Christmas – the Beginning of the End

Pastor Pete Beck III • December 20, 2018

Good planning begins with the desired end in mind. How we begin can often largely determine how we end. If we do not do the things up front that are necessary to achieve our desired goals, there may be disappointment at the end, when our hope does not materialize. If we skip steps, we will sabotage our success.God, the Creator, Mastermind, and Planner of the universe and all it contains, has always had his desired end in mind.

To him there is no limitation of time. He sees the end of matter before it ever begins. He never skips steps. He will always achieve his desired outcome. He is God, which the great King Nebuchadnezzar discovered for himself.

After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. 35  All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’ Daniel 4:34-35 (NLT)

There is a huge difference between the means to an end and the actual end of a matter.

A kernel of corn is the means to the end of a corn plant, which is the reproduction of hundreds of corn kernels. A baby is a means to an end, which is an adult and all that he or she will ultimately accomplish and pass on to others reproductively and otherwise. The means by which God chose to establish his eternal kingdom and dominion over planet earth was surprisingly (to us) hidden and subtle. A baby was born to poor parents, who were part of an oppressed and despised people group, under difficult circumstances. Who would have guessed that what began so small would eventually conclude so gloriously?

God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31  so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:28-31 (ESV)

The Word Became Flesh

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)

Christmas is our way of memorializing and remembering that God chose to become a human. The world, those who do not know or serve Jesus, chooses to focus on the secular side of things – Santa Claus, making merry, consumerism, and general good will.

Most people are very uncomfortable with the idea that the eternal Logos became an actual human being. They regard this as being of the same mythological category as Santa and the elves, a “fairy tale”. But without the Incarnation, there could be no Christmas, no Easter, no forgiveness, no Christianity, and no grand and glorious conclusion to God’s plan. In fact, there would be no plan at all. Everything would be chaos, which is obviously not the case.

The message of Christmas, when viewed through the lens of the Resurrection, is that God chose to become a man in order to take the punishment due to man because of his sinful rejection of God in order to restore those who would accept the offer to be reconciled to a right relationship with God. The good news, which begins with Christ’s birth, is that the baby grew up and actually took upon himself our sins and our rightful punishment as the Lamb of God.

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice whose blood purchased our forgiveness! But even this was not the end: the cross and resurrection were still part of God’s means to an end that is yet to come.

God’s End

“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26   men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27   “ Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. 28   “ But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28 (NASB)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he was declared and established as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He now sits at the right hand of his heavenly Father’s throne, waiting for the Father’s signal that it is his time to return to planet earth to fully claim his kingdom and rule the nations with a rod of iron. (Revelation 2:27) He will come again in glory to conquer his enemies, raise the dead, and judge every human being who ever lived, assigning them to their eternal destinies. Afterward those who opted to put their trust in Jesus during this life will co-rule with him over a new heaven and earth.

This is God’s end, toward which Christ’s birth pointed.

Preaching the Gospel with the End in Mind

And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7  “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.” Revelation 14:6-7 (NLT)

If we accept this biblical truth, we are confronted by our responsibility to tell others about this amazing news called the Gospel. But how should the Gospel be preached? Should it be limited to a prelude to an altar call for those who want to have their sins forgiven and their entrance to heaven guaranteed, or should it include a call to complete surrender and devotion to this Lord of Lords who will ultimately return and gloriously reign on planet earth? I believe the answer is obvious.

Unless our hearts understand that Jesus is the ultimate arbiter of divine judgment and justice, we may never gain the proper perspective of our responsibility to live as his loving, devoted, and appreciative servants. We may never feel the urgency to repent from our self-directed lifestyle in order to live from now on in the fear the Lord and in such a way that will bring him glory and honor. We may fail to see that our greatest duty is to live as worshipers of God, who are devoted to Christ’s service, which is to love God, love people, and make disciples.

And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15  And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16   But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you…   Acts 26:14-16 (ESV)

As we observe another Christmas season, let us use our time to surrender to Christ, perhaps at long last or, if necessary, to rededicate ourselves to loving and serving our glorious Lord. May our words, thoughts, and deeds, our very lives, always bring glory and honor to his name. May his glorious Gospel be proclaimed throughout the earth by his devoted and willing servants. Amen.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you came as a small baby so long ago, but now you sit in heaven as Lord and King, waiting to come again to firmly establish your rule on planet earth. Forgive me for living as if this will never happen. Forgive me for pursuing my own agenda instead of yours. I surrender myself to your glorious purposes. Use me in a way that will bring glory to your name. I am yours to command. I worship and give you praise. Amen.

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How Can I Transition from Spectating at Church to Being a Player?

By Pete Beck III • December 3, 2024
Christianity is not a spectator sport. The Reformation renewed some very important truths of the faith that had been lost over time, one of which is the priesthood of the believer . This doctrine means that in the New Covenant there is no clergy-laity distinction. Everyone is called to ministry. All followers of Christ are called, equipped, and expected to partner with the Holy Spirit in the adventure of using their spiritual gifts, time, energy, finances – everything – to fish for people and encourage them to become followers of Christ and fishers of men in their own right. Every football and basketball season an interesting phenomenon takes place. People personally identify with their favorite teams. When their team is doing well, they feel good about themselves and become enthusiastic, vocal, and visible fans. What is so intriguing is that many of us think that we somehow acquire greater worth and prestige, if our team excels and does better than the other teams. It is almost as if we were the ones who are competing. All big sporting events are filled with such fans who get satisfaction out of watching others play the game. So it is with many people who attend churches. We all know that playing and spectating are vastly different. When we spectate, we can imagine ourselves making better decisions and better plays than the players on the court or the field, but the reality is that we are not playing. Jesus has invited his followers actually to participate in the greatest adventure of being his Spirit-filled and empowered representatives. Unfortunately most of us who call ourselves Christians are merely spectating fans. We may agree with the concept of being involved in the Great Commission, but we have fallen into the trap of being passive, sitting on the sidelines, hoping that someone else will lead our family member, neighbor, or friend to Christ and teach them how to follow him fully. Many Christians think that evangelism is inviting someone to church, where they will hear the preacher talk about Christ. We do not see ourselves as the one who can best share the gospel with them. However, the truth of the matter is that we cannot transfer our responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission to someone else. God does not give us the option of merely being fans or spectators. God asks us to be players – disciples and disciple makers. Not everyone is equally gifted in this area, but we are all asked to participate. Some may win thousands to Christ, while others may help only a few become followers of the Master over a lifetime. Sadly, a great number of those who call themselves Christians have never led even one person to faith in Christ. In some cases they have given up trying. This ought not be. Could this be because we do not even talk about Jesus in a serious way with anyone outside of church meetings? Suggestions Ask God to forgive us for succumbing to laziness, fear, and the spirit of the age that tells us to keep our faith to ourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir in us the fire of enthusiasm for Jesus and the Gospel. Ask him to give us a love for those who live around you who do not yet know Christ. Familiarize ourselves with the Gospel. (I recommend The King Jesus Gospel by McKnight. You can read my summary by clicking here or you may wish to read my articles on the subject .) Pray for opportunities to speak meaningfully to people. Make it a priority to get to know the people in your neighborhood, at work, at the gym, at school, and wherever you have the opportunity to connect. As we spend time in conversation, we will begin to see how Jesus and the Gospel can help them. Our care for them may give us a platform from which to speak about Jesus to them. Visit people and have them over to our homes. The more time we spend with people, the greater the opportunity we provide for the Holy Spirit to work in the relationships. Offer to pray for people on the spot when a genuine need for God’s help surfaces. Join a group (or start one) whose focus is fishing for people and making disciples. In many cases this will be what some call a “missional” church, as opposed to an event-oriented spectator church. We need to be encouraged in the work of the Great Commission because, although it is rewarding, it can be difficult and discouraging at times. Never, never, never, never give up. Our heavenly reward will be great!
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