December 1, 2023
I'm looking forward to being in the pulpit again this coming Lord's Day! Because of the way the calendar falls in 2023, I won't be taking any Sundays off around the Christmas or New Year's holidays, so we took both Sundays off around Thanksgiving. It was a joy to go down to my hometown of Baton Rouge the weekend before Thanksgiving and worship at South Baton Rouge Presbyterian (a church that was planted right when after I graduated from LSU in 1998), and then this past Sunday to worship with the saints at Brandon Presbyterian in the morning and Steen's Creek Presbyterian in the evening ("Steen's Creek" is the new name of the Florence church plant - Florence was called "Steen's Creek" before it was called Florence!). God is at work among His people across our state and region, not to mention our country and world. Let's keep praying for the progress of the gospel in the hearts of men and women, boys and girls - which reminds me, we're gathering this Sunday evening at 5:00, before evening worship, for our missions prayer meeting, and we'd love to have you join us!
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For the next four Sundays, we will be thinking about how God intends us to use the truth of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When I was beginning to study God's word in earnest in high school and college, I often had to deal with friends and family members who thought that doctrine was useless for anything but to cause conflict, that theology only puffed up and divided. But the more I studied, the more I realized that doctrine is for life! And the doctrine of Jesus' coming into this world, taking a human body and soul, to live a fully human life without ceasing to be fully God, has all sort of applications and implications for you and me as we live in this present evil age. We'll be thinking about ministry, about relationships, about money, and about trials and temptations. The fact that Jesus became (and still is!) a man is not a dry and dusty piece of trivia to remember in December only, but a transforming truth for us every day of our lives. I pray you will see marvelous things from God's word in the coming weeks!
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As we come to the Lord's table this Sunday, we remember that Jesus became a man in order to suffer and die. One of my favorite 19th century Southern Presbyterian authors, William Swan Plumer, wrote a book about the gospel of Jesus entitled The Grace of Christ. In chapter 21 he meditates upon the work of Jesus and its benefits for us. As you prepare to come to the table, read these sentences slowly and reflect on your Savior's great love for you!
“Our Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate, was made under the law, lived, acted, obeyed, suffered died and rose again for his people.
He came down to earth that they might go up to heaven.
He suffered that they might reign.
He became a servant that they might become kings and priests unto God.
He died that they might live.
He bore the cross that their enmity might be slain, and their sins expiated.
He loved them that they might love God.
He was rich and became poor that they, who were poor, might be made rich.
He descended into the lower parts of the earth that they might sit in heavenly places.
He emptied himself that they might be filled with all the fullness of God.
He took upon him human nature that they might be partakers of the divine nature.
He made flesh his dwelling place that they might be a habitation of God through the Spirit.
He made himself of no reputation, that they might wear his new name, and be counted an eternal excellency.
He became a worm, and no man, that they, who were sinful worms, might be made equal to the angels.
He bore the curse of a broken covenant that they might partake of all the blessings of the everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.
Though heir of all things, he was willingly despised of the people, that they, who were justly condemned, might obtain an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
His death was a satisfaction to divine justice, a ransom for many, a propitiation for sin, a sweet smelling savor to God, that we, who were an offense to God, might become his sons and daughters.
He was made sin for his people that they might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Though Lord of all He took the form of a servant, that they, who were the servants of sin, might prevail like princes with God.
He, who had made swaddling-clothes bands for the sea, was wrapped in swaddling-clothes that they, who were cast out in their blood, might be clothed in linen white and clean, which is the righteousness of the saints.
He had not where to lay His head that they who otherwise must have laid down in eternal sorrow, might read the mansions in His Father’s house.
He was beset with lions and bulls of Bashan, that his chosen might be compassed about with an innumerable company of angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect.
He drank the cup of God’s indignation that they might for ever drink of the river of His pleasures.
He hungered that they might eat the bread of life.
He thirsted that they might drink the water of life.
He was numbered with the transgressors that they might stand among the justified, and be counted among the jewels.
He made His grave with the wicked that they might sleep in Jesus.
Though He was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, yet He became a helpless infant, that creatures of yesterday, sentenced to death, might live for ever.
He wore a crown of thorns that all, who love His appearing, might wear a crown of life.
He wept tears of anguish that His elect might weep tears of repentance not to be repented of.
He bore the yoke of obedience unto death that they might find His yoke easy and His burden light.
He poured out His soul unto death, lay three days in the heart of the earth, then burst the bars of death, and arose to God, that they, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, might obtain the victory over the grave and become partakers of His resurrection.
He exhausted the penalty of the law that His redeemed might have access to the inexhaustible treasures of mercy, wisdom, faithfulness, truth and grace promised by the Lord.
He passed from humiliation to humiliation, till He reached the sepulcher of Joseph, that His people might be changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord.
He was matchless in grace that they might be matchless in gratitude.
Though a Son, He became a voluntary exile, that they, who had wickedly wandered afar off, might be brought nigh by His blood.
He was compassed about with all their innocent infirmities that He might perfect His strength in their weakness.
His visage was so marred more than any man, that His ransomed might be presented before God without spot, or blemish, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
For a time He was forsaken of His Father that they, whom He bought with His blood, might behold the light of God’s countenance forever.
He came and dwelt with them that they might be forever with the Lord.
He was hung up naked before His insulting foes that all, who believe on His name, might wear a glorious wedding garment, a spotless righteousness.
Though He was dead, He is the firstborn among many brethren.
Through His sorrow His people obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing flee away.
Though He endured the worst things, they do and shall forever enjoy the best things
Wonderful mystery! God was manifested in the flesh! Here is no absurdity, no contradiction, no fiction, and yet a mystery that baffles all attempts to solve it, and dazzles all human and angelic vision. Blessed is he, who is not offended in Jesus. Blessed is he, who loves the incarnate mystery, and rests upon it. It is a mystery of love, of power, of salvation. It is the mystery of Godliness. It is the great study of the inhabitants of heaven, and shall be while immortality endures.”
