Next to the Ascension, the Day of Pentecost as it is recorded in Acts 2 is the grandest event in the Book of Acts.  While some may argue that Paul’s conversion is more important in terms of the spread of the Gospel, I would argue that the amazing turnaround of someone bent on destroying the “Church” overshadows something far more significant- that there was a “Church” at all!  But to understand why this is so significant, one must delve into the Biblical history of this festival.  Pentecost begins in the Old Testament under the name Shavuot.  The commands concerning Shavuot are found in Leviticus 23:15-22.  Along with Passover and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles), Shavuot is one of the Shalosh Regalim.  These three pilgrimage holidays were the days when all Jewish males would journey to Jerusalem bringing their annual offerings to worship at the Temple.  Shavuot means weeks (Ex. 34:22) and the holiday was so named because the passage of time between Passover and Shavuot was marked in weeks.  By Jesus’ day Shavuot was also known by its Greek name, Pentecost, which instead of signifying weeks, records the number of days between the two holy days (penta=50; cost=days).

          The Temple services for Shavuot followed much the same pattern as that of the Feast of First Fruits (and many teachers/translators incorrectly combine the two) since both days were celebrated with first fruit offerings (Shavuot dealt with the wheat harvest whereas First Fruits dealt with the barley harvest).  However, the offering of Shavuot was unique because it consisted of two long, flat, leavened loaves of wheat bread (Lev. 23:17).  These loaves were not burned as a sacrifice as many other offerings were because the Lord had forbidden leaven on the altar (Lev. 2:11).  Instead they were set aside “for the priest” (Lev. 23:20) to be used in a festive meal.  The loaves, along with two lambs brought as a peace offering, formed a wave offering.  The priest waved them before the altar forwards and backwards, then up and down in recognition that it was the Lord who would provide the coming wheat harvest. 
          
           As the saying goes, “Timing is everything” and when Luke takes note of the “time” or day (when the day of Pentecost had come) of this event, he is actually linking it to two events he wrote of in his Gospel.  The first was Christ’s crucifixion which took place during Passover.  The second was Christ’s resurrection which fell on the Feast of First Fruits according to the Levitical calendar (Lev. 23:9-14).  With two significant events occurring on the two previous holy days, the Lord is about to do something on the third- Shavuot.  Luke records that a noise like a rushing wind filled “the house” and “tongues of fire” were distributed amongst the believers.  Compelled by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the disciples and those gathered with them joined the throng of worshippers in Jerusalem who were amazed to hear Galileans speaking in their native languages.  This gathering included people from all over the Roman Empire; some Jewish and some proselytes, that is Gentiles who had converted to Judaism.  They heard the proclamation of God’s mighty deeds (Ac. 2:11).  The occurrence of wind and fire are linked to numerous times in the Old Testament where these elements represent God’s presence and judgment (Gen. 19:24; Ex. 9:22-26; Ps. 11:4-7; Ps. 18: 7-15; Is. 30:27-30).  The crowd that heard these words understood that connection but they weren’t sure of what it all meant (v. 12).  Although naysayers tried to discredit the event (v.13), Peter explained to them that they were witnessing the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Ac. 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32) and that the Promised Messiah had come (vv.22-36).  The result of Peter’s skillful and Spirit-led dissertation is the birth of the Church (vv.37-41), which was made up of the unique combination of both Jew and Gentile- a very unexpected twist!
  
          The combination of Gentiles and Jews who came together at the birth of the Church matches the imagery of the two leavened loaves of bread joined together on that day of Pentecost.  While the previous offering of First Fruits was unleavened as Christ was sinless, the Church is filled with finite people who still struggle with sin (Rom. 6:1-14).  But it is also significant that God joined together a body with such far reaching geographical locations.  Track down a Bible atlas and look them up!  God is still working in His Church today in much the same way (Eph. 2:10-22).  It is filled with an amazing assortment of people and when we get to know others outside the faith community and what makes them tick, in essence we are learning their language and hopefully we are bringing the Gospel into their world.  The Christians of Acts 2 carried the Gospel back to their homelands where the Good News took root.  You are called to carry on where they left off.  Where will you take the Gospel so that it can take root (Mt. 28:19-20)?

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre                                                                                                                      

            Have you ever thought about your life as a book or a series of books?  When I was in elementary school I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books.  I read them all and if memory serves me correctly, the first book, Little House in the Big Woods, remained my favorite.  Laura’s story was not complete by the end of that first book.  She and her family had many more experiences and so each place they lived became the next in a series that recounted her life and is now treasured by many.  I don’t know if my life would warrant a series of books but I can think of how it might be divided into segments ranging all the way from my childhood to becoming a grandparent.  Being a grandparent has taught me that life really does have connective tissue even though it’s not a body like our own flesh and bones.  One author who was also strongly aware of life’s connective tissue was Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.  He begins the Book of Acts with these words, “In the first account I composed…” and continues to explain to his reader, “Theophilus”, that the work of Jesus and the authority connected with it was now being transferred from Jesus to the 12 apostles which He had chosen to represent Him (Acts 1).

            The connection of authority lies completely in the role Jesus assigns to 12 of His followers- apostolos- which literally means “sent one” or one who is sent.  What were these men sent to do?  They were to be witnesses, a legal term which was associated with bearing testimony in an event or of a person.  Therefore the apostles were to the ones who would bear witness of Jesus’ life, His death, and most importantly, His resurrection.  In Jewish law, an apostle (shaliach in Aramaic) was a person who had the full authority of the one they represented in business or legal transactions (see Jn. 13:16, 20 or Jn. 20:21 as examples).  Luke recorded this selection in Lk. 6:12-16 as Jesus began His most intimate and intensive training program with them.  Now, within the first verses of Acts, Luke makes note that Jesus has passed on both His mission (establishing the Kingdom of God) and His power to accomplish it on to the “sent ones” (vv. 1-8).  The number 12 is not unusual.  It harkens back to the 12 tribes of Israel whose patriarchs became the initial subset of leadership under Joshua when the nation settled in the Promised Land.  And like those 12 “heads of state”, the apostles would also be entrusted with guiding the new community of believers after Christ’s Ascension.  Talk about tough shoes to fill!  But the apostles are not left blowing about in the wind like a hapless flag.  Jesus promises them the additional help of the Holy Spirit which will come upon them while they are in Jerusalem (v. 5) another aspect of this event which is connected to the Old Testament (Is. 44:3; Joel 2:28-32).

            But there is a slight problem- the apostles are one man short!  Peter takes the initiative to address those who are gathered together and suggests a replacement be named for Judas.  Luke points out that the number of people equaled the number required by Jewish law to establish a community with its own ruling council.  In essence Luke is demonstrating that Jesus has both personally and legally passed on His purpose and mission to this newly formed community.  Peter begins by recalling the somewhat gruesome end of Judas.  Note that Peter does not say Judas is no longer an apostle.  He cannot do that since it was Jesus who appointed that role to Judas.  But in what seems to be a rather unusual process, Matthias is “elected” to fill the vacant spot.  The method of casting lots (rolling dice) to determine God’s will concerning a decision was common in Old Testament times (1 Chr. 26:13 for example).  Prov. 16:33 sums up the mindset behind this stating that God is the one who determines how the dice will fall, not chance.  However the passage is the only time casting lots in mentioned in the New Testament which emphasizes the unique situation but not necessarily endorsing this method as the way to determine what God wants you to do!  Prayer remains the same, but it is the Spirit who guides us now.

            It is important to take note of the historical sequence of the events in the Book of Acts.  While the first chapter has some fascinating glimpses into the early believer’s connections to the Old Testament as seen in the casting of lots and the fulfillment of Scripture, it also has an exciting dose of anticipation with the promise of the Spirit yet to be fulfilled.  How are we connected to this transitional time?  We are the beneficiaries of what is about to happen in Chapter 2- the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  And the work that began under Jesus’ earthly ministry which He passed on to those early believers now falls into our hands.  We too are sent into our homes, our neighborhoods and anywhere else we find ourselves to be a witness as to what Jesus has done in our lives.  Jesus has given you a mission.  How are you measuring up as a witness?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre  

                 Has there ever been an event which took place that you learned about through several sources?  Maybe it was something of a personal note- a birth in the family, a death, good news after someone’s surgery or a promotion.  Every time you heard about that event there was a different nuance because of the source, that is, the person who shared it with you.  The Gospels are like that.  Although there are four of them, and each author has his own distinct purpose, writing style and method, they all proclaim the same joyful message of “Good News!”

                Luke's introduction is unique in the first three Gospels because it is the only place where the author steps out upon the stage and uses the pronoun "I".  Luke's Greek is among the best in the New Testament.  His introduction is done in the same literary style of his fellow historians Herodotus of Halicarnassus, "These are the researches of Herodotus of Halicarnassus" and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, "Before beginning to write I gathered information, partly from the lips of the most learned men with whom I came into contact, and partly from histories written by Romans of whom they spoke with praise".   William Barclay said it this way, "So Luke, as he began his story in the most sonorous Greek, followed the highest models he could find."  But Luke did not stop his account at the end of his Gospel with the Great Commission.  He saw a continuation of Jesus’ work within the faith community and he wrote a second volume to record it; the Book of Acts which shows us how those first believers interacted with their world and how the Gospel spread.

                The openings of Luke (1:1-4) and Acts (1:1-2) make clear that the two books are to be regarded as a single work in two volumes.  Neither uses the specific name of its author, but the "we" sections of Acts (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16), in comparison with what can be known from Paul's letters about who was with him at various points in his ministry, point to Luke as the author of both.  Several of the early church leaders (such as Justin Martyr) as well as ancient church writings (the Bodmer Papyrus XIV) attribute Luke/Acts to one of Paul’s most loyal companions (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Phile. 1:24).  It is uncertain how they met, but it appears that they met during Paul's second missionary trip where Luke includes himself in the word "we" for the first time (Acts 16:7-9).   While we do not know all the details of Luke’s life, we do know that he was a doctor by trade (Col. 4:14) and this is shown in his writing as he pays much attention to those with medical issues (Lk. 4:38, 5:12, 8:43).  Many times doctors and those who held similar professions, were slaves who had been educated to service wealthy families.  After earning their freedom they continued to service the medical needs of these wealthy families.  But we do not know if that was the case with Luke.  However, it could indicate a tie-in with the person who was the recipient of these two wonderful books.  Some have thought Theophilus commissioned their writing.

                We know some things about Luke, but we know less about Theophilus whose name literally means “lover of God”.  Luke’s Gospel begins with an address to him (1:3) and many have speculated that he was possibly a non-Christian or a newly Christian Roman official.  The only thing that is clear in Luke’s greeting is that he is a person of high position and wealth (“most excellent”).  Luke's Gospel is the most comprehensive of the Gospels and was written first to help Theophilus to know the "exact truth" (NAS) concerning what he had been taught and then to strengthen the faith of all believers.  Luke’s careful research, orderly compilation and eye-witness accounts attest to the accuracy of his work.  He was not only a believer and fellow evangelist with Paul, he was an historian par excellence.  If Luke were to look at our world today, would he see history repeating itself?  I think he would- which makes his account even more powerful today!

                The relationship between Luke and Theophilus is fascinating.  We could speculate all day as to how they met, how close they were, and whether or not they had a lasting friendship.  But to get caught up in those reveries would be missing the greatest aspect of their relationship and that is, they had one!  How is the Gospel spread?  How is it heard?  It is both spread and heard through the relationships you have and the contact you make with the people around you.  Every day there are opportunities both spoken and unspoken to proclaim Jesus is the answer to the questions people are asking.  Every time you interact with another person, whether it is your neighbor, a boss, a fellow employee, or someone in your family, keep in mind that like Luke, you are making an account of what Jesus has done in your life so that they might know the exact truth about Him (1 Pet. 3:15).  Christians have just as much opportunity to impact culture today as they did when Luke penned his Gospel and the Book of Acts, so it stands to reason there is much we can learn from careful study of his “account”.  Also: take note of how both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts end (Lk. 24:45-53; Acts 28:30-31) as they show the Gospel is a never-ending story and you are a part of that story!
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My friend Judy really knows how to set a table.  She has quite a collection of antique dishes that she enjoys using when she entertains.  One of her favorite sets is called Moonstone.   Once considered “cheap” because it was given away as a sales incentive in laundry soap and cereal boxes, Moonstone now fetches a tidy sum in antique shops from collectors.  With its clear hobnails and milky white edges that look like crescent moons when light passes through the plate Moonstone captures the eye and transforms the dinner table from plain to elegant.  Moonstone has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
 
            Recently a storm that dropped over a foot of snow on the dreary landscape of my backyard has transformed my backyard into a scene of beauty just like those Moonstone dishes transformed Judy’s dining room table.  As children we couldn’t wait for a “snow day” which guaranteed us lots of fun and hot chocolate breaks.  While Moonstone dishes are manufactured in a special way, it turns out that snowflakes are just as special.  Each flake is made up of 2 to 200 separate snow crystals.  There are four basic crystal shapes and the temperature determines which shape the crystal will take.   As the snow crystals grow they become heavier and fall to the earth.  If they spin like tops as they fall they will become perfectly symmetrical when they hit the ground, but if they spin sideways, they will become lopsided.
 
            The purity of winter snow is a wonderful image of a promise God made in the book of Isaiah, “Come let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be like crimson, they will be like wool” (Is. 1:18).   Have you ever really thought about the words of this verse?  It should be surprising to hear about snowfall in a land that appears to be mostly a rocky desert.  You might be surprised to learn that snow actually does fall in Israel.  Mount Hermon, located in the northern most part of Israel, is 9,000 feet above sea level and sports a white cap throughout most of the year.  I can imagine that when the people heard the words of Isaiah they thought of this beautiful snow-topped mountain. 
 
            If you read the first chapter of Isaiah you will learn that although the people were going through the motions of bringing sacrifices to the Lord, they were short-changing Him in many ways (vv. 10-15).  Why was this?  In verse 16 the Lord reveals the issue- their outward actions did not match with their inmost impurity.  Their hearts were not intent on doing God’s will or following His Law.  Instead of living for the Lord, they gave Him lip service.  Isaiah warns the people that this path will only lead them into judgment.  But if they repented (vv. 16-18), and looked at themselves through God’s eyes (v. 18), He would cause them to prosper once again (v. 19).  If they did not repent, they could not avoid judgment (v. 20).  These words of impending judgment can seem harsh from our viewpoint, but the writer of Hebrews reminds us that discipline is a form of love (Heb. 12: 5-11) and although unpleasant when administered, we benefit from it in the long run.
           
            This may seem to be a strange subject to discuss just after Christmas and right before the New Year.  But in reality, it is quite appropriate.  After all Jesus was not born in order for angels to sing in the sky or for magi and shepherds to take in a baby viewing.  He was not born to become a lawn decoration or passed over for Santa and his reindeer.   Like Moonstone and snowflakes He was born to perform a transformation.  And to perform this transformation He was born to die.  The transformation which made us white as snow took place when He died taking on the judgment (the Lord’s discipline) that was rightly meant for us when He didn’t deserve it.  We may not love “snow days” as much as we did in our youth or have a set of Moonstone dishes to put on our table but those gently falling crystals or a picture of those dishes should always remind us of the Savior (the Ultimate Transformer!) Who was born to make us “as white as snow”.  His birth and death allow us to start the New Year as fresh and as white as the snow.
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div. 
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

               The synagogue of Nazareth was filled with expectation.  The son of Joseph had come home and was about to read from the Prophets.  Word had spread of the wonderful and intriguing events which had taken place since He left the village.  The people stood anxiously as He ascended the platform and unrolled the scroll.  The words of Isaiah poured out of His mouth and flowed over the people like the Latter Rains on parched ground.  Such a great promise of the Messiah!  He would have God's Spirit on Him, bring good news, liberate the poor, set free the captives, give sight to the blind, and proclaim a year of Jubilee to God's people.  Their hearts, heavy as the Roman rule over them, dared to dream that such a Messiah would come, but the hope of this promised Deliverer, could never be fully torn from them in spite of the Romans' persistent attempts to do so.  They listened and watched Jesus, recognizing that there was something amazingly different about this Man, and not yet understanding what it was.  Jesus completed the reading, rolled the scroll closed and took the Seat of Moses, the place where visiting rabbis would sit and teach.  The room was quiet; not a soul dared to breath.  "Today," Jesus said with authority, "this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  (Lk. 4:16-21)

            I'm sure we can imagine that a number of reactions were present that day when Jesus spoke those words.  Some may have been amused since they knew Jesus when He was a child and were certain He was delusional by making such a fantastic claim. Others may have been angry thinking ‘how could a commoner like them claim the title of “The Promised One”’?  In fact as Jesus presses the matter of why they are impressed with Him in the first place (the hopes that He will heal the sick in Nazareth as He had in Capernaum) their admiration turns to anger and they attempt to drive Jesus over the edge of a cliff (Lk. 4:22-30)! 

            The hope for a Messiah had a lengthy history in the Jewish mind, beginning with the promise to Eve in Gen. 3:15, on through the calling of Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3, and through the lineage of Judah (Gen. 49:8-12).  The identity and work of the Messiah took further shape and purpose in the words of the prophets, who shared an important connection with the Messiah in that both were anointed.  Like priests, kings and prophets, the Messiah was anointed or set apart for a particular role, life's work and relationship to God.  As God's Servant, He would justify and reconcile God's people, by giving His life in exchange for theirs (Is. 53).  But Jesus told His audience in Nazareth that He would not be recognized as such in His hometown, not even among His own people.  Others outside of “the fold” would recognize the Messiah before them just as others outside the fold were ministered to in the days of Elijah and Elisha.  The indignation that this statement brings forth is hard for us to understand but perhaps that is because we really don’t understand the depth of what the role of the Messiah means.

            There are 30 specific prophecies concerning the first advent of the Messiah.  Some of these prophecies include: that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), that He would be a descendant of Jesse (Is. 11:1-2), that He would be born in Bethlehem (Mi. 5:2), and that He would be God's Son (Ps. 2:7).  When Jesus stood before the congregation in the synagogue that day, He claimed that He fulfilled these prophecies (which He did!).  The Gospel writers believed this to be true.  The Messianic title "Son of God" is used of Jesus frequently throughout each one of them (Mt. 14:33, 16:16; Mk. 1:1, 11; 15: 39; Lk. 1:32, 35; 4:3, 9; Jn. 11:27: 20:30-31 to sample a few) propelling the significance and impact of Jesus’ claim in Nazareth that day to the front of the story and serving as the backdrop to the reaction of the crowd.

            For the author of Hebrews, Ps. 2 figures prominently in proving that Jesus the Messiah, as God's Son, is a King who rules and therefore is to be obeyed (Heb. 1:1-5).  During Christmas it is easy to get caught up in the wonder of the Nativity and to lose sight of this aspect of Christ's life.  But it is a part of who Jesus is right from the beginning.  The angel announced to the shepherds, "Today,  in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Lk. 2:11-12; Is. 7:14)."  If you truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the long-awaited Deliverer, what will that look like as you worship the Newborn King this Christmas?

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre
 

            Books, royalty, military personnel, property, heads of state, accountants, lawyers and Jesus all have one thing in common.  Do you have any idea of what that might be?  They all have titles.  While books and property have their own specific type of title, the rest in our list have titles that are attached to their name and have significance in relationship to their role or status in life.  The letters BA, MA, and Ph D describe a level of academic study a person has achieved.   Private, Lieutenant, and General designate a person's rank within the military.  Heads of state have titles such as governor, king, and president.  Within religious organizations titles such as Father, Pastor, Rabbi, Imam and Elder or Deacon signify the leadership role that a person has.  And even you go by a title- Mr., Mrs., and Miss or Ms. depending on which you prefer.  Some titles carry a great deal of respect and other titles are basically unknown.  For example:  did you know there is an academic title for designers?  It's DZ.  I had no idea that title even existed before this article!

            During the season of Advent, we await the arrival of the Messiah.  The name Messiah is also a title, but it was not the only title bestowed on the Savior we are waiting for in this special season.  In Jeremiah 23:5-6 another title which is given to the Messiah is “The Branch of Righteousness”.  This title was attributed to the Messiah because He was to be a descendant of King David (Jer. 33:14-17), that is He was to be a branch in the lineage of David’s family tree.  The imagery of this word comes from the natural realm.  The word branch, netzor, can also be translated as sprout, root, shoot, or rod.  This sprout or shoot, is the kind that appears on the side of a tree or bush which has been drastically trimmed or chopped almost to the ground.  The plant appears to be dead, yet at the next growing season it produces a shoot bearing leaves.  This is the same word that Isaiah uses in Is. 53:2, which speaks of the Lord's Servant growing up as a tender shoot out of parched ground.

            Although the Branch's beginnings are humble, the prophet Zechariah writes that "He will branch out from where He is...and sit and rule on His throne," (Zech. 6:12-13), meaning He will rule over a kingdom just as His ancestor David did.  While earthly kings lose their position and their people are scattered, the Branch's kingdom will be strong and flourish under His leadership (Is. 4:2; Jer. 23:5-6, 33:15-16).

            The New Testament writers recognized the fulfillment of these prophecies in Jesus Christ.  They recorded His lineage and noted that He was from the tribe of Judah and a descendant of David (Lk. 3:23-38; Mt. 1:1-17).  The author of Hebrews also took note of this in Heb. 7:14.  The New Testament writers noted that Christ's death and resurrection placed Him in a position of authority (1 Cor. 15:27) but that some aspects of His Messianic kingdom were still to be established (Rev. 11:15, 20:6, 21:3-5).  Even so, this dimension of Christ's leadership designates Him as The Righteous Branch spoken of in Zech. 6:12 and Jer. 23:5-6.

            While the earthly kings of Judah and Israel were faulty and flawed, they eventually went the way of all mortals in death.  But Christ as the Messianic Branch is different.  He is tsedeq, or righteous, a term applied to weights and measures.  Where earthly kings had altered their weights and used deceptive measurements, Jesus as the Righteous Branch will judge fairly and in righteousness (Jn. 5:30, 8:16).  Where earthly kings oppressed the poor and preyed upon the innocent, Jesus as the Righteous Branch lifts up the lowly and meek (Mt. 9:35-36).  And because of His righteous obedience to God the Father, He will fully complete the promise made to David and reign on the throne forever (Heb. 6:19-7:3, 17).  Most importantly, like natural “netzors”, the Messiah will spring up and come to life much like those little sprouts that shoot out of what appears to be a dead tree.  David’s lineage appeared to be lifeless at the time of Jesus’ death, but the resurrection changed all that!

            The Messianic title of "Branch" is also picked up in an interesting little side note on the early life of Jesus.  Although He was born in Bethlehem, David's city, He did not grow up there.  Matthew notes that after a brief time of hiding in Egypt, Mary and Joseph returned to Israel with Jesus and settled in Nazareth (Mt. 2:23) which fulfills the prophecy of Is. 11:1.  Only the Lord would orchestrate something as specific as this.  The literal translation of the name Nazareth, (which is a derivative of the Hebrew word netzor) is Root Town!

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            I have always liked taking pictures.  During my high school and college years I had a Kodak Instamatic camera which I tended to use as if it was a 35mm!  But even though I thought the camera could capture images the way my eyes saw it, such as a hawk soaring over the Grand Canyon, the camera just recorded a speck.  It didn’t have the same ability to see things the way my eyes did.  Over the years as my cameras have improved and their ability to record better pictures has improved one thing has remained the same.  No matter what type of camera you use, in its simplest form, photography is based on the use of available light and the camera is merely a mechanism which bends and refracts the light onto film or into digital information.  Light is, in my humble opinion, one of God's most fascinating creations, and when it comes to photography, it's all about the light.  But what exactly is light?

            Light can be defined from a variety of viewpoints.  Science explains it through the law of physics, stating that light is electromagnetic radiation.  The great word master Miriam Webster called it, "brightness or illumination", and artists will explain light in terms of the spectrum of color by which we view the world around us.  In Biblical terms, there are twelve different words which mean "light" in the Old Testament, and six in the New Testament.  And although those words generally have to do with light itself or the source from which it comes, Scripture also uses the term "light" to symbolize understanding of a spiritual nature.  So it’s not surprising that phrases such as “seen the light” pick up on that aspect of the word rather than the physical manifestation of light which enables us to walk into a dark room without walking into the furniture when we switch on a lamp.

            Two wonderful holidays are celebrated during this time of year, Hanukkah and Christmas.  Each holiday has light as a central part of its celebration.  Hanukkah recalls the miracle which occurred when the Maccabees, a group of devout Jewish men and women led by Judah Macabee, overturned the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes.  The Temple had been horribly defiled by Antiochus.  The people and priests wanted to light the candles in the Holy Place and rededicate the Temple to the Lord, but after all the cleansing and refurbishing, which took a whole year, only one vial of pure olive oil remained- just enough for one day.  Nevertheless, the priests decided to light the lamp stand in the Holy Place anyway and amazingly the oil lasted for eight days; just enough time to press more.  Although Hanukkah is often called the "Festival of Light" because of this miraculous event, the name really means "dedication" which recounts the central focus of the miracle- the rededication of the Temple so that the Lord could be worshipped there again.

            Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah.  Its focus is on the miracle of God becoming flesh and dwelling with man, bringing light into a dark world.  The prophet Isaiah wrote, "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine upon them" (Is. 9:2), drawing on the concept of light not only in the physical sense, but in the spiritual realm as well.  And Jesus used this imagery speaking of Himself in John 8:12, when He stated, "I am the Light of the World; He who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."   In preparation for Christmas, Advent candles are used to shed light on different aspects of the Christmas story; helping us to look forward to the miracle of Christ's birth.

            While it may seem that there is no connection between the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and Christmas in reality they are intrinsically linked.  Because of the faithfulness of devout Jews, the Temple was restored and the Jewish people survived. Through their lineage the Messiah entered the world.  Even the Messiah Himself celebrated this holiday when He walked upon the earth (Jn. 10:22-30) and made a startling revelation about Himself when questioned at the Temple during its celebration.  When remembering the miracle of Hanukkah, take note of how it helps us to foresee the miracle of Christmas (Jn. 1:1-5, 9).  By entering this world in the form of a man, the Messiah became the Light of the World.  When we follow Jesus the Messiah, His life brings us light and we need never walk in darkness again.
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            While in elementary school my son Erick became known for his inquisitive mind.  Like most boys, he wanted to know how things were put together and why they worked the way they did.  The objects most prone to his curiosity were his bicycles, which he took apart and reassembled quite frequently.  His greatest accomplishment was building his own working flashlight without the aid of a kit.  It’s not surprising to me that he is still mechanically inclined and can fix anything he wants to!  Erick’s quest to figure out how machines work is not much different than the motivation that drove men to look through telescopes and microscopes.  It is our natural tendency to want to know why things are the way they are.  We even attempt to seek these answers in our faith.  We want to know why God is the way He is and why life is the way that it is.

            However, there are some “things” about God that we cannot, nor will we ever be able to explain.  Most of the time we are not bothered by this but whenever our lives seem to go awry, this becomes an issue.  When life is good, it’s fine for God to be mysterious.  But when life’s a mess, we want Him to be an open book.  Unfortunately God doesn’t work that way!  This was the dilemma that Job found himself in.  Life had become unexplainable.  Job’s “complaint” was that his condition was confusing.  He’d done all the right things and was suffering miserably.  What was God doing?  (Job 23:1-7)  Job’s struggle is a major theme which also runs through much of the Psalms (Ps. 60), Proverbs (Pr. 13:23) and Ecclesiastes (Ecc. 4:1-3) as well. God is often unexplainable because He is infinite.  He has no limitations, no boundaries, and earthly no limitations.  This is alien to people who struggle daily with faulty and earthbound flesh.  We expect life to follow a set pattern.  We expect God to behave in certain ways.  We feel that bad things shouldn’t happen to good people and are shocked when they do.  Yet, as Job eventually came to realize, we must come to allow God to be greater than our expectations and accept the unknown reasons for the events which happen in our lives (Job 42:1-6).  We may think the answer to the question to “Can you discover the depths of God?  Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7) is “No!”  But, there is a part of God that can be known.

            Consider this verse:  No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is at the Father’s side, He has explained Him. (Jn 1:18).  Jesus offers an explanation of the limitless boundaries of God’s love through the Incarnation (Rom. 1:3-4).  God took on the limitations of human flesh (Jn. 1:14).  Even this incredible act of love defies explanation.  And yet, it is a reality (Col. 1:19).  I think in many Christian circles today there is a tendency to familiarize ourselves with Christ so much that we forget the unexplainable nature of Who He is.  As we have sought to order our lives so that nothing happens unexpectedly, we order Christ so that He fits our humanness, forgetting He is also the mysterious, unknown God (Lk. 8:22-25) who brought Job through His trial and never really told Job why.

            Have there ever been events in your life that defy reasoning?  Are there loose ends you wish you could tie up, but are not able to?  Is there a sickness you can’t overcome, a loss that seems bound to haunt you forever?  Have you sought an answer to these struggles, felt God is hearing, but have seen no results and been puzzled by the outcome?  Job never knew of the scene in God’s courtroom that initiated his turmoil and struggle (Job 1-2).  Job never received any help from his “friends” who came to “console” him.  But Job did encounter God in his day of struggle.  And he came into a new awareness of the magnitude of the God he was faithful to.  Perhaps the unknown events in your life are there to help you know God more by looking at the part of Him that can be explained in Jesus Christ.  The Bible observes that there is a tension between the known and the unknown that is present in the life of faith.  For those who learn to walk in faith through their trials, there awaits an encounter with the Almighty that will change their perspective of Him forever (Ps. 18).  This was Job’s experience, it could be yours too (Is. 55:6-12).
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            I was driving out of my community one day and just happened to catch an odd sight out of the corner of my eye.  Tacked on to the front of a tree by the road was the handle of a snow shovel.  At first I thought I'd imagined what I saw, but when I returned home later, a glance in the rearview mirror proved that I had truly seen what I had seen- a snow shovel handle attached to a tree.  "Well," I thought to myself, "there are some things in life you just can't explain!"  Of course I had to take a picture of it!  And since then I’ve accumulated quite a collection of oddities that make no sense but appear out of nowhere- a Styrofoam cup tacked to a tree on a trail in the woods, and a port-o-potty with a mailbox on the side of the road to name a few!

            While the above examples can bring on a smile, on a deeper and far more personal level, the same could be said about suffering.  It is something that we feel defies explanation but the Bible does show us some causes:
 
            *If a person is lost, God may use suffering to bring that person to faith (2 Pet. 3:9).
            *God uses suffering to punish unrighteousness (Jn. 3:36).
            *Suffering is a Biblical principle (Prov. 4:19).
            *Suffering can also be a means for God to display His glory and power (Jn. 9:3).
            *But if a person is saved, suffering may make Jesus known to others (2 Cor. 4:11).
            *Suffering can be used to demonstrate life to others (2 Cor. 4:12).
            *Suffering can be used by God to manifest grace (2 Cor. 4:15).
            *Suffering can actually be a means of edification for the believer (Rom. 8:28).
 
            Although we may not know the reason for suffering on a personal level, the Bible does explain to us why suffering is present in our world.  Suffering occurs because 1) we live in a fallen world (Rom. 8:18-22).  2) If we are out of God's will, we might reap the consequences of our actions (be it God's discipline or the natural outcome of our sinful choices) (Heb. 12:5-11) which causes suffering.  3) Or, if we are in God's will we may face trials or persecution which is a form of suffering as a result of our faith (1 Pet. 4:12-16).

            It is never easy to suffer, or to watch someone we care about suffer.  But there are some rewards, even benefits to suffering that strengthen our faith very much like what an athlete receives from rigorous training.  We can expect trials to be a part of our daily walk and allow them to remind us of the suffering which Christ endured (1 Pet. 4:12-13; Rom. 8:18-23; Jn. 16:33).  It is helpful to remember that the purpose of some trials or suffering is to strengthen our faith (1 Pet. 1:6-7; Jb. 23:9-11).  God has given us commands to obey when we are facing trials (Js. 1:2, 5:13; 2 Tim. 2:3).  He is interested in how we respond to them.  When we are faced with suffering it is important that we remember God is sovereign in trials (Jer. 10:23; Is. 43:1-3; Ps. 23:4).  This helps us to recognize that He is in control, is with us in the midst of our struggles, and He is working in us during them.  He often uses our struggles to encourage other believers.  God will use our suffering to comfort others who are also suffering (2 Cor. 1:3-4).  While suffering is certainly not something we would choose to endure, it can strengthen us much like a bone becomes stronger when has healed after breaking (Rom. 5:3-5).  And lastly, God has an eternal reward for those who endure suffering and trials (Js. 1:12; 2 Cor. 4:16-18) which gives us hope beyond the physical difficulties we face.
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre
 
Additional Resources: Discovery Series: Why Would A Good God Allow Suffering?  Kurt De Haan, c. RBC Ministries, 1990/2001

            A young man set out to build a house.  He collected the necessary tools and gathered all the materials.  "Now all I need is a ruler, and I'll be set," he thought to himself.  So off to the store he went.  On his way into town, he met a traveling salesman.  "Good day Sir!" the salesman said with a Cheshire cat grin, "I can see you are a man on a mission.  What is it that you are so intent upon?"  "I'm building a house and I need a ruler," the young man replied.  "Well, you are in luck!" answered the salesman, "That is exactly what I am selling!"  And with that he produced a handful of rulers.  But to the dismay of the young man, not a single one looked like the others.  They were all different!  Building a house was going to be harder than he thought!

            The problem facing our young builder could happen to anyone.  If you’ve ever collected a handful of rulers manufactured by several different companies you know what I mean.  None of them ever seem to have the exact same measurements.  So how do you know which one is right?  And when you do decide on one, how can you be sure you’ve actually selected the right one?  What criteria do you use?  What do you base your decision on?  In a nutshell, that is the pressing question in the book of Romans concerning righteousness.  How is it determined or measured?  What criteria should be used?   And how do you know your measurement of righteousness is right?  The book of Romans states there is only one accurate measuring stick when it comes to righteousness, and that is faith in the Gospel and God Himself.  As Romans 1:17 states, "For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith."

            Romans emphasizes God is righteous in the way He acts.  What He does and provides is in keeping with His righteous nature.  God's activity in righteousness stresses divine provision.  He gives righteousness to those who believe in Him and in turn those who believe live by faith.  Paul, the author of Romans, links this activity to a quote from Habakkuk 2:4 to defend his conclusion.  God's righteousness is a moral standard that only He can attain, but as part of His righteous nature He declares a person righteous when they place their faith in Him.

            Romans 4:24 tells us that Abraham's story is recorded for our benefit. Abraham's faith is a wonderful reminder of God's grace because, like us, he had moments of weakness which led to some failure on his part.  In spite of the conflicts which were a result of his weaknesses, God worked through Abraham and Abraham believed God would fulfill His promises.  Because Abraham believed that God was able to give him descendants when offspring was physically impossible, Abraham was "reckoned as righteous".  When we respond to the Gospel in faith, we become Abraham's spiritual offspring (Rom. 4:16).  God says that our faith in Him measures up and He counts us as righteous just as He counted Abraham as righteous.  I don’t know about you but I find that very reassuring because like Abraham, I too, have moments of great weakness!  Abraham believed God had the power to give him a child.  We believe God had the power to raise Jesus from the dead and His resurrection gives us victory over sin (Rom. 4:25), which is the essence of the Gospel.  Our faith in the power of the Resurrection reckons us as righteous.

            The faith that results in righteousness does not look at circumstances.  It does not look at the logical or predictable.  It resists focusing on obstacles that others see, instead it trusts God to fulfill the promises that He has made.  Its ruler is true and accurate because its standard is The Ruler.   Is your faith measured by the Righteous Ruler?
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre