NUMBER TWELVE, 2018
A TINY GIFT...WONDERFULLY WRAPPED, SILENTLY DELIVERED charles r. swindoll
WHY IS THE VIRGIN BIRTH IMPORTANT? steve johnson
RESTORATION steve johnson + more
In this issue 3
A Tiny Gift...Wonderfully Wrapped, Silently Delivered
charles r. swindoll
6 A Hodgepodge of Goings On and Doings steve johnson 8
Why is the Virgin Birth Important?
11
When God’s Plans Are Not Our Plans
steve johnson
tanya kieneker
Coming to Terms 12 Restoration
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 15 Believers’ Greatest Hope
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 35 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2018 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
by charles r. swindoll
Cover and artilce Images: Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash
Since the first Christmas celebration, one use of the Greek language, an excellent word has crossed everyone’s lips more than teacher and communicator both on his any other this time of year. It isn’t the word feet as well as on parchment. He was the most prolific writer of the New Testament, carol or tree or food. It’s gift. Gifts are so inseparably linked with and apart from Jesus Christ, perhaps the Christmas that we can hardly think of greatest theological mind that has existed. one without the other. If you listen to Yet, Paul’s pen paused when he came to conversations in stores this month, I’m sure this simple four letter word, “gift,” and you’ll hear gift mentioned several times. We after giving it careful thought, he wrote, all have lists of gifts we hope to buy—and it’s “indescribable.” As he dipped into the treasure of his some of us have lists of gifts we hope to knowledge, he could receive. I remember one Linking the two natures not find any word existof my children every year would present me together in one personality, ing in his day that could with a carefully printed housed in one unique body, describe God’s gift. No descriptive synonym Christmas list. It even the God-man Jesus was for the person of Jesus included optional gifts born. No less deity, no less wrapped in swaddling I could choose to give if I wanted to and always humanity, in one person, in clothes and given to us at Christmastime fit those essential gifts one body, forever. the bill. Paul was sudthat were not optional— denly and completely at a loss. What word the must-have gifts! With all the giving and receiving that should he use? The King James Bible says, “Thanks happens at Christmastime, it seems right that we pause to think about God’s gift to be unto God for his unspeakable gift!” us...His Son. Jesus was the one-of-a-kind, Kenneth Wuest, in his expanded translation, original must-have gift that God intended writes: “Thanks be to God for His ineffable gift.” The English Standard Version reads, for every person on earth. Reflecting on God’s generosity in giving “His inexpressible gift!” The New Living His Son, the Apostle Paul penned my Translation, “This gift too wonderful for favorite Christmas verse. I always love words!” The Amplified Classic Edition, “His Gift, [precious] beyond telling!” seeing it on Christmas cards: Why is God’s gift indescribable, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable unspeakable, ineffable, inexpressible, gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15 NASB) It doesn’t fit in what we usually call the too wonderful for words, and precious “Christmas Narrative,” but it’s my favourite beyond telling? One simple reason: Jesus because it communicates a true sense of was so much more than a tiny baby lying in a manger! As we gaze closer and think awe found in the Baby in the manger. Paul was a brilliant man with a broad deeper, we see Jesus wrapped in more than vocabulary. He was competent in his swaddling clothes...much more!
First, Jesus was wrapped in prophecy. undiminished deity clothed in perfect Read Isaiah’s astounding prophecy of Jesus humanity. Linking the two natures together as mighty God and eternal King centuries in one personality, housed in one unique body, the God-man Jesus was born. No less before Jesus was born. deity, no less humanity, in one person, in For a child is born to us, one body, forever. a son is given to us. That’s awe-inspiring mystery! No The government will rest on his shoulders. wonder hosts of angels declared in unison, And he will be called: “Glory to God in highest heaven” (Luke Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 2:14)! What words fail to describe only Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. worship can express. His government and its peace This is why the Christmas story must be will never end. (Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT) Second, Jesus was wrapped in history. repeated in God’s words time after time after Sovereign over time, God wove the events time, year after year! That’s the only way of history so that they dovetailed perfectly, people will hear the truth...and believe it. So, as you celebrate Christmas this at just the right time, with prophecy. But when the right time came, God sent season, sing the carols, enjoy the food, and his Son, born of a woman, subject to the exchange the gifts. But don’t let the season law. God sent him to buy freedom for us pass without remembering the prophecy, who were slaves to the law, so that he the history, and the mystery that surrounds could adopt us as his very own children. the original, must-have, indescribable Gift: that tiny baby wonderfully wrapped, (Galatians 4:4–5) Third, and most significantly in this silently delivered...eternally adored. context, Jesus was wrapped in mystery. True “awe” resides in the mystery of Jesus’ Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher nature. Even in this tiny baby, we find of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas.
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A HODGEPODGE OF GOINGS ON AND DOINGS by steve johnson
Image: Roman Kraft on Unsplash
I remember as a boy one Christmas asking for a BB gun. I could relate to Ralphie from the hit movie, A Christmas Story. In fact, we were so identical we could have been twins! My mother was against me having a BB gun because she was afraid that—you guessed it—I would put my eye out with that thing! The scene in my house that Christmas morning was virtually identical to the scene from the movie. Like little Ralphie, after tearing through all my gifts I languished in waves of disappointment. Then my dad pointed out one more treasure hidden behind the tree. It turned out to be my dream come true: a model 1894 Winchester BB gun. Christmas disappointment didn’t last that year.
What do you expect from Christmas? I don’t mean what presents do you expect, but what do you expect from the whole experience we have come to call Christmas? It is a whole experience because it is no longer just a single event. It has become a season, a hodgepodge of “goings on and doings” as one woman I knew would put it. Back to the question, “What do you expect from Christmas?” More pointedly, do you expect all the goings on and doings to give you true and lasting joy? Inner peace? A sense of bonhomie toward all men? I ask because I believe we bring expectations to every Christmas season. We expect fulfilment of an unstated promise to ourselves that the goings on and doings surrounding the celebration of the birth of
Christ will satisfy our deep needs. But the one in Jerusalem” (Matthew 2:3). Herod was nature of these needs is such that Christ- not expecting to hear of a new king being mas, even with all it has to offer, inevitably born. When he did, he perceived it as a threat to his earthly throne. As for Jerusafails to live up to the hype. Misplaced expectations surrounding lem, the people weren’t expecting another the birth of Christ are not new. By mentally King to be born either. All the expectations were misplaced, perreviewing the characters in that first Christmas drama, the case could be made for haps even misguided. Everyone at some point saying the only people whose expectations was looking at the goings on and doings seem to be met were Anna and Simeon. around the birth rather than at this One who Simeon had received a revelation about the was born. But the actual coming of Christ fulcoming Messiah from the Holy Spirit so he filled God’s promise to provide what humanwas expectant (Luke 2:26), and Anna lived ity needed as nothing and no one else could. Jesus Himself, and He at the temple “looking for the redemption of What do you expect from alone, in who He is and Israel” (Luke 2:38). Christmas? I don’t mean what He does, is the fulfilment. He is God’s E v e r y b o dy e l s e — what presents do you answer to humanity’s Joseph, Mary, the Shepexpect, but what do you deepest need. In Him, by herds, the Magi, Herod, Him, and through Him, and Jerusalem—was expect from the whole not expecting things to experience we have come is Life. Eventually all the Christmas story characbe the way they were. to call Christmas? ters except Herod and Joseph signed on expecting a normal engagement and marriage. Jerusalem recognized this about Jesus and, But everything changed when his fiancé in faith, refocused their expectations on Him. At Christmas we need this reminder again. announced she was pregnant. Mary got engaged to Joseph expecting a It’s not the pageants, bright lights, concerts, normal life. But when the angel visited, her presents, or the myriad of other goings on expectations changed. Nothing from that and doings that we engage in this Christmas that will meet our deepest needs. It will only point on was what she expected. The lowly Shepherds clocked in for the be Jesus Himself. To expect anything other night shift, never expecting to hear angelic than Him to satisfy us is to invite disappointmessengers or visit a baby born in a stable ment. And disappointment won’t disapand lying in a manger. Jesus’ arrival com- point us—it will show up. So, by all means let’s enjoy our Christmas pletely altered their lives and they went activities. But let’s check our expectations, home rejoicing. The Magi trekked from a distance expect- even now. Where are we placing them? ing to find a king surrounded by palatial Let’s use the goings on and doings as signs surroundings. When they showed up at pointing to the real Gift who alone can truly the palace, Jesus wasn’t there. Instead they satisfy our needs. He won’t disappoint us found Him in the house of a carpenter in a this Christmas. little village. Scripture tells us “King Herod was deeply Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for disturbed when he heard this, as was every- Living Canada.
by steve johnson
T
he doctrine of the virgin birth, or perhaps more accurately the virgin conception, is important for many reasons. On it hang the doctrines of original sin, the inspiration of Scripture, who Jesus was, and what Jesus did through salvation. Deny the virgin birth and you deny these other doctrines as well. Scripture describes the event for us. In response to Mary’s question, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34), Gabriel says “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you...” (Luke 1:35). Matthew 1:20 says "…For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” From these passages, it’s clear Jesus’ birth was the result of the Holy Spirit working within Mary’s body. The immaterial (the Holy Spirit) and the material (Mary’s womb) were both involved. Mary of course could not impregnate herself, and was simply a vessel. Only God could perform the miracle of the Incarnation. We should also
note that the virgin birth displays the triunity of God. The Spirit gives conception to Mary, carrying out the Father’s plan of the virgin birth of the Son. However, denying a physical connection between Mary and Jesus would imply Jesus was not truly human. Scripture teaches that Jesus was fully human, with a physical body. This He received from Mary. At the same time Jesus was fully God with an eternal, sinless nature (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14-17). Romans 5 indicates the sin nature is passed down from generation to generation through the father. But Jesus was not born in sin, He had no sin nature (Hebrews 7:26). He was the Holy One of God since He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Because He was the Son of God, He partook of the divine nature. The virgin birth circumvented the transmission of the sin nature and allowed the eternal God to become a perfect man. He never sinned, which qualified Him to be
Centuries before Christ, when the Hebrew a righteous substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. Christ was fully man—therefore Old Testament was translated into Greek able to die—and fully God, so His death is by Jewish rabbis (70 of them according to of infinite worth and applicable to any and tradition), the Greek word they chose to render almah was parthenos, which means all who believe. The virgin birth is also important because a literal virgin. Centuries before there was any Christian agenda it affirms the inspiration and authority The virgin birth circumvented around to influence the story, the expecof Scripture. If we the transmission of the sin tation among the deny the teaching nature and allowed the Greek-speaking Jews and say it’s a myth, (at a minimum) was then we undermine eternal God to become a the rest of the Bible. perfect man. He never sinned, that a virgin would conceive and bear Isaiah 7:14 says, “All which qualified Him to be a son. This is how right then, the Lord a righteous substitutionary Matthew understood himself will give you Isaiah’s words. the sign. Look! The sacrifice for sinners. Finally, the virgin virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will birth is important because it shows us call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is that salvation must be from God. It shows with us’).” The word "virgin" is the Hebrew we have no part in undoing the sin curse. word almah, which is translated as virgin or Only He can save us. Humanity couldn’t produce its own redeemer—salvation young woman. Those who deny the inspiration of Scrip- came from outside us. Salvation is superture say this word should be translated as natural and from the Lord. "young woman," and the disciple Matthew was reading into the word to suit his agenda Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada. (Matthew 1:23).
On The Air Did you know Insight for Living airs on radio stations across the country every day? To find the program on your local station visit insightforliving.ca/find-station
by tanya kieneker
W
Image: Northfolk on Unsplash
hen I was finishing university on his chipmunk cheeks and dark features, I had my whole life planned. I knew this was the child God had planned And for a while, things went for us to love and parent. Seeing his birth mother’s despair and grief as she placed more or less how I thought they should. But when my husband and I started try- him in my arms was one of the hardest ing for a second child, everything turned moments of my life. And yet I was filled upside down. Our daughter had been born with joy knowing that God had brought us without complication—why should it be through our own pain to a place of peace. Looking back, I realize instead of any different this time? Two-and-a-half years and four miscar- trusting God with my life, I was trying to plan and orchestrate riages later, I was filled with anger, confusion, Night after night I poured it all myself. He, in fact, had something and questions. out my heart to God. far more beautiful Night after night I Hadn’t this been what in mind for me. Not poured out my heart to Hannah did and her easier, but something God. Hadn’t this been what Hannah did and her prayers were answered? that allowed me to be used by Him and to prayers were answered? Wasn’t God listening? grow deeper. Wasn’t God listening? I Those verses in Psalm 20 have taken on clung to the verses in Psalm 20:4-5, “May He grant your heart’s desires and make all your a whole new meaning. The desire of my plans succeed. May we shout for joy when heart is that my plans will be God’s plans. we hear of your victory and raise a victory The road might be bumpy, but I will know banner in the name of our God. May the that He is leading and directing. Lord answer all your prayers.” Tanya Kieneker worked as the media and marketing Exactly nine months after our final mismanager at Insight for Living Canada. carriage, Jaydon Daniel was born. We met him 15 hours later. The moment I laid eyes
RESTORATION
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Restoration takes many forms God’s plan is Restoration Restoration of all things By Steve Johnson
Photo by Jonas Kaiser on Unsplash
Terms in the Bible are specialized words of particular significance. In Coming to Terms we explore the significance of these terms to deepen our understanding of biblical truth through a question and answer format.
Unpacking the term
Unlike the regular dictionary meaning of “restoration,” which is to return something back to its original condition, the term in Scripture, at times, has the greater connotation of receiving back more than has been lost so that the final state is greater than the original condition. Restoration takes many forms in the Bible, all of which can only be fully understood in the context of humanity’s fall into sin and sin’s presence in the world. Man’s disobedience then (and since then) results in a destructive fallout on multiple levels. When Adam sinned, he broke or distorted every relationship—to God, himself, others, and to creation. What does God plan to do about what man ruined? God’s plan is restoration. The centrepiece of God’s restoration plan and promises is Jesus Christ. And the Bible is the story of the outworking of that plan and those promises in history. When did God begin to work toward restoration? As soon as man sinned, God
began the restoration process by pledging to destroy Satan and sin. “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Based on that verse, what was the initial promise in God’s plan of restoration? God promised the offspring of the woman would be the one who would crush the serpent and, by implication, sin. Humanity’s harmonious fellowship with God was broken when Adam sinned, resulting in hostility and fear toward God and hiding from Him. What did God do to restore their relationship? He provided atonement by sacrificing animals and giving their skins to cover the couple. Then they could fellowship with God unafraid and unashamed again. In this, God foreshadowed atonement through shed blood as part of His restoration plan. God gave man dominion over creation but Adam relinquished it because of sin. How will that be restored? It is restored in
Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is Lord and reigns over heaven and earth, and one day we will reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). How was the creation affected by humanity’s sin? Creation was subjected to a curse by God under which it would experience death and decay (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20). What is God’s plan regarding creation? God’s plan is to restore and recycle creation. “...On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness” (2 Peter 3:12-13). God made humanity in His image. But sin marred that too. Sin pervades every aspect of man’s being—mind, will, and emotions. Its pervasive presence is manifest in his posterity to this day. How has God planned to restore the image of God in man, marred by sin? The image of God is restored by a new spiritual birth and through transforming individuals into the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:49). The Son took on human flesh and is thus the very image of God. By faith, and through God bringing us into union with Christ, we as Christians are being conformed to His image, thus fulfilling the original design of God’s creation.
This conforming to Christ's image takes place in our lifetime. Right now, we are in the already-but-not-yet period when redemption has come in Christ but is not complete. Through the power of God’s indwelling Spirit, we participate in God’s restoration of all things by gradually becoming more and more like Jesus. It is our responsibility to co-operate with the Spirit and put off those things that belong to the old creation (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 2:11). When will complete restoration of all things occur? Complete restoration of all things, including God's image in us, must wait until Christ’s promised return. “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2). At that time God will give us bodies that will “be like the heavenly man” Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:49). And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. (2 Peter 3:14)
Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
Believers’ Greatest Hope
“There is nothing, I mean NOTHING, like good theology to take away your fears.” - CHUCK SWINDOLL Living without hope is like sailing on the open ocean with no wind. It’s hard to get going with nothing driving us toward our destination. Thankfully, as believers we have a hope that does not leave us adrift: God’s errorfree, inspired Word. As we face an increasingly hostile world, not to mention the normal trials of life, there is nothing we need more than hope. And not the kind of false optimism that clings to comfort and material ease, but hope that transcends our earthly limitations and leads us through death’s door to resurrection! Every new year, many of us hang a new calendar on the wall with no marks except for special holidays pre-printed for convenience. The remaining white space is left to be filled with events that have not yet occurred. The same is true of the future—we do not know what tomorrow holds. Yet the
Word of God encourages us to face that uncertainty with a hope-filled confidence in God’s preordained plan. We call that walking by faith and not sight. The twin ingredient of faith is hope. And that’s no truer than in Paul’s words about the future found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Though the word “rapture” never occurs in the Bible, it comes from the phrase in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 translated as “caught up.” And though the rapture hasn’t occurred yet, Paul made clear this significant event could happen at any moment. Think about how your hope in the rapture can affect your daily life. Look over the verses from 1 Thessalonians 4 to help you frame your response. If you have a journal, consider writing these ideas down. Say or write a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the hope in the rapture.
“Believers’ Greatest Hope” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series The Greatest Words. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.