Christ Church

Herald of the Kingdom (CC Downtown)

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MATTHEW 3

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

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The Wise Men & the Nations (Advent #4) (Christ Church)

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INTRODUCTION

This part of the Christmas story is not a stand-alone story. In the narrative, we find a type of how all the rulers of this world will eventually come to kiss the Son.

THE TEXT

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. . . When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped

him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way” (Matt. 2:1-3, 9-12).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, certain wise men from the east appeared in Jerusalem (v. 1), and they were looking for Him (v. 2). The one they were looking for was King of the Jews because they had seen His star in the east, and intended to worship Him (v. 2). Herod heard about this and he was troubled, along with all Jerusalem (v. 3). After Herod gets some information from his rabbis, he deceitfully sends the wise men on their way. After they left Herod’s presence, the star they had seen back home led them to the right house in Bethlehem (v. 9). Seeing the star gave them great joy (v. 10). They came to the house (not the stable) where they saw the young Jesus along with Mary, His

mother (v. 11). From the age of the boys murdered by Herod, we can infer that the wise men arrived sometime within two years of Christ’s birth. They fell down and worshiped Him, and presented their famous and costly gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. We don’t know for a fact there were three wise men, this being simply an inference from these three gifts. God warned the wise men in a dream, and so they went home by another route (v. 12).

WE THREE KINGS

Now these men are not described as kings, but there are good reasons for treating them as members of the ruling aristocracy, as men who could decide to just go visit a king. First, in the Old Testament, this kind of person was frequently found at court (magi, wise men). Second, these men were dignitaries of sufficient rank to have their questions attract the attention of a king, and to be summoned to his court. Third, their gifts to the young Christ were kingly gifts—the kind of gift that kings would receive from princes. Fourth, the text draws attention to a comparison between their eagerness to worship Christ, and Herod’s false willingness to do so. Fifth, not only did God want the reader of Matthew to know that a king was born in Bethlehem, God wanted Herod to know that a king had been born there. And He wanted him to know it on the kind of authority that he would accept.

FORESHADOWING 

So what is this story doing here? The clear intent is to show us that Christ is a king, and He is the kind of king who receives legitimate worship from nobles. This is a proleptic story, meaning that it is prophetic. If the toddler Jesus receives this kind of honor, what will He receive later? He receives hostility at the beginning (from Herod) and He receives prostrate worship from Gentile noblemen at the beginning. This is an a fortiori situation, and so which one will win out?

HONOR AND GLORY

Paul says that God wants all kinds of men to saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). This “all kinds of” includes kings and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:2). In this matter, Paul practiced what he preached. It was part of his original commission. When God was reassuring Ananias about going to see Paul, God said, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Notice the inclusion of “and kings.” Whenever he had opportunity to present the gospel to kings and rulers, he would do so (Acts 26:28). Kings are told to kiss the Son, lest He be angry (Ps. 2:12). While we are to fear both God and the king (Prov. 24:21), the king is supposed to fear God particularly (Dt. 17:18).

But sin being what it is, this is not something that kings like to do. The gospel being as powerful as it is, however, means that the kings of the earth will in fact come. They all will bring their honor and glory into the Church (Rev. 21:24, 26). They do become nursing fathers to the Church (Is. 49:23), submitting themselves to the Church, and being discipled by the Church. That phrase “nursing fathers” can be misleading, making us think the Church is somehow subordinate to the State—which is actually the opposite of what the passage says. In the restoration of Israel’s fortunes that is the Church, what does it say?

“And kings shall be thy nursing fathers [lit. nourishers], and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” The leaves on the tree of life are for the healing of the nations, and they cannot be applied without the nations actually getting better (Rev. 22:2).

TRIBUTE AND AUTHORITY

There are two ways to give. One is an act of authority and the other is an act of submission. There are also two ways to receive—and not surprisingly, one is an act of authority and the other is an act of submission. Telling the two of them apart is perfectly clear for the humble, and opaque to the proud. Were the wise men placing Jesus and Mary in their debt with these very expensive gifts? Or were they showing their indebtedness? When our federal government today cuts a check, are they seeking to exercise authority or showing submission? This is not a hard question.

So this story right at the beginning of Christ’s life shows us the pattern that we should expect and require. Christ will not receive (and His Church must not think about receiving) any largesse whatever from the state unless it is accompanied by their prior prostration before Christ and true worship of Him. And to test the sincerity of it all, we should probably give it a minute. Like 500 years or so.

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The Justice and Faith of Joseph (Advent #3) (King’s Cross Church)

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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.

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The Line of Promise (Advent #1) (King’s Cross Church)

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INTRODUCTION

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, it is encouraging to look backwards and see the faithfulness of God over so many generations leading up to the birth of Christ. It is that same covenant faithfulness that is promised to everyone in Christ. God still promises to be our God and the God of our children after us, until the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

The Text: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…” (Mt. 1:1-17).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

When Matthew begins with the “book of the generation” (Mt. 1:1), this is a call back to one of the organizing structures of Genesis: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him…” (Gen. 5:1, cf. 2:4, 6:9, 10:1, etc.). The genealogies in Genesis 5 and Genesis 10-11 each record 10 generations: Adam to Noah and Shem to Abram, covering a little over 2000 years, tracing the promise of the “seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15).

Matthew picks up his genealogy at Abraham and the patriarchs (Mt. 1:2), but he highlights some of the surprises, beginning with the twins born to Tamar by her father in-law Judah (Mt. 1:3). Five generations later, Salmon begot Boaz by marrying the Canaanite prostitute Rahab from Jericho, and of course Boaz married Ruth the Moabitess, a cursed people (Mt. 1:4-5, Dt. 23:3). Boaz was the great-grandfather of King David, who begot Solomon by Bathsheba, who had been the wife of one David’s mighty men, Uriah the Hittite, murdered by David’s command (Mt. 1:6-7, 2 Sam. 23:39). There were fourteen generations of kings from David to Jeconiah, when Judah was conquered and carried into exile in Babylon (Mt. 1:7-11, 1:17). And there were another fourteen generations from Jeconiah to Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, the wife of Joseph (Mt. 1:12-16, cf. 1:17).

A MOTLEY CREW

Perhaps the first thing that stands out is how motley the line of promise is: incest, prostitution, intermarriage with a cursed nation, adultery, murder, slavery, homelessness, and pregnancy out of wedlock are all right on the surface. And that in turn implies all the other “normal” sins and failures of these descendants of Adam. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and this family tree is no different (Rom. 3:23).

But this is the line of promise, the line of the King. What a way to begin the gospel of the King. And so what it actually highlights is the mind-blowing grace of God. Athanasius says that when a great King enters a city it honors the whole city, and when God took on human flesh, He honored our pitiful race.

Notice also that while God works through a family line, there is nothing “pure” about it. As the New Testament labors to demonstrate, the line of promise is by faith not by flesh: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Rom. 4:13). It was not through the law, in the sense that it was not by families perfectly keeping the law or achieving greatness by human striving. Ishmael was a picture of human striving, but Isaac was the son of promise (Gal. 4:23, 28). Natural sons or not, the power is in the promise of God, not our family name or bloodline or accomplishments. And the motley nature of the line underlines this point.

You wouldn’t plan the salvation of the world with this family tree, but God did because of His grace.

AND YOU ARE HEIRS

But the other point of these genealogies is to underline God’s love for His people. When you read the genealogies, don’t just think “weird names I can’t pronounce.” Think people, families, children, stories that God loves and has promised to never forget. We carve the names of our loved ones on stone to signify that they were and are beloved and worth remembering, but even the greatest men will be forgotten like Ozymandias in the sands of time. But we serve the God who has sworn to never forget His people. He ordered the names of Israel engraved on precious stones on the breastplate of the High Priest (Ex. 28:9-12, 21). And He has written the names of all of His people in the Lamb’s Book of Life (e.g. Phil. 4:3, Rev. 3:5); they are even engraved on the palms of His hands (Is. 49:16).

He first made that promise in a Garden six thousand years ago to a heartbroken couple who had thrown all of God’s grace away. And that promise was kept to Abraham and his descendants over thousands of years, all the way down to a young virgin named Mary. But the promise was that the curse of sin and death would be completely undone, reversed, and healed. This is why we sing: “He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” God promised Abraham that through him, all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3). God did not send His own Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved (Jn. 3:17). All those who trust in Christ are sons and heirs of God: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29)

CONCLUSION

Honor your people, beginning with your own parents. If God can use this family tree to save the world, He can use your family tree. Abortion? Adultery? Abuse? Apostacy? Welcome to planet earth, and welcome to the family of Adam.

God created the natural family, and there is something good and glorious about it – even with the curse of sin, there are cathedral ruins that can be remembered and honored. And wherever Christ has come, the rebuilding and healing can begin.

And as you celebrate, remember that you are celebrating the birth of the King into your family, which it turns out is more like your family being reborn into the family of the King. By faith in Jesus Christ, you have been grafted into the line of promise. You are Abraham’s children. This family tree is now your family tree. Jesus Christ is the tree, and all who believe are fruitful branches in Him because He knows them all by name.

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The Third Beatitude (CC Troy)

Lindsey Gardner on

INTRODUCTION – JESUS, MEEK AND MILD

The words of Jesus provide a special blessing to the Christian. The black words on the page are no less the Word of God than the red ones, but there is a comfort and a special satisfaction to be had when listening to Jesus talk. He is like our anchor gripping the seabed, preventing us from being swept away. Of his many teachings, the beatitudes are the most beautiful in their simplicity, in their brevity, and their poignancy, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”

 

I. MEEKNESS IN THE INCARNATION

In most religions, the worshippers are earthbound and the deity exists on a different plane altogether. But Paul says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you.’” The apostle Peter roasted fish over a fire with Jesus. The centurion who understood authority, was able to demonstrate his confidence in the Lord face-to-face. And the demoniac looked Jesus in the eye during his exorcism.

The creator of the universe, the son of God who shared glory with the Father before the world existed, scandalously took on human flesh. In that moment his humiliation began. The incarnation is the greatest example of humility on record.

 

II. MEEKNESS IN HIS GENTLENESS

Jesus shows his meekness by being gentle with us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

First off, notice our relationship to Jesus. He is the teamster; we are the oxen. The yoke of control is on us and he is the one with the reins. Second, we are not trading a heavy burden for no burden. We are trading heavy for light. We know what the heavy burden is when he says, “…you will find rest for your souls.” A soul cannot be burdened with sacks of grain or produce from the market. A soul is burdened by sin and it weighs heavy on us.

 

III. MEEKNESS IN THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

The Lord shows his meekness through the triumphal entry. In nearly every James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, 007 is introduced by performing some daring feat or displaying his competence in a very suave manner. Sherlock Holmes’s first appearance in Arthur Conan Doyle’s “A Study in Scarlet” showcases his brilliant deductive abilities demonstrating his exceptional intellect. But the Lord, even from birth, being born in a manger, does not display himself like a peacock fanning his tail. It is not Jesus’s style. And since it is not his, we should not want it to be ours.

 

IV. MEEKNESS IN PERSECUTION

Jesus teaches us meekness by how he handles persecution. It is extremely difficult, to be confronted about sin, and in the first moment, confess it openly and seek forgiveness. We’re much more prone to dance around first before admitting we were wrong. But imagine how upsetting it must’ve been for Jesus, to know in his heart-of-hearts that he is righteous in the sight of God and yet people accused him of sin. Jesus faced this on a daily basis. They said, “Look at this wine-bibber, this glutton. Sorcerer! He has a demon. Possessed and a sabbath breaker. You have heard the blasphemy yourself. He said he could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.”

 

V. MEEKNESS IN WASHING THE DISCIPLES FEET

The Lord demonstrated his meekness by washing the disciples feet. In this act, the master becomes the slave in order to reveal the true nature of the kingdom of God, which is humility, love, and service. The image of Jesus removing his outer clothing, wrapping a towel around his waist, and proceeding to wash the disciples’ feet is stunning indeed. His lowliness becomes a physical reality as he stoops to cleanse the disciples. It is like a king bowing to his subjects; an inversion of the natural order. And Peter knows this, “Lord, do you wash my feet? You shall never wash my feet.” The Lord has to correct him.

 

VI. MEEKNESS THROUGH HIS INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN

Jesus displays his meekness through his interactions with children. Matthew 19 says this, “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’” And he laid his hands on them and went away. What traits and qualities did Jesus see in the children? He saw faith, innocence, humility, and trust. And what things do they lack? They lacked any notion of stress, mourning, depression, anxiety, guilt, and knowledge that we live in a fallen world.

 

VII. MEEKNESS THROUGH HEALING

Jesus Christ was constantly surrounded by the infirm. Matthew 15 says, “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.”

 

CONCLUSION – THE REWARD FOR MEEKNESS

We’ve spoken much about what meekness is and the Lord has graciously given us examples of the behavior. But we have not yet discussed the reward for meekness. Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.” The earth? The whole earth? One commentator said, “At this present moment, who is the mightier? Caesar with his legions or Christ with His Cross?” Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

In Daniel chapter 2, Daniel is called upon to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. He sees an image with a golden head, a chest of silver, thighs of bronze, iron legs, and iron feet mixed with clay. A stone that was cut by no human hand struck the feet and the whole edifice crumbled. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Each section of the glimmering image represented a kingdom of man. The stone who shatters it all is Jesus. But what about the mountain? Has it covered the whole earth yet? Not yet. But it has grown. Perhaps now, there is more earth than there is mountain. But soon there will be more mountain than there is earth. And then, just a sliver of earth will remain. Eventually, she will stand, covering the whole earth, our inheritance in full, the mountain of God, the reward for meekness. Amen.

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