Twelve Days, and Jesus Can

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

The Twelve Days of Christmas (and Jesus Can)

I know, the twelve days of Christmas actually BEGIN on the 25th of December, and last until the celebration of the Epiphone on the 5th of January.  But we are going to examine those 12 days, as presented in the well-known song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, starting tomorrow.  For two reasons, really.  First, I did not think of it until this morning.  Second, these days are not Biblically commanded holidays, and we can think and talk about them any time it works for us!

There are stories about the song, Twelve Days.  Stories that describe how during times of political and religious oppression, this song was used by wandering bards to give the gospel message in a hidden yet delightfully open manner.  Stories that claim that the song is a careful presentation of the most important 12 teachings of the Bible.  Stories that examine the symbolism of numbers in the Bible and how some numbers relate to the mystery of the Incarnation that we celebrate at Christmas.

I am personally not sure of the veracity of some of those stories.

But on reflection, each of the twelve days in the song have a valuable, encouraging, and challenging message that is particularly found at this time of year.

So for the next twelve days, that is what we will try to examine.

And it will be easier than you might think.  Because the centrality of Christ Jesus in every truth will give us our common thread.

We can not always make sense of mysteries, patterns, and ideas.  But Jesus can.

Applause

Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. (Matthew 6: 1 The Message)

Applause

A young Quarterback had a fantastic game.  He came into the game while his team was losing, and turned the score around and they ended up victorious.  But the Quarterback astonished a reporter when he was interviewed after the game.  Asked his favorite part of the day, we all expected the athlete to choose a moment of skill, drama, or leadership.  But the Quarterback, instead, named when his eyes found his parents in the audience.

He played for an audience of one.

When we attempt to do good deeds, show love, or help someone, Jesus reminds us to stop seeking applause.  It is hard, I admit, to ignore accolades and praise.  But when we notice that applause, God is not impressed.

Instead, like that football player, seek the Lord’s eyes. 

The good news of the gospel is, though, that though we fail to seek His approval, Jesus does not.  His Father said, “this is my beloved son.”  His Father accepted His sacrifice.  The Son does everything for the Father.  And because of the gospel THAT TOO is all done on our behalf. 

The Father applauds the Son’s life, and death, and life.

We do not deserve the Father’s applause, but Jesus does. 

Enough

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12 ESV)

Enough

When I was very young, my pastor, who taught a Bible class at a local college, asked a pre-teen and me to attend the class and be interviewed.  I do not remember what the point of the class was.  But I remember one question in particular.  We were asked, “If your house was burning down, what one thing would you grab on the way to safety?”

 I answered first, and wisely listed irreplaceable photographs, warm clothes, and a flashlight.

But the other young person gazed toward the ceiling and said, ‘My Bible.’ 

I thought he was silly, because there is usually nothing special about THIS Bible.  It is easily replaceable.

But now, I might understand what he actually meant.  Nothing is more precious than the Word of God, in whatever form or media you devour it.

We do not need movies, recordings, commentators, articles, books, CD’s, DVD’s or magazines.  They are useful, valuable, and worthwhile, yes.  But they are not necessary.

But the Word of God is what we need.  It is enough. 

And Jesus is the Word.

We cannot declare what needs to be known.  But Jesus can.

Enough

Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. (Genesis 41:57 ESV)

Enough

It is fine and good for us to know and expect that Jesus provides enough.  But how does He do it?

He certainly could magically make enough food appear in our freezers and pantries.

He certainly could mysteriously provide gifts through unexpected visitors, forgotten resources, or coincidental timings.

But I have found that usually, the Lord uses regular means to accomplish His amazing acts.

The Lord provided for the needs of Egypt, and particularly for Joseph’s hungry family in Canaan through the regular, simple, logical means of Joseph’s foresight and planning.

And the Lord often provides for us in the same way.  We eat via paychecks, investments, foresight, and planning.

Notice that Joseph’s foresight was the result of the Lord’s revelation to Joseph in dreams.  But Joseph spoke, acted, and was successful in bringing the Lord’s Word into physical reality.

He does this for us, too.

He gives us enough, often using our abilities, gifts, and spreadsheets.

We can not have enough on our own, but with Jesus we can.

Enough

So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord. (II Kings 4:44 ESV)

Enough

You probably remember the well known (twice performed) miracle Jesus did of feeding a crowd of people with a small amount of food. 

But this story of Elisha performing a similar miracle is often unnoticed. But it should not be. 

It was not a new thing for Jesus to feed a bunch of hungry folk.  In fact, it is a rather common theme in the Bible.  And when we see it, we can find encouragement that our needs will be met, or more than met, by our Lord.

When we ask for, ‘our daily bread,’ in the Lord’s Prayer, remember that when we see people’s needs being met in both the Old and the New Testament, those needs are met with abundance.

Do not get bogged down with cynicism.  See what the Lord has done and have peace.  Do not try to be more clever and predictive than the Lord.  See what the Lord has done and have peace.  Do not be ruled by abacus and spreadsheets.  Remember that the Lord’s math is one of the ways He blesses His people, with generosity.

We can not provide enough. But Jesus can.

Enough

And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. (Exodus 16:15-16 ESV)

Enough

Yesterday, a friend cooked a plate FULL of bacon as a gift for me.  I shared a bit of that delicious bacon with DeAnne, but most of it, I ate myself.

Because I am not very good, at times, knowing when I have ‘enough.’

After the depression of the 1930’s, people who endured the hard times often tended to horde necessary commodities.  Because having suffered, they, at times, were not very good at knowing when they had ‘enough.’

Both because our selfish tendencies cause us to usually desire more good things, and because our insecurities and ignorance about the future cause us to fear we will lack something, we are poor judges of what is ‘enough.’

But the same Lord who sent manna to the wandering Israelites knows what tomorrow looks like, too.

And He not only knows what actually IS enough, He provides it.

He blesses us, sometimes surprisingly, with grander provision than bacon… and He knows when it is enough.  He provides for us, sometimes surprisingly, with what we really need, in HIS understanding, and He knows when it is enough.

We cannot accurately determine, ‘enough.’  But Jesus can.

Beloved

… and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 ESV)

Beloved

I have quietly argued many years ago with my cousins about which one of us my grandfather loved best.  We KNEW he had to love one of us more.  We all thought, at various times and during particular events that he loved this one!  Or that one!  Usually, we all argued that it was we, ourself. 

He never said, of course.

But Jesus’ Father did say.  He declared here that He loved, loves, and will love Jesus.

My cousins tried many things to gain our grandfather’s love.  We did yardwork, we gave gifts, we had sleepovers, we told him jokes, we praised him, we listened to him, we hugged him… we loved HIM.

But none of those things gained our grandfather’s love.  He simply loved us.  Because he understood love.

When it comes to our Heavenly Father, we often try to gain His approval, favor, and love. But our good deeds, church attendance, Bible memorization, or evangelism efforts do not cause our Father to love us.

He simply loves His children.

But the cool, confidence-building thing is this.   God loves us without conditions, but only through Christ Jesus.  As the Father said, “this is my beloved Son,” He waves His hand towards us, His other children, Christians, too.

Jesus is the only way to know God’s love.

We can not earn love, but Jesus gives it.

Win

I’ll set fire to Magog and the far-off islands, where people are so seemingly secure. And they’ll realize that I am God. (Ezekiel 39:6 The Message)

Win

A number of nations are mentioned in this chapter of Ezekiel, and many people have spent a lot of time trying to figure out to whom those references refer.  Some believe that ancient Gog and Magog represent modern Russia and China.  Some have posited that the nations represented here are hints of particular historical characters like Atilla the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Mao Tse Tung.   Some have equated the nations and tribes of Ezekiel with religions like Buddhism Taoism, and Hinduism. 

But prophetic literature can be tricky. 

I believe Ezekiel’s intent is to comfort God’s people whenever wild crazy nations, ideas, or worldviews attack the people of God.  The names are monster-like, scary sounding, and threatening.

But whether the events described took place in 70 AD (my personal understanding), the late middle ages, last week Thursday, or at some point in the future, the point being made is simply and profoundly this:  God always wins.  And not a vague, religious God… but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Line up with Jesus if you want to live.

Gog, Magog, Russia, China, Atilla, Genghis, Mao, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, humanism, statism, or individualism ultimately do not stand a chance against Jesus.  He has won, is winning, and will win. 

We can not count on winning, but Jesus can.

Heroes

Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. (II Kings 2:14 ESV)

Heroes

Elijah was the hero of Elisha.  Elisha wanted nothing more than to be like Elijah, in every way that he could.  Some legends speak of Elisha copying Elijah in hairstyle, speech patterns, and habits.

But I think Elisha learned something important here about heroes. Elijah was only worth following because Elijah pointed people towards the Lord.

Elijah’s hero, the Lord God of Israel, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the only hero worth following.

Elijah’s cloak was not magical… it only parted those waters in imitation of the Lord parting the Red Sea.  The cloak was symbolic not of Elijah, but of Elijah’s God.

If you want to be a hero, remember that.  Our heroic efforts fall short.  Our heroic plans mislead.  Our heroic desires are usually selfish.  The only way to be a hero is to point people towards the Lord… like Elijah’s cloak.

We cannot be heroes, but Jesus can and is.

Light

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (I John 1:5 ESV)

Light

Eyesight seems to be on a continuum.  On one end are moles.  They see nothing.  On the other end are some dogs or cats, who seem to see light wavelengths that no one else can.  On one end are teenagers who cannot see dirty clothes on the floor, or dishes that need to be done.  On the other end are mothers and grandmothers who have eyes in the back of their heads.

I tend to be more blind than clearsighted.

Physically, yes… but also emotionally and spiritually.   I am too often unaware, insensitive, and blind.

But Jesus IS light.

Looking though Him, understanding my reality through the lens of His Word, considering how every tiny and gigantic thing is best known through and because of HIM, can enable me to see.

Basically, because He is the only One with perfect eyesight, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I can not see, but Jesus can.

Popularity

And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. (Exodus 11:3 ESV)

Popularity

In middle school, I was not popular.  But for a brief period of time, my star rose.  Objectively, my situation changed because I got to be lab partner with the most popular boy in school.  He was forced to spend time with me, and found out that I was clever, funny, caring, and not quite as nerdish as everyone had thought.

For a while, as Paul began to publicly include me in things, others noticed, too.  I was asked to parties, had actual conversations during recess, and my lunch began to be stolen less often.

It did not last.

In my middle school, to all appearances, Paul was the arbiter of popularity.

Whether we admit it out loud or not, we want to be popular. This part of the Bible reminds us, though, that finding true favor with the world does not come through efforts, haircuts, skills, or lab partnership.

The Lord is in charge of popularity.  And He bestows it for powerful reasons, salvific reasons, eternal reasons.  The Lord did that here.

The Lord raised funds for the travel needs of the wandering Israelites, for political expenses along the road to Canaan, and for the construction of the tabernacle. 

It is concerning that these days, Christians seek popularity with the world through compromise of principle, purposefully ignoring the unpopular parts of God’s Word, and being silent about who we are, and Who God is.

Those methods will not really give popularity.

At various times in history, however, favor has been strangely found through adherence to God’s Truth, to the Gospel.  Because then God often grants favor.  Consider the Emperor Constantine, the nations of the reformation, the pilgrims and puritans, the Great Awakening… and maybe even you in your life.

We cannot gain true popularity, but Jesus can grant it.

Return

Israel, come back! Return to your God!  You’re down but you’re not out. Prepare your confession and come back to God. (Hosea 14:1,2 The Message)

Return

The opposite of discouragement might just be ‘returning.’ 

I have ruined relationships with my unfaithfulness.  I have broken hearts with my errors.  I have twisted beauty into ugliness with my impatience.  I have hurt so many with my thoughtlessness. 

And going back to fix such things is difficult, even impossible it usually seems.

But there is one broken relationship that can always be redeemed.  In God’s eyes, we might be down, but we are not out.  He waits, always, repeatedly, eagerly, lovingly, for us to return. 

Because He never left us, in His eyes we never leave Him.

I have been slowly learning that the first step in repairing anything broken is returning to God, through Christ.

When we are discouraged because something is lost, ruined, hostile, or broken, Jesus holds out His arms and says, “come to me.”  He answers our discouragement with His presence.

Return to Him.

We can not fix much at all.  But Jesus can.

Useful

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel… (Philippians 1:12 ESV)

Useful

Cleaning the garage is a frustrating task for me.  There is so much clutter, so many piles of necessary things, so few empty places, and so little time. 

And when I finish moving things from one pile to another, and sometimes disposing of those things that I finally accept are not needed, and the job seems done… I usually wonder why I spent so much time on such an unsatisfying job.

And in a week, the garage will probably look just as untidy.

The rest of my life seems like that, sometimes, too.  It feels like I am spinning my wheels.  It feels like, because I rarely see the true end results, that I am wasting my (and everyone’s) time.  It feels like I do, and do, and do, but I do not get to see why.

That is when faith can help.    I might not understand why my Master guides me in certain tasks, particular paths, or various actions… but I know that He has a plan.  A masterful plan.  A glorious plan that leads to Jesus Himself, to heaven, and to eternal life.

I can not always know if I am useful.  But I can  know that Jesus knows that I am.

Irony

Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. (Genesis 48:10 ESV)

Irony

When Israel (Jacob at the time) sought his father, Isaac’s blessing, Isaac had poor eyesight.  And Israel (Jacob at the time) took advantage of that to steal from his brother Esau, and trick his father, Isaac.

And now, many years later, Israel’s eyesight is just as poor.

But Israel’s son, Joseph, perhaps remembering his father’s tales, does not take advantage of him.  In fact, in a way, he uses that physical failing to bring Israel’s grandsons close to Israel… Israel blesses them, kisses them, and embraces them.

Same faulty eyes, but what a difference in result.

I wonder how often Jesus takes our failings and wonderfully turns them into blessings.

Maybe a Christian liar gets to save a relationship with truth.  Maybe a fearful Christian gets to inspire courage in the church.  Maybe a greedy Christian gets to save a family with generosity.  Maybe a timid Christian gets to stand and preach.

We can not overcome our failings, but Jesus can.

Home

Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:3 ESV)

Home

God was bringing Jacob home from the moment Jacob moved away.  Jacob needed a wife, a bunch of children, a herd or two of sheep, some capital, and some maturity.  So God moved Jacob north, God gave Jacob necessary experiences, God gave Jacob a family, and when God was ready, God led Jacob home.

Along the way, Jacob did not receive a letter from God filled with explanations.  God lovingly did exactly what Jacob needed.  

Even when Jacob arrived ‘home,’ there was more movement to come.  Jacob had to have peace with his estranged brother, Esau.  Jacob had to lose his beloved son, Joseph.  Jacob had to endure a draught.  All so that God could move his family to lush and fertile Goshen, where that family would thrive.  And then Jacob’s family, after 400 years, would finally move back home, to the land promised, again.

And even then… home for us is still ahead.

And God is at work bringing us there.

Every thing that happens, whether it seems good or bad, is happening to move us towards Jesus, and towards our eternal home.

Because that is what Jesus does for His people.  He brings us home.

We can not yet be home, but Jesus takes us there.

Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. (Ephesians 6:10 ESV)

Strength

It was a huge concrete cube, half buried next to our home, originally housing a well pump.  And we wanted to move it. 

I attempted to do so with ropes and my muscles.  I attempted to do so with chains and my lawn mower.  I attempted to do so with straps and my pickup.  I attempted to do so with a bigger pickup, a  skidsteer, a large group of teenagers, and wishful thinking.

I could not find enough strength.

Finally, we hired a piece of earth-moving equipment, and the job was done.

But notice, even though I did not provide the strength, I still had a part to play in the task.  My will was necessary.  My cash was necessary.  I had to point to the old location and the new location. I even think, if I had asked, that the driver would have let me sit in the seat and pull the levers.

Asking someone to provide strength does not mean being passive.

When our tasks are overwhelmingly heavy emotionally, spiritually, and maybe even physically, we DO have a source of strength that enables us to do the heavy lifting… of course I am referring to our King, Jesus.

But we still have a part to play.  Not that He needs us… but whatever it is, it is still our task.  But He is eager to provide the necessary strength.

We cannot do the heavy lifting in our lives, but Jesus can.

Majority

The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. (Acts 24:9 ESV)

Majority

One morning, my family wanted to spend the day goofing around, but my father had work planned.  In a spurt of reasonableness, I asked for a vote… and the ‘goof around’ party defeated the ‘responsibility’ party 4 to 1.  I was overjoyed, until my father reminded me, “this is not a democracy.”

It startled me, because somehow, I had felt that the democratic ideal was THE foundation of society!

Years later, some students attempted to persuade me that it was time for a ‘game day’ instead of a ‘recite Latin paradigms day.’  They voted, and the tally was 7 to 1 in favor of fun.   I smiled, as I quoted my father, “this is not a democracy.”

Full democracy actually frightens me.  The Jews in Acts 24 are one of the reasons why.  They tried to persuade a magistrate that Paul was wrong in his presentation of the gospel because they ALL said so.  The vote was ‘some huge number’ to 1. 

But that did not change the fact that Paul’s truth, because it was God’s truth, was THE truth.

Maybe majority is a grand idea.  But if so, we have to remember that Jesus’ one vote on ANYTHING outweighs everything else.

The majority can be easily swayed.  The masses are often incorrect.  Group-think does not equal reality.

But we Christians have a source of truth that is absolutely reliable.

In fact, if it comes to a vote, Jesus’ vote always counts more than the rest of the world combined.  That’s why the world so often does not like Jesus.

We cannot make a reliable majority, but Jesus can and is.

Only

But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, and besides Me there is no savior. (Hosea 13:4 ESV)

Only

I do not like driving in Orlando, Florida.  Recently, while traveling from the Airport to a Conference Center, I was overwhelmed with the multitude of reasonable choices before me.  The built-in Navigational Aid in the rental car was beeping, “follow THIS path!”  My own GPS, stuck to the inside of the windscreen was uttering, “go THIS way!”  The road signs clearly, absolutely, without doubt instructed me to either take the next left, the next right, or go straight ahead.

So many options, ALL of which seemed reasonable.

I still do not know how I endured the trip, survived, or arrived at the destination.

Life seems like that sometimes.  So many reasonable, or desirable, or understandable options arise at every point of decision.  And our minds, acting as deciders, can feel overwhelmed.  Accept this job offer?  Vote for that candidate? Read those books?  Pray for these things? 

But there is only one way.

While there are MANY ways that seem right to a man, they are not the right way (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).  There is only one way, and remembering THAT will clear the cobwebs from our roadmaps.

We can not make decisions based on our experience, our hopes, our knowledge, or our needs.  But we can listen to Jesus, and let HIS principles guide our way.

Confidence

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 1:21 ESV)

Confidence

I forecasted the result of a college football game last week.  And I was wrong.  I foretold a new economic condition earlier.  And I was wrong.  I saw a young couple together and uttered, “They will be married soon!” And they were not.  Looking behind at how often I look ahead, I have been wrong far more often than I have been correct.

Really, that is to be expected.

As complex and brilliant as my brain might be, it is flawed.  As elaborate and trustworthy as a predictive algorithm might be, it is flawed.  As deep and compassionate as our understanding of someone’s situation might be, it is flawed.

Theologians make mistakes.  Modern prognosticators err.  Teachers can be inaccurate.  Preachers can be simply wrong, however Godly their intentions.

But we have prophecy that is always true.  We have words that are always accurate.  We have a description of reality that is inerrant, true, perfect, reliable, and dependable.

We have the Word of God, which is Jesus Christ.

Our understanding of that Word might be flawed, but not the Word.  Our application of that Word might be tainted, but not the Word.  Our use of that Word might be questionable, but not the Word.

We can not have confidence in self, but we can have confidence in Christ.

Errors

I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. (Genesis 45:4-5 ESV)

Errors

Often when I try to fix something, I make it worse.  Folk who eat with us at our JubiWednesday dinners know what I am talking about.  My soup was too soupy so I added mashed potato flakes, which made the soup too pale, so I added tomato sauce, which made the soup too salty, so I added rice, which made the soup too thick, so I… well, you get the idea.

We are not experienced enough to understand every consequence of our efforts to solve problems that we have caused.  Sometimes we get it right, but even so, we know that we usually cause other problems with our solutions. 

But Christians have a wonderful master who not only fixes our errors, He brings great goodness through them.  Joseph’s brothers learned through Joseph that the sins of the brothers had been fixed by God, and multiplied into blessings that were about to save their very lives.

When we are overwhelmed by awareness of our errors, mistakes, and sins, know that Jesus is at work.  Our errors are part of what He is doing in our lives, and the lives of His people, Christians.

We can not fix our errors.  But Jesus can.