Jesus, the Carpenter

 

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:1-6 ESV).

 

I have often been surprised by the reaction of people who don’t know me very well and they find out that I am a carpenter as much as a minister. It is as if the two abilities are somehow exclusive of one another. I have found them both to bring great satisfaction into my life. Both involve the activity of seeing the creation of something of beauty and usefulness from raw “materials.”  

 

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John focus on Jesus’ public ministry. For a period of three years, he taught about the kingdom of God, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and even raised the dead. But before any of that, for about thirty years, Jesus lived in the family home. And for most of those years, he worked alongside his father Joseph in the family trade. We think of Joseph as a carpenter, someone who worked with wood. But he may have been a stoneworker. The original language is not clear. What is clear is that Joseph was a builder of some sort. So, he worked with his hands and with tools: perhaps making farm implements and furniture, or laying foundations. And Jesus did the same thing for probably about twenty years. The gospel books barely mention it. But they do give us that much.

 

Now, when Jesus began his teaching ministry, people for miles and miles around came to know him as a teacher and wonder-worker. They were in awe of him. But to the people in his hometown, he was just a guy who worked with tools in his hands. They couldn’t get beyond that. We have the opposite problem. We know Jesus as the Son of God. And we can lose sight of his genuine humanity. But for most of his years, Jesus lived a life as ordinary as anyone’s, like yours or mine. Because of that, He knows exactly what we are going through and how to get us through it safely. That brings me hope in the direst of circumstance!

The Boy Jesus

 

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52 ESV).

 

Our reading fast forwards to a time later than that moment when Simeon holds Jesus in his arms and declares the hope he has found. Jesus is teaching in the Temple at twelve years old at this time. Of course, this was an unusual occurrence; however, there was little about Jesus that could be deemed “usual.” This does not indicate that He did not have a normal human life, He did. However, it is indicative that with His humanity there was something entirely different than any other child his parents had ever known. I can easily imagine that this twelve-year-old Jesus scared the wits out of his parents. This is especially true in that they think they’ve lost him—the holy child that God entrusted to them was nowhere to be found.

 

After three days, they find Jesus at the temple. He’s sitting there with the teachers: listening and learning, asking questions and giving answers. And everyone is amazed. Of course they’re amazed. Jesus is God. He knows more than any of those teachers. He knows everything. That’s what we might think. But that really won’t do. What’s going on here is that Jesus is amazing for a twelve-year-old. Something else is going on too. When Jesus’ parents find him at the temple, Mary scolds him: “How could you do this to us?” But Jesus doesn’t get it: “You should have known I would be at the temple.” Twelve-year-old Jesus has a problem. He hasn’t figured out how to put together his sense of obligation to his heavenly Father with his obligations to his earthly father and mother. There’s nothing wrong with that, nothing sinful about it. It’s simply beyond the wisdom of a twelve-year-old—even the twelve-year-old Jesus—to know how to balance those competing obligations. That’s okay. Jesus won’t be twelve forever. And as he grows up, he will grow in wisdom.

 

There is great comfort in the fact that Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature.” Jesus knows our struggles with growth experientially. No wonder He always has the perfect answers for us in our challenges each day! Trust Him!

 

Hope in His Arms

 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32 ESV).

 

If you are participating in the practice of the Advent Wreath, you will know that the first candle you have lit was a reminder of the hope in the birth of Jesus. Our reading today gives us a marvelous insight into the hope of Jesus in the life of this man we know as Simeon. When Jesus was about six weeks old, Simeon, then an old man, cradled him in his arms. In some ways that seems such an ordinary thing to do. It’s what many of us want to do with a little baby. We would be tempted to hold the bundle of new life close, to hear the breath, to feel the warmth, to gaze into the bright, wondering eyes.

 

The old man has high hopes for this helpless baby. Somehow this baby will shine with glory amid his own people, Israel. And he will be the way out of darkness for all peoples (cf. Genesis 12:3). He will be salvation from God, salvation so desperately needed in a world of sin and sorrow.

 

These hopes and expectations did not come to Simeon out of nowhere. The Spirit of God had been speaking in his heart, giving him hope that he would see the Messiah, the King of Israel. And when the Spirit prompted him, he went to the temple. And there he saw a baby, just a baby. But instantly the old man knew. He knew that God’s great rescue plan centered on this child. He knew that somehow this powerless infant, who couldn’t talk or walk yet, would be the answer to the world’s greatest need. The great wonder of it is that this child is still the answer today!

 

The Eternal Word

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-4 ESV).

 

In the Bible the human story begins with a man, and then a woman. The human story of Jesus begins with a woman, Mary. And then Jesus himself begins, as a baby. It’s wonderful to picture baby Jesus all wrapped up and in Mary’s arms. But think about this. Jesus is the eternal Word, the Word through whom every­thing was made, the Word that said, “Let there be …” and everything came into existence. But now the Word is a human being, a newborn baby. We must not leave this context without grasping the significance of this great truth.

 

Like any newborn, baby Jesus doesn’t know language yet. He will need to listen first—especially to his mother, and to his father. Slowly he will discover that words have meaning. Eventually he’ll start to speak for himself. He’ll know only a few words at first: “Immah” (mother) and “Abba” (father). And then a flood of words will come, and it won’t stop. Like most mothers, Mary will sometimes wish Jesus had never started talking!

 

Imagine. The Word that spoke in the beginning loses its voice. It must go back to the beginning that we experience as humans. And it must learn the same way we did, one word at a time. Certainly, this is a part of what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote that to the church in Philippi:

 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV).

 

This is merely another of the sacrifices Jesus made on our behalf. The One who had the words to create learned to speak as a human being. His love for us is truly unfathomable!

 

God in Flesh

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, the gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote about the incredible miracle of God becoming a human being. The way John writes it, it sounds simple: “The Word became flesh.” That sounds simple enough—until we know who the Word is. Then it becomes simply astonishing. John fills in the blanks for us. He starts with the timeless existence of the Word: “In the beginning was the Word.” Then he connects the timeless Word with God: “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Next John relates the divine Word to creation: “Through him all things were made.” But that’s not all. The Word is also the source of all human flourishing: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” And the Word is unconquerable: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

 

All of this is an enormous revelation. This amazing, extraordinary Word becomes flesh, becomes Jesus. The timeless, life-giving Creator of all becomes as ordinary as any of us. There’s nothing simple about that. And it remains a great mystery. However, there is much more. When the Word becomes flesh, the glory of God becomes visible in a new way: “The Word became flesh… We have seen his glory…” Just imagine, a human being shining with the glory of God. It is incomprehensible. Yet, this is the tiny baby we put at the center of our nativity scenes to decorate our homes for Christmas! Don’t let the common treatment of this unique event get lost in the busy-ness of the season!

 

Wrapped in Rags

 

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7 ESV).

 

Swaddling clothes described in the Bible consisted of a cloth tied together by bandage-like strips. After an infant was born, the umbilical cord was cut and tied, and then the baby was washed, rubbed with salt and oil, and wrapped with strips of cloth. This custom is at the very heart of the first Christmas. Our reading tells us that the shepherds come to the stable to find a rag-wrapped baby lying in a makeshift crib. By itself, that’s not so unusual. Babies show up when and where they happen to be born. Mothers must deal with it, ready or not. And they do, whether the baby is delivered in a hospital, in a taxicab, or in a stable on a dirt floor.

 

However, what’s unusual here is not the rags. Mary improvised, using what was available. And what’s unusual is not the manger. That was just a smart solution to an urgent need. No, what’s unusual here is the baby himself. Of course, we see the common in the birth of this child. He had the usual number of fingers and toes. You just know that Mary counts them. This baby has the usual smooth, soft skin. You just know that Mary adores his little cheeks. And this baby makes all the usual sounds: coos and gurgles and wails. You just know that Mary takes in these sounds as music to her ears.

 

What’s unusual about this baby is not his actual flesh and blood, not his appearance, not his behavior. No, what’s unusual about this baby is the identity veiled by his helpless human form. Because this baby is the God “through [whom] all things were made” (cf. John 1:3). This is a wonder. The almighty Creator of all has determined it necessary and right to come from His throne in the heavenlies and take the form of an ordinary human being. He looks like any other newborn child; he sounds like any other newborn child; and he is dressed as any other newborn child. Yet he is anything but normal. He is the Son of the Living God and Savior of the world! If we forget that in the midst of our holiday celebration, we have forgotten the essential nature of our only Good News!

Surprise!

 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:26-35 ESV).

 

I hope the title for today’s devotional caught your attention. It was intended to do so; however, it was not intended to shock you. Typically, when we think about the approach of Christmas, we do so with much less thought than might be expected given the enormity of what we celebrate. The first Christmas was very serious, and no one expected it, not Joseph, and certainly not Mary. A child before marriage. A son conceived without having sex, however that might work. He would be a holy child, someone set apart to God. He would be the Son of God, whatever that might mean. That’s what the angel told Mary. That was certainly a “surprise”!

 

Naturally, Mary asked how this would happen. The angel said the Holy Spirit would come upon her. That’s not anything within the limits of current understanding, then or now. Joseph and Mary expected that any child they might have would be a gift from God. But they sure didn’t expect this. Though their son would be conceived in an extraordinary way, he would be born in the usual way. He would eat and sleep in the usual way. He would grow up in the usual way. And he would learn the family trade in the usual way.

 

For a long time, there wouldn’t be much unusual about their son. Not until the Holy Spirit, who would come upon Mary, would also descend on their son (cf. Luke 3:22). The Spirit would send their son on a mission to be the Savior of the world. That mission would unfold in ways no one expected. But their son would keep moving forward. With a generous heart, with a courageous spirit, and with toughened soles, he would stick to the path of that mission for the glory of God. He would bring an end to sine and death. He would pay the debt we could never pay and die the death we all deserve. This is what we celebrate this December. The more we understand that, the less surprised we will be; and, the more loved we will become. Keep this at the center of your Christmas!

 

Thanksgiving - Pt. 4

 

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before four God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 ESV).

 

Happy Thanksgiving! Today we see the Apostle Paul write to the Thessalonians with an expression of thanksgiving (v. 2). The conventions of letter writing in the ancient Roman world often included words of thanks at the beginning of the correspondence, but this letter stands out for including expressions of thanksgiving in the body of the epistle as well (cf. 2:13; 3:9). Some interpreters of the Scripture believe that this indicates the Thessalonians had some doubts about the authenticity of their faith. They needed to know Paul’s gratitude for them and for their virtues to be reassured that they had the fruits of true faith in their lives. Paul says that he offers these prayers “constantly” (or “continually” or “without ceasing” in other translations). The idea here is not that Paul spends every waking moment offering these prayers but that he habitually and regularly thanks God for the Thessalonians.

 

The Apostle thanks God for the Thessalonians’ “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 3). These three virtues—faith, hope, and love—appear together frequently in the New Testament as the defining marks of the Christian (e.g.: 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 1:20–22). “Work of faith” (v. 3) should be understood as the “work produced by faith,” reflecting the biblical pattern that good works follow authentic faith as its fruit. Our faith and works do not go together as means of our salvation; rather, we lay hold of Christ by faith alone, and we are then empowered by Him to do good works, which demonstrate tangibly the authenticity of our faith (cf. Ephesians 2:8–10; James 2:14–26).

 

“Labor of love” (v. 3) refers to hard works motivated by love. In other words, Paul talks not about small acts of love here, no matter how important they may be. Instead, Paul means sacrificial demonstrations of love for fellow Christians. The love the Thessalonians showed was a costly love. “Steadfastness of hope” means that their hope in Christ produced perseverance in faith during trials. Here, as elsewhere in the New Testament, hope is not wishful thinking but the confident certainty that Christ will accomplish all that He has promised (cf. Colossians 1:5; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:13–20). That Paul thanks God for these virtues informs us of their source. John Calvin comments that Paul “makes use of thanksgivings, that he may put [the Thessalonians] in mind, that everything in them that he declares to be worthy of praise, is a kindness from God.” Shouldn’t we be thankful like this today?

 

Thanksgiving - Pt. 3

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 ESV).

 

There are some readings from Scripture that are particularly hard to wrap our heads around. Today’s reading is one of those. It is true that we do not see any reference to the Christian life being easy. In fact, Jesus Himself promises His disciples a life of cross bearing and suffering now, though including some joys, and eternal blessing later (cf. Matthew 16:24–28; Mark 10:29–31).

 

In these trials, we often find it difficult to maintain the proper attitude, especially as the Apostle Paul describes it in today’s reading.  He calls us to a perpetual attitude of joy and thanksgiving. That often seems like an insurmountable task. Still, we are called to walk by faith and to persevere in holding on to the hope of heaven in the bad as well as in the good. After all, the first readers of this letter were facing persecution and had little to make them rejoice in the ordinary circumstances of life. Yet, they were to be continually rejoicing, thanking God, and praying to Him.

 

The Apostle writes that the will of God is for us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing” and to “give thanks in all circumstances” (vv. 16–18). Importantly, the grammatical construction of this phrase indicates that these three things are key aspects of the Lord’s will for us but do not constitute the totality of His will. God has other things for us to do as well. Paul has already listed other activities in which we must engage, including avoiding sexual immorality, loving one another, and working hard in our vocations (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:3–12). So, the admonitions in today’s passage do not mean that we are to spend every waking moment in prayer, thanksgiving, and rejoicing, for then we would be left without time to fulfill the other aspects of God’s will. Instead, the Apostle intends for us to approach all of life in a spirit of prayer, thanksgiving, and rejoicing—to do these things in both good times and bad, in our everyday activities and on special occasions.

 

Paul’s admonitions do not require us to pretend that things are going well when they are not. He does not tell us to give thanks at every time or for all circumstances considered in themselves. Rather, we must give thanks “in all circumstances.” We must try to view the hardships of life in light of God’s greater plan, which is working everything for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory (cf. Romans 8:28). There is a time to lament, to sit in our grief, to express how bad things are (cf. Psalm 88). Nevertheless, Christians can find a joy in these circumstances that transcends our feelings of happiness or unhappiness, for we know that we belong to Christ, who will give us joys in the life to come that we can hardly imagine. What better time of the year than this week to practice that principle in our live!

 

Thanksgiving - Pt. 2

 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4-5 ESV).

 

We all know the story that provides the backdrop of our uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims landed in 1620. They faced brutal conditions and were woefully unprepared. Roughly half of them died in that first year. Then they had a successful harvest of corn. In November of 1621 they decided to celebrate a feast of thanksgiving. Edward Winslow was among those who ate that first thanksgiving meal in 1621. He noted:

 

Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we gathered the fruit of our labors. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want.

 

In addition to the fowl eaten that first Thanksgiving, the American Indians also brought along five deer as their contribution to the feast. Presumably they also ate corn. Over the centuries, Americans continued to celebrate feasts of thanksgiving in the fall. Some presidents issued proclamations. Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation for a perpetual national holiday set aside for thanksgiving. In 1863, the nation torn apart by the Civil War, gave thanks. So we have a holiday of thanksgiving born in and further nurtured during times of great adversity and struggle. We might think that times of adversity and challenge would spawn ingratitude, while times of prosperity would spawn gratitude. Prosperity breeds ingratitude. Human nature trends toward ingratitude. Another culprit breeding ingratitude is our entitlement culture. Simply put, why should we be grateful for what we think we deserve and what we have a right to? A third cause of ingratitude concerns what Robert Emmons calls the “to whom” question. In his scientific study of gratitude, Emmons came to the realization that gratitude raises a singular and significant question: When we say thank you, to whom are we grateful?

 

The interesting thing here is that if we trace this “to whom” line of questioning back, like pulling on the threads of some tapestry, we find a singular answer at the end of each thread. The answer is God. He does “good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). Theologians call this common grace. God as creator cares for all His creation and provides for our needs. He gives us our very lives and our very breath. He also does good by giving His most precious gift, the gift of His Beloved Son. Theologians call this saving grace. This gift was the costliest. It cost Jesus the suffering and death of the cross. This ought to be the beginning of all our celebration and gratitude, especially at this season of the year.

 

Thanksgiving - Pt. 1

 

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117 ESV).

 

This is the week of Thanksgiving. We may forget that gratitude is the heart’s response to grace. Our reading today is the shortest psalm in the Psalter and thereby the shortest chapter in Christian Scripture. The psalmist cannot help but be overcome by gratitude and praise. And this is because of God’s never-ending, covenant love which endures toward His people forever. Two elements of this psalm should be apparent. First, “all peoples” should shout in acclamation. The psalmist in a moment of jubilant thanks seems to peer from the old covenant into the future where this “great multitude” from every race and people will join in grateful praise (cf. Revelation 7:9-12).

 

As the plan of salvation comes to fruition, all, including the heavenly host, cannot help but fall down in praise and thanks to almighty God. It is the instinct of redeemed creatures when they receive blessing without merit. And that is the second element which is apparent. That for which the psalmist is so grateful is not something which he earns or deserves. It’s not something he believes he is owed. In fact, it has nothing to do with him, other than the reality that he is a recipient of this matchless gift. It is God and what He has done, without reference to our worthiness, which elicits such incredible and intense proclamations of thanks.

 

Gratitude is not merely passive and reflexive. It is also active and willful. According to Paul, when we willingly choose to focus on those things for which we are thankful in the Lord, it has a heart-shaping effect. Even when our hearts and minds would rather be focused on the negative. And, when we focus our minds to meditate on the gracious gifts of God, then peace from God, which surpasses all ability to cognitively work out, seems to rule in our hearts.

 

I often tell people that “Help!” is a perfectly acceptable one-word prayer. So too is the twice as long “Thank you!” The former is for the languishing soul, the latter for the exultant. One begs for grace, the other acknowledges grace already received. This is a wonderful week to do just that. In the next few days we’ll examine some of the specifics about our reasons for gratitude. Today, being making yourself more aware of the grace God has given to you in this life and the one yet to come.

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The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Revelation 22:17-19 ESV).

 

Have you ever received an invitation that contained a request to respond with your attendance choice? Well, Jesus’ final words to readers in the book of Revelation include a reminder that our Savior is coming soon (v. 12). Just a few verses later, we read what seems to be a response, when “the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’” (v. 17). Clearly, the Spirit and the bride are the Holy Spirit and the church. So, we can see that Jesus wants us to respond.

 

Of course, both the Spirit and the church long for the coming of Christ. This longing finds clear expression in the next verse after our reading today. Yet, that does not seem to be what is expressed in today’s passage. Instead, it seems to be an evangelistic invitation, calling unbelieving readers to come to take “the water of life without price” before it is too late. Salvation through Christ is the only way to eternal life (cf. John 14:6), and this salvation is entirely free. We do not merit the water of eternal life or otherwise take possession of it by our works. All we do is receive it. It is a pure gift received by the empty hand of faith (cf. Ephesus 2:8–10). The gift is offered to anyone, no matter what they have done, no matter how great their sin. Jesus stands ready and willing to embrace all those who come to Him in faith, trusting in Him alone (cf. Matthew 11:25–30).

 

After this evangelistic invitation, John issues a stern warning not to add to or take away from the words of his prophecy lest one become subject to the curses of the book (vv. 18–19). Essentially, he calls for a preservation of what he has written exactly as it has been written. This warning has much in common with other enjoinders in Scripture. It is also a necessary consequence of the book of Revelation’s being a revelation from God Himself. As the supreme and inherent authority over all, the Lord must be obeyed when He speaks. To try to alter His words in any way is to deny His authority and wisdom. Such an attempt at alteration, in effect, says that we know better than the Lord. Thus, while the warning here applies first to Revelation, it must ultimately apply to every word of divine revelation, to every word of the Lord.

 

Without a doubt, intentionally adding to or subtracting from what God has revealed is among the most blatant expressions of unbelief and arrogance. Therefore, it is vital for the church to be led only by those who are committed to the Word of God, and indeed, to all of the Word of God. It is also incumbent upon all Christians to do their best to understand and apply all Scripture. Make that your priority.

 

And Now in Closing

 

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” (Revelation 22:12-16 ESV).

 

Every professional speaker has a unique way to draw his audience’s attention to the conclusion; and Jesus is the perfect example of conclusions as He comes to the end of John’s vision. An angel delivers some closing statements from God to John in the earlier portion of this chapter. In today’s passage, however, the angel stands aside, and Jesus speaks directly to John and thus, through John, to his us. He begins with a powerful restatement of His deity and a reminder of His coming to judge creation. In Revelation 22:13, He emphasizes that He is “the first and the last” as well as “the beginning and the end,” comparing Himself to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (“the Alpha and the Omega”). Of course, this does not mean the Son of God had an actual beginning to His existence or will one day cease to be. These phrases, based on Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; and 48:12, mean that as God, He is before all things and is after all things. He is eternal and self-existent, depending on nothing else for His being.

 

Because He is God, He is “Judge of all the earth” (cf. Genesis 18:25), so He is coming to repay all for what they have done (v. 12). Since all have sinned, falling far short of the Lord’s glory (cf. Romans 3:23), this is bad news for everyone who has not washed “their robes” to have the right to enter the new Jerusalem and eat of the Tree of Life (v. 14). We find here a reference not to our ability to somehow make ourselves worthy of salvation but to faith in Christ. Those who have washed their robes have done so “in the blood of the Lamb” through the great tribulation (v. 14). In other words, believers persevere because their names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life for all eternity. Outside the New Jerusalem are those whose names are not found in the book of life (v.15). The list of their sins is not exhaustive, as other New Testament lists of those excluded from God’s kingdom show us (i.e.:  1 Corinthians 6:9–10). Probably the sins listed here indicate the transgressions of those who compromise with persecuting regimes such as Rome against the church. We can believe these words because they come from Jesus the Messiah (v. 17). In fact, because they come from Him, we must believe them (cf. John 5:36). Do you believe?

 

The Greatest Question

 

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.  And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” (Revelation 22:6-11 ESV).

 

Appropriately so, the vision of the new heaven and earth constitutes the final vision of the book of Revelation. What remains are various closing words of instruction from the Lord, delivered first through the mediation of an angel and then by the Lord Himself. Today we are looking at the closing comments from God that come to John through the angel. First, we have a reminder that Jesus is coming soon (v. 7). This reminds us that consummation of God’s plan is imminent because we are living in the final era of redemptive history. All the work necessary to bring the new creation has already been done by Christ; we await only the consummation. The time before all things is finished is indeed short from God’s perspective, so we must be ready for it. Second, God pronounces a blessing on those who hear and keep the book of Revelation (v. 7). The book of Revelation came to us not to encourage eschatological speculation but to warn us of the coming judgment so that we will be prepared to repent and cling to Christ until the very end. Only those who do so will experience life in the blessed new creation.

 

Once more, the glories of the moment overwhelm John and he is tempted to worship the angel, and once more, we see that this message is truly from God because the angel who represents Him commands John to worship the Lord alone (vv. 8–9). John is told not to seal up the book he has written, “for the time is near” (v. 10). Earlier in redemptive history, Daniel had to seal up his vision of the end, for the final part of God’s plan of salvation lay far ahead of him. With the coming of Christ, this is no longer the case, so John’s vision must be published and kept (cf. Daniel 12:4). In this final era, Jesus and His gospel form a dividing line between the unrighteous and the righteous. He forces people to decide as to whether they will be on God’s side. Those who choose against Him become more confirmed in their evil (v. 11).

 

He is coming soon… are you ready? There really is no greater question in our lives than that!

 

The Tree of Life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but ethe throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5 ESV).

 

One of the oldest trees on the campus of Texas A&M is the Century Tree (pictured here). There are many traditions that have developed around this tree. It may not be the oldest tree on campus though there is photographic proof that it is at least 135 years old. We were given a sampling some years ago grown from one of the acorns of this tree. I must say it has great genetics. During the winter of 2021 we had an unusually cold and snowy spell that lasted more than a week. Our tree was planted just the year before and we were concerned that it would not survive the ice and snow, with temperatures below freezing for over a week. Spring came and sure enough it looked dead above the ground. However, within a few weeks we witnessed shoots sprouting from the ground. Now it measures nearly seven feet tall! It is a wonderful example of the life God brings through His creation.

 

When Adam sinned against God by eating from the forbidden tree (cf. Genesis 3:6), the Lord punished him, sending him and Eve into exile from the garden and the tree of life (vv. 22–24). At that moment, Adam and all of those in him lost eternal life in a good land. However, this curse was not pronounced without any hint of blessing. God promised that the seed of the woman would defeat the serpent (v. 15), providing hope that paradise would one day be regained. The rest of Scripture simply narrates how the Lord restores Eden. John’s apocalyptic vision as recorded in the book of Revelation offers a glimpse of the consummation of our salvation. As described in our reading, the final destiny of all those in Christ is not merely an ethereal existence in heaven; rather, the people of God will dwell forever in a new heaven and a new earth (cf. Isaiah 65:17–25). There will be a cosmic renewal of the physical universe, and we will live in a new Jerusalem that will descend from heaven to earth after the final judgment.

 

Today’s passage tells us this new Jerusalem will be like Eden, only much better. No unclean thing will ever enter the city, telling us there will be no temptation or desire for evil (vv. 22–27). Trees of life will also be present, and we will have free access to them (v. 2). The abundance of both trees and fruit indicates life in the restored creation will be far more bountiful than what Adam enjoyed in Eden. Finally, the river of life will flow from the throne of the Father and the Son (v. 1). John here alludes to Ezekiel 47:1–12 where the river flows from the eschatological, or final, temple. This is another guarantee of the eternal nature of our life in Christ. This is the wonder of the grace of God!

  

The Beauty of Heaven

 

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth swill bring their glory into it, and tits gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:22-27 ESV).

 

If you have known me for anytime, you know that the Smoky Mountains are my favorite place to be. We all have those places in our lives. The memories we have made, the experiences we have enjoyed, and the time spent in these places eclipses any other place we have seen or heard about. I’ve chosen just one of the hundreds I’ve taken through the years of Cades Cove in the fall of the year to give you a glimpse of my experience in this wonderful place. It truly is beautiful; however, compared to heaven it is nothing.

 

Of course, we know that nowhere in the New Testament are we given a clear, precise description of heaven. We get glimpses of what heaven is like, but we don’t see a detailed picture. Most of what we are given is visionary, highly symbolic, figurative, and full of imagery. This is because of the utter newness of heaven. Heaven is like a glorified version of the good things of this world, so we can have some idea of what it will be like. Because of the transcendent newness of heaven, however, we would not be able to understand a literal description of it.

 

We get one of these visionary glimpses in the last two chapters of Revelation. We are told that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. While some believe that the present heaven and earth will be destroyed, most believe that they will be redeemed and transformed into the new. Just as we get glorified, resurrected bodies, so this old world will be renewed and transfigured. We are also told that there will no longer be any sea. In the Old Testament the sea is often an image of death. The next image is that of a New Jerusalem, replacing the old one that will be destroyed. John saw this city as a bride, an image of God’s people prepared for Him. As she came, John heard a voice saying that God’s tabernacle is with men and He will dwell with them. This is imagery drawn from the Old Testament, where the tabernacle was always pitched at the center of the camp of Israel.

 

John also sees the shekinah glory that shone in the Old Testament around the person of God Himself. He sees the glory manifesting itself as a precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal—symbols that focus on the idea of light radiating through transparent and translucent materials. The city is described as huge, 1,400 miles on each side, and as symmetrically balanced, the perfect edifice built by the Ultimate Architect. This is what God has done for our eternal home. No wonder that this becomes the very foundation for wonder and joy in the believer’s life! I pray you see a glimpse of that in all the beautiful places you cherish!

 

Joy to the World!

 

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and she will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:5-8 ESV).

 

It is almost time to make the trek into the attic and begin bringing all the decorations down for Christmas. It is past the time when I start listening to Christmas music. In fact, as I am writing this morning, I’m listening to a streaming channel of Christmas instrumentals. That may be a bit early for you, but as we continue in our study with the reading today, we must acknowledge the great joy that is yet to come. The contrast is incredible between the first coming of Jesus and the second.

 

Heaven, that place where we will see God face-to-face and enjoy Him forever, has been the focus of our discussion recently. We have also seen how knowing that the Lord will judge all people gives us hope during our suffering. Much of our study has assumed the existence of heaven as part of what theologians call "the intermediate state." We certainly go to be with the Lord in heaven if we die in faith before Christ returns (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:6–8), but our presence in heaven before Jesus' second advent is an intermediate state of our existence after death, not the final or ultimate state we will enjoy. In other words, the spiritual disembodied existence we will enjoy in heaven before Christ returns comes to an end and another state will take its place. As Scripture teaches us in many places, the resurrection of the dead will happen. Heaven will come down to earth, and we will have physical bodies and live in a perfected creation.

 

One of the most important passages on the new heaven and earth is in our context today, which describes this new creation. We should greatly look forward to the bliss we will experience there. We will have a foretaste of it in the intermediate state, but its fullness will only be ours when Christ comes to consummate His kingdom. At that point, we will enjoy the unmediated presence of God, for the whole universe will be His temple (vv. 3–4). This perfect new creation will be free from all sadness. There will be no more tears, for God will have wiped them all away. Death, disease, emotional pain, sin—all the things that bring us so much suffering will pass away. We will bear the image of God with utter clarity, and there will be no strife. Though there will be continuity between this present creation and the one to come—God will not wipe everything out but will resurrect and renew all things.

 

Our final home will be both beautiful and grand (vv. 9–21), and we will dwell in perfect light because the Lord's glory will illumine His creation. God will be our lamp and we will need no sun, no moon, no candles, no other source of light. We will be content to see His beauty and rejoice that we dwell in such incredible glory (vv. 22–27). That is the source of our belief the joy will come… that is Joy to the World!

 

No More Tears

 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place1 of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4 ESV).

 

Yesterday, this reading reminded us that Christianity does not teach the end of the physical world. The Christian’s final, eternal state will not be an ethereal reality in which wispy souls float through the clouds without bodies. Instead, there will be a cosmic renewal. Our bodies will be resurrected and reunited with our souls to dwell forever in the new heavens and new earth (vv. 11–15). Today’s reading describes this corporeal reality in greater detail.

 

Revelation is an apocalyptic work, and so it contains many rich symbols and imagery. Whether or not all its images are to be taken as literal descriptions is debatable, but the most important lessons we learn are taken from the reality to which these symbols point. The first thing we notice is that in the new heavens and new earth the sea is “no more” (v. 1). This might make little sense to us until we remember that the ocean was viewed by the ancients as a place of destruction and chaos. Israel never developed a thriving sea trade, and her enemies, the Philistines, ruled the coastlands. To be rescued from the waters was the great desire of the psalmist (cf. Psalm 18:16–17). When John tells us there will be no sea, he is telling us that there will be no destruction there. God’s terrible judgment and wrath will not be upon those granted a place in His eternal kingdom.

 

We also read in this text there will be an absence of tears. All of us grow sorrowful at times and need to be comforted. However, even when our tears are dried in this life, we know that sadness will bring them to us again. But when the Lord wipes away our tears in the new heavens and earth, they are gone forever. Perhaps we will shed tears of joy, but the tears of sorrow will be gone forever as there will be no pain, sickness, death, or any other tragedy to make us mourn.

 

In the new heavens and earth there will be a new Jerusalem (vv. 9–14). Note the dimensions of the city are a perfect cube (vv. 15–16), which is important because the Holy of Holies in the temple was also a cube (2 Chronicles 3:8). Plainly, John is telling us that in the new Jerusalem we will have unhindered access to the Lord Almighty. It is there we will see His face (v. 4). His presence is so pervasive, with us in all things, He never lets the teat strike our cheek. He wipes it away before that and returns our joy eternally.

 

A New Heaven and a New Earth

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV).

 

We finally come to the most encouraging section of the final book in the New Testament. There is little need to spend time establishing the necessity and existence of an afterlife. It simply must exist for the truth of the Resurrection to be accepted. However, today we need to look at the biblical understanding of suffering by examining what Scripture says about the final state of those who die in Christ. Ultimately, we are looking forward to a new heaven and earth that are to come at the consummation of all things. We who love Jesus will live in this perfect place, a creation that has been renewed and glorified as the dwelling place of God and His people.

 

First, we must understand this new creation that will come at the return of Jesus. We must note that anyone who dies in Christ goes immediately to be with the Lord in heaven (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:6–8). Theologians typically refer to this existence in heaven before the second advent of Jesus as an intermediate state because it comes between our life on earth and the new creation. Scripture has little to say explicitly about the intermediate state, although we are certainly not far off the mark to say it approximates the bliss of the new heaven and earth. Perhaps the most significant difference between the new heaven and earth and the intermediate state is that we do not get resurrected, physical bodies until Jesus returns, and our spirits alone live in God’s presence until then (cf. Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20).

 

When the new heaven and earth arrive, the world as we know it will end, as will the present separation between the physical and the spiritual. God will dwell permanently with His people in the temple of His creation. Redemption will reach its consummation in the renewal of the physical order, and the effects of sin’s curse will be absent from our resurrected existence (v. 1). In the new heaven and the new earth, God Himself will wipe away all our tears. There will be no death and no reason to mourn, for all that causes sadness will have passed away (vv. 2–4). The New Jerusalem, a city of immense size and beauty, will be our dwelling place (vv. 9–21). And, finally, and most wonderful of all, we will dwell in the brightest light imaginable — the light of God’s glory — in this renewed creation. The triune God will be our lamp, and we shall rejoice in His radiance forever, never having to fear His purity, for we will be holy just as He is holy (vv. 22–27; 1 John 3:1–3).

 

No wonder we all sing Hallelujah! Let your heart fill with this great hope! This is our destiny… this is the reality of our real home!

 

The Great White Throne

 

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15 ESV).

 

In our reading today we get an overview of history from Christ’s victory over Satan on the cross up to and including the final judgment. When Jesus comes into His kingdom, Satan is bound, and throughout the church age he is not free to deceive the nations and hinder the spread of the Word of God as he did during the old covenant period. During the new covenant era, the church and especially the departed saints rule and reign with Christ as He works out His plan (vv. 1–6). At the end of this age, Satan will be released from his restraint and gather unbelievers against Christ and His church one final time. But the devil will fail, and he will be cast into the lake of fire, where he will suffer eternal judgment (vv. 7–10).

 

Today’s passage describes the final judgment that will occur at the end when Jesus returns to rescue His people and destroy the devil. John sees a great white throne, with God seated on it (v. 11). The color white frequently represents purity and righteousness in the book of Revelation (7:9–12), so the whiteness of the throne likely signifies the righteousness of the judgment to come. Some commentators think the white throne may also call back to the white clothing and hair of the Ancient of Days (cf. Daniel 7:9). If so, the white throne also points to the wisdom of God’s judgment. Of course, even if the color of the throne does not highlight the Lord’s wisdom, we know that His final judgment will be according to His perfect wisdom (cf. Romans 16:27).

 

All people stand before the throne, including those whom the sea, Death, and Hades give up (vv. 11–13). This points to the resurrection even of unbelievers. According to this text, the resurrected are judged according to what they have done and according to the Book of Life (vv. 12, 15). Scripture does teach that there will be a judgment of our works, and that our service to Christ will be rewarded (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10–15). But notice that the determining factor regarding one’s presence in heaven or hell is not works but whether one’s name is in the Book of Life (v. 5). This must be so, for we know that we do not merit, possess, or inherit eternal life by our works but only through faith in Christ alone (cf. Ephesians 2:8–10).

 

Everyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is cast into the lake of fire, along with Death and Hades, the dragon (Satan), and the beasts from the land and the sea (vv. 10, 14–15). No evil thing will escape eternal punishment. My prayer is that your name is inscribed in that Great Book. If not, turn your mind toward Jesus. He will cleanse you of every sin through His work!