The Advent Series

Christ - The Rising Sun

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”- Luke 1:76-79

 

“… John and Jesus come by God's mercy to prepare and lead God's people. John will proclaim salvation, but Jesus will take them to it.” *

 

                 John the Baptist was called by God to lead the people to the Messiah. He was to be a prophet of God. These verses that appear above are from Zechariah’s prophetic song or hymn. Christ is the ‘rising sun’ spoken of. A rising sun brings the hope of a new day. Darkness represents all that has us under foot: despair, loneliness, sin, depression, worry. John provides hope in the form of the coming Messiah. Jesus Christ shall be the actual embodiment of forgiveness and mercy, which is the grace of God. John was chosen before time began to be born of a woman of advanced age … Elizabeth, wife to Zechariah. Zechariah, whose doubt caused him to be struck dumb, had his speech restored once he wrote on a tablet to the people at his child’s birth that his name is John. They raised John to adulthood. It was then that John began his mission, proclaiming to the people of Israel that salvation was coming to them. He baptized them and yet let them know that One was coming whose sandals he was not fit to untie (John 1:27). John gave the people knowledge, what they did with it was up to them. It is no different today. It is like the old adage: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. I have experienced this firsthand, and it is quite literally true. You can actually shove a horse’s muzzle into a tub of cool water on a hot day and if it doesn’t have a mind to drink, it will not drink. The water Jesus was to provide would quench the thirst of any man who partook of it for all eternity, for HE was the living water the gospel speaks of (John 4:10-14). 

                The evidence of God’s tender mercy came in the form of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes; the lowly birth of a mighty king. No one could have suspected or in their wildest dreams imagined what controversy that same infant would cause in his life. All to fulfill the salvation plan of Almighty God. Christ is the “rising sun” that shines on those living in darkness. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Prophecy About John and Jesus (Luke 1:76-80); The IVP New Testament Commentary Series; www.biblegateway.com.

The Advent Series

Gabriel, the Archangel

 

“The angel said to (Zechariah), ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.’” - Luke 1:19

 

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”- Luke 1:26-27

 

“Angels are messengers of God to His people (Zech. 1: 9, 13-14, 19 Luke 1:11-20, Luke. 1:26-38) and it is this encounter that dominates our Christmas celebration. However, appearances of the angels are usually brief and formal. They are aimed at improving our relationship with the Lord rather than attracting attention to themselves. (Revelation 22: 8-9)” *

 

          These two verses above regarding the coming and birth of John the Baptist and the Christ child are very specific regarding angelic activity. Apparently, Gabriel had come from the throne room of God to deliver two messages; one to Zechariah and one to Mary. His message to Zechariah was regarding the birth of a son to his wife, Elizabeth and the message to Mary is regarding the birth of Jesus. Angels are messengers God uses to speak to those who are in the family of God. To speak to one who does not believe is tantamount to casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).

          What do we know about archangels? ** They stand before Almighty God day and night. They are sent out by God to do His bidding. They administer the will of God to those who have sought Him. In this particular case the archangel Gabriel has let Zechariah know that God has favored his wife with a son who would be the one who would bear witness to the Messiah and point the way to Him. Zechariah’s hesitation to believe this message caused Gabriel to strike him mute until his child was born. Could you imagine if God did that to us today in light of our constant hesitation to belief? I think the world would be a lot quieter.

          One of the problems facing the world today is this obsession with angels. Angels do not draw attention to themselves, yet so many people are fascinated by angelic beings as if they were gods themselves. They are not. As a matter of fact, that is exactly why the Apostle John was told in Revelation 22:8-9 not to bow down before an angel God sent to him. The angel emphatically told John to “worship God alone”. Angels are not to be worshipped. They are vehicles of God’s word and blessings. They too were created by God prior to the creation of our world. (Nehemiah 9:6) They protect those in the family of God as well. God controls all things in His creation, even His angels. Let’s put it into perspective using a military analogy: God is like the commander in chief. All others report to Him and follow His instructions. You never need to doubt God’s ability to know what you are going through, for He knows and sends angels to assist us when we cry out. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Angels & the Hierarchy of the Heavenlies; Eddie Russell FMI;www.flameministries.org/angels.htm 

** Angel: a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God. Archangel: a high-ranking angel. (www.oxforddictionaries.com)

The Advent Series

The Messengers of God

 

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” - Luke 2:8-16

 

In addition to the wise men who were guided to the manger where Jesus lay, shepherds were also guided there. According to the customs of the day, shepherds were considered outcasts. They were unable to keep ceremonial law that was required of all Jews as they were out in fields watching over their flocks; animals that were to be used for sacrifice. They were men of lowly stature. It seems apparent that God is revealing that all economic strata are welcome to Him. There is no differentiation between rich and poor with God. All were created by Him, and all were worthy of His grace and forgiveness for He has declared it to be so. 

                Messengers of God (angels) were used regularly in the story of the birth of the Messiah to bring the Good News that He had come just as it had been prophesied in days of old. Angels* were sent from the very throne room of God, for scripture tells us in Revelation 7:11 of their position in His throne room. Angels can come in a variety of forms, even in the form of a human being if God finds it necessary to accomplish His purposes. The sight of not just one angel of an entire host of angels declaring the glory of the Lord must have been both a terrifying and beautiful sight. It’s not every night that shepherds see such a sight in the sky during the watching of their flocks. I would have to believe that the magnitude of the event compelled them to go to Bethlehem to see if what the angel had told them was true. It’s not as if a total stranger walked up to you on the street and told you to go to a town to see this incredible infant. This was quite a spectacular event, far greater than any fireworks display we would see in the sky on July 4th. How unbelievable it must have been to actually see first an angel, then a multitude of angels. I cannot even imagine what that must have been like. Someday we'll know. As amazing as this event must have been, it could never overshadow the birth of the Savior** of all of mankind. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Although the word "angel" in the Bible, meaning a “messenger”, nearly always applies to heavenly beings, it can occasionally apply to human messengers. Malachi himself said a priest was a messenger (malak) of the LORD of hosts (Malachi 2:7), and in the Book of Revelation the elders of the seven churches of Asia were called angels (1:20; 2:1 etc.). But when we meet messengers doing supernatural things, there is no doubt they are heavenly beings - God's messengers, working for Him and for the ultimate benefit of mankind. [Angels: God's Messengers Bible Teaching About God's "Ministering Spirits"; http://www.christadelphia.org/pamphlet/angels.htm ]

** Savior means ‘deliverer’, for Christ delivered us from our sinful state, thus putting us once again in right standing with God, just as Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden.

NOTE: The heavenly host. “Host” is a military term, and it is remarkable that an army should announce peace (v. 14). The “peace” is peace with God, a peace that Christ would bring. [Reformation Study Bible]

NOTE: The angel's song (v. 14), according to many manuscripts, was “peace on earth, goodwill to men”; but the NIV translation, “on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests,” follows the earliest and most reliable manuscripts. Jesus did not bring political peace to the world, but he made it possible for men and women to have peace with God. [Asbury Bible Commentary]

The Advent Series

Angels   

Luke 2:8-10 _{New Living Translation}

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.’”

                People have many different ideas about angels and what they look like.  We envision anything from chubby little children with wings flitting about to beautiful women in shiny white gowns with sparkling wings. According to scripture neither appears to be the case. In Daniel, the prophet describes what he saw during his encounter with an angel: “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.” ^[1] In Matthew’s gospel the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb where Jesus’ body lay were severely shaken and collapsed like dead men at the sight of an angel: “Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.” ^[2]

                We can learn several things from these two accounts. 1) These angels sound like very large men who were extremely strong; 2) there appearance was so striking that it immediately struck fear in the hearts of those who encountered them. 

                According to Jack Wellman ^[3] angels are not composed of physical matter but are spirit beings created by God for God.  They took on human form when they encountered mortals, typically in the male gender. They do the bidding of the Lord and perform duties for God more so than for man.  They are messengers of God and “agents to bring punishment and display his holy wrath.” A good example can be found in Revelation 18:21^[4].  So when an angel suddenly appeared before the Shepherds at night, and they were terrified you can understand a little clearer why.  The angel was there to proclaim the glorious news of Christ’s birth.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] Daniel 10:5-6

^[2] Matthew 28:2-3

^[3] Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author, freelance writer, and pastor at the Mulvane (KS) Brethren church in Mulvane, Kansas. He did graduate work at Moody Bible Institute. His books are inexpensive paperbacks that are theological in nature: “Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children, ““Do Babies Go To Heaven? /Why Does God Allow Suffering?,“ "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible."         

^[4] “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, ‘Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.’”

 

The Advent Series

Past & Present 

Titus 3:3-7 ^{New Living Translation}

“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

                 Christ’s birth was an event in history that had a specific purpose.  He was to be our Savior.  In other words he was sent by God to save us all from ourselves and our sinful ways.  Before we knew the Lord we thought that while we certainly weren’t perfect we were good people who were trying to do the right thing in life.  Without set parameters or boundaries to contain us we ended up all over the place morally, ethically, and spiritually.  Christ was born among men so that he could relate to us and by becoming relatable cause us to see the purpose of his coming.

                 God is kind.  His kindness is revealed thru his mercy and grace.  Grace can be viewed as an acronym that stands for “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”.  It’s what we become entitled to if we receive God’s forgiveness and allow ourselves to be changed by his Holy Spirit.  The gift of God’s Son provides a second chance to live life as God intended, godly living free from sin.  Our previous lives were fraught with foolish disobedience that made us slaves to our own ungodly desires.  We weren’t free at all, though we seemed to think we were.  Christ came to rescue us.  He took on our sin.  That is some gift.

                 The Advent Season is a season of incredible miracles and resulting hope which breeds confidence.  Knowing Christ in a personal way enables us to know in our hearts and not just in our minds that we will inherit eternal life with God as we allow the Holy Spirit to perform his spiritual surgery on our heart and soul.  Salvation is like getting a complete makeover.  The Lord forces himself on no one.  We must want to become all he knows we can be in him.  It all starts with the birth of the baby who would shake up and change the world forever. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

The Advent Series

Prophesy Fulfilled 

Matthew 1:22-23 _{New Living Translation}

“All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel ^[1], which means ‘God is with us.’”

             The key word I would like to focus on today is the word “fulfill”.  If there is any doubt among believers that God orchestrates the events of history, causing or allowing things to take place for his own purposes, then consider this.  The Old Testament, written by man empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, predicted to each precise detail the birth of Jesus.  How else could anyone have known what was to take place hundreds of years after they had passed away?  They couldn’t know, that’s the point.  Since there are no coincidences in God’s economy, then what was revealed thru the Old Testament prophets must have been foretold by Almighty God as a means of preparing man for an event of monumental importance. I’d say the total forgiveness and removal of all accumulated sin for each created individual is monumental to say the least.

                 The name the child was to be called reveals who he truly was, the Son of God born of a woman, making him wholly God and wholly man.  He alone could save mankind from the plight that awaited them.  He alone, being wholly God, could live life as we were created to live; without sin. This is such incredible news. No matter what we have ever done in our lives we can have our slate wiped completely clean.  As a stained garment can be bleached clean, so can our souls be made clean as well.  All this in exchange for a changed life dedicated to living a righteous life for God.  That is truly a great and awesome exchange. 

                 Do you believe in the existence of God today?  Do you know the total significance of the birth of Jesus, the birth that the world is attempting to make irrelevant in the minds and hearts of future generations?  Christ is the only hope for a sin sick and dying world.  Without Christ there is no hope at all and without hope there can be no life worth living. Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world like you never have before.  He is worthy of all our praise, glory, and honor.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

^[1] Matthew is quoting from the prophet of the Old Testament in Isaiah 7:14.

The Advent Series

The Manger  

Luke 2:7 _{New Living Translation}

“(Mary) gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”

                 There has been much speculation regarding the location where Jesus was born. He wasn’t born in a manger, but rather laid in a manger after birth.  Just what is a manger? A manger is a food trough for animals.  Luke’s Gospel is the only one of the four gospels that goes into detail about the birth of the Christ child.

                  I’ve come across 3 scenarios for the location of the animal food trough where Christ was laid.  1) It could have been just as it has been depicted in film, on Christmas cards and in our imaginations.  A barn with stalls and a wooden food trough with animals all about and all the rich fragrances that come with that type of environment.  2) An early church tradition places the food trough in a cave where owners place their animals to protect them from the elements. It would very possibly have been cold, dank, and dirty.  3) Lastly, since Luke doesn’t use the words ‘inn’ or ‘innkeeper’, but rather the word ‘lodging’, Joseph and Mary could have been looking to stay at his family’s home.  Joseph came from Bethlehem, so he and Mary went there for the census.

                 The interesting fact here is that people dwelled upstairs on the 2nd floor of their dwelling. They ate and slept there, while the animals and tools of their trade stayed downstairs.  That is where the food trough would have been.  The statement that there was no lodging for them simply meant that with family members coming to Bethlehem at the same time for the census there was no place for Joseph and Mary to stay upstairs.  So they stayed among the beasts and the tools. It’s very possible that this is where the baby Jesus spent his first night. 

                 In reality it matters not where he was born. More importantly, it is the fact that he WAS born that changes the trajectory of history.  We can seem to agree that Jesus was laid in a hay filled food trough, not the most sterile of atmospheres. But God protected him so that he might fulfill that which he was sent to do.  God offers us that same protection throughout our lives if we will only surrender to his will for our life.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; www.gotanswers.org?; www.christiananswers.net

The Advent Series

The Star of Bethlehem 

Matthew 2:9 _{New Living Translation}

“After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.”

             This star that scripture speaks of is the Star of Bethlehem.  There have been several theories as to what exactly this star was.  Some scientific scholars came up with 3 different scenarios that would take out the miraculous and make it an explainable event.  Some said it was a comet, but records of comet sightings do not correspond with the estimated time of Christ’s birth.

                When a cluster of planets intersect in the night sky it is called ‘a conjunction’.   Some scientists maintain that this may have been the case; however, this type of scenario doesn’t replicate the light produced by one single source.  Planets do intersect fairly frequently, but this cannot be considered a viable option due to the single source of light statement above.

                Lastly, an exploding star or ‘supernova’ may have explained the bright light, but there is no record of a supernova taking place at that time in history.  

                 There are a couple details about the scriptural account that should be mentioned.  The Magi and the Shepherds were the only ones who saw the star.  The example listed above would have been seen by everyone and surely would have been chronicled somewhere in the journals of history.

                 The star led the Magi 6 miles to the North of their position from when they first saw it.  Stars move from East to West due to the earth’s rotation.  While this look at the star of Bethlehem certainly isn’t exhaustive, it makes a solid case that the star was a miraculous light sent by Almighty God to lead the 3 Wise Men to the place where he wished them to be to see and worship the Lord Jesus. 

                 During the Advent Season we need to realize that everything that took place on that night so long ago was orchestrated from start to finish by the hand of God.  It’s no different than how his hand orchestrates our own lives as well if we allow him to.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource:  www.christiananswers.net

The Advent Series

The Three Wise Men  

Matthew 2:12 _{New Living Translation}

“When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”

                 The Wise Men or Magi as they were also called, came to the manger where Jesus lay to give him gifts and worship him.  Where did they come from? What were their names? We don’t know a whole lot about them, but I believe we know enough.  There’s no record from whence they came, but historic tradition tells us that their names were Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior.  Magi were typically highly educated men of noble birth who were wealthy and prestigious within their own sphere of influence.  They could have been philosophers or counselors of rulers, learned in the wisdom of the ancient East.  Magi were men of high integrity, so their visit to see the Christ child had the most upright of intentions.  There is speculation that others may have come to worship the infant King, based on Isaiah 60:3 which says, “All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.”

                 Like the Shepherds, the Magi saw a bright star in the sky the night of Jesus’ birth.  Believing it to be important, they turned to sacred scrolls they carried with them.  Their study of the scrolls led them to a determination to go in search of this infant King who would be Israel’s Messiah.  Like Abraham in the Old Testament, the three men had no idea where to go, but they followed the star which led them to where the child lay.

                 God had his hand in all of this in that he supplied the star as a guiding light and spoke to them in a dream warning them not to return to Herod.  God’s plans shall never be thwarted.  Nothing is impossible for the Lord, and nothing can impede his plans from coming to fruition.  He led the people he wanted to see the Christ child and kept those who would do him harm far from him.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: http://www.bibleinfo.com.

The Advent Series

Herod the Great 

Matthew 2:3 _{New Living Translation}

“King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.”

                 What about Jesus birth was disturbing to King Herod?  People like Herod become paranoid, ever waiting for the other shoe to drop or worse still an assassination plot to unfold.  It was because he was a bad man who had done very bad things that he was disturbed by the events that were taking place in Bethlehem. 

                 Herod the Great, as he was called, was an Edomite, who were “descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob” ^[1].  Herod came from a family of manipulators who worked their way into political office with the assistance of the Roman Government, whom they supported.  Once in power, his reign was marked by harsh and bloody cruelty.  It was understandable that the people would welcome a change in leadership. When the Magi came thru the area speaking of visiting the newborn King of the Jews you can imagine why Herod would be disturbed.  Other translations use words like “deeply troubled” and “alarmed”.  Suffice it to say Herod was not at all pleased by these developments. This is why he had all Jewish boys 2 years old and younger murdered. ^[2]

Herod was nearing the end of his reign which only served to heighten his paranoia toward anyone he might suspect to usurp his throne. Whenever there is a change in leadership there is tension among the people.  You never really know ones intentions until they are in office and begin to rule over you.  The Jewish people looked upon the newborn Christ child with cautious optimism.

                 The birth of Christ would bring hope to a people who were seeking some semblance of encouragement, some sign that God hadn’t forgotten them.  God sent his Son to fulfill the prophecy regarding the coming of a deliverer (Messiah) for the Jewish people.  Once born Christ’s life would be a long, eventful walk from a manger to a cross.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org;http://biblehub.com/matthew/2-3.htm

 http://www.biblestudytools.com.

^[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/Edomites.html

^[2] Matthew 2:16 “Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.”

The Advent Series

The Reason Jesus Came 

Matthew 5:17 _{New Living Translation}

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”

                 Why did Jesus come?  His purpose for coming has been documented throughout scripture and even the Lord himself states above that he came to fulfill the purpose of the Mosaic Law and the Old Testament prophetic writings. The Law was divided into three categories: Ceremonial Law, Civil Law and Moral Law. Ceremonial Law has to do with worshipping God.  Once Jesus came these Laws were no longer necessary; therefore they no longer were binding to man. Jesus taught us about worshipping and loving God, so that was one purpose for his coming.

                 Civil Law applied to daily living by the Jews.  Our society today is very much different from the society when the Laws were first given. They are guidelines that are to be followed to show us how we are to act as ambassadors of Christ. Jesus was our living example of these principles; ones we are to emulate each day.

                 Moral Law would be, as an example, the Ten Commandments. The Jews were required to follow these Laws in strict obedience, for they came directly from the mouth of God. These Moral Laws shine a light on the nature and will of Almighty God and they still apply today. They do not bind us; however, as we live in the spirit we end up abiding by them as a result.

                 So the reason Jesus came was to fulfill the demands of the Ceremonial, Civil and Moral Laws that God had laid down for man to follow, as well as the prophetic verses that pointed to his being the Messiah Israel sought. The Laws were designed to reveal to man their sinfulness. Christ forgives sin.  Man must kneel before the Lord and seek forgiveness for this is necessary to achieve heaven. Believing is a start but is not nearly enough. A changed life needs to be the result of the forgiveness received.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

The Advent Series

Christ Came to Die for Us All 

1 Timothy 1:15 _{New Living Translation}

“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them all.’”

                 The Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, his “true son in the faith”. The nature of Paul’s letter was to encourage and instruct the young leader, who had served as a leader in the church at Ephesus. Judaizers were infiltrating the church, pushing gentile converts to follow Jewish customs and practices. Such peripheral issues were not to be given credence. Gentiles were being asked to practice Judaism at man’s request, not God’s.

                 In Paul’s letter he accentuated the fact that Jesus came to save sinners. Jesus himself said: “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” ^{[Luke 5:31-32]} When Christ came he came for a very specific purpose, to minister to all those who know they were leading a sinful life. These were the people in need of attention. Those who believe they were just fine spiritually speaking find it difficult to envision themselves as sinners in need of saving. People are really no different today.

                 This Advent Season is a time of reflection on whom the infant born in Bethlehem truly was and who we are in relation to him. Have you faced your sinful past head on and received forgiveness from God thru the blood of Christ or are you stuck in the delusion that mere belief is more than enough to secure your place in your eternal home? Christ came for a reason; he came to die for the sins of man. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource:  The Life Application Study Bible.

The Advent Series

Freedom Thru Christ

Galatians 4:4-5 ^{New Living Translation}

“… when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”

                 The Jews had been waiting for a very long time, wondering when their Messiah would come.  A messiah is a savior or liberator by definition.  The Jews were seeking liberation from their Roman oppressors at the time of Jesus.  Little did they realize that when their Messiah came they would reject him because their limited understanding would not allow them to see God’s plan. Their shortsightedness was our gain, which is what the Lord knew would happen all along.  God set the time for Christ’s arrival.  It was a time when his promises would be fully realized.

                 Christ was born under the Law and thus was obligated to fulfill it.  He could then identify with sinners of whom he was sent to save.  The liberation that the Messiah would provide was from the curse of sin.  The problem of Rome would correct itself over the course of time.  The much bigger problem was sin, not oppression.  Once a soul is rescued from its’ sinful state then the spirit is set free.  It is no different than healing a body of a physical ailment only to leave that same body under the bondage of sin.  That only means that a healthy body with an entombed soul would be cast into hell.  It is the spirit set free that enjoys true freedom and is open to enter heaven for all eternity.

                 Because Christ came we are set free if we accept God’s gracious gift purchased for us thru the blood shed on our behalf.  We are not set free just because we believe, we must be changed or like a pig that returns to its muddy pen, we will go right back to our sinful ways.  The Advent Season is a season of freedom, joy, and hope for our eternity.  We have been blood bought and just like God’s everlasting, unconditional love for us, that fact will never, ever change.  It’s what we do with that news that makes all the difference in the world.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: The Reformation Study Bible, the Life Application Study Bible, and the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.

The Advent Series

God’s Word Became Flesh

John 1:14 _{New Living Translation}

“So the Word became human¹ and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.² And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

                 These two verses clear something up that was a bit of a contentious thing among John’s contemporaries.  Did the Word of God only appear to be human or did it in fact literally take on the form of man, actually becoming flesh and blood like other created beings?  It was now clear, the Christ child was indeed made of human flesh and not simply giving off the appearance of being human.  Christ took on the full nature of a human being and dwelt among us. 

                 The word dwelt, which is used in other respected translations, means quite literally “to pitch one’s tent”.  This appears to be a reference to the Temple, which was a large tent that held the Shekinah glory or divine presence of Almighty God.  Christ was wholly God and wholly man.

                 As modern day believers, we must fully accept and comprehend what took place approximately 2000 years ago.  God became one of us to present his plan for living and salvation from our current spiritual state.  He lived among us, giving us an example of how we are to live.  He taught, prayed, and healed, ministering to all who would come to him. Then he willingly allowed himself to be severely beaten and murdered for our sake.  Christ did this all for the sake of God’s plan to save those who could not save themselves. 

                 Christmas is a special time of year.  There are gifts exchanged, fellowship had, families coming together and decorations galore. There could be a holiday without Christ, but there can be no salvation without the birth of the Savior. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources:  The Reformation Study Bible and The Life Application Study Bible.

¹ In the Greek it reads “became flesh”.

² Some translations say instead, “He was full of grace and truth”.

The Advent Series

The Spirit’s Role

Matthew 1:18

“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.” ^{[New Living Translation]}

                 Being betrothed to someone back in Jesus day was not the same as being married to them in that they would not have been intimate yet.  So when Mary was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  An Angel of the Lord told Mary that she had been chosen to carry and deliver the Son of God.  Think of how Joseph must have felt.  He was prepared to send her away in secret so as not to cause Mary embarrassment.  An angel visited Joseph as well to explain what was happening and directed him regarding how things needed to transpire.  Joseph, who was hedging at first, was understanding and obedient once the situation had been explained to him.

                 My main focus today is on the Holy Spirit.  If God’s Holy Spirit can form a child in a mother’s womb without the introduction of any bodily fluids to impregnate the woman than what on earth can he NOT do?  This is just another case in scripture that shows we are dealing with a miracle working God.  There is nothing the Lord cannot do if he decides within the parameters of his will to do it.  God knows exactly how everything needs to work out even when we do not.  He knows the time frame he has chosen to use.  He is a God of order, not of chaos, so everything is done with exact precision.  Man may ‘fly by the seat of their pants’ occasionally, but God is always in complete control of events that we only contemplate.

                 The Advent Season is in honor of many things related to Almighty God and one of the preeminent persons to be honored and revered is the person of the Holy Spirit; one 3rd of the Holy Trinity.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource:  The Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishers.

The Advent Series

The Root of Jesse

Isaiah 11:10 [original Greek translation from the Septuagint]¹

“In that day the root of Jesse will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hopes on him.”

                 Jesus was known as the ‘root of Jesse’. He was along the lineage of David who was a son of Jesse; therefore when Paul quotes this verse to the Roman believers in Romans 15:12-13 he refers to Jesus as ‘the heir to the throne of David’.  Jesus was to be the Savior of God’s Chosen people, the Jews, but they were stiff-necked and disobedient and rejected their Messiah because of how he came and who he became.  Due to the Jews rejection God opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles².  This is spoken of in Romans 11:11-31.  The reason for this explanation to the church in Rome was because even though its members were mostly Jewish it also contained a great many Gentiles. 

                 The Advent Season is one when Christians throughout the world focus on the coming of the Christ child.  Without Christ’s coming into this dark and sinful world there would be no redemption for man, no forgiveness offered, no grace extended, no mercy given.  In faith we believe, and that faith turns to trust which blossoms into hope. The Gentiles placed all their hopes on Jesus Christ.  Something new had been introduced to them and by their acceptance were now part of the family of God.

                 The phrase ‘rule over’ makes it seem like we are God’s subjects.  Rather than being his subjects to do His bidding whether we like it or not, we voluntarily pledge allegiance to the Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the earth. That Lamb is Jesus.  God has no desire to have robotic subjects.  He instead wishes us to allow him to be Lord of our life.  This is because only the One who created us can know what we are truly capable of.  We are to become willing servants for his sake and for his glory.  Jesus came to set us free from our sins so that we might reach the highest potential possible for the Lord.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishers.

¹ The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

² A Gentile is any individual who is not a Jew.

The Advent Series

The Gifts

Matthew 2:1-2

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’"

                 Bethlehem was a small town situated roughly 5 miles south of Jerusalem. It sits on a ridge over 2,000 feet above sea level and is the birthplace of our Savior.  We already know that shepherds were on their way to visit the infant said to be the King of the Jews.  Here we read that magi, led by a star as the shepherds were, came to see the baby Jesus.  Magi were known as ‘sages’; men revered for their great wisdom and judgment.  Perhaps they came together or perhaps they came from separately from different countries, but it doesn’t matter for their reason for coming was singular, to pay honor and respect to the infant Jesus. 

                 Since the magi were coming to worship Jesus they bore expensive gifts in acknowledgment of the future king.  The gifts are seen as symbols of Christ’s identity and what he was expected to accomplish in his life.  The gift of gold symbolized royalty, for Christ was sent to be the king over God’s people.  Frankincense* was offered as a gift honoring his deity.  Myrrh** was a spice used to anoint a body for burial after death.

                 Everything is done for a reason and everything that took place from the beginning of time was choreographed to bring about the result that the Lord knew needed to take place.  God knew what he was doing back then and knows what he is doing now.  Never doubt God or his ability to provide for you everything you are in need of. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Living Translation has been used in this devotional.

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishers.

HISTORICAL NOTE: The land of Israel was divided into 4 political districts & several lesser territories. Judea was to the south, Samaria in the middle, Galilee to the north and Idumea to the southwest.  Bethlehem of Judea (also called Judah – Matt 2:6) had been prophesied as the Messiah’s birthplace (Micah 5:2). Jerusalem was also in Judea & was the seat of government for Herod the Great, king over all four political districts. 

* An aromatic gum resin obtained from African and Asian trees of the genus Boswellia, used as incense and in perfumes.

 

** An aromatic, bitter gum resin obtained from certain Arabian and E African woody plants and used chiefly in making incense and perfumes.

The Advent Series

THE CENSUS

Luke 2:1

“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census* should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.”

             Roman general Pompey had captured Jerusalem approximately 60 years prior to the birth of Christ.  During the years since that day Judea had become more and more subdued to the point where they were now completely under the rule of Rome and therefore a part of the Roman Empire.  Emperor Caesar Augustus asked that a census be taken for the purpose of properly taxing all its citizens, of which the Jews were now part. The tax that was to be paid by the Jews was their first act of servitude to the Roman Government.  Is it any wonder that the Jews, God’s Chosen Ones, were crying out for the coming of their Messiah.

                 There is a stark contrast between the baby Jesus and what the Jews were expecting, not to mention the comparison of a mere infant to the largest Empire in the world at that time. God had sent his Son in the form of an infant to reveal to the world the difference between how the Lord sees and does things and how man does.  The Jews sought a warrior king for a Messiah who would come and smite the Romans, thus eliminating them and their rule over the Jewish people.  God didn’t quite see it that way.  The contrast between their desire and reality was so great that they rejected God’s path to eternal life thru faith in his Son.  That opened the door to all non-Jews, otherwise known as Gentiles, to have forgiveness for all their accumulated sins. 

                 The Advent Season takes on a whole new meaning to those who have placed their unwavering faith and trust in Almighty God. Live a life that honors the Lord each day and know that Christ came to die for you that you might truly live. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Note:  New Living Translation used.

Resources:  The Life Application Study Bible; The Matthew Henry Commentary of the Bible & The Reformation Study Bible.

* In ancient Rome, a count of the citizens and an evaluation of their property for taxation purposes.