Volume 15 Issue 12 - December 2000 CHRISTMAS SERMON "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14) Tis the season not just to be jolly again, but to remember, celebrate, and honor the birth of our Savior, Christ the Lord. For it was in the fullness of time, determined by the foreknowledge of the Almighty that God sent forth His greatest and most treasured Gift into the world, His Son, Jesus. Yes! He sent Emmanuel, (God with us) born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4,5). Yes! In just the right time and in the right setting, God’s Providential hand burst forth on the stage of human history to unveil and make visible that which had been hidden in times past. The term "in the fullness of time" recorded in Galatians that reveals the incarnation of Christ carries with it immense revelation and significance to us today. Just as a master jeweler always highlights his most precious jewel on a black backdrop, so our Lord used the darkened condition of the world at that time as a backdrop to birth, "the true Light which giveth light to every man coming into the world." (John 1:9) The three-fold poisonous cord of humanism with its pursuit of pleasure, power, and pride had run its deadly course. The world was ripe for a Holy visitation. The grandeur of Greece with its pagan philosophies was already lying in ruins. The pantheon of Greek gods was in shambles. Their tarnished "glory" was in reality reduced from believability to the realm of myths. The "classical" Greek philosophers who first boasted "man is the measure of all things" is what gave rise to this delusional fairy tale of Greek Mythology in the first place. Thus Mount Olympus was nothing more than a mountain of confusion as pleasure-seeking humanism sought to make gods in man’s own perverted image. This of course, is a complete distortion that was and remains in direct opposition to the Biblical reality which teaches that God made man in His own image. This lie from the pit eventually bankrupted the entire Greek culture and made them a prey to the conquest of Rome. Little wonder, the Apostle Paul’s spirit was so stirred and provoked when he observed Athens with all its idolatry, superstition, and pursuit of wisdom apart from the Holy One in whom all wisdom and knowledge dwells. At the time of the birth of Christ, this was one shade of darkness that God utilized to make the "Unknown God" that the Greeks worshipped in ignorance known to their pagan hearts. From Greece, we now move to the second phase of darkness that covered the earth at the time of Christ’s birth, the bankrupt pursuit of humanistic power. Rome was the essence of military and political might in the ancient world. Fueled by humanism’s quest of raw power apart from the true and living God, Rome became an unstoppable juggernaut that conquered the known world. Though tolerant of other religions and customs of their day, they still left us a tyrannical legacy that afflicts us today. It is the notion that the "state is the measure of all things." The end result of this mentality was a police state that produced more slaves than freemen, not only in the lands of conquest, but in Rome itself. Thus Rome provided the first pagan notions of political diversity and multiculturalism under an oppressive state. It also introduced the bondage of the pagan notion of law and government which is known as positive law. This pagan concept is in direct opposition to God’s law which is negative in nature. Most of the Decalouge is formatted with, "Thou shalt not," which is designed to restrict and forbid evil practices. The blessing of adhering to God’s Law is whatever God does not forbid, man is free to pursue and partake. The brilliance of God’s law, though negative in nature, does produce unprecedented freedom for man. G K. Chesterton said it best, "Man will either submit himself to the Ten Commandments of God or he will be subject to the ten thousand commandments of men." One just has to go the Federal Government’s registry on the current "laws" that we are suppose to obey to realize the significance of that warning. The registry would literally tower over your head. Positive law places the state as the ultimate source of law, instead of God. It places citizens in a posture of asking the state for permission to do what God has already given to men as freedom. Regulations, licenses, policies, and new bills that are forever being touted as the solution to man’s problems are the results of Rome’s pagan introduction of positive law to government. It is oppressive and entirely contrary to Biblical Law and even our own Constitution. We must understand that our Constitution is negative in nature, not positive. It clearly delineates the proper role of the Federal Government and restricts it to that role alone, leaving all other governmental authority to the states and the people. Our Constitution reflects a Biblical not a pagan understanding of law and government. It was in the midst of this oppressive environment that declared with force and coercion that the "state is the measure of all things" that the true King of kings and Lord of lords came. From Rome, we now proceed to the darkened state of affairs in the religious world at the time of Christ’s birth. Though Israel was the center of true religion in the earth, it degenerated to a place where there was still a form of godliness, but the religious leaders had long denied its power thereof, trusting in the traditions of men. (1 Timothy 3:5) This unfortunate state of affairs in Israel provides the third shade of darkness that covered the earth. It is known as religious pride and the traditions of men that had replaced and polluted the true worship of Jehovah. It manifested the third deadly cord of humanism that was suffocating the planet. You see, Israel still had all the outward appearances of religiosity, but inwardly they were an empty shell with no substance. Religious form and traditions of men had replaced faith and the Commandments of God. In fact, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees by asking them, "Why do you also transgress the commandments of God because of your traditions?" Clearly, Jesus reserved His most biting criticism and His most angry denunciation for the hypocrisy that was running rampant throughout Israel. For an inside scoop concerning the corrupt state of Israel’s apostasy, study Matthew 23. On a side note here, as you study this passage, please take the time to compare the state of the American Church to what Jesus found in the religious system of His day. Are there any similarities that we need to take note of and repent? You be the judge! While gross darkness had covered the people and the world was languishing in this darkened state, there appeared a glimmering star that hovered over Bethlehem. It signaled the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies contained in the law and the prophets concerning the Messiah. Indeed, the long awaited Child was being born and the promised Son was being given whose coming inspired the heavenly chorus to sing and announce to humble shepherds in the fields, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Yes! Though long lay the world in sin and sorrow pining, now suddenly, He appeared and the human soul was starting to feel its worth. Yes! The Holy One of Israel upon whose shoulders the government will rest was coming forth with angelic splendor and His name according to the prophet Isaiah would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace...Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end...the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it (Isaiah 9:6,7). What is of interest to us today, is to whom this marvelous revelation was revealed and to whom it was withheld. Notice that the angels of the Lord did not appear to the religious leaders of Israel, nor to the pagan Greek philosophers with all their supposed "wisdom." Nor did they appear before Caesar in Rome to rebuke his misguided ego to abandon the counterfeit Emperor Worship Cult that produced the unholy alliance between pagan religion and the state. Not a peep was uttered to Caesar that he was dethroned, due to the fact that the original, true God/Man had finally come into the world. No! As Apostle Paul describes it, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of this world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of this world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are." (1 Corinthians 1:27,28) While the entire world’s eyes were focused on the epi-centers of failed humanism, whether it was in Greece which was consumed with anything novel, or upon Rome the pinnacle of political and military might, or on Israel who was blinded by their own self-righteousness and unable to see the righteousness of God personified in Christ, in an obscure little village called Bethlehem, the Lamb of God was born who would take away the sin of the world. The similarity of that day to ours is significant. Most of our nation’s eyes are transfixed upon Florida or on Washington DC, the epi-center of power in the USA. Little realizing that the God of Heaven is not impressed with all the legal wranglings that have consumed the minds of many concerning Election 2000. Though we are proned to think that history is made up of big names and great battles, the truth is, what fuels history is God’s commitment to His sovereign will for Planet Earth and His love for His redeemed. It is God’s love for the Seed of the Woman and His everlasting hostility toward the seed of the serpent that makes the world go ‘round (Genesis 3:15). It is utter foolishness to think that this election or any politician can solve the spiritual and moral rot that has darkened America as we have embraced the same three-fold cord of deadly humanism, pleasure, power, and pride. How can we expect any politician to stand for righteousness publicly while the salt of the Church is still in the shaker and our lights are under a bushel of buildings? Brethren, this holiday season, may God help us to reclaim the secret of America’s greatness and the answer to her reformation once again. It will not be found in George W. Bush and especially not in Al Gore. It will be found exactly where Alexis de Tocqueville found it, "I sought the for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution. 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." No matter what this wicked world tells you, Pastor, Christian leader, or Church of the living God, you are not what is wrong with America. You are what can be right with America, if we would inflame our pulpits with righteous, holy preaching and living once again. If we would give our lives to suppress the evil that is crumbling the righteous foundations upon which we stand. If we would promote, advocate, and cause to flourish virtue and God’s principles that blessed our nation beyond any other nation in the history of this world. Let us this holiday season commit to give this poor-fallen world and our God a birthday present that is worth giving; a commitment to bring about the transformation, reformation and the restoration of America that our nation so desperately needs. Though you can continue to pray for the election, take your eyes off the political landscape, for the Savior was not born in Washington DC, but in Bethlehem. May we realize that the hope for America does not reside in any political party, but in the Babe that was born in a stinking stable 2000 years ago and an obedient Church that performs His will in spite of the cost. Merry Christmas! The Power of the Sword "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97) Enclosed in this month’s newsletter is Elijah Ministries’ gift to you this Christmas, the 2001 Bible reading schedule. Special thanks to Flip Benham and Operation Save America for conceiving, copying, and distributing the schedules throughout our nation. My prayer is just like David of old, that we too will fall in love with God’s word/law and that we will take the time daily to meditate upon its precepts. Feel free to copy and distribute the schedule to your church, family, and friends. The following article is written by Sarah Zes, a young lady who does great honor to the Word of God by the life she leads and the works she performs on the behalf of her Lord and Savior. Like King David, who dedicated an entire Psalm as a tribute to the word of God in Psalm 119, so Sarah follows his example by paying homage as well. Enjoy! -----------------------------------------------------------
(Given at the Operation Save America 2000 National Event in St. Louis, Missouri on July 31st by Sarah Zes, age 22) IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas E-mail: elijahmin@ifriendly.com |