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After listening to the king, [the wise men] went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
--Matthew 2:9-10
What is the fundamental question that fuels how we look at the universe? It’s bigger than, “What’s the meaning of life?” And it’s deeper than, “Is there a God?” No, I believe the deepest question our souls long to answer is this: “Why is there something instead of nothing?” And our answer to that question will determine exactly how we look at our universe and ourselves.
So how does a wise man or woman begin to search for answers to that question? By sincere investigation. The magi knew this … and although they worshipped false gods, they had a longing to know the truth. So when they saw the star in the East that directed them toward Bethlehem, they risked life and limb to seek the truth.
More than our presuppositions and assumptions about the universe, we must first begin by asking that same question and sincerely investigating possible answers if we want to discover the truth.
For these magi, it meant traveling to Bethlehem. Maybe for you, it means seriously investigating the claims of the Christian faith. Above all else, our pursuit should be for the truth. And for millions, that pursuit – like the magi’s – has led them straight to the feet of Jesus.
On His Mother’s Side
Monday, December 16, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”
Romans 1:1–4
Though we know that Joseph was not Jesus’ actual father, he was assumed to be so by many. When Jesus grew up, the people of His hometown knew Him as the carpenter’s son. There is a beautiful illustration in this part of the story of the care God takes to ensure that all of His promises are fulfilled.
Many years earlier, at the very end of the spiritual decline of the nation of Judah as they went into the Babylonian captivity, Jeconiah came to the throne following the murder of his father. He ruled for only three months, continuing the evil ways of those who had come before him.
The prophet Jeremiah pronounced this curse from God on Jeconiah: “Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jeremiah 22:30). The ancestral line of Joseph given in Matthew one traces his lineage back to David through Jeconiah—a disqualifying link.
Of course we know that Jesus was not Joseph’s son. In Luke 3, the lineage of Mary is given, which traces back to David through another son, Nathan. Thus Jesus is of the family of David, but not from the cursed branch. God knows everything before it happens, and He is in control of events. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He never fails to keep His promises.
Today's Growth Principle:
The same care God has exercised in the past gives us full confidence in every promise regarding the future.
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