On my recent flight back from Africa I found myself searching desperately for ways to pass the time during the two 8-hour plus flights. At one point, having slept, read and eaten, I began watching the movie Dunkirk on the inflight entertainment system. One scene has a group of soldiers, hiding in a beached boat, awaiting the tide to come and raise the vessel, in order that they might sail to safety.

This morning I was struck by this daily reading below from Day by Day with the English Puritans:

“The divine assistance which the Christian has in their work alleviates the labor of it. Consider the Christian’s work without this help. It is heavy indeed, yes, too heavy to stand under. But God’s helping hand put to it makes this heavy work light. The ship, which when lying on ground, all the teams in the country could not draw off, how easily is set afloat when the tide comes in? Thus the heart can rise out of its dullness and disposition to duty. Oh how soon it is elevated and inspired when God flows in with his secret aspiration and excitations of His blessed Spirit and grace! He who confessed that he could do nothing of himself, not so much a think a good thought, tells us that he is able to do all things through Christ who strengthens him.”

 It was a great reminder of the tide-lifting, obstacle-overcoming and obedience-inspiring Lord whom we serve daily in various God-appointed capacities.

Eagles defensive end Chris Long is donating his entire 2017 base salary, worth $1 million, to benefit educational charities. Through his foundation he will donate 10 game checks to organizations that support educational equality in the three cities that he has spent his 10-year career: Philadelphia, Boston and St. Louis. Certainly, an example of extreme generosity on his part, and yet as we prepare for Christmas, we are going to look at the ultimate example of generosity – the incarnation and death of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 8:9,

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

 Let’s walk through the passage…

“the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”

What’s the difference between grace and mercy?

♦  Ephesians 2:4-5 – But GOD, BEING RICH IN MERCY, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ

◊  Mercy is not receiving punishment you deserve and have earned.

♦  Titus 2:11 – For the GRACE OF GOD has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

◊  Grace is an undeserved gift; receiving something you don’t deserve or haven’t earned.

In many ways it is the grace of Christmas that makes possible the mercy of the Cross of Easter.

 “though he was RICH,”

You can combine a historical list of The Richest People in the World, and they together cannot even begin to compare to Jesus Christ, creator of the Universe.

♦  1:16-17 – “all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

 How is Jesus Christ rich?

1. In His Person – for he is God
2. In His Possessions and Position – for He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
3. In His Power – for he can do anything

 “he became poor”

Sadly, there are many modern day examples of individuals, often athletes, going from Millionaire to being homeless. However, they didn’t choose to become poor like Jesus!

♦  Person – Philippians 2:7 – “but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
♦  Possessions and Position – Matthew 8:20 – Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
♦  Power – Matthew 27:39-42 – And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, He saved others; He cannot save Himself He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
(He possessed the power but chose not to use it!)

 “so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Prosperity gospel preachers would lead you to believe that God wants everyone to be rich. Not true. And in this instance, Paul is speaking of spiritual riches.

How do we become rich?

Accept what Jesus did!

The late Dr. Donald Barnhouse describes the great paradox of the Christmas story,

“Jesus endured a human birth to give us a new heavenly birth. He occupied a stable that we might occupy a mansion. He had an earthly mother so that we might have a heavenly father. He became a servant so that we might be free. He left his glory to give us glory. He was poor that we might be rich. He was welcome by shepherds at his birth whereas we at our birth are welcomed by angels. He was hunted by Herod that we might be delivered from the grasp of Satan. This is the great paradox of the Christmas story. It is that which makes it irresistibly attractive. It is the reversal of roles at God’s costs.”

 

 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
(Philippians 2:5-8)

I enjoyed a great time yesterday worshipping with the students at McLean Bible Church, who will be raising funds through their New Years Eve event to support our efforts in the Dominican Republic. As we studied the passage above from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, we were reminded that while Jesus had every right to stay comfortably in heaven in a position of power, his love drove him to a position of weakness and vulnerability for the sake of sinful mankind.

 In light of this, our response as Christ-followers this holiday season is two-fold: to remind ourselves of his sacrifice and seize the opportunity to respond.

 Christmas (REMIND) – In the midst of an increasingly secular world pushing Christmas as addition and acquisition, we must remind ourselves of the length to which Christ lowered himself, to meet our spiritual need through his incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection.

 New Years Aid (RESPOND) – The upcoming New Years Eve event presents a unique opportunity to let the love of Christ compel us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) to emulate Christ, by assuming a position of vulnerability and weakness for the sake of others by:

 1. Inviting our friends – making ourselves vulnerability to be rejected

2. Investing in the Global Church – requiring financial sacrifice, placing ourselves in a position of less financial strength and materialistic weakness.

Both of which are certainly counterculture and yet it was the great missionary C.T. Studd who wisely noted,

“Only one life, twill soon be passed
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Finally it was theologian Matthew Henry who stated,

“Not only did Jesus become man for us, but he became poor also. He was born in poor circumstances, lived a poor life, and died in poverty; and this was for our sakes, that we might be made rich, rich in the love and favor of God, rich in the blessings and promises of the new covenant, rich in the hopes of eternal life, being heirs of the kingdom. This is a good reason why we should be charitable to the poor out of what we have, because we ourselves live upon the charity of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I shared the following devotionals could be a great way this holiday season to make a daily investment in reminding ourselves of the true “weight” of the Christmas:

Joy Upon Joy: An Advent Devotional

The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent

From Heaven: A 28-Day Advent Devotional

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas

Good News of Great Joy: Daily Readings for Advent

Matthew 9:35-38 reads,

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

Most biblical scholars believe that, as Jesus engaged in this teaching tour in Galilee, he banished illness from those areas in an unprecedented display of healing.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”

Imagine that! Every ailment, malady and physical affliction eradicated from an area. And yet this accomplishment did not elicit a sense of ultimate satisfaction but rather intense compassion.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Why? Such incredible physical needs, representing years of pain, suffering and heartbreak, had been eliminated!

Answer. Spiritually they remained “weary and scattered,” as the people’s spiritual needs were even more desperate than the need for physical healing.

Bishop JC Ryle in the 19th century wrote about this passage,

“He saw them neglected by those who, for the time, ought to have been teachers. He saw them ignorant, hopeless, helpless, dying, and unfit to die. The sight moved Him to deep pity. That loving heart could not see such things, and not feel.”

Addressing individual’s spiritual brokenness and bankruptcy, apart from the substitutionary, saving work of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection, must always remain priority one for every evangelical ministry across the globe. Even as we care for the bodies of victims of poverty and injustice, in obedience to Scripture and motivated by Christ’s sacrifice, we must prioritize the care of souls, found only in the Gospel.

I’m a uniquely blessed, technological novice. However, between my wife and some very knowledgeable friends and colleagues, God has provided me with a wealth of tech support and encouragement. And yesterday, amongst technology professionals, God provided spiritual support and encouragement.

At the invitation of an EA supporter, I attended the High Tech Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., and walked away both encouraged and challenged. I particularly appreciated, technology icon and outspoken follower of Christ, Pat Gelsinger’s challenge to have a clear sense of calling.

I’ve been reading the D.A. Carson’s Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation, which recently addressed 2 Thessalonians 1:11 – “We constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”

This fabulous quote below from Carson coincides nicely with Gelsinger’s challenge:

God has graciously called us; now we must live up to that calling. That cannot mean less than that we should become increasingly holy, self-denying, loving, full of integrity, steeped in the knowledge of God and his Word, delighted to trust and obey our heavenly Father.

  We are not strong enough or disciplined enough to take these steps ourselves. That is why Paul prays as he does. If the holy God is to count us “worthy of his calling,” we must ask him for help. That is why Paul is praying: he is not simply asking the Thessalonians to try harder, but he is praying for them to the end that God will count them worthy of his calling. Such a prayer is tantamount to asking that God will so work in their lives, so make them worthy, that ultimately he will count them worthy.

And so this text asks us: When was the last time you prayed this sort of prayer for your family? For your church? For your children? Do we not spend far more energy praying that our children will pass their exams, or get a good job, or be happy, or not stray too far, than we do praying that they may live lives worthy of what it means to be a Christian?

My prayer for each of the 1,000 attendees is that we put the biblical principles, clearly outlined, into daily practice.

As noted in the book of James,

“It’s in the obeying of the Word that we experience the blessing, not in the reading or the hearing.” – Warren Wiersbe 

“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:25)

Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over…and expecting a different result.”

Often in leadership we must make difficult, at times highly unpopular, decisions, given our desire to see different results, personally and professionally.

Recently, I’ve seen this play out, on both a micro and macro level, at my home church in Washington DC. As a result, I’ve found myself reflecting on core convictions regarding the biblical process of decision-making.

Haddon W. Robinson has written a powerful book, entitled Decision Making By the Book, where he notes an essential attitude and aptitude for biblical decision-making:

– “God has given us tremendous freedom and responsibility in making decisions. When seeking to carry out that responsibility, the place for us to begin is in an attitude of complete submission to the sovereign will of the all-powerful God.”

– “To make good decisions I need to be mighty in the Word of God. This is not a peripheral issue. I need to know the Scriptures—the New Testament and the Old.”

With that attitude of complete submission and aptitude of biblical literacy in mind, these are three questions I use to evaluate personal and professional decision-making:

 1.  Was the decision bathed in prayer?

-If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

2.  Did I seek wisdom in Scripture?

-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6)

3. Did I seek wise counsel?

-Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Prov. 11:14)

CAUTION:

-Beware…

Breeding discord
Creating disunity and divisiveness

-We recognize our passion

Remember our role – WE are the primary disciplers of our children

-As parents we know:

It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say

Tithing – Not….

-Stockholder’s meeting

-Kid with his ball on a playground

-This isn’t the same as your child’s education: I pay my taxes!

Stewards of God’s resources; not something to use for blackmail

Confrontation –

-If you see that, we have a responsibility to speak truth in love

-Bear One Another’s Burdens

Gal.6: 1-2
1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

-Remember our children are watching us…

Are we going to talk ABOUT people or practice Matt 18:15 and talk TO people.