Biblical ABC’s: R is for – 3 R’s

 

Ladies Bible Study by Mrs. Rick Jackson

 

This month I thought I would bring our attention to how we learn in school. Our teachers taught us our 3 R’s – “readin’, ritin’, and ‘rithmetic” right? Well, tonight, we’re going to change that a bit, and focus on the Saviour’s birth and remember these things: Redemption, Royalty, and Riches.

PRAYER

1. REDEMPTION

Psalm 111:9 says, “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name.” Like our Pastor, I love this time of year! I am so excited to see the Christmas trees and lights go up, but more importantly, I am thrilled with all the opportunities to hear over and over again about the story of our Great God becoming a man! One of my favorite Christmas songs has a most powerful message:

My Lord has garments so wondrous fine, And myrrh their texture fills; Its fragrance reached to this heart of mine With joy my being thrills.

Refrain: Out of the ivory palaces, Into a world of woe, Only His great eternal love Made my Savior go.

His life had also its sorrows sore, For aloes had a part; And when I think of the cross He bore, My eyes with teardrops start.

His garments, too, were in cassia dipped, With healing in a touch; In paths of sin had my feet e’er slipped— He’s saved me from its clutch.

In garments glorious He will come, To open wide the door; And I shall enter my heav’nly home, To dwell forevermore.

Out of the ivory palaces, Into a world of woe, Only His great eternal love Made my Savior go.

Uppermost in our Christmas celebration should be the joy of knowing that God became man. Let’s turn to what should be a familiar passage, Luke 2.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

What rejoicing at this birth! Go back to verse 13 again: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God…” I sometimes like to think on this and I wonder, just how many angels were there in this multitude? Can you imagine being one of the shepherds on this hill? What an experience it must have been to hear this host from heaven singing praise to God about a birth of God coming from heaven to earth to REDEEM man! Listen in your heart. Can you hear them singing? Could it have been something like “OUT OF THE IVORY PALACES?” Weren’t they just told they would find this God-Child in a manger, what they knew to be an animal’s eating trough, wrapped in burial clothes? Yet, these angels were gloriously singing praises to God Almighty! No wonder we see the shepherds moving with haste, making the visit to see this wondrous sight and then verse 17 says, “making known abroad” what they had seen!

Next we are in Jerusalem and we find more rejoicing. First there is Simeon, who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel.” Look with me again at verse 26, “And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.” When Joseph and Mary bring the baby in for His circumcision and the Holy Spirit reveals to Simeon that this is the Christ-child he has been long waiting for, he is so thrilled, he lifts up the child towards heaven, thanks God and says, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”I can imagine there is nothing but awe in whoever was allowed to witness that event. But it doesn’t stop there. Someone else was at the temple, serving God, also observing the moment. Surely in her prayers she had known that the time was close to when the Messiah was to come. Surely she was not unprepared for the event and being one who had served God faithfully for many years in the temple, she was rewarded with that opportunity to be present at the moment and, she, too, gave thanks to the Lord. The end of verse 38 says, “…and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Psalm 130:7 – Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

2. ROYALTY

Remember the rest of the story of Christmas? There were royalty, of a sort, involved. The Bible calls them wise men from the East who came seeking the Christ-child. These were men who spent their lives serving in royal courts; men who were more accustomed to mingling amongst wealthy people. However, they left their comfortable surroundings because they were seeking another Royal Child. They had read about Him in Daniel’s writings and now, the Bible says, they were guided by a star. They didn’t find Him the night of His birth. Why? They came from such a long distance and had many obstacles in their way, not the least being King Herod, Now, look with me in Matthew, chapter 2:

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Here we have an indeterminate number of wise men who left royal circumstances, but had a longing, yearning in their hearts to go and worship Someone they knew to be more wonderful and greater than earthly riches. They brought him gifts of what they had, but their purpose in coming to Him was to fall before Him and worship Him. See verse 11? “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and WORHIPPED him.” I wonder sometimes, do you give it much thought, how much did these wise men understand? If we are to take their gifts as symbolic, and to know that they were WISE men, do you think they knew that this baby who they understood to be the Messiah, would die a substitutionary death? Did they understand Him to be the Lamb portrayed in the Jewish sacrifices? Did they have a chance to read Isaiah? They brought gifts that suggest they might.

Out of the ivory palaces, Into a world of woe, Only His great eternal love Made my Savior go.

His life had also its sorrows sore, For aloes had a part; And when I think of the cross He bore, My eyes with teardrops start.

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

We have the light. We know. Can we leave our comfortable surroundings to worship and tell others?

3. RICHES

I think at this time of year, it is the natural inclination of every boy and girl to see a Christmas tree full of presents and to think of having a bounty of toys – riches in their minds. If there is ever a season to teach greed, I’m afraid this is it. It is difficult for us to reclaim the spirit of what the season is all about, but that is what we must do. Christmas is NOT Santa and getting. Christmas is the birth of the Christ-child. What are the riches in that?

We read in Psalm 104:24: “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” The world thinks of riches as what they can buy with silver and gold, money. But the Bible teaches us that riches are something else, something much more valuable than money possessed by men.

Hebrews 11:26 reminds us of Moses who “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”

Romans 11:33 says, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

In Ephesians 3:8 Paul said, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” and Colossians 1:27 tells us, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

One of my favorite preachers, in fact, he was our pastor for a short while in Tennessee, Dr. J. Don Jennings, tells this story:

“There was a missionary in Africa in Zambezia and he brought home with him an African from Zambezia on one of his furloughs. One night that young African came into the missionary’s living room where he was sitting and this young African was weeping – weeping uncontrollably. It took some time for him to get his tears under control, and, finally, this is what he said to the missionary: ‘I never understood before what you gave up when you came to bring us the gospel. I did not know your home was so lovely and so different. With us, you know how it is, when we meet strangers, we run from each other, and each man seeks his weapon. When we go from village to village, we meet only enemies who hate us, but, here, you go from one home to another, all are friends, all is love, there is confidence and you are welcomed. I know now what it must have cost you to leave all of this for us.’ Some day you and I will trade places with that African from Zambezia and we will be in the Father’s house at home in heaven and we’ll look all around and for the first time we will say, ‘Now, Lord Jesus, I know what it meant for You to leave all of this to come down to earth for me!’”

Out of the ivory palaces, Into a world of woe, Only His great eternal love Made my Savior go.

Let’s go out and show forth the praises of the Christ-child!