Experience Joy!

December 21, 2014
Experience Joy!
Matthew 1, Luke 2      NOTES NOT EDITED

SIS – We can have a deep and abiding joy—feeling of expectant delight—when we focus on Who is at the center of the Christmas story.

We can more clearly understand joy when we look at those who experienced that first Christmas.  Joy is a hard notion to pin down with a sufficient definition.  The dictionary describes joy as, “a feeling of great pleasure or happiness.”  That is OK as far as it goes but it does not express adequately the biblical understanding of joy.  The best way of getting a grip on what joy means is by seeing it in action.  I’ve showed this clip as it relates to gratitude, but it equally demonstrates what it means to experience joy.

VIDEO:  3 Year-old Rejoices Over Answered Prayer

You might have noticed a bit of “leaping with joy” in this little one.  Well, joy often has that affect on somebody.  Look at a similar reaction from someone in the Christmas story:

LK 1:39-43

What is joy?  Joy often leads to jumping would be one conclusion.  The Greek word for joy has an extensive usage both in the Bible and in the secular world.  The range of its meaning is both broad and deep.  Getting hold of the meaning of true joy is a bit like trying to catch a greased pig at the county fair.  You see it.  You pursue it.  You get a hold on it.  But, it gets away.  Joy is hard to define.

My conclusion from a study of the original word shows two streams coming together to form the river of joy.  One stream is “delight or glad-heartedness.”  This is a delight that goes much deeper than happiness which is related to pleasurable circumstances.   Joy is sustained not by one’s circumstances but by the focus of one’s faith—that is, delight arising from a focus on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.  The word joy is in the same family as the word, “grace.” Joy is the delight we receive as a gift when we focus on Jesus.  A second stream contributing to the river of joy from a biblical perspective is “expectation.”  Expectation is related to the sustaining belief that what God has promised, He will provide.  Those meeting the baby Jesus immediately recognized that He was the Messiah, whom the Jews had been expecting for millennia.  Joy sprang to life when people saw Jesus—the literal fulfillment of God’s promise. So, I have come up with my own definition of “joy”—expectant delight.  As long as one stays focused on God in Christ one has a sense of expecting good things to come, and that brings continuing delight.

Now, let’s look at a sampling of those who experienced joy as they experienced the Christ child that first Christmas.  I have already mentioned John the Baptist, another baby not yet born who “leaped for joy” when meeting Jesus—Who also was still in the womb.  So, I’ll begin our survey of people who met Jesus and experienced joy with:

1.  Simon—SEEK for it (Lk. 1:25-26)

Before we examine Simeon’s joy at finally seeing the Messiah, let me point out some interesting facts regarding this event.  First, we are talking about two time periods after Jesus’ birth.  Verse 21 speaks of the “eighth day” which would be the prescribed time for circumcision.  This demonstrates that Jesus was “born under the Law to redeem those under the curse of the Law” (Gal. 4:4).  In fact the Law is mentioned five times in this passage to establish this fact (uke 2:22, 23, 24, 27, 29) This clearly identifies Jesus as the “sacrificial lamb that would take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).  Between verse 21 and 22 pass 33 days—“days of purification for Mary” after giving birth (Lev. 12:3-4).  A third part of this story comes when Simeon meets Jesus as He is brought to the Temple for consecration (setting Him aside for service to God).  Finally, we see Mary bring an offering of “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” These “doves” (or pigeons) were prescribed as “burnt offering and sin offerings” (Lev. 12:6-8).  This offering demonstrates two important truths about Mary.  One, she was sinner as much in need of a savior as anyone else, contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church (since 1850).  Two, they were poor and could not afford a lamb which was the typical sin offering.

Into this event of Jesus in the Temple enters the character called, Simeon.  ²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation,  ⁿ and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

We are told Simeon had been “waiting to see the Messiah.”  We are not told how long he had waited, though it implies he had been seeking the Messiah for some time.  Verse 29-30 tells us that Simeon’s patient seeking resulted in an experience of great joy:

²⁹ Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace,

as You promised.  ³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Joy results when we live “devout and righteous lives in anticipation of one day seeing Jesus face to face.  Joy comes from SEEKING it.

2.  Mary—to have joy we must SING for it (1:46-55)

⁴⁶ And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of  the Lord,

⁴⁷ and my spirit has rejoiced  in God my Savior.

Mary goes on to overflow in praise about the immense joy and satisfaction she feels because of her relationship with Almighty God.  I may be spiritualizing the text a bit, but it seems obvious that Mary’s heart had much to say that mere prose could not express.  This is one of many songs (commonly referred to as such in commentaries though it doesn’t specifically state they are musical tunes) related to the Christmas story in the Bible.  Zechariah also had a song.  It demonstrates how joy simply cannot—should not—be suppressed but must be expressed in some way—such as singing.  I cannot stress strongly enough how important a place singing has throughout Scripture.  I’ve said before, the largest book in the Bible is the Book of Psalms—the Hebrew songbook.  

In one (of many) situations as the nation Israel entered into battle they did not lead with heavy artillery, but with choirs.  2Chron. 20 details one such battle between Israel and an arch-enemy, Moab: 

²¹ Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness.  When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing.

We have the same examples from the American military as our cavalry would charge into battle at the bugle’s call.  During the Civil War a drummer and fife player would lead the march.  Music has also been shown to be quite effective in medicine as well.  Multiple studies have shown that calming music can lower blood pressure rates and can even lower the stress hormone cortisol just as much as anti-anxiety medications (www.thefix.com).  Singing and music are powerful ways to call up feelings of joy from deep within our souls.

When God touches your soul you must not suppress it.  The Theological Dictionary of the N.T. states this about joy:  “joy is not just inward. It has a cause and finds expression.” You will enjoy great delight and experience deep joy if you “sing for joy.”  By singing we normally think of harmony, melody and music.  We would all do well to find some form of “musical expression” in order to draw up from deep within us sounds of joy arising from God dancing upon the strings of our heart.

There are many ways to sing about what God is doing in your life.  One is to simply sing.  Some are not as “delightful in song” as others.  Perhaps you could play an instrument.  OK, some are not as talented musically as others—then play a radio (or mpg player these days) and sing along, or hum along.  But, one way to experience joy is to sing about it.  Let music draw up from deep within your soul feelings of rapturous delight that mere prose or common speech cannot elicit.

I think too many Churches underestimate the power of music to produce, not only joy, but greater devotion in general.  In too many churches the music is sort of an “hor d’oeuvre” before the main meal of the sermon.  This really turns church music into little more than a musical performance rather than true worship which will increase our joy.

The key is this:  what God does deep within us, we must get out of us!  Joy bubbles up from deep within when we sing.

3.  Elizabeth—SHARE it.

Joy is never a solo performance.  Look at Lk. 1:57:

⁵⁷ Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. ⁵⁸ Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy,  ^z and they rejoiced with her.

The NIV says, “and they shared her joy.”

Let me summarize the story leading up to this joyous occasion.  Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin.  Six months before the angel announced to Mary that she would have a son an angel appeared to Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah the priest, and said,

¹³ But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid,  Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴ There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.

This baby would be John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the ministry of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said of John, “Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared” (Mt. 11:11).  So, when John was born it was truly a remarkable and wonderful occasion, not only because of who John was but because Elizabeth and Zechariah were old and beyond child-bearing years (Lk. 1:18).  So, the joy from Elizabeth giving birth to the fore-runner of the Messiah was powerful and contagious.

When it comes to truly experiencing joy the principle seems to be, “the more the merrier!”  We all have experienced this phenomenon.  When our children are born we are filled with joy.  As family and friends come to see the new baby, we experience the joy of birth all over again.  A room full of people and a new baby generates an explosion of joy.  This is true for every major event or accomplishment in our lives.  The more we share a joyous event, the more joy we experience ourselves.  Joy is like a snowball rolling down a hill—it gets bigger and bigger as it goes.

I have a little plague hanging on my wall that my Mom sent me many years ago.  It is a poem that talks about “love” but I believe it also applies equally to “joy.”  I’ll change the words to make my point:

The joy in your heart is not just there to stay
Joy is not joy ‘til you give it away.

Sharing multiplies our joy.  Isn’t that what Christmas is really all about—sharing the joy we have in knowing Christ with others?  Gifts, decorations, and such are nice, but Christmas is really about friends and family sharing the joy of Christ.  That’s where we find real joy.

4.  The Three Wise Men—SACRIFICE for it (Mt. 2:1-2, 11)

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem,  ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east  ^l and have come to worship Him.”

Then verse 11 . . . Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The true spirit of Christmas is giving.  God gave His Son.  The Wise Men gave the Son gifts, and we can give the world the joy that comes from hearing the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  The first “Noel” or the first Christmas carol talked about “joy and giving.”

¹¹ Today a Savior,  who is Messiah  the Lord,

 was born for you in the city of David.

Two key words appear in that verse:  “for you.”  As I said last week “the greatest Christmas gift is not UNDER a tree, but ON a tree.”  Christmas is about God “giving His Son, Jesus” who would die on an old rugged cross to be the Savior of the world—to be the Savior “for you.”  Jesus, and the joy He brings, is a gift from God just “for you.”

The Wise Men’s action of “giving gifts that first Christmas demonstrate that the joy of meeting Jesus just cannot be suppressed—true joy must be Expressed.

Over and over in the story of Christmas we see that joy is a feeling that just cannot be contained—it must be expressed in some tangible way.  The gifts from the Wise Men represent a great sacrifice, not so much because they were gold, a precious metal, or frankincense and myrrh, expensive fragrances, but because they travelled over 500 miles to deliver their gifts.  They literally risked life and limb travelling over harsh and dangerous regions to get to the Messiah.  It represented a journey of perhaps months, perhaps a year.  We know this because by the time the Wise Men arrive Matthew says that they “entered a house” (v11).  Jesus and His family were no longer in the stable. 

Also, the word describing Jesus changes from Luke birth narrative to Matthew’s visit by the Wise Men.  In Luke’s account Jesus is referred to as a “brephos,” or infant.  In Matthew’s account by the time of the visit of the Wise Men, Jesus is referred to as a “paidion,” or toddler.  Also, we know that the Wicked King Herod in an attempt to destroy the Newborn King Jesus, ordered all baby boys in Bethlehem under the age of two years (Mt. 2:16).

The journey of the Wise Men was long, arduous, risky and expensive.  The gifts they brought were expensive.  The Wise Men’s actions represent a great sacrifice.  True joy always involves great sacrifice.  It costs something to follow Jesus and to share his love with others, but it is through sacrifice that we experience the deepest and most meaningful joy in our relationship with Jesus.  In fact, James says,

^1:2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers,

whenever you experience various trials.

Jesus also experienced how joy increased through great sacrifice.  Hebrews 12:2 gives us this remarkable description of true joy:  Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses  surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance  the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus,  the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him  endured a cross and despised the shame  and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

Remember I said earlier that my definition of joy was “delightful expectation.”  Hebrews describes this virtue as “the joy that lay before Him” – delight and expectation, or “expectant delight.”  How could it be that Jesus is described as both a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3) and at the same time as a man “anointed with the oil of gladness (joy) above all His fellows?” (Psa. 45:7).

Here’s what we must grasp:  sacrifice does not diminish our joy but multiplies it.  This principle is repeated many times throughout the Scriptures.  If we want true joy, we must SACRIFICE for it.

It costs something to give away the “joy of knowing Jesus.”  Many, many people who claim to be Christians exhibit “zero” joy in their lives.  The reason is simple:  they sacrifice little or nothing in service to the Kingdom.  The may give a little of their time.  They may give a little of their talents and treasures.  But, most Christians, especially in America know “little” of real sacrifice.  Consequently, they experience little joy in their lives.

Yet, in the Underground Church in China (as well as in other areas of the world where Christians are persecuted heavily) the joy of worship and service make the sacrifices they face almost melt away.  The persecuted church in China is so full of the joy of salvation that they will often meet from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening to worship and listen to a sermon—a 12 hour sermon!  They must meet in caves or in remote forests just to keep from being killed or imprisoned.  Far from diminishing their joy, their sacrifice fans the flame of their joy into a raging inferno of praise and an unquenchable thirst for God’s Word!

The Christmas story is filled with people experiencing a supernatural joy:  Simeon, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, the Wise Men and more.  They all have one thing in common.  The source of their joy was meeting Jesus Christ.  Focusing on Jesus Christ is the only source of deep and abiding joy.  Experience Jesus this Christmas and experience joy.

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Advent 2014: Experience Love

December 13, 2014

Advent:  Experience Love

Luke 2:1-20                          NOTES NOT EDITED

SIS—Christmas is essentially a “Love Story.”

It was a classic love story.  It was even called, “Love Story.”  This movie debuted in 1970.  I turned 14 that year and just beginning to enter the “dating scene.” It would be many years and many miles away from my little country town before I would find true love.  I have now lived a “Love Story” for 35 years come next week.  My “love story” began during the Advent season, 1979. That is very fitting.

Christmas is essentially a "Love Story." As I said, I was 14 when the blockbuster classic movie, "Love Story," debuted in 1970. It starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. I grew up with the haunting melody of the theme song in my head--truly one of the great pieces of music ever written. The official title is, "Where Do I Begin," and my memory goes back to Andy William's cover of the song. The first lines ask the question: "Where do I begin//To tell the story of how great a love can be//The sweet love story that is older than the sea."

That’s a great question, as well as a great song.  "Where did love begin?" Not with Ali and Ryan to be sure. There was of course, Romeo and Juliette, Antony and Cleopatra, and Homer and Marge (Oh, that came later). What about Joseph and Mary? This, too, is a classic love story--and a beautiful one. But, love did not begin with any of these couples, not even Joseph and Mary.  Love began in the heart of God, "for God so loved the world He gave His only Son." Christmas tells us of God's love for man.

Think about the two timeless Christmas movies that have endured for over half a century.  “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed and “A Miracle On 34^th Street” with John Payne and Maureen O’Hara both tell the Christmas story against the backdrop of romantic love.  In “It’s a Wonderful Life” George Bailey falls in love with and marries Mary Hatch.  Romance blossoms in, “A Miracle On 34^th Street” between Fred Gailey and Doris Walker.  Christmas is essentially a love story.

The whole world takes on a different ambiance at Christmas time.  I remember when I was an elementary school child during the Viet Nam War.  Over the course of the war several truces and ceasefires were proposed—though, as I recall, most did not last the entire period, usually 24 to 30 hours.

Similar Christmas truces took place in both WW1 and WW2 when the entire world was embroiled and entangled in war.  I am not sure about the Korean Conflict.  My point is this:  the Spirit of Christmas has the power to stop wars—even if just for a day.

Love seems to overflow the shores of humanity during Christmas time.  This should not surprise us because the Christmas Story is the “Ultimate Love Story.”  The Christmas story demonstrates love on so many levels:  individuals, families, communities, and nations.  Most importantly the Christmas story is a “Cosmic Love Story.”  It is universal in scope and stretches back into the recesses of eternity.  Christmas tells the story of God’s love for man.

Let’s read this love story.  LUKE 2:1-20

When we examine the Christmas story from the perspective of a love story between God and mankind, how can we measure that love.  I think we can measure it in at least three ways.

1.  We can measure it by it’s COST.

The most common way to ascertain the “value” of something is to examine it’s cost.  I will not address getting a good deal by paying far less than something is worth, or paying too much for something that really has little value.  We all know of these traps.

Let us consider the issue of God’s love from the perspective of “the cost accurately expressing the true value.”  Notice Luke 2:4:

⁴ And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth  in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,  because he was of the house and family line of David.

Everyone had to return to the home of their ancestors to be registered.  Joseph and Mary’s ancestral home was the town of King David.  It is easy to pass over this verse as just filling in a few details, but these are details absolutely essential to the Christmas story.  These details establish “Who” Jesus is in regard to God’s plan of redemption for mankind.  Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David.  Joseph would adopt Jesus and so Jesus would be a double-descendant of David through both Joseph and Mary.  This clearly identifies Jesus as the Messiah.  The Jews understood through Scripture that a Deliverer would come from God and be a descendant of David, the son of Jesse.  Listen to what the prophet Isaiah declared:

11:1 Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch  from his roots will bear fruit.

This is just one of many, many passages in the Scripture that speak about the Coming Messiah Who would deliver God’s people.  Now, the Jews misunderstood the mission of the Messiah in regard to His first coming.  They sought for “political deliverance” from bondage to the Romans.  Jesus first came to deliver mankind from sin. 

It is very significant that Joseph and Mary are said to be descendants of David.  It established Who Jesus was and what would be His mission.  The crowds following Jesus tried several times to “make him a king,” but Jesus always pointed to a different calling upon his life.  On one occasion the disciples (most James and John) were arguing over who would rule in Christ’s Kingdom.  Jesus pulled the disciples aside and taught them about His mission as the Messiah:

Mat. 20:28  The Son of Man did not come to be served,

but to serve,  and to give His life—a ransom for many

Jesus was “born to die.”  He would have a crisis moment in the Garden of Gethsemane when He would reaffirm His calling as the Messiah, the Savior of the World.  John 12:27 gives us insight into what it means to say that Jesus is the Messiah,

²⁷ “Now My soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save Me  from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.

We know that the mission of the Messiah weighed so heavily upon Jesus as He prayed the night before His crucifixion, that Jesus actually sweat drops of blood.  Crucifixion was a horribly painful death and Jesus would feel the pain as if it were the pain of every person who would ever live.  That’s what “love” cost Jesus.

What did Yahweh’s love cost?  It cost EVERYTHING!  It cost the death of the eternal Son of God.  There is nothing of higher value in the cosmos—and never could be.  When we measure the value of God’s love—it is priceless.

2.  We can measure God’s Love by its EFFECTIVENESS

Look at verses 8-9:  ⁸ In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord  stood before  them,  and the glory of the Lord  shone around them, and they were terrified.

Just as we saw with the details of Joseph and Mary’s ancestral home, these details about the shepherds being the first to hear about the birth of Jesus are extremely important to the gospel story.

These shepherds were no doubt tending the flocks that would provide many of the sacrificial lambs for the coming Passover celebration (our Easter time).  Some scholars see this as support for the idea that Jesus was born in early spring, not December.  We know that December 25^th was chosen as an arbitrary day to celebrate the birth of Jesus as a Christian alternative for winter pagan rituals. 

Being a shepherd in the first century was dirty, hard work that was not greatly appreciated by the culture.  Shepherds were considered unclean by the standards of the Pharisees who were Jewish leaders of the day.  Contact with animal waste and other “messy” aspects of the shepherds’ duties made them ritually unclean.  Because sheep required care every day, shepherds could not keep the Sabbath according to the strict standards of the Jewish elite.  The shepherds’ duties kept them outside of the city and they had little contact with people, so people generally were quite suspicious of shepherds—even though it is one of the oldest professions in the world.

Shepherds were for these reasons “outcasts” in society.  They were nobodies in the societal hierarchy.  Well, all that changed.  They were the first messengers of the gospel.  No doubt their lives changed immensely after hearing from the angelic entourage on the night of the Savior’s birth.  They went from outcasts of society to ambassadors for God, well received by all who heard their message.  Look at verses 17-18:

¹⁷ After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed  at what the shepherds said to them.

One way to measure the love of God is by its effectiveness in changing lives. 

David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco, June 1, 1953), also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer convicted of a series of shooting attacks that began in the summer of 1976. With a .44 caliber Bulldog revolver, he killed six victims and wounded seven others by July 1977. As the toll mounted, Berkowitz eluded a massive police manhunt while leaving brazen letters which promised further murders. Highly publicized in the press, he terrorized New York City and achieved worldwide notoriety.  He was tried for eight murders and sentenced to six life sentences.  He became a Christian after being sentences and serves God by counseling troubled inmates.

The love of God changed the lives of social outcasts.  The love of God redeemed the life of a demon-possessed serial killer.  The love of God changes the lives of broken people.  Nothing is more effective in turning lives around than the love of God.  In fact, the strongest evidence for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is literally millions of changed lives over the last 2000 plus years.  The gospel does not merely alter the course of a person’s life on this earth, but the gospel has the power to change the course of a person’s life for all eternity.

Paul describes the gospel of Jesus Christ like this (Rom. 1:16):

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is

God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes.

If your life is headed in the wrong direction, God can change things for you.  You can measure God’s love by its effectiveness in changing things.

3.  Most importantly, we must measure it PERSONALLY

Christmas means nothing of any real value until Christ means something personally to you.  Verse 19:  But Mary was treasuring up all these things  in her heart  and meditating on them.

There are three major world religions that share a common history:  Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  All of these religions venerate the history of the Old Testament of the Bible.  They have different perspectives on that history.  For example, Judaism (and Christianity that grew up out of Judaism) believe that God directed Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the mountain, and later spared his life to become the heir to the faith of Abraham.  Islam, accepts that same story but instead of it being Abraham and Isaac it becomes Abraham and Ishamael.  Jews and Muslims share accept much of the same history. 

Christianity shares that same history, arising out of Judaism as a tree rising from its roots.  But, Christianity has a very significant and fundamental difference with both Judaism and Islam.  In Judaism and Islam, Yahweh and Allah, the respective gods are absolute transcendent.  That is, they are too holy to have significant interaction with humans—moreso in Islam than Judaism. 

In the Muslim tradition, there are 99 names of God. Not one of these names refers to Allah as Father. In fact, the Qur'an teaches that Allah is the Mighty (Surah 3:6) and Most Holy (Surahs 59:23; 62:1) but does not mention Allah in a familial-type relationship as in Christianity (www.compellingtruth.org/Allah-Father).

In Judaism Yahweh is so holy that Jews would not even speak His name.  Anytime the name Yahweh (YHWH, יהוה) appeared in the ancient scrolls the Scribes would use a different stylus to write the letters and then destroy that stylus.  When any text involving the name of God appeared, the readers substitute another world for God, usually “adonai” meaning Lord.  The idea of God as a father in the sense of being a “real father,” was considered blasphemy.  Remember when Jesus referred to Yahweh as His “Father,” that the Jews wanted to kill Him.  John 5:17 Jesus says after just performing a miracle on the Sabbath:

¹⁷ But Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.” ¹⁸ This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him:  Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Here lies the fundamental difference between Christianity and “all” other world religions:  God wants to have a personal relationship with us.  Contrast this idea with what the Bible says in Romans 8:

¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,  but you received the Spirit of adoption,  by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”  ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit  that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs —heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that  we suffer with Him  so that we may also be glorified with Him.

The phrase “Abba Father,” emphasizes the personal relationship between God and His children.  The term “abba” comes from an Aramaic word to which Paul adds the Greek word for father, “pater” to which Paul adds the definite pronoun, “the.”  Literally it is “Father, the Father.”  In Greek when the word “pater” is proceeded by the word, “the,” the translation is “my father.”  It is difficult to translate the deeply personal expression Paul is using here.  It certainly is an emphasis on a personal relationship.  It implies, “Father, my dear father.”

I bet you have heard people say, “Christianity is not a religion—it is a relationship.”  Well, Christianity is technically also a religion, but the emphasis is not upon ritual but upon relationship.  Even for Judaism and Islam, ritual is paramount.  The idea of a personal relationship with God is blasphemy.

I think this “personal” issue is what causes Christmas to have such a profound affect on peoples’ hearts—even those who have not personal relationship with Jesus as the Lord and Savior. 

What could be more “personal” than God’s relationship with Mary and Joseph.  Look at Luke 2:7:

⁷ Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough.

That’s as close as someone can get to another in a personal way:  “give birth.”  Mary gave birth to Jesus.  She cared for him.  She fed him.  She clothed him.  She changed his diapers.  When she did all that and more . . . she was doing it for Almighty God!  I cannot even fathom this intellectually, but with my heart I know that this God is the True God for no other God so deeply desires a personal relationship with His creation.

I think of the beautiful song by Mark Lowry, “Mary Did You Know.” Part of the lyrics say, Did you know that your baby boy//Has walked where angels trod//And when you kiss your little baby//You’ve kissed the face of God!

We can measure the love of God by it’s cost.  We can measure it by its powerful effects upon our lives and our world.  We can measure it in many ways but until we measure it “personally,” we will never know it’s height, it’s breadth, or its depth.  Moved by the Holy Spirit Paul writes:

¹⁶ I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches  of His glory,  to be strengthened with power  in the inner man  through His Spirit, ¹⁷ and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love.

Only through a deep and abiding relationship with God can we fully comprehend what the virtue and value of love.  Aside from the Holy Spirit—God Himself—dwelling in our “inner man” we cannot know love.  We cannot truly appreciate the cost God paid.  We will never fully experience the effectiveness of God’s love.  We must measure God’s love personally.

The greatest gift of Christmas is “Christmas itself.”  Driven by a cosmic-sized love, God came to a little manger in Bethlehem that would one day lead to an old rugged cross on a hill.  All because of love. 

Often, I ponder as I am sure you do also, how could Yahweh—Creator and Sustainer of the Universe—possibly love me?  Of all the wonders of a universe that is just under the size of infinity, how could God even notice me?  I am one small speck of dust on a small pebble in the universe.  Could Yahweh really love someone as small as I?

As I studied this week I came a cross a little Children’s Christmas book written by the God-touched author, Max Lucado.  The book is titled, “Itsy Bitsy Christmas—You’re Never Too Little for His Love.”  The book is written from the perspective of two little mice from the stable in which Jesus was born.  There names are “Itsy and Bitsy.”  Along their road on a Christmas adventure they meet a donkey named, Daniel.  Here’s the conversation:

“Who are you?” Bitsy asked the donkey.  “I’m Daniel from a faraway town.”  Bitsy said, “Are you here to be counted?” “No,” the donkey said very slowly.  “I am here because of the King.” “What?” Bitsy asked. “Haven’t you heard? The King is coming to Bethlehem,” the Donkey explained.  “But Bethlehem is an istsy bitsy town,” Bitsy explained, “Why would a King come here?” “This King is special,” the donkey explained. “He comes for everyone, big and small.”

“Like us?”Itsy asked.  “Like you,” the donkey replied.

Christmas was God’s gift to the entire world.  Big, small, rich, poor, red or yellow, black or white.  God offers His love to everyone.

Our world is truly and “istsy bitsy” place among the vast galaxies of the universe.  Only one thing makes earth different from all the other planets.  Oh, sure, perfect conditions for life are part of it—but not the main part.  The main thing that makes earth different is “Christmas.”  On no other planet did God have such a love that He would be born into it; live in it; and die for it.  Christmas really is essentially a love story.

Love was the theme of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  Love was the current running through “A Miracle On 34^th Street.”  Christmas is about love—our love for others, and most importantly, God’s love for us.

I hope we all unwrap the wonderful gift of God’s love this Christmas.

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