Jesus (Christology) – Page 28

A Tale of Two Saviors (Really, the Only One) — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

¹In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”^[1]
Luke 2:1-12

Merry Christmas, Sojourners!

Here we are just a few days before Christmas, and I find myself thinking on the scene into which God became flesh (John 1:14) and the happenings of the world during that time. If you will forgive the pun, it really was a Dickens of a time – the best of times and the worst of times. From a worldly perspective, Israel was in a tight spot, feeling the pressure of the Roman Empire bearing down on it.

A few centuries after being ruled by a foreign king in their own exile they found themselves ruled by one who seemed a world away. Those centuries between Babylon and the Roman Empire (with the Greeks whooping up on them somewhere in the middle) were silent in the sense that there was no “Thus saith the Lord” from a prophet. Even bad news or warning would be a comfort over silence. Their lives were loud with cries of help and hope in the coming Messiah, but God was silent – purposefully so. He had said all He needed to say. Messiah was coming. The Promised One was going to come and save His people. But in the meantime, there was waiting. And there was silence.

How do you do in silence and waiting? I am sure that there have been times in your life, just like in mine and in all the people I know, when trouble and trials and tribulations and terror have besieged you. Your world felt small and scary. Hope for the future was dim. And in waiting for help that seemed never to come, the silence and the waiting was rough.

Depending on the trouble you faced, there are those who would step in and want you to believe they are coming for your aid but are really coming to take advantage of you. There are other promises that, while they are not necessarily coming to take advantage of you are not working for your good, also try and convince you help is on the way. All you have to do is turn on your television and every other commercial is for a class action lawsuit going after big ___ to help people – you or your loved ones, they say – get help from their oppressors or benefits from whatever may have caused their unfortunate situation. If you flip to one of the news networks, you have political pundits representing both ends of the spectrum against the middle who are promising that their candidate is what is best, and the other is the oppressor. If your phone rings, it is likely that the person on the other end is offering you some kind of help if you pay money or bring a gift card to a certain location or offering to extend your car’s extended warranty for a nominal fee. Maybe you are in debt and people are promising rescue if you just turn your finances over to them. Or flip on over to the religious programming – labeled “Christian” oftentimes, and you can give a faith donation to support the starving millionaire “pastor” in his attempt to usher in the end times and mail you a prayer handkerchief that will heal you or save you.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Aside from television and modern situations, this is similar to what God’s people were hearing during that period of silence. Never mind that He had told them Messiah would come. He prophesied their deliverance. Their present circumstances, however, made listening to the other voices seem necessary. And those voices sounded so good, especially when the distant emperor proclaimed that his birth and existence were the beginning of good news for the world^[2] and that he Himself was a son of Zeus come to be the savior of Rome and its empire^[3].

In the absence of the promised Messiah amid divine silence, the turmoil of the times can make it easy to believe that there is help from somewhere else – even if that somewhere else is the Rome that is crushing the life out of your people and your homeland.

So, today, I want us to look at a tale of two Saviors – well, really the tale of the only Savior despite all the fake and the foolish that proclaim themselves to be Him.

Caesar Augustus and the Not-So-Good News (vv. 1-5)

Most of the time that I have spent looking at and studying the beginning of Luke 2 has been focused on trying to determine the real birth date of Jesus. Spoiler alert: it cannot be definitely known^[4]. I am not a huge fan of history, but I do not want to be doomed to repeat it. Most of the history I, willingly, study is biblical and church history. Christianity is, after all, a historical religion not based on the present but on the God who has always been and all He has done in and for all that He created. Having said all that, I do not want this to seem like a history lesson. I want us to see the fingerprint of the one who proclaimed himself savior and lied about it: Caesar Augustus.

Caesar Augustus’s role in the story of Jesus began on the ides of March – remember Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar? Et tu, Brute? Anyone? Long story short, he – originally known as Octavian – was the nephew and only heir to Julius Caesar. When Roman senators conspired and murdered Julius Caesar (44BC), Octavian and Julius Caesar’s right-hand-man Mark Antony joined forces and waged a brutal civil war from Rome all the way to Philippi where they finally avenged Caesar’s death and, well, murdered his murderers in 42BC. Octavian rose to greater power and eventually turned on his ally Mark Antony and Cleopatra, defeating them in 31BC. Around thirty years later, all those events put Caesar Augustus in a position for God to move him about and use him to set the stage for His entrance into the world.

One thing that people who amass great wealth and power cannot help but do is counting and logging all they have. Such was the case with Caesar Augustus. He decreed that a census be taken throughout “all the world” (Luke 2:1). At his mere command, every household throughout the Roman Empire was immediately upturned. They had to return to their hometowns to be registered (Luke 2:3). Think of the power that displays: entire regions and people groups dropped everything at his command.

But what of his promises of his birth heralding the beginning of good news? What of his promises that he was born of Zeus and would be the savior of the world? Well, Caesar Augustus died in AD14. He is still dead today. Rome was not saved or safe under his rule. In fact, the Roman Empire is dead, too. The proof is in the pudding, or in the prophecy in this case. Caesar promised people peace and prosperity and got all the peace and prosperity he had himself by squeezing it out of the lands conquered and kept conquered throughout his empire. Yes, he could get them to move about at the drop of a hat, but once he dropped dead, he dropped out of the position of savior.

Looking at how God used him to move things about is cool, though. Jesus was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and Joseph’s hometown was Bethlehem. In a way, Caesar Augustus was right about one thing: good news began at his birth. God set things into motion through his life that inaugurated the coming of the Messiah. Now, that is the good news.

Jesus and the Good News of Great Joy (vv. 6-12)

Augustus was boastful and proud. He inherited a kingdom and made it his own. He built it up in his mind that the entire world belonged to him. But to whom did Augustus belong?

Jesus’s humble birth is the opposite of Augustus in nearly every way. Augustus was loud and boastful, proclaiming truths after his own birth to make it seem of consequence. Jesus’s birth was humble and quiet, fulfilling prophesies made all the way back to the beginning (Genesis 3:15). Jesus’s birth was heralded from the heavens (Luke 2:9-14). Jesus was God – God made flesh and dwelling among men to be the true Savior of the world (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42).

Think about the difference this makes. Jesus did not lie about His father being divine and sending Him to rule and conquer. No, God became flesh and dwelt among us. He laid aside His throne and humbled Himself to become a man, lived a sinless life despite facing all the same temptations we face (Hebrews 4:15), and He died the death we deserve on the cross due to our sinfulness (Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21). No one would make up that story. No one wanted to trade lives with Jesus. No palace, no riches, no fame. But, oh, what a King He is!

Jesus’s good news was better that Augustus’s, too. Augustus merely said his birth was the beginning of the good news. He merely heralded himself and proclaimed his own greatness. No one had to agree. No one would have believed it anyway. Rest assured that those who had been conquered did not recognize him as good news any more than they did Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. Augustus was worthy to be feared, but Jesus is worthy of our faith. The angels proclaimed this to the shepherds in the field that night and to us today. We do not have to fear because “behold” there is “good news of great joy that will be for all people”; that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Good news. Of great joy. For all people. The Savior is born. The Messiah has come.

The truth of the prophecies of old were coming true. Light was shining into the darkness (Isaiah 9:2, John 1:4-5). Joy had come because there was One greater than Augustus, greater than the Greeks, greater than the Medes and Persians, greater than the Babylonians (Isaiah 9:3). Rather than oppressing, He was lifting up (Isaiah 9:4, Matthew 11:28-30). He was bringing peace through His finished work and retiring the weapons of His adversaries (Isaiah 9:5, Colossians 1:19-20). He was born, swaddled, and lying in a manger, but He did not stay in that manger. He grew up. He lived. He loved. He lifted the downtrodden, healed the sick, touched the untouchable, saved the most wicked of sinners, and died for them all. And everyone – every one – who calls upon Him, confesses Him as Lord and puts their faith and trust in Him – will be saved (Romans 10:9, 13). That is good news!

Wrapping Up

I started off our devotion today talking about how many things, how many voices, are trying to get us to believe in something temporary or something fake. It is easy to be jaded and look at how the world is getting and feel like God is not talking to us because the other voices are so loud. We want immediate relief from debt, pain, sorrow, and suffering, but that just is not reality – it is just not how this sinful, fallen world works. And every voice that is vying to be heard louder than the others cannot offer lasting help because they are products of this fallen world, too. But hear this, Sojourner, God is not being quiet.

From the moment that the silence between the Old and New Testament was broken by the cry of baby Jesus to the time when the trumpet sounds and He returns is not a time of silence. He is the Word (John 1:1-14), and He has given us His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) just as He did for His people. They interpreted it as silence because He had not said what they wanted to hear. He told them He was coming. He has told us the very same thing.

You see, Jesus is a better Savior than Augustus (or the Republicans or Democrats or whoever you think is waiting in the wings to rescue this country or this world). Augustus died. He is still dead. Whatever he was going to do for Rome, he did. All our leaders, good and bad, throughout history are dead. They saved and helped who they could, or they hurt and oppressed who they could. Either way, they are either dead and gone or will be. But God is a better Savior because He is alive. Death could not stop His love. Death could not stop Him from saving. Death is a victim of His victory! The death He died was for our sake – to save us, rescue us, and redeem us! It just did not keep because He is God.

This Christmas, amid the hustle and the bustle, the noise, and the activity, listen. Listen to the words of Hebrews 10:23-25 and hear the heart of our Savior for us:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

That is good news! He who promised is faithful, and His Day is drawing near! When all around you seems to be giving way and there seems to be more hopeless than hope or help, look around you and see what He has for you. Do not turn to the easy slick promises of the world but trust in the divine hope, peace, joy, and love of the Savior who loves you and lives for you. You do not need a Sams Choice savior like Augustus or any of the other voices barking for your attention. Jesus is the genuine article.

The hope of Christmas is not in the nearness of family, the fullness of bellies, or the gratification of giving or receiving the perfect gift. Plans are going to go awry. Packages will be lost. Or the holiday will represent an entirely different perspective. It may be as miserable a time as you imagine. You may be facing a holiday that will remind you of a loss that is easy to suppress on regular days and are not ready for all the feelings that will arise. December 25 may be just another workday or weekday for you. You may even find yourself alone. No, the hope of Christmas is the same good news of great joy that the angel army proclaimed to those dirty shepherds on that hillside. It is the good news of great joy that proclaims to all people that the Savior has been born, that His name is Jesus, that His birth, death, resurrection, and return have been promised. And He who promised is faithful. Sojourner, know that I am praying for you this Christmas and as often as I can. May this good news of great joy cheer you on and cheer you up as you see that Jesus has come and is coming again.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 2:1–12.

^[2] This is based on an inscription found at Priene dating back to 9bc stating that Caesar Augustus’s “birthday signaled the beginning of good news for the world”. The inscription was found by German archaeologists and can be found in Berlin. | Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, 366-67.

^[3] This is based on an inscription from Halicarnassus preserved in the British Museum. | H. Kleinknecht, Pantheon: Religiose Texte des Griechentums (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1959), 40.

^[4] While it cannot be known, there are a few interesting tidbits that I have found helpful in forming my own opinions. 1)The original language translated “governor of Syria” in the ESV can also be translated “governing in Syria”, which could mean ruling in some form or fashion. 2)Jesus’s birth had to be prior to 4bc because Herod the Great died that year. So, happy hunting should you want to research this on your own!

“Good News of Great Joy” or “The Weary World Rejoices” — Advent Reading for December 24

³For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ⁴and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, ⁶then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

⁸But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), ⁹that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. ¹³For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:8-13

“Good News of Great Joy”
or
“The Weary World Rejoices”

We have spent a good bit of time this week in Luke 2:10 and the verses around it. The declaration of the angels to those poor and frightened shepherds should just about be memorized at this point: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people”. Good news. Great joy. For all people.

The word translated “good news” is often translated gospel, and the message that the angels proclaimed on that hillside 2,000 years ago is a beautiful and succinct picture of the gospel. They preached that the Savior “who is Christ the Lord” was born for them – for those dirty, stinky shepherds – and that He could be found that very day in Bethlehem. It was news that would and could change the trajectory of their lives. They just needed to believe in Him and receive the salvation He had to offer – they would receive grace by faith through Him.

Now, I know that on the day they heard that gospel message Jesus was still laying in the feeding trough, still an infant, and was decades away from His death, burial, and resurrection. But the babe in the manger was still “the Word [become] flesh” (John 1:14). He was still the Lamb slain “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

We sometimes want to overcomplicate things. We know the whole story and want to add and fill in the gaps in the angels’ proclamation that day, but the “good news of great joy” is still just as simple. In fact, Paul gives very succinct proclamations of the gospel, too. The first can be found in 1 Corinthians 15 where he tells the church at Corinth that he is passing on to them the most important message he had to offer – the very same message that he received himself: Jesus died for our sins according to the way that the Bible said He would, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day exactly as the Bible and His own preaching said He would. That’s good news!

Paul’s second succinct gospel summary comes in his next letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In one complex little sentence, he shares that God put the sins of those who would be saved on Jesus. Jesus had never sinned and did not deserve any condemnation, but He willingly bore our sin on our behalf. Those who trust in Him no longer are under the condemnation and shame due to their sin; Jesus bore that (Colossians 2:13-14). In a great exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. He bore the wrath of God and exchanged that for God’s favor. Basically, He traded His extravagantly full bank account for our bankrupt one so that when God looks upon those who Jesus has saved, He does not see their sinfulness but Jesus’ righteousness! That’s good news!

The gospel is good news, but there is also bad news. Those who do not confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died for their sins and rose again to not receive part in that great exchange. They remain in their sin. Their condemnation remains their own. It does not have to be that way. All who call out to Jesus in faith will be saved. Anyone who believes in Him will not be but to shame, but not believing leaves the shame where it belongs – on the sinner.

Look at how the Christmas hymn “O Holy Night” puts it:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!

Those who are without Jesus are still in their sin and “pining” after the wrong things, sinful things. But everyone – all people – have the opportunity to fall on their knees, believe in Him – confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sin. And those who do will not only have heard the good news of great joy but also to have believed it and received the salvation Jesus offers.

I love the phrase “good news of great joy” because 1) it is straight from the Bible, and 2) it captures what Jesus offers. But I also love the way the writer of “O Holy Night” captured what it is to be a sinner and receive Christ: “a weary world rejoices”. If you have been reading with us over these past two weeks, you have read snippets of the “good news of great joy”, but have you received it? Have you believed on Jesus, or are you still on the fence? If you haven’t, I urge you: fall on your knees, believe what the Bible says about Him, confess Him as Lord, and rejoice in the salvation He brings!

Reflection Questions:

This devotion emphasizes different outcomes for those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. How does this reality influence your understanding of the urgency of sharing the gospel with others?
There is an earnest call to embrace Jesus and rejoice in the salvation He brings in today’s devotion. How does this challenge you to examine your own beliefs and relationship with Jesus? What steps can you take to deepen your faith in Jesus?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

Advent Reading for December 22, 2023 | “From Slavery to Sonship: Embracing the Gift of Adoption” from Galatians 4:4-5

⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5

“From Slavery to Sonship: Embracing the Gift of Adoption”
by Jamie Harrison

Wow! What a Story! Jesus gave up all the glory of heaven to come to earth for you and me!

He came at exactly the right time according to Galatians 4:4. The Roman Empire ruled most of the world, and people were ready for someone to save them from their oppression. Some estimate the number of slaves during this period was upwards of 70 million. Can you imagine living under an oppressive government who might enslave you at any moment? Can you imagine a life that devoid of hope?

Enter Jesus.

Jesus came to “redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:5). Take a minute and think about the hope found in this verse for so many during that period. Now, take a moment and think about how this provides hope for you and me. Jesus came to make us sons and daughters of God Almighty!

“And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father!’ So, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.” (Galatians 4:6-7)

This was good news then, and it is good news now!

The fact is, we are all slaves to sin: “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Because we are slaves to sin, we receive death: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). What these verses tell us about sin is bad news, but there is a huge but coming in the next part of Romans 6:23 – the but of all buts: “…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”! That’s right, Jesus came to earth to give us a way to become a child of God! We are no longer a slave but adopted as a son! But if we are a son and an heir with Christ, what does that mean?

Being a son and heir means we will be able to spend all of eternity in the presence of our Creator, our Savior, our Lord! The best news for us today is that we do not have to wonder how this will come to be. Romans 10:9 tells us, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved.” If you do not know Him as Lord, it is time. If you are certain He rose from the grave, confess Him as Lord of your life. Give yourself over to Him – right here and right now. It is time to be adopted into His family. It is time to receive the love only a perfect Father can give. Allow Him to give you the greatest gift of all today: JESUS!

Reflection Questions:

Consider the idea of being adopted as sons and daughters of God through Jesus. How does this promise of adoption offer hope both in the context of the Galatians passage and in your personal walk with Christ?
Today’s devotion touches on how we are all initially slaves to sin and the consequences of that bondage. How does the promise of eternal life through Jesus’s contrast with this reality and impact our understanding of salvation?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 20, 2023 | “A Wise Visit to the King” from Matthew 2:1-12

¹Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ²saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁶“’And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” ⁹After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, the rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:1-12

“A Wise Visit to the King”

In the Gospel of Matthew, the account of the magi seeking the newborn King stands as a beacon of divine guidance amidst human intentions and deceit. The journey of the magi epitomizes the yearning within humanity for deeper significance and truth. Led by a celestial phenomenon—a guiding star—they embarked on a pilgrimage, seeking the birth of the prophesied King of the Jews. Yet, even within their noble quest, shadows of deceit loomed.

King Herod, masking his wicked intentions, manipulated the magi, seeking to exploit their mission for his own selfish gains. This contrast underscores the importance of discernment—a call relevant in our times, where authentic pursuit of truth can be clouded by deceptive motives and personal agendas. Herod’s malicious intent, masked by a false desire to worship, is revealed as he schemes to eliminate any perceived threat to his rule.

Bethlehem, the small town renowned as the birthplace of King David, becomes clear to be the prophesied site of the birth of the Messiah. Micah 5:2 is evoked as a direct prophecy fulfilled by Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. This convergence of prophecy and reality underscores the divine orchestration of events, pointing towards Jesus’s role as the promised Messiah.

While the Magi seek to worship the newborn King, they present gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—symbols that not only denote Jesus’s royalty and divinity but also foreshadow elements of His life, death, and purpose (Matthew 2:11). Gold, an emblem of kingship and divinity, prefigures Jesus’s royal lineage as the Son of God. Frankincense, used in sacred worship, symbolizes His sacrificial mission and holy nature. Myrrh, a substance associated with embalming and bitterness, prophetically hints at Jesus’s future suffering, death, and burial (Mark 15:23).

The unfolding narrative takes a darker turn as Herod, threatened by the mere existence of this prophesied King, devises a plan to murder Him. The holy family flees to Egypt, finding refuge there until Herod’s death. This flight mirrors the providential movements that underscore Jesus’s pivotal role in fulfilling divine prophecy and promises.

Fast-forwarding in Jesus’s life, His ministry leads to the events of His death, burial, and resurrection—the core elements that define Christian faith. The journey that began in Bethlehem culminates in Jerusalem, where Jesus willingly submits to the cross (Mark 15:22-24).

It ties to Jesus’s crucifixion—His ultimate act of love and sacrifice for humanity. His burial, marked by His descent from the cross and entombment, sets the stage for the awe-inspiring reality of His resurrection. In Jesus’s resurrection, the significance of Bethlehem intertwines with His ultimate victory over death, providing believers with hope, assurance, and salvation. His journey from Bethlehem to the cross, from crucifixion to resurrection, encapsulates the essence of God’s redemptive plan for humanity, inviting all to embrace the life-transforming truth of Christ’s sacrificial love and triumphant resurrection.

Reflection Questions:

The gifts from the Magi – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – symbolically foreshadow various aspects of Jesus’s life, death, and purpose. How do these gifts deepen our understanding of Jesus’s identity and mission?
How does Jesus’s sacrificial love and triumph over death offer believers hope and assurance in their lives?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 18, 2023 | “Christmas Unveiling Easter’s Promise” from Luke 2:25-35

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon Him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to Your Word;
³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:25-35

“Christmas Unveiling Easter’s Promise”

Cradling a newborn often leaves us grasping for words, yet, when Simeon embraced the infant Jesus in the temple, his words resounded with prophetic gravity. Simeon anticipated the fulfillment of God’s promise in this child, recognizing Jesus as the Savior not just for the Jewish nation but for the entire world (Luke 2:30-32).

Alongside this divine hope, Simeon foresaw a somber shadow of suffering. Amidst proclaiming salvation, he hinted at the division Jesus would bring, revealing the depths of people’s hearts. He tenderly forewarned Mary of the anguish she would endure because of her son’s destiny (Luke 2:34-35) – which reminds me of Good Friday and Easter

While Easter might not be the typical focus of Christmas, understanding the significance of Easter unlocks the very heart of Christmas itself. Simeon, with profound insight, pointed forward to the significance of Good Friday while welcoming the baby central to the Christmas narrative. His words connected the humble manger to the redemptive work accomplished on the rugged cross.

Christianity isn’t a moral code for self-improvement but the proclamation of Christ’s finished work. It isn’t about our merit but about God’s mighty ability to rescue, redeem, and restore. Much like the relief felt after settling a bill, God stamped “PAID” against our sins through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. The events that pierced Mary’s soul culminated in God’s unmistakable declaration: Jesus conquered death and paid the debt for all sinners (Luke 24:1-7).

Luke’s Gospel serves as a masterful bridge, connecting the Christmas story with Easter’s triumphant climax. Jesus, in his life and death, fulfilled Simeon’s prophecies—reaching out to the marginalized, facing opposition, and ultimately redeeming sinners through the sacrifice of the cross, all fueled by an unparalleled love for humanity.

Jesus, the embodiment of divine love, sacrificed himself for sinners like Simeon, Mary, Zechariah, the shepherds, and each of us—extending redemption despite our flaws and showcasing an immeasurable depth of love. This truth is the resounding heartbeat of Christmas, leading to the profound grace and unfathomable hope found in the resurrection of Easter.

Reflection Questions:

Reflecting on Simeon’s anticipation of Jesus connecting Christmas to Easter, how does this deepen your appreciation for the entire Story of Christ?
In what ways does Jesus’s sacrificial death resonate the idea of a fully paid debt, and how does this understanding impact the way you view God’s grace and forgiveness?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 17, 2023 | “The Significance of Names” from Luke 2:21-24

²²And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
Luke 2:21-24

“The Significance of Names”
by Burt Schmitz

Luke brings us from the rejoicing of the angels and shepherds to what seems to be a mundane event. A couple of things happen on the eighth day after His birth that are significant. First, He is circumcised. He receives the sign of the covenant as a descendent of Abraham (Genesis 17:7-12). The baby is now identified as a member of the household of faith. Second, the baby is given His name, Jesus. This is the name that the angel Gabriel told Mary to give her child (Luke 1:31). Jesus, “the Lord is salvation”, is His name. Matthew 1:21 tells us “For He will save His people from their sins.”

Names are significant. When we lived in Togo, we learned that the names that were given to children at their birth could be used to give the child identity as well as to indicate a significant event. My friend Lamoutidja’s name signified that he was born on a Thursday. His name literally means “Thursday’s man”. Lamoutidja had a lot of brothers. Another friend was the first born of his mother and was given the name Nanlieb, “Everyone envies me”. Having a son was very important and especially as a first born.

The name Jesus, “the Lord is salvation”, has great significance for us. It is Jesus, that even from His birth, is identified as the Savior of the world. Luke 2:11, the angels declare, “there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Christ, Messiah, Anointed One, all indicating that Jesus was the Son of God, born to accomplish the task of providing salvation.

Luke 2:29-32 identifies Jesus not only as the Savior of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, the whole wide world. We see in the names and titles given to Jesus around His birth, circumcision, and purification in the temple that Jesus is the baby born to die. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

What will you do with Jesus?

Reflection Questions:

Reflect on Acts 4:12. Since Jesus is the only way of salvation, how does that impact our desire to share the gospel – good news of great joy – with others?
Today’s devotion closed with a question: what will you do with Jesus? Belief in Him is supposed to impact one’s whole life. How does this question challenge the way our daily lives reflect (or do not reflect) Him?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 16, 2023 | “Good News of Great Joy” from Luke 2:8-20

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Luke 2:8-20

“Good News of Great Joy”

In our journey with Jesus, we often hear the refrain: in Him, we are new creations – born again (2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3:1-16). It’s a reminder that our old self is transformed by the Holy Spirit into something fresh and beautiful (Ephesians 4:22-24). But at times, this transformation might seem distant, especially when life’s challenges cloud our perspective.

Consider Israel in the Old Testament—a cycle of mistakes, repentance, and the certainty of God’s welcome upon repentance (Isaiah 55:7). They felt secure in God’s love, knowing they were chosen, set apart, and deeply cherished by Him (Deuteronomy 7:6; Jeremiah 31:3). But for those outside God’s chosen people, Gentiles, this language might feel alienating (Ephesians 2:11-13).

Understanding our identity in God’s eyes—realizing whose we are—is crucial (1 John 3:1). It means recognizing that we belong to a loving Father who chose and set us apart (1 Peter 2:9). When Jesus died, He knew us intimately—flaws and all (Romans 5:8). He not only chose us but transformed us to be His ambassadors (Ephesians 2:10). The terms used for God’s people—chosen, set apart, loved—are rooted in the Old Testament but remain equally true for us today (1 Peter 2:9). Like Israel, even amidst our failings, we can rest in God’s enduring love (Psalm 103:13-14). His correction is a sign of His care for us as beloved children (Hebrews 12:6).

This profound truth isn’t about our abilities or origins; it’s about God’s unwavering love, choosing us despite our imperfections (Romans 8:28-30). Personally, I’ve experienced this—I’m chosen not for my merit but to showcase what Jesus can accomplish in someone like me (Ephesians 2:8-9). Embracing this truth means embracing the Gospel—the good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). It’s about recognizing that God’s love, shown through Jesus’ sacrifice, offers us a new life (John 3:16). It’s an invitation for you, too, to experience this transformative love that surpasses our flaws and backgrounds (Romans 10:9-10).

Reflecting on the shepherds’ encounter in Luke 2:8-20 sheds light on this transformative message. Shepherds were often disregarded, yet they were the first witnesses to the Savior’s birth. The heavenly host announced His arrival to these practical men, not the religious elite, emphasizing God’s grace toward all humanity. Their encounter wasn’t just a revelation; it was a call to action. They responded by seeking the newborn Messiah and spreading the good news, glorifying and praising God. These humble shepherds, disregarded by society, became bearers of the greatest news—the arrival of the long-awaited Savior.

Just like these shepherds, we’re invited to embrace and share this good news—the gospel of Christ. Let’s join in proclaiming this good news to the world and find our purpose in embracing the Savior who came for us all.

Reflection Questions:

How does the encounter with between the shepherds and the angels demonstrate God’s choice to reveal His transformative love to those often overlooked in society?
Today’s devotion mentions how our identity in Christ is not determined by our abilities or background but by Him. How does this truth shape your perception of what God does for us in salvation? How does it impact our call to continue to share good news of great joy — the gospel – with all people?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 15, 2023 | “The Quiet Birth That Changed the World” from Luke 2:1-7

¹In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7

“The Quiet Birth That Changed the World”
by Burt Schmitz

The birth of a child is always a joyous occasion. Here we have the birth of not just any child, but the birth of the Son of God, Jesus. This is a very significant moment in history. The Apostle Paul writes, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that He might redeem those who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5). Jesus’ birth is in fulfillment of the promise given in Genesis 3:15 of the one who shall crush the serpent’s head. And yet, the birth of the Son of God is recorded in these verses in a manner that is seems so insignificant.

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem to be counted in a census “because he was of the house and family of David.” (Luke 2:4). The Scripture does not indicate that Joseph was moving to fulfill the prophecy in Micah 5:2 that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. No, Joseph took his wife, Mary, so they could be counted, nothing less or nothing more. While there in Bethlehem, “the days were completed for her to give birth” (Luke 2:6) and Jesus is born. No fanfare for the birth of the King of Kings. There was no rejoicing by the multitudes. There was no one singing the Hallelujah Chorus, nor was there the reciting of Isaiah 9:6-7. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and evermore.” No, Mary gave birth to Jesus and wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger because there was no room in the inn. A very quiet and unassuming birth, that changed the world.

Much in our lives seems exactly like Jesus’s birth. Our thoughts go something like this. It is just another boring day where nothing exciting happens. God why don’t You choose me to do something great in Your Kingdom? How come I am never recognized for what I do like…? God has not forgotten you. Ephesians 2:10 affirms that each of us is saved for a purpose. There are good works for us to do that God “prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them”. Just as Jesus’s birth was not an insignificant event, even though it looks that way in today’s passage, neither is your birth into the Kingdom of God. Jesus chooses us to follow Him and then to do His work (John 15:16). So here it is. Jesus came to save us and then to choose us to do His work.

Will you answer the call to follow Jesus first in salvation and then to do the good works to which He has called you?

What will you do with the Babe of Bethlehem?

Reflection Questions:

Reflecting on the quiet and humble birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, how does this challenge our culture’s expectations of grandeur and recognition for significant events?
How does Ephesians 2:10 encourage us to view our lives and the good works prepared for us?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 7, 2023 | “Unlikely Lineage: Sin and Redemption in Jesus’s Family Tree” from Matthew 1:1-17

¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
          ²Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, ³and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, ⁴and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, ⁶and Jesse the father of David the king.
          And David was the father of Soloman by the wife of Uriah, ⁷and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, ⁸and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, ⁹and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, ¹⁰and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, ¹¹and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
          ¹²And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
          ¹⁷So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:1-17

“Unlikely Lineage: Sin and Redemption in Jesus’s Family Tree”
by Keith Harris

Once upon a time, there was a great King. He was foretold of old to be a great hero who would come from His faraway country to win back His lost love. His story is one of romance as He left His palace to rescue His Bride. His lineage hailed back to other…great…well, um….

One of the things I love about God’s Word is how it does not fall into the temptation to pretty things up or rewrite/remix them to be more acceptable. Yes, Jesus is the great King – the King of kings who was prophesied for centuries to come from heaven and rescue His people. Yes, Jesus’s Story is one of romance where He left His throne on high and traded it for a lowly manger in a tumble-down stable. But His lineage? It was not filled with kings and queens, although there are a few sprinkled in toward the middle. It was not filled with great heroes with tragic flaws; well, the tragic flaws are many. No, Jesus’s family tree was filled with regular old sinners with real sin and problems – people like me and you.

This Bible study will look at some women emphasized in Jesus’s family tree in Matthew who point us to Jesus in very specific ways. We do not have time to go fully into their stories today, so I will give you the cross-reference so you can check it out directly from Scripture.

The first woman is Tamar (v. 3), and her story is found in Genesis 38. Tamar was Judah’s – as in lion of the tribe of Judah, the original – daughter-in-law. She was originally married to Judah’s oldest son Er until “the Lord put him to death” because Er was “wicked in the sight of the Lord” (Genesis 38:7). In those days, when the elder son died, it was the role of his younger brother to take his place and father children in his name. This fell to second-born son, Onan, but Onan was more sinful and selfish than his big brother, doing what was “wicked in the sight of the Lord” and being “put…to death, also” (Genesis 38:10). Poor Tamar. Her only hope at bearing children would fall on Judah’s youngest son Shelah. But Judah lied and had no intention of continuing with Tamar. What did she do? She decided to be wicked herself. She tricked Judah and tempted him. How did he respond but by being wicked himself? Judah and Tamar committed sin together that is so heinous that I won’t write on it here. So, why would they be included in Jesus’s official lineage – in the Bible no less?

The second woman is Rahab (v. 5), and her story is found throughout the Bible in Joshua 2:1-21, 6:17, 6:22-25; Hebrews 11:31; and James 2:25. Rahab wasn’t one of God’s chosen people, and before the Hebrew spies came to her house in Jordan, she was known for her sinful profession, a profession that, like Tamar isn’t something I am writing down here. Yet she had faith in the God she had heard of because of the mighty work He had done with His people. She kept the Hebrew spies safe by hiding them from her own people. She sided with the Lord. Despite her people and her own history, God rescued her by letting her put a scarlet cord in her window to mark her safe. But what about that earlier profession? Why would someone like her be included in Jesus’s official lineage – in the Bible no less?

The third woman is actually somewhat related to Rahab – she ended up marrying Rahab’s son Boaz. Her name is Ruth, and her story is told in the book of the Bible bearing her name. Like her mother-in-law, she wasn’t one of God’s chosen people. She was from the land of Moab (a people group started by a whole bunch of mess way back in Genesis 19:30-37). Her husband Mahlon came to Moab with his family during a famine in Israel, seeking help from their own strength and ingenuity rather than from the Lord. While they were in Moab, her father-in-law, husband, and brother-in-law all died. She alone decided to go back to Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi. God blessed her while she was there and took care of Ruth and Naomi. Eventually, she – not one of God’s chosen people – would be blessed to marry Boaz, Rahab’s son. This story has a happy ending, especially considering Ruth would be David’s great-grandmother, but doesn’t King Jesus deserve a more presentable bloodline?

The fourth woman isn’t even called by her name, but how she is listed tells the sadness and sin surrounding her: “And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah” (v. 6, 2 Samuel 11:1-25). King David is heralded as a hero but mainly for his worship of the Lord. He is also known as a sinner. Yes, the man who slew Goliath and wrote a good chunk of the psalms committed some of the most heinous sins: murder and adultery. David saw “the wife of Uriah”, a woman named Bathsheba, and decided that he wanted to make her his. His decisions led to a child between them. Rather than owning up and confessing his sin – to the Lord, to his wives, to Uriah, to Israel, David undertook a massive cover-up that ended in his arranging Uriah’s murder. He stole a man’s wife. He took a man’s life. It looks good to have a man who killed a giant who worshiped the Lord in your lineage, but why associate King Jesus with the wickedness of King David (and the same or worse from many of the kings listed after him in the family tree)?

In short, there are answers to those questions. Why would the Bible recognize all those sins and sinners in Jesus’s lineage? They all really happened. Sin happens. All people “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us – not a single person in the history or future of the world – deserve to be in Jesus’s lineage, but faith in God – trusting in His work and His steadfast love and kindness – is woven through that lineage, marking like a scarlet cord those who are saved by trusting in Him. Looking at their sin and faith in Him reminds us that none of us are worthy of saving. But that is why He came. Jesus Himself said that He came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). And how did He come to seek and to save? Christmas. The incarnation of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14). He came to earth to provide a way for people like Tamar, Rahab, David, you, and me to be saved – by grace through faith in Him alone.

So, as you gather with family and friends and notice some rough looking fruit in your family tree – or whether you notice the same by looking in your own mirror, realize that Jesus is more than the reason for the season – He came to seek and save sinners like you and me. Won’t you ask Him to save you?

Reflection Questions:

By God including Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and David in Jesus’s family line, how do you see God’s grace and mercy at work despite their sins? How can that remind us of God’s redemption?
Consider the phrase Jesus used in Luke 19:10, that He came “to seek and save the lost”. How does that impact you personally?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Advent Reading for December 6, 2023 | “And the Word Became Flesh” from John 1:1-18

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through Him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. ¹¹He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. ¹²But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵(John bore witness about Him, and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’”) ¹⁶For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.
John 1:1-18

“And the Word Became Flesh”
by John Goldwater

The greatness of the incarnation (an important doctrine expressing that Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father, is God made flesh, emphasizing that Jesus is fully God and fully man^[i])of JESUS Christ cannot be overstated. No one could ever rightly say, “Friend, you are putting too great an emphasis on this passage of Scripture.” John, the beloved apostle, writes concerning the greatest manifestation of all time and eternity when he writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). We who believe stand at the greatest vantage point, bask in the glory of the grace and truth of this majestic scene.

The Great GOD of creation, the GOD of the beginning, the GOD of light and life, has come to us. His light and life have touched all people, and all people owe their existence to their Creator. His light and life cannot be stopped or altered by darkness or rejection. Further, He has given witness to His to His arrival and His power to animate and regenerate mankind. There is no higher calling than “to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe” (John 1:7). There is no greater promise than to say, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of GOD, those who believe in His name: who were born…of GOD” (John 1:12). This great privilege and great promise are by GOD’s gracious design.

The Word made flesh, the bringer of grace and truth, the only begotten of the Father, is clearly identified as JESUS Christ. This unmistakable identification of the Word with JESUS Christ leads to the greatest of confidence. Not even the Israelites, who followed Moses on dry ground through the Red Sea or stood at the foot of Mt Sinai as GOD’s voice boomed and the Mountain smoked, were afforded such confidence. JESUS is the Word that perfectly exegetes (analyzes/explains what something is by use of the Bible^[ii]) the Father!

Personally, in all my study of the Bible, I don’t know of a more significant passage of Scripture. John 1:1-18 is an Everest among the greatest peaks of GOD’s Word. We who hold our deepest love, loyalty, trust, and hope in JESUS Christ do so for good reason considering this passage. So, this season go big. Go big with your worship. Go big with your witness. And go big with your confidence in JESUS. The all-powerful GOD showed up and showed out, and He will never stop being Him, being the only one, He will never stop being JESUS Christ the Word made flesh!

“Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee, how great Thou art!”^[iii]

Reflection Questions:

Reflecting on John 1:1-18, why is the incarnation of Jesus considered so important?
How does v. 14 calling Jesus the “Word made flesh” help us understand why the incarnation is so important?

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

[i] Lisa Woicik, “Incarnation,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[ii] Douglas Stuart, “Exegesis,” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 682.

[iii] George Thomas Kurian, Nelson’s New Christian Dictionary: The Authoritative Resource on the Christian World (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001).