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Is Christmas A Legend? — A tall story?
Is Christmas a legend? Year after year I go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up Christmas morning thrilled with family and the smell of coffee. I enjoy coffee on Christmas morning with Danish pastry of some kind, hugs and kisses from my family. Oh! I am sorry! Were you expecting me to mention Christmas presents?
Louisa May Alcott captures the feelings of most people when she said,
Christmas would not be Christmas without any presents.[1]
I think that is true for many families. That is not true for me and my family. For us Christmas would not be Christmas without Jesus! Christmas would not be Christmas without knowing that God took on human form, and we call His name Jesus. It just would not be Christmas without reading the biblical account on Christmas morning. That is what we have done, year after year. We do that before we open the Christmas presents. We remind the children and one another that God actually gave the best present of all. That best present of all is Jesus—God in human flesh. We take the time on Christmas morning to read the accounts from Matthew and Luke to get the setting correct. Why do we do that? Because we believe the Christmas story is true. We believe exactly what the Bible says. I hope the same is true of you and that you take some time to read what Scripture says.
Attacks On The Christian Faith
Have you noticed in recent years how Christians are being attacked? Christians have been attacked through movies. One such movie was called “The Golden Compass.” It is a direct attack on our faith. Typically, people tend to pick on the obvious errors and sins of churches and ministers, and then they imply that is true for all believers. They claim all Christians are dishonest and unfair. But this year, the attack came from someone who once claimed to be a Christian. It came from the Archbishop of Canterbury. His name is Dr. Rowen Williams.[2] He is the head of the World Anglican Church, and the attack came during an interview on BBC Radio 5. It occurred last week. He claimed in that interview that the Christmas story of the wise men is simply a legend.
We agree with him that there were not three magi, but to call it legend is error. He also said that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December. He also said, “As for the star rising and then standing still, stars just do not do that.” He said that he was not sure Jesus was born in a stable, and that the belief in the virgin birth is unnecessary. He believes a person can be a good Christian and not believe in the virgin birth. He claims that we can only be confident that there was a baby, and that he had parents named Mary and Joseph, and that is it. It is very sad that someone who is the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of a major denomination, would actually say those things.
So this morning I want to teach the truth about Christmas. I have often made the statement that we all claim to be teachable. I will repeat my statement: I have yet to ask any group of adults, by a show of hands, whether they are teachable, and have anyone tell me they are not. Now if you really are teachable, you will be willing to reevaluate the truthfulness of the things that you believe are true, even if it means learning you have been wrong. So this morning I would like to revisit some things that you once thought were true, and just check to see whether or not Dr. Rowen Williams is correct.
Year of the Birth of Christ
I would like to start with Luke 2:1. The first verse states,
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census . . . Luke 2:1 (NASB)
Actually, it should read “enrollment.” The New American Standard says “census.” It was really an enrollment or a registry. It was “taken of all the inhabited earth.” That is, the Roman empire.
This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:2-7 (NASB)
Luke tells us the events in verses 2-7 occurred in the days of Caesar Augustus and during the time of Quirinius, while he was governor of Syria. Later in Matthew 2, we will learn that Jesus’ birth also occurred during the time of Herod the Great. The dates we are interested in are that Caesar Augustus reigned from 43 B.C. to roughly 14 A.D. Quirinius was governor actually a number of times. But the time to which Luke refers, we believe, is between 3 to 2 B.C. Herod the Great reigned from 35 B.C. to 1 B.C. This information reveals that Jesus was probably born, based upon the latest research, somewhere between 2 to 1 B.C.
Month of The Birth of Christ
Luke gives us data that helps us roughly determine the year in which Jesus was born. But what we do not have is any information as to the month in which Jesus was born. The Archbishop, Dr. Rowen Williams, said Jesus was not born in December. He believes our celebration of Christmas occurs in December because the date would coincide with the Winter Festival. But Dr. Williams did not do a very good job of research. One of the major reasons contemporary theologians have said that Jesus’ birth could not have occurred in December was that sheep would not have been out in the December cold.
We can thank God for a gentleman who many years ago visited Jerusalem during the month of December and saw sheep and shepherds outside. He added that historically it is not too cold for shepherds and sheep to be outside in December.
Dr. Rowen Williams also ignored the fact that several of the early church fathers said that Jesus was born on December 25. The alternate date has been January the 6th. The names of some of these early Church fathers are Clement of Alexandria, Epiphanius, John Chrysostom, and Hippoltytus of Rome.
Some of the early Church fathers indicate that perhaps Jesus was conceived in May. We are not really sure how they arrived at that conclusion. So Dr. Rowen Williams evidently did not check out the historical information that is available to us.
City In Which Christ Was Born
Next, verse 4 says,
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem . . . Luke 2:4 (NASB)
The trip they took was about 69 miles. It would have taken three to seven days to travel the distance, depending upon how they made the trip. Mary and Joseph traveled from the northern part of Israel up to Bethlehem which is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem. I could not help but think about Mary being pregnant and how it must have been difficult for her to do that. The gospels tell us she was ready to deliver because we find out that after she arrives in Bethlehem, she gives birth to Jesus. That means she was imminently due. She must have been anxious. Joseph must have been burdened with the responsibilities of a new wife, who is struggling with her pregnancy. He would have been wondering where they were going to stay and how everything would come together.
I wonder if they talked about their parents’ reaction to their circumstances. How did Mary’s parents feel? We know the angel talked to Joseph and encouraged him. Joseph believed the angel, but did mom and dad? We do not know. I wonder what Mary was thinking about on the trip? Did they struggle or were they rejoicing as they traveled up to Bethlehem?
Why did God want them to travel to Bethlehem? The answer is that Bethlehem was the city of David. It is the place where David was born. Luke 2:4 says Joseph “was of the house and of the family of David.”
Joseph’s genealogy is given to us in Matthew, and the genealogy in Luke is Mary’s. The genealogy in Matthew is the legal one. That is why Jesus has the legal right to David’s throne. The genealogy in Luke is Jesus’ physical descent. Mary was a descendant of David too! So Jesus was a descendant of David. On one hand Jesus is a physical descendant through Mary by the virgin birth. On the other hand, through Joseph He has the legal right to the throne.
Jesus Was Born In a Manger
Verses 5-7 tell us that Jesus was not born in an inn but in a stable where he was laid in a manger.
. . . in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:5-7 (NASB)
Yet, Dr. Rowen Williams says that Jesus was not born in an inn. It is his opinion that Jesus was born outside of a house because there was no room in the house for Him. He adds that it is highly doubtful Jesus was born in a stable.[3] He doubts there were any oxen or sheep or goats present at all.
But it is important to know that the Greek word translated as “inn” in verse 7 means inn. The Greek word is katalyma. It just means “inn.” The Greek word translated as “manger” actually means feeding trough. So I am not sure where Dr. Rowen Williams checked out his information. Jesus’ first bed was a manger. He was born in a stable for sheltering animals. More than likely there were animals present. Yes, he is correct in that we do not know for sure if there were oxen, goats, or sheep, or other animals present because the passage does not mention them.
I have found an interesting quote from Jerome, an early Church father. He says that Jesus was born in a stable. He said,
He found no room in the holy of holies that shown with gold, precious stones, pure silk and silver. He is not born in the midst of gold and riches, but in the midst of dung, in a stable where our sins are filthier than the dung. He is born on a dunghill in order to lift up those who come from it: “From the dunghill He lifts up the poor. From the dunghill he lifts up sinners.”[4]
That is what Jesus did! He came to a stable. He was born in Bethlehem. He was born amongst the dung, and our sins are worse than the dung. He did it because He came to save sinners from their sins. That is why He came.
Angels Appear To The Shepherds
Verses 8-14 are about the shepherds. Verses 8-10 say,
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people . . .” Luke 2:8-10 (NASB)
Notice in verse 9 we are told, “And the angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them.” Where was the angel? The angel was not in the sky. The angel stood before them. The angel was on the ground.
Verses 11-12 add,
. . . for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12 (NASB)
The angel gave them a clue to help them find Jesus. There could have been other babies in Bethlehem. But the angel is specific and tells them the baby is lying in a manger. He tells them the city is Bethlehem. So there is no doubt about where they should look for the baby.
Verses 13-14 state:
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 2:13-14 (NASB)
I find it interesting that the angels did not come to a pastor. The angels did not come to the rich. The angels did not visit some politicians. Instead, the angels visited some poor shepherds. Notice why I said that. Shepherds were not typically looked upon with a great deal of respect. These angels visited some poor people.
Message of The Angel
The angel’s message is found in verse 14:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace . . .
How many times have Christmas cards talked about peace on earth? But notice the rest of the verse says,
… peace among men with whom He is pleased.
That is a very good rendering of the Greek. This does not mean God is giving peace to everyone on earth. When Jesus came, He did not come to institute peace. If He was coming to institute peace, why do we not have worldwide peace? Jesus was not coming to institute universal peace.
Jesus came to give individuals spiritual peace, and spiritual peace is only possible by believing in Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 tells us that we can have peace with God by faith in Jesus Christ. If you do not know Jesus Christ, you cannot have the peace about which the angel was speaking. Jesus came to give us spiritual peace, peace between us and an almighty, infinite God. He came to forgive our sins. That is the reason He came.
Verses 15-19 give us the shepherds’ response.
When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:15-19 (NASB)
Here we learn the shepherds left the angels and found Jesus. In the process they must have told people about the birth of the Messiah.
Next, verse 20 says the shepherds gave God glory for what they had learned and seen.
The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God . . . Luke 2:20 (NASB)
If we continue reading from verses 21 to 38, we learn Jesus was taken to Jerusalem after eight days where He was circumcised. There the prophet Simeon pronounced a blessing on Jesus and announced a warning to Mary. Then Anna, a prophetess, also greeted them and gave thanks to God for Jesus. Sometimes we miss this information.
Magi Arrive In Jerusalem
Matthew 2 tells that some magi arrived in Jerusalem. Dr. Rowen Williams claims they were not three kings.[5] Ruth Gledhill adds this about Dr. Rowen Williams’s beliefs.
The Archbishop said: “Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t tell us there were three of them, doesn’t tell us they were kings, doesn’t tell us where they came from. It says they are astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire, that’s all we’re really told.” Anything else was legend. “It works quite well as legend,” the Archbishop said.[6]
As far as Dr. Rowen Williams is concerned, the story about the magi is strictly nothing more than a legend, but he is wrong.
Yet, Dr. Rowen Williams is correct when he pointed out that stars do not stand still. I would like to point out several important things in Matthew 2. First, in verse 1 we are told,
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? Matthew 2:1 (NASB)
We are told the magi arrived in Jerusalem. We will soon discover the magi arrived about two years later. The reason we believe that is because Herod asked the wise men how long ago they saw the star. After hearing their answer, he ordered the killing of every male child that was two years and younger born in the vicinity of Bethlehem. So we believe the magi came to Jerusalem about two years later.
It is amazing that many people just read Scripture and assume certain things are true. We have seen the nativity scenes, Jesus is in the manger, and Mary is there. The shepherds and magi are there. But the magi came two years later! Matthew 2:11 tells us that when the magi arrived, Jesus was not in a manger. He was in a house. This reveals that the typical stable scene is incorrect if it includes the wise men.
But what is very interesting is that when the magi arrived, verse 3 says all of Jerusalem was troubled. Now it is very difficult to believe that just three men riding on camels into the city of Jerusalem would trouble about half a million people. There was probably a large entourage accompanying the magi. It is very likely that the magi and their caravan had a military escort. These magi were wealthy individuals. We know that in part because of the gifts they gave Jesus. They would not have been wise to travel by themselves with all the marauders and thieves along the way from Persia to Israel. So it is more reasonable to assume the entourage of wealthy men had a military escort. That would have excited and upset the inhabitants of Jerusalem. That would have concerned Herod the Great, and I believe that is exactly what happened.
Next, verses 8-10 add,
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star . . . Matthew 2:8-9 (NASB)
Magi Arrive In Bethlehem
Watch this now.
… which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:9-10 (NASB)
These last two verses capture a very important fact. First, they indicate the star had disappeared. Then they had arrived in Jerusalem. The reason that they were asking for directions is because they had lost the star. As soon as they found out Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, they started on their journey, and the star reappeared. Then the star led them to the city of Bethlehem. You may wonder, “That is not a star. Since when does a star move out in front of a person?!” When the star arrived at Bethlehem, it was stationary. In reality, we know the stars are moving; but relatively speaking, they appear to be stationary to our eye. Stars do not appear to move before us! The “star” was a miracle. It was not a normal star. Dr. Rowen Williams did not believe the star moved and then stood still. He said “stars just don’t behave like that.”[7]
Verse 11 tells us the magi finally found Jesus and worshiped Him.
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him . . . Matthew 2:8 (NASB)
It is amazing that Dr. Williams claims he adheres strictly to the teachings of the Bible. The truth is he does not adhere strictly to the Bible in all of his statements. He has unjustly discredited the Bible. He has denied Jesus. To claim that a Christian does not need to believe in the virgin birth is a very serious error. He has eliminated the manger scene, and he has cast the magi as nothing more than legend.
Is Christmas A Legend?
In summary, when Dr. Rowen Williams claims that Christians do not need to believe that there was a baby, who had a mother named Mary and a father named Joseph, he has minimized the Christmas story to a young couple in a house with a baby. There is nothing special about a young couple having babies. That happens all the time. In short, Dr. Williams claims Christmas is a legend. There is historical data to support the biblical account. The census did occur. Shepherds do attend sheep in December in Bethlehem. The magi did exist in the east. The prophets prophesied of Jesus’ birth. Yet sadly, Dr. Rowen Williams missed the point that without the miraculous birth of Jesus, there is no Christmas!
There is a very interesting story that I would like to read for you here. It captures the point.
Little seven-year-old Johnny yelled out and said, “Daddy, guess what is missing.” The place was ringing with excitement as the family put up a familiar scene, a manger scene, out on the front lawn. And the father said, “What?” as he was fastening Joseph to a pole and putting it in the ground. Johnny spoke up and said, “Baby Jesus! Daddy, if we cannot find the baby Jesus, then there is no need for us to put up the manger scene at all.”
The little boy was right: if there is no Jesus, there is no reason for Christmas. If there is no Jesus, there is no manger scene. If there is no Jesus, there is no nativity. If there is no Jesus, there are no shepherds. If there is no Jesus, there are no magi. If there is no Jesus, there are no angels. If there is no Jesus, there is no God who came in human flesh. If there is no Jesus, Christmas is empty. If there is no Jesus, then all that is left are presents, morning coffee, hugs and kisses and family. That is all Christmas is, if there is no Jesus. If Jesus did not come, if God did not come in human flesh, Christmas day is a hollow event.
Did you know that we are not solely dependent on Matthew and Luke for the virgin birth? Romans 1:2-3 says,
. . . which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh . . . Romans 1:2-3 (NASB)
This verse says the Son of God was born in human flesh, and verse 4 adds,
… who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead . . . Romans 1:4 (NASB)
Jesus was declared to be God by the fact that He returned to life. There is the Christmas story! The Christmas story is that God took on human flesh and after His crucifixion, He returned to life as proof He was and is God. The Christmas story is historical truth. It truly happened and Dr. Rowen Williams was not careful or accurate in his criticism of the Bible.
Conclusion
1 John 4:2-3 is a very important passage. It says this:
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God . . . 1 John 4:2-3 (NASB)
Notice that it says every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God,
. . . this is the spirit of the antichrist . . . 1 John 4:3 (NASB)
The Spirit of God says that Jesus came in human flesh. You may say, “That does not make any sense. That just means Jesus was a man in human flesh.” No! The Holy Spirit is talking about a sign. He says by this you will know the spirit of truth! He says Jesus came in human flesh. That is what happened on Christmas Day: Jesus was God in human flesh.
Romans 5:12 tells us that when Adam sinned, everyone became sinners. Psalm 51:5 tells us that we were conceived in sin. John 1:29 tells us that Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Then Hebrews tells us that Jesus was without sin. Jesus was not like us!
The only way Jesus could be without sin, the only way Jesus could be the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is that He was not born in the same way you and I were born. We were born as sinners, but not Jesus. There is only one way He could be born sinless. It is the virgin birth. Christmas is the virgin birth of God in human flesh. That is the essence of Christmas. He came to die for our sins so that He can save every believer from an eternal hell.
I would like to close with a poem.
A gentle, humble couple had traveled long and far to a little town called Bethlehem in a stable beneath a star. There among the cattle God sent His Son to earth, with only an angel chorus to celebrate His birth. As shepherds heard their message and knelt there in the straw, amazed and filled with wonder at the baby whom they saw. Then wise men came to worship with precious gifts to bring, knowing that before them was their Savior and their king. Christ came to us from heaven and did not count the cost, yet behind His humble manger stood a waiting, rugged cross.
Do I believe in the virgin birth? Absolutely, because all the prophecies from ages of old, prophesied it would occur. I do not believe in a hollow, empty book. If you are not a Christian, I trust that you will consider the truth that God took on human flesh for the purpose of rescuing anyone who believes in Him from an eternal hell. His name is Jesus. I trust you have a Blessed Christmas!
References:
1. Swindoll, Charles. The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart. W. Publishing Group. 1998, p. 82.
2. Sophie Borland. “LONDON: Archbishop says nativity ‘a legend” Virutal Online – The Voice For Global Orthodox Anglicanism. December 20, 2007.
3. Sophie Borland. Ibid.
4. Thomas Oden. New Testament. Ancient Christians Commentary. InterVarsity. 2006. III. p. 39.
5. Sophie Borland. Ibid.
6. Ruth Gledhill. “It’s all a Christmas tall story Three Wise Men.” Virutal Online – The Voice For Global Orthodox Anglicanism. December 20, 2007.
7. Ruth Gledhill. Ibid.
Copyright © Like The Master Ministries. All Rights Reserved.Messiah – Prince of Peace
Jesus was not a special baby to the owner of the feed trough in which He was sleeping on the night He was born. There was no room at the inn in Bethlehem. When His parents came looking for a place to stay where His mother could give birth, the owner did not offer the use of his home. In fact, history says that Jesus and His parents were allowed to stay in a cave where the landlord’s animals slept and ate. A cave! Did Jesus notice the odors? Was it clean? We do not know, but it was all that was offered. These teenage parents did their best for Jesus. They used the animals’ feeding trough for His bed and probably used straw for His mattress. No! – the owner was not thinking about Jesus or His parents as being anyone special. To him they were just some travelers looking for a place to sleep.
He did not know Jesus’ parents had been visited by the angel Gabriel (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56) or that the angel had told His parents to name Him Jesus. Surely, the owner did not know Jesus’ name was to be Emmanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23)! This landlord probably would have wanted to know that Joseph was not Jesus’ actual father. Did he know they were from Nazareth in Galilee or that His parents were descendants of King David? It is obvious that he did not know that this child’s birth would be announced by angels and that a star was going to appear when He was born, otherwise, he would have responded differently. He did not know that shepherds would come to visit the Savior for whom he and so many had long waited. He did not know that the real reason Jesus’ parents had come to Bethlehem was not just to register for Quirinius’ census but for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem as the prophets had predicted.
AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER, WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’ Matthew 2:6 (NASB)
The owner probably would not have believed that He was born of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35) or that His mother was a virgin as predicted by the prophet Isaiah.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)
After the visit of the shepherds, did the owner have a change of heart? History never mentions his name, but history does mention the baby’s name – Jesus. The angel had said He was the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
The Wise Men Arrive
The landlord did not know there were some men, wise men or magi, who knew about Jesus’ birth. Otherwise, he would have eagerly offered the royal rooms to Jesus and His parents. The magi had seen His miracle star in the sky – an unusual star that pointed to Jesus. They came from the east to visit Him about two years after His birth. The landlord could have visited Jesus easily, but these magi had to travel a great distance. Apparently the star could no longer be seen when they arrived in Jerusalem, but their question was not about the star.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.” And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1-3 (NASB)
They came looking for “He who has been born King of the Jews.”
How did these men know the “King of the Jews” was born? Why did they connect the star with the birth of Jesus? The answer to these questions is given by the fact that they came from the east, a place where many Jews had gone into exile some 600 years earlier. They came from Persia or from Babylon. Their names are of Iranian origin. These men had come from a background of involvement in astrology and the occult. They were priests by birth and their forefathers had possessed great political power in Babylon, Media, and Persia. Their forefathers knew of a Jew by the name of Daniel. He had served the great Nebuchadnezzar and other kings in that region. Daniel had predicted that Messiah the Prince would die in 33 A.D., and if Messiah was to die, he would need to be born first. If Daniel’s predictions were to come true, this was the period of time for fulfillment. One hundred years earlier would have been too early, and sometime after 33 A.D. would be too late for fulfillment. No one else in history could qualify as the Messiah. Messiah had to die in 33 A.D. This was the time; and so when they saw this unusual star, they responded as smart men who must have known Daniel’s prophecy. They concluded Messiah the prince was to be born. So they came looking for the “King of the Jews.”
These were wealthy, powerful men. They would not have traveled that distance alone. More than likely there were many magi, not just three, and they would have been traveling in oriental pomp and with a cavalry escort for protection against thieves and a Roman military. Jerusalem and Herod with his army of Roman soldiers would not have been afraid of just three lonely rich men. Jerusalem would have had tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. Three men would not have worried anyone unless they came with a military escort.
And the Word became flesh, and lived among us . . . John 1:14
. . . who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
The Moving Star
Herod’s response was to ask the Jewish priests and scribes where the Messiah was to be born. Herod discovered the Jewish Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, about 5 miles south of Jerusalem. When Herod told them where they could find the “King of the Jews,” he asked them to come back and tell him where they located him. He was worried. He must have been worried about a competitor, another king, and the reaction of these men.
And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet, ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER, WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'” Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him.” And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:4-10 (NASB)
After they left, the magi saw the star again. It moved in the sky. These were experienced astronomers. This was not a bright Jupiter or an alignment of celestial bodies. This thing moved. No star moves forward as a guide. This was not even a meteor. Meteors did not move to a location and stop as a pointer. This was an unbelievable event. That is why they followed.
The Prince of Peace
When they arrived, Jesus and His parents were no longer in the cave and Jesus was no longer in the feeding trough. Where was the owner? We do not know and neither scripture or history tells us. But these famous, wealthy, powerful men came to worship – men that scripture remembers and whom legends have been written about.
And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 (NASB)
They brought three gifts. This is why legend says there were only three men, but as explained earlier this is not likely. These men came for one purpose. They came to worship – to worship the one Daniel called “Messiah the Prince” (Daniel 9:25), and the one Isaiah called the “Prince of Peace.”
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)
Conclusion
Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. The visit of the wise men is the most significant proof of the miraculous birth of Christ. It is proof that Jesus was the fulfillment of true, actual prophecy. We have seen two types of men – the owner of the feeding trough who apparently did not care and men who traveled a long distance to find a baby and then bowed down on their knees to Him. These men bowed down to a King, to the Messiah, to the Savior of the world, to God. They worshiped Him. God calls each of us to come and bow down this Christmas to not just any baby but to our God. Christmas is about the birth of a man who was also God. God calls us to come and bow down – to the Prince of Peace – to the Savior of the world!
The Bible on Same Sex Relations
Homosexuality and lesbianism refer to sexual encounters between people of the same sex: males with males and females with females. A lesbian is actually a female homosexual. Therefore, in this document when the word homosexual is used it will include lesbianism. The English word “gay” has lost it’s older meaning and no longer means to be joyful or to have a good time. It has been redefined to refer to those who are homosexuals. Some of them are married and are even adopting children. By the year 2000, one state in America has legalized same sex marriages. Our educational institutions are now teaching alternative lifestyles and tolerance. Our churches are reinterpreting scripture and changing the meaning of various passages in order to approve of this sin. Churches are ordaining homosexual pastors. The church in America is increasingly adopting the cultural view that homosexuality is not a real or serious sin but an alternate lifestyle.
Over the years, I have known several individuals who were homosexual. One man was a youth pastor. This position of ministry gave him the opportunity to have sexual relations with the young men in the church. After his sin was discovered and he was confronted, he found it very hard to stop. It was a struggle. This sin captures the passion and the heart. Some call it an addiction, but scripture calls it sin. The book of Romans tells us why homosexuals engage in this activity. This is a serious sin, and it calls for compassion from those of us who are Christians. But that must not diminish what we call this activity – SIN.
God’s Illustrations
God calls homosexuality sin. A quick look at several passages in scripture reveals that God does consider homosexuality a very serious sin. He has given us several Old Testament illustrations to make His point.
Sodom and Gomorrah. The first one is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why did He destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? Our first clues come from Genesis 13 and 18.
Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD . . . Genesis 13:13 (NASB)
And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. Genesis 18:20 (NASB)
What was their sin? Come and see! God was planning to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah so the scriptures tell us that God sent two angels to rescue Abraham’s nephew, Lot, before He destroyed the cities. When the angels arrived, Lot gave them lodging for the evening. Then trouble started. Here is what happened.
Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” Genesis 19:4-8 (NASB)
The males of the city were attracted to these two angels. They wanted to have a homosexual relation with the angels. So they came to Lot and asked him to send them outside. Lot tells the men their desire is wicked. The Hebrew word for wicked means “evil.” Lot simply said that homosexual relations were wicked or evil. So Lot refused and instead offered them his two daughters (Genesis 19:8). They rejected his offer. While offering his daughters was a terrible thing for Lot to do, it helps us understand the point of the passage. They wanted physical sex. We are told the angels blinded the men of the city and eventually removed Lot and his family. God destroyed the city because of the homosexuality. Why did He do this?
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh . . . Jude 7 (NASB)
Notice the phrase “strange flesh.” God’s divine pattern for our lives is males with females and not males with males or females with females. It is for that reason that a variation of the name of the city, sodomy, has been used to refer to homosexual behavior (1 Kings 22:46).
Gibeah. Another example of homosexuality occurs in Judges 19, in the city of Gibeah. Here we are told a man and his concubine were traveling and needed a place to stay. They met an older man who offered them lodging. This was the custom in those days since there were no motels or hotels. Scripture says they were eating a meal when men from the city of Gibeah came to the house. Now here is what happened.
While they were making merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him.” Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly. “Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” Judges 19:22-24 (NASB)
Here we see two sins. The first is the desire for a homosexual relation, and the second is the rape and abuse of a woman. The Bible records many things that God does not approve. This is one example. The Bible records what happened to these women as historical events. The Hebrew word the older man used for “wickedly” means “to act senselessly.” It is used with disgraceful sinful acts, so it has the idea of senseless, disgraceful sins. That is homosexuality. Also note these men were bisexual.
God’s Direct Statements
God does not only illustrate the fact that homosexuality is a sin, He says it directly in a number of Old and New Testament passages. Sin does not change with culture. Homosexuality has been a sin since the creation.
Leviticus 18:22; 20:13. In Leviticus 18, God calls homosexuality an abomination. This Hebrew word has the sense of a “violation of nature.” Here is the verse.
You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22 (NASB)
Later in chapter 20, we discover that homosexuality is also considered a detestable act.
If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 20:13 (NASB)
Notice the person is not detestable – only the act. The Hebrew word for detestable really means “offensive or repugnant.” It is only the sin that is detestable and not the person. God loves the individual.
Deuteronomy 22:5. Not only are same sex relationships a sin, but being a transvestite is a sin.
A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 22:5 (NASB)
Even dressing up like a member of the opposite sex is a sin. This is a violation of God’s intent for you. God made us to be either male or female. He made no mistakes in our physical appearance since He created us while we were in our mother’s womb.
For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13 (NASB)
So to dress like a member of the opposite sex is a denial of God’s design for you. He wants us to reflect the gender He made us. He makes no mistakes.
Romans 1:21-28. The New Testament agrees with the Old Testament on the topic of same sex relationships. In Romans 1:21-28 we read,
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened . . . Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper . . . Romans 1:21-28 (NASB)
This passage is significant. God calls homosexuality a “degrading passion” or a “dishonoring passion” according to the Greek. It is clear this passage refers to homosexuality since the Greek says “males with males” and females toward one another. Homosexuality is unnatural. God’s divine principle is males with females.
Why are some men and women homosexuals? This passage gives us the answer at the beginning of the passage. They have rejected God, truth, and do not honor God! Consequently, God gives them “over” to same sex relationships. The implication is the individual actively at some point in life rejected truth. The Greek word for “gave over” has the sense of “to deliver”, “to give up to” (as one is given over to police), and “to commit.” When God lets an individual go his or her own way, it appears from verses 29-32 each one is inclined to a different type of sin. Each man or woman is released to follow his or her own sinful desires. It appears God was holding them back. The last verse describes what we are seeing today, not just with homosexuals and lesbians, but with anyone who ultimately rejects God.
. . . those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32 (NASB)
Same sex relationships are sin. Romans implies that at some point in their lives homosexuals have rejected God and God has allowed this sin to control them. Can they have their sins forgiven? The answer starts with them. Do they want to be forgiven? If so, they can be saved.
1 Corinthians 6:9. Men and women who are involved in same sex relationships are sinning. This point is also clear in the following passage.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9 (NASB)
Same sex sins are listed along with other sins such as fornication, idolatry, covetousness and drunkenness. Same sex sins are dishonoring, repugnant sins but they are still forgivable. Surely, we have all been covetous at some point in our life, but that does not mean we are automatically going to hell. Scripture is not talking about a single event or many acts of sin, but an ongoing pattern of sin. God is talking about those who never come to Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit turn from their sin. We cannot do this on our own. We are totally dependent on God to stop.
1 Timothy 1:10. Same sex sins are not an acceptable, alternative lifestyle either. It is sin. Here is another passage.
But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers . . . 1 Timothy 1:8-11 (NASB)
2 Peter 2:5-8. Homosexuality is also referred to as an “ungodly” lifestyle and “sensual conduct.”
. . . and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds) . . . 2 Peter 2:5-8 (NASB)
Those who are homosexual are contrasted with righteous Lot and are referred to as “unprincipled.” It is clear that homosexuality is not the result of biological heredity. It is sin. God did not make these men and women homosexuals from birth. At its root, homosexuality flows out of the sinful nature of the individual given to it. It is a result of a rejection of God at some point in life.
Conclusion
Some homosexuals say that God only condemns unloving same sex relationships. But that is not what God said. God calls same sex relationships sin. In fact, homosexuality is grouped with a number of other sins in Leviticus 20:11-16: a list of perversions such as incest, and bestiality (sex with animals). Homosexuality is a serious sin!
The principle that God gives us is that a male with a female relationship within the bonds of marriage is God’s divine standard for human sexuality. Same sex relationships are a serious sin in God’s eyes. He has called it “unnatural, “repugnant,” “strange flesh,” “a senseless act” and a “dishonoring passion.” There are some sins that God appears to especially hate. This is one of them. But it is also a sin that God will forgive if the individual wants Him to. It is a sin we must forgive as well.
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the outstanding intellects of all history, for he was not only a great painter but a great draftsman, engineer, and thinker. Just before he started painting his “Last Supper” he had a violent argument with a fellow painter. He was so angry that when he came to the face of Judas he put the face of this painter on Judas as an act of revenge. Judas’ face was the first that he finished and everyone could see the face of Judas was the face of the painter that he was angry with. When he came to the face of Christ, he could not make any progress. Something was holding him back. His efforts were frustrated. After awhile he came to the conclusion that the thing that was holding back was the fact that he had painted Judas with the face of the painter. So he went back and painted out the face of Judas and started again with the face of Jesus. This time he was successful as the ages of time have acclaimed. We cannot be painting the features of Christ into our own life and be painting another face with the colors of enmity and hatred. – C.E. MacCartney
Jesus came to forgive our sins and He calls us to forgive also.
Marks of a Mature Christian
What is your definition of maturity? One magazine has defined maturity as being “able to carry money without spending it; to be able to bear an injustice without retaliating; to be able to keep on the job until it is finished; to be able to do one’s duty even when one is not watched; and to be able to accept criticism without letting it whip you up” (The Uplift). Someone else has said it this way, “Smart people speak from experience – smarter people from experience, don’t speak.” While there is wisdom in these quotes, they do not define Christian maturity. Our study looks at the indicators, measures or marks of a mature Christian.
Call To Love
In our last study we saw that the first mark of a mature Christian is love. Hebrews 13:1-6 gave us five marks of a mature Christian: one who continues to love other Christians, one who loves strangers by inviting them into the home, one who loves prisoners as though chained to them, one who loves his or her spouse by being sexually pure, and one who loves God by not loving money. Love is a mark of self-denial and self-giving to others. Love is a mark of a Christian that must be present.
But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:17-19 (NASB)
Call To A “Life of Faith.”
Mature Christians also live by faith (Hebrews 10:38) with their eyes fixed on Jesus. The best way to pick up this mark is by carefully selecting an older Christian to mimic (Hebrews 13:7). This is not just any person. Hebrews tells us that this person must be one who has taught the Word of Truth and who is worthy of being followed. This requires careful evaluation over time. This is not a quick decision. It must be obvious that this person has trusted God, obeyed God, and endured suffering for Jesus. This person cannot be a young person since Hebrews 13:7 implies that the person is an older man or woman, and may even be dead. At this point someone may say, “But times are different now. Younger people have different needs and we need to minister to them accordingly.” But that is not the message of this verse nor is it the message of the next verse.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NASB)
This verse is a curious verse. At first, it seems the verse does not belong here. Why is it here? How does it fit with the passage before it? The answer is that the path to spiritual growth does not change because Jesus does not change. The wisdom found in the book of Proverbs is still God’s wisdom for all ages. It does not change with culture. Jesus does not change, and the Old Testament saints in the great chapter of faith, Hebrews 11, are still patterns to be followed. That is why they were listed. Culture and nations are always changing now, but the path to spiritual growth does not.
Call To Solid Teaching
Recently, I heard a teacher refer to that “old fashioned teaching” and say that it should be thrown out. Then he gave his own insights, rejected the truth taught in the scriptures, and ended up slandering God. Yes, he had a new teaching, but it was not biblical.
Do you think the old fashioned faith needs to be updated to modern times? If so, you are running towards trouble. It appears from the next verse that some of the readers of Hebrews were struggling with the same issue.
Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited. Hebrews 13:9 (NASB)
The Holy Spirit has already made the point that the life of faith – that old fashioned faith – does not change with time just as Jesus does not change. Now He says the content of our faith does not change either.
A few years ago I read a book in which the author said that the apostle Paul was not completely honest about God’s view of the role of husbands and wives. He claimed that God “hid some truth” because He feared the Jews and Greeks would reject Christianity if the complete truth were revealed. This person went on to say that now we know the truth and the old view of the roles of men and women can be rejected. The question we must ask is, “How did he discover that God was not completely truthful,” if it is not revealed in scripture? We are not free to find new truth in the white spaces in the Bible. His conclusion was wrong. Biblical truth does not change with time. The mark of a spiritually mature Christian is that of one who has an unchanging faith and holds on to God’s unchanging truth.
Call To Suffer
The next mark of a mature Christian is the same mark of the great men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 – a willingness to suffer for Jesus.
We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Hebrews 13:10-14 (NASB)
The altar on which animals were sacrificed by the Jewish priests was located in the tabernacle during Israel’s wandering in the desert, and then later in the temple in Jerusalem. Usually the priests could eat what was left of the animal sacrifice, but on the Day of Atonement the sin offering had to be taken outside and burned.
When Jesus died on the cross, He died outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem. When Jesus died, He suffered outside as our sin offering. Yes, we have an altar. It is the cross on which Jesus died. Therefore, the Holy Spirit calls us to go outside to Jesus. He also asks us to be willing to suffer public humiliation, rebuke, and insults because we follow Jesus. Another mark of a mature Christian is a willingness to suffer for Jesus just like the saints in Hebrews 11.
Call To Sacrifice
The Holy Spirit gives us another mark of a mature Christian. It is a willingness to sacrifice ourselves.
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16 (NASB)
Do you find it difficult to thank God for what He has done for you? The answer is yes if you find that you forget to thank Him or find it hard to admit that only He can provide for you. To thank Him that you are nothing and that He provides everything is sacrifice. A mature Christian understands that everything is a gift from God.
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. Psalm 127:1 (NASB)
There is no room here for “rights” but only for “thankfulness.”
Call To Submit
The Holy Spirit’s next mark of a mature Christian is willingness to submit to leadership.
Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)
This one is often misunderstood and abused. There are two key words we need to look at”obey” and “submit.” The Greek word for “obey” is peitho which means “to be persuaded.” It is the opposite of being forced. The Greek word for “submit” is hpeiko which means “to yield” or “to give way.” When we put it all together, the passage is talking about being persuaded of the truth and yielding to leaders. The passage has the idea of not fighting with our leaders but submitting to their teaching and their spiritual guidance. This is necessary for the health of the local church.
But there are times when we should not be cooperative. This is explained by the word, “watch,” which comes from the Greek word agrupeno. It is a combination of two Greek words which mean “to search” and “sleep.” Taken together they mean ‘to search for sleep,” “to be sleepless,” or “to be so constantly on guard.” Did you notice that the Holy Spirit has assumed that the leadership team is sleeplessly watching out for you? When the Holy Spirit calls you to obey and submit, He assumes that the leaders are sacrificing themselves for you. A pastor once told me that when he started work in the morning he “put on his pastoral hat.” Now I reacted to the phrase “put on his pastoral hat.” He was not a sleepless leader eagerly watching over souls. A mature Christian submits to sleepless spiritual oversight.
Call To Prayer
The final mark of a mature Christian is one who prays for others.
Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. And I urge you all the more to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Hebrews 13:18-19 (NASB)
We are called to a life of prayer not just for ourselves but for others, as well. Prayer is a wonderful time to offer the sacrifice of praise to God and to lovingly support others. Prayer is an expression of love for others.
Conclusion
Hebrews has been a hard hitting book. It has been a very serious book since it deals with our souls. If you are not sure that you are a Christian, Jesus is asking you to make sure. He simply asks you to trust Him for the forgiveness of your sins. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit is calling you to become a mature Christian.
In Hebrews 5:11-14 we discovered that the marks of a mature Christian were missing from these dear people. In the final chapters of Hebrews, God calls them to faith and then on to maturity. That is the ultimate goal of Hebrews – a mature Christian.
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21 (NASB)
Dr. J. Vernon McGee summarizes the purpose of the book of Hebrews with,
We have been told, “Let us go on to perfection.” He means for us to go on to maturation, to being full-grown children of God. It is marvelous to admire a little baby in the crib, but if you come back in twenty years and he/she is still lying there saying, “Da-da-da,” something is radically wrong. There are many saints who need to come to maturation, to grow up, and the Epistle of Hebrews will help them to do that.
Imitating Great Faith
The San Diego Tribune newspaper in the United States ran the following story about a woman and her bird. “One unusual reason for giving up smoking is that of a Rancho Santa Fe, California, woman who quit smoking because of her pet macaw. It developed a persistent cough. A veterinarian checked the macaw and determined that it didn’t have pneumonia or psittacosis, two of the possibilities that worried her. The final diagnosis was that the macaw was imitating the cough of its cigarette-smoking owner.” The owner thought the bird had a problem. She must have been very surprised and embarrassed. The bird was simply imitating her. When we spend time with others, we begin to imitate them just as the bird did. The Holy Spirit has a surprise for us in this study!
Not The Macaw
The book of Hebrews must have been a surprise to the readers to whom it was written. They worshipped together (Hebrews 10:24-25) but not every week. They had been taught the word (Hebrews 5:11-14). They had cared for and helped others (Hebrews 6:10). They even suffered for Jesus! If they were alive today, they might have helped with the sound ministry, worked in the children’s Bible school, served on the leadership team, or ministered to prisoners. To many, this would seem as if the person is a great, dynamic Christian or even a church leader. But the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 5:11-14 that they were just baby Christians. For twelve chapters God has warned them that their faith was weak or non-existent. This is one sign of a non-Christian or a baby Christian. The major symptoms of a baby Christian who has weak faith are disobedience and an unwillingness to endure suffering for Jesus (Hebrews 11-12). The major symptom is that they do not know the Bible well enough to be teachers of it (Hebrews 5:11-14). Who Do You Mimic?
. . . you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Hebrews 5:12-13 (NKJV)
They needed to really know the Bible in depth. He said they were “dull of hearing,” which means they were no longer interested in seeking to know God’s Word. Bible study was boring and social times had become more important. Today, we hear the same idea, “What we really need is fellowship and an opportunity to apply the Word.” Just like the Hebrews some churches are minimizing the teaching of the Word of Truth. It appears that their church was a social group. They came to church when they wanted to; they “studied the Bible” when they wanted to; they helped others and ministered in the church when they wanted to. God was no longer their focus and they thought Jesus was the reason for their problems. They did not understand that they were the problem.
The Holy Spirit has been calling them to respond. He has been calling them to have faith, to listen, to know the Bible, to gather with other Christians, and to endure suffering. But He is not finished. Now He calls them to a life of love and imitation.
Someone To Love
Early in Hebrews they had been praised for their love of other Christians or the saints. Now He says this,
Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1 (NKJV)
If they had been doing so well, why say this? Is it possible they had become a social group loving those within their group? If so, the poor soul who was visiting and tried to “break-in” had great difficulty. This can happen anywhere. There is the initial warm greeting for new visitors, and later it becomes apparent the people in the church really do not care. They have their own group.
Whatever the reason, God wants us to know that we can do more. Here is His first encouragement.
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV)
The Greek word for “entertain” or “hospitality” in Hebrews 13:2 is a combination of two words “love” and “stranger.” Together it means “love of strangers.” It does not mean only to entertain strangers by inviting them to your home or to a restaurant. The word includes more – not less. It does not refer to just social times. In ancient times it sometimes referred to “bed and breakfast.” Is that going “the extra mile?” Some have taught that the verse does not apply today, reasoning that since hotels, motels and inns did not exist in Jesus’ day, people today do not need to accommodate strangers. But a study of the Bible will reveal that inns did exist in Jesus’ day. Joseph and Mary looked for a place to stay in an inn (Luke 2:7) but had to settle for a manger. Even the Good Samaritan left a man at an inn to be cared for (Luke 10:34). This passage does apply to us today. God calls us to go out of our way not just for our Christians friends but also for strangers – Christians or not.
Others To Love
God calls us to love prisoners too!
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them–those who are mistreated–since you yourselves are in the body also. Hebrews 13:3 (NKJV)
Have you ever been in prison and been chained to someone? Have you suffered torture with them day after day? That is the picture in the Greek. God calls us to constantly remember those who are in prison as if we are in prison with them and suffering with them. If we were in prison we would not be able to forget. Each day would be a constant reminder of our situation. Each day we would be talking with and seeing those who were in prison with us. That is the picture. We need to be constantly remembering prisoners.
That is the second group of folks we are called to love. Do you seek to include others – prisoners and strangers – into your group of Christian friends? That is God’s call.
Love Someone Near
In the ancient world sexual activity outside of marriage was common. Pagan religious worship such as that practiced in the Roman and Greek temples encouraged prostitution and adultery, believing or claiming it brought them closer to their deity. But God calls Christians to a different standard.
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)
He calls us to honor our spouses sexually by being sexually faithful! Put negatively, He calls us to not be “fornicators” nor “adulterers.” The Greek word for “fornicators” is porneia. It refers to all kinds of sexual activity that does not involve one’s spouse; bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism, and prostitution. That includes all forms of sexual unfaithfulness. That was how the word was used in ancient times. God calls Christians to purity before marriage and within marriage.
Do Not Love
How are you doing so far? Have you scored one hundred percent? If so, the next one will get most everyone, since God calls us to avoid being preoccupied with what we do not have.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)
There are few of us who do not worry about food, clothing, housing, and things we need in this life. As a result, it is easy to love money. Hugh Latiner who preached before King Edward VI is quoted as warning,
Take heed and beware of covetousness . . .
Take heed and beware of covetousness . . .
Take heed and beware of covetousness . . .
What if I should say nothing else these three or four
hours?
Watch Who You Imitate
At first the next verse seems to be a different topic or another issue. But God is continuing to talk about our relationships: love for others, love for God and those we love to imitate. We all imitate someone. He or she may be someone at work, or someone in the church, such as your pastor, a godly friend, your mother or father, or some spiritual leader. Today we call it mentoring, discipleship, or modeling. Many of us do it without realizing it. Most of us need to do it! Baby Christians do it. They come to church and look at other Christians to see how they should act. They model someone. It is usually one of the leaders.
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Hebrews 13:7 (NKJV)
The Holy Spirit calls us to remember our leaders. But not just any leaders. He asks us to remember those leaders who taught us the Word of Truth and who were exceptional Christians. God is calling us to follow someone who has a proven Christian life. This is not just any leader. It is a leader who has taught you the Word. It is a leader whose life has been carefully evaluated over time. That is the meaning of the Greek word for “considering.”
Once we find this person, we are supposed to follow them. The Greek word for “follow” is mimeomai which means to “imitate” or “mimic.” One day I was listening to a man teaching Philippians 3:17. He warned his listeners to not follow several people in his congregation. He explained that the apostle Paul did not mean that they should follow him but Jesus. At that point the teacher went on to say that we should not follow anyone but Jesus. Now that sounds spiritual but, my friend, that is not biblical. Both the apostle and the Holy Spirit in Hebrews said that we are to follow someone. We are to follow someone’s faith! We are to follow someone’s life to encourage our own spiritual walk and faith.
Conclusion
Babies learn to walk by mimicking mommy and daddy. A baby Christian learns to live a life of faith by following another Christian. The only question is how good is the model? If someone mimic, you or if you mimic someone else, how good is the copy going to be?
In the British Museum, there is a Greek writing tablet on display. Its date of origin is earlier than the Christian era and is the equivalent of a child’s writing tablet. A headline has been written on it at the top by a master. The student was then asked to write the second line by attempting to trace the master’s line. Each following line was reproduced by copying the previous one. Each new line is worse and worse. Each new line differed more and more from the master’s line.
That is happening in the church. Often the person we are following is not someone we should follow. Hebrews 13:1-7 gives us a pattern for selecting someone to follow. All of us are following; the question is whom are you following? God wants to follow a leader who has taught the Bible. Does he or she know their Bible or only know about the Bible? Now that eliminates many people. The person must also be someone whom you have carefully evaluated. Does he or she model love for strangers, prisoners, and the brethren? Has he or she been a faithful spouse and depends on God to meet their needs? Does he or she have great faith? Great faith is obedient and is willing to suffer for Jesus. Come and imitate a man or woman of great faith and become a Christian whose faith is focused on Jesus!
Which Mountain?
Historian William H. Prescott gave the following account of an incident in the career of General Francisco Pizarro, Spanish invader of Peru. At a crisis moment Pizarro drew his sword and traced a line with it on the sand from East to West. Then, turning toward the South, “Friends and comrades,” he said, “on that side are toil, hunger, nakedness, the drenching storm, desertion, and death; on this side ease and pleasure. There lies Peru with its riches; here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian. For my part, I go to the South. Most decisions in life are easy to make.” Pizarro called them to both glory and poverty. Decisions between life and discomfort, pain or poverty are often hard to make.
Not Mt. Sinai
The call of Hebrews has been to go “South.” Go straight to Jesus! Hebrews was sent to some men and women who were disappointed, discouraged, and disillusioned with Jesus because of their suffering. We are no different than they were. It is easy to lose perspective when the pain of suffering is strong. So God explained the reason why they were suffering and called them to endure their trials. God was working so that they might “share in” His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). They needed to be willing to suffer, to not seek to escape, and if they were not Christians to come all the way and to believe or depend on only Jesus.
Coming to Jesus would not be a mistake. But going back to Judaism would be a huge mistake. So the Holy Spirit encourages them with.
For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR AND TREMBLING.” Hebrews 12:18-21 (NASB)
These verses are reminders to them of the time Moses was given the Ten Commandments. As we have seen many times already in Hebrews, this would have had special meaning to a Jew in Jesus’ time. Their ancestors were fearful of Mt. Sinai for several reasons, including having been warned not to touch it. They had the choice to touch the mountain and die or not to touch it and live – to go North or South. The Greek word for “touch” means “to grope after” or ‘feeling for.” The mountain was so dark they would have had to grope for it in order to touch it. God is reminding them of this fearful time. Here is the event in Moses’ words.
No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live . . . So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled . . . Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 19:13, 16, 18-19 (NASB)
That was a time they could not come near to God. They were fearful of the fire, lighting, severe wind, smoke, darkness, and the sound of trumpets. Even Moses was afraid! They could not come near because of their sin.
Come To Mt. Zion
As sinners each one of us was afraid of God before our sins were forgiven. But Jesus changed that. With Jesus we do not need to be afraid. With Jesus we can touch Mt. Zion and live in heaven some day. We can come to God and not be afraid. That is the message He now sends to the readers.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24 (NASB)
When the Ten Commandments were given at Mt. Sinai, 3,000 Jews died because of sin. But when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, God rescued 3,000 souls from the penalty of being sinners. The Law brought death, but God’s love has brought life – eternal life! Eternal life is given to us when our sins are forgiven. That happens if we believe or trust Jesus to forgive our sins.
Those who do believe have chosen to “go South” and they receive seven things: 1) the heavenly city – Jerusalem, 2) myriads of angels, 3) assembly of the first-born, 4) God, 5) spirits of righteous men, 6) Jesus and 7) Jesus’ blood.
Even as a young adult I thought eternal life was life that lasted forever as opposed to life that stopped at death. But then I discovered that everyone lives eternally (Matt. 25:46) either in hell or heaven. Eternal life is life with God that begins at the point of salvation and goes on forever and ever. Every Christian will live with Him forever in the heavenly city called Jerusalem. We will see angels, the patriarchs (first-born enrolled in heaven), other Christians, God and our Lord Jesus.
Do Not Make An Excuse
I wonder how many excuses General Francisco Pizarro heard from his men? I am sure some of his men chose the North. But God is not calling us to go South but to be at peace with Him and to live in a heavenly city. Yet, there is reason to fear Him if we make excuses!
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. Hebrews 12:25 (NASB)
The Greek word for “refuse” means “to refuse by begging-off,” or “excusing one’s self.” He is warning us against walking away from Him! If there was any doubt in our minds that God was talking to some who were not Christians, this passage makes it clear. Some were not Christians! Even today there are non-Christians who act, look and speak as Christians but are not. They will not deceive God. There is coming a time when God will destroy the universe and build a new city.
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” And this expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:26-27(NASB)
Every city will be destroyed and only His city will be left. What a picture! There is only one city left. A priest was preaching to his congregation concerning heaven and hell. To emphasize the difference between the two, he asked that all who wanted to go to heaven stand up with him. All the congregation rose. The congregation then sat down. He then asked that all who wanted to go to hell stand up with him. No one rose. For full dramatic impact, he waited for several seconds before continuing. The silence was broken by a small boy who slowly rose to his feet. The astonished priest spoke to the boy, “Surely son, you do not want to go hell.” The boy answered, “Maybe not sir, but I just couldn’t stand the sight of you standing there all alone.” Will you go South or will you go North?
Conclusion
A story is told of a woman who said, “My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me – and that’s the way we go through life – doing nothing for each other.” But that is not true of God. He sent Jesus to die for us, to die so that He could forgive our sins. There is nothing we have to do but to honestly, seriously believe that Jesus is God, He died to forgive our sins, and He returned to life. That is all!
God is calling each of us to be at peace with Him! There is nothing to do, but once we are saved then He asks us to be willing to serve Him.
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29 (NASB)
Once we have turned and gone South, He then calls us to action – gratefully serving Him in holiness and awe.
I Am Suffering!
Volodia was a Russian Christian. He was in his last year of medical school, when school officials discovered that he was a Christian. Volodia was threatened with expulsion from the school. “You choose – either God or a diploma,” was the demand. They tried to convince Volodia, the best student in the class, to choose graduation. For several months they conducted indoctrination sessions designed to force him to renounce his faith. One day, unannounced, a Communist party official visited Volodia’s class and declared, “Strange things have been happening in our university. There is a rumor that some students are trying to believe in God. We want to know if this is true.” the official said. Volodia understood. He was being given a final chance to renounce his faith. For twenty minutes Volodia told his fellow students about Christ. Volodia was soon expelled from the university.
Avoiding It
Would you have been willing to be expelled from the university? How do you handle suffering? Does it cause you to want to escape your situation? The group of people to whom the book of Hebrews was written wanted to escape. They were physically and verbally suffering. They had suffered because they called themselves Christians. They had suffered,
. . . a great conflict of sufferings . . . made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated . . . accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Hebrews 10:32-34 (NASB)
But now they wanted to avoid the suffering. Pain motivated them to think they must have made a mistake in leaving Judaism and that Christ was a mistake. When suffering comes, most of us wonder what we did wrong. Do you?
Eyes of Faith
But they were wrong in their conclusion, and God responds by warning them that leaving Jesus would be a tremendous mistake. Jesus was the true God, their only Savior, and their eternal, faithful High Priest. He reminds them the obsolete Mosaic law, sacrifices, priests, and the tabernacle were predicted to pass away.
In Hebrews 11 we saw that God also reminded them of some men and women who were examples of great faith. These are Old Testament saints who trusted in the invisible, had confidence in His Word, knew that God is, sought after Him, and suffered for Him. Their eyes of faith were not just looking at Jesus; their eyes of faith were fixed on Jesus. These Old Testament saints suffered more than you and I have or even the readers of Hebrews had. Here is what happened to them.
Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated . . . Hebrews 11:35-37 (NASB)
They knew that the invisible God and the unseen heaven existed. They had no doubts. But that was true of the readers of Hebrews. The main message that God has sent these readers for eleven chapters is that their faith in God was weak or missing. That is the message for us. Faith is the key to surviving suffering. Confidence in Jesus. Confidence in our future home – heaven – is real. How do you react when problems come to you as a Christian? Most of us doubt God.
How To Suffer
The first readers of Hebrews did not know why they were suffering. Had they forgotten that Jesus said,
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you . . . John 15:20 (NASB)
It appears that they did not believe the suffering should continue so long. The readers of Hebrews misunderstood why they were suffering, and they did not know how to suffer. So God gives us the answer. First, how to suffer.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin . . . Hebrews 12:1-4 (NASB)
The Holy Spirit starts with an illustration of a runner who must focus on winning. A serious Olympic runner wears the correct clothes, trains aggressively, and then focuses on winning. He/she looses excess weight and wears very lightweight clothes and state-of-the-art running shoes to improve his/her speed. That is the picture we see here, “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us.” In the spiritual realm, our desire for comfort and acceptance – our sins – “slow us down.”
The Christian life is illustrated as a race already in progress. The one who runs the Christian race must be willing to suffer pain in order to win. The Greek word for “endure” is hupomone. It is a compound word of two Greek words: hupo and meno. The first Greek word means “under” and the second one means “stay in place” or “remain.” Together the word means to “stay under.” That is endurance. The runner who wants to win must be willing to “stay under the pain.”
People who leave the race are not Christians. This is a spiritual test. This happened in the early church. Philip Schaff in talking about men and women who left Jesus says,
. . . the moment the storm of persecution broke forth, [they] flew like chaff from the wheat, and either offered incense to the gods, procured false witness of their return to paganism, or gave up the sacred books (traditores).
Men and women who gave up their Bibles were called traitors. What a name the early church used for people who once claimed to be Christians! Have you ever wondered if you would stay in the spiritual race during suffering?
Olympic runners have been encouraged to look ahead into the distance in order to run straight and not lose time. Runners have lost the race by looking back over their shoulder to see how near their competition was. One who runs the Christian race must fix his or her eyes of faith into the distance – on Jesus – and run hard. Our eyes must be fixed on Jesus – the prize. Every saint must be willing to suffer as the Old Testament saints and Jesus did. They need eyes of faith fixed on Jesus.
Why Do We Suffer?
But the Hebrews were missing a piece. They did know why they were suffering.
. . . and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them . . . Hebrews 12:5-10 (NASB)
God was using the very thing they wanted to avoid – suffering – to train them. God’s discipline does that. The Greek word for “discipline” is padeia. It means “education, training, instruction, correction, and suffering.” It is a general word that refers to training someone. As a child, all of us have suffered “pain,” if our parent(s) disciplined us. Our parents may have told us how we should have behaved, denied us privileges, or may have spanked us. padeia includes all of these forms of “discipline.” We can suffer in a number of ways: when He speaks to us from His word, when He denies us privileges, when He brings hardship into our lives, or when He causes us to be physically ill or allows tragedy. He trains only real Christians. When we suffer, it is proof that we are His children. But why does God discipline His children?
. . . He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:10-11 (NASB)
God has one major motivation for our suffering – our holiness. He is more interested in our holiness than in our comfort. He wants us to be like Him. He is a holy God. Every runner knows that eventually the hands, knees and feet grow weak in the race. So He says,
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Hebrews 12:12-13 (NASB)
Keys To Victory
How do we run the Christian race? We must have faith in Jesus; then we need to be willing to endure suffering until we reach heaven. We must not be angry with those who cause us to suffer. We must not become bitter while “staying under” our suffering.
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Hebrews 12:14-17 (NASB)
We must fix our eyes on the prize – Jesus and heaven and run hard.
Conclusion
Successful Olympic runners do not focus on their pain but on the prize. They know the prize is real – it exists. They have no doubt. Why else would they train and endure suffering? The reason they are running is for the prize.
How are you running? Is the prize real? Do you have doubts? You will not run well if you doubt the prize is real and is worth the suffering. If you believe the invisible prize is real, then you will run with confidence and be willing to suffer. Fix your eyes on the prize, Jesus; endure suffering, and run!