He Understood

Most of us spent much time and effort preparing for Christmas—including time purchasing gifts. Sometimes we hold our breath, not knowing if a gift will be received as an expression of love. When it is, we rejoice.

There was a man in Jerusalem who received a special gift during the first Christmas season. When Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the temple, God gave Simeon a revelation. He knew in his spirit that Jesus was God’s instrument of salvation, and he received the gift of revelation as an expression of God's love. Holding the baby, he said, For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. (Lk. 2:30-32 NKJV)

An exciting detail in this story is that Simeon said all peoples. He looked beyond his unique time and place in history. He looked ahead and saw God had prepared a gift for people outside his culture and his time.

Today God desires that we receive His special gift—through a revelation of His salvation. He wants us to recognize Jesus—know who He is--and He wants us to receive Him in our hearts.

Originally published December 24, 1992.
Picture: Christmas ornament. Photo by Solveig.

Call His Name Jesus

Angels told both Mary and Joseph that Mary’s baby would be named Jesus. To Joseph, the angel added, He will save His people from their sins. (Mt. 1:21 NKJV)

Jesus means Savior. Today the name is immediately recognizable as the personal name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah or the Christ. It is the name of God’s son when He lived in a human body. But it wasn’t always so. When Jesus lived on earth, the name was common, a variation of the older Hebrew name Joshua.

Nevertheless, the name was important even then, because it identified Jesus’ primary ministry. For although Jesus did many wonderful things—He taught people, He performed miracles, and He demonstrated God’s love as He lived His daily life—His primary purpose was to redeem or to save people from sin. Other men of God had taught and performed miracles. Only Jesus had and has the power to save.

Originally published December 20, 1991.

Joseph's Visitation

After the angel Gabriel visited Mary—and after the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary—Joseph must have been a confused man. We read that, not willing to make her [Mary] a public example, [he] was minded to put her away secretly. (Mt. 1:19b KJV)

Scripture also says, But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (Mt. 1:20)

This was not a standard dream, but Joseph accepted the strange supernatural message about a strange supernatural event. He changed his plans and was obedient to God's Word. The Bible tells us, being raised from sleep [he] did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. (1:24)

Joseph's troubles were just beginning. The road ahead included the trip to Bethlehem with Mary giving birth to the baby in a stable. Then, when Herod threatened to kill the Christ, the angel spoke again. This time Joseph took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. (2:14b) Because he did not know how long they would be gone, his plans could only be incomplete.

Throughout the infancy and childhood of Jesus, Joseph played a key role in a deadly struggle. God selected this complex man to fulfill a huge task. It was the hour of his visitation.

Originally published December 17, 1982 and December 16, 1988.
Picture: Viewed from the street, Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

The Genealogy of Jesus

The genealogy of Jesus as recorded by Matthew does not agree with the genealogy of Jesus as recorded by Luke. They are the same from Abraham to David, but Luke goes back to David through his David's son Nathan while Matthew goes back to David through David's son Solomon.

It is difficult to know which provides Mary’s genealogy and which provides Joseph’s. Luke reads, Jesus . . . being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph. . . . (Lk. 3:23b NAS) Perhaps he gives Mary’s lineage because Mary furnished the earthly inheritance of her son. Jesus’ genetic code as a human came through Mary. Through her, he was literally from the seed of David.

Matthew also emphasizes the virgin birth. But perhaps he provides Joseph’s lineage. This is important because Joseph’s family determined Jesus’ birthplace as well as His legal family.

Isaiah prophesied, Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse [David’s father], And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him. (Is. 11:1,2a) Jesus is the son of David and the Son of God. He’s God and man—and He’s our Lord and Savior.

Originally published December 13, 1985.
Picture: Basket of pine cones with antique candlestick. Photo by Solveig.

He Brings Revelation

Throughout the Christmas season, everyone will experience specific events that will make up this year’s celebration. Some will become vivid memories—good or bad—that we will carry with us the rest of our lives. They might come through a church or school program, the trauma of shopping, parties, or the individual things we do to prepare for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Will our memories center on Jesus? Not all—but hopefully many. Without Him, there would be no Christmas. And without a revelation of Him, our memories fall short because we miss the meaning of the event.

Only a few individuals outside the family understood the significance of God's visitation when Jesus was born, but a prophetess named Anna did. She was “of great age. . . .” (Lk. 2:36b) After her husband died when she was still young, she had given herself to prayer. The Bible tells us, She did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. (v. 37)

Then Joseph and Mary brought Jesus into the temple on the day of His dedication, and Anna had a revelation. The Bible tells us, in that instant, she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. (v. 38)

Over the years, Anna had collected many memories as she learned from God's Spirit. All came togeher when she looked at a baby and recognized the future ministry of Jesus. For revelation is built on what we know. Anna recognized Jesus because she already knew Him with her spiritual eyes. When we are ready, He brings revelation.

Originally published December 26, 1986.
Picture: Poinsettia tree, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

Become Human Again?

Someone once said that God became flesh—came to earth as a baby—so people can truly become human again. That might seem like a strange idea. But because we are sinners, our humanity or human-ness often falls short of what it should be. Jesus came to change that.

Jesus lived His entire life in perfect harmony with Father God the way God intended all people to live. Through His perfect life and His death, Jesus brings us life. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, the angel said, And she [ Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Mt. 1:21 NKJV)

When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive a portion of His life—as much of Him as we can accept by faith. Our fallen human nature is always a disappointment. When we look at Him and His life in faith, we reach out to grasp a higher, more complete life ourselves. God’s power in us can overrule our baser instincts. He changes people who follow Him into people who are more fully human.

Originally published December 18, 1992.

Living With the Past

Past sin can be a burden—a great weight upon a person—because everything that goes wrong seems like just retribution—like deserved punishment.

At least that was how it worked for Joseph’s brothers. They had hated Joseph when he was young, so they got rid of him by selling him into slavery. Years later, when accused of spying, they were sure their sin had caught up with them.

Years later! How many other ventures-gone-wrong throughout their lives had seemed only fair to them—because they had sinned a terrible sin.

The brothers had no idea the boy would prosper as he matured—that he was, in fact, the very official accusing them. Talking between themselves they said things like, we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us. (Gen. 42:21 NKJV)

Their sin against Joseph did not relate to spying against Egypt. It couldn’t. But they made the association because they lived with a burden of guilt.

Through a miracle of God’s grace, Joseph had learned to forgive. He comforted his brothers: God sent me before you to preserve life . . . to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Gen.l 45:5,7)

Through his forgiveness, Jospeh overlooked the guilt of the past and blessed his brothers.

Originally published July 3, 1992.