a modest proposal

the other day, while watching TV, I caught an ad that said I could buy my own computer if I had a checking account and could afford a $35 a week payment.

That got me thinking (uh oh)...

I propose to reorganize our calendars. With the following provisions:
1. We add one month (from 12 to 13)
2. Every month will have 28 days, rather than the confusing variety that exists now).
This adds up to a year with 364 days....so....
3. The 13th month should have 29 days.
4. We would retain the current leap year system, and make a 30th day in the 13th month every appropriate year.
5. The 13th month would be called either Mactember or Bryanuary ( a small token of acknowledgement to the originator of this plan)
6. The 29th day would be a global day of celebration called GRACE day (Gifts, Rations, and Card Exchange) and would be internationally sponsored by Hallmark. Participants in GRACE day would receive a card entitling them to generous discounts on other holiday-themed regalia sold throughout the year at the one of hundreds of fine Hallmark Retail stores, located in malls across this great nation.
7. The leap day would be a quasi-quadrenniel festival amalgamating the lesser holidays (Ground hog day, Armed Forces Day, National Bosses Day, United Nations Day, and Arbor day). The day would simply be called, "Yeah, THAT day!" and would be represented by a cute cartoonish gopher wearing a three-piece suit with an evergreen lapel pin, a standard-issue army battle helmet with a peace-sign stenciled upon its front, and would speak in a generally ambiguous foreign accent.
8. The current numbering system of years would not concluded, simply amended, to follow a format useful to technology-minded individuals (harkening the ever advancing direction of the collective population). For example, if we can get this new system implemented before Jan. 1 (Mactember or Bryanuary would actually follow July, for logistical reasons), next year would be 2003.01

If you support this proposal, please write congressman Trent Lott Bill Frist, and ask that it be placed at the front of the congressional agenda, for the sake of the nation, and -- dare I say, the world.

HAPPY 2003.01!!

a word on comfort

The first time you see the word "comfort" in the Bible is in the giving of the name Noah, where it is said of him, "And he called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.'''

This strikes me as odd as a man seeking comfort this morning. Not for anything overtly frightening. Just a little unsettling. Kaylyn woke up in the middle of the night again, vomiting. This happened also on Christmas Eve-eve. No fevers. No other accompanying symptoms. Not illness. Not food poisoning. Not allergies. Just puking. But in my paternal mind, I've already played out all the horrible scenarios. So, I go to my Lord asking for comfort -- for me, for my wife, and for my daughter. Comfort from the physical realities of the immediate problems. Comfort from the emotional and mental possibilities of all the problems I am able to conjure in my brain. I'll tell you this -- these are the 'boogey men' that wake up me up as an adult, and they are much more frightening than anything I was able to conjure as a child.

Anyway, Noah's very name connotes the concept of God's provision of comfort to a hurting people. Yet, His name is forever associated with the global flood, the taking of every human life (save 8). What comfort is to be found in that?

none. on a surface level. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I suppose this is just one of many reasons why I'm glad God is not a surface-level god.

God's goodness is not hidden, but nor is it always easily discerned. Just as a world seeking their Messiah could not initially perceive God's goodness in the provision of a Messiah who would initially be whipped instead of worshipped and would initially be crucified instead of conquering, it is difficult to perceive goodness in the face of devastation. But His goodness is there. And it is not hidden.

The world in Noah's time was corrupt. Horrible. In fact, Gen. 6:5 says, " Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." But God didn't see that same wickedness in Noah. And God went to an extraordinary length to set Noah aside from the judgment. He could have included Noah in the purging. He didn't have to deliver Him. God would have been done with the mess called humanity, and there would have been nobody left to gripe, complain, or accuse.

Yet, God would have known.

He couldn't contradict His own nature, His own character.

That is the very definition of integrity.

So God opted to preserve Noah and his family. in an ark. through the tribulation known as the flood. But going back to the promise -- "'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." Noah's dad, Lamech, named him, when he was 182 years old. He died when Noah was 495, five years before the command to even build the ark (which took 100 years of faithful labor, without evidence of the coming storm). Now, I'm working through this as I type, so bear with me....

The Lord cursed the ground (Gen . 3:17)
causing man to labor upon it (18 & 19)
as a form of judgment of death to man (19)
for the offense of Adam's rebellion (9-13)

but the judgment was a blessing, though it invites death inevitably into man's life, for only through death can now man be restored to God (3:22)

Yet, apparently man only saw the curse, and not the blessing. And I have to surmise a couple of things:
1. Lamech was a righteous man. So his naming of his son was a recognition of God's promise to God's children, and not all people.
2. There were no other righteous living people living on the earth at the time. Methuselah (name means: his death shall bring) -- Noah's granddad, lived 969 years, and the year he died, the flood came. All others in his family (assumed to be righteous) save Noah and Noah's wife and children), had died prior to this time. In this regard, then all those who died in the flood were unrighteous -- from God's perspective. If this be true, then God's blessing was only for the righteous.
3. Noah was welcomed to an earth that was still under the curse from Genesis 3. It still bore weeds and thorns. And people still turned corrupt. So what was the nature of the blessing God brought through Noah?

The blessing promised in the naming of Noah can only be realized thousands of years later on a hill in Calvary, where a man hang nailed to a cross for crimes he never committed, sins He never perpetrated. Jesus was only possible because God provided Noah a way out of the global calamity (see Luke 3:23-38). So the promise of God evidenced in Noah's name had much less to do with Noah than it has to do with Jesus. Only because Jesus died on the cross and rose to the heavens will we ever see the prophecy of Noah's name fulfilled:

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'' For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know these things beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

So that takes me back to my daughter, who cries because she doesn't know why she wakes up throwing up (and handles it much more bravely than I ever could -- or do), my wife who flawlessly and boldly wipes her face and tells her how sorry we are and how much we love her, and me, who sins by worrying that all this may be much more than it probably really is. Does God have comfort for me? for us? for my little girl?

Or is God just too "big picture" to be concerned with the trifles of our petty lives?

On one hand, if He is, who am I to gripe? He's God, and I'm not. I'm nobody. Even if I live another 80 years (which I really want to, just so I can say, on July 19, 2082, "today, I've turned eleventy!"), I'd quickly be forgotten. Even the greatest of men and women aren't truly remembered -- only their exploits are remembered. So why would I dare bother God with my relatively trivial problems?

I take you back to the cross.

And His integrity.

He went to the cross because He loves me.

And He promised.

He promised to adopt me as a child, to provide for me, to love me forever. And just like my little girl comes to me comfortable that I'll accept her, I'll hurt for her, and I'll comfort her, I go to my father in heaven for the same purposes.

He hears our prayers.
He knows our needs.
He promises to fix things.

This doesn't mean I'll understand how. or why. or when.
but he'll make it okay.

He promises.
And the cross is His exclamation point.

I'm going to go cuddle with my daughter.

early morning...

prayers laid at the Father's throne of grace today:

for my children -- health
for my parents -- travel safety
for my church -- passion
for my self -- wisdom
for many -- redemption & restoration

one present

It’s a little akward for me to be here today, with so much going on with my family. But I’ve already been told that its okay for me to spend a little time with you while the baby is asleep. I also want to let you know that I don’t usually dress this way - this isn’t really my style of clothing. But, so that you’d feel more comfortable with me here, I took the advice of some friends who gave me a bit of an idea of how to fit in.

Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Joseph. In my neighborhood, I’m known as Joseph ben Heli, but you can call me Joe. Now, a few months ago, my betrothed - her name is Mary - came to me and told me that she was pregnant, with child. Immediately, I was very angry, but she promised me that she had been faithful, and that she had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Certainly, you can understand this was hard for me to believe, and I considered quietly divorcing her, as it was within my rights to do so. But one night, I fell asleep while agonizing over what to do, and I was visited by an angel who basically affirmed what Mary had told me. The angel then told me that I am to name the baby Jesus, because he would save people from their sins.

Well, I don’t have to tell you, that just this morning, in the wee hours of the darkness, miracle happened. I didn’t even want to be here. What kind of husband makes his wife ride for miles on the back of a donkey while so close to delivery. She was so polite, but we had to make a lot of stops along the way, if you know what I mean. Well, we come into town, and there isn’t a room to be found anywhere. Finally, we just settled on sleeping in a stable of an innkeeper, trying to make due until the morning, when something better might become available. Again, Mary didn’t complain, but I felt horrible. What kind of provider makes his very pregnant wife sleep in a nasty, dirty barn? But it was the best we could do, and we were thankful that God had provided us with a way out of the chilled night’s air.

I’m not sure if it was the rough travel, or the tough conditions, but it wasn’t long before I knew one thing for certain - it was time. Mary began to experience the pains of labor. I shooed away the sheep and goats, got a fresh pail of water, and cleared out as much room as possible. And before you knew it, my son, Mary’s son - God’s Son - was born.

His precious cries broke through the night and sent the animals scurrying. He immediately took to Mary, and began to nurse. I wept with joy.

When He was finished, she wrapped her sleeping boy in swaddling cloths, and handed him to me. I held Him, and I worshipped God, praising Him for His mercy, thanking Him for His grace. I looked at Mary, who was close to getting just a little sleep herself. She smiled at me, and asked, “What have you decided to name Him?”

There was never a doubt. I reflected upon His miraculous conception, at the amazing testimony given to us through Elizabeth, and through my own encounter with the angel, amidst my turmoil. God brought to my memory the promise He spoke through the prophet Isaiah, that said, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.”

Immanuel, God with us. This baby would save people from sins. Yeshua - Jehovah saves.

“His Name,” I said quietly, stroking His cheek, “is Jesus.”


What a gift given to man those almost-twenty centuries ago. We can scarcely imagine all that God has given us when He gave us the gift of His Son. Today, though, as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we take time to reflect upon this gift - this One Present, because God cared enough to send the very best.

If you open your Bible to the book of Isaiah, we will go to that Scripture mentioned today by Joseph, the words of Promise and Prophecy spoken some 700 years before the birth of this one named Jesus. And we go here to see what God had planned for man when He planned to give man this One gift.

Realize that this promise by Isaiah in the context of a nation in turmoil. Israel’s king, Ahaz, was a man who was wicked in the sight of the Lord. He dabbled in necromancy, and God spoke through Isaiah that Israel would pay for its sin and rebellion. Yet, amidst these harsh statements of judgment, God said this, in chapter 7, verse 14:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive a son, and shall His name Immanuel.”

There’s a couple of things to note about this statement before we get into the real heart of today’s message. First, that word “behold.” It’s a signal for prophecy. Any time you see “behold” in the Old Testament spoken from a prophet, the words that follow are reliable and important. Second, the word right after behold is immensely important. It is the word “the.” The virgin. The reason this is so important is because many liberal theologians want to say that Mary wasn’t a virgin, and that the prophecy wasn’t that she’d be a virgin, just only a young woman - probably in her teens. And the only way you accomplish that heresy is if, in Hebrew, you change the “the virgin” to “a virgin.” And friends, if you take away the virgin birth, it is the death knell to Christianity. But God makes no such allowances, because the prophecy is definite, it is specific, and it is the promise that the virgin will conceive a child.

Now, if we jump ahead just a bit in the words of Isaiah, we come to the Scripture of our focus today. Read with me, beginning with chapter 9, verse 6:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Today, we will see that when God became flesh, and Jesus came in the form of an infant, he came as a blessing to every aspect of life. First, we must see that Jesus is a gift of civic blessing. The word says “the government shall be upon His shoulders.” This was a scripture that was horribly misunderstood, but very well known. In fact, it is likely this verse that was the root of the disagreement that we several times amongst the disciples in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. The Bible says of them, “there was a dispute amongst them of who was the greatest.” You see, these men understood that Jesus, as the Messiah, would come and establish a government that would be on His shoulders. And as such, these men were jockeying for position in His cabinet. So, they spent way too much time arguing amongst themselves on who was the best and who deserved which positions of honor. But this is not what Jesus had in mind, and it is one reason why Jesus was such a stumbling block to the Jews of that day (as well as this). They expected the Messiah to come and establish His government right away. But that comes later.

But before we talk about that, let’s look at the fact that Jesus has had a profound effect on the civic world over the past 2000 years. We cannot deny the influence that this one man has had on the civic structure. Much of our law is based upon the teachings, influences, and theology of this man Jesus. Things like:
§ Every life is valuable
§ Treat others with respect and dignity
§ Every person should be free to worship God.

And while we in recent history have seemed to stray from these important moorings, contrast our nation with others, that do not claim to be based on Judeo-Christian principles and see the distinct disparities. Where would our nation be without Jesus? I shudder to think. Yet, all I have to do is read the headlines of the atrocities taking place in Islamic nations, and thank God for His grace that His Son has established a government that has given us peace, civility, and structure.

The good news, the promise of His governance is still to come. The book of Revelation tells us that some day, He will come again and rule on this earth for 1000 years, and all who belong to Him by faith will get to rule along with Him. Then, after the final rebellion of Satan, Jesus will rule eternally in the new heaven and the new earth, from the new Jerusalem.

Next, we see that Jesus is a priceless emotional gift, too. God’s Word says that He will be called ‘Wonderful.” In Judges 13:18, an angel of the Lord asks the question, “why do you ask my name, seeing that it is wonderful?” Something that we need to make certain of is that we recapture the original meaning of the word ‘wonderful.’ Today, this word typically means, “something that’s really, really swell.” Originally, this word meant to experience something that fills you with wonderment, with awe, with reverence.

We must remember that this child is the one who was born and drew the magi from a far away land. The angels rejoiced with His birth! The Jewish establishment has reviled Him from the moment He has come, and the world still hates Him today. Yet, He came to die for those who hate Him. And today, He stands in heaven, with eyes of fire, feet of brass, hair of white, and a voice of rushing waters. We should be filled with awe and wonder that this is our God!

Do you remember the emotional mountain peak you were on when you first accepted Christ as your Savior? He was so real, so incredible, you felt like you could have walked on water. But as time has passed, you slip back into the old routines, fallen into bad habits, and you aren’t on that emotional peak that you once were. Well, let me tell you this - you changed, Jesus didn’t. And the Bible is telling us that when He comes again, He will do away with sin and with death, and you will never again experience sorrow or sadness! What a gift. Jesus came to give you joy.

Jesus is also an unsurpassable gift of wisdom. Not only will His name be called Wonderful, but His name will be called “Counselor” as well. The Hebrew word for this literally means “to advise.” God has given us the one who will provide advice on all matters. We see this principle borne out in the promises of God given in the book of James, as well. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

What a priceless blessing it is, what an invaluable gift to be able to open up the counsel of God’s Word and find the passage that speaks to your need, to your predicament, to your challenge. You have probably heard me say that there is not a day that passes that I don’t seek the Lord’s wisdom. Not just as a pastor, but as a husband, as a father, and as a man. And I am so thankful that God is faithful to give me wisdom beyond my years, beyond my experience, beyond my understanding.

This wisdom that is the counsel of God’s Holy Spirit is more precious than silver, more valuable than gold. People fail, relationships crumble, and nations topple all for lack of one simple component - God’s wisdom. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its way is the way of death - that is wisdom from the proverbs. It is so wonderful to go into a situation and be thinking about all the possible ways to handle it, and then stop, realize that all those ways are my ways, and then say, “Okay, God, what do you want me to do?” When we embrace the truth that only God knows all the potentials of every potential and that His way is truly the best way, its only then that we can experience the joy and blessing of walking in the path that He has set for us.

What’s truly incredible about receiving the counsel of the Lord is that much of the time, it doesn’t make sense. How often do you hear God’s say, “My ways are not your ways.” Thank God! Praise Him! Do you know how bad off we all would be if we just did it our own ways? But much of the time, when we do it God’s way, it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t seem possible, or many times, even plausible. But yet, by faith, we follow God’s counsel, and He glorifies Himself through it!

It doesn’t matter what your circumstance or situation is, Jesus promises to be your counselor for it and through it. Look at what He says in Matthew 7:7-8:
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
God loves you, and His Holy Spirit is His gift to you. John 16:13 says that the Holy Spirit is the voice of God who will speak with the Father’s Authority, glorifying Jesus, and telling you what is to come. What a blessing of wisdom!

As we continue, we see that Jesus is life’s most important spiritual gift, too. His name is “Mighty God.” El Gibbor. We need to understand that our God is a mighty God. In a world where too many people are completely content to worship impish, puny, false little gods, our God is the Mighty God who will destroy all strongholds and all falsehoods. He will destroy all those who are pretenders to His throne. We worship the God who created the universe with the spoken word. He created us from the dust of the ground. He was able to flood the world as an act of His divine will against unrighteousness. He was able to beat sin and death by humiliating Himself and dying on a cross so that you wouldn’t have to taste the bitterness of your own transgressions against Him. And His word promises that that He will do away with this earth in a tremendous final fire, and He will establish a new Heaven, and a new earth, and a new Jerusalem, so that we may live with Him! This is the God we worship!

So, why are we content with so much less?

We must grasp on to the scriptural reality that Jesus is God Almighty! In Him, we will bear much fruit! I can do all things - In Him who gives me strength! Nothing can separate me from the love of God! These are the promises of the Almighty God! Just waiting to be claimed! Just waiting to be embraced! Because that’s who He is!

Think about that baby in the manger. Its’ easy enough to do. That’s what most people think of if they happen to think about Jesus at all during Christmas. Only the Almighty God could come so vulnerably, live so precariously, challenge the establishment so dangerously, and die so embarrassingly, just to accomplish the purposes that He Himself had ordained before time began. You will never find Satan humbling himself in such a way. You never find any despot, any tyrant, any dictator do such things. But Jesus knew who He was - and is. He knew God’s will couldn’t be averted or usurped. He was willing to subject Himself to death - even death on a cross, so that you may have life, and have it abundantly.

As we continue on, we see that Jesus is also life’s most important relational gift. Jesus also carries the title of “the everlasting Father.” Now, this title bears witness to the mystery of the Trinity, which - as each of these titles do - merits a sermon in and of itself - but rather than focusing on the Triune nature of God with this title, I want to focus on the reality that God has determined to establish this title in His Word to convey the sense and nature of relationship with us.

God has said that His Messiah will be our everlasting Father. God desires a personal relationship with us. Not just as Creator & creation. Not just as Lord & subject. Not just as God & man. But as Father & child. And Jesus, the Son, is our Father in Heaven. We have been adopted as inheritors, as heirs of God, because Jesus is the Firstborn Son. And because God has ordained that we are His children, we have access to everything that is His.

Now, this may be difficult for some here today to embrace because you have a broken, damaged relationship with man who you called father, or daddy, growing up. And the worst thing you can do right now is try to project your understanding of a daddy, based upon life experience, on to God. God is not just a bigger version of your flawed, fleshly daddy. God is the Holy Father. He is the Loving Father. He is the Father who is eager to hear your prayer, to receive you into His presence. To bear your burdens. To pay for your transgressions. To forgive you. To redeem you. To restore you. To commission you. To encourage you. To discipline you (because He loves you). To direct your paths. To wash your feet. To give you hope. Purpose. Heaven.

I basically feel like I have two dads in this life - the man who raised me, and the man who came into my life when I got married. Roy McAnally and Sam Cotter. God has truly blessed me with these two dads. They are very different, and bless me in very different ways. But I am thankful to God for them because of what they teach me about being a dad. Both are wonderfully approachable. They give me their time and their attention. They give me counsel. They aren’t shy about telling me when I’ve done something dumb. They’ve encouraged me and taught me, and most important, they’ve just been there. In doing these things, they’ve mimicked My Father in heaven. And I know that my relationship with my Father in heaven is even more real than my relationship with either of these two men. God is even more “there.” He is even more eager to do all these things. Because He’s my daddy. And He loves me. And His name is Jesus.

Jesus is also life’s most important royal gift. I won’t spend much time on this because we covered much of it on the aspect of His civic leadership. I just want to point out two additional realities that are evidenced in His name “The Prince of Peace.” First, He is the Prince. It is title of Royal Honor. He is not just a leader or a president. But He is our Prince. He has been established as the deserving Royal ruler. And this Prince will sit in the throne, and He will not be overthrown, and He is our God, and we are His people.

The other thing I want to point out, is that He is the prince of peace. The Word says He will rule with a fist of iron, but that will not be imposed as a tool of subjection and oppression. His ways will be peaceful, and His iron fist will be imposed against unrighteousness. When Christ assumes the throne in His impending return the world will see unparalleled peace and prosperity. But, as I’ve said before, peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is the successful vanquishing of those who oppose the benevolent will and ways of the Lord God. We will never experience peace until we experience the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I close today with two more essential truths about the gift of Jesus Christ. One of these truths has been a theme that has been laced through the entirety of today’s message, and the second may come as a surprise to many of us. That first truth is that Jesus Christ is the eternal gift. His government will be an eternal government. He is the eternal Head of it. He is eternally wonderful. There will never be a time - ever that He is not wonderful. He is our eternal counselor. He will always provide His mind, His will, His heart, His way to those who call out to Him and search for Him. He is our eternal Mighty God. He is our eternal Father, He is our eternal Prince of Peace. Everlasting, the word says. He will endure in each and every characteristic. He will never cease in any of these manifestations of His own identity. It’s been said the only thing you can count on is death and taxes. Well, in heaven there is no second death, and I’m pretty certain God won’t tax His children. Jesus Christ is the only thing you can count on. And you can count on Him forever.

Last, we must see that Jesus Christ is the eager gift. We have been told that unto us a child is born, a Son is given….and the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this! It pleased Jesus to leave heaven to accomplish these things. Jesus was content, happy, eager, full of zeal to come be born in a manger so He could die on a cross for you and for me! He didn’t dread it. He didn’t do it reluctantly. He didn’t have to be convinced. He didn’t weigh out all His options. He didn’t just do away with us and be done with the whole mess. He was driven with zeal to set aside His reign of heaven to be a slave on earth. He was full of zeal to exchange a scepter for a cross. He was compelled by zeal to remove His crown of gold and receive a crown of thorns.

We end today by everyone closing your eyes, and imagining this baby in the manger. Dark hair, in all likelihood. Olive complexion, most likely. Dark eyes, probably. Plain, but precious. Wrapped in swaddling cloths. Maybe cooing, probably sleeping. Shepherds are gathered, standing behind mom & dad, worshipfully beholding this infant. Magi from far away, are proceeding to the do the same. Surrounded by straw, entertaining an audience of sheep, humans, and angels, our Savior has arrived. And these words, from Isaiah 53, echo from the past, foretelling the future:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. by His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:7-12)

The names of the Christ

from KHouse

Names have great significance in the Bible. A name was not just the label that differentiated one person from another, but often described something about the person. The name Abraham is translated "Father of a multitude", Jacob means "supplanter" and David "beloved". The most important names in the Bible, however, describe God Himself. He uses His names to help humanity understand the reality of who He is. God does not cloak His identity and distance Himself from His creation. Instead, we have a God who desires to be known:

... But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. -Jeremiah 9:24

As we rush through the Christmas season burdened with busy schedules, may we take time to seek the man whose birth Christmas celebrates. Who is Jesus Christ? Was he simply a good man, a teacher, or a revolutionary? Through his names, the Bible gives us great insight into the identity of the baby that was born in Bethlehem in Judea over 2000 years ago;

Jesus: From the name Joshua, or Yehoshua, which means "Yahweh is salvation".

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. -Matthew 1:21

Emmanuel: From the Hebrew words Immanu: "with us" and El "God".

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. - Matthew 1:22,23

The Word: Logos in the Greek - God's living, breathing message of who He is, by whom He created all things.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made -John 1:1,3

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. - John 1:14

Son of David: The Messiah the King.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. -Isaiah 9:7

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: - Luke 1:32

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. - Matthew 21:9

The Lamb of God: Innocent, pure, and sent to die in our place.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. - John 1:29

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world... - 1 Peter 1:19,20a

I AM: The very name of the God of Moses, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Creator:

Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. - Exodus 3:14

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am. - John 8:58

He is the Son of Man and the Son of God. He is the Rock, The Good Shepherd, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. May God be blessed for his goodness toward us, for "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17)

That is who Jesus is.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

Praise His Holy Name!

a sunday funny

Christmas carols for the psychiatrically challenged.

This guy has a good blog, so he's been added to my rolls. Check him out.

Sunday -- Praise God!

It's early....quiet time with the Lord has proceeded into my preliminary worship with the Lord. I've just spend my prayer time praising Him for the blessing of His presence. It is an indescribable joy to go into a Sunday worship with His Word in my heart and His life leading mine.

It's going to be an awesome day today -- we get to baptize three people. Although when I came in at 4:30, the baptismal waters were hot enough to make a stew. So I turned off the heater. Here's hoping I remember to roll up my left sleeve high enough that I don't end up preaching with one soaked arm (an all-too-common experience - although if it means that somebody was just baptized, I really don't mind!).

Preaching on Isaiah 9:6-7 today (to be posted here shortly).

Come home to (hopefully) watch the Broncos beat the Raiders -- and take a short nap, I'm sure.

Silent Lord's Supper tonight, following AWANA and UniTED class, where I'm teaching on Revelation 4 -- John in the Throne Room of God.

Then we're driving to Denver for two days -- going to see Kelli's folks, her brother's family (coming from Houston), and my Grandma Mac.