Was the First Christmas Just a Nice Story?

"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" cries out Charlie Brown in a classic Christmas special scene. "Sure," responds his friend Linus, "I can tell you what Christmas is all about." Linus takes center stage, and tells Charlie Brown and everyone present the story of the first Christmas. He recites the gospel of Luke in chapter 2 from verses 8 to 14:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

From the first time Linus said these words on national television, audiences have admired this scene. It's been embraced by Christians, but also non-believers. Some of those who are anti-Christ have said they admire this scene, because it tells a nice story about how people should be kind to each other. It's not a story about worshiping Jesus. It is instead about generosity, and how people helped each other out. So, is that all the story of the first Christmas is? Is it just a nice story?

If the first Christmas is just a "nice" story, then reading it
is just as useful as reading other "nice" stories about
Santa, reindeer and presents (1 Corinthians 15:14).

Taking a look at the Christmas story, as it's written in Luke chapter 2, there are a handful of central characters. There is the young woman named Mary who gives birth to a baby named Jesus. There's also the shepherds who live just outside of the town where Mary and Jesus are, and there's also the angels who tell the shepherds about Jesus' birth. If this story is just a nice story about people helping each other, then these characters (or at least one of these characters) should demonstrate an observable kindness to someone else, or exhibit an act of generosity from which readers are supposed to learn.

Based on Luke chapter 2 from verses 8 to 14, there doesn't appear to be any moment where the characters do anything apparently kind. At face value, the story revolves around shepherds listening to a message from angels about a pregnant woman who gave birth. There's no display of charitable giving in that. Well, what if the scope of our text was widened to Luke chapter 2 from verses 1 through 20? Now, there's even less signs of apparent kindness. There's an inconsiderate king who forces his subjects to move hundreds of miles, for the sake of one census (1-2). There's a whole town of people unable to let a pregnant woman stay somewhere else other than a place for animals (7). Even the shepherds, after they receive the angels' message, go into town, find the baby, and then promptly go away (17). Considering the shepherds didn't give anything to Mary or Jesus (they didn't even stay to change a diaper), it doesn't look like they helped her out. Plainly looking at this "nice" story, it doesn't seem to be about kindness or generosity. Actually, it looks like it's about nothing at all.

Nativity sets represent a condensed telling of the Christmas
story. To unbelievers who put them up Paul might say, they are 
"objects of worship...to an unknown god. So [unbelievers]
are ignorant of the very thing [they] worship," (Acts 17:23).

If this story really is what Christmas is all about, then what is this story all about?

This story is about Jesus. Everything written in Luke chapter 2 centers around Him, who He is and how the characters respond to Him. Before Jesus is born, the writer addresses that His earthly father is from "the house and line of David," meaning Jesus is of a royal line, even though His family is clearly not treated like royalty (4). When the shepherds are told about Jesus' birth, the angels say they have brought, "good news that will cause great joy for all the people," (10). This news is that a savior has been born; one who is the Lord (11). Then the angels praised God, and said there would be peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests (14). The shepherds hurry to see their savior and their Lord (16), and after they see Him, "they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them," (17-18). Mary considers the shepherds' response to her newborn to be worthy of treasuring (19), and all the shepherds return to their field, "glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told," (20).

The events in Luke are not just a story, but are history.
In the same way Jesus was born just as the shepherds
were told, (Luke 2:20), Jesus lived just as the
gospel writers have told (Luke 1:1-4).

Everything that happens in this story occurs, because Jesus is born. At first glance it seems rather odd how everyone reacts to the birth of an infant who cannot do anything for them. A clearer focus, though, reveals this child is described as the Lord, and our characters in this story "know that the Lord is God; besides Him there is no other," (Deuteronomy 4:35). This means Jesus is God. Not only this, but He is also the Savior, and everyone whom He loves will have peace (Luke 2:11,14). He came to rescue people as their benevolent king from heaven (John 18:36), but many people did not receive Him (John 1:11). These people did not believe what was said of Him, "yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God," (John 1:12). Those who believe in God are not blind to who Jesus is, for God opens His children's eyes to see Him clearly (Luke 24:31). Only those with opened eyes know that the first Christmas tells of when "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. [Those who believe] have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth," (John 1:14).

The Christmas story is not a "nice" story, but a powerful story! It is about Jesus, the one who came to save those who made no room for Him. He came to the earth out of more than just generosity and kindness, for He came out of grace and peace. Those who know Him have seen His glory and are filled with overwhelming joy. They will praise God in a cold dark night and for the rest of their days.

"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Do you hear the sound?

A thousand angels are singing out

To God Almighty we're bowing down

And that's what Christmas is all about!

Light me up and I'll show you the way

Every year can't wait for Christmas day

Light me up, I finally figured out

What Christmas is all about!

- Owl City

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
• Owl City: Light of Christmas

Isaiah 7:14 (Immanuel is God with Us)

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

God is with us! "Really?" some of my readers might say. "Have you looked around? Would God really be here and let this kind of stuff happen? Is God asleep, then? Is God dead?" God is with us! "And that's great, but..." some of my other readers might say. "I'm glad God's here, but I can't just go and visit Him, and it's really hard to hear Him sometimes. Couldn't He be here stronger? Am I keeping Him away?" God is with us! "Amen," the Bible says.

"God with us" is proclaimed throughout Scripture. The prophet Isaiah wrote to the city of David, Bethlehem, that God was with them. He wrote, "the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel," (Isaiah 7:14). So, God's sign to prove His promise appeared on the first Christmas night. Just as Isaiah prophesied a virgin woman did give birth to a son (Luke 2:7), and He was called Immanuel which means "God with us." This baby boy named Jesus grew up to become a man, and after He accomplished everything He wanted to do with His life on earth (John 19:30), He lifted Himself up into heaven (Acts 1:9). So the one called Immanuel is no longer here on earth, but this does not mean that God is not with us. Isaiah gave the prophecy about Immanuel so the people of Bethlehem would know God is with them, and that promise was sealed by the sign of a virgin birth. The promise, though, was true, even before the virgin gave birth.

God lived among His people as a baby, who was
born in a real stable and laid in a real manger (Luke 2:7).
He was here on earth as someone who could be
held and fed, and He's still here as Immanuel.

Before Isaiah was born, God has said He is with us to many of His followers. One of these followers was a leader named Joshua whom God told, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go," (Joshua 1:9). Another of God's chosen was a great king named David who wrote by the power of the Holy Spirit, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me," (Psalm 23:6). There was also a prophet named Zephaniah who wrote to the people of Israel, "The Lord has taken away your punishment, He has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm," (Zephaniah 3:15). He even further wrote, "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing,” (Zephaniah 3:17). God has always been with us.

Even when the waters won't stop rising

Even when I'm caught in the dead of a night

I know, No matter how it ends

You're with me even then

- Micah Tyler

God is present in everyone's life, for his hand has written all the people's days before any one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). His Spirit is present in the hearts of His followers, for they are His holy dwelling place and He lives in their midst (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Lord says to His obedient servants, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand," (Isaiah 41:10). Indeed God will be with His people "always, to the very end of the age," (Matthew 28:20).

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from
Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if
I make my bed in the depths, You are there," (Psalm 139:7-8).

Yes, God is with us; no matter how anyone may respond to this. If anyone looks around they will see God's fingerprint on all of creation (Revelation 4:11). He has not abandoned the world (Hebrews 1:3), but is using all of the chaos within it to bring about goodness for His people (Romans 8:28). He is not asleep, and He is not dead (Psalms 121:4). It is for the good of His followers that no one can physically visit Him on earth, because if He remained here in flesh His Spirit would never come (John 16:7). He continues to speak to us through His word in the Bible (Hebrews 4:12), and He does not need to give us new messages as our days progress (2 Timothy 3:17, Hebrews 1:2). His Spirit is as strong in our lives as He has ordained to be so (1 Corinthians 12:11). There is nothing any of His chosen people can do to lessen His Spirit or remove themselves from God's presence (Romans 8:38-39). We know God is with us and will always be, for the virgin conceived and gave birth to a son, and we still call Him Immanuel.

Can you feel your heart begin to race?

Can you see the tide begin to change?

With all of our futures rearranged

The world will never be the same

For God is with us

Oh, God is with us!

- for KING & COUNTRY

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Open Bible Info: God is with Us
• Micah Tyler: Even Then
• for KING & COUNTRY: For God is With Us

Should Christians say "Happy Holidays"

Picture this, you're at a store in December and the cashier says to you, "Happy holidays." There are a lot of different ways you could react to this seasonal salutation, but you're not likely to act surprised. Saying "happy holidays" is common these days, especially in stores, on the radio or over social media. What would happen, though, if this exchange between you and the cashier took place at a Christian book store? How about if you heard "happy holidays" on Christian radio? How would you react if you heard "happy holidays" at church...from the pastor? Now, that might be surprising. It may even raise this question: Should Christians say "happy holidays"?

To be fair, "happy holidays" rolls off one's tongue a little bit easier than the cramming of consonants that is "merry Christmas." Just because something is easy, though, doesn't necessarily mean it's worth doing. It's easy for someone to ignore Jesus and keep the course of their life, but doing so would be the greatest mistake they could make (Luke 9:57-62). There's also a lot of joy that can come from overcoming a difficult obstacle. Jesus says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God," (Mark 10:25). Despite this, Christians continue to preach to the greedy, knowing Jesus did "not come to call the righteous, but sinners," (Mark 2:17). Think about how audiences still cheer when rich man Ebenezer Scrooge is born again on Christmas day (yes, it's a fictional example, but it's also festive). So, just because "happy holidays" is less of a tongue tier than "merry Christmas," doesn't mean it's a better seasonal salutation.

Some people dislike hearing "merry Christmas," and that might
be because the world hates Christ (John 15:18). Now, Christians
should not be ashamed to speak Christ (Romans 1:16), and
should also be gentle with their words (Galatians 5:22-23).

Now, what if a Christian said "happy holidays," and truly meant to wish that others have enjoyable holidays, more than just the big one on December 25th? That would be interesting, but it would not go against Biblical precedent. Paul wrote to Christians who were being ridiculed for celebrating certain Jewish and Gentilic festivals saying, "do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day," (Colossians 2:16). It wasn't morally wrong for one of the Christians in Colossi to celebrate Passover and Easter. It's not disobedient to God for anyone to take part in Christmas or its neighboring festivities (in fact celebrating Saint Lucia's Day on December 13th has some Biblical value). If a Christian were to truly wish another person "happy holidays," doing so would not be a sin.

Even though Christians can say "happy holidays," this doesn't mean Christians should say it. Christians can certainly say, "'I have the right to do anything,” but not everything is beneficial," (1 Corinthians 10:23). A big reason Christians may want to avoid saying "happy holidays" is because it implies that all celebrations in December have equal value. It's rather disingenuous for a Christian to imply that embracing the birth of their savior has as much merit as ringing in the calendar new year. If someone had a birthday on Valentine's day, then it wouldn't be wrong on February 14th to wish them "fun festivities." Wishing them that alone, though, is inconsiderate, since the obvious celebration that matters more to them was not acknowledged. Here in December, the value behind Christmas obviously matters more than other winter holidays, and it definitely should for Christians. Christmas reminds people of the Gospel message, while all other winter celebrations center around lesser things. Honoring Jesus is more important than honoring something else, and (let's all face it) Jesus is the reason for the season.

Jesus is the reason

We celebrate the season

Christmas is the birth of our King

And, Christmas isn't Christmas

Without the love of Jesus

He is the reason that we sing

- Tom Brooks

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Got Questions: War on Christmas
• Tom Brooks: Super Duper Christmas

Matthew 1:21 (Jesus is Savior)

Matthew 1:21

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

Have you noticed how many Christmas stories involve "saving"? When it comes to Christmas, someone or something is nearly always in crisis. People are in peril and need to be rescued by a brave superhero or a wild cop just before December 25th. There's also stories where the holiday itself is in danger, until some elf, toy, girl, or boy steps in and saves Christmas. Most of these stories even have the words "save Christmas" in their name (even I wrote such a story). There's something about "saving" and Christmas that go hand-in-hand. In fact this is the case with the first Christmas story ever told.

Long ago in the town of Bethlehem there lived a carpenter named Joseph. He was betrothed to a young woman named Mary, and their pledge to each other was so strong it was as if they were already married. Before they could wed, Mary was discovered to be pregnant. She told Joseph that another man was not the cause for this, but it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that she conceived a child. Joseph was in a tight position. Because he understood the letter of God's law, he was concerned what might happen to his wife, if his neighbors thought Mary was unfaithful. Joseph was also faithful to the spirit of God's law and did not want to disgrace Mary in her hometown. So, Joseph decided it would be best for him to divorce his wife, but keep the matter private. After he considered this, an angel appeared to him. The angel said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins,” (Matthew 1:20-21). Moved by the angel's words, Joseph took Mary to be his wife. The two of them were formally married after Mary's child was born, and Joseph named the child Jesus.

And as he held the Savior in his arms

He must have thought

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade

Why Him with all the rulers in the world

Why here inside this stable filled with hay

Why her, she's just an ordinary girl

Now I'm not one to second guess

What angels have to say

But this is such a strange way 

to save the world

- 4Him

This is the story of Jesus Christ's birth, according to the Gospel of Matthew. It's only seven verses long, which is a lot shorter than its counterpart in the Gospel of Luke. Just because it's short, though, does not mean it holds any less value. After all, this little part of the Bible holds a big piece of knowledge that can shape our understanding of the rest of the Gospel. In this text we learn the origins of Jesus' name.

The name "Jesus" in Greek is Ἰησοῦς (Iésous). According to the footnotes for Matthew 1:21, "Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves." The name "Joshua" is Hebrew and it is יְהוֹשׁ֫וּעַ (Yehoshua). In the Old Testament there is a man named Joshua who became the leader of God's people (Joshua 1:1-2). He followed God's commands and saved God's people from their enemies time and time again (Joshua 6:2, 8:1, 10:8, 11:12). Joshua lived up to his name proving that the Lord saves. Jesus, too, would do the same. He would be the savior of the world given at Christmas.

Here they are, the world's own self-made saviors of Christmas,
and each one of them is an imperfect weak imitation
of the one whose name is "Savior."

Jesus was born on Christmas; not to save the holiday but to make the holiday. The reason He came was to save His people, by giving His life for them, for He came "to give His life as a ransom for many,” (Mark 10:45). When Jesus was an adult, He took the wrongdoings of the world, and paid the price for them, as if He had been the one to commit them (1 John 2:2). He never sinned once in His life, but He bore God's anger against the earth's sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), an anger so strong that it crushed Jesus (Isaiah 53:10). This way in which Jesus saved the world was foretold in the Old Testament, long before He was born. One of Jesus' loyal followers named Peter related Jesus' saving work back to several Old Testament texts. He wrote this about his friend Jesus in the book of 1 Peter in chapter 2 from verses 24 to 25:

“He himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

When Jesus was born, He was wrapped in cloth, (Luke 2:7), but
after He saved the world from the power of sin, He took off His
cloth wrappings and laid them aside (John 20:6-7), for
He had done what He was born to do (Matthew 18:11).

Because Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and raised by a father named Joseph, He was able to grow up and save God's chosen people from their sin. Like a shepherd gathers a scattered crowd of sheep or a parent puts their kid's toys back in the box, Jesus found those who were lost from God and brought them back to Him. He still does this today, for just as Peter said, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved," (Acts 2:21). The only one who can truly save people is Jesus. He is the reason why Christmas will always be about saving.

Don't You know that you are the reason

That He came, oh, He came to save us

When He gave His life for us, He suffered and died

To a world that was lost He gave

Everything that He had, He gave

To show us the reason to live

- Avalon

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• 4Him: Strange Way to Save the World
• Bible Hub: Strong's Greek Jesus
• Bible Hub: Strong's Hebrew Joshua
• Avalon: We are the Reason

What Does it Mean to Speak in Jesus' Name?

Christians have a culture separate from the rest of the world; a culture with its own norms, words and phrases. For a Christian, Sunday isn't just the next day in the weekend, but is the Lord's day, (Mark 16:9, Revelation 1:10). "Sacrifice" is not something to avoid, but is a joy to be embraced for all of life (Romans 12:1). Being "Spirit filled" has nothing to do with filling up on liquor (Ephesians 5:18), but is about having a body where the Holy Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19). Another cultural Christian phrase is to "speak the name of Jesus," or speak "in Jesus' name." These two phrases have become popular, especially through the release of two contemporary songs, one in 2021 and the other in 2022. Within cultures, phrases can take on multiple meanings, but in Christian cultures most phrases have finite meanings that can be found in the unchanging (Matthew 5:18) and always applicable (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Word of the God, the Bible. So, what does the Bible say about speaking the name of Jesus; speaking in Jesus' name?

The concept of speaking in Jesus' name appears several times throughout the New Testament, but it appears most prominently in the book of Acts. This book relays the history of the early Church and the actions taken by the Apostles, those who had been called by Christ in person to preach the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:7-8, Galatians 1:1). One of the first things the Apostles did on the day the Church was created (Acts 2:1-4), was preach to a large crowd saying, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," (Acts 2:38). This is the first time the Apostles and the Church used the phrase "in Jesus' name," but it would not be the last. The Apostle Peter said the promise of forgiveness through Jesus' name is a promise "for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call," (Acts 2:39). Even to this day, and then far beyond it, the Lord continues to save everyone who calls on Him in His name (Romans 10:13). Only Jesus' name alone can save people from their sins.

Jesus, the Name above every other name

Jesus, the only One who could ever save

Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe

We live for You, we live for You

- Pat Barrett

The Apostles preached (Acts 5:40) healed the sick (Acts 3:16)

and casts out demons (Acts 16:18) in Jesus' name.

In this context speaking "in Jesus' name" has the power to bring people to repentance, lead them to baptism and offer them forgiveness for their sins. So, from where does this power in Jesus' name come?

The power behind these words is not in the words themselves. If someone were to say that something will happen, and then they follow their statement with the phrase, "in Jesus' name," the saying of those words does not give their decree any extra power. The words "in Jesus' name" themselves cannot be used to incant anything into being. In the Bible the act of using words in an incantation in order to have power or control over something is referred to as casting a spell. People who cast spells are known as sorcerers. God told His chosen people there should be no one among them "who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead," (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). God does not want His followers to be chanters of spells. There is no particular alignment of words a person can use that will add any extra "umph" to their own decrees.

Because there's no special power in words themselves, Christians should not worry about what they say when they make a request to God. Jesus says to His followers, "When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him," (Matthew 6:7-8). Even more than this, Paul says to believers, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes," and He does this "for God’s people in accordance with the will of God," (Romans 8:26-27). This is why all who believe in Jesus' name can boldly enter His presence (Hebrews 4:16), knowing that nothing they say or misspeak will keep them from being blameless in God's sight (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

When believers pray, it doesn't matter that much what they
say, as much as it matters to whom they pray, because
Christians make their requests to the God who
can speak things into being (Romans 4:17).

Even though there is no power in the words "in Jesus' name" there is power behind Jesus' name, and that power comes from the authority Jesus has, as the King of Kings (Revelation 19:16). Kings have the power to proclaim orders. Everything a King commands must be done by their subjects or else there will be consequences. When Pharaoh ordered the slave masters to take away the straw that the Isrealites needed to make bricks, it was done and those who could not make bricks suffered (Exodus 5:6-14). When king Darius' administrators tricked him into creating a law that would harm those who worshiped God, they told the king, "issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered,” (Daniel 6:8). When king Xerxes asked one of his subjects to make a decree for him, he gave his subject his signet ring and told him, "no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked," (Esther 8:8). Throughout Scripture, everything a king commanded in his name and sealed with his approval was expected to be followed, and if it was not obeyed then there were consequences. In the same way kings seal their commands by their name, so too does God seal His commands by His name.

God is a king, and whatever He wants to happen will happen, for "He does whatever pleases Him," (Psalm 115:3), and "no purpose of [His] can be thwarted," (Job 42:2). God's commands and His words cannot be altered (Matthew 5:18). Those who do not obey God suffer consequences (Revelation 21:8). So, when Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me," naturally, as a King, He follows this proclamation with this command to His subjects, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you," (Matthew 28:18-20). When believers baptize others in order to make disciples, they do this in the authority of Jesus' name. It is by Jesus' authority that believers have been commanded, and are able, to baptize others. In this sense, saying the phrase "in Jesus' name," is similar to saying, "By the order of the King."

The Apostles were able to perform miracles in Jesus' name,
because they were given God's seal of approval (Acts 2:3), but
those who had not been given God's "signet ring" were unable
to do the same miracles the Apostles did (Acts 19:13-16).

Saying that something will happen in Jesus' name does not mean a Christian is applying their own seal of approval, but means that Jesus has already applied His seal of divine approval. Asking God for something in His name is to ask for something in accordance with His will. It would be similar to if someone said, "Such and such will happen, because the king commanded it, so by the order of the king this will happen." Those who believe in God have this confidence, "if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us," (1 John 5:14). When we, as believers, follow God's will and obey His commands we glorify His mighty name (Matthew 5:16, John 12:27-28). This is why Jesus says to His disciples, "I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it," (John 14:13-14). Doing anything in God's name will always be powerful, because God and His Word are forever powerful.

The power in Jesus' name was demonstrated on earth, when Paul performed miracles among the people in Ephesus. Those who heard what Paul had done according to God's will "were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed [their sins]. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly," (Acts 19:17-19). The same thing that happened then can happen today, because there is no limited sorcerery behind speaking the name of "Jesus." There is power in following the will of God and obeying His authority as King. Everything that God has decreed, let it be done in Jesus' name!

There is power

In the name of Jesus

There is power

Power in His name

One name, one name can save

One name, breaks every chain

One name, always

One name, Jesus

- Lincoln Brewster

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Pat Barrett: Build My Life
• Open Bible Info: Ask in God's Name
• Got Questions: In Jesus' Name
• Lincoln Brewster: There is Power

James 1:17 (God Does Not Change)

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Things change. The seasons progress, as the sun's angle towards the earth slowly adjusts. The shadows shift, the leaves turn colors, the clouds roll, the skies whirl and the world spins. For us, as humans, our inconsistent planet has made us used to change. If we don't like the weather, we can wait 24 hours. If our friends become different overnight, what else is new. If our circumstances never settle, that's just life. We expect change, so when we encounter something that is constant it impacts us. We question it, because how could there be anything unchanging in this world?

God is unchanging. Scripture states this fact over and over again. He Himself says, "I the Lord do not change," (Malachi 3:6). Yes, even "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever," (Hebrews 13:8). As God is constant and eternal, so too is His Word. It is written, "Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens," (Psalm 119:89). It is true, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever," (Isaiah 40:8). God further states, He "is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19).

God even keeps His promise to make the seasons change,
for the Lord says, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime
and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter,
day and night will never cease," (Genesis 8:22). 

Yes, the God of heaven and earth is constant in all His ways, but many people (even Christians) say He is not. 

Some say, "The God in the Old Testament is different from the God in the New Testament," but there is only one God from whom all things exist (1 Corinthians 8:6). He says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," (Revelation 22:13). The same God who said He would come to earth as a king in the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6) was born of a mother in a manger in the New Testament (Luke 2:7). All the promises God makes He intends to keep. The eternal Lord says, "My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it," (Isaiah 55:11). The author of Hebrews describes the goodness of God's consistency this way in chapter 6 from verses 17 to 19:

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

In addition to this, some say, "God can change His mind," but God says through His prophets, "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a human being, that He should change His mind," (1 Samuel 15:29). God can relent from doing something, but this does not mean that He changed. When God relented from destroying Nineveh, because they repented of their sin, God did not change but the people of Nineveh did (Jonah 3:9-10). 

Another time when it seemed God changed His mind was when He told king Hezekiah he would die (2 Kings 20:1). After this, Hezekiah prayed and cried out to God, saying, "Please, Lord, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight!" (2 Kings 20:3). Because of Hezekiah's prayer, God then said to him, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you," (2 Kings 20:5). God confirmed His promise to Hezekiah by making the sun roll back ten minutes (2 kings 20:9-10). If this event is about God changing His mind, then God's promise sealed by adjusting the sun's shadows (2 kings 20:11) would be meaningless, because God could then change His mind about keeping His promise. In this event God did not change His mind, but stayed consistent to Himself. He is faithful to bring down rulers and raise up the humble (Luke 1:52), and because Hezekiah humbled himself, God said to him, "I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city," (2 Kings 20:6). For all of eternity God will love the righteous (Psalm 11:7) and reward those who turn to Him (Hebrews 11:6). It is written, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows," (James 1:17). In the account of Hezekiah God made the shadows shift to prove He does not.

In the Bible the Greek word meaning to change one's mind
is μετάνοια (metanoia), which is the same word for "repent"
(referring to changing one's mind on sin), so since the righteous
do not need to repent of sin (Luke 15:7), and God is righteous
(2 Timothy 4:8), then God does not need to change His mind.

God does not change, nor does anything about Him; not His ways, His words or His love. It is written, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever," (Psalm 136:1). The seasons, people and circumstances change, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail," (Lamentations 3:21-22).

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

- Newsboys

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• OpenBibleInfo: God Never Changes 
• GotQuestions: Does God Change His Mind?
• BibleHub: Repentance (metanoia)
• Newsboys: Your Love Never Fails

Should You be Scared of Hell?

When something truly scares you, it's hard ignoring it. Whether it's a creepy movie you regret watching, a terrifying reality you learned on the news, or an awful circumstance coming for your life, what scares you stays with you. It gives you nightmares. It shadows you, during the day. It affects you, despite your resistance. What scares us, has a certain power over us. Power should never fall into the wrong hands. So, should anything scare us? Should hell?

Some Christians who want to make people afraid of hell have been described as "scaring people into heaven." This is a tactic John Piper describes as "motivating by fear or a desire to escape hell" to send people "into the arms of Jesus." If a Christian makes hell appear scary with their goal to send people to Jesus, then that tactic will only work if Jesus agrees that hell is scary. If people get scared into Jesus' arms by hell, and then He says to them, "There's no reason for you to fear hell," then the people would understandably leave Jesus, because the power that sent them to Him was shown to be no power at all. If, however, Jesus does say to these people when they come to Him, "Yes, hell is something that should terrify you," then those people are likely to never let Him go.

Jesus says hell is "eternal punishment," (Matthew 25:46), and "eternal fire" for the cursed (Matthew 25:41) "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth," (Matthew 13:50). Jesus quotes the Old Testament and affirms what the prophet Isaiah wrote about hell (Mark 9:48) stating, hell is a place full of "the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched," (Isaiah 66:24). This place of infinite torment was created for the devil and the fallen angels who serve him (Matthew 25:41). It was not made for humans to suffer there, but all people who do not believe what Jesus says about hell will be sent there. It is written, "the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur." (Revelation 21:8). Unbelievers who do not change their mind about the truth of hell are in danger of burning forever.

If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, then you
have chosen to reject God and live in your sin, and
as all sin leads to death and punishment (Romans 6:23),
a future in hell is waiting for you.

Jesus' description of hell shows it as something terrible and horrific, and He further states hell is a place to which He will send people. Jesus says He will one day say to disobedient unbelievers "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire," (Matthew 25:41). Jesus says He holds the keys of death and hell, so He is the one who sends people to hell and ensures they stay there (Revelation 1:18). Those in hell are not kept away from God, but rather will never escape Him. They are sent into the presence of the Holy Lamb Jesus' righteous wrath. It is written of those in hell in Revelation chapter 14 from verses 10 to 11:

They, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.

Despite popular opinion, the devil is not the king of hell,
but will one day be a prisoner in there just like every
unbeliever in that fiery pit (Revelation 20:2-3).

Everyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ is in danger of the fires of hell. For it is written, "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned [to eternal punishment], but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son," (John 3:18). If you are an unbeliever, then you should trust Jesus when He says, "be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell," (Matthew 10:28). Indeed the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Be afraid of this creepy nightmare; this terrifying reality; this awful circumstance coming for you. Only then, unbeliever, will you begin to become truly wise.

After someone fears God, they will never be truly afraid of anything ever again. Those who believe in Christ Jesus are safe from the fires of hell. Jesus says of His followers who have run into His arms, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand," (John 10:28). Those who believe in Christ Jesus are His children (John 1:12), and children of God do not have a spirit of fear. God gives all of His children a spirit of "power, love and self-discipline," (2 Timothy 1:7). Knowing this, believer, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified," because "God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you," (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Surrender yourself to God and acknowledge Him
as the Lord of all, for "Everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved," (Romans 10:13).

Even if everything that can possibly scare a believer becomes a reality in this life, it will not follow them to their next. The Children of God are blessed and have a place in "the kingdom prepared for [them] since the creation of the world," (Matthew 25:34). This is the kingdom of heaven, and in that kingdom "the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind," (Isaiah 65:17). In the perfect heaven God creates "there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain," (Revelation 21:4). This promise should give believers comfort. No matter what frightens them in this life they will spend eternity with God in the presence of His love. 

Those who believe in Jesus Christ will "taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him," (Psalm 34:8). Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will one day never eat anything good again; not even a drop of water (Luke 16:24). Does that scare you?

"Those here without the Lord, how do you cope? ...
When the toast is burned, and all the milk has turned,
and Captain Crunch is waving farewell.
When the big One finds you, may this song remind you that
they don't serve breakfast in hell!"
- Newsboys

Source

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Open Bible Info: Hell
• John Piper: Scared into Heaven
• Got Questions: Worm will not Die
• Newsboys: Breakfast

1 John 2:22 (The Antichrist Is and Are)

1 John 2:22

Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

There are many terrifying characters in the Bible; the stuff of nightmares incarnate. King Herod ordered the slaughter of all infants in one of his cities in order to try and kill the Messiah (Matthew 2:16-18). Athaliah, mother of one of Judah's kings, in a homocidal rage attempted to murder the entire royal family to ensure she became Judah's next ruler (2 Kings 11:1-2). King Nebuchadnezzar captured Zedekiah, Judah's last king, and ordered his soldiers to kill "the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes," (2 Kings 25:7). All of these humans were malicious monsters, but the Bible tells of a more fearsome beast that will come after them; a liar, deceiver and murderer who can only be stopped by God, Himself. This is the antichrist.

In the days after Jesus left the earth, His disciples warned about the coming of the antichrist. Jesus' disciple John wrote to a group of believers, "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour," (1 John 2:18). John says that the world (then and now) is in its last days. The one to usher in this ending is the antichrist. Although John says that this antichrist has not yet come, there are antichrists already walking the earth. They are so numerous that John says some of them were (and are) among believers (1 John 2:19). These antichrists are all deceivers "who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ," (1 John 1:7), and they are creatures disparate from believers (2 Corinthians 5:17). They are twisted inside, because they are possessed by "the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world," (1 John 4:3). These monstrosities belong to the darkness. They are all liars and murderers (John 8:44).

John wrote in another letter to a mother that there were
antichrists trying to invade her home and do wickedness
to her children, but she and all believers should
never let in these creatures (2 John 7-11).

Even if the antichrist who will bring in the end of the world is not now among us, there are swarms of antichrists stalking the corners of the earth. The antichrists lurking here are all led by one desire, to deceive saying Christ has not come (1 John 2:22), in order to bring about one end, to murder everyone who believes them by leading them away from eternal life (1 John 2:26). What can followers of Christ do to survive, when they are surrounded by hordes of antichrists mindlessly seeking to destroy and kill every last one of them? 

John writes to his fellow believers that they have nothing to fear of the antichrist. John says of all who follow the Christ, "You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth...no lie comes from the truth," (1 John 2:20-21). Every believer currently living or passed has received an anointing from God (2 Corinthians 1:20-22), and this was done to keep them in the truth and away from the lies (Ephesians 6:16). Jesus says those who follow Him are sanctified, kept away from the clutches of darkness, by God's truth, which is the Word of God (John 17:17). Jesus also says those who are sanctified by the truth are continually taught by the Holy Spirit; kept in the truth, safe from lethal deception (John 14:26). John affirms this, when he writes, "The anointing you received from Him remains in you...His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in Him," (1 John 2:27). It is because God's followers are anointed, kept in the truth and sanctified by the Word of God that they can say they are God's children "and have overcome [the beasts of darkness], because the one who is in [the believer] is greater than the one who is in the world," (1 John 4:4).

Those who follow God are children of the light. They do not
belong to the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5), and their light
gives them strength to overcome the dark (John 1:5).

If you are a follower of Christ, "see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what He promised us—eternal life," (1 John 2:24-25). The antichrists want to eternally kill every person on earth, including themselves (Revelation 16:9), but those who follow Christ have been raised from the dead and can never die (Ephesians 2:5). God's children are not helplessly waiting to suffer at the hands of these monsters, but have been fully equipped to face these devils and fight back! (Ephesians 6:10-18).

They can't keep their chains on me

When the truth has set me free

This is how it feels when you take your life back

This is how it feels when you finally fight back

When life pushes me I push harder

What doesn't kill me makes me stronger...

No! Not gonna die tonight!

- Skillet

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Skillet: Not Gonna Die Tonight

Do You Deserve to be Happy?

Does anyone deserve to be happy? Some people believe certain individuals deserve happiness, based on their merit or how much unhappiness they have experienced. I recently watched a young-romance movie, and I saw some of the movie's fans post about how they believed the movie's main heroine deserved to be happy. One of these fans wrote, "This girl was so strong I really admire her, she deserves the whole world." Another fan wrote, "She deserves to live the rest of her life happy." Putting aside the fictional element behind these comments, this does raise a question: Does anyone deserve to be happy? What do people deserve?

There are many opinions on this question, but opinions don't matter when faced with the truth. The truth about whether people deserve to be happy (as well as the truth on similar questions) can be found in the Bible. This book is the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and all the words God speaks are always true (Psalm 119:160). It may sound illogical for me to seemingly write "the Bible is true, because the Bible says it is," but I'm saying the Bible is true because it proves itself to be true (the word for something that proves itself is "axiomatic"). Several individuals have demonstrated that the Bible is self-affirming, and you can see some of their videos here, there and here. Based on this premise that the Bible is true (for all of time), then what does the Bible say about what people deserve?

When we talk about people getting what they deserve, we are talking about people being treated fairly (receiving what they earned). Do you get mad when you see people not get what they seemingly deserve? God is the same. He is crushed when He sees people not being treated fairly (Proverbs 11:1), and He desires to right that wrong. Paul, one of God's friends and followers, once wrote that when someone unfairly harmed him God would not let that unfairness stand, (2 Timothy 4:14). God does not let go those who harm others or unfairly cause distress. He has promised He will repay every wrong anyone does (Romans 12:19), and God is not slow in keeping His promises (2 Peter 3:9).

You know, God's promise to repay wrong includes you and I. We have all wronged others (Romans 3:23), and God will repay for what has been done without prejudice (Colossians 3:25). Paul wrote about those who do what is wrong in his letter to the Romans in chapter 2 from verses 1 to 3:

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

God does not like it when people are hurt or wronged, but He
loves it when His friends and followers "carry each
other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2) and show love to
their neighbor (Mark 12:31).

Tragically,  the Bible does not mince words, when it says what anyone deserves for the wrong they have done. In the true words of the Bible it is clearly written that all of us lived "gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath," (Ephesians 2:3). All people on earth deserve for God to be angry with them. You and I and everyone who lived had a heart that wanted to do bad things and make God angry (Matthew 15:19), and there is no good reason to want to anger God. God is the most loving person to ever exist (1 John 4:16). The God who created every human (and everything) is a loving and kind creator, but all of us have decided to not listen to Him, disrespect Him and refuse to love Him (Isaiah 53:6). All our ignorance, disrespect and even hatred of the God of love deserves only one thing; His righteous anger. Why should those with whom God is angry deserve any happiness?

"If God’s so powerful and so good, how come bad stuff happens?" I’m not going to answer the question until you ask it correctly... Ask me this: "How on earth can a holy and righteous God know what I did and thought and said yesterday and not kill me in my sleep last night?"...Until you ask the question that way, you believe that there are some individuals who, in and of themselves, deserve something other than the wrath of Almighty God.

- Voddie Baucham

If God is rightly mad at us, then we certainly don't deserve to be happy. Considering this, though, if God is the one who created all life and sustains it (Colossians 1:17), and He controls how our lives turn out (Proverbs 21:1-2), then how come God allows anyone to be happy? It is because God is merciful and gracious, giving to His creation what it does not deserve. No one with whom God is angry should deserve anything good from Him, yet God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous," (Matthew 5:45). He allows everyone to experience His common-grace (defined as the universal and undeserved goodness of God toward those who disrespect and wrong Him). No one deserves to be happy, but God, full of mercy, grace and love, lets His creation experience happiness.

Some people think if they find "the one" then they will be
happy, but the only "one" who can truly make anyone
happy is their first love, (1 John 4:19), the God who
put in their heart His desire to be with them
for eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

There is a reason why God allows anyone to experience happiness, and that is because He wants to lead people to a way that will let them be free from His anger (Romans 2:4). God is not quick to repay us for the wrong we have done (Psalm 103:8), and He gives us the time-length of our whole lives to avoid and never face His incoming righteous anger (Hebrews 9:27). The simple thing anyone alive can do, in order to not receive the anger they deserve, is to turn away from the unjust and unkind desires of their heart (this "turning away" is known as "repenting"). If anyone admits they are deserving of God's anger and repents, then God will keep them away from His anger (Isaiah 45:22, 1 John 1:9). When someone does this, then God takes away their heart that does what angers Him and gives them a beautiful new heart that can love Him and love others (Ezekiel 36:26). No one deserves this, but God gives this opportunity freely. God loves everyone in the world, and He has made a way for them to be free from what they by nature deserve and too instead experience eternal happiness (John 3:16).

You are, You are the answer

The hope and the end to the searching

You are, You are the portrait of grace

You're the One steady thing

In a world that aches

In a world that breaks

- Britt Nicole

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Young-Romance Movie's Ending: Comments Section
• Ligonier Ministries: Common Grace
• Voddie Baucham: The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in a Postmodern World
• Britt Nicole: World that Breaks