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15 Dec: 

Salvation Starts at Christmas

 

Every wonder WHY Christmas happened

and

what was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth???

Most of us know the core answer as found in Luke 19:10 where Jesus Himself tells us that He came to seek and save the Lost. But there is much more to the story than that.

  1. Heb 2:17,18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
  2. John 3:14,15,16 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up – so that whoever believes will , in Him, have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not parish, but have eternal life.

And in addition to being OUR sacrifice and bringing us forgiveness and thus salvation – He also brings to us through His sinless “human” life help in our struggles:   

Heb 4:15,16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

This wonderful situation that has provided so much to and for us starts with an equally marvelous and wonderful story.

  1. Heb 2:6,7 “. . . What is man, that You remember Him? Or the Son of Man, that You are concerned about Him? You have made Him for a little while lower than the angels. . .”.
  2. Mtt 1:18,23 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.”  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name “Immanuel”, which translated means, “God with us.”

The story of Jesus’ birth only happened because Jesus and God the Father agreed on the need for Jesus to leave heaven and leave behind His deity to become a mortal man. Their decision is what leads to that fabulous “CHRISTMAS” story we all know about Jesus being born in a manger, angels coming and worshipping Him and eventually the wise men worshipping Him and giving their gifts.

In other verses of Scripture, in fulfillment of the expectation of what Chrit will accomplish - we see at an early age:  Luke 2:52 “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and found favor with God and Men.”

This character reference leads us to the time in which Jesus begins His ministry, and He begins to illustrate to God’s people that He is the fulfilment of “God with us”.

Mtt 2:13-17 “Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan to be baptized.  . . .  [Then John baptized Him.] When Jesus came up the heavens were opened and the spirit of God descended upon Jesus and a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

From this time forward Jesus begins to heal those who came to Him and began to preach the gospel. Jesus preached the best news the world has ever heard with an invitation for people to turn from sin, trust him, and have their lives changed forever!  He declared Mark 1:15 “and saying ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (good news).”

Jesus did not just preach the gospel, but He also provided good news in physical form – Luke 4:40 “While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them.”

Jesus did not bring God down into human form to keep His distance. He was not a duplicate of the Old Testament system where the High Priest could only come into the presence of God once a year in the temple’s’ “Holy of Holies’:   Heb 9:7 “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 

Jesus showed Himself to be a man of the people beyond teaching and healing:  Mtt 9:10 “Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.”   

This willingness to embrace the full experience of being one of us is explained:    Phil 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

 Luke 23:33,34 “When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing.” Even in His death He shared His experience with other lost sinners.

The good news Jesus brought to humanity does not end with His death:        Mtt 28:5,6 “And the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”

And His story is still not done: Acts 1:9-11 “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. While they were gazing upward two men in white clothing said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

 

And the story is still not finished:  1 Thess 4:16,17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. The we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

Now the story which began with the birth of a small baby boy in a manger – will finish with us all joining the Lord in the New Heaven and New Earth. This is why we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ and this was the purpose of His coming – to reunite us with God!!! 

 

Or, as He put it – to seek and save the lost!!!

 

 

8 Dec:  

Instrumental Music in Worship

NO plans for any immediate changes in our service.

Scriptural Use of Instruments in Worship:

1) Amos 6: in this chapter Amos mentions the use of harps and other behaviors which Israel is engaged that are the result of having unfaithful hearts to the Lord. It is not the “use” of harps but the condition of their hearts that is being condemned. It is their heart condition not the instruments that are condemned. The use of instruments seems to be an accepted practice.

2) 2 Chron 5 11-14;  7:6   29: 24-28 These verses specifically mention the use of instruments and singers as giving praise to the Lord God.

3) Ezra 6:10,11 These verses say that they sang and gave thanks and with trumpets and cymbals they gave praise to the Lord. In this time of thanksgiving, they used both voice and instrument which apparently was acceptable to God because now their hearts were right.

4) Neh 12:27,28 records that both singers and the playing of instruments, cymbals, harps, and lyres were used to celebrate the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.

5) Rev 5:8,9 records the 24 Elders falling down before Lamb with harps and incense and sang a new song. Both voice and instrument are used to give glory to God.

6) Rev 15:2,3 records that those who were victorious over the beast held harps given to them by God and sang the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

7) Numerous Psalm mention the use of instruments is praising the Lord. There are 20 different kinds of instruments mentioned in the Old Testament. Instruments are not   an  aide    to worship but are a type of worship to God.

8) The New Testament lacks any mention of using instruments in praising God. It seems during the 400 years of scriptural silence the cultural habit of using instruments dropped out of practice – but not from any known written prohibition by divine guidance. The use of instruments is not prescribed to be used as it is in the Old Testament  but it is also  NOT  prohibited from being used.

It is hard to fathom that at one age of history and then later in the eternal future of heaven the use of instruments is ok with God but not so in the middle portion of history – this present age.

MY take from this is that if in the past instruments were ok with God in praising Him and if in the realm of heaven and/or if during the end of time the use of instruments is ok in praising Him then what is there that makes me think that the use of instruments has become unacceptable to the Lord. So, how are we to determine our response to this topic or question? Well logically, I can recall two different suggestions on arriving at our answer:

 

Man’s Logic:

1) Our actions are O.K.   ONLY   if there are:  

  1. Scriptural commands (as opposed to man’s commands/traditions),
  2. Examples that we see in Scripture,    
  3. Any necessary inferences that can be and should be drawn from the previous two items.

 

2) Things can be permitted if they are not specifically prohibited.

 

Neither one of these philosophies are found in Scripture. These philosophies are our way of trying to determine the best serve and pleasing the Lord.

Let’s consider the first philosophy and the first tenant.

1) Scriptural commands: Deut 4:2: “You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you.”  Deut 12:32 “See that you do all that I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.”   Rev 22:18,19 “ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.   

Do not take away what?  My commands. Do not add what?  Your commands.

In the context of our lesson today I would take these verses and decide that I should not and cannot make a rule which states that we are required to use instruments in praising God. God doesn't tell us to use instruments and therefore I cannot place on anyone the requirement to use instruments.

Scripture also does not command us NOT to use instruments so I cannot make a command against instruments either.  You know that adage: I will speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent. For some reason we don’t seem to want to accept that in this instance. In times past we have been quick to speak “against” instrumental usage even though Scripture itself does not.     Rember, we are not to add to or take away from God’s commands.

2) Following Scriptural   examples   for what to do/say.

Acts 2:42-47 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all the believers were together and had all things in common; 45 and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house,    they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”     Acts 20:7-9 “On the first day of the week, when we were   gathered together to break bread,    Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep…”   Which of these practices/examples do we still follow, and which ones do we ignore?

Lord’s Supper: bread, wine, during a meal, during Passover meal, large upper room, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.

Which example is a “must” for us to follow? Why not any of the other factors????   On the evening which the Lord instituted the “Lord’s Supper” – which factors is relevant and which ones can we ignore – and according to who?   When we consider New Testament examples, who gets to decide which examples to follow and which examples to ignore? Who decides which examples are cultural and which examples are spiritual?

What I am attempting to do is to bring to our notice that we should be cautious about determining for other people whether what they are doing is pleasing or displeasing to God.

4) Necessary Inference: Lord’s Supper – we infer that we should use the same items the Lord used to celebrate/remember this event, but we infer that the time and event it was a part of (Passover) is not important. We read that we are to sing God’s praises - we infer that we cannot use instruments at the same time. We know God’s requirements of tithing in the Old Testament and infer that when we give – we should give a tenth also. Timothy is told that women are not to have authority over men and keep silent in the assembly, but we infer that singing is ok.

Making decisions from inferences is absolutely necessary in many instances but we should be careful of making rules (should I say making commands???) about what is and is not acceptable to God. Consider this situation:

Lev 10:1,2 “Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censors, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.” 

Notice they made two mistakes: they did not offer the fire God had told them to make and they offered their own fire instead. This was not an example of adding to what God had told them but was a “substitution” for what God had commanded.                 In relation to today’s lesson, if we decided that we wanted to become a congregation which operated like an orchestra and to worship God by each of us playing an instrument  - THEN – we would be guilty as Nadab was. If we are praising God by instrument playing   INSTEAD  of singing God’s praises as we are told to do then we would be making the same type of mistake like Nadab.

 

And since I have brought this idea of singing up – lets look at those verses:

Eph 5:15, 18,19  “Therefore be careful how you walk, not a unwise men but as wise.  . . . . but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Col 3:15,16, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Our singing has a two-fold purpose: 

We are singing to/for each other    AND     to the Lord!

As you can see the introduction to our verses about singing is about our living the kind of life that we have been called to as followers of Chrit. These verses are NOT in connection with being in a worship service. Again, these words about encouraging one another in song is not in the context of the worship service on the first day of the week. If you go back and read Eph 1 & 5 and read the 3rd chapter of Colossians, you will see that those chapters do not have anything to do with our coming together on the first day of the week to worship God. These chapters are about us leading the life that we have been called to – which includes our fellowshipping with one another in an uplifting and encouraging manner. This is the same topic Paul is talking about in Heb 10:23-25 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling as is the habit of some . . . .”

Here, AGAIN, we are being told to walk right before the Lord   AND  encourage one another in OUR walk. It seems the writers of the gospel are big on our walking faithfully and make sure that our brothers and sisters are also on the same walk with us!

So let’s recap:

1) In the Old Testament and in heaven the use of instruments as we worship the Lord God is ok/approved. We arrive at this conclusion because its mention does not come with any condemnation or verdict that it is wrong.

2) We are told in Scripture not to remove any of God’s commands and not to add any commands. There are no commands in Scripture which prohibit using instruments to praise the Lord. We would be wrong to make such a command ourselves.    If you read Jesus’ words and attitude in       Matthew 15:1-9 & 23:13-31 Jesus is strongly against many of the Jew’s man-made traditions. We need to avoid making any tradition appear to be God-directed.

3) We need to be careful trying to make first century examples as being God’s desire for us. We pick and choose many items as being important but disregard others at will. Our lifestyles and choices must support and lead to two things:        a life which is lived out of love for God     AND      a life which shows a love for our neighbor & Christian brother/sister.

CONCLUSION: the use of instruments in worshipping God is not commanded nor is it condemned. It would appear that if our instruments are used in support of praising God then it would appear to be ok.