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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Luke 2:21-40

Jesus…, Salvation For All People
Luke 2:21-40 Triton UBF Post Christmas Message 12/27/09
Key verse 2: 30-32 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
I thank God for this Christmas season. Everything is perfect except for the weather. We were so wet on Christmas Eve. Our basement had some flooding and our power went out. I think God may be slightly hard of hearing. Do you know why? Well, when people were singing, “I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas” he thought we were singing, “I’m Dreaming Of A Wet Christmas.” But seriously folks, this really has been a great Christmas. First, there was the Chicagoland Christmas service at the Reginia Dominican High school. Over 1200 people came to worship our Shepherd King Jesus though a message delivered by our very own Shp Teddy. Last week we further explored the same passage from a different angle, though Shp John Mike’s message concerning the Magi’s act of worship. Today we want to carry on with the Christmas story, discovering what happened in the weeks after Jesus’ birth. Many of us have studied this passage before, but I guarantee you that is from a fresh, new angle. We will be learning about four people who lived in the light of God, Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna. We will be learning about how Jesus is our consolation, our salvation and our light of revelation and why it is important to live and walk in the light of God.
Part 1: People Who Lived In God’s Light. (21-28b; 36-38)
First, Joseph and Mary; a house church that walked in the light of God. They are such an exemplary house church that we want to find out more about them. First, they were obedient to the word of God in the Bible. Verse 21a reads, “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him,...” Leviticus 12:1-8 sheds some light on this. According to the law, Mary was ceremonially unclean from the birth for seven days. On the eighth day, she was to bring the boy to a servant of God to be circumcised. This might have been performed by the local rabbi in Bethlehem, possibly at the house they were staying at. Then, after another 33 days, Mary would be ceremonially purified from her bleeding and be able to carry though the next stage of the dedication process. Verses 22b-23 read, “…Joseph and Mary took him (Jesus) to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn make is to be consecrated to the Lord.’)” Parents would normally offer a year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. But because Joseph and Mary were poor, they were to bring two doves or two young pigeons. (Luke 2:24) In this way the priest would make atonement for Mary and she would be clean to present the baby Jesus before God in the Temple. To us it may seem tedious and unnecessary for new parents to do this, but Joseph and Mary knew that God had a purpose for directing his people to do these things. It was to help his people be consecrated to him and be holy, distinguishing themselves from the nations around them. (Lev 11:44) Joseph and Mary were willing to submit to God’s way living as outlined by his word.
Second, they devoted their firstborn son to the Lord. (23) Presenting Jesus to the Lord, meant to devote him to serve God’s holy purpose, even from a young age. They knew well that this child was not their own, but that he belonged to God. It was not easy to devote their first born son to the Lord. Like any parents they would want to enjoy his cuteness and have fun together, posting many pictures on Facebook. But now they were given a mission to care for Jesus providing an environment where the he could grow strong, physically, emotionally and spiritually, as well as enjoy his cuteness.
Next, they named him “Jesus” adopting God’s plan for their son. Look at verse 1b. “…he was named Jesus, then name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.” The angel had told Mary to name the baby, “Jesus” in Luke 1:30-33. The angel also told Mary about what Jesus would become. Do you know what Jesus means? Jesus means “Jehovah is Salvation”. Mary and Joseph knew that their little boy was God’s salvation. Though Mary and Joseph knew this incredible will of God, it was still not easy to name him “Jesus”. There was social pressure to name him after a family member or the father. Then Jesus would have been called “Little Joe.” By naming him “Jesus” shows that they were totally on board with God’s hope and plan for their family. They were very happy with what God was doing. (33)
Mary and Joseph were willing to be inconvenienced by God. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, about 7 miles south of Jerusalem. Someone must have taken the young family in. But still, they were not at home. It is hard to live somewhere that is not your home. On Christmas Eve we had a 23 hour power outage and had to move into the Bible house. It was not easy to be away from home. They had to pay some rent money. Maybe Joseph repaired furniture. They intended to stay another 33 days to dedicate Jesus at the Temple. That would mean another month of living in someone else’s’ back room, paying more rent and traveling 7 miles with a newborn all the way to Jerusalem. (There is reason to believe that they relocated to Bethlehem for about 2 years.) Do you get the picture? They could have said, “Let’s skip this…we can do it some other time.” But they were willing to be inconvenienced in order to do things right before God. Nowadays people are so busy trying to survive in this hard world. We have no time to endure any inconveniences. But Joseph and Mary different. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “…If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Allow yourself to be inconvenienced by God sometimes. You will be blessed!
Second, Simeon; A Righteous And Devout Man. Let’s see how this senior citizen walked in the light of God. Verse 25 reads, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” (29b) First, he was righteous. To be righteous means that he had a right relationship with God. He repented of his sins before God, and trusted in the prescribed sacrifices offered at the temple to bring him forgiveness of sins. He was longing for the first coming of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.
Next, he was devout. The root of devout is devoted. This man had devoted his life to God, especially his senior years. He must have been like Msn Joseph Chung who recently went to Uganda as a silver missionary. After serving as a Missionary-pediatrician in the USA for 30 years, he dedicated the remaining years of his life to being a Bible teacher and a doctor for children at the Bethesda clinic in Kampala. Msn Joseph is like a modern day Simeon. We have other modern day Simeaon’s among us. Msn Rene, Frank Maietta a couple of them. May God raise up many Simeon’s among American students who can live devoted lives of faith throughout their entire lifetimes.
Simon was a waiting person. Look at verse 25, “…he was waiting for the consolation of Israel…” There are people who have no hope. One senior told me, “I have lived 10 years too long.” Another person told me, “Sometimes I wish I would go to sleep and not get up.” Sad, isn’t it? People suffer a lot with hopelessness and despair, especially in their senior years. But Simeon was full of hope. His heart was alive and vibrant. He was waiting for the Consolation of Israel. God’s hope infused new life into his body and God was going to answer his prayer by introducing him to the baby Jesus.
God could dwell in Simeon through his Holy Spirit. Let’s read verse 26-28. “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying…” When the Holy Spirit dwelt in his heart God could communicate to his heart and guide him in life. God gave him insight that this tiny baby was the promised Messiah. He was full of God’s vision, godly obedience, confidence born out of sincere faith, and great joy. They gift of the Holy Spirit greater than any gift that any of you received this Christmas. Why not ask for it. (Luke 11: 13) It’s not too late. Orthodox Christmas is January 7th.
There is another person who walked in the light of God. Her name is Anna. Let’s read verse 36, “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.” First Anna was a prophetess who had an unusually close relationship with God. She interpreted the word of God to the people of her generation, and the next and the next. Second, she held onto faith. Look at 36b and 37a, “…She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage and then was a widow until she was eighty-four….” What a sad story! Jewish girls got married very young. Anna might have been 16 or 17 years old. She lived a dreamy life with her husband until she was 24. Then tragedy struck. Maybe it was a head on collision with a Roman chariot. We don’t know, but her husband died. Anna was all alone. Most women would fall into deep sorrow and blame God for their tragedy. But Anna was different. Look at verse 37b, “…She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.” Her difficulties of life led her closer and closer to God, so much so, that by the end of her life, she lived in almost complete devotion to the Lord. She led daily bread meetings, at the temple every morning and prayer meetings every night.. Third, she preached the Word to any who would listen. Look at verse 38, “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” She was quick to greet newcomers and speak the Gospel to them. Let’s get back to this practice making sure that new comers feel very welcome. But the greatest quality of Anna is that she was a waiting person, just like Simeon, she was waiting for the redemption of Israel. This refers to Jesus, for Jesus is the one who would lead God’s people out of their slavery to sin and darkness and into the light of God’s word. With this hope she too was full of joy and thanksgiving to God.
Part ll: Who Is Jesus? (25; 29-31; 38)
We have already seen that Jesus was born into a poor family. Though he is God, he is humble, submitting to all the dedication ceremonies. He was very ordinary, being born and dedicated with no inaugural fanfare. After a quick survey of the passage we can see several more descriptions of Jesus. He is the Consolation of Israel; the Lord’s Christ; God’s salvation; A light of revelation to the Gentiles; the Redemption of Israel. Put them all together and you get a more complete picture of who Jesus is. Let’s talk about a few of these aspects of Jesus.
First Jesus is the Consolation of Israel. Look at verse 25 again. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. To console is to bring comfort and hope. We tend to think that a person who has suffered some loss in life needs to be consoled. And they do. When I was young I would always get the consolation prize so I wouldn’t feel so bad. But Simeon was waiting for the consolation of the whole nation, Israel. Why did Israel need to be comforted? It had been 400 years since Israel had heard the words of the prophets. They had been suffering for the last 40 year under the Romans. They were being heavily taxed and punished for resistance acts of guerilla warfare. They were poverty stricken. They felt ignored and even punished by God for their sins. Most people were losing all hope that Israel could ever be reconciled to God. But there was one who never lost hope for his people. He was Simeon, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. Perhaps Simeon held onto the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, … On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him, let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:6-9) The consolation of Israel is Jesus.
Our young people need the Consolation of Israel, Jesus Christ. When they are consoled by God, through faith, Jesus will destroy the shroud that enfolds their hearts. Jesus will swallow up death forever. Jesus will wipe away the tears from their faces; he will remove their disgrace through his forgiveness. Then our young people will say “Surely this is our God; we trusted in Jesus, and he saved us.” Let’s pray that the Consolation of America may come on the Triton Campus and NIU campus.
There is more about Jesus in this passage. Let’s read our key verses 30 -31, all together, ““For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” First, Jesus is our salvation, prepared by God. People without God live in the darkness. It is destructive. It is a darkness of deception and hypo¬crisy that obscures reality. It is also a darkness of ignorance that suppresses the truth and keeps people trapped by their sinful nature, negative emotions, separated from God and from one another. But God had a plan, right from the beginning to send a Savior, who would save people from the darkness of their sins. We heard of God’s plan in last week’s message. Do you remember? Matthew 2:6, “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.” The prophet Micah knew of the Christ, the Shepherd King, whom God would prepare, 700 years before Jesus came! The Magi knew of this Savior and sought him out. And Jesus came just as was promised. He came as a tiny baby in manger (soon after Joseph built him a cradle-I hope). When you look the cradle you must also see have spiritual eyes to see the cross and also the crown. Yes, Jesus was born to be our savior. He was born to die on the cross for our sins and be raised from the dead where he reigns forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Through his life, death and resurrection Jesus rescues us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into the kingdom of Heaven where we will dwell with him forever. He guides our feet in the path of righteousness. The cradle-the cross-the crown. Can your eyes see the Salvation God has prepared for you and me?
Next, Jesus is a light for revelation to us. In John 8:12. Jesus told the people, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in dark¬ness, but will have the light of life.” Spiritually speaking, light refers to God’s revelation that identi¬fies his truth and distinguishes it from falsehood. Light also reveals God’s will and his deeper purposes that are not always obvious to people. Jesus also reveals the light of God’s love and saving grace on sinners. The Gentiles did not know the Gospel. They were separated from God by their ignorance and sins. They had no idea that God loved them and wanted to be their Father also. God wanted them to come to him, repent of their sins and step into the light of God. That is why he sent Jesus. When Jesus shines his light into our hearts we know we are forgiven. We are set free to live a new life with a new beginning as God’s people. The light of Jesus will guide our paths all the way through this world and into the kingdom of God. We will see the glory of God.
Part lll: Jesus Is Your Salvation…Live In Him Today (34b-35b; 39-40)
Choosing to walk in the light of Jesus is not an option. Look at verses 34b-35. “…This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. …” It always amazed me how Jesus reveals what is in peoples’ hearts. You can have two people standing side by side and they appear very similar in their disposition. But when you introduce them to Jesus things become very clear, for how they respond to Jesus reveals their true colors. Jesus simply stands their, being his beautiful self, shedding his wonderful light, and peoples’ hearts are revealed. How they respond to Jesus will determine if they stand or fall spiritually. If we respond to Jesus in repentance and faith and obedience and love for God, we will rise, in this life and all the way to the Kingdom of God. If we refuse to come into the light, we will fall, sometimes forever. Let us not be those who speak against Jesus but be those who make the right response.
God blesses those who respond well to Jesus. Let’s read verses 39 and 40.
“When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” Joseph and Mary were blessed ones. They went back to their quiet, backwoods little hamlet, which recent archeological findings reveal was about 50 homes on 4 acres in the country. For the next thirty years they lived in relative peace enjoying their family, especially their firstborn Jesus whom they marveled at. Jesus got A’s in school. He never cursed; was always kind and helpful. He also helped out on the carpentry shop, lifting the heavy lumber for his aging father. He was great conversationalist and was eager to go to church every Sabbath. And he always talked about the latest things he learned about God. There would be times of suffering however, especially when Jesus was crucified on the cross for our sins and Mary would have to witness that. (35b) Do you want to live a most blessed life? Not a life free from hardships, but a most blessed life? Then decide, by faith, to come to Jesus our Savior and walk in the light of his word. Then the grace of God will be upon you and your family. You will all grow strong and wise together in the Lord. Mostly, you will see God’s salvation and the glory of God.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Matthew 1:1-25

“Immanuel” – God With Us

Matthew 1:1-25 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Key Verse: 1:22-23 12-06-09

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to son, and they will call him Immanuel’ – which means, ‘God with us.’”

Today we want to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Next week Pastor Teddy will preach on Matthew 2. This chapter is a great prep for what we will hear next week. Focusing on this chapter, Matthew stresses that Jesus is the King promised by God for this genealogy is one of a king, the King, the Christ of God. Through this genealogy we can learn how God works, who Jesus is, and how to be one of the blessed ones who are called to participate in God’s history.

First, Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (1).

Jesus came into this world at exactly the right time. Look at verse 1. “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus was born some 2,000 years ago. He came into the world and lived in real time. The gospels are the story of Jesus’ life and work. The name “Jesus” means Savior. Matthew 1:21 says, “..he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus came to solve the sin problem, the real problem of mankind. Matthew knew personally how Jesus saved people from their sins for before he became an apostle, Matthew had been Levi the tax collector. He was lonely and despised, but Jesus became his friend and changed him from a petty, selfish man into one of the most great and sacrificial men in history. he was a recipient of God’s amazing grace. Matthew introduces the Savior Jesus to each one of us.

The name “Christ,” means “the anointed one of God.” In the Old Testament, God anointed people whom he had called. Kings, prophets and priests were all anointed to be used by God. Among those chosen few, there would be one unique anointed one, called the “Christ.” He is Jesus Christ, the son of David, the Son of Abraham.

First, Jesus Christ, the son of David. David was the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, and he was a shepherd boy. David took care of his father’s sheep with all his heart, and sometimes he risked his life to rescue them from lions and bears. God noticed David’s shepherd’s heart. When God needed someone to be king of Israel, he chose David. God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint him with oil. Then the Holy Spirit came upon David in power. David’s life was marked by his love for God and his shepherd heart for God’s people. This is revealed by putting his life on the line to fight and defeat Goliath. Later, while running for his life as a political criminal, David accepted God’s sovereignty over his life and future. In the midst of hardship, David thanked God and wrote many songs of praise. They became the Psalms. One time, about four hundred men came to David with all kinds of problems. In modern terms, they had excessive credit card debt, failing transcripts, and broken families. They were difficult to care for. But David accepted and cared for them and put hope in them. Later, each of them became a key member of David’s kingdom.
Under David’s leadership, Israel became a united kingdom and entered into a golden age. It was a glorious theocracy where God was honored and there was righteousness and peace. It became a model of the kingdom of God. God was pleased by David’s life of faith and love for God. God promised David that a king would be raised from his line whose kingdom would last forever (2 Sa 7:12-16). The Israelites looked forward to the coming of the son of David who would rule eternally with righteousness and peace. Jesus is the Christ, the son promised to David. (Isa 9:6-7).

Next, Jesus Christ, the son of Abraham. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him. His human desire was to have a son and to be a noble father. However, his wife Sarah was barren. It seemed that no matter how hard he worked his life would end with his death and he would leave nothing behind, but his dust. This made Abraham fatalistic. One day, God said to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:2). Abraham put his faith and hope in God’s promise and obeyed God practically by leaving his country, people, and father’s household to go to the land God would show him. Abraham lived by faith, building many altars of worship to God. But after ten years, he felt that living a holy life was pointless. At that moment, God gave him his word of promise and“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations....” (Rom 4:8) God blessed Abraham’s faith by making him into a great nation, and ultimately by sending the Christ, Jesus, through his line. Indeed, God is a God of history. God uses people who have faith in his promises to accomplish his world salvation purpose. All those who make a personal decision to obey God’s calling and believe God’s promises can participate in this history and be blessed just like Abraham.

Second, God Rules History (2-17).

Matthew organized Israel’s history into three periods. Look at verse 17. “Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.” The first, from Abraham to David, was the period of the patriarchs (2-6a). God helped these patriarchs, to pass their faith and blessing from one generation to the next. The patriarchs obeyed God’s word absolutely, believed God’s promises and lived holy lives. God blessed them by being with them, protecting and prospering them. Ultimately, God blessed them with the hope of heaven (Heb 11:10). We can learn here the importance of raising one man until he has the unshakable faith of a patriarch. I can see such modern day Patriarchs being raised, like Dr John Lee Jr of Springfield UBF and Andrew Martin of NKU. There are many others.

In the patriarchal period, three women are mentioned. They are Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. They were all Gentiles. Matthew includes these three women because they had the faith that pleased God. God works through faith, regardless of gender or nationality. By faith, theses women turned terrible human circumstances into God’s abundant blessing. Tamar was an abandoned widow after the consecutive deaths of her two husbands, the sons of Judah. (Gen 38) Judah promised to give his third son to her, but reneged. When Judah was emotionally weak after the death of his own wife, Tamar dressed as a prostitute, slept with Judah and conceived. Her act was regarded as an act of faith, unorthodox though it may be. Her act of faith almost cost her life. Yet her action was propelled by wisdom and motivated by a desire to honor her dead first husband. When she acted in faith, God had mercy on her, her life was spared, Judah repented, and God granted twin babies. She was no longer fruitless. She prepared Judah’s heart for future repentance and could also carry on the name of her first husband in the history of Israel.

Rahab was a prostitute living in the wall of Jericho when the Israelite army was poised to destroy the city to carry out God’s judgment. But she believed God ruled the heavens and the earth and that he would surely fulfill his purpose. She had faith in the Creator God, the God of Israel. So she sided with the people of Israel. She risked her life to hide Israelite spies and she encouraged the Israelite army by telling them how fearful the people of Jericho were. Humanly speaking, she was a traitor. She risked being hated, but God saw her faith and spared her life and the lives of her family members. Moreover, God included her in the genealogy of Jesus.

Ruth was a Moabitess and the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi’s husband and sons died early, Naomi was left destitute. Ruth decided to stay with Naomi and followed her back to Israel. She would be subject to societal prejudice. She seemed to lose everything. But God blessed Ruth’s decision and established her family with Boaz. She became the great-grandmother of King David. By her faith, her sorrowful widow’s fate was turned into God’s amazing blessing. What about Mary? In brief, Mary trusted God when it meant becoming pregnant before marriage in a strict, legalistic society. She too was ready risk loosing Joseph and even her own life, but God used her faith to bring Jesus into the world.

The second period, from David to the exile to Babylon, was the time of the kings. Those mentioned in verses 6b-11 are all kings of Judah. Some were good kings and others were bad kings. The “good” kings sought to love God and to honor God and to be good shepherds of their people like David was. God blessed them and their people when they did so. There were also “bad” kings who ignored the word of God and David’s example and used their kingship for selfish benefit and pleasure. They fell into idol worship and became instruments of the devil. God’s people suffered terribly under their reign. But God bore with the evil kings and remained with his people for the sake of keeping his promise to David. God is faithful, even when his people are unfaithful.

God is even with is people when they sin. In verse 6 Matthew says that David’s son Solomon was born through a woman who had been Uriah’s wife. This exposes David’s terrible sin of adultery and murder. Matthew did not hide this sin, but exposed it clearly. God could have nullified his covenant with David. By God’s help, David repented his sin before God. God forgave his sin and restored his soul. Thus, King David could stand in God’s redemptive history solely by God’s grace. In the final analysis, people are included in God’s history by his grace alone.

The third period is from the exile to Babylon to the Christ. The exile to Babylon was precisely God’s punishment on his people for their sins. In that time of punishment they were driven from the Promised Land and sent into Babylon. They lost all their privileges and became slaves. Their human condition became as bad as it could be. Yet, for many exiles, it was that very time that they began to remember the promise of God to send the Christ. The hope of God began to burn in their hearts. Those whose hearts the Lord had touched, returned to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls with great zeal. God sanctifies his people through the divine discipline, of exiled life. It is very costly, but in this way, God faithfully carries out his work through undeserving people so that they could live as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Could God be subjecting you to divine discipline for the same purpose? Definitely!

Third, a Jesus-Centered House Church (18-21;24-25).

So far in Chapter 1 we have learned that though his people are unfaithful and sinful, God is faithful. He works though his people of faith to fulfill all of his promises. Now, in verses 18-25, Matthew focuses on one family to reveal how the promised Savior, Jesus Christ was born and how God used the faith and obedience of Joseph and Mary. He used ordinary people who loved and obeyed him. Maybe we can apply this to our own lives. Let’s see. Look at verse 18. “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.” Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. Mary’s heart might have danced with joy and excitement as she prepared the day of her wedding, trying on her wedding dress again and again. But one day something happened to interrupt her daydream. An angel of the Lord appeared to her with a message: She was chosen as the mother of the Messiah. It was the great blessing of God but very costly. She could loose her fiancĂ© Joseph or loose her very life. It required an immediate decision of faith. Mary did not hesitate. She accepted God’s grace and plunged her life into the providence of God. Then the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the baby Jesus was conceived.

Verse 18 says that Mary was found to be with child. Joseph found out about her condition through the obvious change in her body shape. Joseph could only think that Mary was unfaithful
But look how Joseph responded in verse 19. “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” He could have become angry and self-righteous and have Mary thrown in the middle of living room in front of all her relatives, cursed her and dragged her out to stone her. This happens in some countries even today. He did not do this. Joseph was a righteous man. He saw this event in God. He remembered that he and Mary had both made a pledge before the holy God. Though he could not save Mary from the repercussions of this pregnancy, he could try his best to save Mary’s life and dignity while maintaining the laws of God. He retained his objectivity and had in mind to divorce her privately. We learn from Joseph how to make godly decisions in a crisis. First, we must see things in God, obey the law and at the same time revealing mercy. Second, we must think of others before ourselves. Then we can make a sound decision in the sight of God.

God saw the anguish of his heart and intervened. Look at verse 20. “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’” To God, Joseph’s decision making process was pretty good, but his conclusion was wrong. it was because Joseph did not recognize the work of the Holy Spirit. God did not want Joseph to divorce Mary and so he intervened and told Joseph to take Mary home as his wife. Joseph had to change his mind because God had his own plan in this matter. Then he could be used in God’s redemptive history.

When the angel addressed Joseph, he called him “Joseph son of David.” As a legal heir of David, Joseph could register Jesus in David’s line. Humanly speaking, Joseph was a poor Jewish carpenter. But God regarded Joseph highly because of his spiritual heritage. Joseph was a son of David in spirit and character, as well as in name. God chose this Joseph to be a human father to Jesus. God does not look at the obscurity of our human condition, but spiritual heritage as people of faith.

Joseph was to name the newborn baby, like a good father. Look at verse 21. “...you are to give him the name Jesus....” God trusted Joseph to provide a good environment for Jesus and to protect Jesus like a father. This would involve hardship, even risking his life. But God entrusted his precious Son Jesus to Joseph, for Joseph was trustworthy.

Joseph obeyed God absolutely. Look at verses 24-25. “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” First he took Mary home as his wife. People in his community would question his integrity. Yet Joseph bore their reproach, defending Mary. Also, Joseph named the boy Jesus. In doing so, Joseph expressed his faith in God’s word. Joseph believed that Jesus really was the Savior of the world. Joseph’s faith and obedience made him very useful to God. Joseph and Mary had the most fruitful house church in history. It was through their faith in God and obedience. God was at the center of their hearts. God was at the center of their family. We pray to raise Jesus-centered house churches for every campus in the world.

Fourth, Jesus Saves His People From Their Sins (21).

People think that they need cold-hard cash or i-tune gift cards for Christmas. But from God’s point of view, what people need is salvation from their sins. Look at verse 21. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” To God, sin is the real problem. Yet there are so many people who have no idea about the sin problem. What is sin? Sin is to separate or to cut one’s relationship to God through disobedience. Some symptoms of sin are meaninglessness, depression, guilt, shame, fear and despair. Sin paralyzes us inwardly. Sin makes us helpless to serve God’s purpose in our lives. Sin robs us of spiritual desires and forces us to live petty lives. Sin makes us blames the system and other people. Sin is the problem. We must repent and come back to God and be saved.

But Jesus came to save his people from their sins through his death and resurrection. While on earth, Jesus served all kinds of needy people. Jesus healed the sick, drove out evil spirits and raised the dead. Most of all, Jesus planted the living hope of the kingdom of God in the hearts of people. But Jesus was despised and rejected by men. Finally Jesus was crucified. Though Jesus was treated in such a way, he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34a). Then Jesus bowed his head and breathed his last. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-5 says: “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jesus’ death is the sacrifice of atonement that God accepted for our sins. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection opened the way for us to have eternal life in the kingdom of God. While on earth, we can live as God’s precious children and serve his holy purpose. (Lk 1:74,75) In this way Jesus saves us from our sins. Praise Jesus!

Jesus is also, Immanuel – God with us. Look at verses 22-23. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’–which means ‘God with us.’” How could he be with us? First, Jesus humbled himself to be with us. (John 1:1-3) Jesus is the Creator God. Jesus is infinite. Jesus is eternal. Jesus is Almighty. Yet Jesus came down to this world and entered human history as a baby. Jesus became weak and vulnerable, giving up everything, in order to be with us.

Second, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised his disciples to send his Holy Spirit to those who love and obey him (Jn 14:23). The Holy Spirit is our Counselor, our source of strength. Ultimately, Jesus dwells in our souls through the Holy Spirit to sanctify us as his children. Let’s us pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.

Third, Jesus is with us always. Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s Gospel are, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Mt 28:20b). Jesus promised to be with his people always, to the very end of the age. Jesus is not a fair weather friend. Jesus is with us always, in good times and bad times; in times of struggle as well as times of blessing. Jesus is with us when no one else can be with us. Jesus is with us until he completes the work he began in us (Php 1:6). Jesus is with us until he comes again in glory as King of kings.

In the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Matthew sees history from God’s point of view. God rules history and will accomplish his redemptive purpose without fail. Trends of the world come and go, yet God remains faithful to his promise. God’s promises are trustworthy. God’s word is true. Let’s put our trust in God’s promises and obey God’s calling in our times just as Joseph and Mary did in theirs. Let us accept Jesus, who came to this world as a baby to be with us. Praise Jesus who solved our sin problem through his death and resurrection. Praise Jesus who is willing to dwell in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Let’s accept Immanuel Jesus in our hearts deeply this Christmas.

1. What were God’s promises to Abraham? (Ge12:1–3; 17:6; 22:18) To David? (2Sa7:12–13,16) How is God’s faithfulness in keeping these promises revealed in the history of the patriarchs? (2–6a) In the history of the kings of Judah? (6b–11) During and after the Babylonian exile? (12–17; Ps145:13–14)

2. Note the unusual mothers Matthew names (3,5,6,16); what might be his intention in including them here? How had they overcome their desperate situations with faith and borne sons who were included in Jesus’ genealogy? What does this reveal about God’s vision for world salvation?

3. How is God’s grace revealed in Judah’s story? (3) In David’s story? (6b) Note how only David is called “King” (6a; 1Ki15:5). How did God maintain David’s kingdom by his grace through the reigns of good and evil kings in Judah? (7–11)

4. How is Joseph described? (16,20,19a). When he learned of his fiancĂ©e Mary’s pregnancy, what did he decide? (18,19b) How did God help him change his mind? (20–21,24–25) What can we learn here from Joseph? About the lineage of Jesus? (Ro1:3)

5. What was unique about Jesus’ conception? (18,20) What is the significance that he was “conceived by the Holy Spirit”? (Php2:6; Col2:9; Heb2:17; 1Ti2:5) Read verse 21. How is he uniquely qualified to save all people from their sins? (Heb4:15; 9:12–14)

6. Read verses 22–23. How did God finally fulfill his promises in the birth of Jesus? What can we learn here about God, especially his humility and his love? (Jn1:14; 3:16) How was Immanuel Jesus with his people during his life and ministry? (4:15–16,23–24; 8:17; 11:28–30; 12:20–21; 28:20)

7. How was Immanuel Jesus especially meaningful to the author, Matthew? (9:9–13) At this Christmas, how is this message a source of comfort and encouragement to us personally and nationally?

1 Corinthians 11:2-34

Reverence In Worship And Fellowship
1 Corinthians 11:2-34, Lesson 10
Key Verse: 11:26 NIU UBF 11-22-09
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Thus far in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul has dealt with the problems of church division in chapters 1-4, and with moral and ethical issues in chapters 5-7. Then in chapters 8-10, he taught about the proper use of Christian freedom through food sacrificed to idols. Chapters 11-14 are about practical problems in church meetings. In dealing with them, Paul lays down principles for building a sound church. The main princiole is love. For any organization to be healthy, there must be friendship and love among members. Yet the church is more than a human organization. The church is God’s dwelling place. The church is based on the truth of God’s word and the love of Christ who died for our sins. Within the church there must be spiritual order based on the word of God and spiritual love based on Jesus’ sacrifice. A church rooted in these can spread God’s blessing to the world. We are all members of the church, the body of Christ. Today let’s learn how to build up our church.
Part l: Reverence And Order In Worship (2-16)
Thus far in his letter, Paul has had to give painful correction. But here Paul gives a word of praise. Look at verse 2. “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.” Paul was genuinely thankful to God for his grace upon the Corinthians (1:4). We learn from Paul to sprinkle in words of encouragement when handling difficult problems.
After giving words of encouragement, Paul returned to the task of correcting. Paul wanted to teach the Corinthians how to build their church on the foundation of God’s truth. Paul does this through addressing a very practical problem: Corinthian women should cover their heads in church. In the cultural context of ancient Corinth this was understandable. Typically, Greek women covered their heads as a sign of submission to their husbands. If a woman did not cover her head, it was a sign of disrespect or waywardness. Why did Corinthian Christian women refuse to cover their heads? Paul does not say exactly. But we can guess that it might have been that they no longer felt bound by custom or tradition. Or perhaps they wanted to promote women’s rights, claiming equality with their husbands in God. Paul gives several reasons why they should cover their heads in the church of Paul’s time. From his reasons, we can glean some spiritual principles to put into practice.
First, it keeps spiritual order. Look at verse 3 -6, especially verse 3, “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” We can see that there is some spiritual order referred to here. The term “spiritual order” has been used frequently in UBF. What does it mean here? In verse 3, “head” signifies the one in authority. Jesus Christ is Lord of all and he is the authority over every person in the church. Each church member should enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and live in submission to him, the head. The same word, “head” describes the position of a husband in a family. In the Bible, the husband is the head of the family. His wife should submit to him and keep spiritual order in the family. (Col 3:18-19)
Christ is not only our Lord, but also our example of submission to God. Verse 3 ends, “...the head of Christ is God.” God is referring to “God the Father.” God and Christ are equal. They are both the same God. Their relationship is one of absolute love and respect. Jesus loved the Father and always did what pleased him (Jn 5:30; 8:29). The Father loved the Son and placed everything in his hands (Jn 3:35). They were truly one in mind, heart and spirit. But in their function they were different. The Father is the Sovereign Ruler. The Son submitted to the Father in everything. Christ did not try to grasp equality with God, but submitted to death, even death on a cross. Through Jesus’ submission we are saved and we are shown the way. So we willingly submit to him in everything (Rev 5:13). This heavenly order is reflected in our relationships with others. Christian husbands gladly love their wives, loving them sacrificially. (Ephesians 5:25-28) Christian wives are happy to submit to their husbands with genuine respect when their husbands love them with such love. This relationship reflects the relationship between Christ and his people. Can you see it? The Christian church, as the Bride of Christ, submits joyfully to her Husband and Savior.
Spiritual order is not another way of saying “dictatorship.” It means there is mutual love and respect, necessary authority and willing submission. This is the attitude we have as we live in Christ. Some may raise an issue here, for many abuses have happened in the name of “spiritual order.” Paul is not condoning abusive relationships. Rather, Paul refers to the holy example of the Father and Christ as the model for us all to strive for in learning submission to Christ and one another.
Second, it is the cultural norm. In verses 4-6 Paul affirms the Corinthian cultural custom. Men should uncover their heads and women should cover their heads during public Christian worship. To violate this custom was dishonorable culturally and Paul affirms that it was also dishonorable before God. A man should dress like a man, and a woman should dress like a woman to be honorable in the house of God. We know what this means. We know what it means to dress honorably and respectively. Ask even a non believer how they should dress in a job interview, …for a job that they really want to get, and you will discover what it means to dress honorably. (There are also biblical precedents for women covering themselves, such as Rebekah before meeting Isaac (Gen 24:66).)
Third, it makes a distinction. (7-12). Look at verse 7. “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.” Here Paul makes a distinction between men and women. He says that man is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. What does this mean? This is based on Genesis. In Genesis we find that God made man in his image to rule the world. God made woman as a suitable helper for man (Gen 2:18). We know that man and woman are both made in God’s image and they are equal (Gen 1:27), but there is a distinction. Woman was created as a suitable helper; not just for man to fulfill his own selfish ends but to help him serve his mission before God. In verses 11-12, Paul explains that a husband and wife are interdependent. Man and woman need each other. Neither one can carry out their God-given mission without the other. They must co-work together. Then they can experience amazing success, bear much fruit, and be happy. Likewise, when church members serve their various purposes well, co-working together in the Lord, the church will be healthy and happy.
Fourth, it keeps natural order (13-16). In verses 13-15, Paul makes another appeal, this time to the “very nature of things.” In Paul’s time it seemed that this is just the way that women wear their hair. It seems “natural” for a woman to have hair longer than a man. Historically, women have grown their hair long. Men’s hair thins out and they go bald. It looks strange for men to grow long hair when this is happening. But in nature, there have been relatively few bald women. Women grow their hair long and their hair becomes a woman’s glory. This has gone one from the dawn of time. It is only in this century that we see women wearing their hair shorter. Paul is saying that since it appears inherent in nature then it should be respected during public worship. Practically speaking it meant that women must cover their heads. Paul insisted on it and would not yield (16). I think that today, we can follow the principle, “Women should be women and men should be men.”
When choosing our hairstyle and possible head covering for church, we must remember that coming to worship is coming to meet the holy God. We join the holy angels in worshiping him. We are coming to a God of awesome majesty, order and peace (1 Cor 14:33). We must worship with reverence and a sense of spiritual order. We must honor God from our hearts, in our relationships, and through our appearance. These days many people say, “God sees my heart. As long as I am sincere, appearance does not matter.” Some young men want to wear a t-shirt, shorts, and a baseball cap to church. Yet they would never go to a job interview dressed in such a way. Why is this? Maybe they want the whole world to know that they are not legalistic. And we should not be legalistic about this. However, as a general principle, we should reflect that we consider God more important than potential human employers. Practically speaking it means to wear our best clothes to worship service. Women should not be uncovered in church so that others focus on them rather than on Jesus. Women should dress modestly, and with propriety, to worship God. At St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, there is a clothing monitor at the door. If a person wants to enter, and is not properly covered, the monitor gives them a temporary cover to wear while inside, even if they are just tourists. Let’s remember that God is a God of order who wants reverence and order in worship.
Part II: Reverence And Love In The Lord’s Supper (17-34)
The second problem Paul deals with is celebrating the Lord’s Supper. In the Lord’s Supper there is a cross, with an upward beam and a horizontal beam. We have a vertical relationship with Christ through which we receive grace. We have a horizontal relationship with others. We must love and respect our brothers and sisters in Christ. In John’s gospel, at the Last Supper, Jesus got up from the meal, wrapped a towel around his waist, and washed his disciples’ feet. It symbolized his humble service and sacrificial love for each one. Jesus bore with each of them in humility and love until they became holy men of God. Jesus would die on the cross to wash their dirty sins. Since Jesus set this example, Jesus’ people must do the same. The rich and powerful must sacrifice themselves to serve the poor and needy. The mature must humbly embrace newcomers with great affection. Men and women must show love and respect toward each other. Then the church is full of love and grace.
However, in Corinth, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper had become a travesty (17-22). Instead of coming together in the love of Christ, they divided into different factions. Some rich people brought steaks, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and gravy, and fresh cherry pie. They also brought fine wines and premium beer and ate and drank freely. Meanwhile, the poor looked on with growling stomachs and watering mouths, and tears began to roll down their cheeks as they ate dry bread and hard dates and water. Nobody shared with the poor. Paul was upset that the poor were humiliated in such a way. Paul was even more upset because Jesus was dishonored. Paul said clearly, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat.” (20). Their meetings were doing more harm than good. It caused resentment and drove a wedge between Christians of different classes.
Paul reminded them of the true meaning of the Lord’s Supper in verses 23-25. Let’s read these verses together: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper, he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” We learn several things from Paul here.
First, it was the Lord’s Supper. Verse 23 says, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you.” It was not Paul’s idea to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper originated with Christ himself. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper must be done in the Spirit of Jesus and according to his instructions. To do it in one’s own way is a profanity.
Second, Jesus gave his body and blood to us. The bread and cup symbolize Jesus’ body broken on the cross and Jesus’ blood shed for us. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” In addition to hearing the message, we need the bread and cup to taste the reality of Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus’ body was really broken and his blood was really spilled for our sins. Jesus gave his own life for us. We must accept Jesus’ sacrifice with sincere repentance and faith.
Third, Jesus’ blood forgives our sins and brings us into a covenant with God. Sin separates us from God and leaves a stain that nothing else can wash away. But the blood of Jesus has power to bring about forgiveness and true cleansing from our sins. The blood of Jesus restores us to a love relationship with God. Romans 3:24,25 say, “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.” When we accept Jesus’ blood, we can be “at one” with God. We enter into a covenant with God and receive God’s faithful love and spiritual blessings. Jesus invites us to come to him every day and eat his flesh and drink his blood (Jn 6:53-57). This satisfies our souls with the life and love of God. Then we can love one another with the love of God. In celebrating the Lord’s Supper, it is most important to remember Jesus with repentance for our sins and faith in his blood.
When we eat the bread and drink the cup by faith, we proclaim the Lord’s death with spiritual power and meaning. Look at verse 26. “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” When we eat the Lord’s supper our hearts overflow with God’s love, the joy of salvation, and heavenly peace. Christian brothers and sisters begin to truly love one another from their hearts, forgiving one another based on Jesus’ grace of forgiveness. They form a genuine Christian community. This community, marked by God’s love, proclaims Jesus’ death to the lost world.
There have been many great celebrations of the Lord’s Supper in Christian history. Right after the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, the early church members devoted themselves to the good news about Jesus, to Christian fellowship, and to celebrating the Lord’s Supper. The love of God descended upon them tangibly, and many great miracles were done. They became generous toward each other and willing to share their possessions with one another. They invited each other to their homes and had intimate fellowship. It was a picture of the kingdom of God on earth. This was so attractive to people in the world that many became believers.
Another example is the Moravians in Herrnhut in 1727. At first they were a disjointed group of Christians from several different traditions who argued a lot about doctrine. Then on August 13, 1727 they came together and celebrated the Lord’s Supper with sincere hearts. They repented of their sins based on the word of God and asked Jesus’ blood to cleanse them. God poured out the Holy Spirit and the love of God came into their hearts with power. They changed dramatically. Those who held grudges forgave their brothers and sisters. Those who had material goods began to share with others freely. They developed a holy passion to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. In a short time Moravian missionaries began to spread all over the world.
When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper with sincere hearts and receive the love of Jesus, God can use us to proclaim the Lord’s death in a powerful way. As we prepare for the upcoming Chicago Christmas service and pray for it, it is most important that we remember the grace of God sending his One and Only Son into this world to be our Savior and the ransom sacrifice for our sins. We must repent of our sins and receive the love of Jesus in our hearts. Then we can love God and love one another joyfully. As we reveal the love of God to our dear brothers and sisters, God will be glorified through us and we will be happy indeed. What is more, this Christmas service will speak loudly to our generation that God is living and that he has come to dwell among us.
When Jesus was on earth, he ate and drank with all kinds of people: tax collectors, prostitutes, and even Pharisees. Jesus shared the words of life with them and salvation came to people and households. As they ate and drank together, they tasted the real spiritual joy of heaven. We want to follow the example of Jesus Christ. In our worship service, we must do our best to listen to Jesus’ words and to repent our sins and receive his grace. After worship service, it is good to together, sharing fellowship with all kinds of people, talking about the word of God and the work of God. As we do so, we can taste the kingdom of God on earth. Mother Barry has this kind of fellowship, inviting people to her apartment after Sunday service to eat lunch. When we worship like this, together, then genuine Christian love and fellowship all human distinctions disappear. We can experience the unity of love. We can taste the joy of heaven in this world. This is worth striving for.
Let’s remember what kind of church we must have. First, we must keep spiritual order based on God’s words and truth. Also, we must remember Jesus’ grace on the cross to renew our love relationship with God and to practice the love of God with brothers and sisters. As we do so, may God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
* REVERENCE IN WORSHIP (2–16)

1. For what did Paul commend the Corinthian Christians? (2) Why? (1) Read verse 3. What is the general principle governing the relationships between God, man and woman?

2. In what cases would a man or a woman be dishonored? (4–6) Why should a man not cover his head, and why should a woman do so? (7–10) During worship, how did keeping this order express reverence for God? (cf. Isa6:2–3) How can we be reverent in worship today? (See Heb12:28; think about this in terms of one’s attitude toward God and influence on others.)

3. What is the relationship between man and woman “in the Lord”? (11–12) In what sense are they equal before God? How does this help us understand the order Paul mentions? On what basis did Paul appeal to them? (13–16)

* REVERENCE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER (17–34)

4. How and why did Paul chastise them? (17–22) On which problem did he focus? (20) How had they been expressing their irreverence for the church of God and their selfishness?

5. Read verses 23–25. Who instituted the Lord’s Supper? What did Jesus say when he broke the bread and shared the cup? (Lk22:19–20; Mt26:26–28) What does eating the bread and drinking the cup mean to us? (Jn6:53–56) When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, what should be the focus? (24b,25b)

6. Read verse 26. Besides encouraging our personal faith, what evangelistic purpose does celebrating the Lord’s Supper serve? Until when should this be done?

7. Why is it so serious to take the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner? (27,29–30) What did Paul mean by “unworthy manner”? (28–32; cf. 21–22) What is the proper attitude toward the Lord’s Supper? (28,33–34)

What have you learned in this lesson about reverence?