Forbidden Fruit (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil)

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Examination:

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’ ”
(Genesis 2:16-17) -ESV

Prosecution:

There exists four common objections to this specific Scripture:

1. If GOD is truly omnipresent (everywhere at all times) and omniscient (all-knowing), then why would GOD put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden if He knew Adam and Eve would sin while He was not around?
2. Even if GOD is truly omniscient and omnipresent, GOD cannot be truly omnibenevolent (all-good) because GOD didn’t care enough to prevent the serpent from tempting Adam and Eve and thus prevent them from falling into sin. If GOD is a good Father, He would protect His children, not banish them out of the garden for something He caused out from His own negligence.
3. Even if GOD is truly omnipresent, omniscient and omnibenevolent, GOD cannot be omnipotent (all-powerful) because GOD did not prevent the serpent from causing Adam and Eve to sin.
4. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and did not die as Scripture promised. That’s an obvious contradiction!

Cross-examination:

“The first to speak in court sounds right—until the cross-examination begins.”
(Proverbs 18:17) -NLT

Defense:

The skeptic is right to first call attention to the nature of GOD. For unless we understand who GOD is, we will never understand the reasoning behind anything in the Bible. Knowing that GOD’s thoughts and ways are far higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9), it is reasonable to expect that we will not understand everything. If your 3-pound, 15-centimeter brain could contain all knowledge about a god, then that god would be too small to be the real GOD. As it is, we don’t even possess all knowledge about the ocean within our own planet, much less the entire universe where our infinitesimal planet swirls about within our galaxy. So, do you truly expect to know everything about the one true GOD who created the entire universe? In the future, on the New Earth under the new heavens, when we meet Him face-to-face, I believe we will be given the wisdom to understand all that happened in the past; however, I do not believe we can presently know absolutely everything there is to know about GOD in this limited lifetime of learning during our process of sanctification. For this reason, it is written in 1Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

But with that said, GOD has given us information from revelation in the form of GOD’s Word to provide us with answers to difficult questions. Granted, the skeptics will not trust the information from the Bible unless the Bible can be shown to be reliable and accurate. The investigation will reveal that the Bible is actually not full of contradictions, only apparent contradictions that require explanations. But even when the Bible can be acknowledged as reliable and accurate, one still needs to know if the Bible should be taken literally. Only after coming to the conclusion that the Bible is not only reliable and accurate but that the Bible is also inspired by GOD, the revelation can be trusted and then understood with the help from the Holy Spirit who speaks Truth and reveals Truth (John 14:26; 15:26; 1Corinthians 2:10).

So, it is first important to understand who we are talking about – the Creator GOD and the Source of all that exists. Second, we need to understand what we are talking about – GOD’s perfect plan! GOD has not chosen to reveal every detail of His plan to us all at once (Exodus 6:2-3; Matthew 24:36; 25:13; Mark 4:41; John 16:12; Acts 1:7; 1Corinthians 13:12). We can only know what He chooses to reveal. And, since we are part of that plan, we are responsible to it, even if we do not fully understand it or agree with it at times. However, there are some things GOD has revealed to us:

1. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not a bad tree. Everything that GOD made – including the tree – was “good” (Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25). In fact, after creating Adam and Eve, creation was declared to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The origin of sin in this story came from the serpent, Adam, and Eve; the tree did not sin; the tree was good for the specific purpose for which it had been created.
   
2. Adam and Eve had every reason to trust GOD. The Creator did a good job creating them, and He placed them in a beautiful location where they had everything they needed. GOD was trustworthy, but Adam and Eve chose not to trust GOD.
3. Adam and Eve were created with freedom in mind. GOD places high value on our choice to obey Him, and He created Adam and Eve with freedom so that obedience would be possible. Life without freedom is not really life at all. GOD wisely gave them freedom, but Adam and Eve abused that freedom.
4. Adam and Eve were not ignorant of GOD’s boundaries. Just as wise teachers test their students on what they’ve learned and parents test their children with new responsibilities, GOD tested Adam and Eve in their obedience. However, GOD didn’t test them on what they didn’t know. They knew which tree was off limits, and they knew the consequences if they ate from it. The rules were plain, but they violated the rules anyway.
5. GOD provided for Adam and Eve. Before GOD told them not to eat of the tree, He told them they were “free to eat” of every other tree in the garden (Genesis 2:16). They were not in danger of starving, nor were they deprived of variety. They had an all-you-can-eat buffet in the garden, but Adam and Eve chose to place their focus on what they did not have rather than on what they did have.
6. The decision to sin opened the eyes of both Adam and Eve to the reality of evil. For the first time, they knew what it was to do evil, to feel shame, and to want to hide from GOD. Their sin of disobeying GOD brought corruption into their lives and into the world. Eating the fruit, as an act of disobedience against GOD, was what gave Adam and Eve the knowledge of evil – and the knowledge of their nakedness (Genesis 3:7-13).
7. Adam and Eve did die just as Scripture promised. The Fall was a separation which led to an eventual physical death of Adam and Eve. The physical death wasn’t immediate though the spiritual death was immediate. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
8. GOD’s perfect plan is much bigger than the original garden of Eden. His plan for His creation and His people did not end when Adam and Eve sinned. In fact, GOD’s plan from the very beginning was to redeem His people and His creation. The drama of the Fall and redemption could never have happened if the tree had not been in the garden. Indeed, GOD did know that Adam and Eve would sin and fall, but GOD’s plan was bigger than their sin.

Reasonable Response:

But why did GOD allow the sin? How could the permitting of the Fall be in alignment with the nature of the all-good, loving, and perfectly Holy GOD? From the first half of Romans 6:23, we know that the wages of sin is death; however, the other half of that verse provides the key to understanding why GOD permitted the Fall: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The response to the perceived problem of the forbidden fruit is as follows:

• GOD is love (1John 4:8,16)
• GOD created humans in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27) and thus created us out from love for the purpose to love (Matthew 22:36-40).
• GOD desires for us to know Him and for us to have a loving relationship with Him (Matthew 6:33).
• For a mutual loving relationship to exist, free will is absolutely necessary.
• From GOD’s omniscience, He knew that free will would be absolutely necessary; therefore, He gave us the great gift of free will.
• Because GOD is omnibenevolent, He gives us free will and permits the consequences that come from created beings who possess free will.
• Through GOD’s omnipresence and omnipotence, He created miracles in order to release the Israelites from slavery, set them up as a free people, and instituted the commandments and sacrificial system in order to reveal the standards of Holy perfection that are impossible to keep through a fallen and sinful people.
• GOD set up the sacrificial system so that He could become the willing ultimate sacrifice on our behalf to atone for our sins, doing what we could never do on our own. For this reason, it is written in John 3:16-17, “¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
  

Closing Statement:

Understanding that GOD is wisdom enables us to put everything into proper perspective in order to help us see that GOD foresaw the Fall from free will. The Father’s wise, good plan included sending the Son into the world that Adam and Eve ruined. Think about it: from eternity past, GOD ordained that Jesus would become the victim of His own plan (Revelation 5). For this reason, it is written in John 10:17-18, “¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

The Good News (the Gospel) is that He guaranteed our redemption by His sacrificial crucifixion and miraculous resurrection. GOD foresaw the separation and created in advance the relentless rescue operation to build the bridge of salvation for our redemption. That’s how much GOD loves us. GOD did for us what we could never do by our own efforts. GOD loves us so much that He allowed us the freedom to choose wrong so that He can help us to see what is right. GOD has allowed us to experience the Fall, evil, and pain and suffering so that we can be grateful for the life that is to come. This limited lifetime of learning through our process of sanctification will become our comparison for completeness in Christ. And when we’re finally with Him, Adam and Eve will probably be the first ones to tell you that GOD’s commands are for our good, not to restrict us. On this present earth, which is destined for destruction by fire (Psalm 97:3-5; Isaiah 64:1-2; Amos 9:5; Micah 1:4; Nahum 1:5-6; 2Peter 3:7,10,12), GOD is showing us that the best humans can have apart from Him is pain and suffering. We ruin everything and that’s why we need Him. And that should be more than enough reason to trust in GOD on the New Earth under the new heavens where only righteousness dwells (2Peter 3:13; Revelation 20:15; 21:3-8,27). Death is merely graduation into the real life. Where we end up will be our choice. And that’s why Hell is justified. GOD loves you so much that He is going to allow you to choose where you end up: Heaven or Hell. So, what will you choose? GOD’s desire is that you will choose blessing over curse, life over death, good over evil, and that you will repent and live (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Ezekiel 18; Matthew 11:20; 12:41; Mark 1:15; 6:12; Luke 5:32; 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; 17:30).

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”
(John 14:6) -ESV

GOD desires for all people to be saved (1Timothy 2:4; 2Peter 3:9; John 3:16-17). However, do you need to be saved?

From Grinchmas To Christmas

This is Part 4 of my series on the meaning of Christmas. In Part 1, I showcased how the Christmas that Christians celebrate is not pagan, and it’s not a sin to celebrate Christmas. In Part 2, we learned the depth beyond the surface about the Christmas miracle of the incarnation. In Part 3, we learned the depth beyond the surface of light being part of the Christmas celebration. And for this fourth part, which will conclude my series, we’re going to extract important biblical truths from a beloved Christmas classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. So, I recommend that you pause this video right now and either go read or watch that classic, and then return to this message.

Now, assuming you have either read or watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas, let’s extract important biblical truths from that story.

For many people, Christmas is a time of joy and celebration; however, for some people, Christmas is a time of stress, frustration, anxiety, loneliness, sadness, or depression. So, whether you have lost the Christmas joy, have never had Christmas joy, or you merely a need a reminder as to why we need to keep Christmas joy, I want to provide you with The Seven C’s to overcoming Grinchmas, which will help you welcome and celebrate Christmas.

In Dr Seuss’s 1957 How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch is depicted as a grouchy creature, secluded in a cave. The Grinch lives on a cliff overlooking the cheerful, optimistic community of Whoville. The Grinch hates Christmas and the festivities celebrated during the season; he is irritated by the happiness of others and derives pleasure from spoiling other people’s enjoyment. Maybe you are a grinch. Perhaps someone else in your life is a grinch. Either way, joy can be obtained and retained. From the story of the Grinch, I think there are at least seven (7) biblical principles we can learn and apply to our lives:

(1) Comparison

The first thing mentioned in the story of the Grinch is that every Who liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch did not. The Grinch stood on a cliff, looking down on the Whos; his focus was on who they were, what they did, and what they had. Comparison creates the “I can’t” moments. The Grinch compared himself with every Who in Whoville – he compared himself with every Who’s smile, joy, laughter, and celebration. The comparison led him to realize that he did not possess what they had; likewise, they didn’t have the character traits he possessed. But instead of allowing that realization to lead him to repentance, he allowed himself to become miserable. Comparison can produce envy, and envy produces hatred. That hatred will either be directed toward the person being compared or the very person doing the comparison. The Grinch had pride; therefore, his hatred was directed toward every Who in Whoville. (Because the problem couldn’t possibly reside within himself, right?) …Are you comparing your life by others’ blessings? If I can be honest and confess my sin to you (James 5:16; 1John 1:8-10), I am guilty of sometimes envying others. And as a Christian, I know I shouldn’t do that (Exodus 20:17). Listen, it’s just the truth that comparing yourself to others will negatively affect how you view yourself. Consequently, how you view yourself will determine your attitude; inevitably, your attitude will determine your actions. But again, as Christians, we’re not supposed to compare ourselves with others. GOD created you to be unique. Embrace your own blessings and stop concerning yourself with what others have, where others are at in life, and what others are doing. You’re the absolute best at being you and doing what only you can do. No one else in the entire world is able to be you like you. Therefore, do what only you can do to the best of your ability.

(Galatians 6:4-5) -NLT
“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

(Proverbs 14:30) -NIV
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

(Galatians 1:10) -Voice
“Do you think I care about the approval of men or about the approval of God? Do you think I am on a mission to please people? If I am still spinning my wheels trying to please men, then there is no way I can be a servant of the Anointed One, the Liberating King.”

So, from these scriptures, GOD is telling us that we should not compare ourselves to others and envy others because we need to keep our focus on being obedient to what GOD has called each one of us to do, with our sole purpose of pleasing the Lord, not people. And as long as we’re doing what GOD is calling us to do, then we’re at the place we should be and we’re doing what we should be doing.

(2) Confinement

The Grinch lived in a cave by himself. He isolated himself. He had confined himself to his loneliness. Is it any wonder why the Who’s joy irritated him so much? The joy of others only revealed and amplified his own misery. The sound of their laughter traveled into his cave and it seemed to be directed toward his insecurities. The Who’s joy called attention to the very thing he was lacking. Understand this: when you isolate yourself, you are an easy target for demonic attack. Evil will invade your isolated and unguarded mind and infiltrate your thoughts. Remember: the lion seeks to attack the unfortunate animal that gets separated from the herd.

(1Peter 5:8) -ESV
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

(Proverbs 18:1) -ESV
“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”

(Proverbs 27:17) -Voice
“In the same way that iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend.”

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) -NLT
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

So, from these scriptures, GOD is telling us that life is not meant to be lived out alone. It is for this reason that GOD said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” We need others. If we become isolated and separated from the body, then we will become easy targets for the enemy’s attack.

(3) Conviction

Examine the definition of the word, “grinch.”
Grinch: a mean-spirited, unfriendly, or overall unpleasant person who spoils other people’s fun or enjoyment or dampens the pleasure of others.

The creator of The Grinch, Theodore “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, explained in the December 1957 edition of Redbook, how he came up with the idea: “I was brushing my teeth on the morning of the 26th of last December when I noticed a very Grinch-ish countenance in the mirror. It was Seuss! So I wrote about my sour friend, the Grinch, to see if I could rediscover something about Christmas that obviously I’d lost.”

Dr. Seuss wrote the Grinch story based on himself due to the conviction he felt and then responded to.

Are you placing your focus on the negative aspects surrounding this Christmas season? Are you placing the focus on yourself and your problems? Is it possible that you need to rediscover something about Christmas you have obviously lost (or never found)? We are all familiar with the Grinch who stole Christmas, but we often neglect to see ourselves as the Grinch. Are you being a grinch without realizing it? The Grinch originated from a moment when Dr. Seuss confronted himself with the truth he saw in the mirror. Are you willing to look at yourself in the mirror? Are you willing to confront yourself with the truth? We often discover truth and enlightenment when we face and conquer our own demons. Are you ready to admit your shortcomings? If you have unrighteousness within you, are you ready to repent? Allow the Holy Spirit within you and He will bring Truth; with Truth comes conviction, and conviction is the reason Truth sets people free (John 8:32; 16:7-15).

(Proverbs 1:7) -ESV
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

(Proverbs 3:11-12) -NLT
“My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”

(Proverbs 12:1) -MSG
“If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—how shortsighted to refuse correction!”

So, from those scriptures, GOD is telling us that we need to welcome the Holy Spirit to convict us of our wrongdoings, and we need to welcome correction and discipline. It is only because GOD loves us that He desires to correct us. GOD desires for us to grow and mature in righteousness. But conviction comes after being willing to confront the Grinch in the mirror. And so, while refusing to compare ourselves with others, we focus on our relationship with the Lord. However, focusing our relationship on the Lord without comparing ourselves to others does not involve isolating ourselves to a permanent state of solitary confinement. So, while we keep our focus on our relationship with the Lord, we continue to have consistent fellowship with the body; in doing so, we will naturally invite conviction, which will bring us to sincere repentance.

(4) Christ

Sincere repentance and acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Savior is prerequisite for salvation. Repentance leads to Christ, who is the center, the core. We don’t have CHRISTmas without Christ. Jesus came to be the sacrifice who would save us from ourselves. We simply couldn’t live up to the perfect standard of holiness that is required for us to dwell with the perfect and holy GOD, but Jesus came to be the Bridge that would forever reunite us with our Creator. This season is for our Savior. We celebrate the fact that GOD loves us so much that the Word became flesh (John 1:1-4,14) and lived out a perfectly sinless life (2Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26) in order to willingly sacrifice Himself for us (John 10:17-18) — He died so that we may live! We celebrate that Jesus was born into this world from a virgin in order to be the sinless sacrifice who would save us from ourselves. Because we could not reach GOD by our works, GOD came to us out of His grace and mercy.

(Matthew 1:20-21) -NLT
“As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ ”

(5) Contentment

Once Jesus is the focus, we will no longer have the focus on others or even ourselves. If we truly realize how bad many people in this world have it in life, it should be easy to be content in any circumstance we find ourselves. This is the opposite side of comparison or envy. And this only happens after you cross the Bridge of Christ. This is how you battle those thoughts of comparing yourself with others. The moment you start to compare yourself with others to see how they might have it better than you, at the same time, you also have an opportunity to see how you have it better than others. There are, in fact, prisoners in the United States who live in greater comfort than those who are considered to be free in third world countries, who are mere skin and bone, starving to death. There are Christians in China, India, and other nations who are being martyred for their faith. The truth is that you are blessed and your life could always be worse than it is right now. The truth is that you are exactly where you need to be right now for GOD to take you to where He wants you to go so that He may bless you there. Our focus is not to be on the world and its ways (Matthew 6:24; John 15:18-21; 17:13-21; James 4:4). In fact, this world is going to come to an abrupt end and we will live in eternity on a new earth under new heavens (Isaiah 65-66; Matthew 24:36-44; 2Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21-22). Neither the Christmas season nor Christmas Day itself is about receiving gifts or possessing anything of monetary value – it is about celebrating salvation through our Savior! To find contentment, you need only to change your perspective. To find contentment, you need only to focus on Christ and what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do.

(Romans 12:1-2) -Voice
“Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.”

(Philippians 4:8-9, 11-13) -NLT
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you…. For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

So, from those scriptures, GOD tells us that our perspective about our circumstances, our outlook on life, determines our ability to remain content. Essentially, our inner disposition should never be altered by our exterior circumstances; instead, our faith within us should embolden us to walk through any valley of the shadow of death. Why? Because the Lord is with us (Psalm 23). And if GOD is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

(6) Contribution

The Grinch stole all of the Who’s material possessions – everything of monetary value! And as the Grinch stood on the cliff, waiting to hear mourning and crying from Whoville, he heard joyful singing instead. After hours of pondering and self-examination, the Grinch finally realized that material items don’t bring joy; in fact, he discovered that the joy had already been within them. And that’s when the Grinch decided to return to them all of their gifts. In the process of doing so, the Grinch discovered joy in the act of giving. Why? Because to love others is to put them before yourself. So, what can you give? Your time? Love? Financial support? Maybe you’re good at cooking meals and can feed someone? Maybe you’re a gifted musician and you can play music for someone? Maybe you’re an excellent artist and you can draw a picture for someone? Perhaps you can simply be there for someone and provide a listening ear. There is always something you can do; there is always a way to give.

(Acts 20:33-35) -NLT
“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

(1Corinthians 13:4-8) –MSG
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always ‘me first,’ doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.”

So, from these scriptures, GOD tells us that genuine contentment leads to loving contribution. GOD has loved us! Now, how can we love others?

(7) Camaraderie

After giving the [stolen] gifts back to everyone in Whoville, the Grinch joined the Whos for a feast. And so, even though the Grinch had discovered joy in giving, everyone in Whoville gave the Grinch a gift as well: forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35). Understand this: GOD did not design us to do life alone. Our desire for contribution will naturally lead us to camaraderie, which means a mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together.

In Acts 2:41-42, after everyone had been filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it is written, “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

That word “fellowship” is the English translation of the Greek word κοινωνία [G2842] koinōnia (koy-nohn-ee’-ah), which is derived from the root κοινός [G2839] koinos (koy-nahs), which was a prefix in ancient Greek. If you were to add this prefix to words meaning “living,” “owning a purse,” “a dispute,” and “mother,” you would get words meaning “living in community together,” “owning a purse in common,” “a public dispute,” and “having a mother in common.” So, we see that the root of the word, “fellowship,” means “to hold something in common.” The Greek word koinonia was used to describe corporations, labor guilds, partners in a law firm, and the most intimate of marriage relationships. From the usage of the word, we can conclude that fellowship is a word denoting a relationship that is dependent on more than one individual. It is an interdependent relationship. Koinonia is used nineteen times in the New Testament and in addition to being translated as “fellowship” it is also translated by the words, “contribution,” “sharing,” and “participation.” A close study of the usage of this word shows that action is always included in its meaning. Fellowship, you see, is not merely being together in one place, but it’s also doing something together! Fellowship is a relationship of inner unity among believers that expresses itself in outer co-participation with Christ and one another in accomplishing GOD’s will on Earth.

By now, you should realize that you are already blessed. So, who can you bless this Christmas? Blessing others will bring you joy. Do you want to experience true Christmas joy? Then join forces with the body of Christ and then go out and bless others. Remember what Christ told us:

(Matthew 22:37-40) -NLT
“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 9:13) -ESV
“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(Micah 6:8) -MSG
“But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.”

In conclusion, the seven C’s is the pathway we take to leave Grinchmas and arrive at Christmas. I challenge you to go bless others this Christmas and create the joy you seek to attain for yourself. Spread Christmas cheer and do it openly and loudly for all to hear. And if we love with a lasting impression, perhaps those who do not believe will catch a glimpse of Christ that will remain with them until that seed grows into understanding. And when it does, it will be just as it was with the Grinch when his small heart grew three sizes that day. So, go. Create joy. Bless others and praise GOD as you go.

The Meaning Of Christmas: Light Of The World (Hanukkah, Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication)

This is Part 3 in my series about the meaning of Christmas. In Part 1, I addressed the criticism about Christmas being pagan. In Part 2, we learned that GOD tabernacled in a sukkah, a greater and more perfect temple not made by human hands (Matthew 12:6; Hebrews 9:11). Christmas is all about the incarnation, the birth of the Savior, Christ Jesus. However, if the eternal Word entered into time within the world and tabernacled within the divinely designed body of Jesus, what did that mean for the world?

On the last day of Sukkot (Hoshana Rabbah), Jesus publicly declared Himself to be the Living Water and the Messiah, but He didn’t stop there. It is written in John 8:12, “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’ ”

Just as Jesus’s declaration to be the Living Water correlated with Sukkot, Jesus’s bold declaration to be the Light also correlated with the Festival of Tabernacles. Giant golden lampstands were lit in the Temple courtyard, and people carrying torches marched around the Temple, and then they set these lights around the walls of the Temple, indicating that the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6). According to the Mishnah (Sukkah 5:2-3), at the Temple “there were golden menorahs with golden bowls at the top of each…. There was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not lit by the light of the festivities.”

During Christmas season, Christians will often decorate their homes with lights and even use candles. But history reveals that even the faithful ones of ancient Judaism used light in their celebration via a menorah. But what is a menorah? It’s a uniquely designed lampstand. Why did they use it? Well, a lampstand, principally the seven-branched lampstand, was constructed initially for use in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:31-39) and placed in front of the inner curtain that shielded the ark of the covenant (Exodus 27:21). And so, Scripture informs us that the lampstand, though it has seven branches, was one solid piece of pure gold. Throughout the book of Exodus within the construction instructions, things were often purified (such as the gold for the table of Presence) or in one solid piece (such as the lampstand). Think: is the church of purity and in unity? Is the church one body with many parts functioning toward the same common goal? Is Christ the head and the center stem (1Corinthians 12:12-31; Colossians 1:15-20)? In Exodus 25:37, the seven lamps for the lampstand were to be set so that they would project their light forward. If we are part of the one unified body, are we shining our light forward? Whomever or whatever we reflect will determine our direction and projected path. Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.” For this reason, Jesus said that out from the heart (center/core) of a person will flow his/her true nature (Mark 7:20-23). Also, the menorah has the decorations of an almond tree and, as a tree in the midst of the place where GOD makes His presence known to humans, is to remind Israel of the garden of Eden. Thus, the menorah was to stay lit continually, 24 hours a day, and never allowed to be extinguished (Leviticus 24:1-4). The eternal flame symbolized GOD’s omnipresence. However, in order to keep the menorah lit continually, the priest had to ensure that its oil never ran out.

Eventually, a nine-branched menorah, called a hanukkiyah, became the central symbol of the Jewish festival Hanukkah. So, what is Hanukkah and what is the significance of having nine lamps rather than seven?

Examine John 10:22-30: “²² At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; ²³ it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴ The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, ‘How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ ²⁵ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. ²⁶ But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.’ ”

So, the people who wanted Jesus to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah got extremely angry after He told them plainly that He is, and they wanted to stone Him to death (John 10:31). Now, they didn’t desire to stone Him to death because He claimed to be the Messiah, but because He made Himself equal with GOD (John 5:18; 10:33) and also told them, “you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.” So, Jesus rejected them. However, it’s important to understand that His rejection of them was based on their rejection of Him. Now, Jesus spoke those particular words during winter, at the Feast of Dedication, which is also known as Hanukkah. So, what is Hanukkah? Well, the word חֲנֻכָּה [H2598] hanukkah (kha’-noo-kah) simply means, “dedication” or “consecration.” But that leads us to a curious question: what was being dedicated or consecrated? Well, it was the Temple of GOD, but the festival was due to a past event when it had been rededicated and reconsecrated. But that leads us to another curious question: why would the Temple have been reconsecrated and rededicated unless it had been deconsecrated and defiled?

More than a century before the incarnation, there existed a viciously evil Seleucid king of Syria named Antiochus IV. After his expulsion from Egypt, he invaded Jerusalem to extend his power by forcing the Jews to Hellenize (enforce the “superior” Greek culture). Some Jews defected from the purity of Judaism and “adopted” Hellenism, which revolved around humanism that glorified human pleasure and self-centered desires. In short, they compromised, which allowed the enemy to infiltrate, inundate, indoctrinate, and then dominate. Eventually, an ultimatum was given to all the Jews: either the Jewish community must give up its distinctive customs (Shabbat, kosher laws, circumcision, etc.) or die. In fact, history reveals that Antiochus and his soldiers murdered over 80,000 Jews. Further, to prove his point and attempt to assert his superiority, Antiochus desecrated the Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus (whose image coincidentally resembled Antiochus), sacrificing an unclean pig on the altar, pouring the blood on the Scripture scrolls, and even insisting on being called “Epiphanes” (ep-ee’-fan-nace), which means “God manifest”. This blatant blasphemy sparked a major military and social conflict, which exploded into what is now known as the Maccabean Revolt. Pious faithful Jews went to war to protect their essential Judaism against the danger of Hellenizing Jews, whose collaboration with Hellenistic rulers eventually brought about laws against being Jewish, that living out the Torah was illegal. In other words, the government of that day tried to usurp GOD’s authority and override GOD’s Word. Antiochus had conducted a reign of terror for three years until his defeat by the “Maccabees,” which is from an Aramaic word מַקָּבָה [H4717] maqāḇâ (mak-kaw-baw’), meaning “hammer.” A man named Judah/Judas (Y’hudah) – who was a son of the Hasmonean priest Mattathias – was known as the leader of this revolt and was given the nickname of “Maccabeus,” presumably because of his effectiveness in battle. Just as Peter and the other apostles would later say in Acts 5:29, “we must obey God rather than men,” the Maccabees had declared the same. And against all odds, Judah(s) and everyone else who joined him prevailed over Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) in 164 BC and then led the reconsecration and rededication of the Temple on 25^th of their ninth month (Kislev), which is now celebrated as Hanukkah (the Feast of Dedication). Therefore, Hanukkah commemorates this awesome victory over an evil tyrant, who was a type of the future Antichrist who is to come (Daniel 9:24-27; 11:31-45; Matthew 24:3-31; Revelation 13). And based on the deuterocanonical account of the cleansing of the Temple in 1-2 Maccabees (esp. 1Macc 4:36-61), Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days beginning at sundown on 25 Kislev, which usually falls in December. For example, this year in 2022, it will begin on December 19^th, and next year in 2023 it will begin on December 8^th. However, in 2024 it will begin on December 26^th, which is only a day apart from December 25^th, which is the date Christians typically celebrate Christmas (and this is perhaps why gift giving eventually became a tradition during Hanukkah).

Now, the traditional reason for the festival lasting eight days is given in the Babylonian Talmud, where the rabbis explain that after the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they desired to light the eternal flame (the symbol of GOD’s presence); however, they found only one day’s worth of undefiled oil. Now, they knew that it would take them about eight days to produce new pure oil; therefore, if they lit the eternal flame, they would run out of their current oil supply before they were able to refill it from their next oil supply. However, they determined that it would be best to light the eternal flame immediately as a symbol of GOD’s victory so that they can praise the Lord. And what followed their faith-filled decision was nothing less than a miracle of GOD, reminiscent of the widow’s oil (2Kings 4:1-7) – the one day’s worth of oil lasted for eight days, ensuring that the eternal flame of GOD’s presence did not go out! Hence, the main observance for this holiday revolves around lighting the hanukkiyah. Jewish families progressively light nightly the special menorah with eight candles, using the center [ninth] candle, known as the shamash, to light all the other ones. The “shamash” means the “attendant” or “servant.” And this is why Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights!

In the Jewish publication, Chanukah, a writer said, “Then the light is kindled to give inspiration, for the light of Messiah must burn brightly in our hearts.” So, looking back at John 10:22-30, I find it interesting that those Jews who desired to stone Jesus to death did in fact have a light of some sort burning within them for the Messiah; however, when they encountered the true Messiah, they rejected Him because He did not conform to their expectations, which were formed from religious traditions. They claimed they were children of GOD, and had even hoped for the Messiah, yet Jesus told them they were not true believers and were not His sheep. That is a sobering and scary thought that someone can claim to be a child of GOD and yet still be rejected by the Lord. For this reason, Jesus had warned people quite a few times that in the end, He might tell them that He never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23; 25:1-13; Luke 13:22-30). Why? Because the people to whom He will say this are evildoers, those who did not do the Father’s will (Matthew 23:2-7; John 8:34-37). After all, why would they desire to kill Jesus when He continually healed people? And so, although those particular Jews had a light within them, it was the light from an all-consuming fire of prideful religious hypocrisy that burned genuine relationship to ashes. But that’s not the light children of GOD are supposed to shine.

Now, as with all the biblical holy days, there are spiritual lessons to be learned. A few of the lessons to be learned from Hanukkah include remaining faithful to the Lord, being courageous, and shining the light of the Lord. But perhaps the most vital lesson is seen in its very name. The festival commemorates a time after great tribulation and an abomination of desolation, when the true worship of GOD was restored in Jerusalem, just as it will be in the future (Revelation 21:1-6). Now, that ancient Temple no longer exists today, but there’s a good reason for that: each follower of Jesus is the holy temple where the Spirit dwells (John 14:23,26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9-11; 2Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Colossians 1:15-20; 2:9). But too often, believers endanger the purity of this sacred temple by allowing idolatry into their lives, just as Antiochus did centuries ago. And so, we should take seriously Paul’s exhortation in 1Corinthians 6:19-20, “¹⁹ do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

In Exodus 37, within the construction instructions for the sanctuary, a theme of purity is evident because we glorify GOD in the holy temple. Holiness is pure and that’s why the Ark of the Covenant, Table of Presence, Lampstand, and Incense Altar needed to possess purity (37:2, 6, 11, 16-17, 22-24, 26, 29).

So, ponder on purity: it is written in Matthew 5:8 that those whose thoughts are pure are blessed and they will see GOD. Purity is commendable. What person commends another for his/her lack of purity? What element is desired to be impure? It should be our goal to remove impurities. Silver (or gold or diamonds for that matter), would not be as valuable or desirable as they are without the process that removes impurities. Why? Purity is beautiful. Isn’t a diamond desired when it meets the four C’s during inspection? The inspector examines the diamond for Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat. And those four C’s determine its quality.

It is written in Proverbs 25:4 that if we remove impurities from the silver, the silversmith can craft a fine chalice. Ponder on this: pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals; in fact, pure silver defines conductivity; all other metals are compared to it. This means that the conductivity is reliable. People desire to use pure silver on circuit boards when they need the circuit board to work right the first time and every time. Remove impurities from your life so you can be conducive to GOD’s will for your life and the lives of others. To be as pure as possible, we need only to be in alignment with GOD’s will, which can be discerned by knowing GOD’s Word. The better you are aligned with GOD’s will, the more pure you become in your sanctification process; therefore, your conductivity grows greater and greater. Those who follow GOD’s Word are better equipped to receive GOD’s directions via the Holy Spirit; those who are better equipped to receive GOD’s directions are less likely to get lost.

Paul, speaking to believers in 1Corinthians 15:33-34, said, “³³ Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’ ³⁴ Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”

It is written in Ecclesiastes 10:1 that dead flies in perfume make it stink, and a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom. The moral of the story is clear: the bad contaminates what is good. Think about it: a person desires his/her drinking water to be pure, right? Would you purchase purified water and then pour dirt in it right before you drink it? Would you put moldy bread in with fresh baked bread? Good and bad don’t belong together. Good that is surrounded by bad stands a great chance of becoming bad. Imagine purified water as the good in your life. Now imagine just a single drop of food coloring as something that is bad. If you were to drip food coloring into purified water, that food coloring would spread and soon the water would no longer be clear. The bad contaminates the good, whether that involves your sex life, what you eat, or the impure thoughts you allow within your mind. Is your holy temple infested with mold? What impurities do you need to remove from your life today? Purity does matter, but the implications are spiritual because unholiness affects our relationship with the Lord and others (Leviticus 20:7-8; Ezekiel 44:23; 1Corinthians 6:18-19; 2Corinthians 6: 14-16; 1Thessalonians 4:3-7). However, we must make this distinction: there is a big difference between a prideful-pious purity that’s based on religious works that claims a “holier than thou” status, and a humble-at-heart purity which acknowledges that we’ve only been cleansed because of the blood of Christ Jesus. The former is religion and the latter is relationship. The religious person will claim that his/her tabernacle is holy because of what he/she has done or abstained from doing out from his/her own strength and greatness. However, the one who has a genuine relationship with the Lord will proclaim that his/her tabernacle is holy because of Christ’s finished works and the power of the Spirit who now tabernacles within him/her! And because the temple is holy, idolatry has no place in our lives! For this reason, the Maccabees purged the temple from evil and Jesus later cleansed the temple because of unholy practices within (John 2:13-17). Both cleansings were done due to them having a genuine relationship with GOD and refusing to compromise what would take away from GOD’s holiness.

Examine both the seven-branched menorah and the nine-branched hanukkiyah: the branches shoot out from the center stem. If we don’t extend from the Center (the Source, the Head), we have no light. And of course, Jesus is the Center! Jesus is the Head! Examine what is written in John 15:1-11: “¹ ‘I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. ⁹ Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

In John 8:12, Jesus said that He is the Light of the world. In John 9:5, Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” But Jesus knew He was going to ascend into Heaven and that’s why He told His disciples (and us) that we are now to be the light of the world. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said, “¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

And so, again, examine the nine-branched hanukkiyah: the center (ninth) candle is the one that gives light to the other candles. I believe we can learn a lot if we examine the shamash (the ninth candle). Again, shamash means “attendant” or “servant.” Remember what the Lord said! Jesus taught us that the greatest shall be the servant of all (Matthew 20:25-27; 23:11-12; Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:25-26)! Also, the servant is not greater than his/her master (John 13:16). Jesus said He came to be the suffering servant as an example that we should do likewise (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 22:27; John 13:5-15). Therefore, Hanukkah symbolizes how the Lord, who served us, gave us light. And because the design of the lampstand is to project light forward and provide light for everyone in darkness so that they will be able to see, Christians are to shine their light for everyone in the darkness so that they may see our good works and glorify GOD. But what kind of good works should those in the darkness be seeing from the light-bearers? In John 13:13-15, Jesus said, “¹³ You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” So, whether we are ensuring justice is done (Micah 6:8), showing compassion (Luke 10:30-37), forgiving others (Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35), feeding the hungry, inviting strangers into our homes, providing clothing to those in need, or visiting people in the hospital or prison (Matthew 25:31-46), we are truly children of GOD if we are not only loving GOD with all of our hearts, souls, and minds, but also loving others as we would love ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). Our light, though it is fire, should not burn others, but provide comfort and warmth. Our light, though it is pure, should not blind others, but provide vision and guide people to the straight and narrow path (Proverbs 4:23-27), which leads to the Door, who is Christ Jesus (John 10:7-9; 14:6).

Philippians 2:1-8 says, “¹ Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, ² make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³ Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; ⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Therefore, in order to shine the light of Christ, we must first and foremost be in Christ and branch out from Christ. Then, after He gives us light, we must shine the light of loving servitude. And in order to shine continually, our oil must never run out (Matthew 25:1-13). The oil is faith and the Holy Spirit continually produces this oil.

And finally, another tradition of Hanukkah that has since developed from the Maccabean Revolt is playing games with a dreidel (a four-sided top). Each face of the dreidel is marked with one of four Hebrew letters: נ nun (nun), ג gimel (gim-el), ה hei (hay), and ש shin (shin), representing the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham (“A great miracle happened there”). However, in Israel, the letter shin is replaced with פ pei (pay) for the Hebrew word meaning “here.”

In conclusion, there is a connection between Judaism and Christianity, and between Hanukkah and Christmas. Hanukkah recalls a military victory for Israel, oil provided for them by GOD, the light of the Lord overcoming the darkness, and true worship being restored. The entire Festival of Lights is a reminder of those who courageously remain faithful to GOD – even in the face of persecution! However, it’s also a reminder of GOD’s miracles and His love for us. If the miracle of Christmas was the birth of Christ, then the miracle of Hanukkah enabled the miracle of Christmas. For without the Jewish people, there would be no Messiah (or Christ) and hence no salvation. But out from GOD’s sovereignty and unfailing love, a Savior was born. And so, this Christmas, may we all remember that the greatest gift we could ever receive was born in a feeding trough for animals beneath temporary shelter (sukkah) outside because the world didn’t have room for Him (Luke 2:7). But what about now? Do you have room for the Savior? He wants to give you the light of life.

The Meaning Of Christmas: A Savior Is Born (Tabernacles, Booths, Sukkot)

In a previous article, I provided some clarification to some confusion that some people have regarding Christmas being a pagan celebration and I answered the big question as to whether or not Christians should celebrate Christmas. And so now we know – the Christmas that Christians celebrate is not pagan. Christians don’t worship trees, nor do they make Santa Claus an idol to be worshiped. But this leads us to a curious question: why do we celebrate Christmas?

Christmas is so commercialized nowadays that the true meaning of Christmas has been lost by many people. Even non-Christians celebrate Christmas, but their celebrations are typically centered around buying obligatory gifts for people, receiving gifts they probably don’t even want, eating food, spending time with family members they might not even like, and simply enjoying their time off work because they hate their jobs. For many people of our secular society, Christmas is merely a paid vacation day that allows them to indulge in either laziness or activities that are centered around pleasure for self. On average, Americans spend approximately $1,000 on Christmas each year. So, while most people get Christmas day as a paid holiday, they also spend a week’s worth of their salary out from obligation just because they feel like that’s what they’re supposed to do around this time of year because consumerism has become an indoctrinated concept within our culture. And because of that, Christmas ends up being extremely stressful and burdensome for many people. But that is the way of secular society, not Christianity.

So, why do Christians celebrate Christmas? What’s it all about? What’s the meaning of Christmas? Well, simply put, it’s all about the birth of Christ Jesus. And this is also known as the incarnation. Now, many people — even non-Christians — know this surface-level truth with head knowledge, but there is always depth beyond the surface. And unfortunately, even many self-proclaimed Christians don’t fully comprehend the awesomeness of this Truth. So let’s investigate the depth and examine our discoveries.

Matthew 2:1-10 says, “¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ² ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’” ⁷ Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’ ⁹ After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”

Now, I intentionally stopped reading at verse 10 because I’m going to return to that passage at the end of this message. So, keep that passage in mind.

In Judaism, the חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֖וֹת Feast of Booths (a.k.a. Festival of: Booths, Tabernacles, Tents, Ingathering, and סֻכֹּ֔ת [H5521] Sukkot [soo-koht’]) is a week-long celebration where the Jews live in temporary tents or booths (made from natural elements of the earth) in order to remind themselves of their ancestors’ time in the wilderness, after GOD led them out of Egypt, because they had to dwell in temporary shelters on their journey (Nehemiah 8:14-17). This was sometimes also referred to “the festival of the Lord” (Judges 21:19) or simply “the festival” (1Kings 8:65). But this was the third of the three pilgrimage festivals. All Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem to recall GOD’s providence toward Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the desert while living in tents (Deuteronomy 16:16). This festival started on the 15^th of the seventh month [Tishri] (September/October). For example, this year in 2022, Sukkot was on October 10^th, but next year in 2023 it will be on September 30^th; however, it starts at sundown the previous day. The reason for this is because unlike our western Gregorian solar-based calendar, the Jewish calendar uses both lunar and solar movements. The months are determined by the moon, and the year is determined by the sun. The Jewish day begins at sunset.

So, we know the reason for this festival, but what was the ultimate goal? Well, the name of this holy day tells its purpose. Essentially, it is twofold, with the first being related to the fall harvest. During this week, they also celebrated the fruit harvest. As Leviticus 23:33-43 teaches, Sukkot was to be a time of bringing in the latter harvest. It is widely believed that the Puritan colonists, who were devoted students of the Hebrew Scriptures, based the first American Thanksgiving on Sukkot. A secondary meaning of this holy day is found in the command to dwell in a temporary shelter. This festival can be summarized with the word, “habitation.” We know from the Torah that GOD dwelt with His people in their 40-year wilderness wanderings. And so, the theme is that GOD dwells with His people. Leviticus 23:40 says, “Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.” And so, avoiding all work on the first and last days of the festival, they were to mark the week with sacrifices, celebration, and joy (see also, Numbers 29:12-40). In addition, every seventh year the Law was to be read at this festival (Deuteronomy 31:10-11). Two ceremonies were part of the last day of Sukkot:

1. Giant golden lampstands were lit in the Temple courtyard, and people carrying torches marched around the Temple, and then they set these lights around the walls of the Temple, indicating that the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6).
2. And then by the first century A.D. when Jesus had walked the earth, another part of this festival involved the drawing of water for a libation offering (nisukh hamayim) from the Pool of Siloam with great ceremony and joy, which symbolizing that when the Messiah comes, the whole earth will know GOD “as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

There is so much depth to be discovered beyond the surface of this week-long festival. So, let’s go diving into the depths, investigate, and then examine our discoveries. The Festival of Tabernacles is interesting, but why is all of this important for New Testament Christians? Well, not only did the Israelites erect temporary shelters for themselves to dwell in, but after GOD delivered the Israelites from slavery, the Lord had His people construct a tabernacle so GOD could dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). The word “tabernacle” is a translation of the Hebrew מִשְׁכָּן [H4908] mishkan (mish-kawn’), which means “dwelling-place.” It’s the special dwelling place of GOD. Why is this important? In short, the tabernacle foreshadowed Christ.

John 1:1-4 says, “¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

From the beginning of John’s gospel, he references back to the beginning, which echoes Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The Word is not named as such in Genesis, but is immediately seen in action when GOD spoke everything into existence. The word, “Word” is the Greek λόγος [G3056] logos (log’-ahs), which means a word (uttered by a living voice), a saying, or speech, and denotes the expression of thought. The Word was a term used by theologians and philosophers, both Jews and Greeks, in many different ways. In Hebrew Scripture, the Word was an agent of creation (Psalm 33:6), the source of GOD’s message to His people through the prophets (Hosea 4:1), and GOD’s Law, His standard of holiness (Psalm 119:11). In Greek philosophy, the Word was the ‘reason’ behind everything, the principle of reason that governed the world, or the thought still in the mind. In Hebrew thought, the Word was another expression for GOD. Jesus, therefore, is the Creator of the universe and all life (Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24), the ultimate revelation of GOD, the living picture of GOD’s holiness (Colossians 1:15), the One who “holds all creation together (Colossians 1:17). The Greek word corresponds to the Aramaic memra, a technical theological term used by rabbis in both the centuries before and after Jesus when speaking of GOD’s expression of Himself. Thus, the Messiah existed before all creation. For this reason, Jesus said in prayer in John 17:5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Also, for this reason, Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees in John 8:58, said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Hence, Jesus had made Himself equal with GOD (Exodus 3:14; John 5:18; 10:33) and the eternal Wisdom of Proverbs 8:22-31, which existed before creation and was present during creation.

John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

When it says that the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. The word “dwelt” is a translation of the Greek ἐσκήνωσεν eskēnōsen (es-kay-no-sen), which is the word σκηνόω [G4637] skēnoō (skay-naw’-oh), which means to tabernacle, tent, encamp, or dwell. Therefore, John 1:14 literally says that GOD tabernacled among us. GOD, who is 100% Spirit (John 4:24), tabernacled within the 100% flesh body He created; thus, Jesus is GOD incarnate. Hence, the incarnation. It is for this reason Jesus is known as Ἐμμανουήλ [G1694] Immanuel (Matthew 1:23), which means “God with us.” It is also for this reason that Jesus referred to His body as the Temple (John 2:19-21) and even said He is greater than the physical temple structure (Matthew 12:6). And for this reason, Hebrews 9:11 says that the body of Christ was the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with human hands.

When it says we saw His glory, the word “glory” is the Greek word δόξα [G1391] doxa (dox’-ah), which describes the goodness or value of someone. Hence, this one word attempts to effectively convey the indescribable, infinite, and intrinsic worth of GOD’s essence, His divine quality of magnificence and majesty, which we translate as “glory.”

Therefore, just like GOD dwelt with His people in the Old Testament (Exodus 25:8; 29:45-46; Numbers 35:34; 1Kings 6:13; Ezekiel 43:9; Zechariah 2:1-4), John and Paul both teach that the fullness of GOD tabernacled in Jesus and the Spirit now tabernacles within us (John 14:23,26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9-11; 2Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 1:15-20; 2:9).

So, as John sought to describe the Messiah’s first coming, the most obvious picture to portray and explain was Sukkot, the holy day that celebrates the dwelling of GOD via temporary tabernacles!

The Talmud tells of a custom that developed in the Second Temple time period. At that time during this holy day, a priest would take a water pitcher down to the Pool of Siloam, dip it in the water, and carry it back to the Temple. Crowds of people would then form a huge processional behind the priest, dancing, singing, and chanting the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) as they entered the Temple mount. For each of the first six days of Sukkot, the processional would circle the Temple altar one time, and on the seventh day there would be seven processionals to magnify the joy. The highlight of the ceremony came when the priest dramatically poured the water on the altar of the Temple. The response of the multitudes was so immense that the Talmud says whoever has not been in Jerusalem for this ceremony has not experienced real joy. Hence, it became known as Rejoicing of the House of Drawing Water (Hoshana Rabbah). Why? Talmudic rabbis speak of deep truths from Isaiah 12:3 in regard to the ceremony: “Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” But “salvation” in Hebrew is יְשׁוּעָה [H3444] yeshua (yesh-oo’-aw), the name of the Messiah! And yes—Yeshua means salvation! So, the Rejoicing of the House of Drawing Water was to prophetically illustrate the days of messianic redemption when the water of the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon all Israel. GOD will ultimately build His habitation with His people when the Kingdom is established under the Messiah’s rule. And John 7:37-39 explains the next connection to Sukkot:

John 7:37-39 says, “³⁷ Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” ’ ³⁹ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

So, on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah, Jesus declared to be the Living Water and the Messiah, just as He did with the woman at the well (John 4:7-26). Imagine the setting: Sukkot was in full swing, and the joy of the first six days was exuberant. On the great final day, the crowds were filled with expectation for the Messiah and the Holy Spirit He would bring. At the very time of the water-drawing ceremony, Jesus (Yeshua) made a bold proclamation: “Do you truly want the living water of the Holy Spirit? Does anyone understand the true significance of this ceremony? If anyone desires what “the place of the water drawing” symbolizes (Beit Hashoavah), let him believe in Me. I am the Messiah who will pour out the Holy Spirit on Israel!”

Therefore, with all aspects of Sukkot now pieced together, the Bible provides a few different themes for us to know: GOD’s provision, His dwelling with His people, and the joy of the Holy Spirit. Yet, there is still a future element remaining to be fulfilled by the Festival of Tabernacles. John, in Revelation 21:1-4, shares a vision of final things in that the reality of Sukkot will be obvious to all: “¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, ⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.””

Sukkot was always known as the holy day that commemorates GOD dwelling with His people. How fitting for the Kingdom of GOD, when it fully comes to the redeemed earth, to be considered the ultimate fulfillment of this holy day. GOD Himself will finally dwell with His people in all His fullness. The סֻכָּה [H5521] Sukkah [sook-kaw’] (booth/tabernacle) of GOD will be among men when Messiah Yeshua dwells as the ruler of the thousand-year messianic Kingdom! Sukkot is said to be the premier celebration of the Millennium. As the prophet Zechariah predicted in Zechariah 14:16-17: “¹⁶ Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. ¹⁷ And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.”

The Tabernacles:

• In the Garden (Genesis 3:8)
• In the Messianic believer (Exodus 33:15)
• In the wilderness (Exodus 40:33-35)
• And the Divine Presence (1Kings 8:1-11)
• And the incarnation (Matthew 1:23)
• And the Kingdom to come (Revelation 21:1-6)

Now, ponder on this: the detailed description of the tabernacle and its construction comprise more than one-third of the book of Exodus (25-40), signifying its theological importance to the life of GOD’s people before the forming of the nation-state of Israel. And yet it was all mere material of the earth that GOD allowed to be destroyed due to the sinful rebellion of the Israelites (1Kings 9:8-9; Ezra 5:12; Lamentations). GOD put so much care and concern into what He knew would be destroyed. Does that sound familiar? It should. The true and more perfect Temple not made by human hands, the divinely designed body of Christ Jesus, was greater and had even more care and concern and attention to detail in creation (Matthew 12:6; Hebrews 9:11) and yet GOD knew that the true Temple would be destroyed (John 2:19-21). However, the Father revealed to the Son that in three days the Temple would be rebuilt (Matthew 12:39-40; John 2:22). Jesus would rise again and conquer the grave, taking away the sting of death for all who put their faith in Him (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-13; 1Corinthians 15:54-57).

In conclusion, I shall return to the beginning where this message started. In Matthew 2:1-10, the magi sought and finally found the Messiah. But where did they find the Messiah? Luke 2:7 says, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The word “manger” is the Greek word φάτνη [G5336] phatnē (faht’-nay), which comes from the word πατέομαι patéomai (pat-ay-ohm-eye), meaning “to eat.” And because Luke 13:15 informs us that this was a location where animals such as oxen and donkeys were kept, we know that Jesus was placed in a feeding trough for animals. Why? Because there was no room for them in the “inn,” which is the Greek word κατάλυμα [G2646] katalyma (kat-al’-oo-mah), which is a lodging place for travelers where they can put down their belongings, take off their traveling gear, and halt for the night. Therefore, because Joseph, Mary, and Jesus weren’t able to stay in the main lodging area, they were discovered in a temporary shelter that can be likened to a sukkah! The body of the Messiah is the Holy Sukkah and He was discovered in a sukkah! Now, is there any wonder why when the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, that the magi, the caste of wise men, in Matthew 2:11, did what they did? It is written: “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

So, what is Christmas truly about? Truly, it’s about the Christmas tabernacle, the incarnation. The birth of the Savior! And so, in all honesty, we should be celebrating the birth of Christ in the month of Tishri when the festival of tabernacles is celebrated. And that falls anywhere between September and October. But, ‘tis the season for the drudgery of winter where everything is dark, dead, and cold. And as long as we’re bringing light, life, and warmth into the world, we might as well take advantage of the season and share the reason for light, life, and warmth: Christ Jesus. For without Jesus, there is no light and there is no life (John 14:6). But… it could be warm. Really warm. Like, lake of fire warm. But I digress. That’s a message for another day.

So, what is the meaning of Christmas? What’s it all about? Well, Linus told everyone back in 1965 in A Charlie Brown Christmas when he recited Luke 2:8-14: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.’ ”
And then Linus says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Yeah. That’s what Christmas is all about. So, if you’re going to celebrate Christmas, then celebrate the right reason even if your timing might be a little off. Merry Christmas. May the Lord bless you, and keep you; may the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.

Picture Scripture: “Share The Gospel” (Romans 10:14)

(Romans 10:14)
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

…———…

Believe it or not, but some people who consider themselves Christians are afraid to share the Gospel with unbelievers and they allow fear to prevent them from doing what Jesus commanded all of His disciples to do — the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). However, some other Christians live obediently to the great commission and they do their best to share the Gospel. However, of the Christians who share the Gospel, some are worried if they are sharing the Gospel the wrong way.

Well, in order to know if you’re sharing the Gospel the wrong way, we first need to know how to do it the right way. Let’s examine the possibilities of what’s happening while Christians are sharing the Gospel. The Christian is either (1) doing it wrong, (2) doing it right but the hearer hardens his/her heart to the Truth, or (3) doing it right but is not the right person the hearer needs in order to connect with the Lord. Let’s expound upon those three scenarios.

First and foremost, before we can learn the right way to share the Gospel, we must first know what the Gospel is and ensure that we are sharing the right Gospel and not a different Gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). So, what is the Gospel? The word “Gospel” is the English translation of the Greek word euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on), which means a good announcement, a declaration of good news. So, what is this good news? Well, we can’t really know the good news without first knowing the bad news. So, what’s the bad news? The bad news began when Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD, partook of the forbidden fruit which they were commanded not to eat, came to know evil from good, and then they were separated from GOD due to sin (Genesis 3). And through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). Thus, the bad news is that we are all sinners deserving of Hell for our sin against a Holy GOD (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Our sin has kept us from His presence and eternal life (John 3:15–20). No one can earn his/her way into the presence of GOD because there is “no one righteous” (Romans 3:10). Even our best efforts of righteous deeds seem like filthy rags in comparison to GOD’s holiness (Isaiah 64:6). There is no way to earn our way back into eternal life with the Lord in His Kingdom.

However, the good news is that GOD — who is the Word — tabernacled in flesh, dwelt among us, in order to live a sinless life and become the perfect sacrifice for us on our behalf so that we will be in right standing with the Lord once again (John 1:1,14; 3:16-17; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 7-10). Immanuel (GOD with us, Matthew 1:23) did what we could never do in order to redeem us and restore right relationship! The good news is that salvation is as easy as placing our faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus, confessing that He died for our sins and resurrected as it is written (Acts 16:30-31; Romans 10:8-13; Ephesians 2:8-9)! And our faith in Christ is what saves us! It’s simple and that’s why it’s good news!

Of course, the Gospel can truly only be summarized in a scenario in which it is shared with a person who does not yet know and/or believe. There are many details to the Gospel that can only be learned through study of GOD’s Word. For example, only study of Scripture can reveal how Christ Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies of the coming Messiah who would save His people. And the fact that there would be a Messiah who would deliver His people was good news to the ancient Israelites (Isaiah 40:9; 52:7; 61:1)! But I digress.

So, what is the right way to share the Gospel? Scripture tells us that the right way to share the Gospel is to speak the Truth out from love (Ephesians 4:15). 1Peter 3:15-16 instructs us to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us; yet we are do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when we are slandered, those who revile our good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Now, sometimes in order to explain why we believe what we believe, it’s necessary to explain why wrong beliefs are false. 2Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

So, if you’re speaking the Truth out from love and adequately explaining why you believe what you believe with gentleness and respect, then you’re sharing the Gospel the right way.

But what does it look like when someone shares the Gospel the wrong way? If you share the Gospel out from pride, considering yourself better than others, then you’re doing it wrong (Psalm 75:4-5; Proverbs 11:2; 16:18; Luke 13:2-5; Romans 3:9). All of us were born into sin and have fallen short of the glory of GOD (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10,23). If you gloat when others fall, you’re doing it wrong (Job 31:29; Proverbs 17:5; 24:17; Obadiah 1:12-13; Luke 6:27-36). We need to be praying that sinners come into salvation, not celebrating that sinners go to Hell. For this reason, it is written in James 5:19-20, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Also, if you’re sharing the Gospel to people because you have hatred in your heart toward them, you’re doing it wrong (Leviticus 19:17; Proverbs 26:24; Zechariah 8:17; 1John 3:15). If you’re throwing Truth-bombs at them like hand grenades while hoping GOD will strike them down with lightning bolts, you’re doing it wrong. For example, in Luke 9:51-56, when certain people of Samaria did not receive Jesus because He was on His way to Jerusalem, His disciples, James and John, saw this, and they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And then they went on to another village.

And finally, if you position yourself to be the Judge — even though you’re not the Judge — and you condemn people to Hell, you’re doing it wrong (Isaiah 33:22; Luke 6:37-38; John 3:18; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16; 14:4,13; 1Corinthians 5:9-13; 2Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 10:30; James 4:12; 1Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:11-15). You’re not the Judge and you do not get to decide who will enter the Kingdom of GOD and who will be sentenced to Hell.

Now, this does not, however, mean that you have to refrain from speaking the Truth. Christians can and should share what GOD’s Word says. What this means is that motive matters. GOD’s Word is a double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). However, we do not use GOD’s Word with malevolent motives in order to cut people down; rather, we use this double-edged sword to cut people free from bondage. We do not use the sword against people; rather, we share it with them so that they might be set free and become a brother or sister in Christ (1Thessalonians 2:13). We are trying to win people to Christ, not lose them. We are seeking the lost, not driving people away so that they will become lost.

Therefore, if you are sharing the Truth of the Gospel out from love in hope that some might be saved, you’re sharing the Gospel the right way. However, like Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, some people have allowed their pride to harden their hearts to the point that they are so saturated in sin that they reject GOD’s Word and rebel against GOD’s will. And some people, like the Pharisees, allowed pride to take them to the other extreme end where they rejected the Word of GOD even though they claimed to be righteous and claimed to know the Word of GOD. But ponder on this: did Moses not say to Pharaoh exactly what GOD told him to say? Did the Son not say to the Pharisees exactly what the Father revealed for Him to say? Thus, you could be sharing the Gospel the right way yet people could simply be rejecting GOD’s Word and rebelling against GOD’s will.

But how do we know if we are sharing the Gospel the right or wrong way? This is why it is absolutely imperative that we first examine ourselves prior to preaching to others. For this reason it is written in Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Now, take notice: Scripture doesn’t tell us not to take the spec out of our brother’s eye; rather, it states that if we first remove what’s in our eyes then we will see clearly to remove the spec from our brother’s eye. And when we remove the specs from the eyes of our fellow brothers and sisters, it is to be done out from love, not pride. Scripture doesn’t command us to refrain from speaking Truth out from love; Scripture does not command that we stay silent regarding sin; however, Scripture does demand that we first examine ourselves before preaching to others. The person who is qualified to preach to others is the person who practices what he/she preaches. The one who is qualified to preach to others is the one who recognizes his/her own sins, humbles him/herself to the point of repentance, and shares the Truth of GOD’s Word out from love while praying for the Holy Spirit to convict the hearers of their sins so that they also will turn in repentance and be saved.

And finally, you might be sharing the Gospel the right way, but you might not be the right person to connect with a specific individual. For example, there might be a female who had been raped by a male. Due to her traumatic experience, she might reject all males and therefore not receive any words you share even if you share the Gospel the right way. She might need another female in order to receive the Gospel. She might need fellowship with other females before she can learn to trust another male again. You simply don’t have the ability to connect with every person you meet. Neither do I. You might be able to connect with someone who would reject me, or vice versa; I might be able to connect with someone who would reject you. For example, my brother in Christ, Pastor Spike (Pastor Inked) — who has tattoos all over him — might be able to better connect with others who also have tattoos just because they have that in common. Perhaps I can better connect with those who have once been a part of the entertainment industry. Thus, sometimes people might seem to reject the Gospel you have shared simply because they didn’t connect well with you personally. Oh well. You still would have planted a seed, correct? It is for this reason it is written in 1Corinthians 3:4-9: “For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Therefore, whether you’re planting seeds or watering seeds that someone else already planted, you’re doing exactly as you’re called to do so long as you are speaking Truth out from love, not having disqualified yourself by thinking too highly of yourself. For we are all members of one body even if we have different functions (Romans 12:3-8; 1Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 1:22; 5:23,30,32).

It is written in Romans 12:9: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” Therefore, if you have first examined yourself, you will realize that you are not better than the person to whom you preach the Gospel. And so as an equal in creation and an equal in potential for salvation, you are sharing the Gospel the right way if you speak Truth out from love while hoping and praying for the hearer’s salvation. We stand on the firm foundation of Truth but our hearts are soft with love. Though a diamond has clarity, it is firm and will not change; therefore, speak the unchanging Truth in its clarity. Though the softness of gold may allow it to be stretched, flattened, or molded, it does not cease to be gold; therefore, have loving hearts of gold while knowing we do not compromise who we are in Truth. If we share the Gospel the right way, then we have done our duty. It is not our responsibility to convict or change people — that work belongs to the Holy Spirit (John 16:8; 1Thessalonians 1:5).

In conclusion, make sure you’re sharing the right Gospel, and then make sure you’re sharing the Gospel the right way. And one good way to share the Gospel is to meet people where they are currently at in life and allow them to ask you questions. But remember: be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience (1Peter 3:15-16).

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The Artist J:

I myself, by nature, am a person who is very skeptical of things I hear. I like to look into matters and hear both sides of a story to see what is true before I fully decide on an answer (Proverbs 18:17; Acts 17:11). So I tend to ask a lot of questions, because questions lead to more information, and more information can lead to answers. 

One of Jesus’s disciples named Thomas gets kind of a bad rap for being a doubter, and maybe not having the same amount of faith as the other disciples, but I can somewhat sympathize with Thomas. Who wants to commit to believing something that you’re unsure about? So I like Thomas, because in John 14 it’s skeptical Thomas who was to be the very person to ask and receive the answer to one of the most important questions in human history, and the very reason why all Christians are called to share the gospel. This question came immediately after what Jesus said in 14:1-4, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Then Thomas, being the skeptic that he was asked a good question; not only was it a good question, it’s the question. In 14:5, Thomas said “Lord, we do not know where you are going. HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?” 

“How can we know the way?” That’s the question people throughout all of the history of creation have longed for the answer to. People of every nation and religion all throughout time have desired to know “What is the way to God?” Or “How do we get to heaven?”

Jesus told Thomas His answer to the question, and then even specifically confirmed that answer to Thomas later on after His resurrection from the dead. The answer that Jesus gave was in 14:6, which says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Sharing the gospel is all about providing that answer to the rest of the world. That Jesus is the only way to God the Father, and the only way that you’ll spend eternity in heaven is through Him.

All people stand guilty before God with no way to justify themselves, meaning we have no way to declare ourselves righteous before God. There is nothing in ourselves that can make us righteous and innocent of sin, for we have all sinned and fell short of the glory and holiness of God. No one could live up to the standard of the law that God had set before us. We as sinners could never meet those requirements, and disobedience brings punishment. Without a man innocent of sin to pay our bail all would suffer God’s wrath, but then came Jesus. Being in the form of God and equal with God because He was and is God, He came walking in the righteousness of God, the Son being perfect in Holiness and fully obedient to His Father, He fulfilled those righteous requirements on our behalf. He was the only one who could. But since justice requires that punishment must still be dealt for our sin, He willingly became the substitute for the wrath of the Father which was meant to be poured out on us who could not fulfill the Fathers standard of holiness. 

Jesus died in our place, taking our sin upon Himself. The Lord placed on Him the iniquity of us all. Then in three days Jesus rose from the grave, proving He was God in the flesh and that He had succeeded in paying our debt of sin. By this one act of Jesus paying our penalty in death He frees us from the sin that so easily ensnares us by giving us His own righteousness, the Holy Spirit by which He overcame the sin of this world with. 

He gives the Holy Spirit only to those who trust in His work on the cross and who fully believe on Him and are clinging only to Him for their Salvation. And It’s only thanks to Christ alone that believers can come to the throne of the Father with praise and not condemnation. Through the Father’s plan Jesus has restored us to a proper relationship with God. Now we are justified by Faith apart from the deeds of the law and are no longer called sinners, but SAINTS!  

That’s the Gospel! That’s the good news that we as Christians are called to proclaim and share to the world, and it’s through the words and testimonies of that message alone that the Holy Spirit moves through the hearts of its hearers to produce faith in them. It’s the goodness of God that leads people to REPENTANCE.

Jesus is the way, the truth and life, and His resurrection provided the evidence to back up Jesus’s claim to Thomas as well to us. For tradition says that the skeptic Thomas eventually went to India and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and saw many converts who were baptized, until he was eventually martyred in 72 A.D. He was possibly the first ever to bring the gospel to the Far East. No longer a skeptic but a firm believer on Jesus’s words that He is the way, the truth and life. And this same answer that Jesus once gave to a skeptic hearer is the same answer we as Christians are meant to proclaim to the world today. That there’s only one way, and that’s Jesus Christ.

A Pastor named Russell Kelfer once said, and I’ll end with this, “When you find a man with doubts about heaven, take him to John 14:6. When you find a man with questions about the uniqueness of God’s plan, take him to John 14:6. When you find a man struggling with the question of the ages, “What is truth?” take him to John 14:6. In fact, if someone says to you, “I only have time to listen to one statement from the Bible concerning my soul”, take him to John 14:6. That’s all he needs to hear. The entirety of God’s plan for man is packaged in a compact, concise expression of eternity only eighteen words long.” “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”

As God is my witness, hell was to be my sentence, to a repugnant, unrepentant creature, this faith was given, when I heard the gospel of my Salvation, believing made my reservation, to inherit my place in, the kingdom of God able to stand complete, fully blameless in God’s sight, my mind was in the dark, but it was one phrase of words that flipped on the light and my eyes were no longer dim, when a faithful servant of God boldly told me, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no is saved by God except through Him.