The aged Apostle John got it right when he wrote, “In the beginning was O Logos … and O Logos was God.” God is the transcendent, divine, Creator and Sovereign Regulator of all life. The imperfect indicative “was” means there was, is, and always will be God, the God who is always present and always at work.
Mary’s song is a theological song. It sings of who God is and what He is like. “Magnify” literally means to greatly illumine, or shine the brightest spotlight. As she offers this song, Mary does not put this spotlight upon herself, but upon her God.
The first song in the Bible is offered by the man who wrote the first books of the Bible, Moses (ref. Exodus 15:1ff). It was a song of salvation, a song of victory, a song of joy. The last song mentioned expressly in Holy Scripture is the same song, sung as a refrain by all the saints of all time at the end of time (ref. Revelation 15:3). It is an expression of utter and complete salvation, victory, and joy.
Advent and Christmas are seasonally intertwined. Advent is the deeply religious celebration of the first coming of Jesus Christ, with a view towards the second.
Now, Christ has paid the price to redeem sinners, and we are all sinners. Now, faith is gift from God that makes a permanent transformation in a person’s life. Now, understand those who have truly drawn near to Jesus will be found, now, in God’s word and in Christ’s church. Those in Christ, now, will be ready when Christ comes again, then.
Jesus Christ is the King of many things. Jesus is the King of creation, having spoken the universe into existence. Jesus is the King of salvation, for no one can be saved apart from Him. Jesus is the King of the consummation, and all will see Him at His second coming.
For the purpose of this charge to the church, I want to use Philemon as the prime example of the church. I want to challenge you to feel about your church the way Paul felt about Philemon. I want to challenge you to be the kind of Christian Philemon proved to be.
The greatest thing about God is Who He is. The next greatest thing about God is what He has done. He has made “judgements” concerning sin and salvation. He has decreed “ways” to bring His people to salvation. No one else could do it.
Adam and Noah notwithstanding, God made His first major covenant of salvation with a cat named Abram. By grace, God called Abraham, in faith Abram followed God, and the original recipient of the Old Covenant became Father Abraham.
What the world throws away, God values highly (ref. 1 Corinthians 1:28). This is especially true when it comes to people, God’s people.
