A Little More Meat for Christmas

The miracle we celebrate at Christmas is the miracle we call the incarnation of Christ. For everyone who enjoys a little meat to chew on I quote one of my favorite heroes of the faith, Martin Luther. I found this quote in Gerhard O. Forde's Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, of 1518 called "On Being a Theologian of the Cross" page 14.

In the kingdom of his humanity and his flesh, in which we live by faith, he [Jesus Christ] makes us of the same form as himself and crucifies us by making us true humans instead of unhappy and proud Gods: humans, that is, in their misery and their sin. Because in Adam we mounted up towards equality with God, he [Jesus Christ] descended to be like us, to bring us back to knowledge of himself. That is the sacrement of the incarnation. That is the kingdom of faith in which the cross of Christ holds sway, which sets at naught the divinity for which we perversely strive and restores the dispised weakness of the flesh which we have perversely abandoned.

Enjoy!

Bro. John

The Heart of the Christmas Story

I encourage you to join us here at Little Flock on Sunday nights. Early this month we began a study on the person of Christ and the Trinity. We started this study in response to our Sunday morning series through Philippians, specifically chapter 2 verse 7. Jesus Christ “emptied Himself…” What does this mean? We learned that it meant Jesus, remaining what He was (100% God), became what He was not before (100% man). I didn’t think about it then, but this is the heart of the Christmas story! This is the reason the angels cried “Glory to God in the Highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” This is the reason Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” This is the reason we celebrate the Christ-child, “Immanuel, God with us.”

Of all the Gospel accounts, John’s Gospel provides us the most succinct of Christmas stories. In fact, in John 1:14, the Apostle tells the Christmas story in just five words. “And the Word became flesh…” The first verse of this magnificent chapter speaks of Jesus. “In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.” Then, in verse 14, at just the right time, in the second most mysterious moment in all of human history, the moment of Christ’s miraculous and holy conception, “the Word became flesh” in the womb of a young Jewish teenager named Mary. God became flesh. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God the Son, “became like us so that we might become like Him.” What should our response be? Like the angels we should cry “glory to God in the Highest!” Like Mary, we should treasure these things in our hearts.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Bro. John

America's Greatness

The French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"

He is absolutely right. It is my earnest prayer that America's pulpits (beginning with our own) would once again "flame with righteousness". Alexis is so well spoken. His observation reminds me of a most ironic sign my father-in-law spotted outside a liquor store in Kountze, TX. The sign read...

BEER - ICE - LOTTO

ADULT VIDEO

GOD BLESS AMERICA

God has blessed America, but we should not be so arrogant to expect God to bless us when we refuse to bless Him. "GOD BLESS AMERICA" should not be read or spoken without its all important antecedent, "AMERICA BLESS GOD". When America blesses God, God will bless her. Bless God. Pray for America.

Brother John