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.

Doubt God's Word?

Even righteous people occasionally doubt God’s Word. Zecharias was such a man, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Lk. 1:6b NKJV)

Then one day, as he fulfilled priestly duties in the temple, an angel appeared to Zecharias, telling him, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. (v. 13b)Furthermore, the child would be unusual, set apart by God for a special purpose.

But both Zecharias and Elizabeth were old—too old to have a baby—and Elizabeth had been barren their entire marriage. Zecharias questioned the message. That was when the angel pronounced a hard saying: you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe . . . . (v. 20a)

Perhaps it was all part of the master plan. People understood that something unusual had happened when Zecharias could not talk—that he might have seen a vision. When Zacharias received his voice again—and immediately prophesied about his son and about the coming Messiah—they knew God was at work.

Originally published December 15, 1989.
Picture: Wild flowers, Minnesota Lake Country, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Beauty for Ashes

The Christmas spirit is an elusive dream for many people. Perhaps they feel isolated from family and friends—or insecure because they do not know how to select presents. Perhaps they lack funds to pay for presents—or are overwhelmed by fatigue and bills. Whatever the cause, failure to experience the dream causes anxiety and stress.

Jesus didn’t come so we could strive after elusive dreams. He came to invade hearts—to penetrate our depths—to offer a revelation or vision of Him. And He brings peace and joy.

The prophet Isaiah had much to say about the Christ-child named Jesus who grew up to bring salvation to all people. According to Isaiah, He brings, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they [we] may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (Is. 61:3 NKJV)

Receiving the promises recorded by Isaiah might require rethinking our Christmas plans. If we belong to Jesus, we can stop striving after the elusive dream—and let a true vision from the Spirit of Jesus touch our spirits—because the Spirit of Jesus is the true spirit of Christmas.

Of course, major changes require adjustments, but that would be a small price to pay if it means exchanging beauty for ashes!

Originally published December 12, 1986.
Picture: Commercial display, West Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

New Clothes

After the people returned from the Babylonian captivity, they were poor and they struggled. During this time Zechariah described a vision he received of the high priest named Joshua. Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord wearing ragged, dirty clothing. The angel said, Take off his filthy clothes. (Zech. 3:3b NIV)

The vision spoke of more than earthly clothing, however. It had symbolic meaning—because the filthy clothing represented sin. The angel continued, See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you. (v. 4b) Joshua also received a clean turban, and the angel stood nearby to watch while others wrapped it around Joshua’s head.

When Paul wrote to New Testament Christians, he often drew upon his Old Testament knowledge of Scripture. Perhaps he indirectly referred to the vision in Zechariah when he wrote to the Galatians: You are the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized in Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal. 3:26)

The new clothing is not physical but spiritual—and it illustrates the new life God's people receive when they accpet Christ’s death as payment for their sin.

Originally published December 30, 1983.

"So I Prophesied"

God is omnipotent—meaning He has all power on heaven and on earth. But for reasons we do not understand, He chooses to work through people.

Ezekiel recorded an example of this when he wrote how God gave him a vision of a valley full of dead bones. As Ezekiel looked over the scene, God asked him, [C]an these bones live? (Ez. 37:3a NKJV)

Ezekiel knew God could make dead bones live, but He did not understand God’s plan. So, with the voice of one familiar with the ways of his inscrutable God, he replied, O Lord God, You know. (v. 3b)

Today almost everyone knows the story. In fact, it is such a familiar story that we might gloss over how God made a humble human being an instrument of such great and incomprehensible power.

The dead bones represented the Israelites, and God did want them to live. He could have spoken life into them directly without Ezekiel's help, but He chose to use a person. God said to Ezekiel, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! (v. 4)

Ezekiel recorded, perhaps with a sense of irony and resignation, that he followed the Lord's instructions. So I prophesied . . . there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together bone to bone . . . and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.”(v. 7,10b)

Death cannot stand against God's Word. Even when spoken by a man, God’s Word brings life. Israel would live.

Originally published October 13, 1989.
Picture: Commercial landscaping, West Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Turmoil in His Soul

Ezekiel experienced an overwhelming encounter with God. He could not even stand upright in the vision until God lifted him up. Through the vision, he learned God had a message for him to deliver to the stiff-necked Israelites who would not listen to God—who did not even want to hear from God.

Nevertheless, God wanted to send a message, and He said to Ezekiel, I will make your forehead . . . harder than flint. Do not be afraid. . . . (Ez. 3:7 a & c NIV)

How would you like to have been Ezekiel? God showed him a scroll with words of lament and mourning and woe. (2:10b) According to God’s instructions, he ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey in my mouth. (3:3b)

But the scroll caused turmoil in his soul because he knew it would cause a separation between him and the people.

We do not know what Ezekiel’s life was like prior to his call, but it was an unusual life after his call. He shared how he was physically transported—with the strong hand of the Lord upon me—to another land and another group of exiles where he sat among them for seven days—overwhelmed. (3:14c,15c)

God spoke again, telling Ezekiel his position would be that of a watchman who would warn wicked people. (3:17) Ezekiel did not have an easy calling.

Originally published August 24, 1984.

Prophetic Prayer

On the crucial day when Hannah returned to Shiloh to leave her son Samuel with Eli the priest, she could have focused on her loss. Instead, she prayed. I smile at my enemies, she said, because I rejoice in Your salvation. (I Sam. 2:1 NKJV)

God did something special for Hannah that day. He gave her a vision and she prayed prophetically. She looked beyond the painful task at hand and looked into the future. In that moment, because she had released her son, she understood God’s plan for Israel and all humanity. She prophetically proclaimed the Second Coming of the Son of God. For by strength no man shall prevail, she declared. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces . . .The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed. (v. 10)

We could gloss over Hannah’s trauma, decide it would be easy for her to leave her little Samuel with Eli because he was in God’s care. The Bible gives us a glimpse of reality. As the family continued their yearly pilgrimages to Shiloh, Hannah continued to provide for him. She took robes that she had painstakingly made for her son so he would have something to wear during the coming year.

Can you imagine those yearly meetings?

We don’t know if Hannah asked for more children, but God gave her three additional sons and two daughters. No longer barren, she walked in His blessings. God honored the woman of faith who rejoiced in Him.

Originally published June 4, 1993.
Picture: Como Park, St. Paul, MN, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

He Regained Strength

The man named Saul traveled to Damascus with a plan. He would take Christians as prisoners and deliver them to Jerusalem where they would be judged and found guilty. But he was in for a surprise. As he traveled, a voice and a bright supernatural light overcame him. The voice said, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4b NIV)

What could he have thought when the voice identified itself as the voice of Jesus? To make matters even worse, Saul was affected physically: For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. (v. 9)

But nothing was outside God's plan. Paul followed the instructions of the voice by going to Damascus and staying with the very people he'd planned to persecute. Then God sent Ananias, a human instrument of healing and encouragement. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and said Jesus sent him so Saul's sight would be restored and so Saul would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (v. 18)

God had prepared everything in advance. With new eyes Saul would receive revelation. It was a beginning. Strength would be important for the man Saul who was about to become the disciple named Paul.

Originally published June 7, 1985.

The Miraculous and the Mundane

Peter had more than one brush with a prison break. At one point he lay bound between two guards because Herod planned to kill him. Then an angel visited him in the night. The angel came with light and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands (Acts. 12:7b NKJV)

Peter and the angel passed through two guard posts and doors opened without a visible source of power. Soldiers slept through it all, and he was miraculously restored to the church that had been praying for his release.

But in spite of the surreal scene, God did not let Peter lose touch with mundane reality. The only additional recorded words of the angel: Gird yourself and tie on your sandals . . . Put on your garment and follow me. (v. 8)

The power of God released chains, opened doors, and kept soldiers asleep. Surely God could help the fellow get dressed when overwhelmed by so much excitement. But no, Peter was told to dress himself. He could not lose his connection to everyday life.

Originally published January 9, 1987.

No Partiality

Leaving prejudice behind is never easy; it’s part of our human nature to desire superiority over others. Rich are prejudiced against poor and poor against rich, educated are prejudiced against uneducated and uneducated against educated, men are prejudiced against women and women against men, ethnic groups are prejudiced against different ethnic groups, etc.

The Apostle Peter was prejudiced, too, and he couldn’t change his mind on his own. He needed a revelation from God to do the work for him. When on the roof of Simon the Tanner in Joppa, he experienced a trance. He saw a sheet come down from heaven not once but three times. Each time the sheet was filled with creatures that he, a Jew who observed dietary laws, could not eat. Then he heard a voice say, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. (Acts 10:13b NKJV)

Almost immediately—while he pondered the meaning of the trance—men sent by a Gentile named Cornelius who was a Roman centurion came to the door asking for him. They told their story and said God had revealed he should preach to them.

But the Gentiles were not Jews. They were of a different ethnic group and a different religion. In that moment God gave Peter opportunity to receive and obey the revelation he received as well as the revelation the Gentiles received. And he rose to the occasion. In truth, he replied, I perceive that God shows no partiality. (v. 34)

Peter recognized that the kingdom of God through Jesus belongs to all people.

Originally published April 14, 1989.
Picture: Tulips, West Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Surprised by the Message

God knows how to make life interesting by surprising His followers. Peter had no desire to minister to Gentiles. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he traveled around Palestine where he shared the gospel of Jesus with fellow Jews. In Lydda, he healed Aeneas who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. (Acts 9:33b NKJV) In Joppa, he raised Dorcas from the dead and presented her alive to the saints and widows. (9:41b)

When he was in Joppa, however, life changed. While staying with Simon the tanner and waiting for dinner one evening, he went up on the housetop to pray and fell into a trance. (10:9a,10a)

God spoke to Peter in the trance, and the message was couched in food. But its significance extended beyond food into every aspect of life: What God has cleansed you must not call common. (10:15b)

Peter had always lived an observant Jewish lifestyle. He resisted the message because it offended practices he'd learned as a child and lived as an adult. But when Gentiles came seeking his help, he capitulated: "God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean." (10:28b)

Only God can bring about deep, abiding change in people. Peter's worldview was forever altered; he had to leave his former mindset behind.

Originally published June 12, 1992.