The Simple Message of Christmas

The message is quite simple, really. Profound, mysterious, glorious, earth-shattering, life-transforming, awe-inspiring, and simple:

The baby born in Bethlehem was God the Son.

He was God, and He became flesh. The Maker of the heavens and the earth, the One who made the stars in the sky and holds all things together, the One who marks the boundaries of the ocean and owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the One who breathed the breath of life into mankind and knows the number of our days, He who is the everlasting God stepped into our shoes and walked among us.

     

Jesus, the Son of God who existed in perfect unity with God the Father and the God the Holy Spirit from the beginning, took on humanity’s flesh and blood by entering this world as a baby boy through the womb of the virgin Mary. He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…born in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7). The King of all kings “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He is rightfully called “Immanuel, which means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

     

Truth. Unbelievable, yet believable truth. Simple. Truth.

And in His life He accomplished for us His mission – to seek and to save the lost by His death and resurrection. It is indeed “good news of great joy…for all the people” (Luke 2:10); for true to His name, this baby they called Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

What does that mean for us? Nothing less than everlasting life for those who receive Him. Forgiveness of our sins. Peace with God. Hope that never disappoints. Love that never goes away. Adoption into the family of God. Abundant life. Purpose in living. Victory over sin. God’s power working in us. God’s presence alive in us. And so, so much more!

The Bible says, “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12). And those who believe and belong to Him will know the unspeakable joy and unending treasure of dwelling in His presence for all eternity. 

How can you be sure of this great hope? It is sure because God is faithful. 

Let me ask you, friend: Do you believe in Jesus? Don’t make the fatal mistake of those who received Him not. Instead, make this Christmas more memorable than ever by simply believing in Christ as Savior and Lord. 

“Come to Bethlehem, and see 

Him whose birth the angels sing; 

Come, adore on bended knee 

Christ the Lord, the newborn King.” 

And join us this Sunday – Christmas morning – at a special 10:00 worship celebration at Petersburg First Baptist Church, where we’ll come joyful and triumphant to adore Him, Christ the Lord! 

Jesus and Judgment

I’ve discovered a good way to turn off a conversation. You know that person who always seems to call or show up right as you’re about to make an important phone call, are headed out the door, or having dinner? The one who doesn’t know how to take a hint, who would consume your entire day if you let him, and whose favorite topic in the world is himself?

Here it is: bring up the subject of hell. It’s a proven non-starter, and almost always guaranteed to keep your untimely guest moving right along. And if you’re really needing to keep things short, introduce the name of Jesus into the conversation and watch how quickly you find yourself freed. Works like a charm.

Of course, I would hope that such weighty and sobering subjects might actually lead to a much more serious discussion, especially given that eternal stakes are hanging in the balance. But most people would simply rather not even think about it.

Can I say something, if you’re still reading, that is? I want to say this in love and compassion toward you, but with gravity of heart because of the magnitude of the truth: The day of God’s judgment will come soon enough, where the righteous will receive their heavenly reward, while the wicked will be condemned to the fiery furnace of hell.

If you’ll stay with me for a moment, allow me to unpack this briefly.

In no uncertain terms the Scriptures tell us that at the close of this age the Lord will judge the world. We read in Acts 17:30-32, for example: “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

The fact is that we will all be held accountable to God. Christ Jesus will come in all His glory and will sit on His glorious throne. The nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another. His judgments will be righteous and just, for He knows the hearts of all men, all their thoughts and intentions, their deeds and their words, and everything hidden will be exposed by the light of His presence.

The result of His judgment will be eternal life for the righteous and eternal punishment for the unrighteous.

The righteous are those who have been saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. They have humbled themselves in repentance, confessed their sins before the Lord, received His forgiveness, have been born again, and endure through faith and obedience to Jesus their Lord and Savior. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Those who will be condemned are those who do not believe in the name of Jesus (John 3:18). They have refused God’s merciful and gracious offer of forgiveness in Christ, and will suffer the wages for their sins, which is death and hell (Romans 6:23). Jesus speaking of hell describes it as an eternal, fiery furnace: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42).

I cannot sugarcoat this truth for you. All I can do is pray for you and plead for you to repent and flee the wrath to come when Jesus returns as Judge. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Maybe you didn’t want to hear that today, but if you’ve hung around long enough, maybe it’s exactly what you need. 

Letting the Word of Christ Take Root

Quick recap for you from this past Sunday’s message at FBC.

In Matthew 13 we find Jesus speaking to the crowds in parables. Parables are real life stories used to illustrate spiritual truth. Here He’s unveiling some remarkable mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven to those who are receptive to His word, while confirming the dull hearts of those who reject His message.

In what’s called the Parable of the Sower (which I’d rename the Parable of the Soil, but nobody asked!), Jesus shows four types of responses to the message of the Kingdom. Let me suggest, for maximum value, that you read Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23 first. And it would be helpful for you to consider what kind of response you’ve personally made to Jesus as you read.

The first kind of response Jesus identifies for us is the hard heart. This is the person who hears the Word but has zero interest. His heart has become cold and calloused to spiritual things. He’s the one described in Romans 1 who has suppressed the truth about God because of his own unrighteousness. He claims to be wise, and he often exhibits a proud, self-sufficient, self-righteous attitude, but he’s become a fool, and his foolish heart has been darkened. He despises wisdom and instruction, and lives as if there is no God. He loves to sin, falls deeper and deeper in love with all kinds of sinful deeds, and even rises to applaud others who likewise do what ought not to be done.

The second kind of response Jesus tells us is the shallow heart. This is the person who hears the message of the Kingdom and seems to embrace it wholeheartedly. Like new growth in rocky soil, this person appears to be flourishing in her newfound faith. She’s zealous in church attendance, Bible study, and wants to serve immediately. She may have even walked an aisle or signed a card or gotten baptized. But sooner or later, when troubles or persecutions arise on account of the Word, her supposed faith withers. There was never any genuine repentance or brokenness over her sin, and no real transformation. She certainly is not willing to endure suffering for the sake of Christ. Her feelings were stirred for a while, but there’s no root, and her soul remained unchanged.

Another kind of response Jesus points out is the divided heart. This is the person who hears the message of Christ and appears to grow like a true disciple, but ultimately proves himself to be another pretender when his affection for riches and allegiance to worldly cares take precedence over his professed loyalty to Jesus. His first love is not for Christ. He loves the things of the world, but the love of the Father is not in him. The Word is soon choked out by his pursuit of wealth and pleasure, and his life bears no fruit.

The fourth kind of response is the one Jesus highlights as the only true, saving response to the message of the Kingdom. This is the person who hears the gospel message, understands it, learns to trust and obey it, and keeps persevering in it. She is the one who puts away all filthiness and wickedness and humbly receives the word planted, which is able to save her soul. She is convicted of her sin, genuinely repents, and turns in faith to the Lord Jesus. And her life yields much spiritual fruit for the Kingdom of God.

What kind of personal response have you made to the message of Christ and His Kingdom? Why not humble your heart today to receive His Word? Then let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly and keep on abiding in Christ, and your life will bear fruit in abundance. 

Back-to-School Prayer

Here’s my back-to-school prayer as we gear up for another year.

“Our Father in heaven, in a world filled with dangers, toils and snares, we look to You because You reign on Your heavenly throne with infinite wisdom, matchless power, and unfailing love. You are the great King above all kings, and there is none like You. You are majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, and the God of wonders. Your name is great and greatly to be praised. We rejoice in knowing that You are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

In light of Your goodness, we lift up our children as they begin this new school year. Lord, we boldly ask in the name of Jesus that You will invade our schools with the light of the gospel. We pray for a spiritual awakening, that many hearts will turn away from sin and turn in faith to Christ Jesus for salvation. We ask, O God, for Your Holy Spirit to fill every heart and every hallway with the glory of Your presence.

We pray that in view of the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ Jesus, You will lead Your followers in our schools to be beacons of righteousness. By Your transforming power, may a spirit of kindness, goodness, and encouragement toward others rule in their words, their attitudes and their actions. May love and peace and joy flow like rivers of grace bringing refreshing life to all they encounter.

We pray that there will be an environment of patience, meekness, honor and respect in every classroom, on every school bus, and in every extra-curricular activity. Give our children a humble submission to the authority of those who lead them, and may those in authority govern with wisdom, compassion, justice and humility of service.

Holy Father, we ask that You will guide our children to live with self-control, that they would embrace what’s right and reject all wrong. Lead them not into temptation, but deliver them from evil. Shape their own will to desire nothing less than to know and to seek and to do Your will.

We further pray that You will continue to watch over their ways and protect them from all harm – physically, emotionally, spiritually. Provide for their needs. Guide them in the way of truth. Make learning a delight for them. Surround them with godly influences. Help them build strong friendships, to learn loyalty, gratitude, teamwork, diligence, perseverance and initiative. Teach them wise time-management skills, how to express their uniqueness and creativity in Christ-honoring ways, and how to become leaders who can impact the world today and future generations for good.

And Father, for every teacher, administrator, secretary, aide, coach, cook, bus driver and school board member, we pray likewise for Your hand and Your wisdom to guide them in every decision, in every action, and in every way. We thank you for their willingness to invest positively in this generation of students.

Finally, Lord Jesus, we pray for each home to be a safe haven of rest and joy. Bless our homes and families with the light of Your presence. Make Your face to shine upon us, be gracious to us, and give us peace. In Jesus name we pray, amen.”

Warning Signs

Here’s a real warning sign at the Newcastle (South Wales) Tramway Authority: “Touching Wires Causes Instant Death. $200 Fine”. I’m thinking, that’s a pretty steep fine, especially for someone who has just been killed in a tragic accident.

Here’s another one: “Do Not Pee on the Electric Fence.” Self-explanatory. Just a bad, bad idea on several levels.

One more: “Caution – Water on Road During Rain.” You don’t say.

There’s a reason warning signs exist. I suppose there are plenty of chumps who give good reason for posting the most obvious of signs, but on the whole I’m grateful for someone who cares enough about me to warn me of possible dangers.

You know, the Bible comes complete with warnings for us, as well. And it’s because God cares enough about us to tell us of potential pitfalls and to keep us spiritually safe. The truth is that we can all act pretty foolishly and recklessly at times, as well as being ignorant to dangers all around, so we would be wise to heed the warnings.

What are some of those warnings to which we need to pay attention? Good question! Here are just three, for starters.

WARNING against forgetting God. “And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 8:19). The Lord God was so zealous for his people, had blessed them so abundantly, and had promised so much more good to them if they would keep His commandments, that it would have been ridiculously foolish of them to turn their back on Him. But you know how people are, and even his chosen and beloved Israel ultimately failed to heed the warning.

WARNING against the adulteress. “And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim she has laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death” (Proverbs 7:24-27). We could multiply the biblical warnings against sexual immorality, but this passage makes it plain. To be sure, God created the act of intimacy to be a wonderful thing in the context of the husband and wife relationship. But to ignore the warning is to go for a swim when the sign clearly says that alligators are in the water.

WARNING against false teachers. “And Jesus answered them, ‘See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray’” (Matthew 24:4-5). Again, there are numerous warnings in Scripture urging believers to be on guard against false teachers and false prophets, but here Jesus specifically cautions His disciples to make sure they are not led astray. How tragic that though the path to abundant and eternal life in heaven is clearly marked in Christ Jesus, many will wander away in disbelief and find themselves lost without a trace.

Friend, let us not be foolish or reckless, but wise enough to pay close attention to the biblical warnings and experience the great reward of faithfully following the ways of the Lord.

God's Glory on Display

How big is the universe? Have you ever wondered about that? When you gaze up at the stars in the night sky, do you ever think about the vastness of the world we live in?

Consider for a moment some of the following astronomical facts. Disclaimer: If you’re not into “mind-blowing” experiences, you may not want to read any further, but if you’re up for some deep contemplation I believe you’ll find this as fascinating as I do.

Let’s start with the sun, at the center of our solar system. When we see the sun, we’re viewing an object 93 million miles away. If you were able to book a flight to the sun, it would take a commercial jet flying at 550 mph about 19 years to get you there. I think that’s a non-stop flight. If you’d prefer to drive the interstellar highway, at 60 mph you’d need 177 years to do it – not counting stops for restrooms or fill-ups.

The sun is amazingly huge. You thought Earth was large, with a diameter of 7,917.5 miles. Compare that to the nearly 865,000 miles of the sun! You could line up 109 Earths across the face of the sun. Another way of thinking about it is that if the sun were the size of a beach ball, Earth would be the size of a pea, and you could put a million of them inside.

But the sun is just an average-sized star among the hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy. One of those stars is named Betelguese (yes, pronounced “Beetlejuice”), a red supergiant some 700 times bigger than the sun and about 14,000 times brighter – or much more. That star, by the way, is like the 9th brightest in our galaxy and is part of the Orion constellation. If you see it while star-gazing, you’re peering 640 light years into space.

That’s beyond my capacity to understand, but one astronomer has noted that if the sun were the size of a BB, the star Betelguese would be the size of a Toyota Camry and located about 12,500 miles away.

Now, if you’re still tracking and your mind’s not blown yet, let’s take another step. We haven’t even begun to explore the reaches of our Milky Way galaxy, which stretches about 100,000 light years in diameter and bulges about 1,000 light years thick, looking like a disc. The Milky Way contains some 100-400 billion stars, maybe more. And most experts believe each star has at least one planet, which would mean hundreds of billions of planets in our galaxy, beyond the 8 or 9 (poor Pluto!) in our solar system.

And here’s more just to keep the wheels turning – our galaxy is only one of an estimated 100 billion galaxies in our universe! Think about that for a while. I say, “Wow!”

I’m sharing all this not to help you answer a couple of questions on Jeopardy!, but to join together in singing the praises of the One who masterminded, purposed, and created all things. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19.1). What an amazingly mighty, glorious God we serve!

God's grace no matter how life turns out

“So, no one told you life was gonna be this way?”

It’s a rare case, indeed, where everything you’ve ever dreamed of has fallen perfectly into place. The job you love. The beauty queen wife, or millionaire husband. The immaculate two-story home in the best neighborhood in town. The exotic vacations all over the world. Or whatever else your heart desires.

How’s life turning out for you so far? Yeah, I thought so. I’m guessing the “Friends” theme song opening line probably applies to most of us.

Who could have anticipated how that accident or health issue would take life in a completely different direction? Who would have known the company would downsize like that? Who would have thought your “till death do us part” spouse would have left you with “four hungry children and a crop in the field” (to borrow another lyric, from the legendary Kenny Rogers)?

Friend, maybe you’ve had some bad times, lived through some sad times, but this time the hurtin’s for real. If that’s you, let me lovingly point you to the One who knows your pain, who feels your hurt and is able to heal like nothing or nobody else. His name is Jesus. And He’s able to turn your mourning into dancing, your despair into gladness, your suffering into praise, and your ashes into beauty.

How? In a word: grace. The grace of God truly is amazing. It can save a wretch like me. It can find the lost. It can open the eyes of the blind. It is, as Puritan Pastor Matthew Henry put it, the “free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind,” ultimately and beautifully displayed all that Christ accomplished for us on the cross and in His resurrection victory over the grave.

Do you want healing for your hurting heart? God’s grace is sufficient in your time of weakness, for our God pours out His favor on those who trust in the work of Christ.

Author Jerry Bridges said it this way, “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

Friend, today is the day of God’s favor. In Christ Jesus there is grace upon grace. And it’s available to you now, even in the midst of your hurt.

So, maybe life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted – or maybe it has. Either way, we are all in need of the grace of God. And when we turn in faith to the Lord Jesus, we find life abundant and eternal, and far better than anything we’ve ever dreamed.

Same refrain because we still need Jesus

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me say it again: This world desperately and urgently needs Jesus. Lives are wrecked with sin. Families are in disarray. Communities are fractured. America is in trouble. The world is a mess. And our only hope is Jesus.

We are in a great spiritual war. The devil knows his time is short. There will soon come a day when the Almighty Judge of the universe will deal swiftly and decisively with him and all his minions forever. But for now he has intensified his efforts to wreak unspeakable havoc upon this world through all kinds of violent and wicked means.

How else do you explain the hatred of the human heart found among those who are bent on murder? The latest mass killing in Orlando reminds us once again that Satan has greatly deceived those who pledge their allegiance to ISIS and other such terrorist groups and ungodly causes. He has filled their minds with lies, blinded their eyes to truth and captured their souls to do his will. And his will has always been to kill, to steal and to destroy (John 10:10).

How else do you explain the depravity of those who buy and sell young girls into the sex trade? How else do you explain the vileness of men who commit shameless acts of impurity with other men? How else do you explain the horrible evil of rape? How else do you explain the utter cruelty of child abuse? How else do you explain the rampant, ruinous addictions to everything from alcohol to heroin to gambling to pornography and so much more? How else do you explain any and every sin that grips the soul?

The Bible tells us that the devil is the enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), and the “deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:8). And judging by the state of world affairs, he’s doing a brutally good job of “blinding the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

But, friend, let me assure you that Satan’s schemes are no match for the matchless power of Jesus Christ. Jesus has already triumphed over him through the cross and the victory of the empty grave. He has already conquered, and will soon crush Satan under his feet forever.

Let me urge you to turn in repentance from sin and put your faith in Jesus today while the mercy and grace of God still beckons you. “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). For apart from salvation in Christ, we all are dead in our sins, held captive by the devil, and bound for eternal destruction. But in Christ Jesus there is freedom and forgiveness and life abundant and eternal.

The world may be a mess, and it’s going to get messier, but Jesus is still the glorious hope for all mankind. And that’s a message worth repeating.

Community Block Party, Memorial Day recognition, prayer for our leaders

So what are you and your family doing this Friday night? I hope you’re planning to come to the Community Block Party on the corner of Seventh and Sangamon at the First Baptist Church. It’s a free, fun, family-friendly community event, and I think you’re going to love it!

We’ll have the usual attractions such as bounce houses for the kids, a petting zoo, dunk tank, carnival games, and the ever-popular cakewalk. You’ll also be encouraged by the music of the New Jerusalem singers, as well as a few songs thrown in by our Youth Worship Band. And, of course, the cotton candy, Sno-cones, popcorn, and hamburgers are always a big hit.

And it’s all free! So, come and enjoy! Hang out with your neighbors. Petersburg is a great place to live and raise a family. Let’s build some community together this Friday night from 5-8 at the Petersburg First Baptist Church!

Hey, while you’re still reading, let’s remember to thank God for our service men and women who have died in defense of this great nation. Memorial Day calls us to be mindful of the incredible sacrifices made by those who have gone before us, and we owe a deep debt of gratitude for their willingness to lay down their lives.

Who can argue that America has been the recipient – as Abraham Lincoln phrased it – “of the choicest bounties of Heaven”? And even though we face great challenges to some of the foundational characteristics of our nation, we’re still richly blessed by God and the grace He has shed upon us.

As we remember those who have given the “last full measure of devotion” (Lincoln, again), may we also remember to pray for those currently serving throughout the world, protecting and preserving the cause of freedom.

And, finally, let us also pray for our nation’s leaders, from the White House to the Statehouse and to every town and village authority. Since we are living in such uncertain and chaotic days, we need to ask God to grant wisdom in great measure for every decision made.

I pray that God will bring repentance and faith to our leaders, leading them to a knowledge of the truth of Christ Jesus that they may be saved. I pray that He will grant them a desire to see righteousness exalted. I pray that our nation’s leaders will see the need to strengthen families, to promote goodness and oppose evil.

May the Lord lead us to humility before Him, great gratitude for His blessings, and a renewed hunger to honor Him in all that we do – in Petersburg, and all across this land.

Grace greater than our sin

There was a king who was so wicked that he burned his own sons as a sacrificial offering. He filled the city with innocent blood. He practiced sorcery and witchcraft, and dealt with mediums and psychics. He worshiped the stars and set up idols in the temple of God. His detestable practices also led the people far away from the Lord.

There was another king who, rather than going out with his men to battle, stayed home and soon began lusting after a beautiful, married woman. He sent to have the woman brought to him, and she became pregnant. In a desperate attempt to cover up his wrongdoing, the king called the woman’s husband home from battle to be with her. The soldier honorably refused, so the king plotted and had him killed.

There was a man who brimmed with hatred toward the followers of Jesus. He nodded in approval as Christians were stoned to death. He locked up many saints in prison. He punished them severely, tried to make them renounce Jesus, and was so full of fury that he chased them down in foreign cities with violent intentions. And all the while he thought he was doing God a favor.

There was a woman who had earned quite a town-wide reputation as, let’s say, a woman of ill-repute.

There was a tax collector who cheated the people out of their hard-earned money. He betrayed them, defrauded them, and indulged his life with stolen goods.

There was a man who said he’d lay down his life for Jesus, but when things didn’t go like he thought they should, he quickly and cowardly claimed his didn’t even know the man. Not once. Not twice. But three times.

There was a whole church full of people who came from lifestyles of sexual immorality, idolatry, prostitution, homosexuality, thievery, greed, drunkenness, lying and cheating. 

What do all of these people have in common?

For one, they all deserved to suffer the consequences of their sins. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). And if God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness, gave them up to their depraved hearts, dishonorable passions, debased minds then they wouldn’t stand a snowball’s chance in…well, hell.

But that’s not how their stories end.

Each of these crooked and corrupt characters discovered that’s God’s mercy and grace reaches even the most notorious of sinners. Each one of these biblical individuals was drawn by the loving-kindness of the Lord to humble themselves before God in repentance and faith in Christ. Each one God rescued from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of His beloved Son, who purchased their freedom and forgave their sin (cf. Colossians 1:13-14). Each of them received the “free gift of God [which] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).   

Friend, whatever your struggles, whatever your sin, even though we all likewise deserve death, your story doesn’t have to end in anguish. You, too, can find freedom and salvation in the mercy and grace of Christ Jesus. You, too, can share in the gift of life that’s in Christ Jesus our Lord. Why not humble yourself and turn to the Lord today?