Skip to main content

To Fall


“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:29-35)

         Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. (Genesis 18:18)

          Some people would like us to believe that Paul originated the idea that the Gentile nations would be included in God’s blessing. In today’s passages, it’s clear that both Luke and Moses thought along those lines, too. They may not have understood it quite the way we do, but it was there.
          Israel was singled out before Israel was born. I’ve said before that if God had chosen another nation, like Great Britain or India, that nation would be blessed and hated as Israel has been blessed and hated. It’s God’s blessing that brings hatred, not Israel’s superiority. God moved Abram to the area and established him there – just a little off the main throughway that connected Europe, Asia, and Africa.
          And, just as God’s blessing on Israel made the other nations jealous, so God’s blessing on Jesus makes other people jealous. That’s part of the idea of the “rising and falling of many in Israel.” Either some would fall to their knees in worship while others rose up to do battle, or some would be raised up to glory while others would fall in disgrace. It all came down to the question of godhood – and not so much whether Jesus was/is God, but that we are not. The Chosen One was not the One we would have chosen.
          The Christmas holidays remind us of this. Jesus was born in a stable, which is to say, a cave, not a palace. He was raised as a carpenter’s son, not a king’s. He went to the cross, not the palace. He defeated us, not Rome. He gave us life, not conquest and power. He got it all wrong, and so right. And the question we must answer is, how will this cause us to fall and to rise?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more