A Christmas Song for Adoptive Fathers

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The Pro-Life Implications of Christmas

A few years ago, Planned Parenthood sent out Christmas cards celebrating "Choice on Earth." In doing so, the largest abortion provider in America revealed a profound misunderstanding of biblical teaching and the significance of Christ's birth.

Under the Law of Moses, pre-born children received legal protection (Exodus 21:22-25). They were protected because it was recognized that children were formed by the Lord within the wombs of their mothers (Psalm 139:13-16). As children made in the image of God, they were given the respect and legal protections due to all human beings.

The humanity of pre-born children was further demonstrated in this portion of the Christmas account:

"In those days (after Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she would be the mother of God's Son) Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord" (Luke 1:39-45, English Standard Version).

At least two pro-life points are apparent within this passage:

1. During the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy (Luke 1:36), Elizabeth's pre-born son was moving and expressing emotions. Obviously, he was a human being who was different from his mother even though he depended on her nurturing for survival.

2. In addition, Mary was called "the mother of my Lord" very early in her pregnancy, a time when Jesus would have been a developing embryo within his mother. Mary did not need to wait until her Son was born; everyone knew that she was a mother long before Jesus was born.

Although Planned Parenthood celebrates "choice" as the ultimate value, the saints of the Bible upheld right choices as far more important than the mere ability to choose. Joseph and Mary chose to protect and to nurture their Son. They chose to risk their lives for him. They chose to look as if they were guilty of sexual impurity in order to care for Jesus, risking ostracism within their religious community for the sake of their Son.

On the other hand, King Herod chose to kill the little boys of Bethlehem in order to protect his standard of living. He wanted to eliminate any threat that a child would pose to his position in society.

Herod made the wrong choice. Joseph and Mary made the right choice. One was condemned. The other two were blessed.

"Choice on Earth" is not worthy of praise. However, selfless, compassionate, and noble choices on behalf of children are worthy of a celebration. Those are the pro-life implications of Christmas.

I'm Not That Important

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register" (Luke 2:1-3).

Ezekiel and Elizabeth were an elderly couple living in Cana during the days of Caesar Augustus. Ezekiel suffered from severe arthritis, while Elizabeth dealt with glaucoma and a weak immune system. When the news came to them that they would be required to travel to Jerusalem, the home of Ezekiel's ancestors, for the census instituted by Caesar, the couple had questions.

How could they make such a long trip in their condition?
Didn't God know how difficult the trip would be for them?
Why would the Lord allow the pagan emperor to cause such problems in their lives?
Didn't God care about them?

Ezekiel and Elizabeth did not know what was going on behind the scenes in their lives. The Lord was working through a pagan emperor to position Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem so that Micah's prophecy about the Messiah being born in that small town would be fulfilled. They did not realize that something far more important than their inconvenience was at stake. They did not recognize that the salvation of many people was at stake. From their perspective, the universe revolved around themselves. They could not figure out the will of God in their situation.

I heard Haddon Robinson tell a similar fictional story nearly two months ago, and it made me think about my life. Like Ezekiel and Elizabeth, I'm not that important to the larger story of what God is doing in this world. Like them, I have my part to play. I am here to honor God in my thoughts, attitudes, and actions. I am here to faithfully love my Savior and those around me. I am here to share my faith and hope in Christ with others. I am here to serve with contentment and thankfulness.

But, the story does not revolve around me. I am not a central figure in the story. I am not likely to be mentioned in a book about Christian history. I may not even be mentioned in the footnotes of the history of my local church. I do not know how God is working most of the time. I do not know how he used the ice storm last week. I do not know how he is using the current economic crisis. I do not even know how he is using me most of the time. Most things in life are beyond my abilities to perceive accurately.

However, I have learned to trust the message of the Bible. God is good, and he is in control. I do not need to know everything about how he is working in this world. I do not need to play a central role in the program. I do not need to be the center of attention. I simply need to trust Christ, realize that he is the central figure in the story, do what God expects of me, and understand that I'm not that important.

The Sentimental Saint

These are my notes for tomorrow's Bible class:

What moments in raising your children do you treasure? I asked Janet that question, and she said that Christopher's first steps would be her answer.

I also have some special moments with Christopher that I treasure. I remember one day when I was parking my car in the garage after a long day of work. Janet opened the door to the garage with Christopher in her arms. For the first time in his young life, he broke into a huge smile as he saw me get out of the car. I also remember one evening in our living room. Christopher was not walking or talking yet. I must have done something hilarious because he just sat on the floor laughing and shaking uncontrollably as he looked at me. Finally, I treasure the evening I was holding Christopher in my lap when he looked up at me and said, "Daddy, if you were a baby, I would adopt you." I can't imagine a better way for my little boy to tell me, "I love you."

If you have treasured memories of raising your children, you have some insight into the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Bible tells us that Mary treasured her memories of Jesus' childhood, too (Luke 2:51).

This week, we will continue to look at the character of some of the people involved in the Christmas accounts. Last week, we examined Joseph. Today, we will look at Mary.

First, we will look at Mary's unusually strong faith. Let's read Luke 1:5-38. As we read it, please pay attention to the subtle--but significant--differences in the ways Zechariah and Mary reacted to the angel's messages from God.

When Zechariah was told that he and Elizabeth would become the parents of John the Baptist, he asked, "How can I be sure of this?" He doubted God's word.

When Mary was told that she would become the mother of Jesus, she asked, "How will this be?" She did not doubt the message from God. She simply wanted to know how it would happen.

The contrast shows us that God is displeased when we do not believe his word, but he is pleased when we trust him despite our lack of understanding.

I have many questions about God's word. For example, I do not really understand how the biblical doctrines of predestination and free will fit together. Just when I think I have it figured out, I come across a verse that does not fit into my understanding. Then I have to start over in trying to fit the pieces together again.

The truth is: It's okay when we don't know everything, but it's unacceptable to distrust the word of God. Like Mary, we can seek answers without dishonoring God. We can follow her example of believing God even when we don't completely understand how he will do what he has promised.

The next admirable characteristic of Mary was her humility. Let's read Luke 1:39-55. Notice how she sees herself in a humble position. At the same time, she recognizes the awesome qualities of God. She sees herself at the mercy of an incredibly powerful God who (thankfully) helps those who are humble and in need. He pays attention to people who take him seriously. When Jesus blessed the poor in spirit (Matthew 5), could he have had his mother in mind as he said those words?

Humility doesn't come easily, does it? When everything is going our way--when we are getting along with our families and friends, when we do not feel any aches or pains, when we are able to pay our bills--it's easy to think that we deserve our good circumstances. "I work hard. I'm a decent guy. I go to church. I'm just getting what I deserve." When I think like that, I'm not even close to the humility seen in Mary.

What about when everything is going wrong? When I'm in an ongoing conflict with a co-worker? When my car breaks down and I can't afford to fix it? When I need surgery? "I can't believe this is happening to me. I don't deserve this. This is not right. This should not be happening to me." Again, I'm being arrogant. I'm not imitating Mary's humility.

Like Mary, I need to recognize that it's not about me. She did not whine about the problems associated with being Jesus' mother. She did not complain about gaining a bad reputation for being pregnant before marriage. Mary didn't even brag about being the only woman chosen to be the mother of God's Son. Her focus was on God instead of herself. That's the secret of humility: not thinking about myself--thinking about God. Mary is a great example of a humble woman.

Finally, Mary was a servant. When the angel told her about her future as the mother of God's Son, she responded, "I am the Lord's servant." She was willing to serve God in any way needed.

A few weeks ago, Sarah Logsdon (http://urbanlogfamily.blogspot.com) honored the teachers of our young children's classes with public recognition and gifts from the church. She mentioned that Katie and Janet (my wife) stood out because of their willingness to do anything she asked them to do for the children. They were always willing to teach a class and serve the children of the church. Katie and Janet stood out because of their servant hearts. (Actually, the same could be said about Sarah, but since she was presenting the honors, nobody had the opportunity to say it about her.)

God is looking for people like Mary. He wants all of us to become like Mary in our faith, our humility, and our service. Mary was a special saint, but her character was never intended to be unique. We need to imitate it in our lives.

Quiet Righteousness

These are my notes for tomorrow's Sunday school class:

Can one person make a difference in our world? We live in a world with overwhelming problems.

~One hundred million children live on the streets of the world's cities, a world of drugs, crime, and abuse.
~Physical and sexual abuse damage over 625 million of the world's children.
~It is estimated that almost 6 million children fall prey to pedophiles every year.
~Three hundred thousand boys and girls have been forcibly made into child soldiers.
~Twelve million people fled their countries because of wars, disasters, and environmental collapse in 2003. Another 24 million people had to leave their homes for the same reasons, but stayed within their countries. The vast majority were women and children.
~Forty million people are infected with AIDS.
~Fifteen million children under the age of 15 have lost their parents to AIDS. By next year, the number is expected to double. (Get Your Hands Dirty, edited by Doug Priest and Nicole Cesare, pp. 62-68)

As we consider the Christmas narratives over the next few weeks, we will be looking at rather ordinary men and women who made a difference in their world by being faithful to God and his calling on their lives. They also faced overwhelming problems.

~In the Roman Empire, a child was not accepted into the family until the father accepted him or her. If not accepted, the child would be abandoned. Unless they were found by people who would raise them to be exploited as slaves or prostitutes, they would die of exposure to the weather or wild animals.
~The majority of the Roman Empire's population lived as slaves. If they escaped, they could be executed legally by their owners.
~The rulers were evil, paranoid, and cruel.
~The common people were at the mercy of people who had little understanding of mercy, and even less appreciation for it.

In such a world, we could easily become discouraged and give up. We do not have the knowledge, the wealth, or the influence to solve all the world's problems.

Neither did Joseph, the husband of Mary and the man who would help her bring up Jesus as a Son.

But he did make a difference. And he did it in a quiet and unassuming way.

In fact, as hard as you may look, you will never find one word spoken by Joseph in the Bible. He may have been a quiet man, but he filled a significant role in events that have affected all of us.

Let's read a couple of passages about Joseph as we consider his role in Christ's story and his character: Matthew 1:18-25; 2:13-23.

In Matthew 1:19, Joseph is called "a righteous man." In other words, he was a man who lived in a right relationship with God and with other people. If we are to make a genuine and lasting difference in this world like Joseph did, we will need to be righteous, too. We will need to live in a right relationship with God and others.

If you look back in your life at the people who have made a positive impact for God on you personally, you will probably remember someone who was righteous. I remember the man who baptized me. I was attending the Plainview Church of Christ in Catoosa as a teenager. It was a small congregation with a history of preachers who did not strike me as being very righteous, as I understand the meaning of righteousness today. They seemed to be rather hard to get along with. But then John Hurn, a high school science teacher, came to our church as our part-time preacher. During those years, he and his wife changed the atmosphere of the congregation. He would smile and laugh. He would listen when you had a problem or concern. He would visit members at home, at work, and in the hospital. He would preach the Bible faithfully and love the people he was preaching to. He once told me, "I want to be conservative in my doctrine and liberal in my love." And he was. I had never been exposed to a preacher like him, and it made a profound impact on my life...so much so that he baptized me after a couple of years.

That was the kind of righteousness we see in Joseph, the kind of righteousness that takes God seriously and treats people properly.

Joseph was a man who paid attention to God's word. You will notice that every time he received a message from God by the angel, Joseph believed it and obeyed it. That's the kind of faith that makes a difference in the world.

If we are to make a difference, we will need to be listening to God's word, too. We will need to be involved in hearing the message of the Bible, whether by reading it every day or listening to it on CD or in some other way.

Then, like Joseph, we need to believe it. Our faith must be grounded in the promises of God. If we doubt God and his word, we will not be able to persevere when difficulties arise. Joseph faced difficult decisions, but he believed the word of God every time it was revealed to him. And because he believed, he made the right decisions.

He obeyed God based on his faith in God's word. We need to do the same if we are going to overcome the challenges of life. If we listen to God's word telling us to turn away from our sins, we need to obey. If we hear God telling us to stop cussing, gossiping, looking at pornography, or lying, we need to obey. If we hear God calling us to give up our old lives, be baptized, and live new lives for him, we need to obey. If we hear God telling us to care for a widow, forgive someone who has hurt us, mentor a child without a parent, or visit a co-worker in the hospital, we need to obey. It's an obedient faith in God that makes a difference in this world. That's why Joseph made a difference in his world.

Joseph also made a difference because he had a generous spirit. When he found out about Mary's pregnancy, he could have called for her death. It was perfectly legal. But his generous spirit would not allow him to do it, no matter how deeply he had been hurt and embarrassed by the news. When Jesus was born, Joseph could have rejected him. He knew that Jesus was not his biological son. But Joseph's generosity prompted him to care for the boy as any decent father would.

We need the generous spirit of Joseph in order to make a difference in our world, too. People around us are facing difficult circumstances and are vulnerable. They need our help rather than our judgment. If you are like me, you have seen a few co-workers rightfully fired for drug abuse, stealing, or some other violation of the rules or law. During those times, they have been vulnerable. They have known that they had done wrong and possibly ruined their careers (if not their lives). Those are the times when they need a phone call or a personal visit from a Christian who is willing to help. It may be the last thing they expect, but they will never forget someone who cares about them during a crisis. It could make a difference for eternity.

Finally, Joseph made a difference because he was a responsible and brave man. He risked his reputation by staying with Mary. People must have wondered whether he had gotten Mary pregnant. If so, he would not have been seen as righteous by his neighbors, no matter how good a man he actually was. But he was willing to embrace a bad reputation in order to care for his wife and her child. In fact, he was willing to risk his life to protect them from a bloodthirsty king who wanted Jesus dead.

As Jim Roberts has taught us, we need courage like Joseph's in order to make a difference. We need to be responsible even when it makes us look bad, even when we could face harm. Men, this is a special challenge for us. We are responsible for loving and protecting our wives and children in selfless ways, just like Joseph did. We need to be looking out for danger and doing our best to guide our families through it. This could mean signing up for a health insurance policy for our families, reading a devotional or biblical passage at the dinner table instead of watching the Simpsons (or the news or sports or whatever else may be on) in front of the TV while we eat, or a number of other things. Whatever our circumstances, we need to exert the courage to be responsible in our spheres of influence.

It's no wonder that the Bible calls Joseph "a righteous man." He was the perfect man to fill the role of a father for Jesus while he was on Earth. We can learn a lot from him, and in some ways, be like him today. If we do that, our world will be a better place.

Joseph: A Man of Quiet Righteousness

"Joseph her husband was a righteous man" (Matthew 1:19, NIV).

The Bible does not record a single word spoken by Joseph, the husband of Mary and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. But his actions speak volumes.

Joseph was a man of faith, trusting the word of God as it was delivered by an angel in his dreams. He was a generous man, willing to accept his pregnant fiancee even though he knew that he had not been involved in the child's conception. He was a responsible and brave man, risking his reputation and his life to protect his wife and Son.

Joseph was a quiet man, but a righteous man. He was determined to do right. He lived in a right relationship with God and the people around him. Joseph was an ideal father for the young Jesus Christ.