The First Christmas

The First Christmas

Ian Thomas

Luke 2:8-20

December 24th, 2018

 Main Idea: Christmas is good news of great joy for all people and is an invitation to respond in worship   

I. THE CONTENT OF CHRISTMAS (2:8-12)

The response to an experience with God’s “glory” in Scripture is always the same: fear (Cf. Isaiah 6). When we are confronted with God’s holiness and majesty, we realize that we, as humans, are neither of these things. 

 The message of Christmas is that “mega-fear” will give way to “mega-joy,” because a Savior, Christ the Lord, is born. 

Christmas is not simply about a birth, but about a coming - Tim Keller

This good news of great joy is truly for all people. Shepherds, the first to hear of this good news, were viewed with great disdain and suspicion in this society. God purposely comes to the lowly and downcast in society, rather than to royalty or the elite. 

II. THE BATTLE-CRY OF CHRISTMAS (2:13-14)

When the Scriptures describe the heavenly “host,” it is in reference to a military unity or an army, not a heavenly choir. The Shepherds are now witnessing a battle-cry of a multitude of the heavenly army. 

 These angels are making a declaration of war on evil, sin, and death. The coming of the Savior means that peace is coming to a world that desperately needs it. 

 Christmas means peace on earth, but this peace comes at a cost. The battle here will not be won with swords and ancient warfare but through the perfect life and suffering of the very son of God. 

III. THE CALL OF CHRISTMAS (2:15-20)

Christmas is an invitation for all of us to “go and see this thing which the Lord has made known to us.” 

 Christmas calls together a group of imperfect people gathered around a perfect savior, and the same thing is still happening today. 

 This first gospel community responds to the message of the shepherds in 3 ways: 

1. Wonder & Amazement (2:18)

2. Treasuring & Pondering (2:19)

The more we look at [the incarnation], the more we are astonished; the more we become accustomed to it, the more have we a sense of its surpassing splendor of love and grace. There is more of God’s glory and majesty to be seen in the manger and the cross, than in the sparkling stars above, the rolling deep below, the towering mountain, the teeming valleys, the abodes of life, or the abyss of death. Let us then give ourselves up to holy wonder, such as will produce gratitude, worship, love, and confidence, as we think of that great “mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh

3. Glorifying & Praising (2:20)

 All of this adds up to worship. The good news of Christmas is an invitation to let this good news of great joy permeate all of life.

The Ancient, Present, and Future King

The Ancient, Present and Future King

Ian Thomas

Micah 5:1-5a

December 16th, 2018

In a very real sense, the Christian community lives in Advent all the time. It can well be called the Time Between, because the people of God live in the time between the first coming of Christ, incognito in the stable in Bethlehem, and his second coming, in glory, to judge the living and the dead… Advent contains within itself the crucial balance of the now and the not-yet that our faith requires…. The disappointment, brokenness, and pain that characterizes life in this present world is held in dynamic tension with the promise of future glory that is yet to come. In that Advent tension, the church lives its life. - Fleming Rutledge

 Main Idea: Jesus is the promised King whose peaceful reign is ancient, present, and future   

I. THE PROMISED ANCIENT KING (5:1-2)

Micah describes a scene where troops have surrounded Jerusalem and their King is being humiliated by the enemy. This ought to humble the people of Israel, but they continually ignore gracious warnings from God. 

 The King described in verse 2 stands in stark contrast to the weak & humiliated King of Israel. 3 things we learn about this coming Ruler & Messiah:

1.     He will be born in Bethlehem

2.     He will serve God faithfully

3.     He is from “old, from ancient days”

Though this King is “born,” he is actually “ancient.” This is what we celebrate at Christmas: the incarnation of Christ is God himself coming in the flesh. Strikingly, he comes not in strength but in weakness, born as a baby, born in a small, meager town, and born into a poor family. 

“Christ is always born in Bethlehem among the little ones. Big hearts never get Christ inside of them; Christ lives not in great hearts, but in little ones. Mighty and proud spirits never have Jesus Christ, for he comes in at low doors, but he will not come in at high ones. He who has a broken heart, and a low spirit, shall have the Savior, but none else

— Charles Spurgeon

The message of Christmas forces us to life our eyes from the cradle to the cross.

“There has never been a gift offered that makes you swallow your pride to the depths that the gift of Jesus Christ requires us to do. Christmas means that we are so lost, so unable to save ourselves, that nothing less than the death of the Son of God himself could save us. That means you are not somebody who can pull yourself together and live a moral and good life. To accept the true Christmas gift, you have to admit you’re a sinner. You need to be saved by grace. You need to give up control of your life

— Tim Keller

II. THE ALREADY & NOT YET KINGDOM (5:3-5A)

The reign and rule of this Messiah here can be difficult to locate temporally; some of the descriptions seem like past events, some present, and some in the future. This tension captures the “already” but “not yet” of the Kingdom of God. 

 Three aspects of the rule and reign of the Messiah are seen in these verses:

 1.The Nature of His Rule (5:4a)

He will rule like a shepherd (cf. John 10:11), caring for his flock in toughness & tenderness.

 2. The Extent of His Rule (5:4b)

He will be great “to the ends of the earth,” the vision that is realized fully at the end of the Scriptures (cf. Rev. 7:9ff)

 3. The Results of His Rule (5:5a)

His people will “dwell secure” because “he shall be their peace.” 

 Are you at peace this Christmas season? Is your soul at rest? True peace will not be found in temporary things or in better circumstances; it can only be found in him. Christmas forces us to ask: Is Jesus your King? Is Jesus your peace?

The Son Born and Begotten

The Son Born and Begotten

Pat Kappenman

Matthew 1:18-25

December 9th, 2018

The Promised Serpent-Crushing King

The Promised Serpent-Crushing King

Ian Thomas

Genesis 3:1-15

December 2nd, 2018

The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why - G.K Chesterton

Advent (from the Latin adventus) means “coming” or “arrival,” and is the season leading up to Christmas, where we celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ. It is designed to be a season of waiting and anticipation. 

 This season allows us to embrace the fact that we live between two advents. This season ought to deepen our appreciation for the first advent of Christ while increasing our anticipation for his promised return.

 Main Idea: Though we have rebelled and are in bondage, God has promised to defeat evil through a serpent-crushing offspring     

I. THE PROBLEM OF CHRISTMAS (3:1-13)

The serpent is connected explicitly with the Devil and Satan elsewhere in Scripture; “The great dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” ~ Revelation 12:9

 Satan leads Eve to question God’s goodness, to doubt His word, and to believe in a half-truth. This same progression of sin happens in our lives continually. 

 Sin immediately brings three things into the world:

1.     Shame (3:7)

2.     Fear (3:8-10)

3.     Separation (3:11-13)

Christmas confronts us with a problem: things are not the way they are supposed to be! This season forces us to take stock of how we have participated in this breakdown, and to lament to brokenness experienced in all of creation. 

 Christmas tells us loud and clear that we can’t get out of this mess ourselves. We need a rescuer. We need someone to make this right and to save us from ourselves.  

II. THE PROMISE OF CHRISTMAS (3:14-15)

The story of the whole Bible is contained in these two verses. In the midst of the tragedy of Genesis 3, God makes a series of promises that provide hope:

 1. God curses evil (3:14)

God deals immediately and swiftly with the source and head of evil. He curses the Serpent to a life of humiliation on his belly and eating dust all of his life. 

 2. God will stir up enmity (3:15a)

Enmity is the idea of “hostility” in warfare. This is actually a grace to us because it means that God will not leave us alone. He won’t let evil go unchecked. He will stir up discontentment within us for evil and sin.

Until sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet - Thomas Watson

3. God promises to send a serpent-crusher (3:15b)

This is often called the “proto-gospel,” the first telling of the good news about Jesus in all of the Scriptures. 

 There is a “mutual affliction” that takes place here: the serpent will bruise the heel of the offspring (singular) of the woman, but he will crush his head. 

 Jesus comes as the long-expected fulfillment of this prophecy: at his crucifixion, his “heel is bruised.” But in his death and resurrection, the serpent’s head is actually crushed. 

 Hebrews 2:14-15: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he (Jesus) himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,cand deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

 The church today participates in the destroying of the devil by placing their faith in the gospel of peace: Romans 16: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” 

 “Joy to the World” captures the beauty of the Christmas for us: 

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessing flow

Far as the curse is found

 Though the curse is found everywhere we look right now- our long-expected King has come and is coming to make his blessings flow “far as the curse is found.” 

Shepherds, Sheep and Standing Firm

Shepherds, Sheep and Standing Firm

Ian Thomas

1 Peter 5:1-14

November 25th, 2018

Main Idea: Elders are to pastor the church of God toward humility and faithfulness to stand firm against all opposition.    

I. SHEPHERDING THE FLOCK OF GOD (5:1-5A)

The normative and primary term for leaders of the church throughout the New Testament is “Elder”, a word that seems to be synonymous with “overseer” or “pastor.” 

 Peter makes 6 observations about elders in this passage:

1.     Elders serve in a plurality (5:1)

2.     Elders pastor the church (5:2a)

3.     Elders lead the church (5:2b)

4.     Elders are called (5:2c)

5.     Elders are examples (5:3)

6.     Elders are under-shepherds (5:4)

Elders who serve faithfully in this way will point their flock to the “Good Shepherd” (cf. John 10) who is the true “shepherd and overseer of your souls” (2:25). 

 Peter calls both shepherds and sheep to humility, as pastors recognize their role as “under-shepherds” and as sheep are “subject to” the shepherds who lead them to the Good Shepherd.

II. STANDING FIRM IN THE GRACE OF GOD (5:5B-14)

The theme of this section is “standing firm” in the face of opposition. Peter points these churches to 3 necessary components of this standing firm:

 1. Humility (5:5b-7)

Peter urges the church to “clothe” themselves with humility so that they might be exalted at the proper time (when Christ returns). This practically looks like “casting all your anxieties on him,” recognizing that he is in control and is ruling and reigning over all.

Worry is a form of pride because when believers are filled with anxiety, they are convinced that they must solve all the problems in their lives in their own strength. The only god they trust in is themselves. When believers throw their worries upon God, they express their trust in his mighty hand, acknowledging that he is Lord and Sovereign over all of life - Thomas Schreiner

2. Faith (5:8-11)

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight - C.S Lewis

Satan tends to use two things against us: our own sin and suffering. 

 We resist him together by drawing our attention to the one who is truly in control, who has restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established us, and the one who rules and reigns over all things, including our adversaries. 

3. Community (5:12-14)

We must stand firm in the grace of God together; Peter draws our attention to the solidarity of being a part of a suffering community bigger than ourselves, identifies key co-workers in the gospel (Silas & John Mark), and encourages us to stir up brotherly and sisterly affection toward one another. 

Peter’s words here serve as a fitting conclusion for what it looks like to live as “Citizens as Strangers:” “I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.” 

Living Together in light of the End

Living Together in Light of the End

Ian Thomas

1 Peter 4:7-19

November 18th, 2018

Main Idea: With the end in mind, we are called to live as a family and endure through suffering, to the glory of God .

I. THE END-TIME FAMILY OF GOD (4:7-11)

In light of the end that is coming, there are 4 things that ought to mark the family of God:

1. Clear Thinking (4:7)

2. Love (4:8)

3. Hospitality (4:9)

“Once the heart is opened, the home is opened too” ~ John Stott.

4. Service (4:10-12)

“Jesus shows us the way to life. His invitation is to lose our life- to renounce our obsessive concern with ourselves & make the glory of God our consuming desire… When we, like Jesus, love what is most lovely, and value supremely what is supremely valuable, and glorify most what is most glorious, we will begin to experience freedom” ~ J.R. Vassar

II. ENDURANCE IN FIERY TRIALS (4:12-19)

As we go through these fiery trials and think about endurance, Peter draws our attention to 3 things.

1. Rejoice (4:13-14)

2. Obey (4:15-18)

"An ounce of sin will hurt you far more than 10 million tons of suffering." ~ Charles Spurgeon

3. Entrust (4:19)

The Cosmic Reign of King Jesus

The Cosmic Reign of King Jesus

Ian Thomas

1 Peter 3:18-4:6

November 11th, 2018

A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means - Martin Luther

Main Idea: Jesus has conquered over all through his suffering, death, and resurrection, arming us with power for faithful living.

2 keys to approaching difficult passages:

1.     Context is king

2.     Always use more-clear passages to interpret less-clear passages (Scripture interprets Scripture)    

I. THE PREEMINENCE OF THE EXALTED CHRIST (3:18-22)

1.     The downward movement of Christ (3:18-20)

2.     The upward movement of Christ (3:22)

3.     Baptism as the bridge (3:21)

Three views on the “spirits in prison”:

1.     The Apostle’s Creed: “he descended into hell”

2.     Christ pre-figured in the preaching of Noah

3.     Proclaiming victory over evil and fallen angels in the place of the dead 

The context pushes us to interpretation #3

Cf. 2 Peter 2:4-5 & Luke 16:19-31 (The Rich Man & Lazarus)

The Jewish understanding of the afterlife was a single place of the dead ("Sheol") with compartments for the righteous ("Abraham's bosom" or "paradise") and the unrighteous ("Hades")

Jesus here declares victory over the evil angels who contributed to the flood and whose mindset is seen in the enemies of Christ. Though the crucifixion would lead them to believe they won, Jesus comes and proclaims victory over them. 

They were also sojourners and exiles on earth, a small community beset by opponents who mistreated them. They should not be discouraged by the smallness of their numbers but must remember that God now extends his patience to all, but the day of judgment is coming in which their opponents will be ashamed and they will be vindicated. Hence, the appeal to Noah and God’s patience reminds them to persevere. If God preserved Noah when he stood in opposition to the whole world, he will also save his people, even though they are now being persecuted - Thomas Schreiner

Christ conquered on the cross, Christ conquered at the cemetery, and Christ is conquering in the clouds right now. - Charlie Dates

How does baptism bridge the downward and the upward movement of Christ? 

Just as the chaotic waters of the flood were the agent of destruction, so too the waters of baptism are waters of destruction. In New Testament theology, however, believers survive the death-dealing baptismal waters because they are baptized with Christ. They are rescued from death through his resurrection. Hence, we are not surprised to read in this verse that baptism saves “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death - Thomas Schreiner

II. THE POWER FOR EVERYDAY LIVING (4:1-6)

Peter urges to “arm yourselves” (military term) with the mindset of Christ. This means to be prepared for suffering, as suffering is the only way to glory, as evidenced by the downward and upward movement of Jesus himself. 

 The one who suffers on behalf of Christ has “ceased from sin” in the sense that sin no longer has dominion and power over their lives. 

 Oftentimes, obedience to Jesus will feel like suffering. However, embracing this form of “suffering” reminds us of reality and leads us to true freedom. 

 Peter reminds us that our present circumstances are not the last word. The “delayed gratification” of the Christian life calls us to remember our true King and our true Kingdom, and that there is life even after death (4:6).

Bringing Hope to a Broken World

Bringing Hope to a Broken World

Pat Kappenman

1 Peter 3:8-17

November 4th, 2018

Marriages in Exile

Marriages in Exile

Ian Thomas

1 Peter 3:1-7

October 28th, 2018

Main Idea: The gospel brings hope to marriages by fixing our focus beyond marriage   

I. THE GOSPEL & WIVES (3:1-6)

In every culture, everywhere in this fallen world, the relative physical strength of men and the biological demands of childbearing and nurturing, have meant that when men are not intentionally self-sacrificial, women and children will be the hardest hit. - Russell Moore

Peter’s paradigm of a Christian wife with an unbelieving husband would have been culturally offensive to the Greco-Roman world: 

“A woman ought not to make friends of her own, but to enjoy her husband’s friends in common with him. The gods are the first and most important friends. Hence, it is becoming for a wife to worship and to know only the gods that her husband believes in, and to shut the door tight upon all strange rituals and outlandish superstitions. For with no god do stealthy and secret rites performed by a woman find any favor.” ~ Plutarch (Greek & Roman Biographer)

Peter exhorts Christian wives to be “subject to your own husbands.” 

1.     This is not based on the traditional values of society, but is consistently affirmed as God’s good design for husbands and wives (Cf. Eph. 5:22-33, Col. 3:18-19)

2.     This is voluntary and not under compulsion.

3.     This is a posture but not an absolute. 

4.     This does not mean that women (generally) are to be subject to men (generally).

5.     This is not because women are inferior to men

Peter’s expectation here is that unbelieving husbands “may be won” to salvation through their wives beautiful conduct, continuing his argument from 2:11-12. This is exactly what happened historically in the spread of the gospel in the early church. 

Peter urges wives to focus on the imperishable (cf. 1:4, 1:23) beauty of a character formed by the gospel. This kind of beauty can’t be taken away by gravity, time, age, or constantly shifting cultural standards. 

 A “gentle and quiet” spirit is a spirit that is settled and unshaken by circumstances. This is only found by rooting your sense of self and your hope in the Lord. 

 Peter points to the example of Sarah (cf. Gen. 18:11-12), whose hope in the Lord in the face of a difficult marriage with Abraham prompts her to respect her husband, even in the private spaces of her head. 

 Christian wives can find purpose in the midst of an impossible marriage by hoping in God. As they do so, they model the covenant of grace shown to us through Jesus Christ to their husbands and to the watching world

II. THE GOSPEL & HUSBANDS (3:7)

Husbands are to exercise “headship” in 2 ways:

1. “Live with your wives in an understanding way”

2. “Show honor to the woman as the weaker vessel since they are heirs with you of the grace of life”

Weakness is not a negative characteristic in a cross-shaped perspective. Vulnerability is not inferiority but is instead right at the heart of the most powerful reality in the universe: the crucified Christ who triumphs through vulnerability and leads us to find strength in our weakness - Russell Moore

Headship is about crucifying power and privilege in order to love one’s wife… Headship is not about having one’s laundry washed or one’s meals cooked or one’s sexual drive met, but rather about constantly evaluating how to step up first to lay one’s life down for one’s family. Headship will not seem often to the outside world to be “being the head of your house” at all. In many cases, headship will look like weakness. So does the cross. - Russell Moore

God takes the responsibility of headship so seriously that he will not listen to the prayers of husbands who are neglecting this. Husbands: Are you taking your cues from the head of the household of God?

The Good Life among the Gentiles

The Good life among the Gentiles

Pat Kappenman

1 Peter 2:11-25

October 21st, 2018