Charles Spurgeon - Tidings of Great Joy!

The joy which this first gospel preacher spoke of was no mean one, for he said, “I bring you good tidings” — that alone were joy: and not good tidings of joy only, but “good tidings of great joy.” Every word is emphatic, as if to show that the gospel is above all things intended to promote, and will most abundantly create the greatest possible joy in the human heart wherever it is received.

Man is like a harp unstrung, and the music of his soul’s living strings is discordant, his whole nature wails with sorrow; but the son of David, that mighty harper, has come to restore the harmony of humanity, and where his gracious fingers move among the strings, the touch of the fingers of an incarnate God brings forth music sweet as that of the spheres, and melody rich as a seraph’s canticle. Would God that all men felt that divine hand.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Joy Born At Bethlehem," delivered December 24, 1871. Image by Caleb Kimbrough under Creative Commons License.

Passage for today...

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

1 John 2:1-6

In light of His great love for us, we should not sin. We do not abstain because of fear of torment. We abstain because of our love for Him. Precious Jesus is our Advocate. Why would we want to sin against such a beautiful, compassionate One? This appeal speaks to our hearts and when we see Him clearly, sin loses its luster.

Our love manifests in obedience. When I love someone, I do all I can to avoid hurting them. This relationship between imperfect humans and a perfect God is peculiar, because He is the one who sustains everything. So our challenge is not to strive to obey because our self-righteousness pleases Him. Obedience flows out of trust. When we disobey, we place trust in ourselves and commit the sin of pride. Our trust and focus then turn inward, away from Jesus. Our faith in His goodness falters as we shift our gaze from His cross to our faults.

Praise Him, there is no sin His blood is powerless to wash away! His sacrifice swallowed up the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). So let us walk as children of Light because that is what we are. May our actions reflect the reality of what Christ has finished in us.

Humility and Grace

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' Luke 18:9-12 (Msg)

Are you looking down on others, feeling sorry they're not as "cutting edge"? If so, you can be sure the leaven of the pharisees has crept in. Pride is subtle and insidious. If we look at our perfect righteousness before God in an unhealthy way, the temptation can be to take credit. Keeping tally of our good deeds or track record is dangerous business. Man looks at outward appearances but God looks at the heart. So we too must look past mere appearances in our lives.

"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'" Luke 18:13 (Msg)

Here we see integrity and sincerity. The tax man holds a clear understanding of his place before God, outside of His grace. This attitude of honesty and transparency opens the door for God's unmerited favor!

Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:14 (Msg)

So we see a picture of humility. Vanity and pride cannot receive the gracious gift of God's righteousness purchased at Calvary. As we abide in Christ, we must learn to place "no confidence in the flesh," lest we step out from under God's grace. Jeremiah 17:5 affirms this:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD."

Our trust must be in Christ alone. He is our righteousness and He is our life. We set our trust on His finished work. We partake of the divine nature through His great and precious promises. Meditate on these promises as Jeremiah continues:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
and whose hope is the LORD.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
which spreads out its roots by the river,
and will not fear when heat comes;
but its leaf will be green,
and will not be anxious in the year of drought,
nor will cease from yielding fruit." Jer. 17:7-8 (NKJV)

I'm overwhelmed with beauty. In love with Jesus and His body.

Reflections on Georgian's Visit

Filled with the Holy Spirit, I confessed, "Jesus, I love you." The tender affection welling up in my heart was overwhelming. I laughed, "I want to hug you and kiss you and hug you and kiss you and..." The longing in my heart to embrace my Lover burned like fire.

The faces of abandoned children flashed through my mind. The indigenous poor, living in slums across the world. Dirty "throw-aways" the world had forgotten. He quietly responded, "You can hug and kiss me. Come."

What a loving Father! He values relationship above all else. Everything in the universe has been arranged to promote and sustain relationship. Behold His staggering wisdom and awesome power!

I see an ancient and deep longing to behold the GLORY of the LIVING GOD, covered over by countless cravings for fleeting likenesses. The hunger of our fathers burns and bellows, what counterfeit can manufacture the shining breathlessness of His glory?

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made..." Rom. 1:20

The beauty of life--each and every experience afforded by our Father's wisdom and creative power--proclaims His abundant and unfailing love! He appointed each heavenly body in perfect proportion to enable this human experience on planet Earth. Were the sun larger, the earth further or the moon smaller, it would not be possible. But we have the simple beauty of gentle breezes, the soothing shade of trees, the musical call of birds, the resplendent shimmer of water! We are sustained by His breath of Life to enjoy the work of His hands. His love might be invisible to the human eye, His nature might be unseen to flesh, but His creation bears witness to His great love and it reveals His glory even in its current fallen state.

"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now." Rom. 8:19-22

Oh, what hope and joy I have in Christ! Creation is currently in slavery to corruption, but--praise God!--it will be set free into the glory of us, God's children! Groaning and suffering and pain will give birth to the glory of God. Knowledge of Him will pour through us and encompass the earth "as the waters cover the sea". Thank you, Jesus.