We are in the section of my Advent thirty day flow where we examine PROPHECY, ARRIVAL, and EARLY LIFE of Jesus.
In this section I chose verses that reflect the prophecies that predict His coming. Prophecy warns of coming judgment but it also comforts in that it foretells the holy and wonderful resolution of all things for the believer. This resolution didn’t begin with Jesus’ incarnation as a babe in the manger, it began before the foundation of the world when the God-head held an intra-council discussion and Jesus voluntarily chose to become the sacrificial Lamb.
Thirty days of exalting Jesus through selected verses with pictures representing the prophecy, life, death, resurrection, and Second Coming of our Savior.
We are in the flow of verses that prophesied his coming.
History tells us this is exactly what happened, with David’s royal dynasty all but dying out as a result of God’s judgment of His people through Assyria and Babylon. Nevertheless, Isaiah also saw that while the Davidic line would seem to be dead, life would remain within the stump. A shoot—life barely detectable at first—would emerge. But once this shoot went forth, it would become a mighty tree.
He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the grass of the field (Dan. 4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job 14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ’s birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to begin his estate of humiliation.
Jesse [Jĕs’se]—jehovah exists or firm. The son of Obed and father of David, and grandson of Boaz and Ruth, and an ancestor of Christ (Ruth 4:17, 22). Jesse had eight sons and two daughters by different wives (1 Sam. 17:12-14, 25). Isaiah speaks of “the stock of Jesse,” a phrase indicating that it was from Jesse the Messiah would come. The humble descent of the Messiah is contrasted with the glorious kingdom He is to have (Isa 11:1).
Thirty days of exalting Jesus through selected verses with pictures representing the prophecy, life, death, resurrection, and Second Coming of our Savior.
Charles Spurgeon on the prophecy of the virgin birth: “And, first, we see here, in speaking of this birth of Christ, a miraculous conception. The text says expressly, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.” This expression is unparalleled even in Sacred Writ! Of no other woman could it be said beside the Virgin Mary, and of no other man could it be written that his mother was a virgin.“
“There is the finite and the Infinite, there is the mortal and the Immortal, corruption and Incorruption, the manhood and the Godhead, time married to eternity! There is God linked with a creature, the Infinity of the august Maker come to tabernacle on this speck of earth—the vast unbounded One whom earth could not hold and the heavens cannot contain—lying in His mother’s arms! He who fastened the pillars of the universe and riveted the nails of creation, hanging on a mortal breast, depending on a creature for nourishment! Oh, marvelous birth! Oh, miraculous conception! We stand and gaze and admire. Verily, angels may wish to look into a subject too dark for us to speak of! There we leave it, a virgin has conceived and borne a Son“. A sermon, The Birth of Christ
Charles Spurgeon on Christmas: “Though creation may be a majestic organ of praise, it cannot reach the compass of the golden canticle—Incarnation! There is more in that than in creation, more melody in Jesus in the manger, than there is in worlds on worlds rolling their grandeur round the throne of the Most High.” Sermon “The First Christmas Carol“, A sermon by Charles Spurgeon, Dec 20, 1857
We should think of the Savior, all the year, every day. (Philippians 4:8). But the Christmas season is a special time when we think more pointedly about His incarnation, life, death, burial, ascension, and return. Who is this Jesus? He was born, lived, died, rose again, and promised to return, to bring eternal life to those who believe and eternal death to those who reject. He tore the veil of human history, and changed everything.
I use my photographs of God’s beautiful creation and overlay a verse on them to publish every day. For Advent, the theme is Thirty Days of Jesus. Thirty verses, thirty photos of God’s creation that reflect His life and ministry.
Of course, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written one after the other, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written,” says John 21:25. So I broke the series up into mini-themes, in order to present highlights.
I chose three mini-themes for this month’s scripture Advent photos that I believe will create a satisfactory narrative of Jesus’ life.
PROPHECY, ARRIVAL, and EARLY LIFE, 15 verses.
In this section I chose verses that reflect the prophecies that predict His coming the first time.
Then the beautiful verses that announce His arrival on the blessed morn.
Then a section are verses that mention Jesus as a child and boy, before He began His ministry.
PREEMINENCE OF THE SON, HIS WORKS & MINISTRY, 15 verses
The Son 5 verses over 5 days
Beginning with verses that declare the Son, are verses that focus Him as the Second Person of the Trinity. His sonship is integral to His earthly ministry as the subordinate Person to God the Father. These verses reflect that reality.
Works & Ministry, 10 verses
This section, published over ten days, will present verses that detail His attributes while He was on earth; Jesus as servant, teacher, shepherd, healer, and so on. Of course, not completely. He has so many attributes. He has ALL the attributes, but in total holiness!
RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, & RETURN
This last section Christ is unique in that He is the firstfruit of resurrection. He is unique in that He descended from heaven and ascended to heaven. Of the John 3:13 verse, says that only He is qualified to speak of heaven, being the only One who has been intimately involved with all its doings, and only he has seen the Father and come down from there and returned.
Jesus was raised to life and brought back to heaven, and several verses in this section will illustrate what He is doing while we wait the long centuries for the fulfillment of the end of all things, His glorious final return. The last verses will present Jesus in His glory, as He is in heaven now.
The flow mirrors the Revelation 1:8 verse, where it is declared,
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Let’s enjoy the season. I pray that it does not become a hectic, shopping slog, frantic with focus on gifts and cleaning houses and to-do lists, though given family obligations and work colleague expectations, some of that is always inevitable. But don’t let it encroach more than it has to. Jesus is the reason for this season. If you’re a believer, this season is a gateway to a new year filled with many reasons each day to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. (Psalm 86:9)
Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. (Isaiah 60:21).
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
or you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:20).
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11).
If you do not know about the marvelous ministry of Mt. Zion Bible Church, you’re in for a treat. If you do know, then you know how wonderful it is.
Chapel Library is a ministry of Mount Zion Bible Church, a Christ-centered church in Pensacola, Florida. You can read their history here. Volunteers from the church handle global requests for hard copy printed matter to be mailed, audio tapes and MP3’s, manage a correspondence school, send free material to train chaplains in prison ministries, are entrusted with SpurgeonGems.org, a complete collection of Charles Spurgeon’s (1834-1892) sermons and other resources, and more.
Their material is from ‘the old, dead guys’, (my term) such as John Bunyan, John Owen, Lloyd-Jones, etc, and a few solid theologians still alive (Beeke, MacArthur, Voddie). The material available in their library can be sent to you via USPS for free, downloaded digitally, or read online.
They also print and distribute a periodical booklet called Free Grace Broadcaster. This month’s edition- Winter 2024 #270- is titled The Wonderful Love of Jesus. Inside are essays and excerpts of essays from these theologians of the past on the topic. I was deeply moved by the essays in this edition, so much so, it got me ready for Advent in a powerful way. Your mileage may vary, but these essays surely spoke to my heart and mind.
The 2 particular essays that got me right in the heart were Christ’s Love as Mediator by John Owen (1616-1683); and To Know the Love of Christ by Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952).
Owen muses on the hypostatic union in Christ- the dual natures. Jesus was divine and also human. Here, Owen discusses Jesus’ human love:
But He was to have another nature in which He was to undergo the difficulties of this work of salvation. He was required to pity us until He had none to pity Him when He most needed it. He was to tread the way of salvation until His soul was heavy and sorrowful unto death. He was to save us from the wrath and justice of a righteous God by suffering that wrath and justice Himself. But far from deterring Him, these proposals only heightened His love for us and increased His delight in the work of our salvation. Indeed, His love, like a mighty river, swept over those ominous proposals, for He says, “Lo, I come…to do thy will, O God” (Heb 10:5-7; see also Isa 50:5-7).
So, driven by His eternal love to undertake the office of mediator and the work of our redemption, a body was prepared for Him. In this body or human nature, which He made His own, He was to accomplish our salvation. His human nature was filled with immeasurable grace and fervent love to mankind. And by this His human nature was made fit to work out the purpose of eternal love.
From this, it is clear that Christ’s glorious love was not only divine but also human. The love of the Father, revealed in His eternal purpose to communicate grace and glory to all the elect, was a divine love only. But Christ’s love was also human. And in none of those eternal acts of love could the human nature of Christ have any claim or concern. Yet it is the love of the man Christ Jesus that Scripture celebrates. … It was because of that inexpressible love that the Son of God assumed our nature (Heb 2:14-17).
Wow. Did you ever ponder the love of Jesus outflowing from His human nature? When I think of how frail and sinful my love is and how pure His was as a human, it boggles my mind.
AW Pink’s essay was so good, too.
Consider Jehovah’s condescending to take upon Him a nature that was inferior to the angelic, so that when the Word became flesh His divine glory was almost completely eclipsed. Contemplate the unspeakable humiliation into which the Son of God descended, a humiliation which can only be gauged as we measure the distance between the throne of heaven and the manger of Bethlehem.
Yes…that immeasurable distance between the throne of heaven and the lowly manger in the straw. I highly recommend the material at Chapel Library. Their earnest desire to exalt Jesus and connect Christians with material that elevates our sight of Jesus to glorious heights. Browse and see what you can find. This edition of the Free Grace Broadcaster is here.
Now, to housekeeping. Tomorrow, December 1, I begin my annual “Thirty Days of Jesus” advent series. I created this a few years ago to help me gain an appreciation for all the aspects of His coming. It’s a visual series, with a photo representing an aspect of the flow of His coming- from prophecies announcing its future occurrence, to the nativity, growth as a boy, adult ministry through healing, teaching, etc, His death, ascendance, and future return. I match the photo or illustration with verses I’ve chosen that in my view represent that aspect of Jesus’ Advent, life, death, and resurrection, and ascension.
Since it is mainly a visual series I won’t be podcasting it. But I will take the time to record other essays I published during the pause in the podcast I took since last May.
It’s the end of the year already? The months and years fly by. I can’t believe I’ll be saying ‘happy 2025’ soon. The mania around the 1999 change of century seems like yesterday. But we are already into a quarter of this new century!
Merry Christmas, friends, and enjoy your advent season.
Do you decorate your home for Christmas? If you have children, it’s one of the best memory-makers. My mother was a master decorator. She had an eye. She could go into the backyard (or more likely, send us teenagers out there) to pick some twigs, branches, leaves, anything, and she’d fashion it into something gorgeous.
We enjoyed seeing the same Christmas tree decorations year after year, and talk about events related to them.
In my thirties, my husband and I traveled to warmer climates for the winter, usually bugging out by December 1, so it didn’t make sense to decorate.
By then we had a cat, and she was a psycho cat to boot, so it provided another reason not to decorate. After that when I lived on my own, I still had a cat or two, so decorating was out of the question. One year, I tried putting up one of those block cubes with lights in them wrapped in a ribbon with a pinecone and some ornaments on top. My cat ate the pinecone and the ornaments. After that he didn’t seem too interested in the ribbon and avoided the glass so I kept using that for my decoration. Notice, the singular aspect of that word.
Then I moved to this place where I’ve been for a couple of years. No cats. New place and it was larger than my old place. I had fun scouring vintage stores for decorations. Hunting for them was fun. Like this one which is one of absolute favorites. It’s a 1950s-style elongated ornament. It’s heavy ceramic, and hand painted. Each of the 9 I got has a bird on it, and one has a birdhouse. I have never been able to find the origin, I believe they are vintage but I haven’t found the artist or anything similar to this piece.
This is how I displayed them, on a wrought iron thingie.
But there comes a time when perhaps the drive to decorate for Christmas wanes. There could be a lot of reasons. Maybe you travel. Maybe you’re living in a smaller space, or a space that doesn’t allow a lot of decorations. Maybe you live alone and just don’t want to. Or don’t have the energy or strength to drag the bins and boxes down from the closet or up from the basement. Maybe you’re grieving. Or a spouse is in the hospital and you’re spending all your time there. Could be a lot of reasons you don’t decorate for Christmas.
AND THAT IS OK.
I eventually decided this year not to go the full monty like I have the last 2 years. I put out a nativity and a white twig wreath outside on the stoop. Inside, I pulled out my other nativity sets and some candles. That’s it.
I love my nativity sets.
The glass figure nativity, I just put out the three main people- Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. The wooden one in the middle is made with popsicle sticks! Its simplicity and roughness appealed to me. The lit one is a favorite I got last year. The crystals are Swarovski and the lighting is just perfect. The alabaster white one I put outside because it’s hardy and can withstand wind and rain. The three wise men ornament swings to become three-dimensional.
I know the Wise Men didn’t arrive on the blessed day of Jesus’ birth, but I like that scene depicting them far away and arriving later. But they were still an important part of the early years of Jesus because of their monumental effort to look for Him, travel a great distance to Him, and to worship Him abundantly.
I kept out my battery operated candlesticks and I’ll put those in the window. So some nativities and a few candles will do it for me this year. The kids at school begged for some decorations so I’ll bring a small tree and some twinkle lights I got for cheap.
How is your decorating going this year?
Below are pics of last year’s Christmas decorating:
Justin is a traveling evangelist known for his discernment seminar called Clouds Without Water, a biblical critique of the Word-Faith/New Apostolic Reformation/Prosperity gospel. He also preaches, “communicating biblical truth through expository preaching and teaching resources designed to deepen the believer’s knowledge of God and, in turn, his love for God” as his About statement reads. He and his wife are members of a church outside of Billings, Montana.
Mr Peters sends out a monthly newsletter bringing his followers up to date on his ministry activity. This month, November 2024, I read the following:
As of this writing, I’ve had two international trips, Brazil and the Philippines. Each was special in its own way, but something quite memorable happened in the latter. At my first preaching venue, there were about 1,100 in attendance. One of my presentations, delivered on a Friday, was on the history of the charismatic movement during which I made a brief point on the biblical truth that only men can serve as pastors and quoted 1 Timothy 3 as support. It was not a major part of this message, and I did not think much about it – until a few days later.
One of the Filipino brothers who organized the conference came up to me and said, “Justin, remember what you said on Friday about how women cannot serve as pastors?” “Yes,” I replied. “Well, you did not know this but towards the back of the room there was a group of female pastors who attended the conference. One of them was convicted by what you said and resigned as pastor of her church the next day.”
“Really?!” I replied. I was floored. But isn’t that amazing? She was a pastor on Friday, was convicted by the truth of God’s Word, resigned as pastor on Saturday and did not even preach in her own home church on Sunday! Praise the Lord! It’s not often that we get to see such a dramatic and immediate change in people – especially one that comes at a great personal cost. God’s Word indeed will not return to Him void without it accomplishing what pleases Him (Isaiah 55:11).
It might seem strange to post an excerpt of a ministry newsletter update on Thanksgiving, but isn’t that what a Christian’s Thanksgiving is all about? Praising the Lord for His work in hearts? The blessing of the Holy Spirit’s piercing of bone and marrow to bring conviction, then light, to minds?
Happy Thanksgiving to my friends. The Lord God above, for whom we are all thankful, is working today on this holiday and every day.
But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” (John 5:17). As we gather today on a day of not working, but a day to praise and thank, we are grateful for the Lord’s work in us humble and frail humans. As Mr Peters’ Philosophy of Ministry quotes Charles Spurgeon,
We are nothings and nobodies, but that we do not think so is very evident, for as soon as we are put on the shelf we begin anxiously to enquire, ‘How will the work go on without me?’ As well might the fly on the coach wheel enquire, ‘How will the mails be carried without me?’
And yet the Lord chooses to use us for His glory. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.Romans 11:36
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a time when we traditionally celebrate the blessings we enjoy in life. Many families have a tradition of sitting around their table and each guest or family member saying what they are thankful for.
I’m thankful for my salvation. For that to be possible I am thankful for the Holy Spirit drawing me to Jesus. For that to be possible I am thankful to Jesus for obeying the Father and dying on the cross. For that to be possible I am thankful for God who created all the world and who is so Holy that His Son obeyed Him and took all the wrath that was destined for me on that cross. I am thankful He revealed Himself to us in His word, and that we have the privilege of prayer, the Bible, the gifts, the fruits, and eternal life. I am thankful for the promises of prospering us in the regenerative process of growing in Christlikeness, for treasures and rewards in heaven, for the promise of rest and peace.
I love books! I love everything about them. I like inventorying them when I bring one home. I like looking at the ones on my shelves. I like my library room full of books. I like thinking about the ones I have read and the ones I want to read. I like the covers (I DO judge a book by its cover). I like the thrill of maybe finding a first edition (I have a 1st ed C.S. Lewis and a 1st Book Club edition of Dune). I like book bindings. I like antiquated books. I like the thrill of the hunt for books.
EPrata photo
Like this find delivered to the Metropolitan Museum. Maybe someday I’ll find a book like that!
I also like reading. I’ve always been a reader. I was weaned on 1960s Dick and Jane. I grew into Nancy Drew in 2nd grade, enjoyed Harriet the Spy as a 5th grader, got wrapped up in King Arthur as a High Schooler (The Once and Future King, The Crystal Cave, Le Morte d’Arthur), and the Classics. I loved the classics, like Huck Finn and Following the Equator from Mark Twain, The Great Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I did go on a tear in my early 20s on South American literature’s Magic Realism from Marquez, Esquival, Allende, Neruda etc.
In my thirties I was living on the sailboat and also traveling a lot and the internet hadn’t come to the little people yet so I always had a book in hand. I liked at that time the traveling/adventure narratives such as A Year in Provence, Into Thin Air, Tim Cahill books, seafaring books and explorer books like The Lost City of Z.
In my 40s I was establishing my business of a local newspaper and read journalism books and books about civic society. In this era the book Bowling Alone stood out.
Reading is my identity as a person. It’s also my professional identity. My two education degrees revolve around literacy, so my professional days are to urge people to become better readers, to enjoy stories, to find the value of reading.
EPrata photo
In my 50s I still read but not as much. I went back to work in education, this time not a teacher but as a teacher’s aide. It is a demanding job and with my aging I found I was tired when I got home. But the frequent breaks from school still provided ample time to read, and I revisited the classics and some modern literature. I had also been saved by the grace of Jesus and I started reading theological books such as the Puritan Paperbacks and other religious topics.
Then I turned 60. I was still working, and the job had deepened into being a teacher’s aide PLUS doing interventions with struggling readers and keeping up with the data. Educators make as many decisions all day as an air traffic controller. Decision fatigue is real. The irony of aging is that as one gains seniority or more experience, she is given more responsibility. This is natural. However more responsibility comes at a time when the person is tiring mentally and physically. This is natural too.
I realized that I just don’t actually read much any more. My brain is tired when I get home from work. On weekends my eyes are weary, dry, and sometimes aching or throbbing. It’s tempting to just watch a screen when there are so many options for entertainment.
I berated myself for a long time for being weak-willed, for being lazy, for starting to become aliterate (unwilling to read, although able to do so).
But I DO want to read! It’s a habit I cherish. I’ve read so many good books. I’ve used books as escapism, I’ve learned so much, expanded my vocabulary, and sparked my imagination. Many of my travels had a goal to visit bookish places, such as the great bookstores of the world, or the homes of famous authors, or locations where famous book events happened.
Why, WHY don’t I read (as much) anymore?
Smith Family Photography source
I set about to find out and to solve my problem.
I came across a video where the host proposed Why Adults Don’t read…And How to Start Again from The Book Guy. I don’t know anything about the Book Guy but his video was articulate and well researched.
Here are his reasons. But don’t just read them and go ‘Oh yah’, there’s more to them than first appears.
For example, in No. 1, he gives information about 4 levels of literacy. As an educator, I found level 1 and 2 to be interesting when thinking of my students and the lack of literacy at home. It helped me be more informed and more sensitive.
No. 3, not having enough energy is definitely a major reason. Between old eyes, decision fatigue, mental weariness, it had become much easier to watch TV mindlessly than read a book engagingly. And reading is a habit, letting it go even for a while like I have, dulls the skill. It’s harder to pick up later.
No. 4 is more complex than one would think from the statement. It’s not just a bad experience, which does tend to turn some people off. It’s the pressure from others or pressure put on one’s self to read certain books.
EPrata photo
After I was saved in my early 40s I happily read lots of theology. As my 40s were left behind and then the 50s as well, I then realized I had put pressure on myself to read what I thought I SHOULD read rather than what I wanted to read. I had incrementally viewed fiction as ‘dessert’, only to be enjoyed after dutifully absorbing ‘better’ books or more worthy books. Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the Puritan Paperbacks, Commentaries, Christian living books I’ve read. Many have impacted me deeply and added greatly to my life.
[From Death to Life: How Salvation Works, Blood Work: How the Blood of Christ Accomplishes Our Salvation, Valley of Vision, Pilgrim’s Progress are just a few!).
I felt also that if I had time and inclination I should be reading the Bible. Was I letting Jesus down by not spending MORE time in the word if I had the chance?
But reading fiction is instructive in its own way. It’s not dessert. I’m amazed that as a younger adult all I read was fiction and now all I read is non-fiction. Did I become a snob? Perhaps.
I decided to get a fiction book from the Library that had been recommended to me. I pushed my computer away and got up to snuggle in my chair under a quilt, and read it. It was so relaxing. I sort of gave myself permission to indulge, and I even had a sink full of dishes, too.
Buying more books. EPrata photo
There are a few lessons for me here. First is just because I’ve been a reader all my life, I took the SKILL of reading for granted. As I transition to a slower season of life, I can’t take anything for granted- not energy, not skills, not time.
Second, read what you want. I will continue to read solidly theological books, but I will intentionally fold in fiction to the pile, and not feel guilty.
Third, just do it, as the saying goes. If I want to read, and I do, then just do it. Resist the temptation to first do the dishes, fold the laundry, and dust before, only to be too tired after. If it is important to me, then make the time.
So that’s my confession, my search for answers, and my resolve. Now if you will excuse me, I have a book to finish.
I was researching for an essay recently and came across, I don’t know how or where, a phrase calling Irish preacher Rev. William Patteson Nicholson “The tornado of the pulpit“. This is surely a vivid expression and nickname of a then-well-known traveling evangelist preacher in Ireland in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Another nickname I have come across is one given to 1700s British Methodist Mary Bosanquet Fletcher. She was known as “Mother in Israel“, a throwback to prophetess Deborah. She was given this nickname not only because of her charity work and running an orphanage, but because of her preaching. Fletcher is seen as the first woman to advocate in the Methodist denomination for women to preach in public. She was an early lay preacher ‘credited’ through a letter writing campaign to convince John Wesley that some women should be allowed to preach, a stance he eventually caved into. Fletcher said that some women are not called to preach just as some men are not, but ones who do have “an extraordinary call” should be allowed. In 1781, Bosanquet married John Fletcher, John Wesley’s successor, and they worked in partnership as co-clergy team. He died only four years after their marriage but Mary continued her preaching ministry for almost 30 more years.
How many preaching women today do we hear of excusing their rebellion by claiming that it is God ‘calling’ them to preach.
Lloyd-Jones
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones is known as The Doctor because, well, he had been a medical doctor before he submitted to the call of Jesus to preach. He earned a medical doctorate (MD) from London University and became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians. LLoyd-Jones was one of the most well known and revered preachers of the last century. His sermons are recorded and just as timely today as they were in the mid-1950s. He at first sought to cure bodies but God’s call positioned him to offer a cure for souls.
Charles Spurgeon was called “The Prince of Preachers“. AI explains, “Charles Spurgeon earned the nickname “the Prince of Preachers” due to his immense popularity as a preacher during his time, particularly in Victorian England, where he was known for his powerful and impactful sermons that drew large crowds, his strong theological convictions, and his ability to effectively communicate the Gospel message to people from all walks of life; essentially, he was considered the most prominent and influential preacher of his era, leading to this title.”
Itinerant evangelist Billy Graham was called “Pastor to Presidents or “America’s Pastor.” That’s because Graham had a personal audience with many sitting US presidents, from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama – 12 consecutive presidents. Of all of them, Truman saw through Graham’s façade, naming Graham a “counterfeit” and publicity seeker.
Billy Graham
Emperor Aurelian was known as Restitutor orbis, a Latin phrase that translates to “Restorer of the World“. Wikipedia says, “Aurelian was a Roman emperor who reigned from 270 to 275 during the Crisis of the Third Century. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had nearly disintegrated under the pressure of barbarian invasions and internal revolts.“
We know who the REAL Restorer of the world is. Jesus. We know which city is the REAL Eternal City. Not Rome, New Jerusalem.
Some nicknames may give us a prideful push toward self-involvement. Spurgeon’s nickname, for example. Banner of Truth’s article “Lessons from the Prince of Preachers“, says of Spurgeon,
Spurgeon was convinced that the dangerous sin of pride could find him anywhere, even in the pulpit. Perhaps today’s ministers are even more vulnerable to hubris than in Spurgeon’s day. With the advent of social media in which ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ are the baseline for success, it is all too easy for a pastor to lose sight of the life of sacrifice to which he has been called.
I started thinking about the millions of people who are Jesus’ trophies of grace we will meet in heaven. I hope you have an eternal perspective, and think often of heaven, which is our country and our eventual destination.
Revelation 7:17, “…the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Art by Chris Powers at fullofeyes.com, free to use
There will be throngs on Jesus’ right hand, named as His sheep, and will be welcomed with love and joy. There will be millions we have not heard of. We are familiar with some of the missionaries of old, like William Carey and John G. Paton, Elisabeth Elliot or Corrie ten Boom. But those fine people are just a drop in a large bucket of folks whom Jesus has graciously saved to labor for Him on that side of the veil. Some of them have fine nicknames, others don’t. But we will have an eternity to meet them and learn of how they became Jesus’ trophy.
The most important thing is whether you have a nickname or not, is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?
Meanwhile, here is a snippet of a rabbit trail I embarked on when researching nicknames of famous Christian or historical figures. I love how smart and funny people are. This is from Reddit:
–Which historic person had the coolest nickname? I submit Isabela, ”the she-wolf of France”. –Basically any famous Vikings have anyone else beat. My personal favorite is Thorir the Troll-burster. –Ivar the boneless. –Don’t forget his brothers, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, and Bjorn Ironside. Not to mention his father, Ragnar Hairy-Breeches. –Bjorn Ironside; tried to raid Rome & accidentally raided random town. –Some people just hate to ask for directions.
the-end-time.org 