Celebrating Jesus

We need to remember that Christmas is a birthday celebration—and when we celebrate a birthday, we do not concentrate on the individual’s arrival as a baby. Rather, we commemorate their entire life. In a sense, we celebrate the person.

So Christmas is more than a celebration of Jesus’ birth. We want to focus on the enormity of His person, His life, and His work.

The Apostle John began his gospel by writing about the life of Jesus before His birth as a human. Then he says of Jesus, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory. . . . (Jn. 1:14a RSV) John presented a very big picture of the baby who slept in a manger.

How big is our vision of the Baby Jesus?

Originally published December 24, 1981.

The Advent of God's Son

God’s glory is an expression of God’s goodness. Some define His glory as a revelation of His total goodness.

Because Jesus’ life was an expression of God’s nature, He revealed—and continues to reveal—God’s goodness. He revealed His father’s total goodness every moment of every day during His earthly life—when He entered the world as a baby, when He met the needs of individuals and multitudes, when He died on the cross, when He rose from the grave, and when He ascended into heaven.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of Jesus’ when he said, Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. (Is. 60:1,2 NIV)

Today, Jesus continues to embody everything we need to know about the nature of God. The season of Advent is a time for setting our hearts to receive glimpses of God’s glory. It’s time to celebrate the advent of God’s Son.

Originally published November 29, 1991.
Picture: Karen's garden, Winona, MN, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Look and Be Radiant

One of the psalmists said, Look to Him and be radiant. . . . (Ps. 34:5a RSV)

That’s quite an order. Yet the Bible tells us Moses was literally radiant and did not realize it. After spending 40 days and nights with God on Mount Sinai without food or water, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. (Ex. 34:29b)

The radiance of Moses reflected God's glory and it came after deep fellowship with God. God trusted Moses, and He imparted much into His faithful servant. Moses received instructions concerning important laws. There were the Ten Commandments which is still the foundation for our law today—but there were other precepts as well. And Moses also received instructions for worship, sacrifices, and building the Tabernacle.

Moses brought God's instructions to the people and then the radiance served a useful purpose. He needed a divine infusion of God’s Presence to implement God’s plans.

Originally published October 30, 1981.

Direct Conversations

Before the Israelites built their Tabernacle, there was the tent of meeting. It wasn’t ornate, and it wasn’t a place for sacrifices or priestly service. This tent pitched outside the camp was the place where Moses met with God when he wasn’t on the mountain.

When he went into the tent of meeting, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. . . . (Ex. 33:9b NIV) The people knew God was talking to him, and they gathered around the tent of meeting to hear what God had said.

Can your image what this was like? Although God performed many miracles through Moses, perhaps the most remarkable experiences of Moses’ life were his conversations with God—including those in the tent of meeting. We are awed by the direct communication. At one time Moses bluntly told God he would not lead the people anywhere unless God’s Presence went with them. God said, I will do the very thing you have asked. . . . (v. 17b)

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God arranged a special display for this man who came to talk with Him.

Originally published September 24, 1982.
Picture: Viewed from the street, West Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

There Was the Glory

God revealed His mercy and provision in many ways during the Israelites’ extended journey from Egypt to Canaan. Even the cloud that remained with them was a visible sign of His glory. It not only led the people; it revealed something about God’s nature. During the dark desert nights, fire from the cloud provided light. During hot days, the cloud provided shade from the hot desert sun. Some say the cloud provided an image of the blessings we receive through Jesus.

At one time, when the people grumbled because they were hungry, Moses and Aaron brought the people into a position where they would listen. Then, While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. (Ex. 16:10 NIV)

The glory of God demonstrated God’s ability to be God. The people hadn’t remembered that He could take care of them. Instead of asking Him to provide food, they grumbled against Moses. But God surprised them by revealing His nature. He wowed them with a visual image of His glory. That night he sent meat in the form of birds, and in the morning the people discovered manna.

Originally published July 22, 1988.