Promise & Pain: What will we do?
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’ “
(The Gospel According to Matthew 2: 1-6 NASB)
- Have you ever attended a wedding, one where the entire audience stands once the bride enters the sanctuary?
- Have you ever stepped out in a garden, one where the planted precious seed was fertilized, watered, cultivated, and now yields precious produce for all to enjoy?
- Have you ever experienced a worship service in a foreign country, one where the language barrier causes you to not fully understand the words spoken, and yet when the Word of God was preached, the Holy Spirit still speaks to your soul?
Each Christmastime, we enjoy carols of old, time-honored traditions, melodies we have learned, memorized even, and ones we are able to recite—even now, days after December 25th. If you answered ‘YES’ to any of the questions asked, then please pause to sing with me the first two verses of a Christmas carol, one we know so well.
“O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above they deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary,
and, gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King
and peace to men on earth.”
—“O Little Town of Bethlehem” penned by Phillips Brooks
In traveling to The Netherlands many years ago, I found myself present during a typical week, one where my hosts graciously asked if I would enjoy attending church on Sunday. “Yes,” I replied, “I would.” So, when Sunday arrived, off we went, riding our bikes through the streets where they lived to the local Catholic church. When we stepped inside the foyer, I must admit my heart was excited for I had never attended church in a foreign country, and I must admit that I felt a little out-of-place.
- Maybe this was because most of the attenders spoke in Dutch, as we passed by, finding our seats.
- Maybe this was because the songs were sung in Dutch, as I quietly stood by, listening to the congregation sing. &
- Maybe this was because the message spoken was voiced in Dutch, as I sat by, eagerly striving to catch a word or two that might coincide with an English word.
At that time in my life, I knew no Dutch words, so I was not able to understand much; however, that Sunday, I had carried my personal Bible with me on my bicycle, so when the Scripture passage was to be read, my host whispered to me the Bible passage.
I learned a truth that particular day, one that comes flooding back into my mind today—
As the verses from the Bible were read aloud in Dutch, I read the same verses quietly in my head in English, and mystically, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me.
“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
(The Book of Isaiah 61: 10-11 NASB)
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments
of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe
of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a
garland,
As a bride adorns herself with
her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its
sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things
sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.”
Please continue to sing with me two final verses of a Christmas carol, one we know so well.
“How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him, still,
the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!”
—“O Little Town of Bethlehem” penned by Phillips Brooks
This carol brings both—Promise & Pain, causing all people to ask ourselves: What will we do with this Child, this One, this Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior?
[Redeemed child of Holy God] “Make sure that your character is free
(The Letter to the Hebrews 13: 5-8 NASB)
from the love of money, being content with
what you have; for He Himself has said,
“I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
so that we confidently say,
“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
Remember those who led you, who spoke
the word of God to you; and considering the
result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever.”
- If we have attended a wedding, one where the entire audience stands once the bride enters the sanctuary—
- If we have stepped out in a garden, one where precious seed was planted, fertilized, watered, cultivated, and now yields precious produce for all to enjoy—
- If we have experienced a worship service in a foreign country, one where attenders were separated because of language barriers, one where we did not fully understand the words spoken, and one where, when the Word of God was preached, the Holy Spirit mystically spoke to our soul—
Then we understand the TRUTH resonated—within the words of the prophet Isaiah & the lyrics Brooks penned in his now-famous Christmas carol.
&
Now we understand the TRUTH of God, both the Promise & the Pain.
&
We must answer the question: What will we do?
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
(The Book of Isaiah 62: 1-3 NASB)
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not
keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth
like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is
burning.
The nations will see your
righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the LORD will
designate.
You will also be a crown of beauty in
the hand of the LORD,
And a royal diadem in the hand of
your God.”