According to Custom

December 22

(Luke 2:41-42 NIV) "Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. {42} When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom."

(Acts 15:1-2 NIV)  "Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." {2} This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question."

Every culture has its customs. Some customs are life giving; some can be life threatening. It was the custom to attend the Passover Feast in Jerusalem. Christ’s parents went there with Him when He was twelve. When He became a man, this same custom brought Jesus to Jerusalem where He was crucified. Some customs unite people… some exclude. Circumcision had united the Jews for ages, but there came a time when it separated those who believed in salvation by grace, instead of by the Law. Every church has its customs. Some are rooted in love and bring comfort; some are rooted in control, and end up excluding people. Every family has Christmas customs. Some of them bring cheer and enrich our lives; some, like excessive drinking, can ruin the holiday and produce negative memories. Examine your Christmas customs. Keep only those that honor Christ. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Strength, Wisdom, and Grace

December 21

(Luke 2:40 NIV) "And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him."

(John 1:14-18 NIV) "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. {15} John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" {16} From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. {17} For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. {18} No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."

(Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV) "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, {5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved."

As the years went by, the baby Jesus grew in strength, wisdom, and grace, and became a man of God. He grew stronger in body and spirit, as should we. He was also filled with the wisdom of God. Being filled with wisdom is not a passive exercise. One could say, “He filled Himself with the wisdom of God.” Jesus spent time alone with His Father in prayer, and in God’s word. This is how wisdom accumulates, and it’s something we can still do. Are you filling yourself with God’s wisdom? Christ was also covered with the grace of God. John declares that Jesus was full of grace and truth, a potent combination. Grace flows out of God’s love. His mercies are never failing. Merry Christmas! Are you covered with God’s grace? Grace is what saves us, and grace is what should fill us to the point of overflowing. In this coming year, will you commit to growing in strength, wisdom, and grace? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Jesus of Nazareth

December 20

(Luke 2:39 NIV) “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.”

(Matthew 2:13-15 NIV) ““When they (Magi) had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." {14} So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, {15} where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son.””

(Matthew 2:19-23 NIV) ““After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt {20} and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." {21} So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. {22} But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, {23} and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene.””

We learn two important things from this one verse in Luke. First, Joseph and Mary did everything required by the Law of Moses in regard to Mary’s purification, as well as Christ’s circumcision and dedication. Second, we learn that Jesus eventually ended up in Nazareth. Luke omits the Magi’s visit and the flight to Egypt to protect Christ from Herod’s wrath, but both gospels still speak the truth. Rather than contradicting one another, they supplement one another. John’s gospel notes that Scripture says the Christ would come from Bethlehem, while Matthew’s gospel notes that prophecy has the Christ coming from Nazareth. Both are correct. Christ was born in Bethlehem, but grew to manhood in Nazareth. It is a case of “both/and” not “either/or”. We must read the entire Bible to get the big picture. God gave us the Scriptures.  Merry Christmas! Use God’s great gift -- all of it. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Redemption in a Small Package

December 19

(Luke 2:38 NIV) "Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."

(Psalms 130:7-8 NIV) "O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. {8} He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins."

(Romans 3:20-24 NIV) "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. {21} But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. {22} This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, {23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, {24} and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

(Colossians 1:13-14 NIV) "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, {14} in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Full redemption is part of the Christmas package given to us by God with the birth of Jesus. Anna recognized that the baby Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promise to fully redeem Israel from her sins. The Messiah had come as an infant to save His people. Redemption is a great gift. Like a store coupon, a worthless piece of paper until it is redeemed, God redeems our life and makes it valuable. God’s redemption rescues us from darkness, forgives our sin, declares us righteous, justifies us freely, and brings us into the kingdom. This is a child worth looking forward to, a child worth speaking about, a child for whom we should give thanks and praise to God. This is what Anna, Simeon, the angels, the shepherds, and the Magi did. And it’s what we should do. Give thanks and praise to God for your redemption. Merry Christmas! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day