December 8 2013
The One And Only Superhero Who Really Exists!
James 1:17-18 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
As we near the end of the first week of Advent we are looking forward to having already bought that perfect gift, for at least the one person most important in our lives. If we have not bought it yet, then we still have some shopping to do. However, the question arises as to what is it we are counting down to give or receive? The Advent season is a time of counting down. The Christmas season is the best holiday time of the year because the story has a happy ending, because there is new life to celebrate. The Easter countdown of Lent ends not in new life but instead in suffering and death.
Is this comparison really true? In the selected verses we find the statement, “Every good and perfect gift is from above!” Well during the Christmas season we are looking forward to worldly gifts, which we give and receive from those people we are closest with, and we decorate our houses with beautiful lights and erect a Christmas tree, for a beautiful place for us to display our gifts to each other. So from a worldly perspective we are in a joyous season, and we are usually happy. Of course, we do read about all the people who are unhappy during this time of celebrating, because they do not have money and thus cannot buy stuff. Isn’t it sad how we have all missed the real reason for this season!
Many of us have the problem of knowing what to buy for someone, who actually does not need anything else of worldly value. While at the same time there are those who do not have any money to buy gifts for those whom they would like to buy for. To help level the buying field, it would be nice if we would buy something for someone who needs something, not just for those who want something, else! Well enough about buying stuff! What is the reason for this season, anyway? It makes me wonder, What Would Jesus Do, if He came back on Christmas day? Would He be puzzling over whom to buy gifts for?
Mixing Christmas and Easter the way I did in this commentary is not too far from summing up this holiday season, as neither one of these events are meaningful without the other. Jesus was born on this earth as a man, so He could die for our (your) sins. He came to die so we could live! When He rose from the dead, all of us were awarded a new life, an eternal life! Let us try to remember that during this Christmas season, and think about WWJD, more often than usual. Paul wrote about how we obtained the ability to control our emotions through this wonderful gift that Jesus brought for all those who will accept it. It is called salvation, and that is what the Christmas should be about, not about buying worldly gifts.
If you are saved, then you have also taken on a new nature that gives you the ability to control yourself. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9) All human beings have a sinful nature that we obtained through the sin of Adam, which he committed in the Perfect Garden of Eden. You are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, once you accepted Jesus gift of salvation. Do you feel in control? Your sinful nature will not be controlled by the Spirit, unless you allow the Spirit to intercede for you! Remember, God also gave us a free will, and it can be controlled by either your sinful nature or by the Holy Spirit.
Paul also wrote about this battle between the sinful nature and the Spirit that Jesus left behind for all those who chose to follow Him. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)
During this Christmas season who will you chose to follow, will you be “as was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth,” or will you try harder to “bear the likeness of the man from heaven?” The earthly human being looks to obtain worldly gifts, but the man from heaven, or those who are led by the Spirit, look to obtain gifts directed by heavenly treasures. Giving away love is the only way of increasing love, it must be given away to accumulate treasures in heaven. The gifts we buy may be exchanged so it fits, or matches something else the person already has. The gift of Jesus cannot be exchanged, nor does it match anything else on this earth, or anywhere else. It is always the perfect gift, and it has no strings attached in any way!
Is there someone you know and love, or even like, that you believe may not have received this perfect forever gift? Now that would be the best gift you could give anyone the gift of eternal life. Of course, you cannot give it, only Jesus can, but He does want your help. Can you tell someone how much better your life is since Jesus entered it? If you can do that, then your service is what Jesus wants you to give during this Christmas season!
That is the true reason for the season and some people will once again miss the connection. Buying presents is not a bad thing, but presents are not the reason for the season, presence is! Jesus came to this earth to offer His presence with us always. Only Jesus offers salvation and He then intercedes for those who accept this wonderful gift. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
Wishing people a Merry Christmas sums up this season very well, wishing a Happy Holiday is only good for getting time off from work, or to get more earthly stuff. Christmas is about eternity and a blessing from almighty God, now that is a gift of immeasurable value. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5: 9-10)
Jesus is still alive, and He is the one and only superhero who really exists!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
James 1:17-18 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
As we near the end of the first week of Advent we are looking forward to having already bought that perfect gift, for at least the one person most important in our lives. If we have not bought it yet, then we still have some shopping to do. However, the question arises as to what is it we are counting down to give or receive? The Advent season is a time of counting down. The Christmas season is the best holiday time of the year because the story has a happy ending, because there is new life to celebrate. The Easter countdown of Lent ends not in new life but instead in suffering and death.
Is this comparison really true? In the selected verses we find the statement, “Every good and perfect gift is from above!” Well during the Christmas season we are looking forward to worldly gifts, which we give and receive from those people we are closest with, and we decorate our houses with beautiful lights and erect a Christmas tree, for a beautiful place for us to display our gifts to each other. So from a worldly perspective we are in a joyous season, and we are usually happy. Of course, we do read about all the people who are unhappy during this time of celebrating, because they do not have money and thus cannot buy stuff. Isn’t it sad how we have all missed the real reason for this season!
Many of us have the problem of knowing what to buy for someone, who actually does not need anything else of worldly value. While at the same time there are those who do not have any money to buy gifts for those whom they would like to buy for. To help level the buying field, it would be nice if we would buy something for someone who needs something, not just for those who want something, else! Well enough about buying stuff! What is the reason for this season, anyway? It makes me wonder, What Would Jesus Do, if He came back on Christmas day? Would He be puzzling over whom to buy gifts for?
Mixing Christmas and Easter the way I did in this commentary is not too far from summing up this holiday season, as neither one of these events are meaningful without the other. Jesus was born on this earth as a man, so He could die for our (your) sins. He came to die so we could live! When He rose from the dead, all of us were awarded a new life, an eternal life! Let us try to remember that during this Christmas season, and think about WWJD, more often than usual. Paul wrote about how we obtained the ability to control our emotions through this wonderful gift that Jesus brought for all those who will accept it. It is called salvation, and that is what the Christmas should be about, not about buying worldly gifts.
If you are saved, then you have also taken on a new nature that gives you the ability to control yourself. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9) All human beings have a sinful nature that we obtained through the sin of Adam, which he committed in the Perfect Garden of Eden. You are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, once you accepted Jesus gift of salvation. Do you feel in control? Your sinful nature will not be controlled by the Spirit, unless you allow the Spirit to intercede for you! Remember, God also gave us a free will, and it can be controlled by either your sinful nature or by the Holy Spirit.
Paul also wrote about this battle between the sinful nature and the Spirit that Jesus left behind for all those who chose to follow Him. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)
During this Christmas season who will you chose to follow, will you be “as was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth,” or will you try harder to “bear the likeness of the man from heaven?” The earthly human being looks to obtain worldly gifts, but the man from heaven, or those who are led by the Spirit, look to obtain gifts directed by heavenly treasures. Giving away love is the only way of increasing love, it must be given away to accumulate treasures in heaven. The gifts we buy may be exchanged so it fits, or matches something else the person already has. The gift of Jesus cannot be exchanged, nor does it match anything else on this earth, or anywhere else. It is always the perfect gift, and it has no strings attached in any way!
Is there someone you know and love, or even like, that you believe may not have received this perfect forever gift? Now that would be the best gift you could give anyone the gift of eternal life. Of course, you cannot give it, only Jesus can, but He does want your help. Can you tell someone how much better your life is since Jesus entered it? If you can do that, then your service is what Jesus wants you to give during this Christmas season!
That is the true reason for the season and some people will once again miss the connection. Buying presents is not a bad thing, but presents are not the reason for the season, presence is! Jesus came to this earth to offer His presence with us always. Only Jesus offers salvation and He then intercedes for those who accept this wonderful gift. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
Wishing people a Merry Christmas sums up this season very well, wishing a Happy Holiday is only good for getting time off from work, or to get more earthly stuff. Christmas is about eternity and a blessing from almighty God, now that is a gift of immeasurable value. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5: 9-10)
Jesus is still alive, and He is the one and only superhero who really exists!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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