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December 23, 2024

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Bible Stories, Church & Worship, God's Plan, God's Word: The Bible, Holidays & Holy Days

THE NATIVITY (1) – THE OX AND ASS

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. [Isaiah 1:3 (ESV)]

Here betwixt ass and oxen mild, sleep, sleep, sleep, my little child… [13th century French carol]

The earliest known portrayal of Jesus’ birth is a bas relief on a Roman sarcophagus from around 385. It depicts the swaddled Christ child in the manger flanked by an ox at His head and an ass at His feet. Why are they present instead of Joseph and Mary? In 1223, Francis of Assisi brought some hay and a manger to a cave and celebrated Mass there on Christmas Eve. Even though Mary and Joseph weren’t present, an ass and an ox were! In 1291, Pope Nicholas IV commissioned Arnolfo di Cambio to create a permanent nativity. While there are statues of Mary and Jesus, Joseph, and three Magi, the sixth statue shows the heads of an ox and an ass rather than shepherd or angel. Besides the baby Jesus, the ass and the ox are the most ancient and consistent elements in depictions of the nativity. Why do these two animals, neither of which is mentioned in the gospels, have such a prominent place in our nativity scenes, Christmas cards, and carols?

In Scripture, the ox came to represent the people of Israel. As the most important and costly of sacrificial animals, the ox also represented Israel’s prosperity and power. In the temple, figures of twelve oxen (representing Israel’s twelve tribes) supported the huge bronze basin that held water for ritual cleansing. While the ox was considered a ritually “clean” animal, the undivided hoof of the donkey (or ass) made it “unclean” so it came to represent the pagan Gentile nations. Deuteronomy 22:10 specifically prohibited plowing with an ox and an ass yoked together. Jews interpreted this law as being about more than plowing—it was about not mixing the clean with the unclean or the Jew with the Gentile.

In the 8th century BC, Isaiah prophesied, “The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” At the time, he was bringing God’s charges against Judah and speaking of God’s judgment against them in the immediate future through Assyria and also God’s later judgement with Babylon’s invasion and the fall of Jerusalem. Dumb animals knew to whom they belonged, but God’s chosen people did not!

With the benefit of hindsight, however, the early Church fathers recognized a third prophecy in Isaiah’s words—that of the Messiah’s arrival when Israel failed to recognize Him. Like the donkey, however, the Gentiles knew their master’s crib. Because the ox and ass recognized the Christ when the world did not, they are shown with the Christ. This image illustrates Paul’s words to the Ephesians that Jews and Gentiles are reconciled and have become one in Christ. Their presence at the nativity became a visual way of saying that Jesus came to save the people of all nations!

Because the firstborn male was the Lord’s, Mosaic law demanded the sacrifice to God of every firstborn male of the people’s livestock. As a ritually clean animal, the ox was an acceptable sacrifice. As an unclean animal, however, the ass could not enter the temple or be offered to God. A law unique to the ass gave its owner a choice—rather than killing such a valuable animal, he could redeem it with the sacrifice of a lamb. We sinners, like the ass, are unclean and cannot enter God’s tabernacle but, like the ass, our owner can redeem us with the sacrifice of an innocent lamb, which He did! We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

While seeing an ox and ass on Christmas cards or in nativity scenes may not be an accurate representation of that first Christmas, let us remember the symbolism behind their presence. While we may be as different as an ox is from an ass, Christ’s church is made up of one united people—people who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

There were only a few shepherds at the first Bethlehem. The ox and the donkey understood more of the first Christmas than the high priests in Jerusalem. And it is the same today. [Thomas Merton]

You are brought near to God through the blood sacrifice of Christ. Christ is the reason we are now at peace. He made us Jews and you who are not Jews one people. We were separated by a wall of hate that stood between us, but Christ broke down that wall. By giving his own body, Christ ended the law with its many commands and rules. His purpose was to make the two groups become one in him. By doing this he would make peace. [Ephesians 2:13b-15 (ERV)]

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November 25, 2024

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Holidays & Holy Days, Obedience, Salvation: A New You

CHRIST THE KING

“My kingdom isn’t the sort that grows in this world,” replied Jesus. “If my kingdom were from this world, my supporters would have fought, to stop me being handed over to the Judaeans. So then, my kingdom is not the sort that comes from here.” [John 18:36 (NTE)]

God’s kingdom, you see, isn’t about food and drink, but about justice, peace, and joy in the holy spirit. [Romans 14:17 (NTE)]

For those of us who attend liturgical churches, yesterday was the last Sunday of the liturgical (or church) year: Christ the King Sunday. A kind of liturgical “New Year’s Eve,” it is the climax and conclusion of the Church’s year.

Starting with Advent, the first half of the church year focuses on the events of Jesus’ life: His incarnation, birth, manifestation, temptation, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. The second half of the church year begins on Pentecost (with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit) and, depending on Easter’s date, lasts 23 to 28 Sundays. Sometimes called Ordinary Time, this season focuses on the teachings of Jesus. Next Sunday, we start a new year with the first Sunday in Advent and begin another journey through Scripture to remind us of who we are and to whom we belong.

Like the rest of the liturgical church calendar, Christ the King Sunday is man-made rather than ordained by God. Nevertheless, having attended a liturgical church most of my life, I find comfort in regularly celebrating not just Christmas and Easter but the entire mystery of Jesus—from His incarnation through His death, resurrection, and ascension, to the gifting of the Holy Spirit and the expectation of His glorious return.

When I first saw the words “Christ the King” on the church hymn board years ago, I didn’t know that this observance is a modern addition to the church year. It was instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI in response to the growth of communism, fascism, atheism, and secular ultra-nationalism in Europe at that time. Although first observed by the Roman Catholic church, Protestant denominations such as the Lutheran, Anglican, Moravian, Methodist, Nazarene, and Presbyterian churches have joined in observing this day as a reminder that Christ reigns above all earthly rulers.

In the past, cults of personality have formed around leaders like Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, and they continue to form around some world leaders today. Christ the King Sunday is a vivid reminder that our allegiance belongs to our spiritual ruler in heaven as opposed to any earthly political “messiah.” While temporal powers will fade away, Christ’s reign and His kingdom remain eternal. Whether Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant, observing Christ the King helps to move us from the politics of people to the politics of heaven.

Indeed, Jesus is unlike any other head of state in history. While most leaders are concerned with gaining, increasing, and maintaining power, Jesus gave up His divine power to live as a man among the poor and humble and to die a criminal’s death. While the world’s “kings” strive to amass wealth; King Jesus deliberately left the grandeur of Heaven to be born in a stable and live in a small village as a carpenter’s son. Believing that might makes right, the world’s leaders use economic and military might to enforce their will but Jesus chose to love and forgive his enemies. Jesus’ kingly degrees are unlike those of any earthly ruler: love God, love our neighbors, do unto others as we would have them do to us, pray for our enemies, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, live in peace with one another, and invite the poor, crippled, lame and blind to our banquets—hardly the typical political platform!

The Kingdom of God is a present reality in our lives and yet, at the same time, the completed Kingdom is yet to come. Theologians describe it as our living in the already—what Christ has done—and the not yet—what He is yet to do when He returns in majesty and glory. Until that day, however, there will be a struggle between the kingdoms of this world and God’s Kingdom. We might want to ask ourselves to which kingdom we owe our allegiance and evaluate whether our actions, attitudes, and words reflect that allegiance. May we always remember that Jesus is our only king; indeed, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Then I heard something like the sound of a great crowd, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of strong thunder, saying, “Alleluia! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king! Let us celebrate and rejoice and give him the glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. … On his robe, and on his thigh, is written a name: King of kings, and Lord of lords. [Revelation 19:6-7,19 (NTE)]

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October 21, 2024

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Nature, Sharing Our Faith

LIKE LOCUSTS

The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank. They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step. [Joel 2:7-8 (NLT)]

The prophet Joel wrote about God’s coming judgment of Judah but, because there’s disagreement about the date of his prophecy, we aren’t sure if he was describing the approaching Babylonian invasion, God’s final judgment, or both. In any case, the prophet likened the coming army to a swarm of locusts. Like locusts, this invading force would march straight, never break rank or crowd one other, and be unstoppable as they swarmed over the city. Before their arrival, the land would be like the Garden of Eden but, by the time they departed, it would be in utter desolation. Along with Joel, the books of Judges, Jeremiah, Nahum, and Revelation depict enemy hordes as locusts. In Proverbs 30, however, the sage Agur expresses admiration for the “small but wise” locusts because they “march in formation” without a king!

Assuming that Scripture’s words likening locusts to soldiers in a well-organized army were more figurative than scientific, I never gave these grasshopper-like insects much thought. When Charles Spurgeon used them as an example of “how thoroughly the Lord has infused the spirit of order into His universe,” and said, “Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion, they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into confusion,” I grew curious.

Normally, locusts are solitary creatures but, when conditions such as flooding or drought cause them to crowd into the same area, physical contact triggers their instinct to become sociable. As they forage for food together, they gather into a swarm of millions. Whether “marching” on land or flying in the air, locusts all go in the same direction and, if the swarm spontaneously changes course, they all switch direction as a group.

Weighing less than a dime, a single locust is hardly worth noticing—an insignificant and unremarkable insect, it’s easily crushed. The locust’s power comes when it joins with others like it. As a swarm, locusts are unstoppable and nearly unbeatable. A single swarm of locusts can number in the trillions, cover hundreds of square miles, move up to 100 miles in a day, and consume over 420 million pounds of vegetation every day!

Sharing a common goal, locusts have learned the best way to achieve it is to act as one. Their singleness of purpose is what makes them unbeatable. They are proof that, when small things come together, they have incredible power. While the cohesiveness of the locusts turns out to be a bad thing for mankind, what if Christ’s church were as unified as these insects? While thinking of the church in terms of locusts isn’t an attractive image, it is a compelling one.

If millions of insects having a brain less than ¼-inch in size can form a united force without having a leader tell them what to do, why can’t Christians? We’re certainly smarter than locusts and we have a king—King Jesus. Under His command, His army of soldiers should be able to gather as one and be a powerful force in this world.

While the locusts’ common enemy is hunger, ours is Satan; one of his favorite strategies is to divide and conquer and he’s done a great job of it! With about 45,000 different Christian denominations worldwide, we’re becoming better known for our scandals, squabbles, splits, and divisions than for our unity, harmony, and cooperation. Christ’s church always will have disagreements but Jesus and the mission He gave us is greater than our disagreements. As part of the same body—the body of Christ—we don’t have to agree on everything to partner with one another. Let us put aside our theological arguments, doctrinal disputes, and cultural biases, along with our different backgrounds, traditions, rituals, and governance to focus on what unites us: our faith in Jesus! Only then will we be able to feed His sheep and “make disciples of all the nations.”

Worldwide evangelism requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. [Lausanne Covenant]

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)]

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October 10, 2024

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ONCE AND FOR ALL – YOM KIPPUR

He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. [Leviticus 16:21-22 (NLT)]

While the year is 2024 on most calendars, it is year 5785 on the Hebrew calendar and the tenth day of Tishri begins at sunset tomorrow. For our Jewish brothers and sisters, it will be the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. With its themes of atonement and repentance, it the holiest day of the year for a Jew.

The book of Leviticus describes the rituals the Israelites were to perform on this holy day every year. In ancient Israel, this was the only time the high priest could come into the Holy of Holies (the innermost sacred area of the tabernacle or temple) where the Ark of the Covenant was housed. But, before coming into the presence of God and the Ark and beginning the ritual of atonement, he had to ritually cleanse himself from sin by bathing and dressing in spotless plain linen garments. The high priest then atoned for his own sins and those of his family with the sacrifice of a bull.

Two unblemished male goats were taken from the community and lots were cast to determine which goat would be given to the Lord. The first goat was sacrificed and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat of the Ark. This was the sin offering and made to appease the wrath of God and atone for the sins of the people. Then, having received forgiveness, the second goat was brought before the altar. As a way of transferring the sins of the people to the goat, the priest laid his hands on its head and confessed all the peoples’ sins and transgressions. This goat, the “scapegoat,” was then sent out into the wilderness to carry those sins into the wasteland. In this ancient ritual, the blood of the first goat provided propitiation by appeasing God’s wrath and the second goat provided expiation by atoning for and removing those sins. This atonement ritual was to be repeated year after year.

Without a temple in Jerusalem, there no longer are animal sacrifices or scapegoats. Nevertheless, Jews throughout the world continue to observe this holy day. When a fast day occurs on the Sabbath, it is postponed until Sunday but Yom Kippur is the exception to that rule. Referred to as the Shabbat Shabbaton (the Sabbath of Sabbaths), our observant Jewish friends will fast from all food and drink (including water) from just before sunset Friday until after sunset Saturday. Along with fasting, many Jews will abstain from wearing leather footwear, washing or bathing, applying lotions and creams, or having marital relations. Most of Yom Kippur is spent in the synagogue in intensive prayer, introspection, and the asking of God’s forgiveness for the past year’s sins. The day ends with a single blast of the shofar (ram’s horn trumpet) followed by the proclamation, “Next year in Jerusalem.”

Unlike the yearly sacrifice of goats, the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross needed to be done only once. Christ was both our sinless high priest and the unblemished sacrifice. When He gave himself up for us, Jesus took God’s wrath upon himself as His blood dripped on the ground beneath Him. When He suffered and died on the cross, Jesus was both the propitiation and expiation of our sins for all time. By dying, this sinless man took on God’s wrath—the wrath we sinners deserved. Rather than take our transgressions into the wilderness, He “removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” for all time. [Psalm 103:12] Thank you Jesus!

If you are ready to partake of grace you have not to atone for your sins—you have merely to accept of the atonement. All that you want to do is to cry, “God have mercy upon me,” and you will receive the blessing. [D.L. Moody]

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. [Romans 3:22-24 (NLT)]

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September 26, 2024

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IXTHUS

And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.”… “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.” [Matthew 4:19, 13:47 (NASB)]

Fish play a prominent role in Scripture, especially in the New Testament. Jesus preached from a fishing boat, the first disciples were fishermen, and Jesus called them to be fishers of men. It was at His instruction that Peter found tax money in the mouth of a fish and the disciples netted two miraculous catches of fish. Jesus multiplied a few fish and loaves into food enough to feed thousands not once but twice! He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a fishing net and, after His resurrection, Jesus even ate fish twice with the disciples. The frequent mention of fish in the New Testament, however, doesn’t fully explain how the fish symbol (ixthus/icthus) came to be one of the most recognized symbols of Christianity today.

Shortly after Jesus’ resurrection, the Roman senate declared that following Christ to be an “illegal superstition.” But, because Christianity was viewed as an inconsequential sect and a passing trend, its prohibition wasn’t fully enforced. After Rome burned in 64 AD, however, Christ’s followers were mercilessly persecuted throughout the empire. Depending on the emperor, for the next 250 years, they either were barely tolerated or viciously persecuted! Fearing mass arrests, trials, and brutal executions, Christians lived in fear and didn’t worship openly. The fish symbol, consisting of two interwoven crescent moons, became a secret way they could identify other believers and meeting places.

Aside from its tie-in with Scripture, why the fish? The fish symbol had been used by Greeks, Romans, and other pagans to represent fertility long before Christ, so it wouldn’t attract undue attention (as would a cross or a loaf and cup). The innocuous fish painted or etched on the outside of a house let other Christians know they would be safe and welcome inside. The walls of the ancient catacombs in Rome are filled with images of fish painted or carved there by Christians hiding from persecution. The ixthus also has been found on ancient seals, jewelry, urns, and tombs.

The fish symbol also may have been a way to distinguish friends from foes. According to an ancient story passed down through the centuries, when Christians met a stranger, they would draw an arc in the dirt with their feet. If the stranger completed the fish with a second arc, they knew they were in the company of another believer. If there was no response, the arc was easily erased by stepping on it.

The fish also symbolized the early Christian creed. The Greek word for fish is ichthys (ΙΧΘΥΣ) and when early Christians turned its letters (iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma) into an acrostic, it became Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter, which translates as a confession of faith with the words “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.”

It wasn’t until 313 AD, when Constantine legalized Christianity and promoted religious tolerance, that Christians could worship openly and no longer needed a secret symbol to identify themselves or their places of worship. Nevertheless, we see the ixthus on everything from pendants, earrings, and Christmas ornaments to car emblems, lapel pins, and key rings. Jesus’ harsh words about those who practiced their “righteousness” before men when God wasn’t in their hearts tell me that He’s no more impressed by an ixthus on our business cards or tee shirts than He was by the show of extra-wide prayer boxes, extra-long tassels, and extra-loud public prayers of 1st century Judah.

Following Christ is a great deal more than sporting an ixthus on a car bumper or having it tattooed on an arm. Jesus’ concern is our inward experience of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power rather than any outward shows of religion. Before displaying an ixthus or any other Christian symbol, we better know the risen Jesus Christ, obey Him as the Son of God, and trust Him as our Savior. Otherwise, we’re nothing more than “whitewashed tombs”—looking good on the outside but dead on the inside!

It is not the being seen of men that is wrong, but doing these things for the purpose of being seen of men. The problem with the hypocrite is his motivation. He does not want to be holy; he only wants to seem to be holy. He is more concerned with his reputation for righteousness than about actually becoming righteous. The approbation of men matters more to him than the approval of God. [Augustine]

And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. … Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. [Matthew 23:5,27-28 (NASB)]

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September 23, 2024

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THE ONLY PATH

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6 (NLT)]

Pope Francis recently visited Singapore and, when speaking to young people at an interfaith meeting, he is reported to have said “All religions are paths to God.” After comparing the various religions to “different languages that express the divine,” he added, “There is only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are Sheik, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and they are different paths [to God].” While the pontiff was encouraging interfaith dialogue, his words are troubling. I will not presume to know the Pope’s meaning or intention with his comments. Nevertheless, I find it important to address how the world understood the pontiff’s message.

Jesus is not one of many ways to God; He is the one and only way! He spoke of Himself as the only path to heaven. He said His words are life, called Himself the ”bread of life,” and promised that His believers would have eternal life. Jesus is the only one who came down from Heaven, lived a perfect sinless life, fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, sacrificed Himself for mankind’s sins, and conquered death! As Christians, we believe salvation comes through Christ alone and that the Bible teaches us everything we need to know about God. At best, all any other religion offers is an incomplete, inaccurate, and deceptive understanding of God and His creation.

From where we live, there are no direct flights to my son’s home in San Diego. Although we have a choice of routes and airlines, we must change planes in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago, or Washington. While there are different ways to get to California, if we stay in a connecting city, we’ll never get there. If we hope to see our son, we need to board the right plane—the one headed for San Diego. If, by mistake, we get on a plane going to Paris, we’d land more than 5,600 miles away from our son’s home. But, if we landed in Tijuana, we’d only be 20 miles away. Nevertheless, whether 5,600 miles or only 20 away from our destination, we wouldn’t find our son waiting there to welcome us to his home! While some flights might get us close to our journey’s end, there only is one correct place to land! It’s said that “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” That’s important to remember when it comes to both airports and God! Unless we get on another plane headed for San Diego, we won’t be seeing our boy. If we want the Son to welcome us to His heavenly home, we eventually must take the only path that leads to Him!

If we believe Christianity’s claims are true, then the claims of other religions must be wrong wherever they contradict it—and there are plenty of contradictions. For example, Islam’s condemnation of the Trinity and its rejection of the deity of Jesus, His death, resurrection, ascension, and atonement for our sins along with its denial of His Holy Spirit and the salvation of His believers don’t seem remotely close to our path. Islam seems more like deliberately heading to Paris when you’re supposed to be going west to San Diego!

While we may find wisdom and inspiration in Hinduism’s Bhagavad Gita, the Buddha’s words in the Dhammapada, the Chinese philosophy of the Tao Te-Ching, and in the rabbis’ discourse in the Talmud, we know those texts are not sacred and the words in them are man’s, not God’s. Christianity doesn’t allow for a mingling of faith in other philosophies or gods.

Saying we all worship the same God is what David Limbaugh calls “intellectual laziness.” The claim that all paths can lead to God is a statement we should never make or accept. It’s an insult to Jesus. As God incarnate, He came, suffered, and died on the cross for our sins—something totally unnecessary were there any other way to God. Whether you call them languages or paths, all religions do not lead to God. Then again, no “religion” leads to God; only faith in Jesus Christ does!

 Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is he the best of several ways; he is the only way [A.W. Tozer]

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [John 3:16-18 (NLT)]

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