The Babe of Bethlehem

The Babe of Bethlehem had characteristics that could be—and can be—found in other babies. The Bible tells us that He grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (Lk. 2:40 NKJV) He also increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Lk. 2:52) These characteristics are unusual, but history records a number of unusual children with hearts tender toward God.

There are some essential differences, however, between the baby named Jesus and other babies. When He became a man, Jesus died for the sin of all people. He could do this because, unknown to most people, He carried within Himself a divine seed that came from God. By sacrificing His divine life, He broke the power of Satan—and He specifically broke Satan’s hold upon the lives of people who call upon Him.

Jesus humbled Himself and came to earth as a man—to die for the sin of all men—so we can have eternal life. The Babe of Bethlehem died in my place.

Originally published December 24, 1987.

The Stones

Jesus was at the center of two mobs within a week. One received Him as the fulfillment of prophecy. People lay garments and branches on the road to show their adulation. They acknowledged Him as their Messiah by singing and shouting their praises. When Pharisees tried to silence this mob, Jesus replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (Lk. 19:40b NIV) That was on Sunday.

On Friday, just five days later, another mob cried, "Crucify him! . . . Crucify him!" (Mt. 27:22b,23b) The people in this group were probably not the people of the first group. However, they had the backing of the Pharisees, the religious leaders, and their demands prevailed. Jesus was crucified with no human praise, no human adulation.

But don’t forget the stones. Even then, Jesus wasn’t without praise. When He died, The earth shook and the rocks split. (Mt. 27:51b) The centurion and his guards saw the earth quake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" (Mt. 27:54b)

Originally published April 13, 1984.
Picture: Lindenwood Park, Fargo, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

On To Jerusalem

Six days before the Passover, on the first day of the week, Jesus received a glorious welcome when He entered Jerusalem. Luke says of the event that, people spread their cloaks on the road . . . the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices. . . . (Lk. 19:36b,37b NIV)

But Jesus would not be deceived by their enthusiasm. He had tried earlier to tell the disciples that He was entering Jerusalem to die. He even knew details—that religious leaders would manipulate circumstances so He would be handed to the Romans—and that the Romans would, mock . . . insult . . .spit . . . flog . . . and kill . . . . (18:32) All of it was necessary before there could be a resurrection and before He could ascend into heaven.

So He rode alone, physically and emotionally isolated from others, when He entered the city and moved toward the appointed hour.

Originally published March 29, 1985.

Hope and an Inheritance

Paul knew nothing about Lent as we experience it—about a time of the year when many Christians focus specifically on Christ’s sacrifice for sin. But he knew Jesus. He wrote in one of his Epistles, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. . . . (Eph. 1:18b,19a NKJV)

Jesus died to give us hope and an inheritance. Hope because He offers forgiveness to people overwhelmed by guilt and despair. An inheritance because He offers blessings on earth and in heaven. God’s power arranged these gifts for His people.

Think of it. Although Lent is a somber time, it’s also a time of great joy. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. The Son secured victory over sin when He defeated Satan.

Yes, we should think soberly about His sacrifice. It’s also appropriate to reflect on the joy of Jesus and the Father. They accomplished their purpose by giving us hope and an inheritance.

God is good. He’s very, very good.

Originally posted February 8, 1991.

Looking Forward

Most of us have experienced a time when life seemed utterly black, hopeless. Jesus death on the cross was such a time for His disciples. All hopes of a kingdom on earth were dashed—and they didn’t understand the eternal kingdom Jesus had talked about. They couldn’t conceive of the resurrection that would follow. It appeared that evil controlled their future when Jesus was delivered into the hands of sinful men. . . . (Lk. 24:7 RSV)

So often our darkest hours are preludes for a resurrection. When we think there is no hope, God is doing His thing, working with a master plan set in place before written history and beyond our wildest human imaginations.

Although the disciples didn’t understand, Jesus did. The writer of Hebrews explains this when he wrote, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. (Heb. 12:2a NIV)

Lent is meaningful because it points to Easter.

Originally published April 9, 1982.