Encounter the First Christmas

                The first Christmas was a confusing, bewildering, exciting, amazing time. The known world was thrust into frantic activity by the decree of Caesar to take a census. It would have been easy enough except everyone had to travel to their ancestral home. The Jews are very clannish, like the Scots. To make the census more palatable to the Jews, the authorities tapped into their ancient loyalty to their patriarchal tribes. So it was that Joseph and Mary had to travel, at a most inconvenient time, to the town of Bethlehem.

                The trip would have been an ordeal. It would normally take 3-4 days to walk to Bethlehem from Nazareth, but with Mary being very pregnant it took longer. Like all expectant fathers, I’m sure that Joseph didn’t want Mary to overdo it. So they made their way, slowly, to Bethlehem because Joseph came from the line of David, the King.

                Joseph may have puzzled over the irony of his connection to Bethlehem. He was anything but the son of a king. A simple carpenter, living in a small, obscure village on the fringe of the nation. He was a man who worked with his hands, not one who gave orders and ruled a nation. Of the line of David. A more unreal thought couldn’t have passed through his mind.

                When they finally arrived, Bethlehem was bedlam; there were people everywhere. It had not been designed for this influx of humanity. Every available accommodation was taken; occupied by some weary traveler, anxious to get registered and go home. The atmosphere was not festive, it was tense. Nerves were on edge, tempers were short. Roman soldiers roamed the streets adding to the uncomfortable feeling in the air. A young couple, arriving late, were viewed as a nuisance, an inconvenience, an unwanted burden.

                They found shelter in a stable. It was probably a cave that had been enlarged, with a fence and gate to keep the animals in. Like most caves, it would have been musty, slightly damp and dirty. The stale air, mixed with the aroma of the animals, would have made for a pungent atmosphere. But near the back of the stable, the young couple would have a measure of privacy. Privacy that they dearly needed, for the time for the baby had arrived. Had they been accommodated in the inn, they would have been crowded in with other guests, exposed to the curious stares of strangers. In a strange way, God provided a private room for his son to be born into our world. Possibly shielded by the oblivious animals, Mary gave birth to the son of God. 

                In the villages of Israel, the birth of a child was a major event. The whole village would be in anticipation of the arrival. When the baby entered the world, it was customary for some local musicians to gather outside of the house and herald the birth with music. Soon the whole village would be informed and a collective celebration would take place.

                There were no mistrals waiting to announce Jesus’ birth. But God was not going to let His son’s birth go unnoticed. He sent His messenger to a group of Temple shepherds who were staying with the flock out in the field. The sky blazed with the glory of God and one or two of these hardened men may have wet their tunics. We know that they were not just startled, they were terrified. The message the angel gave was one of comfort and joy. Don’t be afraid, God has just fulfilled his promise to send the Messiah into the world. Here is the really good news. You marginalized; blue collar laborers are included. The Messiah has come, not for the religious elite, but for the common people; for all the people! He is just over there in Bethlehem. You can find him, wrapped tight in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger.

                At that moment the sky exploded with the praise of heaven. If one angel is enough to terrify a person, consider what a whole army of angels would do. God sent his angelic army to celebrate the most amazing miracle that has ever happened, that will ever happen. God invaded our world in the form of a vulnerable baby.

                The shepherds were stunned and amazed. As the night sky returned to its normal appearance, the shepherds were moved to do something they would never even consider doing. They left the flock, unattended in the field, and rushed to town. They searched every cave, stable and barn looking for the baby. When they found him, they were stunned into silence. At the sight of the baby, they knew it was all true. Their silence was broken with uncontrollable praise. They left the bewildered young family, and raced through the sleepy streets proclaiming the good news. Although everyone who heard the news was amazed, there is no record that they went to check it out for themselves. The morning was dawning. The busy day was ahead of them. The census demanded all of their attention. So they forgot what they had heard and went on with life.

               God chose a very unlikely cast of characters to participate in this monumental event. A young girl, a rough carpenter, a group of smelly shepherds. He didn’t choose the elite, the informed, the upper crust. He chose common people, and he still does.

                Paul reminds us that none of us have a claim on God’s gift because of our social status or reputation. We are recipients of the gift because of His great love. 1 Cor. 1:26-31

    Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

                Christmas is a time for giving and receiving gifts. God has given us the greatest gift of all, His son. The Christ of Christmas is our Savior purely as an unmerited gift from God.    For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephes. 2:8-9

 

               You know the story; you have been invited into the story. How will you respond? Will you respond like the people of Bethlehem, and go on with life as usual? Or will you take your place with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds?

AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH

 

Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."      

               In a couple of days, we will celebrate Christmas. For many it will be a day of fun, excitement, presents, and family. For others it will be a day of disappointment, regret, and loneliness. Our secular world has hyped up Christmas to a fever pitch. The focus is on gifts, decorations, and presents. The hype of Christmas stirs many emotions within us. It gets our emotional adrenalin pumping. We can become frantic in our attempts to live up to all of the expectations that come along with the season. When finally we are past Christmas there is both relief and let down. As our adrenalin subsides, we feel drained and sometimes empty.

               All the fun and excitement, hurry and busyness of Christmas can obscure the true meaning of this celebration. It is a time to stop and reflect upon the reality that in one moment God changed the course of human history forever. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)

               The Christmas story emphasizes the reality of the incarnation. The story of Jesus is not a myth or a legend. It is a historical fact; a reality that we all must deal with. In the Christmas story, the unapproachable God became approachable. The unknowable God became knowable. The untouchable God became touchable. In the Christmas event, God became tangible for all of humanity. John summarized the reality of Jesus in the opening lines of his first letter. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John 1:1 (NIV)

               The Christmas story is not a legend, but an invitation to take our place in the story.  It is a living story that continues to expand even today.

               On that very first Christmas there was an unlikely group of people who were called to take their place in the story of Jesus; and there were shepherds living out in the field, watching their flocks by night. The shepherds were common people. They lived on the fringe of society. Because of their occupation they were excluded from worship in the Temple. Yet they played a vital role in the worship of God. It is very likely that these particular shepherds were temple shepherds, keeping watch over the sheep that would be used in the Temple as sacrifices.

               On that monumental night, God sent his birth announcement, not to the priests in Jerusalem, but to common shepherds out in the field. The message that God sent to them was profound and unexpected. The Messiah has been born! The long-awaited Messiah had finally arrived. The Messiah has been born to you! Yes, you common shepherds have been included. You have been invited into the inner circle of God’s kingdom. You get to be the first to welcome the Messiah into the world.

               The shepherds were left with a choice. They could marvel at what they had heard and stay where they were, or they could follow the angel’s instructions and find the child; and that is what they did. The angel gave the shepherds tangible clues to the identity of the child; you will find the child, wrapped in clothes, and lying in a manger. The message was clear. The Messiah was real, tangible, knowable, approachable.

               So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:16-20 (NIV)

               We know very little about Jesus’ life as a child and young man. But we know that he didn’t just show up on the world stage out of nowhere. He came into this world in the same way we all did. He walked the same journey of life that we all do. He lived among us in reality.

               Luke 2:20 stands out in my mind. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. God confirmed the reality of His message in the form of a newborn child.

               For many people God is a concept, a vague idea, an unapproachable, out there somewhere entity. Christmas made God tangible and real. Jesus was born in a real place, in real time. He lived in a real place in real time.

               Christmas can be just a holiday, with a nice story to go along with it. Or Christmas can be an encounter with the reality that God invited our world; that God came near. The shepherds were told that they could find the child if they were willing to seek him. The same promise is held out to us. We too can find Jesus if we have the courage to break out of our routine and earnestly seek Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 

The Gospel is not Good News unless it is for everyone.

 John 3:16-17 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

               I have been rereading Philip Yancey’s book, Vanishing Grace. He talks candidly about how we have often muddled our faith by mixing it with all kinds of things so that the Gospel is no longer good news for many people. Then he masterfully talks about both why the Gospel is good news and how we can communicate that to a world that desperately needs good news.

               For many years I have struggled with the conflict between what is called reformed theology, which states that everyone’s eternal destiny is predestined, and the idea of free will. I have gravitated to the side of free will. To me, predestination makes a mockery of the Gospel. Let me try to explain.

               For me simply, the Gospel is not good news for anyone if it is not good news for everyone. If some people are arbitrarily included while others are excluded, how can we embrace that as good news?

               As I read the New Testament, I can see how some theologians have come up with the idea of predestination, but, in the process, they have to negate all of the passages that speak of a free choice given to all people. So here are my thoughts.

               God’s love is large enough to encompass the entire world. John 3:16-17 clearly states that Jesus came into the world for the benefit of the world. He didn’t come for the benefit of some of the world but for the entire world.

               God’s compassion is large enough to extend salvation to all who will receive it. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) If we take Peter’s words at face value, then God’s perfect will is for everyone to be saved. The key to attaining that salvation is repentance, which requires a choice on the part of every individual.

               God’s invitation is open to all who will receive it. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NIV) Jesus is inviting all who feel overwhelmed and discouraged to come to Him. There is no disclaimer saying that this invitation is only for those who have already been chosen to believe.

               God’s grace is large enough to include all who, by faith, receive His invitation. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:10-13 (NIV) Notice that there is a clear choice given here. “To all who received Him.” The words receive and believe speak clearly of making a conscious choice.

               Throughout the entire Bible there is an open invitation for people to come to God in faith. He offers the free gift of salvation to all those who respond. God has clearly placed a choice before us. It is up to each individual to decide how they will respond. Only then is the Gospel truly good news.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

LIVING IN THE WORLD

 

John 17:15-18 (NIV)
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

               One of the challenges that every believer in Christ faces is how to live in the world without being of the world. When Jesus prayed for his disciples, he didn’t ask God to take them out of the world, but to make them an effective witness in the world. Jesus’ prayer applies to all of us who claim to be followers of him. What does it mean for us to be in the world but not be of the world?

               To live out what Jesus prayed for us means to live a distinctly different life in the midst of a secular world. Unfortunately, we have often chosen to be more of the world than we realize. We have been seduced by political power and influence. We have bought into the methods of the world in our attempt to “recapture” our culture. The results have been less than stellar.

               I have been reading Philip Yancey’s book Vanishing Grace. He makes the observation that the image of Evangelical Christians today is primarily a negative one. We are seen as anti this and anti that. Instead of being seen as dispensers of grace, we are perceived as dispensers of hate. It is a criticism that we should take seriously. But it is not a true understanding of who many, if not most, Evangelicals are today. In fact, Yancey gives numerous examples of how Evangelicals are leading the way in helping the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. When a person looks behind the popular caricature of Evangelicals, they often find something very different.

               Each one of us who claim the name of Christ has a role to play in changing the world’s view of us. Jesus made it clear that there will always be those who see us in a negative light. But we can do much to change our image among many others.

               At the beginning of 1900’s a clash arose between those who promoted a social gospel and fundamentalists. The social gospel focused on humanitarian issues, like feeding the poor, with little or no emphasis on faith in Christ. The fundamentalists focused on proclaiming the truth of Jesus with little or no emphasis on social issues. Today, we have learned that the gospel actually blends these two into an effective strategy. Evangelicals today are often leading the way on social issues without failing to share the truth about Jesus.

               Jesus made it very clear that proclaiming the Gospel and caring for others must go hand in hand. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the image of a city on a hill to bring these two concepts together.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

               Notice that the way that we best communicate God’s love to the world is through our good deeds for the world. Later, Jesus made this even more clear when he equated service to him with service to others.

Matthew 25:31-40 (NIV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

               Like Jesus, Both John and James make it clear that if our faith does not demonstrate itself in practical ways, it is useless. The way we treat those around us, especially those who are different from us, is a measure of the depth and genuineness of our faith.

               We have been called to carry the good news of Jesus into the world. We need to do this with both our words and our deeds. If we are going to change the image of Evangelicals, we need to change the way that we interact with the world around us. We have not been called to capture our culture, in some political way, but to live radically different lives from our culture that causes people to take notice and see God at work.

1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

 

WHAT WAS GOD THINKING?

 

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

               There is a story in the Old Testament about a man named Gideon. God came to Gideon at a time when Israel was living under the oppression of a foreign power. God called Gideon to lead Israel against the Midianites and free them. Gideon was reluctant at first, but God convinced him to trust God and move ahead. Gideon amassed a great army to fight the Midianites, but God told Gideon that he had too many men. God began the process of whittling down Gideon’s army until he was left with only 300 men. Gideon must have been wondering, what is God thinking? This is disaster. But God had a reason and it is the main point of the story. God was going to deliver Israel from the Midianites with only 300 men so that everyone would know that God did it and not Gideon.

               I have been reading a book by Philip Yancey called Vanishing Grace. Yancey raises the question of why God chose to use the Church to be His agents in the world. Over the centuries, the Church has often made mistakes, even really bad mistakes. The Church is filled with flawed people who often mess up. Yet, the Church remains God’s plan A to reach the world. There is no plan B. What was God thinking? The point is that God uses flawed people to show that the power comes from God and not from people.

               The place where we most often mess up is when we start to think that we can do God’s work in our own power. We get an inflated view of ourselves and pride takes over. Soon we are claiming credit for whatever success we have. It is usually at that point that God pulls the rug out from under us and brings us crashing back to earth. Everything we accomplish of any eternal value happens because God is working in us and through us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, we are just jars of clay so that God’s glory might shine.

               The greatest evidence of God’s power in the world is when he uses flawed people to accomplish amazing things. Paul had to remind the Corinthian believers, who were struggling with an ego problem, that it was not their greatness that counted, but God’s greatness.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

               God is still using weak, frail, faulty people to accomplish amazing things for His glory. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things so that everyone will know that God did it. This was a lessen that the Apostle Paul had to learn. Before Paul became a follower of Jesus he had a pretty big ego. He thought that he was God’s agent to purify the people of Israel. God had to humble him and show him that all his accomplishments meant nothing if he was doing them in his own strength. Later, Paul wrote about what he had learned. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NIV)

               Many people today have turned away from the Church because some in the Church have chosen to use the weapons of power, politics, and personalities to wage war with the world. Historically, the Church has always been its weakest when it has the most political clout. The Church shines the brightest today when ordinary people do extraordinary things out of love for God. God is still using what the world sees as the weak and unimportant to confound the strong and to transform our world.

               Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He commissioned His less than stellar disciples to take His message into all the world. He is still calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things in His power, so that the world will know that God is at work.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)
So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

 

 

GOD’S ABIDING PRESENCE

 

John 14:16 (NIV)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--

               Sunday, June 8, is Pentecost Sunday. It is the Sunday that the Church remembers and celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all believers. It reminds us of that powerful day, recorded in Acts 2.

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

               It was on that day that God fulfilled Jesus’ promise to send another Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit. From that day on, the believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)

               For many believers, this is much more a historical event then a present reality. When I was growing up in church, we rarely spoke about the Holy Spirit. Our focus was on what Jesus did for us on the cross. That is essential, but it is only a part of the story. For us to become the transformed, new creations promised in the Bible, we need the abiding presence of God in our lives; we need the Holy Spirit.

               Paul makes it clear that if we do not have the Spirit living in us, we are not a part of the Body of Christ. 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 (NIV) The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is the affirmation, the guarantee of God’s saving, redeeming, and transforming work in our lives.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

               The role of the Holy Spirit is to guide us through life. He leads us into truth and guards us against falsehood. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13 (NIV) He will shape our character and reshape us into the image of Christ. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

               The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in every believer’s life. He speaks to us at the deepest levels of our soul. He guides us in the paths of righteousness. He guards us from the influence of the Evil One. But we have a part to play in this. We must listen to the Holy Spirit. He is not going to overpower our will. He gives us the information we need to make wise decisions. He also gives us the power and the courage to follow through when we choose to listen to His voice. We can resist His influence, but that always leads us in the wrong direction.

               For us to grow and mature in our faith, we need the Holy Spirit. We need to recognize His presence. We need to tune into His voice. We need to follow Him in obedience.

               This Sunday, June 8, is Pentecost Sunday. Let it remind us that we have been empowered by the Spirit to be Christ’s ambassadors in our world.

Galatians 5:25 (NIV)
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 

 

A SEARCHLIGHT OR A MIRROR

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

               As followers of Jesus, we revere the Bible as God’s Word. We see it as our guide for life and for holiness. The Bible makes us aware of our sinful state and offers to us the amazing gift of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. The Bible plays a central role in the life of every believer.

               Having established the authority of the Bible, it raises the question, is the Bible a searchlight or a mirror? For many people, the Bible is viewed as a searchlight. It is used to “shine the light of truth” into other people’s lives. The Bible is often shined on other people to expose their sin and their misdeeds. It becomes a weapon to be used to condemn the world and justify the saints. We have to ask, is that really the best way to use the Bible?

               I want to suggest that the Bible is not a searchlight but a mirror. God intends for us to see ourselves in the pages of His Word. As we study the Bible we begin to see our own sinfulness. We see all the ways that we fall short of God’s glory. It also helps us to see that, through faith in Christ, we are redeemed and children of God. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul invites us to take a long look in the mirror. The focus is not on exposing other people’s faults, but taking an honest look at ourselves.

               The Bible is meant to teach us about God, about ourselves, and about God’s design for His world. It is filled with wisdom and instructions about how to live a godly life in an ungodly world. In many ways, it is a training manual for godly living. But it is more than that.

               The Bible is meant to awaken us to our sinfulness. We all have spiritual and emotional blind spots in our lives. The Bible makes us aware of these and calls us to change the direction of our lives. Paul highlights this aspect of God’s Word in Romans 7.

Romans 7:7 (NIV)
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."

               Paul’s point was that he was ignorant of his failure until the Word of God opened his eyes to see it. The same is true for us. We are all ignorant of our sinfulness. We take certain aspects of our character and life as just being normal. That is until we see the reality in the Bible.

               Once our eyes have been opened, the Bible then takes us one step further. The Bible is meant to correct the shortcomings of our life. The Bible’s primary purpose is not to condemn, but to redeem. What would you think of a doctor who accurately diagnosed cancer in your body and then failed to offer you treatment? God, in His grace, does not want to leave us in our sin. Instead, He wants to redeem us and bring us back into a genuine relationship with Him. His goal is to remove us from the kingdom of darkness and invite us into the kingdom of light.  ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV)

               But the Bible is not done with us yet. The last goal of the Bible is to train us for God’s service. Someone has said, God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. God’s ultimate goal is for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Once we become a child of God, through faith in Jesus, He begins the work of reshaping our lives. The goal is for us to be fully equipped to be and do what God desires.

               If we see the Bible as a searchlight, it becomes a weapon that we use against others. But if we see the Bible as a mirror, it becomes an instrument in God’s hands to change and transform our lives. The Bible is a powerful tool. Used in the right way, it is redemptive and energizing. Used in the wrong way, it become destructive and divisive.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.