Christmas advent. We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.
The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.
We proceeded into looking at Jesus as the Son and His preeminence, His works, and His ministry. Under ministry & works, I chose verses showing His attributes and aspects of being servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and compassionate healer; and His attributes of omniscience, having all authority and power, and sinlessness.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR FROM YOU WILL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” (Matthew 2:1-6).
Setting: Jerusalem
Characters: The Magi from the east, Herod, and the Scribes & Priests
Event: Finding the Christ Child
The Magi were likely some Alchemists/Astrologers/Science men etc. MacArthur describes them this way –
Because of their combined knowledge of science, agriculture, mathematics, history, and the occult, their religious and political influence continued to grow until they became the most prominent and powerful group of advisors in the Medo-Persian and subsequently the Babylonian empire. … We learn from the book of Daniel that the magi were among the highest-ranking officials in Babylon. Because the Lord gave Daniel the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream-which none of the other court seers was able to do-Daniel was appointed as “ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2:48). (Source).
The Wise Men were monotheistic, that is, they believed there was only one God. Because of the influence of Daniel in those long ago centuries, knowledge about Yahweh still existed in their canon. We know Daniel was a sincere and learned worshiper of Yahweh, so it is likely he taught the wise men of Babylon all about our God.
I know that the Wise Men didn’t arrive at the stable when Jesus was a baby. But, that’s the set.
That knowledge was retained, and it came down to the moment when the Wise Men of Jesus’ day saw the star.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2).
That is all we know about the Magi, but even with this scant information, we know that they knew there would be born a King of the Jews. Their journey from the east, (likely Babylon) was a journey of about 800-900 miles. They traveled by caravan. Having armed guards to protect them as was the custom of the day is probable, since they were carrying expensive items, especially the gold.
They made that difficult and dangerous months-long journey. The Magi had incomplete knowledge of the King of the Jews, Daniel was long gone 700 years before, and any remaining Hebrews in Babylon likely had probably long since apostatized.
What would spur influential Nobles like the Magi to seek out the Christ child with such single-minded purpose? We don’t know but we can surmise that their knowledge was incomplete. They were not known as strong worshipers of Yahweh but custom says they were Zoroastrians.
More astonishingly, not only did the Magi make the effort to journey to Jerusalem, (a HUGE undertaking), not only did they diligently seek the Child, and then trek to Bethlehem, they fell down and worshiped Him! They did not come to simply gather intel, they did not come simply to offer gifts. They weren’t rubberneckers or looky-loos. They came to WORSHIP HIM.
Let us contrast the diligence and humility of the Magi, pagans from a far-off land, to the Priests & Scribes, priests to the very Jews of whom Jesus had come to be king.
Imagine the scene. A caravan of Nobles along with their animals, tents, and guards, a HUGE retinue, arrives in Jerusalem. It would be akin to the Presidential Motorcade, with the cadre of motorcycles at the front, police cars with sirens, several black SUVs, and all the trailing cars. It’s a hubbub.
The Magi started asking around where is the King of the Jews, and finally got to Herod. Herod was troubled. I would be too if such a large company arrived at my door. But Herod, the Scribes, and Priests evidence no amazement. Worse, when they were asked where is the Christ child to be born, the Priests and Scribes answered immediately. The knew the scripture from Micah 5, and said ‘Bethlehem’. /Yawn/
It is not recorded that the Scribes and Priests said ‘we shall look into this as well.’ They did not ask why the Magi had arrived. Crickets. These Jerusalem men had full knowledge, revelation given to them by Yahweh Himself in the Old Testament. They spend their days studying, talking, interpreting. But when the moment came, in the form of a noticeable retinue of seekers from the east asking for the Messiah, they didn’t even walk the 5 miles to Bethlehem to check it out!
We think of others in the Bible who had incomplete knowledge, but still expended a great deal of effort to find God. The Ethiopian Eunuch, traveled all the way to Jerusalem to worship God. He was in charge of all the treasure of Queen Candace, but was humble enough to admit admitted his incomplete knowledge. He was willing to be taught.
Queen of Sheba of 1 Kings 10:1. Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon in relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with riddles. 2 So she came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels carrying balsam oil and a very large quantity of gold and precious stones.
She spoke with Solomon for a long time and was amazed. She concluded, “Blessed are your men, and blessed are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to put you on the throne of Israel; because the Lord loves Israel forever, He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” (1 Kings 10:8-9).
Queen of Sheba was careful to question Solomon in relation to the name of the Lord, and also attributed Solomon’s success to God.
No wonder Jesus pronounced woes upon the Scribes and Priests! They had the most knowledge yet were the most apathetic.
Just because a person has head knowledge does not mean much. The rough fishermen whom Jesus called to be His disciples did not have as much knowledge as the Priests & Scribes. Yet they followed Him when called. Mary, though a young girl, was submissive, obedient, and humble. She knew she was a sinner in need of a Savior.
The difference is acting on the knowledge you DO have. Mary said yes. The Ethiopian Eunuch said please teach me. Sheba traveled to find out more. The Magi sought the Child so they could worship Him. Put your head knowledge into action in service to the Lord. Don’t rest in your head like the Scribes & Priests. Their apathy soon turned to hostility. There are only two responses to Christ: worship or rejection. Whatever knowledge you have, whether a seasoned theologian or a new convert-act on it. Act: pray, seek, question, learn, and above all, involve the heart: worship.
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His attributes & earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer. We looked at His attributes of omniscience, His authority, and now His sinlessness.
He came from glory where righteousness reigns. He descended to an earth that’s cursed where every single human is depraved, thoroughly drenched with a sin nature. He lived among us, sinlessly and perfectly fulfilling the Father’s commands for righteous living. He did this at every moment in every way. Not one blot, not one thought, not one act of anything less than perfection.
For this, He was reviled, mocked, hated, and killed.
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His attributes & earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him through what He does, as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer. Now we look at who He is by looking at His attribute of omniscience yesterday and today we ponder His authority.
How to represent the authority of Jesus over life, in pictorial form? That was a tough one. I settled on the notion of the dock being the long journey of finite earthly life in the flesh, then we come to an inevitable end and launch up and into the eternal heavens. Jesus has authority over every step.
I recently wrote an essay focusing on the authority of Jesus. It is linked below if you’re interested, along with a couple of additional essays from credible sources.
Recently Beth Moore departed Lifeway, renounced being a Baptist, and loudly left the Southern Baptist Convention. In June she declared on her Twitter that she had found a “small liturgical church” in her area. Beth has been mightily enjoying this small, liturgical church. It is an Anglican church. Anglican, not Episcopalian.
She and husband Keith became members of it in September. She said she’s figuring out the “kneeling bench”. She bought the book Every Moment Holy Vol 1, containing over 100 liturgies for daily life (including liturgies for meals). She gushed and gushed about being ‘deeply wounded’ in previous churches, and is wowed by loving people who wrapped their arms around her and her husband and welcomed the pair. She was happy to find a different way to worship.
She said she loves saying the Creed. She said the liturgy has filled her with hope again (not Jesus?). She said she and Keith shot to the altar for communion ‘like starving people begging for bread.’ She also loves what this liturgical church is about, because it’s “not just primarily upon what is coming from the pulpit.”
The Moores’ new church is part of the Anglican Church of North America. You can read about the Anglicans’ beliefs here, but suffice to say, it is as close to Roman Catholic as one can get without being Catholic. Some people in the congregation kneel as they enter the pew, as Catholics do. Some genuflect in the RCC sign of the cross. A crucified Christ remains on the cross attached to the main lectern. Vestments are highly ornate and present on all who serve at the pulpit, including women. Women serve as deacons.
Remember, her husband Keith was raised by staunch Catholics, and Moore has taught publicly that RCC is another denomination akin to Methodists and Baptists.
Because this is 2021 and people misunderstand and misinterpret things, I’ll be clear. I am NOT saying that Anglican (or other more overt liturgical church denominations of Episcopal, Lutheran, some Presbyterian, and some Methodist) are filled with lost people. NO. Men I respect like JI Packer were Anglican. Chris Rosebrough is a Lutheran pastor. Many millions of people who attend liturgical churches are brethren, blessed by the liturgical service structure and glory in it.
I AM saying that if a person is lost, as Beth Moore is, they will want the trappings of religiosity without the submission. THAT is much easier to find in a liturgical church than a confessional one. They want to appear righteous without the obedience. (Matthew 23:28). They are devoid of the Holy Spirit, so they will want outward religious apparatus, ornamentation, and ritual. They will love the emphasis on liturgical tradition and its script, not “just primarily upon what is coming from the pulpit” as Beth Moore has said. And of course she wants to avoid “what is coming from the pulpit” from her previous churches, the word of God convicts of sin and urges repentance. Moore is neither about obedience to the word nor repenting of her usurping ways with changing her long rebellion against Jesus. She is a seeker of a place that will indulge her ungodly passions.
While many saved people enjoy liturgical services, many false believers find it easier to fit in to them. The service affirms their intellectual assent but does nothing for their soul. These false converts feel satisfied in participating in religious scripts, rather than glorifying God in obedience to His word.
Beth Moore reads from Hebrews during service. A woman, serving as Deacon since 2008, gave the sermon. Notice attached to the pulpit the crucifix with a non-risen Jesus.
There are a great many women serving during the service at Beth Moore’s new church. They wear the priestly-type vestments, speak from the lectern, participate with the priest regarding the Eucharist portion of the service, lead processionals…even give the sermon as a woman did this week. This visible role of women would appeal to a rebel female preacher like Beth Moore. It’s natural for a false convert such as Moore to slide in to a church like this that offers her satisfaction of her lusts. (2 Timothy 3:4)
The second point of my essay is this, and it’s sad. False believers bring with them their false notions.
After just 2 months of being a church member, Beth Moore was asked to teach a study at her new Anglican church. The class is part of her church’s School of Ministry and “is for education for both ordained and lay people.” It’s titled “The Biblical Narrative and How to Teach a Bible Study.” You notice right underneath the class calendar listing screen shot below, is a course about women in ministry – taught by female deacon Rev. Deacon Lisa Schwandt. Schwandt was one of only 3 women invited in 2019 to the College of Bishops meeting (big Anglican meeting, like the SBC Annual Meeting) to discuss women in ministry.
Sadly though, installing Moore so quickly as a teacher in her new church, one by her own admission she is totally unfamiliar with in terms of doctrine and practice, demonstrates that the person making these decisions in her new church lacks discernment. It is unknown whether she is teaching a co-ed class. One person on Twitter asked, but the query went unanswered. She was also asked to MC the church’s Women’s Advent luncheon. (Though she did take time out to carp that she was asked not to speak but only to emcee…). She’s become embedded, fast.
I saw that she was listed as an alter server for an upcoming service. I am not sure what a Ps/Epis does but I think it is a person who reads a Psalm and an Epistle during service. See photo above, where Moore is reading the Epistle of Hebrews. We see in the collage below that Beth Moore is in vestments and serving in a variety of ways during the service.
I am not remarking on a liturgical service or anything about Anglicanism. I am saying that Beth Moore’s departure from the SBC to a place where her heart’s desire has always been to serve in a place the Bible forbids has finally been satisfied. She is finally “home”.
Beth Moore’s gravitation away from the faith is evident in this new move. She has always been me-centered and man-centered. Religious trappings for her are not a vehicle to further glorify God but a way to appear deeply committed, while absent of the obedience Jesus requires to be one of His own.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) underline mine.
then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and despise authority. (2 Peter 2:9-10)
We have been through a section of verses that show Jesus’ life in His earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer.
Now we look at His attributes. Today- Omniscience.
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and now Healer.
Jesus healed people of their afflictions and diseases. He healed Mary who had 7 demons. He healed the woman who’d had a blood issue for 12 years. He healed lepers, even touching them, a dramatic split from protocol. He healed the Centurion’s servant from a distance. Whether with a word or a touch, the power of Jesus to heal was demonstrated. He healed the blind, the sick, even the dead. He healed Peter’s Mother-in-Law. Strangers or friends, he healed. He did this to who He was who he said He was- from God and Son of God, Messiah, and the prophesied one.
He did this to show His omnipotence. He healed to show His compassion. The word Splagchnizomai, meaning compassion, is used 12 times in the New Testament, and each time it’s used it’s Jesus feeling it. Prior to the NT, the word when used meant courage. Splanchnizomai is not the only word used for compassion in the NT but it is distinctly used with Jesus and in the context of His healings.
Jesus took the term a step further and used it to define the attitude that should capture the life of every believer. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the master had compassion and forgave the servant’s debt (Matt. 18:27). The prodigal son’s father had compassion on him (Luke 15:20). The good Samaritan had compassion on the injured traveler (Luke 10:33). Jesus had compassion on the crowd (Mark 6:34). People needing help asked Jesus for compassion (Mark 9:22; cp. Matt. 9:36; 20:34). Source: Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
People who need help are the ones who need compassion. Jesus is a God of compassion and He demonstrated this in His willingness to heal.
Usage:
This word is used 12 times:
Matthew 9:36: “when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted,” Matthew 14:14: “a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed” Matthew 15:32: “his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because” Matthew 18:27: “lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him, and forgave” Matthew 20:34: “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately” Mark 1:41: “And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and” Mark 6:34: “much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were” Mark 8:2: ” I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me” Mark 9:22: “him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help” Luke 7:13: “Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said” Luke 10:33: “where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion” Luke 15:20: “his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran,”
I’m looking more and more forward to the return of Christ as each day passes. Aren’t you? I don’t even really read the news anymore, and I’ve quit even looking at headlines. Men turning into women, murderers getting bail while trespassers languish in jail for months with no trial, vaccines that kill and a virus that doesn’t, a president who is cognitively impaired is somehow worse than a fully intelligent president who’s morally impaired… Ack
The world literally does not make sense, and there’s no point in trying to understand why or how or wherefore…it just is a fact. So I look to Christ. I look at Him in His word, I think of Him and the coming Kingdom, I think of eternity. Ahhh, MUCH more pleasant. If you are in Christ, you are destined to dwell forever in glory light with the risen Christ, in love and where no sin dares to creep. Perfection awaits. So hang on, friends, it’s coming.
EPrata photo
Gabe Hughes chronicled the plagiarism scandal that broke this past summer, as Southern Baptist Convention Presidential candidate Ed Litton was campaigning just before the vote. I was distressed to see how little gravity it was given by the people to whom it should have mattered most. I was a member of a church whose pastor had been discovered to have plagiarized every word he spoke from the pulpit, even the supposed personal anecdotes (as Litton had). I was grieved, felt cheated, betrayed, mourned the spotless name of Jesus being muddied, and felt I’d lost years of spiritual advancement that the worthless shepherd had stolen from me and from his other members.
It takes a long time to organize such a voluminous content, and I’m grateful to Pastor Gabe Hughes for doing it.
Preacher Steven J. Lawson the Death of a Society, as Romans 1:18-32 depicts. Buckle up, it’s not a pretty picture…
We read at 2BeLikeChrist some Ways to Be Critical of Your Church. Good advice, because sometimes we do disagree with what is being taught, legitimately, but there is a way to disagree and a way not to disagree.
Are we a faithful friend? I have been blessed to have friends stand by me even when it was difficult for them. I’ve been forgiven by faithful friends, hosted in faithful friends’ homes, and loved by them. Are you a Faithful Friend? The author at the Women Encouraged site has some thoughts.
The Shack movie has hit streaming services now, and it’s good to remember that though the movie is well made, with known actors, and addresses the love of God in an appealing way, the representation of the Trinity is so out of the realm of God’s revelation it taints the rest of the movie. And there are other issues too. Here is one review that explains more
The Wonder and Joy of Advent It’s no mystery why we start looking forward to the Christmas season even before the first leaf falls in autumn. Amid all the tumult and strife of our weary world, we long for peace. Bombarded by cynicism and sarcasm we seek for simple, childlike wonder. Drowning in heartache and pain, we hope, however faintly, for joy.
What are you looking at this Christmas? It’s a week to go until Christmas Day. In the build up to Christmas, our attention seems to be here, there and everywhere. Everyone may celebrate differently, and for some, they may not celebrate at all. Regardless of what Christmas Day means to you, I can guarantee you’ll be drawn in. The question is: what to? What will have your gaze and attention?
From Good, Cheap Eats we have 12 Spice Mixes to have at home or give as gifts Making your own spice mixes for home or to give as gifts is a great way to save money. When you do, you’re also tooling up to add great flavor to your cooking with little work or expense.
A friend and I were talking last night about how much we love to read, how much we love books- buying them, owning them, reading them, organizing them. Sadly, life intrudes sometimes and we do not get as much reading time as we would like. That doesn’t stop us from accumulating more books though, lol. Here is an article from Country Life UK (a FANCY magazine!) advising those of us who are fortunate to own a magnificent manor in the British countryside, of the necessary things to stock our libraries. Now pardon me while I go purchase that $6,000 bookcase…
Fulfilled as we rest with the Word with us In all the extra work of the season, I forget that true rest is only found in the Savior I’m working so hard to celebrate. He offers us rest for our souls when physical rest is elusive.
It is a season of great joy. I pray you seek that joy and hold on to it, and savor the season of Emmanuel – God With Us…and soon enough, we will be with HIM!
the-end-time.org 