I’ll be brief. The following is an audio from Truth For Life asking you to consider which part of the audience you are as we all participate in the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
The text of our sermon is from Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia. (You may safely click on any link in this post or on the Truth For Life website also linked at the bottom of this post.)
A Personal INTRO
I would have been here early as a participant, parent, praise band player or orchestra member. The backstage minutes prior to the doors opening for the annual Christmas concert rush toward the time when the audience will be allowed to enter the church for the best seats for the Christmas pageant. Most of the crowd is early for this full-house spectacle.
BUT WHAT IF
Before you enter you had to choose ONE of THREE sections for the Nativity Program based on your faith?
The key question YOU must answer (toward the end of today’s sermon) is this.
WHY DID CHRIST COME?
You cannot understand Christmas without Calvary.
Alistair Begg
SO before you enter the doors of our Christmas Story from the stage of our local church, please choose your preferred seating for the Christmas Story.
Group number one
(We have nearly unlimited seating for you.)
Group number one has never trusted in Christ, and the reason they’ve never trusted in Christ is because they’ve never had the law preached to them.
Group number two
The second group .. is made up of people who have had the law preached to them and need to understand the promise of God.
(We have a smaller section of seats for you too.)
Group number three
Regrettably, we must seat the other two groups first.
BUT LISTEN
Alistair Begg will include this group too near the end of his brief Christmas sermon.
This Talk of JESUS .com page will close when you click the link below:
"Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (literally: Awake, the voice is calling us) is a Lutheran hymn written in German by Philipp Nicolai, first published in 1599 together with "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern".
It appears in German hymnals and in several English hymnals in translations such as "Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying" (Catherine Winkworth, 1858), "Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling" (Francis Crawford Burkitt, 1906), and "Up! Awake! From Highest Steeple" (George Ratcliffe Woodward, 1908).
The hymn is known as the foundation of J.S. Bach's chorale cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, as well as being the foundation of settings by other composers.
P. Nicolai wrote the hymn in 1598, a time when the plague had hit. - Source: BachCantatas.com
Wake up, the voice calls us of the watchmen high up on the battlements, wake up, you city of Jerusalem! This hour is called midnight; they call us with a clear voice: where are you, wise virgins ? Get up, the bridegroom comes; Stand up, take your lamps! Hallelujah! Alleluia! Make yourselves ready for the wedding, you must go to meet him!
Zion hears the watchmen sing, her heart leaps for joy, she awakes and gets up in haste. Her friend comes from heaven in his splendour, strong in mercy, mighty in truth. Her light becomes bright, her star rises. Now come, you worthy crown, Lord Jesus, God’s son! Hosanna! We all follow to the hall of joy and share in the Lord’s supper.
May gloria be sung to you with the tongues of men and angels, with harps and with cymbals. The gates are made of twelve pearls, in your city we are companions of the angels on high around your throne. No eye has ever perceived, no ear has ever heard such joy. Therefore we are joyful, hurray, hurray! for ever in sweet rejoicing.
Advent 1
Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.
In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day) and is the beginning of the liturgical year.
In many Eastern churches, the Nativity Fast is a similar period of penance and preparation that occurs during the 40 days before Christmas. The date when the season was first observed is uncertain.
Bishop Perpetuus of Tours (461–490) established a fast before Christmas that began on November 11 (St. Martin’s Day), and the Council of Tours (567) mentioned an Advent season.
I’m uncertain in these last days of the Common Era (once commonly called Anno Domini, literally “in the year of ourLord“ IF our church is woke or awake.
(See link to ‘woke’ on TalkofJESUS.com cover page to learn more.)
I’m also not certain if Linus reading Luke is the anti-inclusive message of the Gospel which offends the Holiday spirits of TV audiences, but I suspect that our aversion to ‘christmas‘ with a capital CHRIST (Christ-mass) is a deepening darkness as evident as the coming winter solstice.
The title for this non-series for Advent ignored and ‘christian‘ ‘churches‘ CLOSED on christmaseve, christmas day or BOTH reflects my own nonplus question of why it seems so few christians really want to TALK OF JESUS at all, especially those of our local ‘church.’
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
In previous years I have also prepared our hearts for Advent.
In fact, December in the year of our Lord 2022 seems to be a time to gather the oil for our lamps that at least some of the virgins might be prepared for Christmas .. in fact, prepared for more.
the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Doctrinally, it must be repeated that the belief in the Virgin birth of Christ is of the highest value for the right apprehension of Christ’s unique and sinless personality.
“Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
“But the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast;
and the door was shut.
“And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’
“But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
What afflictions, which tribulations will we suffer for our witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
~AD 49- a return journey
[Just a reminder that Paul is a more local name for Saul from Tarsus beyond the imposing Guyik and Taurus mountains and many brothers address Joseph of the island of Cypress by his encouraging nickname, Barnabas.]
- from remote Derby through Lycaonia to Antioch through Pisidia & Pamphylia to Perga and sailing from Attalia (without returning to Cypress) to their home port in Syria to Antioch.
Joseph of Cypress and Saul of Tarsus have endured many afflictions for the Gospel, even a stoning of Saul (as he had once witnessed of Stephen in Jerusalem).
Barnabas
You’ll recall that Joseph of Cypress, known to his friends as Βαρναβᾶς or son of encouragement is a very Jewish Levite.
Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement)
Joseph had devoted his life to the Apostles’ teaching and gave them money from selling a field. This highly respected older man from Cypress had brought the feared young and zealous Pharisee Saul to the Apostles vouching for the authenticity of his conversion and teaching since encountering Christ.
Even then he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death.
So the Church at Jerusalem, led by the Apostles, sent Saul off to the Church at Antioch, nearer to Tarsus as well as Cypress.
Barnabas continues mentoring a young Saul of Tarsus known to the Gentiles as Paul.
The Church at Antioch sends them out to Cypress along with Joseph’s nephew John Mark. From there these two apostles proceed to cities and small towns in the Taurus Mountains.
As a reminder:
Luke publishes ACTS OF THE APOSTLES in about AD 62 as a historical account for a growing Church.
This FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY of the Apostles PAUL & BARNABAS occurs over several months and many miles in about AD 47-49.
Another Rising of Saul
Not too many men or women ever suffer the afflictions of Saul OR the miraculous raisings of a man who seems to have been struck down by God and men to persevere in more persecution for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20 But while the disciples stood around him, he rose up and entered the city.
The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 And after they had proclaimed the gospel to that city and had made many disciples..
Dr. Luke once again accounts for not only the miracle of Paul's rising after being stoned to death and his battered frame dragged out of Lystra, but again that they 'had made many disciples' of the risen Lord Jesus in Derbe.
Their Return Journey to Antioch Pisidia
[from Derbe] .. they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples..
The Apostles’ Parting Message:
.. encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,
“Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God.”
properly, a pressing, pressing together, pressure (Strabo, p. 52; Galen); in Biblical and ecclesiastical writings, a Greek metaphor, oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits;
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Gospel of Matthew 24:9 KJV – a prophesy of Jesus to his disciples
Paul and Barnabas have already seen much tribulation. But now others – Jewish converts, Hellenists, even Roman believers among so many saints of these growing churches will also suffer afflictions as disciples of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Paul comes with more than a change of heart and soul – these Christians will see afflictions and tribulations — troubles never before encountered when they did not claim the risen Christ Jesus as their Lord.
The SOULS of the disciples of these NEW CHURCHES will need much STRENGTHING from leaders ENCOURAGING them to CONTINUE in THE FAITH.
Paul and Barnabas will continue that work which they begun by returning to these new disciples on their return journey to the Church at Antioch from which they were sent out by the Holy Spirit and church.
A foundational ministry in the mountains
they had proclaimed the gospel [in Derby] and had made many disciples,
they returned
to Lystra
and to Iconium
and to Antioch
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas 14:23
And when they passed through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia. – ACTS 14:24
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
Acts of the Apostles 14 – Paul & Barnabas’ return from first missionary journey
And from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.
Home in Antioch (Syria)
And when they had arrived and gathered the church together,
they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
And they spent not a little time with the disciples.
This first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas has taken about two years. The apostles (ones sent out) of the Gospel have much to share with the disciples (followers) of the risen Christ Jesus.
NEXT: In Acts of the Apostles 15 Luke will record some differences in worship yet to be worked out between Christians in Antioch and disciples of Christ in Judea and other parts of Syria.
