Living as I do in Escondido California, I feel a need to comment on the two young ladies who were murdered in North San Diego County. Just recently John Gardner confessed to the brutal murders of Amber Dubois and Chelsea King. Due to a plea bargain agreement, John Gardner is going to escape the death penalty. He will be spending the rest of his life behind bars. This agreement was reached because Gardner, trying to avoid the death penalty, agreed to reveal where the body of Amber Dubois was located. The King family graciously granted this plea bargain, even though they knew justice would not be served. They felt it was more important for the Dubois family to close the books on how their daughter died and where her body was located, then to seek the death penalty.  It has been reported the King family is still hurting knowing that John Gardner will live out the rest of his life in prison rather than facing the death penalty. 

If I was in the King family’s position I would have done the same thing.  However, I believe justice was not served. John Gardner deserves the death penalty for his brutal slayings of these two young ladies. This is why the Bible puts forth the concept of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when it comes to punishments by the government.  The Bible supports the concept the penalty should be equal to the crime.  This is why the Bible supports capital punishment.  Life for life upholds the dignity of all humans.  Genesis 9:6 states, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”  Humans, made in the image of God, are so valuable when you murder someone your life will be taken by the government.  John Gardner deserves to be punished with his life taken, just like he took the lives of two valuable human beings.  Gardner serving life in prison is not justice, only his life for their life is.

I preached this last weekend at Pauma Valley Community Church in California.  This teaching clearly shows why good works can never merit heaven.  In this sermon I equip followers of Jesus Christ to be able to share with people who are trusting in good works to get them to heaven.  I tell a true story of a taxi ride I had with a Muslim driver and how I shared 5 illustrations of why good works are not good enough for heaven.  I highly recommend listening to this sermon. 

It can be found at: http://biblicalworldviewacademy.org/sermons/

Each year I look forward to hearing the sounds of Christmas, especially the traditional carols.  They radiantly speak of the birth of Christ and focus our attention on Him. 

Throughout the week, singing the words in my mind, brings joy to my heart and challenges me.  Christmas music not only possesses beautiful melodies but powerful words that most writers envy.  One song that plums the depth of who Christ is and why he came is “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

It is a traditional Christmas hymn written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church, in 1739. A somber man, he requested slow and solemn music for his lyrics and thus “Hark the herald angels sing” was sung to a different tune initially. Over a hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) composed a cantata in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s music to fit the lyrics of “Hark the herald angels sing” already written by Wesley.

Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

What this song entails can be summed up in three points:

1. The Pardon of Christmas – Wesley begins with a call to peace between God and us; “Peace on earth and mercy mild – God and sinners reconciled.”  The The Apostle Paul writes, Romans 5:8-10 (NASB) “⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  Christ came to this earth to save sinners; to issue a pardon to those who confess and believe.
2. The Person of Christmas – Wesley then unveils who this child is; “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see – hail the incarnate Deity – Pleased as man with man to dwell – Jesus, our Emmanuel [God with us].”  The Bible teaches Jesus is not just a good man or a good moral teacher, but God in human flesh.  John 1:1, 14 (NASB) “¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Jesus Christ, the only person who has ever had two natures; fully God and fully man. Jesus is the “incarnate Deity.” 
3. The Purpose of Christmas – “Born that man no more may die – Born to raise the sons of earth – Born to give them second birth.”  Wesley says the purpose for the birth of Jesus was so we could be given a second chance (second birth) and through belief we will live for eternity in a loving relationship with God.  “Born to raise the sons of earth” direct us to the scriptures that emphasize Christ’s followers will someday receive a resurrected body (1 Cor. 15).  The purpose of Christmas is the birth of the savior Jesus Christ: Luke 2:8-11 (NASB) “⁸ In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  It is only through Jesus Christ we can experience forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God.  We don’t come to God; He comes to us.

This Christmas you can experience peace and forgiveness through the God/man by placing your faith in Jesus Christ. This is the true meaning of Christmas…Jesus, our Emmanuel…God is with us. 

Have a Merry Christmas…Steve

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5 v 6).

God promotes and exalts the humble, but resists the proud. When you read about the Lord Jesus, the Bible says he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

David was also an example of a humble person. Even though he had been anointed to be king over Israel, he never spoke evil of King Saul, though the latter was after his life. Even when he had the opportunity to kill Saul, he still referred to Saul as “my master” (1 Samuel 24 v 6).

David went on to become Israel’s greatest King, because of his humble spirit. God himself described David as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13 v 22). What an honour to be described this way by God Almighty.

Therefore, if you remain humble, God will definitely and surely promote and exalt you at his appointed time. Get rid of arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, jealousy, malice, hate, anger, strife, and pride. People in the world today are hurting, because there is no LOVE. The Bible instructs us to love each other. Learn to love and be humble, for that is the path to greatness.