Matt's Matters: Holiday Bliss

The holidays are a very special time of the year.  All throughout our society it seems like everyone is glowing. Stores are packed with happy shoppers, looking for great deals for their loved ones. Meanwhile, kids seem to be on cloud 9 as they eagerly await what’s lying underneath the Christmas tree.

Everyone is enjoying all of the wonderful holiday delights, especially all of the pies, cookies and candies. Additionally, people are rushing here and there to various family gatherings, holiday celebrations and sometimes even church programs. It is during this time of year that most of us are able to see those very special people whom for one reason or another we are not able to spend much time with during the rest of the year. O the bliss of the holidays!

Unfortunately for some of us, the holidays are not a time of bliss, rather they are a very difficult time as we remember and miss loved ones who have passed away, or those who honor us by serving our country and are not able to come home. Likewise this can be a very difficult time for people who have gone through a family crisis which has divided the family.  This is the case for myself as I recently found out about my parent’s divorce. My parents have been married for 42 years and decided to separate. Words cannot express the hurt which I am experiencing!

The truth of the matter is that all of us live in a divided family. Adam and Eve enjoyed the most intimate presence with the Father that anyone has ever enjoyed. They lived in a sinless world not plagued with the hardships which sin would cause. Yet when they sinned it brought separation in the family.

For roughly 4,000 years mankind has struggled as a result of this separation. However, when this separation first occurred, God promised mankind that eventually One would come to overcome the effects of sin and thus make it possible for the family to once again be reunited. This One has come and His name is Jesus, whose birth we celebrate this time of year. 

Jesus’ birth is the most incredible miracle in human history; that God would become a man. God did not have to do it, but He did it because He loves us and He wants all to be able to be reunited with Him as a result of what Jesus did on the cross. This is the gift which God has for us. We must simply receive this gift as Scripture teaches (see http://eugenechristianchurch.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-understand-bible-101-lesson-4b.html).

Furthermore, receiving what Jesus did for us is not the end of the story. As we look back and remember what God has done by sending us His Son, we are encouraged to look forward to what He will do in the future. When Jesus returns, His family (those who have chosen to receive Him) will be reunited to a state even better than when the family was separated. This is the bliss which we as Christians are reminded to look to this time of year. It is true holiday bliss!

Please join us on Sunday mornings as learn of this Child who changed the world forever!

Merry Christmas,

            Matt 

God Revealed #1: The Greatest Miracle Ever

           “Imagine for a moment becoming a baby again: giving up language and muscle coordination, and the ability to eat solid food and control your bladder. God as a fetus! Or imagine yourself becoming a sea slug – that analogy is probably closer. On that day in Bethlehem, the Maker of All that is took form as helpless, dependent newborn” (Philip Yancey, Disappointment with God, p. 113).

Scripture plainly teaches that Jesus is one person with 2 natures: 100% God and 100% man. 

100% God	100% Man
He is the Creator and was not created (John 1:3; Col. 1:16)	His body had a beginning (Luke 2:7)
“Only-begotten” (John 3:16) does not mean that Jesus had a beginning; rather Jesus is God’s unique Son because only Jesus is fully God and eternally the Father’s Son (John 1:1-3; 14-18; see also Heb. 11:17)
“Firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15) cannot mean that Christ was created, because Paul says that ALL of creation was made in and for Christ. He existed before all creation and holds it together (Col. 1:16-17). The “firstborn” traditionally was the main heir (Gen. 25:5-6; 27:35-36; Deut. 21:15-17). In context Paul is saying that Christ, as God’s Son, is the main heir of all creation (Col. 1:12-14).
He is coequal with God the Father (John 5:18; 10:30-33)	He was in subjection to the Father (Matt. 26:39; Phil. 2:5-11)
He is all-powerful (Matt. 8:26-27; 14:19; John 2:1-11, 19; 10:17-18; Heb. 7:16; 1 Tim. 6:16)	He had physical limitations (Matt. 4:2; 8:24; Luke 4:2; 22:44; John 4:6, 7; 19:28-42)
He is all knowing (Mark 2:8; John 2:25; 6:64; 16:30; 21:17)	He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52; John 16:30; Heb. 5:8)
He is present everywhere at all times (Matt. 8:13; 18:20; 28:20; John 1:48-51; Eph. 1:23)	He could only be in one place at a time (John 16:7)
He is worshiped (Matt. 2:2, 11; 14:33; 21:9; 28:9)	He worshiped the Father (John 17)
He is worshiped by angels (Heb. 1:6)	He received less honor than the angels during His 33 years here on earth (Heb. 2:7-9; see also Phil. 2:5-11)
He is prayed to (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 1:1-2)	He prayed to the Father (John 17:1)
He was called God (Matt. 1:23; John 1:1-5; 20:28; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20)	He was called man (Mark 15:39; John 19:5)
He was called Son of God (Matt. 17:5; 27:54; Mark 1:1)	He was called Son of Man (John 9:35-37)
He claimed to be God (John 5:18) He claimed to be Yahweh/Jehovah (Ex. 3:14; John 4:26; 8:24, 58-59; 13:19; 18:4; Greek Matt. 14:27; Mark 6:50; Luke 24:39)	He claimed to be man (Matt. 8:20; 9:6)
He is sinless (1 Peter 2:22; Heb. 4:15)	He took upon Himself the sins of the world (John 1:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; see also Mark 1:4; Matt. 3:15)
He cannot be tempted (James 1:13)	He was tempted, yet personally sinless (Matt. 4:1; Heb. 4:15)
He is eternal/immortal (Heb. 7:16; Rev. 1:17-18)	He died (Rom. 5:8)
The fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9)	He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)

As 100% man, Jesus was just like you and me. He experienced that same sort of things which we do physically. He grew tired; and He slept. “After He fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He then became hungry” (Matt. 4:2); boy, I can’t imagine why ☺. If Jesus was only 100% God then these things would not be, for God does not grow tired nor need anything to sustain Him (Isa. 40:28). Therefore, when we are weak or experience physical limitations, we can know that Jesus has been there too; He understands what we are going through.

Jesus had to grow physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually, just like we do (Luke 2:40, 52). He learned obedience (Heb. 5:8); He did this in just the same way you and I do, through life experiences. Therefore, when we struggle to understand things or are going through difficult times learning various lessons, we can know that Jesus has been there too; He understands what we are going through.

Jesus endured the same sort of temptations we do. Satan tempted Jesus with desires of the flesh: an improper longing for tastes, touches, smells and hearing (Matt. 4:3-4). Satan tempted Him with improper thinking (Matt. 4:5-7). And Satan tempted Him with improper materialism/power (Matt. 4:8-10). All of the commandments find their origin in one of these 3 improper desires.

Thus, Jesus was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Likewise, Jesus can help us overcome temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). “Take courage in this; greater is He who is in you as a Christian than the one who is tempting you” (1 John 4:4).

And Jesus experienced the exact same sort of emotions we do. He marveled about the faith of a Roman centurion (Matt. 8:10). He felt compassion for people who were sick, had diseases and distressed (Matt. 9:35-36). Jesus even wept and mourned deeply at the death of one of His friends (John 11:33-35). Jesus has walked a mile in our shoes emotionally. He cares about us. And He wants us to know that He loves us and is with us through our hurts.

Why would Jesus do all of this? One word: love (John 3:16). Jesus came to earth as a man to give us help in whatever situation we find ourselves in (John 10:10). He came to destroy the works of the devil (Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:14). He came to liberate us from death (John 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:54-58). And He came to make us holy through the forgiveness of sins (Luke 19:10; 2 Cor. 5:21).

Theologian Wayne Grudem said, "It is by far the most amazing miracle of the entire Bible—far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing even than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join Himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe” (Systematic Theology: p. 563).

More of Him, less of me,

     Matt

Elder's Corner: Meditation

Many followers of Christ today read and pray while looking for answers in the Bible, and pray for wisdom and direction.  The Biblical passages that use the phrase "Christian meditation" are few. Both words "meditate" and "meditation" are found about 18 times in the Old Testament. There are basically 2 Hebrew words which are translated "meditate." The first Hebrew word (hagah), given the various contexts, can mean "ponder, imagine, meditate, mourn, speak, study, talk, utter, etc." (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2; 5:1; 49:3; 63:6; 77:12) The second Hebrew word (siyach) can mean "to ponder, to converse with oneself, and hence aloud; to utter or commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk with (God in prayer, etc.) or it could be with another believer or group of believers--speaking one's thoughts about a passage of Scripture or words to a hymn, etc. (Gen. 24:63; Ps. 104:34; 119:15, 23, 48, 97, 99; 148; 143:5). A familiar verse in Psalm 19:14 states, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation (hagah) of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight..." He asks that his words and thoughts be equal. Words of the mouth are a sham if they are not backed up by meditation of the heart.

A passage in the New Testament gives an even greater meaning as to application of this word "meditate (meditation)." The Greek word used (meletao) means "to take care of" or "resolve in your mind" to do these things. "Meditate upon these things (the preceding verses): give yourself wholly to them" (1 Tim. 4:15). Paul clarifies the words "save yourself...and others" in verse 16. "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." Taking heed unto the Word of God (doctrine), you will not be "giving heed...to doctrines of devils" (verse 1). This seems to be the contextual meaning of "save yourself." The hearers also will be saved from "giving heed to seducing spirits."

As you can see, then, true Christian meditation is an active thought (thinking, resolving) process whereby one gives himself to study of the Word, praying over it, asking God to give you understanding by the Spirit, putting it into practice in daily life, and allowing it (Scripture) to become the rule for life and practice as you go about your daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as taught you by His Holy Spirit indwelling you as a believer.

May your Christian meditation bless you with love and peace of mind.

            Enrique