This week our E-newsletter previews the next two
messages: “The Cost of Righteousness”
(12/23) and “The Proof of Righteousness” (12/24). As both messages are a continuation of our
series Jesus Wins, and preached in
close proximity, we thought it made sense to combine our preview. But after receiving the following jotting of
an anonymous young person during last week’s 9:30 service it makes me
wonder.
Martin Luther came to think of his sin
not as that which separated him from God, but as that which brought near to him
the Savior who would take away his sin.
If we had no sin, we’d need no Savior.
What the coming of Jesus teaches us is that our sin brings God near to
us to grant us wholeness in place of our brokenness, and justification in place
of our judgment.
When surveys are conducted among Christians and the question
is asked, “What is God’s chief attribute?”
The invariable answer is love.
And yet such an answer begs another question, “If love is God’s chief
attribute, how do you explain His judgment?”
After nearly thirty years of ordained ministry I can’t begin to recall
the numbers of times I have heard Christians ask, “How could a loving God
do/allow ---?” It’s a question that
doesn’t originate with men but was first posited by Satan.
Think of it. Satan
believed that if he could induce men to will their own will rather than God’s
will, God will send the same divine response Satan endured. When Lucifer rebelled, the judgment of God
was swift and eternal. He was cast from
the heavenly Eden into a darkened and ruined creation. For him the words, “The wages of sin is
death,” were axiomatic. He had
experienced them firsthand. And yet,
when divine judgment comes on sinful man there’s grace all over it. In the pronouncements of work and birth and
the clothing of animal skins God showers these offenders with His grace. And, of course, the pinnacle of His grace is heard
in His promise of Genesis 3:15.
But by the time we come to Isaiah 55, thousands of years
have passed since the Garden and Satan has seen no evidence of his head being
crushed. Indeed, when God invites His
people to come and buy food and drink for no money, etc., the vast majority
turn Him down opting to satisfy their own will again, rather than His.
But as we will see on Christmas Sunday, Isaiah 55:1-9 is not
only a shot across Satan’s bow; it’s a completely shocking unfolding of God’s
plan of redemption by the seed of woman – the Son of David. We will look at five points – the Scene
(v.1); the Surprise (v. 3); the Secret (v. 4); the Solution (vvs. 6 & 7);
and the Significance (vvs. 8 & 9).
In preparation for Christmas Sunday you may wish to consider
the following:
1. What
was the point of the Protestant Reformation?
2. Who
is the first audience to hear Isaiah 55?
3. Who
is Cyrus and how did God use him?
4. Why
does Jesus quote Isaiah more than any other Old Testament prophet?
5. What
is the significance of the covenant referenced in verse 3?
6. Who
is the “witness” in verse 4?
7. What
do you make of God’s claim, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Malachi 1:2,3; Romans 9:13)?
8. What
does the word “compassion” mean as used by God in verse 7?
9. What
did Luther mean by the statement, “O
felix culpa”?
10. What does
it mean to say that without the holiness of God there would be no knowledge of
the love of God?
Our Christmas Eve message is a striking illustration of what
we cover on Christmas Sunday. Here in
Luke 14:1-14 Jesus is at a Sabbath dinner party thrown by a ruling
Pharisee. Here Jesus is put to the
test. Rather than testing Him with
words, they test Him with a broken man in much the same way they test Him in
John 7:53-8:11. They bring in a man
who’s suffering from a serious disease to see whether or not Jesus will try to
heal him on the Sabbath. But that’s not
the only test present at that party. The
account can be divided into three parts, each providing Jesus center
stage. In part one He deals with the
infirm man. In parts two and three He
offers advice about being a guest and a host.
And as we will see on Monday night, in everything Jesus says and does He
offers a complete portrait of His Father’s righteous plan to defeat Satan and
glorify His name.
In preparation for Monday night, Christmas Eve, you may wish
to consider the following.
1. Do
you think Jesus ever repeated His sermons?
2. How
are Matthew 23:1-12; Luke 14:8-12; and Luke 18:10-14 related?
3. How
does Jesus’ message in these texts address Satan’s rebellion?
4. How
many times does Jesus heal on the Sabbath?
5. How
is Jesus like the man He heals?
6. How
is Jesus like the perfect dinner guest?
7. How
is Jesus like the perfect dinner host?
8. How
is the point of Righteousness made clear in this text?
See you Sunday and Monday!
