We must let our love flow, from God to us, from God through us. God’s love through us goes to our fellow Christians first (12:9-13), then on to non-Christians (12:14-21). Let’s look first at letting our love flow to our fellow followers of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul established a paradigm in his biblical epistles that can be clearly observed in the book of Romans. He details Christian doctrine first (Romans 1-11). Then, he moves on to our Christian duty (Romans 12-16). The key to both is the life and death and resurrection, the grace and mercy and peace, the great gift of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
The stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:54-60 was preceded and precipitated by the attempted stoning and eventual crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. All three events are recorded by Luke.
“This world” aims for happiness, God requires holiness. It is wonderful when the two can coincide, but often they do not. A choice is required. The mind must be controlled, either by the spirit of the age, or the Spirit of God.
What we are beginning to see now in our church in particular and the church at large is something I have been predicting for the past twenty years. Genuine Christian people are growing tired of silly church led by leaders in skinny jeans majoring on soliciting emotions rather than serious biblical content and historical connection. People are yearning for seriousness, gravity, mystery, and, yes, even a little liturgy.
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.
