A Nicene Christmas -- Poetry on the Beauty of the Incarnation

This short series of readings could be used devotionally or with a church. The lines are centered on the truths of Christ found in the Nicene Creed, applied to the familiar story of Jesus’ birth. As we celebrate the birth of Christ and mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, may you grasp the wonder of the incarnation again.

Introduction

Reading

Come, to this familiar scene once more

And find new treasures yet in store

For hidden in the hay and stable

Is truth eternal: God is able

To save unto the uttermost

Through father, son, and Holy Ghost

Each Bethlehem – shepherd to maid

Becomes a sign, a truth conveyed 

The summons of our God above

Calling sinners near by his love 

Come close; behold anew

This child born for me and you 

1. The Deity of Christ 

CREED

“We believe … in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds”

Reading

In the stars and fields and the hay

In humble quarters, where beasts lay

The Father sends His only Son – 

The prince of heaven, the Holy One

Firstborn of creation, great in might 

Beloved in his Father’s sight 

Begotten – not made – to save his own

Salvation extended through him alone 

CREED

“We believe… in Christ, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, 

Reading

Timeless, eternal, no beginning or end

Matchless, magnificent, yet this King descends

The light of perfect purity

Born in a manger of obscurity

In all things first, in all things great

He comes to earth to mediate 

The light of the world shines out to save

Calling his people from darkness and grave 

CONGREGATION

“being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.”

Reading

Before each star found its place 

Before each wonder hung in space

Before each heartbeat on the earth 

There was in peace and glorious worth 

His word bent rivers, raised each fold

Of mountains and valleys, as trees took hold 

Now sent to Bethlehem as child

Infinite power, yet meek and mild 

2. The Work of Christ 

CREED

“We believe… in Christ, who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man;”

Reader

Behold, the greatest glory now unfolds

Better than heroes and tales of old

A simple woman and simple man 

Drawn into God’s surprising and perfect plan 

To welcome a miracle of deity 

The son of God, that one-in-three

Now slumbering in a trough of wood

And once again God called it “Good.” 

CONGREGATION

“I believe that he … was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried;”

Reading 

He shaped the world and shaped the tree

Now groaning, hurting, his hands bleed 

There as a sheep being led to slaughter

His blood shed to cover each son and each daughter 

The judgment of God passes over his own

Their sins paid in full, their debt now gone 

As made to bear the stain of sin

The son suffers, his people to win 

Record now cleared, his covenant kept 

Promises made are now, promises kept 

3. The Return of Christ 

CREED

“We believe that on the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father;”

Reading

That thunderous power that called forth the stars

Now walks from the tomb, his hands bearing scars 

As the Son of the Manger, Son of Cross

Rises from death, calling life out of loss 

Now forever he wears the crown

As all his people cast theirs down 

See his death bring life, 

see his wounds restore

See the King take his place 

on his throne once more

CREED

“We believe… that He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.”

Reading

A cold clear night it was that hid

The angelic host who shepherds bid 

So shall it be when he comes again 

The glory of God the heavens will rend

And the child of the manger, the holy one 

Will gather the saints who name the Son

The Christ in the manger, cross,  and tomb

Will soon come again, now in full bloom 

And every eye see, and every knee bend 

As Christ, the Messiah, The Son, will descend

5 Truths of the Rainbow for Pride Month

This month rainbows are everywhere. They’re in stores, on sports uniforms, and on the front doors of our church. Yes you read that last part right. When a craftsman carved a design into the doors of our church in the early 1980s he included not just a cross and a dove but a rainbow as well. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about that rainbow and the story it comes from and in fact I think for Christian’s the rainbow and the story it references provides a beautifully grounding Scriptural paradigm as our culture celebrates pride month. 

The Bible’s story of the rainbow occurs after Noah and his family emerge from the flood into a judged and renewed world. Through the rainbow God promised not to judge the world like that again (Genesis 9). An odd story to become the heart of the LGBTQ pride flag. But it’s a beautiful reminder:

1. God is a more beautiful Creator than we think

The rainbow and its beauty carry a simple truth: what God makes is beautiful. The rainbow is striking and vivid and powerful in nature because it carries with it the limitless creativity of the Creator. 

Similarly, God’s design for all things carries his design and intention and beauty. We do not only hold fast to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality and gender because we believe it’s right, but because we believe that its rightness displays beauty. While there are tensions and challenges in following God’s design let us never lose sight of its beauty. 

2. Sin is more serious than we think

We have a toddler version of Noah’s Ark but something in it is oddly missing: the reason for the flood in the first place. Often many will seem to say “What’s the harm in affirming people as they simply live their lives? Why can’t you simply go along?” To ask this fundamentally misunderstands the story of the flood and the story of the Bible. 

We all rightly decry the effects of sin – hatred and war and murder and abuse. But we often minimize the seriousness of our individual sin. But the flood is a start reminder that sin completely corrupts God’s creation on every level and a good, loving, and just God cannot ignore it. He would not be good if he did. 

3. God’s mercy is more beautiful than we think

The whole reason we have the story of Noah is that world history did not end at the flood. In his immense mercy God spares Noah and his family. Despite (as we’ll see later) Noah being flawed and sinful himself, God has mercy on humanity. 

Mercy is when someone does not receive what they deserve. And rightly then we should see every step of every day as God’s mercy to us. The shining of the sun, the coming of the rain, the air in our lungs, are all mercy on this side of the Fall. Every good gift we enjoy from God is a gift of mercy. 

4. Following God will look stranger than we think

In the story of Noah I often wonder what others must have thought as Noah constructed a massive seafaring vessel in the middle of the solid ground landscape. Scripture says that the people around Noah simply ignored him and continued in their sin, presuming life would continue on as before (Matthew 24:37-39). Noah’s entire life was turned upside down, his resources spent, and his priorities rearranged – all for a future he could not fully see before the rains came. 

In the Western world today Christians often look strange, especially seen through the lens of the predominant views on gender and sexuality. But Noah reminds us that when you follow God, strangeness is built in. The way God calls us to live will often make no sense to the world around us, looking ahead to a future we can’t fully see. But it reminds us that, however strange, following the Lord is not madness but clarity. 

5. Even “good” people are more flawed than they think

Perhaps you might think that selecting the most “righteous” of the people on earth would result in a new and perfect society – tragically it was not so. Noah the savior of humanity ends up drunk and naked and shamed in his tent in Genesis 9. One of the things God is helping us see in the story of Noah is that the problem with sin is not just “out there” among the worst of the worst, but “in here” among even those who seem righteous by comparison. 

So when it comes to pride month no Christian should approach the month self-righteously, as if we are not sinners ourselves. Instead, we must remind ourselves that even those who seem “good” in the world are desperately flawed and carry sin in their own hearts.

Our only hope is that God would create a way to escape the flood of judgment. Our only hope is that just as those few were carried to safety through God’s provision of the ark, we to can be carried safely through the provision of the cross: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

The good news is that the doors of the ark of salvation still stand open for sinners like us.

Let us rejoice then, and invite others in. 

The Spirit and the Gifts Are Ours -- Resource List

“The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;

I love that last verse of Luther’s A Mighty Fortress is Our God. It’s a reminder that in Christ we not only receive the gift of salvation but also the gift of the Holy Spirit, and with the Spirit many gifts. It’s like living in a dark dungeon only to find yourself rescued and returned to your homeland…only to find your home also filled with gifts in every room. What grace. 

In our study of Ephesians we paused for three weeks to examine Paul’s charge to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). We’re planning to continue growing our understanding of that over several prayer and worship nights, but I also wanted to provide some of my favorite resources on the Spirit and gifts. My hope is that these resources will stir your affections for the Lord and make you marvel all the the more at the many gifts he gives the church. 

Best Paragraph(s)

Our Statement of Faith

https://webelieve.sovereigngrace.com/person-and-work-of-the-holy-spirit

https://webelieve.sovereigngrace.com/the-empowering-ministry-of-the-spirit

The statement of faith we share with our family of churches succinctly sums up what we believe about the Spirit and gifts. But even more than the statements, I love the footnotes. Walk through them yourself and allow the Scripture to shape your understanding of the Spirit. 

Best Single Article

“The Spirit and the Gifts” (Mellinger) 

We’ve talked about how we want to “lean forward with our Bible in hand” when it comes to the Spirit and gifts and I think Jared models that for us here. In just a handful of pages you’ll get an overview of why we believe all the spiritual gifts continue in the church today and how the gospel changes the way we use them. 

Best Systematic Theology

Systematic Theology, Chs. 39,52-53

Grudem’s work is simple, straightforward and clear. This Systematic Theology should already have a place on your shelf and the work here demystifies spiritual gifts where appropriate, but also leaves appropriate biblical mystery intact. The best place to start if you want to go a bit deeper into the topic and want to learn to practice your own gifts rightly. 

More Systematic Theology

Find yourself with questions about the Spirit on a deeper level? Or do you want to strengthen your own convictions? Do you want to learn to interact with other views of the Spirit? Some recommendations from Jeff Purswell: 

• Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? Four Views, ed. Wayne Grudem

• The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, Wayne Grudem

• Showing the Spirit, D.A. Carson

• The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts, Max Turner, esp. chs. 10, 15

• Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God, Gordon Fee

Best Scholarly Interaction

Showing the Spirit by D.A. Carson

Our Director of Theology Jeff Purswell writes: A masterful and clearly written exposition of these chapters, with much interaction with other views. Of immense help with these chapters, as well as with one’s own view of the Spirit and spiritual gifts.

Praying in Moments of Fear

Last night news that there had been a shooting at Cielo Vista brought back many memories of the 2019 shooting here in El Paso. In moments like that it’s difficult to know how to respond or even pray. Thankfully, Jesus has given us a guide. 

As I tucked my boys into bed we did what we do every night and prayed the Lord’s prayer. And I was amazed at how it both reminded me of things I needed to remember, and gave me a way to express my heart. So when difficult and uncertain moments arrive, pray then like this (Matthew 6:9-13): 

“Our Father in heaven,

Lord, thank you that when I look upward I see an affectionate Father and that you are in heaven and in charge. 

hallowed be your name.

Lord, may you be glorified in how I respond to this situation. May my thoughts and actions be pleasing to you. 

[10] Your kingdom come,

Lord, may whatever happens in this situation advance your kingdom purposes. 

your will be done,

Lord, you are wise and sovereign. You know far better than I what should happen. 

on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord, while we experience sorrow and loss and anxiety now we look forward to that day your kingdom comes fully. 

[11] Give us this day our daily bread,

Lord, give me what I need today – practical provision, physical strength, finances, safety, and all the rest. And provide for the needs of all those affected.

[12] and forgive us our debts,

Lord, I acknowledge that in my responses I may have sinned – through unbelief or pride or sinful anger – to forgive me. 

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Lord, help me approach others as someone shown grace by God that I may also show that grace to others. 

[13] And lead us not into temptation,

Lord, guard my way in this situation and protect me from temptation. 

but deliver us from evil. 

Lord, may you frustrate the designs of sinful people, may you bring justice to places of injustice, may you protect the innocent or vulnerable.

_________________________

Last night I found that by the end of the prayer my burdens were lightened. They were carried by a loving and gracious and sovereign Father. 

Is there a trial or struggle or place of fear you can bring to the Lord today? 

4 Reasons to Come to Church with a Fussy Kid

Often, coming to church as a parent of a young kid means a disruption to nap time, a change in routine, and sometimes a grumpy afternoon. Even as we leave the fussy newborn stage we still have fussy or grumpy or sleepy or uncooperative kids. Parents of teenagers I know tell me teens can be more than "fussy."

So why come to church with a fussy kid?

1. Gathering is An Act of Worship

When we simply see church as an experience for us, we’ll miss that coming to church is an act of worship. In fact, Peter describes the church as a “temple” offering spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2), and that includes our gathering. When we think "This is is a waste of time" we find encouragement that no act of worship is wasted.

2. Gathering Sets Our Life Rhythms

Ten years after our first infant we’ve learned that every stage has its own challenges. Toddlers have accidents. School age kids can’t find their shoes. Older kids sleep late. But we persevere until those efforts become a habit and until those habits become a life rhythm. As I read the Old Testament I see that so much of Israel’s life had patterns for worship set in it, regardless of what was going on in any individual’s life.

3. Gathering Teaches Our Kids

Our kids pick up more than we think they do and much of what they pick up comes through what we do, not what we say. We can tell them Jesus is important to us, but when we rearrange our weekend around Jesus they see just how important he is. We can tell them they should go to church when they grow up, but when we go to church even when it’s difficult and inconvenient they learn how deeply we believe it.

4. Gathering Often Strengthens Us As Parents

There have been many times I’ve asked Jenn about our Sunday service and she’s said she was fighting through some distracting child related parenting challenge. But even still there’s often something that strengthens her – a line from a song, an encouragement from a friend, a nugget of biblical truth. Often God surprises us with what he does even on tough Sundays.

So take heart parents of fussy kids. When you gather you're doing more than you think.

What I Pray When I Don't Want to Read My Bible

I think many people assume pastors always want to read their Bible.

Sorry, but I don’t.

There can be a variety of reasons for this:

-I’m physically tired or exhausted (got 3 kids 10 and under)

-I’m emotionally drained by work or conflict

-I’m spiritually feeling dry

-I’m frustrated

-I’m anxious

-I’m sleepy (most common reason for me lately)

But when I’m feeling those things often remember a simple acronym I learned from another pastor:

L - I - T.

Lead - Incline - Turn.

That’s what I pray. It’s from Psalm 119:35–37

[35] Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

[36] Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!

[37] Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.

This is a long, glorious Psalm about the amazing nature of God’s Word. But I love that the Psalmist prays and humbly just asks for God’s help.

“Lord, please lead me on this path — I need you to show me the way today”

“Lord, incline my heart toward your word — I need you to help me want to spend time here today”

“Lord, turn my eyes from worthless things — I’m prone to distraction and temptation and impatience today so help me.”

And I love that the acronym brings to mind the image of a flame that must be lit. When we come and there’s no flame alive in our hearts, that’s okay. Admitting that and asking for help is okay. In fact, it’s biblical.

God is in the business of lighting a fire in our hearts.

5 Reasons Your Bible Reading Plan Will Fail in 2023

I think you should make getting more Bible in your life one of your New Years Resolutions. I love that.

But I think you’ve got a problem.

I’m not sure how many Bible reading plans I’ve started, but I’m pretty sure I’ve finished less than half of them. Some of them I dropped for good reasons (like going more slowly through one book), but more than I want to admit I dropped for bad reasons (like losing motivation).

Here a few common places I’ve been tripped up and where I bet you might be too.

1. Not planning a time and place to read // Maybe you found a great Bible plan. Wonderful! But if you don’t plan a specific time and place to read you likely won’t get far. Without a specific time and place Bible reading will fall into the “If I have time” category, and you probably won’t have time. So pick a time.

2. Being overly ambitious // I love the ambition of reading through the Bible in a year, but if you haven’t read the Bible much at all in the last year consider a more achievable target. That’s a little like trying to run a half-marathon when you’re not consistently running 5k or 10ks.

3. Reading Alone // I think you should read alone, but not stay alone. What I mean is that you should bring others into your reading — talk to a spouse or close friend about your plan. Ask them for encouragement and to check-in with you. Or better yet, use the same reading plan as someone else and connect about it.

4. Reading For Your Mind But Not Heart // Sometimes reading can be a knowledge exercise alone. But the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength. So that mind work is also heart work and soul work. That reading should engage your heart. Honestly, I’m so helped sometimes by listening to worship music as I read, allowing the truth to engage my emotions even as I engage my mind.

5. Being Surprised By Hard Work // If you expect every morning to feel like your pastor’s best sermon, you’ll be discouraged and give up. Bible reading is more like digging for treasure. The shovel often goes into the ground without visible progress—but without that consistency you’ll never reach what is precious and beautiful.

I hope you will read the Bible in 2023. Just don’t set yourself up to fail before you get out of the gate.

• Pick a time and place

• Take your current reading and push yourself a bit further

• Find someone to read with

• Engage your heart intentionally

• Expect hard work

If you do this I trust you’ll experience the good of what the Psalmist says about God’s Word:

Psalm 19:7–8

[7] The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

[8] the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes; (ESV)

P.S.: Looking for a good Bible reading plan? Justin Taylor has a great roundup here.