “And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” It is the peacemaker who sows the seeds of peace, and that isn’t an easy job. You have to work hard to cultivate peace. Do fruit and grain grow up by themselves and take care of themselves? Do they produce an abundant harvest all by themselves? No! Ask any farmer! There is a lot of work involved. There’s the cultivation of the ground, adding fertilizer, sowing the seeds or planting seedlings, watering, weeding or spraying weeds, pruning, waiting, hoping, and praying. Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you automatically get along with others and never have conflicts. As individuals, and as churches, we need to work hard to cultivate peace with one another, listen to one another, express appreciation for one another, show kindness to one another, and settle arguments peaceably. The following illustration is just one example of the peacemaking process:

The small town of Umbarger, Texas, was an unlikely place for an international work of art. But toward the end of World War II, seven Italian prisoners of war, who were being held at a large camp nearby, were chosen to decorate the church’s plain brick walls. The prisoners were reluctant to aid their captors, but they agreed on the condition that their efforts be considered a contribution toward Christian brotherhood and understanding. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POW’s later recalled, “A spontaneous stream of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us. No one spoke of the war or the past because ‘we were here for a work of peace and love’.” (Our Daily Bread, Nov. 8, 2011)

In II Timothy 2:24-25, Paul writes to the young pastor Timothy, encouraging him to be gentle and patient when relating to others. The following are Paul’s words: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”

I’ve taught each of the evidences of wisdom from above, one quality at a time. Now let’s put them all together. James 3:17 says: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.” (NIV) A person who possesses these qualities will be a peacemaker. Wouldn’t you agree? So if you truly want to be the peacemaker that God wants you to be, focus on these qualities and work at developing them in your life, by God’s enabling and for His glory,

III. THE RESULTS

As a result of our peacemaking efforts done by the grace of God, we will reap a harvest of God’s blessing in our lives and in the lives of others. God’s righteousness and justice will also be evident and appreciated. Let’s ask the Lord to use us as His peacemakers so that He might be glorified, and we might be a source of joy to others.

When I was a child in Catholic school, my whole class memorized a prayer by Francis of Assisi. I imagine that many of you have read this prayer before, but this time let’s read it slowly and make up our minds that, by the grace of God, we will put these words into practice in our relationships with others, whether we like those people or not. If so, we will begin to reverse the divisive and hurtful effects of man’s wisdom in our communities today. Here is a portion of that prayer:

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me show love; where there is injury, pardon; where is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to seek to be understood, as to understand; to seek to be loved, as to love . . . ”

May the Lord bless you, and as a peacemaker, may you be a source of blessing and joy to others!

MAN’S WISDOM VERSUS GOD’S WISDOM – I Corinthians 1:18-25

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INTRODUCTION:

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25 says the exact same thing. Is that significant? How can something that seems so right be so wrong and have such terrible consequences?

The passage of Scripture I’m sharing today, I Corinthians 1:18-25, gives us an instance in which the reverse principle is also true: “There is a way that seems wrong to a man, but its end is the way of life.” In I Corinthians 1:10-17 we read that the Corinthian church was being divided because of quarrels between groups in the Church. Today we will see that the problem was a reliance on human wisdom. There is one area where human wisdom plays absolutely no part, and that is the salvation of one’s soul.

I. THE SUPERIORITY OF GOD’S WISDOM (verse 18)

When man focuses on and glories in his own wisdom, he automatically tries to lower God’s wisdom, which seems like foolishness because it disagrees with his own thinking. In verse 18, “the word of the cross” includes the whole gospel message and Christ’s saving work. The thought of God becoming a human being and dying on a piece of wood on a small hill in a remote part of the world, and that this would determine the eternal destiny of every person who has ever lived, sounds foolish or stupid to the natural man. It leaves no room for man’s wisdom, man’s achievements, and man’s pride.

A Christian was made fun of by an atheist because of his faith in God. “The idea that the blood of Christ can wash away sin is foolishness”, said the atheist. “I don’t understand it or believe it.” The Christian, a student of the Bible, answered, “I think you’re telling the truth. In fact, you and the apostle Paul agree exactly on one thing.” “What do you mean?”, asked the atheist. The believer read I Corinthians 1:18 which says, “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness”. Then he witnessed to him and told him that Christ could change his life. But the atheist walked away unmoved. He was not willing to accept the Lord. The next time you share the Gospel with someone and the person responds by saying, “that’s ridiculous”, you might show that person I Corinthians 1:18 and say, “that’s just how God said you would respond!”

On the other hand, verse 18 goes on to say, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Another story illustrates the truth that those who believe the Gospel will experience the Lord’s saving power. A missionary told the story that he went to a western town to pastor a small church. He didn’t know that many of its members were antagonistic to “old-fashioned preaching”, and that some were practically atheists. As he spoke about sin and the atoning work of Christ, the irritation of his audience became obvious. In a few weeks, the attendance had dwindled to 10. But the faithful preacher continued to give out the Word and the Holy Spirit brought sinners under conviction. At one service three entire families received the Lord, and the downward trend was reversed. The Gospel is indeed the power of God!

There’s a Chinese tale about a young man who captured a tiger cub, brought it home, and raised it in a cage. When it was full-grown, the man loved to brag about how ferocious and powerful it was. “That tiger isn’t wild anymore,” scoffed his friends. “He’s as tame as an old house cat!” This went on until a wise old man overheard them and said, “There’s only one way to know whether this tiger is ferocious or not. Open the cage!” The young man smiled, placed his hand on the latch, and challenged his friends, “Want to try out my tiger?” There was a moment of silence, and then one of the friends said, “We’ll believe you! Just don’t open that latch!”

A tiger’s strength, of course, is destructive and can bring death, but the power of the Gospel leads to life and freedom. It destroys guilt and breaks the stranglehold of sinful habits. If we have experienced this power ourselves, let’s challenge others to “try out our tiger!”

II. THE PERMANENCE OF GOD’S WISDOM (verses 19-20)

In verse 19, Paul quotes from Isaiah 29:14. It reads: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Paul’s purpose is to point out that the wisdom of men will be destroyed. The background of this verse is important to the understanding of it. In chapter 8 of Isaiah, God tells the people of Judah that Assyria is going to invade them. Instead of asking the Lord what they should do, they went to witches and sorcerers, and in Isaiah 30, following their advice, they make a treaty with Egypt, thinking that will protect them. But that treaty gets them into even more trouble! Their plans fail, but God shows them that He has a better plan. Judah would be saved completely by God’s power, with no human help. In Isaiah 37:36 God destroyed 185,000 men of the Assyrian army with just one angel! The complete account of this is given in II Kings 17. I encourage you to read it.

The apostle Paul teaches here in verse 20 that human wisdom is not only unreliable, it is also not permanent. Paul asks several questions. Each question is asking, “Where are all the smart people today that have all the answers?” How much closer to peace, in the world and in the heart, is man today than he was a hundred years ago, or a thousand years ago?

Paul asks: “Where is the wise man?” He is paraphrasing Isaiah’s words, and the prophet Isaiah was referring to the wise men of Egypt – the sorcerers and magicians who made promises but gave bad advice that led Egypt astray. “Where are the scribes?” Paul is probably referring to the Assyrian scribes who went along with the soldiers to record the plunder that was taken in battle. But God saw to it, in this case, that they had nothing to record, and nothing to count or to weigh. What was left of the Assyrian army ran away empty-handed.

“Where is the debater of this age?” Paul is probably referring to the Greek philosophers of his day who spent most of their time arguing with each other! Throughout history, human wisdom has never solved the basic problems of man. And nothing has really changed over the years, has it? Life has the same problems. People have the same struggles.

III. THE POWER OF GOD’S WISDOM (verses 21-25)

Verse 21 says that God planned it that way. Man cannot come to know Him by the wisdom of the world. In Acts 17, when Paul came to Athens, he noticed a shrine on which were written these words: “To an unknown God.” With all their learning and philosophies they made for themselves many gods, but the God who had made them, they did not know.

God does not expect people to come to Him through their own wisdom. He knows they cannot. But they can come to Him through His wisdom. And that wisdom has been given to us in the simple message of the Gospel. It is not through philosophy or human wisdom that salvation comes, but through believing God’s Word and His plan of salvation. God saves only those who believe. People cannot figure out salvation, they can only accept it in faith.

Unbelief is always the basic reason for not accepting God’s will and God’s way, but unbelief can be expressed in various ways. In verses 22 and 23, the Jews wanted supernatural signs before they would believe the Gospel. The Gentiles, represented by the Greeks, wanted proof through human wisdom, through ideas they could consider and debate over.

These two groups that Paul mentions here, the Jews and Greeks, are representative of all unbelieving mankind. Whether, like the typical Jew, they demand proof by a supernatural sign, or like the typical Greek, they want proof by natural wisdom, unbelievers will find an excuse for rejecting the Gospel. But God has called out a people for Himself from among the Jews and the Gentiles. These will believe and find that Jesus Christ is both the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Paul closes this portion of his letter by saying that, even if God could possess any sort of foolishness, it would be wiser than man’s greatest wisdom. And if God were able to have any weakness, it would be stronger than the greatest strength that man could muster. Jesus may have appeared to be foolish and weak as one imagines Him hanging on a Roman cross, suffering and dying. But by doing so, Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the world and opened the gates of heaven for all who would believe in Him. Christ’s death and His resurrection were actually the greatest demonstrations of His infinite wisdom and power.

CONCLUSION:

I would like to give two different applications of what Paul has taught us in this passage of Scripture. First, God’s wisdom is opposed to man’s wisdom. We Christians make a great mistake when we water down the Gospel message to make it acceptable to people, and reasonable to them. The Gospel isn’t an argument, but an announcement. And this announcement is meant by God to be proclaimed clearly and accurately.

Secondly, if you still have your own personal philosophy about God and about life, and it doesn’t agree with the Bible, the wisest and most needful statement I can make to you is that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on the cross for your sins in your place, and shed His blood so that you could be acceptable to a holy God. And the wisest decision you could ever make in your life would be to believe that announcement, repent of your sins, and accept Jesus Christ into your life and your personal Savior and Lord. If God is calling you to make that decision, don’t delay or look for excuses, but respond to His call by receiving Him into your life; and let other Christians know what you have done so that they can rejoice with you and help you grow in your knowledge of Him.

IT’S A NEW YEAR!

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Are you in the habit of making New Year’s resolutions? One dictionary defines a resolution as “a firm decision to do or not to do something”. Another dictionary says: “a serious decision to do something.” From those definitions, I get the impression that resolutions are choices that we commit ourselves to do. What are you looking forward to in this new year? What are you dreading? What do you hope to find? What choices did you make last year? Are you satisfied with those choices? The search engine Google put a short film on U-Tube entitled “What Did The World Search For This Year.” It focused on personal and world events that made life worth living in 2013. At the end of the film are written these words: “Search On“. I hope that you have come to this site to gain an eternal perspective on life, and to seek God’s wisdom to guide you on your continuing search for answers and meaning to life. The Bible tells us that there are only two things in this world that are going to last forever: God’s Word and people. In Matthew 24:35 the Lord Jesus told the parable of the fig tree, and said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” In I Peter 1:24-25 the apostle Peter quotes from Isaiah 40 when he says: “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever.” The other entity that lasts forever is people. They will live forever in one of two places: heaven or hell. In John 5:24 Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My words, and believes in Him who sent Me, has eternal life. He will not come to judgment, but has passed from death to life.” By contrast, the apostle John records in Revelation 20 what he saw in a vision: “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it. . . . And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. . . . And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The wonderful and exciting thing about heaven is that it lasts forever. The terrible and terrifying thing about hell is that it lasts forever. Each year brings you closer to death, and also to eternity. May you choose to have a joyful eternity by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Savior and Lord. Then every day and every year until eternity will be filled with joy, inner peace, and unfading hope.

Thank you for visiting, and a happy New Year to you!

MAKING ROOM FOR JESUS AT CHRISTMAS

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The real joy of Christmas comes when we discover and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas can only be found by asking and answering this question: “Why did Jesus come to earth?” Why did Jesus come to earth? Was it to give us an additional opportunity to “make merry”? Was it to give people an occasion to spend money on presents, greeting cards, and Christmas decorations? The purpose of this question is not to condemn these activities, but to cause us to think about the real meaning of Christmas.

Why did Jesus come to earth? Let’s let Jesus answer that question Himself. In Matthew 20:28 Jesus says, “. . . the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Jesus was born on this earth in order to die for our sins, as a perfect sacrifice to a holy God. He didn’t have to come as a helpless infant. He didn’t have to come and die for our sins, but He chose to do so out of love for each of us.

In John 10:10 Jesus states another reason for His coming to earth. Jesus said, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” Jesus came to give us the kind of life that neither money nor anything else on this earth can buy.

Do you and I have the true joy of Christmas this year? In the midst of wrapping presents and making preparations, is there room in our lives for Jesus? Today, over 2000 years after that glorious event, millions of people have no room for Jesus. Although they participate enthusiastically in the festivities of the Christmas season, the Lord Jesus is kept out of their lives. How about you? Is there room in your life for Jesus the Messiah? What better time than during this season to rededicate your life to Him, or to receive Him into your life as your personal Savior and Lord!

Just prior to World War II, in the country of India, there existed a Christian school for the children of the lowest class of society, called the “untouchables”. Every year these students received Christmas presents from children in England. The girls received a doll and the boys received a toy. On one occasion the doctor from a nearby mission hospital was asked to hand out the gifts. While he was there, he told the youngsters about a village where the boys and girls had never heard of Jesus. He suggested that maybe they would like to give them some of their old toys as presents. The children liked the idea and agreed to do so. A week later the doctor returned to collect the gifts. One by one the children filed by and handed the doctor a doll or a toy. To his great surprise, they all gave the new present they had just received a week earlier. When he asked “why”, a girl spoke up and said, “Think what God did by giving us His only Son. Could we give Him less than our best?”

What’s it going to be like for you on the day after Christmas – when Christmas is over? Let’s go back to the original Christmas. On the day following Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph were faced with the ordinary tasks of caring for a new baby. The shepherds would be back on the hillside tending their sheep. All the elements were present for an emotional letdown, which often follows an emotional high. But I don’t believe they experienced any “after-Christmas blues”. Mary and Joseph didn’t quickly forget all that happened, and the shepherds couldn’t easily forget what they had seen and heard. The angelic message had proven to be true, and their lives were filled with new hope and anticipation.

Two thousand years later, we have the full story. Jesus came into this world to die for our sins. He then conquered death by rising from the grave. We have more truth to ponder and more reasons to glorify God than did Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. We need not experience an “after-Christmas letdown”. As we remind ourselves of the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, may each day of our lives be filled with joy.

May you have a joyous Christmas season, and “after-Christmas” season!

REJOICING IN TROUBLES – James 1:1-4

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INTRODUCTION:

Did you know that in the early days of baseball, the batter signaled the pitcher where to throw the ball? That’s right, he actually told him where he wanted it! He held out his bat and showed him. As the sport of baseball progressed, however, the batter had more and more obstacles to overcome – for example, the curveball! As pitching the ball became more complicated, hitting the ball became more difficult. This illustration points us to a modern-day problem. Many people believe that they can determine what they want life to give them. But the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ who expects his or her Christian life to be easy is in for a shock!

I. THE GREETING (verse 1)

James addresses his letter to the Jews who are living outside the Promised Land because of the persecution of Christians. He was writing to Christian Jews. The word “scattered” in verse l is the Greek word “diaspora”, and it carries the idea of “scattering seed”. When the Jewish believers were scattered at the beginning of the persecution, it was really the sowing of seed in many places; and much of that seed bore fruit as many gentiles heard the Gospel message and received the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.

II. A JOYFUL ATTITUDE (verse 2)

James tells us in verse 2 to expect trials. He does not say, “if you fall into various trials”, but “when you encounter various trials”. We can’t always expect everything to go our way. Some trials come simply because we are human. For example, sickness, accidents, disappointments, even tragedies are the lot of the human race. Other trials come because we are Christians. Satan fights against us and the world opposes us, and this makes for a life of battles. The trials of life are not all alike. They are like the multicolored yarn that a weaver uses to make a beautiful oriental rug. God arranges the colors and experiences of life. The final product is a beautiful thing for His glory. Have you ever looked at the underside of an oriental rug? The patterns are unclear and there are loose ends of yarn dangling. We are looking at the wrong side of life! Only God sees the finished pattern! Let’s not judge God or His work based on what we see today. His work isn’t finished yet!

We are to “consider it all joy”, knowing that God is doing what is best for us. Just before the Second World War, two refugees from Germany had just arrived in the United States by ship. Though they were Christians by faith, they were Jewish by birth. They arrived here without friends, without money, and without the youth and the strength to start a new life. One of them said to an American pastor, “We sometimes think we ought to thank God for Hitler.” “Why?”, the pastor asked in amazement. And the answer came: “Because he has taught us that we need nothing but God. Hitler has taken from us everything else, and now we know that God is enough.” In the Old Testament scriptures, Job demonstrated his confidence in God when he said in Job 23:10, “But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold”.

A lady named Ida Clark was overcome with grief as she approached the church on the Sunday morning after her mother had died. Just outside the church, a 7-year-old boy met her. He stopped, planted his feet solidly on the path in front of her, and with tearful eyes looked up at her. “I prayed for your mother”, he said, “but she died.” For a moment the sorrowing woman wanted to scoop him up in her arms and cry with him, but she could see he was seriously disturbed because he thought his prayers had not been answered. So she quickly and quietly lifted her heart to God in silent prayer. “O Lord, give me the right answer!” Then she said to the boy very solemnly, “You wanted God to do His best for my mother, didn’t you?” He nodded slowly. “Son, He answered your prayer. His best for her was to take her home to live with Him.” The lad’s eyes lighted up as he replied, “That’s right, He did.” Then off he ran to meet his friends, content that God had taken her to heaven.

Do the events in your life go against everything you think is good? Is it hard to understand why circumstances haven’t fallen into place like you prayed they would? Don’t be dismayed. Trust God and ask Him to help you learn the difficult but rewarding lesson of being satisfied with His best. There is a poem that goes like this:

He knows why we must suffer;
He knows why we must grieve;
He knows why days are lonely;
He says only “Believe!
Believe that I your Father
Send each and every test;
Dear child, there is a reason,
For I know what is best.”

III. AN UNDERSTANDING MIND (verse 3)

What is it that Christians know that makes it easier to face trials and benefit from them? They know that God always tests us to bring out the best in us. Peter says in I Peter 1:6-7, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.

A gold prospector brings his ore sample into the inspector’s office to be tested. The sample itself may not be worth more than a few dollars, but the approval, the official statement about the ore, may be worth millions! It assures the prospector that he has a gold mine. God’s approval of our faith is also precious because it assures us that our faith is genuine.

Verse 3 tells us that the testing of our faith produces endurance or patience. God wants to make us patient because that is the key to every other blessing. The person who does not learn patience will not learn much of anything else. We live in an “instant society” today. We have instant cash, and instant food and drink. We have the ten-minute oil change, one-hour photo processing, and same-day dry cleaning. You would think that waiting must be one of life’s most trying experiences. We’ve created for ourselves instant lifestyles. If things don’t happen right now, we tend to explode inside ourselves, and often we explode on the outside also. As Christians, we tend to direct our impatience toward God, especially when we are undergoing a trial. If God can create something out of nothing in an instant, why doesn’t He act? Yet He seems to take His time. Look how long He delayed before sending Jesus into the world. Yet in Galatians 4:4 it says, “In the fullness of time God sent His Son.” And there is a “right time” for God to bring us to maturity and a strong faith.

When the believer in Jesus Christ learns to wait on the Lord, then God can do great things for him or her. Immature people are always impatient; mature people are patient and persistent. A nurse in a servicemen’s hospital complained to the chaplain that she had been rudely treated by some of the patients. He answered, “Thank God for that!” “What do you mean”, she asked in astonishment. “Well”, he explained, “if you are holding a glass and someone knocks against you, you can only spill out what is inside!” When people misjudge and persecute us, we soon reveal what is in our hearts. If we are Christ-filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, we will manifest the gentleness and patience of our Savior. In fact, God often allows us to be pushed around and mistreated so that unsaved men and women around us might be amazed by God’s grace as we overflow with love and patience. People who have studied the life of John Bunyan, the author of the book, “Pilgrim’s Progress”, tell us that he was such a devoted Christian that he actually asked the Lord to send severe trials into his life so that he might have new occasions to show his love for Jesus.

The only way the Lord can develop patience and character in our lives is through trials. Knowing this, we can face trials joyfully. We know what trials will do in us and for us, and we know that the end result will bring glory to God. Just like the athlete disciplines himself, and goes through the agony of training, in order to win.

IV. THE RESULT (verse 4)

The result, in verse 4, is “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” In this age of “instant lifestyles”, we need to continually remind ourselves that God has a right time for everything. Dr. Niles tells about a service being held in a cathedral in Norway. Worshipers had noticed that the ceiling was low in proportion to the rest of the building. During the sermon, Bishop Bergraav told the congregation that the ceiling which they see was not the true ceiling. It was a working floor built for the artists who were painting the life of our Lord on the true ceiling. Some day the working floor would be taken down, and they would see what the artists had been doing.

As we look up and try to see what God is doing in the world, we are tempted to feel disappointed. We are looking for soaring arches and a high ceiling that reminds us of infinity and of heaven. But one day our working floor will be taken away, and then we will see what the Great Artist has been doing in our lives.

How are you handling your difficulties? Self-pity, murmuring, and rebellion will hinder your growth; but praise, submission to God, and faith in God’s loving purpose will produce in you a growing likeness to Jesus Christ. God is never in a hurry. Are we?

NEW YEAR’S DAY – ARE YOU READY?

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New Year’s Day is the closest thing to being the world’s only truly global public holiday or day of celebration. It may be celebrated on different months and different days but the new year is celebrated in almost every nation and culture. Most countries use the Gregorian calendar as their main calendar, and New Year’s Day is observed on the first day of January.

The month of January originally owes its name to the deity Janus, the Roman god of gates, doors, and beginnings. Janus had two faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward. January 1 represents the fresh start of a new year after a period of remembrance of the passing year. In our country, we celebrate New Year’s Day with New Year’s resolutions, parades, football games, and fireworks.

The past year has been a very eventful and alarming year in many ways. It has been a very stressful year for many who have lost jobs or who have lost family members in very traumatic ways. Thoughts of the end of the world have filled the minds of many of us. Have you given your fears, concerns, regrets, and disappointments from the previous year over to God? Pastor Ray Steadman once told his congregation, “On New Year’s Eve we realize more than at any other time in our lives that we can never go back in time. We can look and remember, but we cannot retrace a single moment of the year that is past.”

Looking ahead, are we ready to move on into the new year? As we’ve waited for, and been warned about, the end of the Mayan calendar and the predictions of the end of the world, are we ready for the calendar of events God has revealed to us in the Bible? According to the Scriptures, the next thing on the world’s calendar is not the end of the world. That won’t occur for over a thousand years. The next thing we need to be ready for is the rapture of Christians. By “Christians” I mean those who have repented of their sins and have invited Jesus Christ to be their Savior and Lord, and their changed lives bear witness to the fact that their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ is real. I Thessalonians 4:15-18 and I Corinthians 15:50-53 tell us that all genuine Christians will suddenly disappear. They will be caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air and be taken to heaven. Are you ready for that moment? If not, you will be left behind, and there will be seven years of Tribulation – the wrath of God upon the earth. Please make a New Year’s resolution to come to a personal knowledge of, and commitment to, Jesus Christ.

Dr. Dennis DeHaan shared the following message in the New Year’s Eve Daily Bread brochure in 2004. 16th-century Venetian artist Titian portrayed Prudence as a man with three heads. One head was of a youth facing the future, another was of a mature man with his eyes on the present, and the third head was that of a wise old man gazing at the past. Over their heads, Titian wrote a Latin phrase that means, “From the example of the past, the man of the present acts prudently so as not to imperil the future.”

This has not been an easy year to look back on, and the coming year may not be an easy one to look forward to, but we are not alone. In the Old Testament book of Joshua, chapter 1, after Moses died and God told Joshua to enter the land of Canaan and conquer it, He also gave this promise: “As I have been with Moses, so I will be with you. . . . Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Let’s dedicate ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ so that we might enter the coming year with courage and joyful excitement!

CHRISTMAS – Why Is It Significant?

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INTRODUCTION:

After the first American astronaut landed on the moon, the President of the United States praised this wonder of modern science. He said, “The planting of human feet on the moon is the greatest moment in human history!” Later, evangelist Billy Graham made this comment: “With all due respect”, he said, “the greatest moment in human history was not when man set foot on the moon, but when the infinite and eternal God set foot on this earth in Jesus of Nazareth!” Just how significant is the birth of Jesus Christ in our world today?

I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S BIRTH

The year is 2021 A.D., isn’t it? As you probably know, the letters A.D. are an abbreviation for two Latin words: “anno Domini”, a phrase which means “in the year of the Lord”. Events prior to Jesus’ birth are dated B.C., that is, “before Christ”. Everything in history is dated from the time when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. Every newspaper and magazine, every official document gives testimony to Christ’s birth.

II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HIS BIRTH (Luke 2:1-20)

Yet when we look at the circumstances surrounding His birth, we see poverty and humility. But from these circumstances, and the symbolism in them, we can gain valuable insight into why the Lord Jesus was born. Let’s take a closer look at this passage of Scripture: Luke chapter 2, verses one to twenty.

In verses 1 to 6, we read that Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken of the whole Roman empire. Joseph and Mary were forced to make an eighty-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem because they belonged to the descendants of David. Caesar didn’t know it, but he was doing an errand for God so that Micah’s prophecy in Micah 5:2 would be fulfilled. The Savior of the world was to be born in the city of Bethlehem.

In verse 7, Mary brought forth her child alone. There was no midwife; there were no friends and no family, except her husband, Joseph. Similarly, at the end of Jesus’ life, as He hung dying on a cross, there was only a handful of His family and friends close to him. Verse 7 also says, “they wrapped Him in cloths. The Greek word literally means “to swaddle” or to wrap in strips of cloth. This was often the way dead bodies were wrapped in preparation for burial.

Verse 7 also says that they laid the newborn baby Jesus in a manger – a feeding trough for animals. Jesus was born in a stable, a place for sheep and cattle. There were probably many lambs under the same roof as the baby Jesus. This is significant because, before Jesus began his public ministry, John the Baptist said of Him, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

From verses 8-20, we learn that the only other people to see the newborn baby Jesus were the shepherds. And these were no ordinary shepherds. The Jewish book of legal codes, called the “Mishnah”, prohibited the tending of flocks of sheep throughout the land of Israel, except in the wilderness areas, because sheep were unclean animals. The only exception was the flocks used for the temple sacrifices. These sheep were killed and offered up as sacrifices for the sins of the people.

III. WHY WAS JESUS CHRIST BORN

Why was Jesus Christ born? What is the true meaning of Christmas? I found out the answer to that question in 1970. Have you ever had a miserable Christmas? Well, Christmas of 1970 had all the indications of being the worst Christmas I would ever experience. It was Christmas eve, and I was in the Air Force, stationed at a remote base in northern Thailand. I was away from my family and friends, and there was no “Christmas spirit” in me. I was on a bus headed into town to attend a Bible study at the Christian Servicemen’s Center. I had been going there for several weeks, hoping to find some answers to life. The director of the center must have noticed my despondency because he asked me if I would mind staying for a while after the Bible study. He said he had something he wanted to talk to me about. I had nothing else going on that evening so I agreed.

He began by asking me this question: “If you died tonight, and you stood before God in judgment, and God said, ‘Tom, give me one reason why I should let you into My heaven’, what would you say?” I don’t remember what the Bible study was about that night, nor who was there, but I do remember the joy and peace I experienced when I invited Jesus Christ to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. I also remember smiling as I rode back to the base on the 10:00 p.m. bus. I was probably the only serviceman who was smiling and who wasn’t drunk! On Christmas Day I had no Christmas tree and no presents, but I had more joy than I had ever experienced. I spent most of Christmas Day reading the New Testament Scriptures. It was a new book to me because I was now a child of God. If you want to know more about what I learned, and what happened to me that night, it’s all in the ABOUT PAGE of this blog.

The real joy of Christmas comes when we discover the true meaning of Christmas. Why did Jesus Christ come to earth? Let’s allow Jesus to answer that question for Himself. In Mark 10:45 Jesus says, “For the Son of man also came, not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” In John 10:10 Jesus says, “I came that you may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” In the midst of shopping for presents, sending cards, and putting up decorations, is there room in your heart for Jesus?

THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT – Philippians 4:10-23

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INTRODUCTION:

A deacon in a church once said to his pastor: “We Christians are either thermometers or thermostats”. A thermometer doesn’t change anything around it. It just tells the temperature. It’s always going up and down. But a thermostat regulates the room or building it is in. When you turn up the thermostat, the heater comes on and the room gets warmer.

The apostle Paul was a thermostat. Instead of having spiritual ups and downs as his situation changed, Paul went right on, doing his work and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in Philippians 4:10-23, Paul gives the reasons for his contentment, and gives the glory to God.

I. PAUL’S CONTENTMENT (verses 10-13)

In verse 10, the apostle Paul rejoices that the church at Philippi had become concerned about his needs. He had been praying for them. Now Paul rejoices at the way God had answered his prayers and provided an opportunity for them to be of service to him while he was in prison at Rome. Then Paul says in verse 11, “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” The word “learned” means “learned by experience” Paul had to go through many difficult experiences in life in order to learn how to be content. When Paul wrote these words, he was deprived of almost everything – except contentment.

I may have shared this illustration with you before , but it’s so appropriate for this verse. Leaning on his fence one day, a devout Quaker, who believed in simplicity of life, was watching a new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, and plush furnishings had been carried into the house, the Quaker called over to his new neighbor and said, “If you are lacking anything, neighbor, let me know, and I’ll show you how to live without it.” That Quaker and the apostle Paul had at least one thing in common – they had learned the secret of contentment. We may not always be able to choose our circumstances in life, but we can choose our attitude toward them.

The opposite of contentment is dissatisfaction or greed. I’m sure we’ve all met greedy people, but people aren’t the only ones who are greedy. An animal that is almost impossible to capture is the ring-tailed monkey of Africa. But the Zulu people have a method that’s both simple and effective. It’s based on this little creature’s love for a particular melon that grows on a vine. The seeds are its favorite food. Knowing this, the Zulus cut a small hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to put his hand inside to get the delicious morsels. The little fellow reaches through the hole and grabs as many seeds as he can. But pulling his clenched fist out of the melon is impossible because now it is larger than the hole. He will pull and tug and scream and struggle to get free, but it’s no use. As long as he holds on to his prized seeds, he is trapped by the melon – and the Zulus have captured one more ring-tailed monkey.

All too often we also become the victims of our own selfishness and greed. Lured by the attractiveness of material things, we strive to get more and more. Then one day we realize that what we have been living for is the cause of our frustration and unhappiness. Our hand is in the “hole” and we can’t seem to get it out because we won’t let go!

Happy is the person, whether wealthy or poor, whose greatest satisfaction is in the Lord Jesus Christ! That person can say with the apostle Paul, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

Paul’s motto is found in verse 13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” A father found his little boy one day trying to lift a heavy stone. The youngster pushed, pulled, and struggled to get the boulder to move. Then, as he was just about to give up, his dad said, “Son, are you using all your strength?” “Sure am”, he answered. “No, you aren’t”, the father responded. “I’ve been standing here all the time and you haven’t asked me for help!” How often have we tried to do things without relying on God’s strength? We use up all our energies, and then, because the task seems impossible, we’re tempted to throw up our hands and give up. Remember, we are not using all our strength unless we are drawing upon the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in us.

II. PAUL’S GRATITUDE (verses 14-18)

In verses 10-13, Paul expresses his gratitude to the church at Philippi for their many gifts, especially for their most recent gift. In verse 15, Paul says “No church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone.” They showed their devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, and their love for the apostle Paul, by giving sacrificially to Paul. Let me share with you another example of sacrificial giving. In about 1490, two friends, Albrecht Durer and Franz Knigstein were struggling to become artists. They were very poor and a lot of training was involved. So they decided that one would work and support both while the other pursued art classes. They cast lots and Durer won. Before leaving, he assured Franz that he would return and help him so that he could develop his talent. He did come back to keep his promise, but to his surprise, he discovered the enormous price his friend paid. Hard labor had caused his slender, sensitive fingers to become stiff and twisted. They would never be able to perform the delicate brush strokes necessary in fine painting. On one occasion Durer found Franz kneeling, his gnarled hands folded as he prayed for his companion. Quickly the great artist sketched that scene, and from it he produced his masterpiece, “The Praying Hands”. The world is richer because of Albrecht Durer, but much credit must also go to his faithful friend.

In verse 18, the apostle Paul thanks the Philippian church for their most recent gift. He calls it “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” Thank you notes give us the opportunity to make permanent our feelings of gratitude for our friends or loved ones. Paul sent a thank you note to the Christians at Philippi. They were the only church that had supported him financially on his missionary journey, and Paul did more than just say thanks. He told them specifically what good they had done by helping him. Thank you notes work both ways. They help the sender to express appreciation, and they help the receiver to know what he had done to assist. Does someone you know deserve a note of thanks?

III. PRAISE TO GOD (verses 19-20)

In verses 19 and 20, Paul gives praise and glory to God, and says, “You met my need, and God is going to meet your every need.” A needy widow in Chicago lived by the motto: “The Lord will provide.” Even when severely tested, Mrs. Hokanson never lost her smile and her deep faith. Casting all her cares on God, she found that He always took the burden and supplied the needs.

Mrs. Hokanson was the sole support for her mentally retarded son. Eventually, chronic arthritis confined her to bed. When a church youth group went over to Mrs. Hokanson’s house to cheer her up,, they were amazed to discover that she was not depressed. When she was asked, “What will you and Arthur do?” She gave her usual quiet, confident response, “The Lord will provide.” When Mrs. Hokanson died, many people wondered what would happen to her son. But when friends and neighbors went home with Arthur after the funeral, he proudly showed them his collection of stamps. Instead of tearing the stamps off the envelopes, he had taken and kept over a hundred letters intended for his mother and left them unopened. Many contained substantial gifts – enough to care for the boy for the rest of his life.

When we cast all our cares on the Lord, we’ll be amazed at the wondrous way He provides! Our needs can never exhaust God’s supply.

God’s promise to provide for our needs covers the little things as well as the big ones. The same God who helped Elisha retrieve the borrowed axe head in II Kings 6, and who supplied flour and oil for a faithful widow in I Kings 17, will meet all our needs as well, not only the physical needs, but also the emotional, social, and spiritual needs. We worship a God who is greater than any of our problems.

Have you learned the secret of contentment in your life? If you are still searching and want answers, please go to my ABOUT PAGE, especially to the section entitled QUESTION. If you have more questions or want to know more about a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, please leave a comment and I’ll respond to you. Thank you for your attention, and may God give you the joy and contentment you desire as you respond to Him.