When is Not the Question - Mark 13 - December 20, 2020

These are the Sermon Notes for December 20, 2020. We have temporarily suspended in person services through December 27th. Read our Covid-19 plan here. You can watch our livestream service every Sunday at 9:37 am on our facebook page or watch the livestream recordings any time.

 Mark 13 When is Not the Question

To say that this is how I expected to be celebrating the fourth Sunday of Advent would be a lie. I thank you all for your prayers on our behalf.

Not only is this the most 2020 fourth Sunday of Advent that we could have imagined, the text that we are going to be looking at today totally follows suit.

We are going to look at Mark chapter 13 this morning in its entirety. I don’t usually like taking this big a bite but this entire chapter is focused on the same thing, not the first Advent of Christ but the second.

I have been asked, more than once, if I thought that we were nearing the end, if the events of today were signs of the end times. I’m not sure I have always given the best answer to those questions on the spot but after studying this passage this week I have a better response: what if the events of this past year were the signs of the end of the age, what if this is the end times, what if Jesus were to come back today or tomorrow? So what? What if today is the day?

That’s the question I think we need to keep in mind as we look at Mark 13 and work our way through what the scholars call, “the Olivet Discourse.” The parallels for this chapter can be found in Matthew 24-25, and, Luke 21.

Instead of reading the whole passage like I usually do I want to just look at it a chunk at a time. Let’s start with verses 1-2.

And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Remember that Jesus had been teaching in the Temple and had spent time being confronted by the Jewish leaders in the Temple courts. 

Now they were on the way across the valley to the Mount of Olives where there is a wonderful view of the city of Jerusalem, especially the Temple Mount.

The Temple remained very important to the disciples to this point, it was still the center of all things religious to them, and they clearly still admired it. I’m sure it was truly a sight to behold.

I can’t help but think of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4,

20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

I think the destruction of the Temple was necessary in order to free believers in Jesus to truly worship in spirit and truth, to release them from a monument, from a potential idol. 

Unfortunately, though the Temple was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans, the church has found a way to potentially walk back that freedom by constructing millions of little temples with nice white steeples that we can worship instead.

In verses 3-4, when Jesus and the disciples got to the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked Jesus about the destruction of the Temple.

3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

This was not an unreasonable line of questioning, Jesus just told them that the thing that sat in the middle of the Jewish universe was going to be destroyed. It’s only natural that they would want to know when and how would they know when it was about to happen.

“When?” is an interesting question, it’s the wrong question, but it’s interesting nonetheless. What would knowing when do for them? We want to know when these things will happen, we want to know when Christ will return, so that we have a sense of control, that we’ve got a handle on things.

Well just like most of the times that Jesus had been asked questions of the last few days He didn’t answer this question the way anybody expected either. Look at verse 5.

5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Jesus’ first word, “see,” is from the Greek word, “blepo,” which means to “watch out.”

Watch out for false Christs, do not be deceived by them, do not be led astray.

There have been many people who have come in the Name of Jesus and deceived people and led them away from the true Christ. We can always tell a false teacher is false because they do not teach what Jesus taught, they do not stay true to His Word. The make major doctrines out of minor differences and trick people into worshipping the created rather than the Creator. Watch out! Do not be led astray!

When we hear of wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes and famines, what does Jesus instruct? Do not be alarmed. This must take place but the end is not yet.

This statement has been applied to every war the world has ever fought. Do not be alarmed, the end is not yet. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 

Jesus’ warning goes on in verse 9, not just to watch out, do not be deceived, do not be led astray, but also…

9 “But be on your guard. [an extension of the same Greek word, “watch out for yourselves”] For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

These words have been fulfilled and are still being fulfilled to this day. In the book of Acts we can witness the Apostle Paul brought before governors and kings to testify and proclaim the gospel. This has been going on since the very birth of the Church and will continue. 

All of the Apostles were martyred, families have been torn apart over the Name of Jesus. Even today, we can talk about God in public forums, we can talk about spirituality, but mention the Name of Jesus and it’s all over. This is not new!

Jesus said, in verse 13, “And you will be hated by all for my Name’s sake.” But yet, what does He call the disciples to? Faithful endurance. “The one who endures to the end will be saved.”

He didn’t mean the end of the Tribulation, he meant the end of their natural lives whether they were martyred or not. He calls us to the same: faithful endurance.

I love the comfort that comes from verse 11. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

In their most desperate hour, when they were to be brought to trial, they didn’t need to be anxious about what to say, they didn’t need a memorized speech, the Holy Spirit would give them words to say. 

Do you think that stopped with them? We too can trust the Holy Spirit to speak through us, to be with us, no matter the opposition.

Jesus continued His warning in verse 14.

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

The phrase “abomination of desolation” comes from the Book of Daniel and refers to the pollution of the Temple by the Gentiles. The Temple was defiled in 167 b.c.by the Syrian king Antiochus IV when he sacrificed a pig and poured its blood on the altar. This event was predicted in Daniel 11:31. The Temple was also defiled by the Romans in a.d.70 when they captured and destroyed the city of Jerusalem. 

However, these events were but anticipations of the final “abomination of desolation” predicted here by Jesus and prophesied in Daniel 9:27 and 12:11.

Times will never be worse than they will be then, but the Father, in His grace, will cut the time short for the sake of the elect, for His church.

21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard  [there’s our word “blepo” again]; I have told you all things beforehand. 

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Does this sound like a Christmas sermon? Well, it is! Jesus’ first Advent is a foretaste of His second Advent. His first advent was in humility, His second will be in great glory! 

If you’ve ever wondered about’ “the rapture,” here it is. It won’t be a secret disappearance of the church as some might have you believe or you’ve read about in other books. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

That’s His Church he’s gathering! Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17:

15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

It’s going to be a great day! Of course the disciples would want to know when, of course we would want to know when! Jesus said in verse 28:

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation [meaning the people living at the time that these things take place] will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Watch out, be on your guard, pay attention, do not be deceived, keep awake…Do you think this instruction is an answer to the question: when will all these things be?

“When,” is not the right question. “What should we do until that day?” That is the question, and Jesus answered it.

Pay attention, don’t be deceived, stay vigilant, and trust Him.

If you knew the day that these things would take place, would anything in your life change? Live as if today is that day! Amen.

Beware of Be Like - Mark 12:38-44 - December 13, 2020

These are the Sermon Notes for December 13, 2020. We are meeting at the church with limited seating and specific procedures and protocols that need to be followed. Read our Covid-19 plan here. You can still watch our livestream service every Sunday at 9:37 am on our facebook page or watch the livestream recordings any time.

 Mark 12:38-44 Beware or Be Like

Good morning and welcome!

We are continuing our study in the Gospel of Mark this morning with chapter 12, verses 38-44, page 849 in the pew Bibles. Our text for this morning is the conclusion of chapter 12 and also the conclusion of Jesus’ public ministry in the Temple.

It’s no mystery, I think, why Jesus concludes His time in the Temple, in the center of all things religious, in the Jewish national center of worship, with these statements regarding what true devotion to God looks like. It’s also no coincidence, in my opinion, that we are dealing with this idea when the attention of our culture right now is on the manger and the marketplace, focused on the Savior and on Santa.

Well, let’s look at our text and we’ll dive in.

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” 

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Let’s pray.

So here we have two apparent points made by Jesus to His disciples and the crowd gathered with them which are actually only one point, as every good sermon is…

First, Jesus starts with the Scribes. Beware of the Scribes. Now, He’s not warning His followers to keep a nightlight on when they go to bed because the scribes are going to come out from under the bed and get them while they’re sleeping. He’s warning His followers not to emulate their behavior.

And what characterized their behavior? Pride, greed, and hypocrisy.

The Scribes liked to walk around in long robes, regal robes, with long fringes, dressing in such a way as brought attention to them as important people, as religious leaders. They took the instruction of Deuteronomy 6:8 to put reminders of God’s commandments on their hands and as frontlets for their eyes to a whole new level. 

In Matthew’s account of this teaching in Matthew 23, he quotes Jesus as saying, “They like to make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.”

A phylactery was a strap wrapped around the left arm and another around the head as reminders of the words of Deuteronomy 6. 

These were all outward adornments to make sure that people recognized them as important. Frank Zappa called it, “religimous costumery.” It was all a function of pride.

They dressed to look important, they loved the greetings of honor and distinction that they received around town, “oh, yes, hello rabbi, greetings teacher, and so on.” 

John Calvin wrote, “The Scribes carried about with them the commandments of God more magnificently inscribed on their garments; and in this boasting there was displayed an offensive ambition.”

They always sat in the seats of honor at feasts and in the synagogue. Not like in church now where it seems the best seats are way in the back. They wanted to sit up front, they deserved to be at the head table because of their elevated status and honor. In the synagogue they would sit up front on the other side of the chest that held the Torah scrolls so that they were looking back at the congregation and everybody could see them and recognize their elevated-ness.

Not that any of you would, but if you’ve ever wondered why we don’t use these little deacon’s benches and put them up on the platform for me and the elders to sit on during the service. It’s not just because there isn’t any room up there, it’s because of this passage!

Beware of the Scribes, don’t be like them, because their lives are marked by pride. 

Not only pride, but also greed.

Verse 40 says, “they devour widows’ houses…” Now this isn’t describing Cookie Monster in a gingerbread house village. These supposed religious leaders, men of influence, would use that influence to swindle poor widows in the name of devotion to God.

They exploited the generosity of those with limited means to feather their own nests.

The Scribes received no salary for being scribes, they had to have a trade to provide for their needs. Many of them applied the trade of swindling the vulnerable out of their own living and property convincing them that they were serving God by serving them.

Pride, greed, and hypocrisy were the marks of the Scribes. Verse 40 concludes with, “…and for a pretense make long prayers.”

It’s been said that the veil of hypocrisy is a transparent covering. The prayers of these hypocrites was nothing more than a religious show to entertain and impress the people. They chose to exalt themselves among men rather than enjoy the approval of God.

Do you think the Scribes were the first to display this attitude and behavior? They weren’t, Satan was.

Satan sought to exalt himself only to be brought low, to be cast out of heaven, and condemned. 

This is the exact opposite of what Jesus did. He was exalted but humbled Himself, took on the form of a servant, a human, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross, for us.

Beware the Scribes, don’t be deceived by them, don’t imitate their conduct. Just as they were not the first to act in this way they are certainly not the last. This is the carrot that dangles in front of every teacher, every pastor, every leader. But like a worm on a hook, it’s a trap that has captured and destroyed the lives of so many that may have started out sincere but the allure of the bright lights and all the attention deceived them and they chose lives of pride, greed, and hypocrisy all in the name of the church.

Mark presents the other side of the coin, no pun intended, in verses 41-44.

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

This area where Jesus sat down for some people watching, like you used to do at the mall, was in the area in the Temple called the “Court of Women” where the treasury was. 

The offering box mentioned here was actually twelve different boxes where people could make free will offerings. What was unique about these boxes was, instead of slot to stuff your checks or dollar bills in the top of the box, there was a big metal trumpet shaped thing. 

Also remember that the current currency was not paper nor PayPal, it was coins. So when you put your coins into the trumpet, or maybe more accurately, funnel, it made noise. And if you wanted, you could make quite a bit of noise depending on the size of your offering.

Now Jesus observed many people putting their offerings in the offering box, and you’ll notice, I hope, that He doesn’t condemn them for being rich, He doesn’t condemn them for the size of their offerings either.

Instead, Jesus chose to showcase the opposite attitude and behavior of the Scribes in the poor widow.

The poor widow put in two small copper coins, called leptas that equaled 1/64 of a denarius which was about a day’s wage for a laborer.

43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Instead of the pride, greed, and hypocrisy of the Scribes, this poor widow displayed humility, sincerity, and service.

It was not the amount that got Jesus’ attention, it was the intent.

This is best illustrated by Alistair Begg’s fable of the chicken and the pig.

A chicken and a pig decide to go into business together. The pig asks the chicken, “What sort of business shall we go into?” The chicken replies, “The bacon and eggs business of course!” To which the pig replies, “Now wait a minute! That business only means contribution for you, but it means sacrifice for me!”

The widow’s offering was made in humility, after all, two leptas would hardly make any noise going into that trumpet. Her offering showed her sincerity, her true devotion to God because she gave all she had to live on. One of those leptas would have bought her loaf of bread but she chose to give them both, all she had to live on. 

But the poor widow’s offering was also an example of service. These offering boxes were not to collect the Temple tax that was due annually, and her two leptas wouldn’t cover that anyway. Her offering was a free will offering for the service of the Temple. 

These two small coins, all the poor widow had to live on, were given freely, an act of service, an act of worship.

“The rich gave out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” And in that way she followed the Way of Christ, the way of humility, sincerity, and service.

The Scribes, in their pride, greed, and hypocrisy, chose to exalt themselves before men, but the poor widow, in her humility, sincerity, and service enjoyed the approval of the Lord.

Let’s be more like her and so be more like Jesus the ultimate humble, sincere, servant who gave His life as a ransom for us all.

Amen.

Whose Son? - Mark 12:35-37 - December 6, 2020

These are the Sermon Notes for December 6, 2020. We are meeting at the church with limited seating and specific procedures and protocols that need to be followed. Read our Covid-19 plan here. You can still watch our livestream service every Sunday at 9:37 am on our facebook page or watch the livestream recordings any time.

 Mark 12:35-37 Whose Son?

Good morning! 

I hope you all have been enjoying the Advent devotional we have been reading together this year, The Christmas We Didn’t Expect. 

I particularly enjoyed Day two when the author reminded us that Christmas is not just a celebration of Jesus’ birthday, as if He didn’t exist before His conception, but a celebration of His incarnation, that he existed eternally before that night that the Holy Spirit visited Mary, and before that day He was born in a stable and laid in a manger.

It’s that same idea that our text is centered around this morning, and it’s no accident either.

Let’s look at Mark 12:35-37, page 849 in the pew Bibles.

You’ll remember that Jesus has been fielding questions from the Scribes and Pharisees, from the Herodians and the Sadducees, all the leading men of Israel. 

Their questions had seemed to them to be quite clever, and even unanswerable, but Jesus had stumped them all with His answers.

Now it’s Jesus’ turn to ask a question…

35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, 

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 

37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Let’s pray

Last week we talked a little about the purpose of the Law, how the Jews saw the Law as rules for living, how to please God and prove you were worthy of Him, but the reality is, that the Law exists to expose sin and the need of a Savior.

Jesus, in our text here, expands on that notion even more. He shows here that the whole Old Testament points to Him and our need for Him, to His person and work. It also shows some rich theology as to who He really is and what His nature is and what the nature of the Bible is.

I’d like to look at those ideas in reverse order.

First, quickly, the nature of the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 clearly say,

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

All Scripture, the Old and the New Testaments were breathed out by God, they were inspired by God.

What does this mean? This doesn’t mean that the individual authors of the 66 books contained in the Bible were used like God’s typewriters. He didn’t just posses them and write it all out, neither did He simply dictate the words and they wrote them down like a stenographer.

God spoke through people, and as they wrote it was as if they were writing the very words of God. And it is these words that He has preserved and has been using to draw people to Himself through faith for millennia. 

Jesus recognized that the Scriptures were inspired by God when He said, 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 

The Scribes and the Pharisees also held that the Scriptures were inspired by God and that King David was speaking by the Holy Spirit when he wrote his psalms. What they didn’t recognize was that this particular Scripture was about Jesus.

The Scribes were looking for a human king, a mere human successor to David’s throne who brought nothing more than a human nature to a human kingdom.

Thanks be to God that this was not His design!

John Calvin wrote, “Had [Messiah] been only a man, we would have no right to glory in him, or to expect salvation from him.”

If Jesus was just a man, he would have failed as the kind of Messiah the Scribes and Pharisees were looking for, and billions of people would have fallen for the greatest hoax in the history of mankind.

But Jesus proved by His resurrection that He was not just a man but that He is God.

But he is also a man. The Scribes were right when they said that the Christ is the Son of David. The prophecies of the Old Testament told how Messiah was to be born from the house and line of David, how He was to be born in Bethlehem, the City of David, of a virgin, that His coming forth was from of old, from ancient days.

So in Jesus’ riddle, is the Christ the Son of David, is He the Son of Man?

Yes. The Scribes were half right. 

Matthew chapter one outlines Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham to David, fourteen generations, from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Mary and Joseph and Jesus, fourteen generations.

But what about Jesus’ question, how can David call Christ, who was supposed to be his Son, his Lord?

The simple answer is that He is both. But that simple answer is not so simple, because it’s not possible.

The word translated, “Lord,” in our text actually represents three different words, two in Hebrew and one in Greek.

In Psalm 110:1, which Jesus is quoting, the first, “Lord,” as written in the Old Testament is actually typed in all capitols in the English translations of the Bible. This is the Hebrew word, “Yahweh,” which means, “I am that I am,” the closest we have to the name of God the Father. Every time you see it written this way in the Old Testament it should read, “Yaweh.”

The second, “Lord,” in Psalm 110 is the Hebrew word, “adon,” maybe you’re familiar with, “adoni.” This is not a specific name but a word meaning, one possessing absolute control – master or ruler.

In our text in mark there is a third, “Lord,” which is the Greek word, “kyrios,” that is used every time the New Testament uses the word, “Lord,” no matter who the author is talking about, it simply means, “master.”

Why is any of that important? 

It’s important because in Psalm 110, that Jesus quotes, David is not talking about himself, he is writing about the Father and the Son, calling the Son, “Lord, Master, Ruler.”

You have to understand that a father, a king, can’t be subordinate to his son. It just didn’t work that way. 

In order for Christ to be David’s Son and David’s Lord meant that He had to be more than just a natural man. 

The long and the short of it is, that, in order for David to call Him Lord, He had to be God.

JP Lange wrote, “Christ as David’s Son, and at the same time David’s Lord, could not be a man simply, though He is a real man. For David calls Him, not in a general way, his lord; but Lord, the Lord, directly and most positively.”

“David himself calls Him Lord. So how is he his Son?”

This was a real puzzle for the Scribes.

Robert Jamieson wrote, “There is but one solution to this difficulty. Messiah is at once inferior to David as his Son according to the flesh, and superior to Him as the Lord of a kingdom of which David is himself a subject, not the sovereign. The human and divine natures of Christ, and the spirituality of His kingdom – of which the highest earthly sovereigns are honored if they be counted worthy to be its subjects – furnish the only key to this puzzle.”

Jesus was asserting that He is both Son of Man AND Son of God, He is fully God and fully man, and the Church, His kingdom, is safe through the protection of a heavenly and invincible King.

And why is this important?

As Philippians 2 says,

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And in the words of David Mathis from Day 2 of our Advent devotional, “Christmas is far more that the celebration of a great man’s birth. God Himself, in the second Person of the Godhead, entered into our space and into our frail humanity, surrounded by our sin, to rescue us. He came. He became one of us. God sent God. The Father gave His own Son for us and for our salvation.”

Amen.

Father in heaven, may your Son assume His rightful place in our hearts this Advent. At this most material time of year in our materialistic society, your Son’s pre-existence reminds us of His preciousness over every party and present, over all the trees and trimmings. He is before, and better than, anything in this created world. Cause our hearts to swell in this season at the gift of the Person of Christ as our greatest treasure. In His precious Name we pray. Amen.