The only thing that matters - by Christo Jovner

We can so easily get caught up in cultural customs and traditions, even to the point where we elevate it above Christ and what He has done for us. And some of these customs and traditions seem “good” to us, good to uphold, especially the religious ones... When Jesus was born, as a Jewish boy, he had to be circumcised on the eighth day as we read in Luk 2:21 “Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.” (NLT) This was a covenantal requirement put in  place by God when He made a covenant with Abraham (Gen 17:12). Fast forward to Jesus’ life on earth, He made the following remark in Matt 5: 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (NIV) Jesus, through His sinless life, came to fulfil all the requirements of the law, and He also became the last perfect sacrificial offering for sin. 

Fast forward to us today, Paul wrote the following for the church in Galatia and for us today “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight - the only thing that matters is faith working through love.” Gal 5:6 (NET)

All that matters is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and me and you having faith in Him and what He has done for us. I boast in Christ alone. It brings me back to all our cultural customs and traditions with a critical question: Does the keeping of it exalts itself above Jesus and what He has done? If so, it might be time to walk away from it…

Spreading the news - by Christo Jovner

 

The “grape vine”

Appart from the wise men that got a hint of Jesus’ birth by a star sign, God decided to break the news - not to the religious elite, nor to the rulers of the day, but angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds who lived out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. They were told that Jesus - the Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, was born in Bethlehem, and the sign for them will be that he is wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (Luk 2:11-12) - a fulfilled promise from Isa 9:6.

Most of the time, a true story goes through the “grapevine” faster and more accurate, than through the news headlines…. And this is exactly what happened after the shepherds saw Jesus - “they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child” according to Luk 2:17. 

Still today, God is using the “grapevine” - He uses me and you - to spread the good news of Jesus Christ as the Saviour - who brought “peace on earth and goodwill towards men” (Luk 2:14).

May the Holy Spirit lead us in being bearers of the Good News of Jesus Christ in this Christmas season!

The gift promise - by Christo Jovner

 

This season is known for giving - giving of presents to loved ones, to less fortunate ones, even to ones that don't need it... 

The giver doesn't (normally) give based on terms or merits, but rather based on love. 

When the wise men gave gifts to Jesus, as promised in Isaiah 60:6  -  gold, frankincense and myrrh (The fulfilled promise - Matt 2:11) - it was not based on what Jesus did, because he was an infant totally dependent on his mother. The gave prophetically, because they know he was the king of the Jews. 

When we buy gifts this season, let us remember those who gave us the ultimate gift, Jesus and God the Father, who loves us! Like the prophetic action of the wise men Jesus did not gave us a gift based on what we did, but rather based on who he is. Jesus gave us an extravagant gift - HIS LIFE -  not because we deserve it, but because He loves us!

Let us not focus on giving material things and dust collecting 'stuff', but rather let's give something of ourselves. A kind gesture, a service, a sacrifice of time and best of all love. 

The promise of Worship - by Christo Jovner

 

All nations will come to Your light!

When it was time for Jesus to be born, non-Jewish wise men, astrologers from the East, observed an unexplained phenomenon in the heavens, and it was somehow interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of the King of the Jews. They visited another non-Jew, Herod, the Roman king of the day, and asked him about the birth of this King of the Jews. Herod (and Jerusalem, i.e. the Jewish people - Matt 2:3), now troubled, gathered the chief priests and scribes of the Jews, and enquired of them if this was actually something that he needs to be aware of. It was only then that the news got to the Jews, and they indeed would expect the birth place of a Ruler to be in Bethlehem, as prophesied by Micah.  

What is fascinating about these dramatic scenes, was the fact that the wise men made the following remark: “For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Gentiles worshipping the King of another nation? Quite strange and unique… But, what we see here is the first mention that All nations will come to Your light!

When it was time for Jesus to be born, non-Jewish wise men, astrologers from the East, observed an unexplained phenomenon in the heavens, and it was somehow interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of the King of the Jews. They visited another non-Jew, Herod, the Roman king of the day, and asked him about the birth of this King of the Jews. Herod (and Jerusalem, i.e. the Jewish people - Matt 2:3), now troubled, gathered the chief priests and scribes of the Jews, and enquired of them if this was actually something that he needs to be aware of. It was only then that the news got to the Jews, and they indeed would expect the birth place of a Ruler to be in Bethlehem, as prophesied by Micah.  

What is fascinating about these dramatic scenes, was the fact that the wise men made the following remark: “For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Gentiles worshipping the King of another nation? Quite strange and unique… But, what we see here is the first mention that Jesus came to be worshiped, not only by the Jews, but the whole world. And that was the reason for Jesus’ coming to the earth - to make a way for salvation for all nations so that all nations can worship Him - a fulfilled promise from Isa 60:3 “All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance”  

A line in one of my favourite hymns is “I was made to praise you, I was made to worship at Your feet”. It links to one of David’s psalms, wherein he dedicate a whole psalm of praise to God - Ps 145:10 says “All He has made will give thanks to the Lord. Your loyal followers will praise you” This is all we can do when we realise what Jesus did for us! 

Let us come and worship at His feet in this season, because “it is good to sing praises to our God! Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate!” Ps 147:1 

Like Paul and Silas in the book of acts, worship can bring peace in the midst of bleak circumstances! Worship for the King of Kings can set supernatural actions in motion.

For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

We see how God fights a battle in 2 Cronicles 20:22. When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeateded. 

Containers that carry promises - by Christo Jovner

Lost in translation

“For with God nothing will be impossible” Luk 1:37 (NKJV) - these were the words of the angel Gabriel, who stand in the very presence of God, after he told Mary her relative Elizabeth, has conceived a child in her old age. It was the same angel Gabriel that appreared to Zacharias, Elizabeth’s husband, and told him that they would have a child and must call him John. Gabriel basically said to Mary that the words he spoken to Zacharias came true, so the words that he spoke to her - that she will have a baby, will certainly come true!

The words act as a container for the promises of God. 

Interestingly enough, the English word “nothing” translate in the greek word “rhema”, and rhema basically means “that which has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken” So, to re-word this sentence, it might read like this:  For with God, no spoken word by Him (nothing), will be impossible for Him! And this is a fulfilled promise from Jer 32:17, “Nothing is too hard for you!”

For us today, these words are still true - nothing is too hard for God - nothing is impossible for God - and especially the promises God has given you and spoken over you! Choose to be like Mary and take God on his spoken word  for your life and believe it will come true, for words are containers that carry God's promises.