A Promise Kept Despite One's Doubt....

This week we are looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Zacharias. And it is in this song that Zacharias composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history.  However, before we look at Zacharias’ contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to his song.

Yesterday, we discovered that Zacharias was a priest who was a direct descendant of a man named Aaron, who was the very first priest of the Jewish people. Zacharias was married to a woman named Elizabeth, who was also a direct descendant of Aaron. However, Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.

We discovered that Zacharias was selected by lot to have the privilege to enter into the sanctuary of the Temple to burn incense before the Lord. By being chosen by lot, Zacharias was viewed as being chosen by God for the privilege to come before His presence to worship Him. As Zacharias entered into the Temple to offer up the incense before the Lord, And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

The angel basically said to Zacharias “Zacharias do not be afraid because I am here to tell you that your prayers have been heard. And the Lord is going to answer your prayers by supernaturally enabling you and Elizabeth to have a son. But Zacharias, your son is not going to be just any son. Zacharias, your son is not only going to cause you to powerfully proclaim your joy and gladness, your son is going to bring joy and gladness to many people. You see, Zacharias, your son is going to have a position of prominence before the Lord and in the Lord’s story. Your son is to be set apart to the Lord in such a way that he will never be influenced by alcohol. Instead, he will live a life that is controlled and influenced by the Holy Spirit. Zacharias your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord made that last time He spoke to the Jewish people over 400 years ago through the prophet Malachi. Your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord would send a messenger that would turn the hearts of the Jewish people from a life of disobedience to a way of thinking that is right before the Lord. Your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord would send a messenger prepare the Jewish people for and to announce the arrival of the Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to the Lord and back to prominence in the world.”

However, instead of rejoicing at the angel of the Lord’s announcement, Zacharias doubted the angel of the Lord’s announcement. Zacharias basically said to the angel of the Lord “How am I supposed to know for sure this announcement of yours is true? You need to prove it to me before I am going to believe and trust you. I am an old man and my wife is on the other side of menopause, so I really doubt this announcement that you have made to me is true and is going to really happen.”

The angel responded to Zacharias’s doubt by providing him with the credentials to prove that he was a messenger from the Lord that had been authorized to announce the arrival of the son who would prepare the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah. After providing his credentials to Zacharias, the angel Gabriel then proclaimed what the immediate future would hold for Zacharias as a result of his doubting disbelief. 

The angel Gabriel basically said to Zacharias “So you want a sign, well I’ll give you a sign. Here’s a sign for you to know that I am who I say I am and that my announcement of the arrival of a son who would prepare the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah is true. Because you doubted and disbelieved me and my announcement, you will be unable to speak until your son is born. Since you were not silent and did not embrace my announcement to you, you will be silent until these things come true, because they are sure to come true”.

When Zacharias emerged from the Temple, he was unable to speak a sound. Luke tells us that after finishing his time serving the Lord at the Temple, Zacharias and Elizabeth returned to their home in the hill country of Judea. I bet that was a quiet trip home. A short while after returning home from serving the Lord in Jerusalem, Luke tells us that Elizabeth became pregnant.

However, unlike her husband Zacharias, who doubted the Lord’s supernatural activity in his life, Elizabeth responded to the Lord’s supernatural activity in her life by rejoicing in the Lord. And during the time of her pregnancy, Elizabeth rejoiced in trustful expectation of the promise of new life as Zacharias remained unable to speak. Then, a few verses later, in Luke 1:57-62, we see Luke give us a glimpse into the arrival of this new life. Let’s look at these verses together:

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

Luke explained that eight days after John the Baptizer’s birth, as they came to circumcise their firstborn son, Elizabeth officially announced that that they were going to name their son John. Now all of Zacharias and Elizabeth’s friends and family wanted Elizabeth to name her first born son after his father Zacharias. However, instead of naming their son, as the first born son, after Zacharias or another male family member, Zacharias and Elizabeth followed the angel Gabriel’s command to name the baby John. And Zacharias and Elizabeth also followed and fulfilled God’s command in the Law to have Jesus circumcised.

You see, Zacharias and Elizabeth were responding in worship to God by being obedient to God. Zacharias and Elizabeth were making sure that John was identified with God’s people so that He would be able to fulfill the role that he had been given in God's story to be the messenger who was to prepare and announce the arrival of the Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to God and back to prominence in the world.

Luke tells us that the move by Elizabeth to name her firstborn son anything other than Zacharias was met by skepticism and objections by the rest of Zacharias and Elizabeth’s family and friends. And in their skepticism, the family and friends asked the wordless Zacharias his opinion when it came what he wanted his son to be named.

You see, the rest of Zacharias and Elizabeth’s family and friends assumed that Zacharias would want to name his firstborn son, who he had waited so long for, after himself. But since Zacharias had not been able to speak for the past ten months as a consequence from the Lord of doubting the Angel Gabriel’s announcement, they had no idea what was going on in his mind regarding the naming of his son. So Zacharias family and friends signaled to Zacharias to make his wishes known concerning the naming of his son. Luke records for us Zacharias response in verse 63:

 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished.

Luke tells us that Zacharias responded to his friends and families request concerning the naming of his son by asking for a small wooden tablet that was used for writing notes. And on that tablet, Zacharias made his wishes concerning the naming of his son crystal clear: “His name is John”. In other words Zacharias basically says “This is not up for debate. We have already made our decision. We have already named our son and his name is John”.

When Luke tells us that they were all astonished, this phrase literally means to be extraordinarily disturbed by something. Zacharias family and friends were extraordinarily disturbed that Zacharias would not want to pass on his name to the next generation after God had acted in such a miraculous way to provide them a son by which to pass on his name.

However, Zacharias family and friends would become even more disturbed with what was about to happen next. And it is what happens next that we see Zacharias respond by composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist.

Friday we will look at that song together...

The Doubt Surrounding The Original Christmas Story....

At the church where I server, we are in the middle of our Christmas sermon series entitled the original Christmas playlist. We launched into this series by talking about the reality that the Christmas is a season filled with sights and sounds that provoke memories, hopes, and aspirations. And perhaps the most powerful aspect of the sights and sounds of Christmas in found in Christmas music. So, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, we are spending our time together looking at the first Christmas Playlist that was composed by those who were involved in the very first Christmas.

During this series, we are going to discover that the Christmas story is told through song as well and a recollection of events from history.  During this series, we are going to discover that each of these songs helps us discover something different, something important about the coming of Jesus that first Christmas. And as we go through this series, our hope and prayer is that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands in a way the enables us to learn several timeless truths that these songs teach us about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history.

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Zacharias. And it is in this song that Zacharias composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history.  However, before we look at Zacharias’ contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to his song. We find these circumstances, and his song, in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. So let's jump into this event from history together, beginning in Luke 1:5-7:

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

Luke brings us into this section of his account of Jesus life by introducing us to a man named Zacharias. Zacharias was a priest who was a direct descendant of a man named Aaron, who was the very first priest of the Jewish people. Zacharias was married to a woman named Elizabeth, who was also a direct descendant of Aaron. So both Zacharias and Elizabeth were pastor’s kids who were very familiar with the message and teachings of the Lord.

Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.  In other words, Zacharias and Elizabeth were model citizens who did what was right in the sight of the Lord. However, Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years. You see, Elizabeth was incapable of bearing children. And not only was Elizabeth barren, both Zacharias and Elizabeth were at a place in their lives where children were beyond a possibility.

Now in the culture of the day, being childless was viewed as a sign of God’s judgment and punishment for one’s selfishness and rebellion. Being childless was a source of shame and resulted in a couple being ostracized by others. Now imagine yourself as Zacharias and Elizabeth. Place yourself in their shoes. You have strived to follow the Lord in a way that honored and pleased the Lord. You grew up in a home that served the Lord and you have continued to serve the Lord. Yet, even though you wanted to have children, you are childless. Even though you served the Lord and prayed to the Lord for children, you are still childless.

And you hear the whispers. You hear the accusations of hidden selfishness and rebellion. You feel the shame. And you are at a place in your life where there is no hope of ever having a child. You are Zacharias and Elizabeth. How would you feel? How would you respond? Luke records what happened next in verse 8-10:

Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

Luke tells us that Zacharias was selected by lot to have the privilege to enter into the sanctuary of the Temple to burn incense before the Lord. You see, at this time in history, prior to having the letters that make up the Bible that we have today and the Holy Spirit, casting lots was used to either determine blame or know God’s will. To be selected to enter into the Temple to burn incense was significant because the privilege to enter into the Temple to burn incense before the Lord would only occur once in the lifetime of a priest. So the custom of the priests was to cast lots to determine who would have that privilege.

By being chosen by lot, Zacharias was viewed as being chosen by God for the privilege to come before His presence to worship Him. As Zacharias entered into the Temple to offer up the incense before the Lord, Luke tells us a multitude of people remained outside the Temple in prayer. This multitude of people would be praying to the Lord and would be praying that Zacharias would honor the Lord through his offering of incense to the Lord. However, as the multitude of people prayed to the Lord and as Zacharias approached the Lord to honor the Lord, Luke reveals for us the reality that this day would be unlike any other day, as we see in verse 11:

And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

Now when Luke states that fear gripped Zacharias, this phrase conveys the sense of fear cascading or falling upon Zacharias. You see, Zacharias recognized that he was in the presence of a messenger of the Lord. Zacharias recognized that this was not normal. And as a result, Zacharias experienced an inward turmoil that produced alarms in his mind as a sense of overwhelming fear fell upon him. An alarming fear of being face to face with a being who has been in the presence of the Lord and who could take him out in an instant, which is most likely what Zacharias thought was going to happen. “Uh oh, I’m in trouble. Did I do something wrong? What did I do wrong, because this does not happen every day? This does not happen any day.” We see what happens next in verse 13-17:

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. "You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb."And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

The angel basically says to Zacharias “Zacharias do not be afraid because I am here to tell you that your prayers have been heard. And the Lord is going to answer your prayers by supernaturally enabling you and Elizabeth to have a son. But Zacharias, your son is not going to be just any son. Zacharias, your son is not only going to cause you to powerfully proclaim your joy and gladness, your son is going to bring joy and gladness to many people. You see, Zacharias, your son is going to have a position of prominence before the Lord and in the Lord’s story. Your son is to be set apart to the Lord in such a way that he will never be influenced by alcohol. Instead, he will live a life that is controlled and influenced by the Holy Spirit. Zacharias your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord made that last time He spoke to the Jewish people over 400 years ago through the prophet Malachi. Your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord would send a messenger that would turn the hearts of the Jewish people from a life of disobedience to a way of thinking that is right before the Lord. Your son is the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord would send a messenger prepare the Jewish people for and to announce the arrival of the Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to the Lord and back to prominence in the world.”

Now you are Zacharias. You are very familiar with the Lord’s promise to the Jewish people that He had proclaimed through the prophet Malachi. And now, you are told that not only are you going to have a son; you are told that your son will be the fulfillment of that promise.  What would you be thinking at this point? What would you be feeling? How would you respond? We see Zacharias’s response in verse 18:

Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."

Instead of rejoicing at the angel of the Lord’s announcement, Zacharias doubted the angel of the Lord’s announcement. Zacharias basically said to the angel of the Lord “How am I supposed to know for sure this announcement of yours is true? You need to prove it to me before I am going to believe and trust you. I am an old man and my wife is on the other side of menopause, so I really doubt this announcement that you have made to me is true and is going to really happen.” We see how the angel of the Lord responded to Zacharias’s doubt in verse 19-20:

The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. "And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

The angel responded to Zacharias’s doubt by providing him with the credentials to prove that he was a messenger from the Lord that had been authorized to announce the arrival of the son who would prepare the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah. After providing his credentials to Zacharias, the angel Gabriel then proclaimed what the immediate future would hold for Zacharias as a result of his doubting disbelief. 

The angel Gabriel basically said to Zacharias “So you want a sign, well I’ll give you a sign. Here’s a sign for you to know that I am who I say I am and that my announcement of the arrival of a son who would prepare the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah is true. Because you doubted and disbelieved me and my announcement, you will be unable to speak until your son is born. Since you were not silent and did not embrace my announcement to you, you will be silent until these things come true, because they are sure to come true”.

When Zacharias emerged from the Temple, he was unable to speak a sound. Luke tells us that after finishing his time serving the Lord at the Temple, Zacharias and Elizabeth returned to their home in the hill country of Judea. I bet that was a quiet trip home. A short while after returning home from serving the Lord in Jerusalem, Luke tells us that Elizabeth became pregnant.

However, unlike her husband Zacharias, who doubted the Lord’s supernatural activity in his life, Elizabeth responded to the Lord’s supernatural activity in her life by rejoicing in the Lord. And during the time of her pregnancy, Elizabeth rejoiced in trustful expectation of the promise of new life as Zacharias remained unable to speak. Then, a few verses later, in Luke 1:57-62, we see Luke give us a glimpse into the arrival of this new life.

Tomorrow, we will look at these verses…

The original Christmas playlist contains songs of hope that trust in God's promises for the future while waiting for that future...

This week, we have been looking at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a woman named Mary. We know Mary as the mother of Jesus. However, it is in this song that Mary composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history. 

However, before we look at Mary's contribution to the original Christmas playlist, we have been looking at the circumstances the led to her song. We find these circumstances, and her song, in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. We have looked on as God sent the angel Gabriel to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, which was a small, rural town, located about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in order to deliver a message from God to a woman named Mary, who was a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph.

God’s message to Mary was that Mary would become pregnant as a result of the supernatural power of God as displayed through the Holy Spirit, who would creatively and supernaturally bring about the physical conception of Jesus. God moved in a supernatural and unique way, displaying His power through the Holy Spirit, to bring the second member of the Trinity into humanity as the only begotten son of God.

We looked on as Mary responded to the news of her pregnancy and that her relative Elizabeth had become pregnant as a result of the God’s supernatural activity in her life, by immediately leaving Nazareth to visit Elizabeth. However, before Mary could engage in a conversation about what had happened in her life, Elizabeth’s yet unborn son leaped in her womb. And as Elizabeth experienced the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence, Luke tells us that Elizabeth responded to her unborn child’s announcement and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence and influence in her life by rejoicing in the Lord’s supernatural activity in Mary’s life.

Elizabeth’s proclamation, if communicated in the language we us in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Mary, how blessed are you to be the recipient of God’s favor and activity in your life. And how blessed is the child that is within you. And how has it come to be that I would have the privilege to have the mother of my Messiah come to visit me!”

Elizabeth then explained to Mary that at the sound of her voice, her son announced to her that she was in the presence of the Messiah. And Elizabeth proclaimed to Mary that she was the recipient of God’s favor and activity in her life as a result of her placing her confident trust in God’s promise that had been proclaimed to her by the Angel Gabriel and that had driven her to travel to visit Elizabeth.

Now I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this event from history as Mary. You travel four days to see your relative, after an angel tells you that, in spite of the fact that she was incapable of bearing children and was at a place in her life where children were beyond a possibility, she has become pregnant. Then, as you greet her, and before you can even tell her why you have traveled so far to see her, she breaks out in worship of the Lord after telling you that you are pregnant with the Messiah before you could even tell her that you were pregnant with the Messiah.

You are Mary. What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling? How would you respond? Because this morning, it is in this context that Mary responds by composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist. So let's look at that song together, beginning in Luke 1:46-55:

And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. ⁴⁸ "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold,  from this time on all generations will count me blessed. ⁴⁹ "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. ⁵⁰ "AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. ⁵¹ "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in   the thoughts of their heart. ⁵² "He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. ⁵³ "HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. ⁵⁴ "He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, ⁵⁵ As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."

Luke tells us that Mary responded to Elizabeth’s response of worship by singing a song of worship to the Lord. This song, which has become known as Mary's song, can be divided into five different stanzas that reveal five aspects of the Lord’s character and conduct that Mary exalts, or makes much of, in worship. In the first stanza, in verses 46-49, we see Mary express, from the center of her feelings and emotions, her exceeding joy over the Lord’s activity in her life.

Mary made much of the fact that the Lord looked with concern over her despite the fact that she was just a teenage girl from a small backwater town. Mary made much of the fact that the Lord responded to her humble circumstances by choosing to extend grace to her in such a way that all humanity would now view her as being especially favored by God as being the mother of the Messiah. Mary made much of the fact that the all powerful Creator and ruler of the world, who is set apart in His character and conduct, would choose her to do such a great thing in her and through her for the world.

In the second stanza, in verse 50, Mary expressed, from the center of her feelings and emotions, her exceeding joy over the Lord’s faithful devotion to His people. Mary made much of the Lord by quoting from a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of our Bibles called the book of Psalms. In Psalm 103:7, King David worshipped the Lord as he proclaimed the Lord’s covenant promise to demonstrate His faithful devotion to His people when they lived their lives in submission and obedience to Him. Mary quoted King David’s words as evidence that the Lord was fulfilling the promise of His faithful devotion to His people in the fullest way possible as a result of her response of submission and obedience to the announcement of the arrival of the Messiah that the Angel Gabriel made to her.  In the third stanza, in verse 51, Mary expressed, from the center of her feelings and emotions, her exceeding joy over the Lord’s activity in history when it came to the Lord’s power over the proud. Mary made much of the fact that the Lord scatters from Him those who arrogantly believe that they do not need Him.

In the fourth stanza, in verses 52-53, Mary expressed, from the center of her feelings and emotions, her exceeding joy over the Lord’s activity in history when it came to the Lord’s ability to reverse the fortunes of people based on their response to Him. Mary made much of the fact that the Lord dealt with those who were in a position of leadership and authority and who arrogantly oppressed others while denying God by removing them from power. Mary made much of the fact that the Lord dealt with those who were of humble circumstances and low class but who placed their confident trust in God by elevating their circumstances.

Mary made much of the Lord by quoting from another section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of our Bibles called the book of Psalms. In Psalm 107:9, the psalmist worshipped the Lord as he proclaimed the Lord’s provision to those who trust in Him. Mary quoted the psalmist’s words as evidence that the Lord was large and in charge over the provision of resources to people. Mary made much of the fact those who are humble and hungry will have their needs met by God while those who are arrogantly wealthy will lose the very things that they had placed their confident trust in instead of God. 

And in the fifth stanza, in verses 54-55, Mary expressed, from the center of her feelings and emotions, her exceeding joy over the Lord’s activity in history in light of the promises that He had made to the Jewish people. Mary made much of the fact that the Lord remembered His promises that had been made to Abraham, Jacob, and the Jewish people by demonstrating His faithful devotion to keep those promises by His activity in her relative Elizabeth and her life. You see, as Mary reflected on the evidence of the Lord’s activity in her life and the life of her relative Elizabeth, she was moved to respond to that activity by singing a song of worship to the Lord in a way that made much of the Lord.

Mary was driven to respond to the Lord by making much of the Lord’s activity in her life. Mary was driven to respond to the Lord by making much of the Lord’s faithful devotion to His people. Mary was driven to respond to the Lord by making much of the Lord’s power over the proud. Mary was driven to respond to the Lord by making much of the Lord’s ability to reverse the fortunes of people based on their response to Him. And Mary was driven to respond to the Lord by making much of the Lord’s faithful devotion to fulfill the promises that He had made to the Jewish people.

But did you notice something about Mary' song? Did you notice that the entire song is in the past tense? Did you notice that the entire song is not written from the perspective of what she wished God would do in the future? Instead, the entire song was written from the perspective that what God had promised to Mary had already come to pass. Instead singing about wishing that what God had promised might happen, Mary sang as though it had already happened.

Now a natural question that could arise here is "Well Dave, what possessed her to sing that way. After all, Jesus had not even been born yet. So, what drove her to compose and sing such a song?" If you are here and that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that you are asking a great question. And it is in the answer to that question and in this song that was composed and sung by the mother of Jesus that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discover a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and it’s place the grand story of God's activity in history. And that timeless truth is this: The original Christmas playlist contains songs of hope that trust in God's promises for the future while waiting for that future.

The timeless reality is that waiting is a part of life. And just like Mary, we can find ourselves in a place where we are waiting for something in the future. We can find ourselves in a place where we are waiting to see if a promise that has been made will be a promise that will be kept. And this morning, the timeless reality is that there is a difference between wishing and hoping. There is a difference between wishing in something that you hope might come true and hoping in something that you trust will come true.

Just like Mary, we can find ourselves in a place where we are waiting on God when it comes to the promises He has made for the future. And just like Mary, when we find ourselves in that place where we are waiting for something in the future, we are faced with the question "How am I going to respond when I am asked to wait? Where am I going to place my trust today as I wait for God's promise for the future? Am I going to live as though I wish that something might come true? Or am I going to live with a hope that trusts that something will come true?"

You see, Mary lived with a hope that trusted that God's promise would come true. And it was that trust in God's promise that drove Mary to live a life of faithful obedience as she waited for that future. Instead of a life that wandered in her relationship with God as a result of a wish in something that might come true while she waited for the future, Mary remained firmly committed in her relationship with God as a result of the hope that she had that God's promise would come true, while she waited for the future.

So here is a question to consider: How do you respond when God asks you to wait? And where do you place your trust while you are waiting?

Do you respond when God asks you to wait by living as though God's promises are a wish that might come true? Or do you respond when God asks you to wait by living with a hope that trusts that God's promises will come true? Are you wandering in your relationship with God because you view God's promises as a wishes? Or are you firmly committed in your relationship with God because you view God's promises as trustworthy and true.

Because, the original Christmas playlist contains songs of hope that trust in God's promises for the future while waiting for that future. 

A Supernatural and Unique Way to Enter into Christmas...

This week we are looking at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a woman named Mary. We know Mary as the mother of Jesus. However, it is in this song that Mary composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history.  However, before we look at Mary's contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to her song.

Yesterday, we began to look at these circumstances, which are found in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. In Luke 1:26-33, we looked on as God sent the angel Gabriel to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, which was a small, rural town, located about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in order to deliver a message from God to a woman named Mary, who was a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph.

God’s message to Mary, if it was communicated in the language that we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Mary, the reason that you have nothing to be afraid of is because God is with you and is going to extend grace to you. God is going to reveal His transformational intervention and activity in your life in a miraculous way. You see, Mary you are going to have a child; and this child is not just any child. You are going to have a son and you are to name him Jesus, or Yahweh saves. And the reason that you are to name Him Jesus is because He is God in a bod. God is coming to the earth through you as the Lord God is sending His Son Jesus, who is God, to take on flesh and fulfill the promise that He had made to bring the Jewish people back to Him. The son that you will give birth to will rule and reign as He reveals and establishes the kingdom of Heaven for all eternity".

Today, I would like us to imagine ourselves in this event from history as Mary. Out of the blue, an angel of the Lord shows up to tell you that you are going to become pregnant and give birth to God: What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling at that point? How would you respond? Probably just like Mary did in Luke 1:34:

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

In other words, Mary is asking “how is this possible?” Now, it is important to understand that this is not a question of doubt or a lack of faith. Instead, this is a question that flowed from a desire to understand. Mary is asking “How am I going to get pregnant and have a child if I have never had sex before? I mean, usually you have to have sex before you get pregnant. I have not had sex and I am not married, so how am I going to become pregnant with God?” We see the angel Gabriel’s response in verse 35:

 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

To understand the angel Gabriel’s response, we first need to define some terms. When the Angel Gabriel says "The Holy Spirit will come upon you”, this phrase literally means that the Holy Spirit will come and move upon you. The phrase “the power of the Most High will overshadow you” literally means that the power of God would cover you.

In other words, Mary would become pregnant as a result of the supernatural power of God as displayed through the Holy Spirit, who would creatively and supernaturally bring about the physical conception of Jesus. In church mumbo jumbo talk, this is referred to as the Immaculate Conception and the virgin birth.

You see, Mary did not become pregnant because God had sex with Mary. God moved in a supernatural and unique way, displaying His power through the Holy Spirit, to bring the second member of the Trinity into humanity as the only begotten son of God. That is why Gabriel states that the holy Child shall be called the son of God. The Son of God in the Bible is not a term that is used to simply describe one’s place in a family tree. The Son of God is a title that is used to describe Jesus association with God as the second member of the Trinity.

As the Holy Child, as God in a bod, Jesus would be set apart as distinct and different from any other human child. Jesus was fully God and fully man. And Jesus was set apart and sent to earth with a specific mission, which was to give His life to provide humanity an opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated humanity from God so that they could receive forgiveness and experience the relationship with God that they were created for. And in case that did not fully answer Mary’s question, Gabriel states the following in verse 36-37:

 "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month."For nothing will be impossible with God."

In other words, the angel Gabriel is saying “the reason that you being pregnant by the power of God through the Holy Spirit is the same reason that your aunt Elizabeth, who is on the other side of menopause and thought would never be blessed with a child, is also pregnant. You see Mary, nothing is impossible with God. Just as God can bring forth life from that which had been unable to bring forth life, God can bring forth life from what had previously never attempted to bring forth life”. Luke then records Mary’s response in verse 38: 

And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Now when Mary uses the word bondslave, this word was used to refer to a female slave. Mary is saying “the Lord is large and in charge, I am willing to do whatever God desires me to do and go through. I place my trust in God and embrace the role that He has given me”. Luke then reveals for us what happened next in verse 39-40:

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

After hearing the news from the Angel Gabriel that her relative Elizabeth had become pregnant as a result of the God’s supernatural activity in her life, Mary immediately left Nazareth to visit Elizabeth. This journey from Northern Israel to Southern Israel would have covered between 80-100 miles, and would have taken around four days to complete.

You see, Mary desired to connect with her relative who shared the similar connection of experiencing God’s miraculous activity in their lives. However, upon arriving and greeting one another, Luke gives us a glimpse into how Elizabeth and her unborn child responded to the arrival of Mary in verse 41-45:

 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

Luke tells us that before Mary could engage in a conversation about what had happened in her life, Elizabeth’s yet unborn son leaped in her womb. Now when Luke says that the baby leaped in the womb, he is not saying that the baby kicked in the womb. Luke is saying that the baby literally leapt in an exuberant springing motion out of joy.

You see, as we will discover next week, the Angel Gabriel had explained to Zacharias that their child would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. The Angel Gabriel had explained to Zacharias that their child would announce the arrival of the Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to God and back to prominence in the world.

And as Mary walked into the room and greeted Elizabeth, John the Baptizer fulfilled the very words of the Angel Gabriel. John the Baptizer, while still in the womb, announced to his mother that the Messiah had just entered into the room. John the Baptizer, already alive in the womb, was already fulfilling the role that he would have in God’s story by announcing the arrival of the Messiah while still in the womb.

And as Elizabeth experienced the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence, Luke tells us that Elizabeth responded to her unborn child’s announcement and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence and influence in her life by rejoicing in the Lord’s supernatural activity in Mary’s life. Elizabeth’s proclamation, if communicated in the language we us in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Mary, how blessed are you to be the recipient of God’s favor and activity in your life. And how blessed is the child that is within you. And how has it come to be that I would have the privilege to have the mother of my Messiah come to visit me!”

Elizabeth then explained to Mary that at the sound of her voice, her son announced to her that she was in the presence of the Messiah. And Elizabeth proclaimed to Mary that she was the recipient of God’s favor and activity in her life as a result of her placing her confident trust in God’s promise that had been proclaimed to her by the Angel Gabriel and that had driven her to travel to visit Elizabeth.

Now I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this event from history as Mary. I want us to place ourselves in her shoes. You travel four days to see your relative, after an angel tells you that, in spite of the fact that she was incapable of bearing children and was at a place in her life where children were beyond a possibility, she has become pregnant. Then, as you greet her, and before you can even tell her why you have traveled so far to see her, she breaks out in worship of the Lord after telling you that you are pregnant with the Messiah before you could even tell her that you were pregnant with the Messiah.

You are Mary. What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling? How would you respond? Because it is in this context that Mary responds by composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist.

Friday, we will look at this song...

The Power of Christmas Music...

As of today, there are less than 3 weeks until Christmas. There are less than 3 weeks left to make sure that all of your Christmas shopping is done. Less than 3 weeks to prepare and plan for the big day that is Christmas Day. But you did not need me to remind you of that reality, did you. No, you did not need me to remind you that there are less than 3 weeks until Christmas, because for the last several months, as a culture, we have seen more and more reminders of Christmas. There are reminders in the forms of Christmas trees, Christmas sales, and Christmas sweaters.

And as we see those reminders of Christmas, many of those reminders provoke memories of Christmases past. I mean, just think of some of those Christmas sweaters that people will keep and keep on wearing. When you ask about those sweaters, there often is a story behind those sweaters, isn't there? And it is the story behind the sweater and the memory of that story, that will compel us to keep some of the ugliest sweaters imaginable.

I mean just think of a Christmas tree. When you look at a Christmas tree, there are Christmas trees are designed and adorned with matching ornaments, lights and ornaments that beautify whatever environment they are in. And then there are Christmas trees like the tree that decorates our home. The ornaments that cover our tree often clash and seem to be a total mismatch. For example, on our tree we have a ESPN ornament that makes the "da da da da da da da" sound next to a picture of me from second grade, next to a beautiful ornament that was an heirloom from Julie's family. However, while not ascetically coordinated, for us, the beauty of the tree is in the memories that each of those ornaments provokes.

You see, Christmas is a season filled with sights and sounds that provoke memories, hopes, and aspirations. And perhaps the most powerful aspect of the sights and sounds of Christmas in found in Christmas music. One of things we love most about Christmas is the music.  Whether it’s standing in line a store or listening to the radio on the way home from work, the music we hear reminds us that there is something unique about this time of year.  There is something powerful that occurs when you walk into a store and hear Christmas music, isn't there? There is something powerful when we hear a Christmas song and find ourselves transported back in time to a powerful memory of a Christmas past.

And Christmas music seems to be timeless, doesn't it? Christmas music has a staying power unlike any other. Christmas music has a staying power that can lead people to look forward to the day when they can access the playlist of their favorite Christmas music that they have created on Pandora, Spotify, or on their favorite apple device. But the idea of having a Christmas playlist is not new. Instead, there has been a "Christmas Playlist" since the first Christmas.

So, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, we are going to be spending our time together in a sermon series entitled the Original Christmas Playlist. During this series, we are going to spend our time together looking at the first Christmas Playlist that was composed by those who were involved in the very first Christmas. During this series, we are going to discover that the Christmas story is told through song as well and a recollection of events from history.  During this series, we are going to discover that each of these songs helps us discover something different, something important about the coming of Jesus into humanity.

And as we go through this series, our hope and prayer is that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands in a way the enables us to learn several timeless truths that these songs teach us about the very first Christmas and it’s place the grand story of God's activity in history. This week I would like for us to spend our time together looking at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a woman named Mary. We know Mary as the mother of Jesus.

However, it is in this song that Mary composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history.  However, before we look at Mary's contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to her song. We find these circumstances, and her song, in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. So, let's jump into this event from history together, beginning in Luke 1:26-27:

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

Luke brings us into this section of his account of Jesus life by telling us that God sent the angel Gabriel to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, which was a small, rural town, located about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in order to deliver a message from God to a woman named Mary, who was a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. Mary was basically a Junior High age virgin who was engaged to be married to a slightly older teenager named Joseph, who Luke tells us was of the descendants of David.

That Joseph was a descendant of David was significant because God had promised the Jewish nations most famous king, King David, that one of his descendants would be the Messiah. So the Jewish people were looking for the descendant of Abraham, from the line of David that would be the promised Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to God and back to prominence in the world. And Joseph was a descendant of Abraham from the line of David. Luke then gives us a front row seat as this story unfolds, beginning in Luke 1:28:

 And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

In other words, Gabriel basically said to Mary: “Rejoice Mary, for God is with you and is going to extend grace to you in a way that will transform your life”. We see Mary’s response to this greeting in verse 29:

  But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

When Luke states that Mary was perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was, he is revealing for us the reality that Mary was confused and was trying to process what this amazing greeting from this supernatural being meant. But not only was Mary confused; not only was Mary considering the significance of the angel Gabriel’s statement. There was something else going on in Mary, which we see revealed in verse 30a:

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary;

To which Mary was probably thinking “that’s easy for you to say. You see, the reason why the Angel Gabriel said “do not be afraid” is because Mary was afraid. Luke then reveals the message that the Angel Gabriel delivered from the Lord to Mary in verse 30b-33:

 for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

Now God’s message to Mary, if it was communicated in the language that we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Mary, the reason that you have nothing to be afraid of is because God is with you and is going to extend grace to you. God is going to reveal His transformational intervention and activity in your life in a miraculous way. You see, Mary you are going to have a child; and this child is not just any child. You are going to have a son and you are to name him Jesus, or Yahweh saves. And the reason that you are to name Him Jesus is because He is God in a bod. God is coming to the earth through you as the Lord God is sending His Son Jesus, who is God, to take on flesh and fulfill the promise that He had made to bring the Jewish people back to Him. The son that you will give birth to will rule and reign as He reveals and establishes the kingdom of Heaven for all eternity".

Now imagine yourself as Mary. Out of the blue, an angel of the Lord shows up to tell you that you are going to become pregnant and give birth to God: What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling at that point? How would you respond?

Tomorrow, we will see how Mary responded…

We need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because His future return should influence how we live in the present...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of 2 Peter, where we have discovered the timeless truth that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return. In 2 Peter 3:1-18, we see Peter reveal for us three different reasons why we need to be reminded of Jesus return. So far this week, we have discovered that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because there will be those who ridicule our belief in His return. We have also discovered that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time. Today, we will see Peter reveal a third reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in 2 Peter 3:11-18:

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, ¹⁵ and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

In verses 11-12 we see Peter ask a rhetorical question to the readers of his letter and followers of Jesus throughout history. Now the reason why this question is rhetorical is due to the fact that the answer to this question should be obvious for anyone to see. Peter’s rhetorical question, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this:

“If the selfishness and rebellion of humanity that has corrupted the earth will be destroyed as a result of the burning judgment of God upon Jesus return, then how should we live out our lives here on earth? Should we not live our lives in a way that is dedicated and set apart to God and that is obedient to God so as to look more like Jesus in our character and conduct? Should we not live our lives in a way that our perspective is informed by the reality of Jesus return? Should we not live out our lives in a way that exerts a special effort to engage in God’s kingdom mission here on earth so as to be used by God to bring as many people as possible to Jesus before He returns? Because when Jesus returns, His return will result in the dissolving of the universe and the destruction of the elements of the universe as He brings God’s right and just response to the selfishness and rebellion of humanity that has corrupted humanity and the universe."

However, as Peter points out in verse 13, followers of Jesus will experience the fullness of God’s promise of being a part of God’s kingdom community as a result of Jesus ushering in the kingdom of Heaven upon His return by bringing forth a new heavens and a new earth that is free from selfishness, sin, and death. Upon Jesus return, Jesus will usher in the kingdom of Heaven in its fullest sense; a kingdom in which followers of Jesus will dwell with Jesus in the fullness of the right relationship with God that we were created for.

And because of the reality of God’s promise of Jesus return, in verse 14 Peter commands followers of Jesus throughout history to be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless. In other words, Peter is commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to be eager to live their lives in such a way that, when Jesus returns, He will judge their lives to have been lived in a state of well being with God that is untainted in character and blameless in behavior.

In addition, Peter commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. But what does that mean? Peter’s point here is that followers of Jesus are to consider Jesus ability to bear up under the provocation of our selfishness and rebellion as providing us the opportunity to experience God’s favor so as to be rescued from our selfishness and rebellion.

Think of it this way: I became a follower of Jesus in 1991. But what if Jesus had returned in 1990? If Jesus had returned in 1990, I would have been eternally separated from God as a result of my selfishness and rebellion.  However, it was Jesus willingness to endure my rebellion that provided me the opportunity to be rescued from my rebellion. Peter’s point is that, as followers of Jesus, when we become frustrated that Jesus has not returned yet, we should keep in mind that every day that Jesus does not return is a day that provides an opportunity for someone to be rescued and experience a relationship with Jesus.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the third reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because His future return should influence how we live in the present. As followers of Jesus, Jesus return should influence us to live in a way that is set apart to God and that is obedient to God. As followers of Jesus, Jesus return should influence us to live in a way that reveals and reflects Jesus to others. As followers of Jesus, Jesus return should influence us to live with a perspective that produces special effort toward the mission we have been given by Jesus. This perspective recognizes that this earthly existence is temporary. And this perspective recognizes an eternal home where rightness resides.

And as followers of Jesus, Jesus return should influence us to live in a way that meets His right standards. Living in a way that meets Jesus high standards will result in a state of well being with God. Living in a way that meets Jesus high standards will result in an untainted character. Living in a way that meets Jesus high standards will result in us being blameless before God. And living in a way that meets Jesus high standards will result in us trusting in His promise in a way that provides us salvation.

We see Peter point to this reality in the second half of verse 15 by pointing the readers of his letter and followers of Jesus to the Apostle Paul. Peter explained to followers of Jesus throughout history, that this salvation was exactly what Paul also wrote about according to the wisdom given Him by God. However, what I find especially encouraging is what Peter says in verse 16: “as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand,” You see, I find this encouraging because if Peter found some of the things that Paul wrote hard to understand, then it is okay for us to find some of what Paul wrote hard to understand.

However, Peter warns the readers of his letter throughout history that those who are ignorant of God or who are unstable when it comes to a relationship with God will distort and twist Paul’s words to meet their own selfish desires. But did you notice how Peter referred to Paul’s letters here? Peter referred to Paul’s letters as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. When Peter here refers to the Scripture, this word was used to describe the letters that make up the Old Testament of our Bibles today.

You see, Paul’s letters carried equal weight and authority with the Old Testament in Peter’s eyes. In addition, unlike what many like to say about how the letters that make up the New Testament were preserved and collected, Peter here reveals for us the reality that many of the letters that make up what we know to be the New Testament were being copied and circulated and bound together as having the same weight and authority as the Old Testament. By the middle of the second century, the vast majority of the letters that make up what we know as the New Testament were viewed as being inspired by God and were being kept together in collections. The Council of Carthage, which occurred in 397, merely approved what was already an accomplished fact generally accepted by the early church for a long period of time.

And because of that reality, in verse 17-18, Peter commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to be careful to not be carried away by the twisted truth of false teachers. Peter commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to be careful not to be carried away from our commitment to the truth by false teachers. Instead, Peter commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus, so that God would receive the honor and prestige that He is worthy of for all eternity.

Because, as we have discovered this week, we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return. We need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because there will be those who ridicule our belief in His return.  We need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time. And we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because His future return should influence how we live in the present.

So here is a question for us to consider: How are you responding to the reality of Jesus return? How are you responding to those who ridicule your belief in Jesus return? How is Jesus future return influencing how you are living out your day to day life as a follower of Jesus in the present? 

Because the timeless reality is that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return...

We need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of 2 Peter. Yesterday, we saw Peter provide for us a timeless warning that reveals for us a timeless reminder about Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus that we are to always have at the forefront of our lives in that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return. And in 2 Peter 3:1-18, we see Peter reveal for us three different reasons why we need to be reminded of Jesus return.

Yesterday Peter revealed for us the reality that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because there will be those who ridicule our belief in His return. The timeless reality is that Jesus return has been promised and proclaimed throughout history. Jesus return was proclaimed by the prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus return was proclaimed by Jesus and the Apostles in the New Testament.

And the timeless reality is that Jesus return has been ridiculed throughout history. Those who ridicule Jesus return are driven by a desire for what has been forbidden by Jesus. Those who ridicule Jesus return are driven by a belief that everything has remained the same since His death. They are driven by the belief that Jesus is not returning because the world continues to spin since the beginning of time, which reinforces their belief that God does not intervene in history to judge humanity.

However, those who ridicule Jesus return forget that God does intervene in history. They forget that God intervened in the creation of the universe. They forget that God intervened in the flood to judge humanity. And they forget that God has promised to intervene to rightly judge those who leave God out and live as though He does not exist. Peter then reveals a second reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in 2 Peter 3:8-10:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Now if you grew up in church, or spent any time in church, you are probably at least somewhat familiar with these verses. However, these verses are some of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in the entire Bible. These verses are often misunderstood and misapplied for two reasons.

The first reason involves the word you that is used in verses 8 and 9. The word you here is plural, not singular. This verse involves a specific promise that is made for all followers of Jesus throughout history. So this verse is not about an individual promise that is made to Dave by God; this verse is about a corporate promise that is made for all followers of Jesus.

The second reason why this verse is often misunderstood and misapplied has to do with the promise itself. You see, Peter has a specific promise in mind. Peter is responding to those in verse 4 who were mockingly asking “Where is the promise of His coming?”  Peter here is addressing the specific promise of Jesus return and those who were ridiculing and deriding followers of Jesus for believing that Jesus would return. Peter here is not addressing any other promise that is made by God in the Bible.

Peter’s statement, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Make sure you do not forget that the Lord exists outside of space and time and is not bound by time. Make sure that you do not forget that the Lord who made this promise does not hold back in hesitation when it comes to keeping His promise. Instead, make sure that you take into consideration the reality that the Lord bears up under the provocation of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity against Him because He desires that humanity would change the trajectory of their lives that are moving away from Him because they have chosen to leave God out and live as though He does not exist back to God so that they could experience the forgiveness of sin and the relationship with Him that you have experienced through Jesus."

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the second reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time. The timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because God exists outside space and time. God looks at space and time like I am looking at this table. The timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because God has a different perspective. God does not hesitate when it comes to whether He will keep His promise. Instead, God bears up under our rebellion to give all the opportunity to turn to Him.

And the timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because, as Peter points out in verse 10, God will move with great suddenness and force when Jesus returns. Peter uses the word picture of a thief breaking into a home to reveal the reality that Jesus return will be unexpected and sudden in nature. Peter then pains a second word picture, this time of the roar of a lion, to reveal the reality that Jesus return will come with great force.

Jesus return will result in the dissolving of the universe. Jesus return will result in the destruction of the elements of the universe. And Jesus return will result in humanity being exposed to God's right and just judgment. When Peter uses the phrase, the earth and its works, this phrase refers to the actions produced on the earth by humanity that lives on the earth. Peter’s point is that the selfishness and rebellion of humanity that has corrupted the earth and the earth will be destroyed as a result of the burning judgment of God upon Jesus return.

Friday, we will see Peter reveal a third reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return...