Christ ChurchChrist the Nazarene (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #43) (Kings Cross Church)
INTRODUCTION
As we have seen throughout out study of the Book of Acts, Jesus is pleased to build His kingdom through the adventures of controversy, mobs, near escapes, false accusations, beatings, and trials.
Our duty is to be faithful to Christ. There are certainly wisdom calls along the way, but faith sees Christ ruling and reigning over history and then obeys even when the path is through the storm. He rules the wind and the waves, and He turns the hearts of kings. Christ is the Nazarene – the Nazirite, the devoted servant of God, our Judge and the Governor of all Time.
The Text: “And he wrote a letter after this manner: Cladius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting…” (Acts 23:25-35)
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
Remember, a plot to murder Paul was just uncovered and Claudius Lysias has ordered an armed escort of 270 soldiers to take Paul in the middle of the night to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-24). This letter accompanies Paul to the governor, explaining the plot (Acts 23:25-27). Claudius Lysias claims to have rescued Paul since he was a Roman citizen (Acts 23:27), neglecting to mention that he had initially commanded him to be scourged without a hearing (Acts 22:24). Claudius Lysias explained the Jewish council, his judgment, the plot, and his invitation to Paul’s accusers to present their case before Governor Felix (Acts 23:28-30). Having arrived and reading the letter, Felix agreed to hear the case when Paul’s accusers arrived (Acts 23:31-35).
Five days later, the Jews arrived with their lawyer Tertullus to present their case (Acts 24:1). Tertullus is a Roman-trained lawyer and layers the flattery thick, crediting Felix with “great peace” and “worthy deeds” and “providence” and “kindness” (Acts 24:2-4), despite the fact that extrabiblical sources indicate his harsh suppression of the Jews. Tertullus accused Paul of being a “plague,” involved in sedition among the Jews, and a ringleader of a sect of “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Like Claudius Lysias, Tertullus spins the story of Paul’s arrest, claiming that they were only in the process of following their Jewish law, when Lysias seized Paul “violently,” which Felix can confirm if he asks the Jews himself, and the Jews all agreed (Acts 24:6-9).
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Despite manifest corruptions and paganism in the Roman system, there was nevertheless a semblance of biblical justice: a fair trial required the presence of both the accused and accusers, multiple witnesses, evidence, testimony and cross examination of both sides. “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Dt. 19:15). “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Prov. 18:17).
Related, is the biblical requirement of “equal weights and measures” “Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” (Dt. 25:13-15, cf. Lev. 19:35-36). This applies formally in a court of law, but it also applies informally in how we work out disagreements. God requires His people to treat one another the way they want to be treated and prohibits all spin, lies, flattery, and lynch mobs, whether in person, voice, text, or online. Biblical principles of justice also err on the side of mercy.
NAZARENES AND NAZIRITES
While Tertullus supplies no evidence, his central accusation against Paul is that he is a leader of a cult called the Nazarenes (Acts 24:5). There’s always been a fair bit of discussion and confusion over this title “Nazarene,” first appearing in Matthew’s gospel, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Mt. 2:23). The trouble is that there is no verse in the Old Testament that says that exactly. Some take it as something of a pun on the description of the Messiah “branch” [netser] (Is. 11:1), which Child was associated with the northern region of Galilee (Is. 9:1-2) where Nazareth was located.
Others suggest some connection with the Old Testament Nazirite vow (Num. 6, cf. Num. 13), in which a man was “separated” to lifelong or temporary priestly service to the Lord (e.g. Samson). And Paul was sponsoring Nazirite vows in the temple when the riot broke out (Acts 21:24, cf. 18:18). Perhaps the city of Nazareth in Galilee was named after this office and the Messianic themes, blending both into the associations of “Nazarene.”
It is also likely that there were thousand year animosities and rivalries at work: remember the northern and southern kingdoms divided after Solomon’s death and there was periodic civil war until the northern kingdom was conquered in 722 B.C. The Samaritans were syncretistic Jews from the northern kingdom (2 Kgs. 17:27ff). And by the first century, Galilee was a bustling marketplace of trade and productivity with ongoing antagonisms with the wealthy priestly classes associated with the temple in the southern region of Judea. In other words, “sect of the Nazarenes” was probably something of an ethnic and/or political slur. This likely played some part in the blindness of their persecution.
APPLICATIONS
Flattery is a form of lying malice, clothed in a veneer of kindness, either avoiding a topic that needs to be addressed or else trying to get something from them. It is double-minded or what we call ulterior motives (Prov. 12:2). “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin” (Prov. 26:28). Flattery can be a justification for real evil. But Paul was careful not to use flattery in his presentation of the gospel (1 Thess. 2:5).
When “providence” is assumed to be the prerogative of man, the only recourse is human manipulation, flattery, lawfare, and various forms of tribalism and animosity. And all of this is only intensified when real and perceived harm has been done. “They” and “we” and “friend/enemy” distinctions quickly become polarizing and weaponized. But Jesus is the Lord of history – the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End – and He was guiding this story in order for Paul to preach the gospel, even in the midst of the machinations of unbelievers. And the same thing is still true for us today. Christ is the true Chief Captain, our Great Nazarene. So tell the truth, do justice, and love mercy.
Beholding the Glory (Advent #4) (King’s Cross Church)
INTRODUCTION
As the Church has meditated on the nature of knowing God, we have come to summarize this pursuit as the three transcendentals: truth, goodness, and beauty. You might think of these as truth is what we are to believe, goodness is what we are to desire, and beauty is what we are to enjoy. And the idea is that these three are interconnected: what is true is also good and beautiful; what is good is also true and beautiful; and what is beautiful is also true and good.
This text is one place we see something of this notion: in Christmas we have the truth, goodness (grace), and beauty (glory) of God fully revealed. The first two are often emphasized, but frequently we don’t know what to do with beauty. Many Christians have been particularly leery of beauty. Beauty seems to be deceptive. It can trick people into sin, like the fruit in the garden, like a seductress. While that is true, truth and goodness have their own deceptions, and God created world full of His glory and beauty and requires us to grow up into it. And Christmas is one time during the year, we get to practice.
THE TEXT
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
This verse is talking about the incarnation; “incarnation” means “made flesh.” The word for “Word” is logos, and logos was the Greek word for “order, meaning, word, or reason.” Aristotle used it to describe the content or principal argument of a speech, and other philosophers used it to describe the principle of origins, the “seed” of the universe. John famously opens his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1). John says that this Word created all things, echoing some of the philosophers, but when he says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, he is exploding philosophical categories.
In the ancient world, the logos was distant, abstract, and impersonal, but the gospel says that the principle of all order and reason and meaning and creation is God with us, God made flesh, and not only that, but a particular man, in particular flesh. The universal has become particular and personal. And He has dwelt or literally, pitched his tent (“tabernacled”), with us. And in so doing, He revealed the glory of the Father to us. As the hymn says, “veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity!” But the emphasis really must be on the “see” not the “veiled.” This text says that the incarnation is the perfect revelation of the glory of the Father, and Jesus will insist on this later: “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (Jn. 14:9)
And in the incarnation, the gospel says that we have seen a glory that is full of grace and truth. The glory of God is not a distraction from grace and truth; it is the revelation of grace and truth. In other words, truth and goodness are beautiful and glorious. And truth and goodness that are not beautiful are not really fully true or good. Sometimes this is because our truth and goodness are faulty, and sometimes this is because our eyes and tastes are faulty, and sometimes it’s a little of both.
WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS CARE ABOUT BEAUTY?
1. Because God is beautiful: “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (Jn. 1:14). “And [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory” (Ex. 33:18). “Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory” (Ps. 24:10). “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Ps. 27:4).
2. Because God loves beauty: “And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (Ex. 28:2). “And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim” (2 Chron. 3:6). “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth forever” (2 Chron. 20:21). “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2). “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Eccl. 3:11). “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3).
3. Because God intends for His people to share in His beauty: “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it” (Ps. 90:17). “The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head” (Prov. 20:29). “In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people” (Is. 28:5). “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified” (Is. 61:3)
APPLICATIONS
1. Because God is the most beautiful and the source of all beauty, pursue beauty with holiness. This is part of what Christmas is supposed to remind us to do: lights, candles, carols, wreathes, the Christmas story, bows, cookies, presents, new clothes, family, generosity, and feasting. But make sure your heart and words match the glory. Nasty words and attitudes are like puking on the presents. Understood rightly, beauty helps us honor God and one another.
2. Read and listen to great stories and some poetry and symphonies. Beauty is about fittingness/timing. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Prov. 25:11). Of course the Bible is our great Epic poem, but find stories to read out loud: Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, John Buchan, ND Wilson, Wodehouse, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and listen to Handel’s Messiah a few times.
3. Delight in God’s creation: when Job wanted to know God, God came in the storm of His glory and showed him the glories of creation. There’s a tree in your living room full of light. And that’s to remind you that there are trees and lights everywhere constantly: stars overhead at night, sunsets and sunrises with clouds dancing in the light, fields, water, canyons, animals, colors, smells, tastes, sounds, textures, children, spouses, friends, grandparents. God made this world to meet us in it, to draw our eyes to Him. And then just to prove it, He came down and dwelt among us and took away our sin and conquered death and Satan, so that we might behold and enjoy His beauty forever.
The Justice and Faith of Joseph (Advent #3) (King’s Cross Church)
INTRODUCTION
Our culture has descended into such sexual debauchery, it is sometimes difficult for us to understand the intense trial that Joseph faced in the unexpected pregnancy of his betrothed wife. It was a scandalous betrayal with potentially massive repercussions for his reputation and livelihood, but like his ancient namesake, he was patient and judicious, and God blessed him immensely, leaving us a faithful example to follow.
The Text: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost…” (Mt. 1:18-25).
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
Betrothal was a legally binding contract in the ancient world that required a divorce to break, but it was still prior to the marriage consummation. So when Mary was found pregnant, Joseph, being a just man, determined to divorce Mary but to do so quietly in order to minimize her punishment and shame (Mt. 1:18-19). It was while he was carefully contemplating this action that the angel of the Lord appeared to him and informed him that Mary’s story was true, and the son she was carrying was the Messiah, to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah (Mt. 1:20-23). So, at great risk to his own livelihood and reputation, Joseph obeyed the Lord and went through with the marriage, but did not consummate the marriage until after she had given birth, and indicated his wholehearted, obedient faith by naming his adopted son Jesus (Mt. 1:24-25).
THE LAW OF BETROTHED VIRGINS
In the law, it was required that a woman present herself honestly to a potential husband, and if she was presented as a virgin, but later found to have not been, her husband was free to divorce her and she could be liable to the death penalty (Dt. 24:1, 22:20-21). This is because marriage is the building block of all human society: if there is not honesty and loyalty there, you will not have it anywhere. This is why adultery also carried a possible death penalty, as might a betrothed woman sleeping with another man, if she did not “cry out” to indicate her unwillingness (Dt. 22:23).
In this case, Scripture says that Joseph was a “just man,” which means that he was aware of the law of God and committed to obeying it. When Mary came to him pregnant, perhaps trying to explain that it wasn’t what it looked like, Joseph would likely have believed that Mary had in fact slept with another man. By being inclined to divorce Mary quietly, he was choosing the minimum penalty, not charging her publicly with the crime that it appeared she had committed. While it doesn’t appear that the Jews were ordinarily allowed to enforce death penalties under Roman rule (Jn. 18:31, although Acts 7), there would at least have been severe social and religious repercussions, affecting livelihoods (e.g. Dt. 22:21, Jn. 8).
WHILE HE THOUGHT ON THESE THINGS
The justice of Joseph is also illustrated in his immediate response to these things. He is thoughtful and gracious to a woman who has apparently betrayed him and brought massive scandal upon him. In the ancient world, a betrothal was a legally binding contract because there was often a great deal of business that needed to be completed as part of a marriage: lands or houses sold or purchased, major vocational and economic matters settled, etc.
It’s likely that Joseph was not only tempted to be broken hearted, but he may have been in a position to lose a lot financially and vocationally. And if he only divorced her quietly, without publicly charging her with adultery, then he would have still taken a loss. In the face of a massive disappointment, crisis, and potential public scandal, Joseph was thoughtful (Mt. 1:20). He didn’t fly off the handle or blow up. He didn’t make a snap or rash decision.
You might be wondering why he wasn’t considering just marrying Mary. It’s likely that wasn’t a good option because A. He had no idea who the father was and what kind of scandal or trouble that would bring and B. If it was obvious that the baby wasn’t his, it could appear to some that he had actually prostituted his wife, potentially bringing even more shame and scandal on both of them and their families and their people.
While he thought on these things, inclined to divorce his “adulterous” betrothed wife quietly, he received a word from the angel of the Lord in a dream (Mt. 1:20). And the word he received was not exactly the kind of word that made everything better. It certainly exonerated Mary from any crime, but all the same potential scandal and reputational matters remained. It wasn’t exactly a story that would be helpful to most people, at least initially. Which is why the angel’s primary command is: “fear not.” The assignment was not really easier, but it was clear.
APPLICATIONS
God does not ordinarily send messages by angels in dreams. But notice that if He does, He will speak clearly. God does not “chirp and mutter” like pagan wizards (Is. 8:19). “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Is. 8:20). And Jesus is a greater Word than all the angels (Heb. 1). The Word of God is a lamp for our feet and light to our path. The law of God tells us what to do.
Joseph was a just man, and a model for this obedience. In a world blown about by suspicions, accusations, manipulation, hurt, rage, and real betrayal, imitate the thoughtful obedience of Joseph. The assignment may not be easy, but Scripture is clear. Be patient, kind, forgiving, and just. Be faithful to your marriage vows; honor the marriage bed; love purity. And if something immoral has happened, “cry out” (Dt. 22:23-27).
The First Christmas was a real scandal, a trial, a massive interruption in the plans of Joseph and Mary. It wasn’t like anyone expected, and it did not come like a gentle sunrise. It came more like a storm. We face interruptions and major disappointments too. And the temptations to anger and fear are significant. But those are the responses of idolatry. They assume that God is not in control, and they assume that your anger and fear are up to the challenge. But you are a lousy god, and your anger and fear only make things worse. When you are tempted in these ways, consider praying the Lord’s Prayer: meditate on the fact that you have a faithful Father in Heaven: honor Him and His Kingdom and His will and His provision and His grace.
And you can do this because Jesus was born to save His people from their sins.
Barrenness and the Virgin Birth (Advent #2) (King’s Cross Church)
INTRODUCTION
One of the central historical facts surrounding the birth of Christ is the virgin birth. Isaiah foretold this (Is. 7:14, Mt. 1:23). And Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and apart from the ordinary contribution of a man.
But when this was first announced to Mary, the angel also highlighted the conception of her cousin Elisabeth, who was called barren. This indicates that the virgin birth is in part the culmination of the theme of barrenness and its healing found in the Old Testament.
The Text: “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee…” (Lk. 1:34-38).
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
Having announced that Mary will conceive and bear a son named Jesus, and that He will be the Messiah who will reign on the throne of David forever, Mary askes how this is even possible since she is a virgin (Lk. 1:31-34). The angel says this will happen by the Spirit overshadowing her, since this son will be called the Son of God (Lk. 1:35). The angel also announces that Mary’s elderly cousin Elisabeth is six months pregnant with a son, even though she was well known as barren, proving that with God nothing will be impossible (Lk. 1:36-37). And Mary accepted the assignment from the Lord in obedience to His word (Lk. 1:38).
BARREN WOMBS (AND GROUND)
Barrenness is a theme that goes back to the entrance of sin into the world and the curses pronounced in the Garden: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children… And unto Adam he said… cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee…” (Gen. 3:16-18)
Here we learn that the curse of sin will affect the fruitfulness of the woman’s womb and the ground. And the two things go together: barrenness is complete inability or great difficulty in bearing fruit (Ex. 23:26, Dt. 7:14, 2 Kgs. 2:19-21, Ps. 107:34). And barrenness becomes a common trial in the story of Scripture, beginning with all three patriarchs: Sarah was barren (Gen. 11:30), Rebekah was barren (Gen. 25:21), and Rachel was barren (Gen. 29:31). But also the wife of Manoah was barren (Jdg. 13:2), Ruth was apparently barren (Ruth 1:4), and Hannah was barren (1 Sam. 1:2), culminating with Elisabeth (Lk. 1:7).
But the stories illustrate at least two things. First, the pain and helplessness of barrenness: “There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough” (Prov. 30:15-16). Barrenness is like a festering wound, a constant ache. But second, in every one of these stories, the helpless emptiness is repeatedly interrupted by the joy of God’s provision: “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord” (Ps. 113:9, cf. 1 Sam. 2:5).
THE BARRENNESS OF SIN
All of this is one of the signs of the barrenness of sin and the fruitfulness of salvation. Sin makes everything fruitless and impossible, and we are powerless to change it. And yet the Prophet Isaiah announced in the midst of Jerusalem’s shameful destruction and powerless exile: “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord” (Is. 54:1). The prophet instructs those afflicted with the barrenness of sin to fix their eyes on God and break forth with singing, believing that He will make them fruitful.
A little later, the same prophet foretells the salvation of Israel in terms of the barren giving birth: “Shall I bring to birth, and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? Saith thy God… For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream…” (Is. 66:9, 12). Like a river suddenly flowing in a desert, the virgin birth is the answer to all our barrenness.
APPLICATIONS
1. As you celebrate Christmas, remember that you are celebrating God breaking into history in order to do what is impossible. The hardest thing, the most impossible thing is reconciling defiant sinners to a holy God. But we often get this backwards in our hearts and minds: we think the barrenness in our material lives is the impossible thing but God just forgives sinners easy-peasy. But it’s actually the other way around: healing is relatively easy, but our sin, our spiritual death and barrenness is the impossible thing.
Justice required the wrath of God to be poured out on a perfect man, but there was no man who was perfect and no man who could survive the wrath of God. Think about that: the impossibility of our salvation. But what was completely impossible for us, God has done for us in His own well-beloved Son. The justice due for our sin was the most impossible thing, and therefore, with God now all things are possible. God can and will make everything fruitful. He is for you.
2. Barrenness is a curse, not a lifestyle choice. We reject all voluntary barrenness, even as we sometimes must accept it from the Lord. At the same time, remember the apostolic injunction to “mind thine own business.” Don’t be nosy, and don’t assume the worst. This can apply to marriage, bearing children, and other personal matters.
Also closely related, remember that fruitfulness is to be defined biblically not materialistically. Eight kids that are poorly cared for and hate Jesus is not more fruitful than three kids well-loved and walking in the Light. And sometimes the hard assignment of fruitfulness is no kids and loving your community well, and sometimes there are seasons of different assignments. And we must learn to say, “Let it be according to Thy word.”
3. Finally, singing is required. Right after this scene in Luke’s gospel, Mary visits Elisabeth and breaks into song: “My soul magnifies the Lord!” She is of course singing because she has seen the reversal of the curse. But Isaiah urged the Jews to sing while they were still in exile, while they were still experiencing the effects of the curse because God will surely make all things new. Whether now in this life, or in the life to come, He will wipe away every tear, and He will make everything fruitful. So you must sing, which is to say, you must rejoice. In the midst of pain and suffering and disappointment, sing louder in faith.
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