December 13th 2020
God’s Gift In This Lenten Season Is Perfect, In Worldly Terms It Is Indescribable!
Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
There are only two more weeks until Christmas day, so have you completed your shopping to buy good gifts to those whom you love? In this cursed world it seems appropriate that we create in our minds a magical being who brings gifts to our children, if they have been good! Yet many of us do not tell our children about this miraculous man who came into this world to save us from our sinful nature! We tell them about Santa and make up elaborate cover stories about this mythical being to instill in them a belief in doing good deeds, so they will get earthly rewards. Yet many of us do not tell them about the baby who came into the world to save their immortal soul. Jesus mission can make them happy every day, and Santa’s mission can make them happy for one day of each year.
In the selected verse Jesus is teaching us about giving good gifts to our children even though we are basically evil. This should help us understand that a Holy, Holy, Holy God who is not evil will gladly give great gifts to us, every day of our lives. We in turn should tell this truth to our children, as such knowledge will help make them happy every day of the rest of their lives. Now that is a perfect gift to give, even though you are basically evil. During this Lenten season have you asked your Father to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit? Luke wrote about this awaiting gift we can receive if we just ask/pray to receive it. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13).
During this joyous season we are usually out shopping looking for that perfect gift to give to those people we love, but this year of the COVID pandemic, if is scary to go out to stores to shop. So, shopping from the safety of your own home can be done over the Internet, and that is a good recommendation to follow. However, let us not be remiss to remember the real reason for this season, which is the coming into this cursed world the Savior of all mankind. This perfect gift is perfect not just from the world’s standards, but from Jesus Christ the creator of all things in this world. God is showing His mercy on us so that even though we are basically evil, we can still be taken to heaven when we die, because of what Jesus did for us. We do not have to become perfect to get to heaven, we can gain it through the mercy Jesus purchased for us. James wrote about how “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13).
We do not or should not seek justice from Jesus in this world, we should instead seek mercy, for if God were just then all sinners would go to hell when they die, but with Jesus as our ambassador we are destined for heaven. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that has the power to save our immortal soul when the leave this cursed world. Jesus told how even a small faith can save us. "His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21). God will be saying to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” God will then someday, even if your faith is small, say to you, “Come and share your master’s happiness!” So, in knowing this you can be happy now even in these stressful times.
During this season, our hope and joy needs to be centered around the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy about how Jesus is the mediator between each of His followers and God. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Paul wrote about being thankful for bringing Jesus Christ into this world, as being indescribable. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15). So, during this giving season please remember the real reason for this season and be happy to believe it is the baby Jesus that sets our tone for true happiness, even when the atmosphere here is not perfect. God’s gift in this Lenten season is perfect, in worldly terms it is indescribable!
Let us end this commentary with the doxology of Jude. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25). If you present Jesus Christ to others, He will someday present you to His and our Father! Remember, Jesus was Jude brother on this earth, and He is our brother too in heaven.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
There are only two more weeks until Christmas day, so have you completed your shopping to buy good gifts to those whom you love? In this cursed world it seems appropriate that we create in our minds a magical being who brings gifts to our children, if they have been good! Yet many of us do not tell our children about this miraculous man who came into this world to save us from our sinful nature! We tell them about Santa and make up elaborate cover stories about this mythical being to instill in them a belief in doing good deeds, so they will get earthly rewards. Yet many of us do not tell them about the baby who came into the world to save their immortal soul. Jesus mission can make them happy every day, and Santa’s mission can make them happy for one day of each year.
In the selected verse Jesus is teaching us about giving good gifts to our children even though we are basically evil. This should help us understand that a Holy, Holy, Holy God who is not evil will gladly give great gifts to us, every day of our lives. We in turn should tell this truth to our children, as such knowledge will help make them happy every day of the rest of their lives. Now that is a perfect gift to give, even though you are basically evil. During this Lenten season have you asked your Father to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit? Luke wrote about this awaiting gift we can receive if we just ask/pray to receive it. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13).
During this joyous season we are usually out shopping looking for that perfect gift to give to those people we love, but this year of the COVID pandemic, if is scary to go out to stores to shop. So, shopping from the safety of your own home can be done over the Internet, and that is a good recommendation to follow. However, let us not be remiss to remember the real reason for this season, which is the coming into this cursed world the Savior of all mankind. This perfect gift is perfect not just from the world’s standards, but from Jesus Christ the creator of all things in this world. God is showing His mercy on us so that even though we are basically evil, we can still be taken to heaven when we die, because of what Jesus did for us. We do not have to become perfect to get to heaven, we can gain it through the mercy Jesus purchased for us. James wrote about how “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:12-13).
We do not or should not seek justice from Jesus in this world, we should instead seek mercy, for if God were just then all sinners would go to hell when they die, but with Jesus as our ambassador we are destined for heaven. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that has the power to save our immortal soul when the leave this cursed world. Jesus told how even a small faith can save us. "His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21). God will be saying to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” God will then someday, even if your faith is small, say to you, “Come and share your master’s happiness!” So, in knowing this you can be happy now even in these stressful times.
During this season, our hope and joy needs to be centered around the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy about how Jesus is the mediator between each of His followers and God. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Paul wrote about being thankful for bringing Jesus Christ into this world, as being indescribable. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15). So, during this giving season please remember the real reason for this season and be happy to believe it is the baby Jesus that sets our tone for true happiness, even when the atmosphere here is not perfect. God’s gift in this Lenten season is perfect, in worldly terms it is indescribable!
Let us end this commentary with the doxology of Jude. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25). If you present Jesus Christ to others, He will someday present you to His and our Father! Remember, Jesus was Jude brother on this earth, and He is our brother too in heaven.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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