Tag: gospel

  • Christmas Carol – Saved but not by a trio of ghosts

    On this day in 1843, Charles Dickens’ now classic “A Christmas Carol was first published.  Our image today shows the cover of that edition. It was incredibly popular and sold out by Christmas. By the end of 1844, 14 editions had been published, each selling out.

    The story was so popular that in 1849, he began public readings of A Christmas Carol, which proved so successful that he undertook 127 further performances until he died in 1870.

    While set at Christmas time, the novella was meant as a social commentary on the world of Victorian London. He couldn’t have known that it would still be a widespread influence 182 years later.

    There have been 80-100 English-language movies or television shows that are based on or adapted from this story. No official count is kept. Still, some industry officials say it is likely the most used script in the business.

    While not overtly Christian in any form, it is filled with Christian themes of love, generosity, and redemption. There is a worldly sense in which Scrooge was saved by the ghosts. Those were messages that needed to be heard in Victorian England just as much as now.

    All of us were self-centered versions of Ebenezer Scrooge before we became believers. Our sin may have been different than His, but we still were stuck in a place we couldn’t get free of.

    Our salvation didn’t come in the form of the ghost of a dead partner, followed by the ghosts of Christmas, Past, Present, and Yet To Come.

    We need more than the ghosts of a Christmas Carol. We need Jesus.

    Our call to the cross didn’t come from fictional ghosts, but from the Holy Spirit pursuing us. Our deliverance came in the form of God made flesh and dying for our sins. It was a gift of grace and mercy.

    For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

    That gift was given out of love.

    Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 4:1-2

    For believers, our lives to come will be ones of celebration and peace.  Even in our struggles in the meantime, He walks with us. Non-believers will realize that Jacob Marley got off easily, compared to eternal separation from God.

    Praise God for His love gift.

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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  • Who were the heavenly host on the first Christmas

    Recently, at our community group, we were discussing the  Advent story in Luke 2, in particular the angelic appearance to the shepherds out in the field near Bethlehem.

    And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  Luke 2:8-15

    Who or what was this heavenly host that appeared with the angel? They are the army of God.

    One source says this, “The heavenly hosts are angels who dwell in the presence of God. The heavenly host is described as a multitude or army of angels serving God, though the term can also include fallen angels, as seen in 1 Kings 22:19–22. The heavenly host appears at the announcement of Jesus’ birth, where a multitude of angels praise God (Luke 2:13 14). Believers are promised that they will one day dwell with these heavenly hosts in God’s kingdom (Hebrews 12:22–24)…”

    As a group, we chatted about what that scene might have looked like and considered some Old Testament passages.

    Were the hosts dressed as a conventional army of the day? Were they garbed in light? Did they wear anything at all? Were they like the strange beings seen in Ezekiel’s Vision or some of the parts of Revelation? Did they have wings?

    It was pure speculation, because the Bible doesn’t tell us. In at least one passage, a member of the host looked human.

    When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15

    Whatever they look like, just as they announced the first coming of Jesus, they will accompany Him on His return.

    And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. Revelation 19:14

    The host of Heaven announced His return, and they are returning with the Lord as a conquering army. Are you ready?

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

    Also a Christmas theme

    Christmas Carol – Saved but not by a trio of ghosts

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