Tag: listening

He Will Be Great

dscn0446Luke 1:29-33

But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name 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. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (HCSB).

Mary was afraid. She was afraid because of the sudden appearance of one of God’s angels to her and greatly troubled at his message. We easily picture Mary confident and serene after the birth of Jesus. It is difficult for us to see Mary, the very young woman, in an unexpected meeting with a mighty angel from the spiritual realm that we humans cannot presently see. If we think about why she was troubled by his greeting, we might be more perplexed, since it was a greeting of joy and hope. Perhaps, it was because Mary was a very humble person, not looking or longing for greatness. In an instant, God had boldly entered her life, and it would never be the same. That would bring a modest young woman many troubled thoughts.

Observe how Gabriel spoke to calm her. He repeated the truth that God had shown favor to her. This was good news, not something to trouble her. Many a pastor has experienced how tender hearts are troubled about things that ought to make them rejoice. We seem to have a way of imagining difficulties for ourselves. A calm repetition of the truth is the best remedy. We need time to process God’s words to us.

Gabriel moved on with the message God had sent him to deliver. Now listen. He directed Mary to pay attention to God’s word to her. God’s people are to be self-controlled, in charge of our hearts, ready to listen to what the Lord tells us. When you open your Bible, whether privately, with your family, or in public worship, are you prepared to listen? Banish lesser thoughts, rise above your troubles, and listen. To listen is one of the hardest things to do in our time, because we have heard much advertising and stories presented in high-tech bright, flashing array. It is very difficult to listen attentively to God’s word. Mary needed to listen, and so do we.

What did Mary need to hear?

  • She needed to listen to her part in the story of God’s glory. She, though a virgin, would conceive and give birth to a son. Mary grasped that part of the message right away, as her follow-up question shows (Luke 1:34). To have God with her would not mean that she would become a mighty leader, but a mother. God would have to enable that outcome. She would also name her son, but she must give him the name that God had chosen: Jesus, the Lord is salvation.
  • She needed to hear the identity of her son. He would not simply be “the son of Mary”, though that would be true. He would also be the Son of the Most High. It took Jesus three years of careful teaching to explain this to the apostles; therefore, it is very unlikely that Mary grasped its significance right away. Here is the mystery of the incarnate Christ. He is truly God and truly human at the same time. Let us worship when we cannot understand.
  • She needed to listen to the destiny of her Son. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. Jesus was destined to sit on David’s throne. A prophecy made to David over a thousand years before Mary was about to happen. The promised King of God’s people was about to arrive. A reading of the Four Gospels will show that Jesus talked about the kingdom, which was God’s kingdom and his kingdom, throughout his earthly ministry. He would receive the throne by a grant from the Sovereign Lord himself. God’s word had not failed, though the people had been kingless for nearly six hundred years.

Today, we look for the second coming of the King. This Christmas, as you look at lights, sing songs, open presents, and enjoy your family and friends, remember to fix your thoughts on King Jesus. We are celebrating the birthday of the King, and we must bow in worship before him.

Grace and peace, David

Stubborn Attitude

IMG_10122 Chronicles 16:11-14

None of us likes to admit that we are wrong. It seems that the worst flaw a person can have in the minds of many is to admit that he or she sinned, failed, had wrong ideas, or made erroneous decisions. “You changed your views!” is the damning indictment to such people. Consistency, even it means driving over a cliff, is the applauded way of action. Such an opinion is foolish and very destructive. The infinite God and his word are unchangeable. People must be ready to amend their opinions and actions to conform to the truth, though we might be ashamed to confess, “I sinned. I was wrong.” Stubbornness is not a virtue.

Asa was stubborn. He refused to change his mind and confess his sin when the Lord sent his prophet to rebuke the king. This brought suffering to God’s people. It also brought personal tragedy to King Asa. Even a severe disease could not induce him to change his mind.

It might surprise us how quickly a person can turn from a life of faith to rebellion against the living God. Part of the problem stems from this: We imagine that sin is a little matter and can be played with. But sin and unbelief are very destructive. His unbelief was not a trifle. His anger (16:10) ripped apart his teachable spirit. James later wrote: My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness (James 1:19-20 HCSB). You and I must be willing to receive rebuke and correction. It can be unpleasant, but to act in anger gives Satan opportunities. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV)

In his stubbornness, Asa refused to seek help from the Lord in his illness. His problem was not consulting medical doctors. The Bible nowhere condemns that, but rather encourages us to seek God’s good gifts in medicine. His problem was that he would not pray to the Lord for mercy. Asa became set in his ways. Why not humble himself before the Lord? His stubborn heart had launched into other sins, like pride and unbelief. His life ended in this sad way.

Yet Asa received public honor. Asa was remembered by his people, not for his sins, but for the many good things he accomplished. While we ought to learn from the sins and errors of others, we must have a generous attitude toward others. Every person, even the most committed follower of Jesus Christ, has been ruined in some way by the evil of sin. We must be able to look at others and appreciate God’s work of grace in them. It can be easier to notice their sins than their graces, especially when their particular set of sins clashes with our desires. Remember that love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5). It is right to give honor to whom honor is due, even if he or she lacks perfection.

However, we can sorrow over what King Asa could have accomplished, if he had lived continually by faith (cf. 16:7). His own lack of faith caused him to lose an opportunity to lead God’s people in a fresh adventure of faith. He could have set an example by humbling himself before the Lord when the prophet rebuked him. How much Israel and Judah might have profited if Asa had zealously sought the Lord.

Don’t waste your life—even a part of it!

Grace and peace, David

Life Changer

IMG_0524Micah 1:1-3

We all know of many events that change people’s lives: learning to walk and to talk, going to school, graduating from high school and college, getting a job, losing that job, finding a new job, getting married, having children, and many more. Most of these happen to most people. Once we experience a life changer, our lives are forever altered. We might assume we’re the same person, but the life changer modifies us and our view of life in various ways. When people in our culture contemplate life changing events, it is usually from a very individualistic angle. They start from themselves and work outward, perhaps including other people of significance to them in their deliberations. It is rare to think of God at such times.

Perhaps, it is even rarer to think of God as the Life Changer, to see him in all the events of our lives, including the ones we think are common and the ones that disrupt our lives. What? Would God disrupt our lives? Would he disrupt them without asking our permission? Yes, my friends, he does step into the course of our lives to alter them. This is what happened to Micah one day. We do not know much about him. His message was more important than the man that delivered it. Why can I say that? Because the message he gave was the word of the Lord.

God used the message he communicated through Micah to change him and to be his instrument to change us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Micah tells us that the word of the Lord came to him over a number of years during the reigns of three kings of the kingdom of Judah. This would make him a contemporary of the prophets Hosea and Isaiah. This information tells us his place in the story of God’s glory in Jesus Christ. He proclaimed the Lord’s message around 750 years before the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Micah would be used to tell God’s people important information about the birth of Jesus the Messiah. But for now, think of his place in God’s story and that you and I who follow Jesus also have a place in the same story, since we are in Christ. Nearly two thousand years after the resurrection, God is using his word in and through us.

The message that came to Micah was in the form of a vision (cf. Hebrews 1:1). He saw God’s message displayed before him, so that he could tell it to all who read his words. He saw what God would do (1:3-7) and how he and others would respond to what the Lord would do (1:8-16). God’s word proclaims his actions. It tells people like us how he steps into our lives in judgment and salvation. It lets us know his explanation for his actions (for example, 1:5-7; 7:18). In his vision Micah saw what concerned Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Israel and Judah. The Lord God takes notice of what happens in the leading cities of the world, like Washington and London. Cities are gatherings of people and what they do is under God’s eyes.

God expects all people to listen to his message (1:2). God’s word speaks to us with his final authority. The word communicates the person, message, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Judge of all (John 5:21-30). Understand this clearly. God’s word is his living and active communication (Hebrews 4:12-13) that is final authority for what we believe and how we live (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In the Bible God gives a witness against people, which means that we have a problem! He tells us that he will act against anyone who does not listen to him, which means that you can complicate your problem dramatically. Yet the Lord tells us that there is a way of peace with him that is available for all who follow the Lord Jesus (5:4-5).

My friend, has the written word of God come to you with power, so that your way of life and your destiny is forever changed? Micah had his life altered by God’s word. How is the message concerning Jesus the Messiah changing you today?

Grace and peace, David