Digging Deeper – Doing What We Couldn’t

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on December 27, 2024

 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)


DOING WHAT WE COULDN’T

 

As a recovering alcoholic, 9.5 years sober, it is imperative that I remember the condition that brought about my sobriety. In those last miserable days, when my wretchedness reached a fever pitch, God, even in tribulation, was doing for me what I couldn’t do for myself. That is, He was imparting to me a perspective that could only be reached through desperation and, in doing so, casting off every objection that my spirit would otherwise give to such a surrender.

To use a common recovery expression, this is “the gift of desperation.” It is a gift, on the one hand, because it is benevolent, securing for us our welfare, and on the other because it must come from outside ourselves. A gift is given by another. We cannot give ourselves awareness—for unawareness is, by its very nature, ignorant of itself. Nor can our perspective be altered without the external application of some force.

No, this gift is given from without, by God, who knows the remedy for our condition and the measures that must be taken to arrive at it. He does this daily in the subjectivity of our own affairs and once and for all in the Incarnation.

This is the Gospel: that God, through Christ, has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. And, what’s more, He is continually doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves—breaking chains, restoring relationships, healing infirmities, quieting anxiety, and providing things both material and immaterial.

Ask God today to do for you what you cannot do for yourself, and thank Him that He has already done it in eternity.

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – A Holy Ghost?

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on December 26, 2024

 

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

1 John 4:2 (ESV)


A HOLY GHOST?

 

A common theme among the heresies of the early centuries was the limitation of Christ’s humanity. Ironically, many false teachers accepted the divinity of Christ but denied His humanity (a fact that seems to only strengthen the argument for the former). Some groups claimed that Christ was an apparition or that He merely inhabited a human body but wasn’t Himself human.

One of these groups was the Docetists, from the Greek word dokein, meaning “to seem or appear.” Docetist groups believed that physical matter was evil and, therefore, practiced extreme self-denial to rise to a higher spiritual truth. According to their warped view of the created order, Jesus could not have had a physical body because that would impugn His divinity. The apostle John seems to be aware of these false teachings, as he goes to great lengths to stress the physical nature of Jesus throughout his writings, saying things such as:

“That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands” (1 John 1:1).

One of these false teachers, Cerinthus, was a contemporary of John and promoted Docetist views during the first century. We know from second-century writings that these pagan philosophies were so influential that they established their own schools and began leading people astray. Early church writers have even stated that John wrote the fourth Gospel in refutation of Cerinthus’ views.

This may seem trivial or irrelevant to us today, but the truth is that we can put the matter to rest because the early church worked hard to combat these heresies and establish the orthodox position on Christ’s humanity. They did so by examining the Scriptures and refuting the claims of popular pagan philosophies that were entering the church. These assertions were then formulated into creeds that reaffirmed the truths of Scripture.

When we know the Word of God, we can sift through popular misconceptions about who Jesus is—whether regarding His humanity or divinity. As 1 John 4:2 states:

“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.”

This week, as we celebrate the incarnation, thank God that He came in the flesh and that we have attestation to this very fact.

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Names and Numbers

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on December 25, 2024

 

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:17-18 (ESV)


NAMES AND NUMBERS

 

An often-neglected portion of Scripture is the names and numbers contained within. There are tallies of persons and tribes, inventories, and measurements. But let us consider the details, lest we mistake the divine for drudgery. For the Gospel itself begins with such a list! The apostle Matthew starts:

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob…”

God, in His wisdom, saw fit to begin the Gospel with a retelling of the people through whom the Savior would come. And, in touching on this, He bids us to revisit history. These are figures and events—stories of actual people who encountered God—whose experiences are told in the pages of the Old Testament. This would have been especially important to the Jewish audience of Matthew’s writing, who were keenly aware of their ancestry.

But Matthew’s list does more than represent the Jewish heritage of Jesus; it recapitulates all of history in the person of Jesus. For Matthew, to begin the story of Jesus is to start with Abraham and lead up to the “fullness of time,” as the apostle Paul puts it. In that sense, this genealogy can be heard saying something like, “Jesus not only entered history, but all of history worked toward His entrance.” His incarnation is so pivotal that it split time and became the standard by which we measure the calendar year in B.C. and A.D. (Anno Domini).

This is especially important today, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Let us rejoice with a reading of the genealogy in Matthew 1:1–16, thanking Him that the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Let it Be

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on December 24, 2024

 

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:38 (ESV)


LET IT BE

 

One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is found in Luke 1:38, where the mother of our Lord receives the news that she will bear the Son of God: “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’” The phrase “let it be” is noteworthy—so much so that the great theologian Paul McCartney memorialized it in song! Mary’s response reveals the sublime resignation of her will to that of the Lord’s.

This posture stands in stark contrast to others in the same story. For example, Zechariah, upon hearing from the angel Gabriel that his wife would bear John, the prophesied herald of the Lord, remarked, “How will I know?” (again with the popular songs!). These two responses—Mary’s and Zechariah’s—reveal very different attitudes: one of acceptance and one of doubt.

To further emphasize these differing attitudes, consider the identity of these two figures. Zechariah was a priest and undoubtedly knew the Scriptures the angel was referring to. Mary, on the other hand, was a young girl, untrained in the law and prophets. Yet in Mary, we see a submission that we would do well to emulate when the Lord employs us in His will.

As you seek the Lord today, what is your response? How will I know? or Let it be?

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Will the Real St. Nicholas Please Stand Up?

Avatar photo Ryan Hoffer on December 23, 2024

 

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-33 (ESV)


WILL THE REAL ST. NICHOLAS PLEASE STAND UP?

 

A few years ago, when my son was in first grade, I faced the age-old parenting dilemma: What do we do about Santa Claus? Using a little creative thinking, I decided I could have my cake and eat it too by teaching him about St. Nicholas, the fourth-century church figure who was indeed a historical person. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey) and is remembered in church history as a generous almsgiver and a staunch defender of orthodoxy.

In the early 300s A.D., a church leader in Alexandria named Arius began teaching that Jesus had not always existed but was a created being and of a different essence than the Father. This false view of Christ’s nature began to sweep the Mediterranean world, deceiving a great number of Christians. When Emperor Constantine rose to power, the heresy had spread so widely that he called an assembly of church leaders to reach a consensus on the matter. This meeting, known as the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., is widely recognized for 1) being the first “ecumenical” (representing the whole) council and 2) establishing the orthodox Christological position.

Lists of attendees show that St. Nicholas participated in the meeting, where—over the course of several months—the 200+ bishops debated the Arian controversy using the Scriptures. A medieval legend (which likely lacks historical accuracy) recounts Nicholas becoming so provoked upon hearing Arius argue that he crossed the room and slapped him, for which he was subsequently deposed by Constantine. When the council concluded in July of 325 A.D., Arius’ view was condemned, and one of the most famous creeds in all of Christian history was drafted: the Nicene Creed, which is still read in many churches today.

In this document, it is stated that Jesus is:

the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through Whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth, Who because of us men and because of our salvation came down, and became incarnate and became man, and suffered, and rose again on the third day, and ascended to the heavens, and will come to judge the living and the dead.

While creeds are man-made statements, this creed reflects the doctrine of the nature of Jesus as set forth in the Scriptures. As a participant in the Council of Nicaea and a defender of the orthodox position on Christ’s nature, we can appreciate Nicholas’s contribution to the treasury of thought on Christian belief and practice.

(*Needless to say, after my son disseminated this new knowledge about Santa Claus to his classmates, I received an email from his teacher.)

 

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper: Jesus – Name Above All Names, Lord of All

Avatar photo Phil Meade on December 20, 2024

 

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)

 


JESUS: NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, LORD OF ALL

 

Jesus was rewarded for His humble obedience. Notice that Jesus was exalted by His Father and not by Himself (v. 9a). The people He came to save, for the most part, despised Him, but His Father glorified Him. He was given a name above all others and did not take the name Himself (v. 9b). He willingly gave up His heavenly title and was rewarded with a name above all others. Kennedy notes, “He might have used the miraculous powers inherent in His Divine nature in such a way as to compel men, without further ado, to worship Him as God. Instead of that, He was willing to attain this high dignity by the path of humiliation, suffering, and death.”

Getting on one’s knees is the ultimate symbol of total submission. Jesus bowed His knees in obedient submission, but all will one day bow their knees in recognition of Him (v. 10). Paul is not speaking of simply bowing as a show of respect. Rather, he is referring to a universal acknowledgment of all that Jesus represents—His majesty and power as the Lord of lords and the King of kings. It has been said, “Be careful of falling in the trap of externally bending your knee, but internally failing to ‘bow your heart,’ for the former gains men’s attention, but only the latter pleases God” (preceptaustin.org).

While on Earth, Jesus held His tongue when others defamed Him, but every tongue will ultimately speak His name (v. 11). Paul wrote this letter while in prison. In the Roman culture of Paul’s day, one was required to declare, “Caesar is Lord.” Many Christians were killed for refusing to perform this act of idolatry. Paul knew that a day was coming when all would know of Jesus and declare His name as Lord. Keith Krell forcefully reminds us: “Not all will be saved, but all will confess that Jesus is Lord. Here is your choice: Trust Him today as your Savior from sin and spend eternity with God and with those who love Him, or confess Him when you stand before Him as the Lord of creation and spend eternity separated from Him.”

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi serves as a stark contrast. He begins by reminding his readers to avoid selfishness and conceit, humbly walking in obedient servitude to achieve unity within the church. He then reminds them of the model of a life of humble obedience—obedience unto death—that Jesus led. Jesus gave up everything for us and was rewarded with everything in return.

As we celebrate the birth of the perfect Lamb of God, I am reminded of the old hymn “I Hear the Savior Say (Jesus All in All)”:

And when, before the throne, I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat –
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Merry Christmas to all!

 

Diggin Deeper (er):

Isaiah 45:23; John 10:18; Rom 5:19

 

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

Digging Deeper: Jesus – Humble, Obedient, Suffering Servant

Avatar photo Phil Meade on December 19, 2024

 

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

 


JESUS: HUMBLE, OBEDIENT, SUFFERING SERVANT

 

As mentioned yesterday, Jesus came down from Heaven not in the form of royalty but as a newborn. Jesus’ life is marked by humble obedience: He was born in a stable and laid in a manger (a feeding trough). He lived in a humble family and grew up as a carpenter’s son. He waited patiently for 30 years before beginning His ministry. He came not with trumpets blaring but to the water’s edge to be baptized. He did not associate with the high-born but with the lowly and the despised. He washed the feet of His followers, including the feet of the one who would soon betray Him. Finally, He never reviled those who persecuted and crucified Him; instead, He humbly endured to fulfill God’s ultimate plan.

Barclay’s Study Bible notes:

“The great characteristics of Jesus’ life were humility, obedience, and self-renunciation. He did not desire to dominate men but only to serve them; he did not desire his own way but only God’s way; he did not desire to exalt himself but only to renounce all his glory for the sake of men.”

Paul told the church in Rome:

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” (Rom. 12:16, ESV).

Humility is simply thinking less of oneself and more of others. Jesus often reminded His disciples that the last will be first, and the first will be last. The servant and the slave are highly exalted, while the proud are humbled and brought low.

I believe the greatest outward expression of humility is obedience. Jesus was obedient in all things to the will of the Father, even unto death. Charles Spurgeon expresses it beautifully:

“Obedience is the best humility, laying yourself at the feet of Jesus, and making your will active only when you know what it is God’s will for you to do. This is to be truly humble.”

Consider the contrast between the nature of the first Adam and the second Adam. The first Adam was prideful, self-serving, and ultimately disobedient. In contrast, the second Adam, Jesus, was humble, selfless, and completely obedient. Now compare their final outcomes: the first Adam was banished from a perfect garden, toiled in the dirt, and experienced pain and death. The second Adam willingly left a perfect Heaven, lived among the “dirty” of this world, and also experienced pain and death. Adam died and returned to the dust, while Jesus died, was raised again, and is highly exalted by His Father in Heaven.

Selfless, humble obedience is advanced Christianity. As fallen human beings, we will always be at war with our worldly desires. However, Paul reminds us:

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24, ESV).

We must put to death our pride and passions. Jesus was obedient, even unto death on a cross. We can honor and praise Him most when we humbly obey and walk in His footsteps, serving others along the way.

Diggin Deeper (er):

Heb 5:8; Isaiah 53

 

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

Digging Deeper: Jesus – Glory Incarnate

Avatar photo Phil Meade on December 18, 2024

 

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men

Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV)

 


JESUS: GLORY INCARNATE

 

As we approach this Christmas season, it is important to remember the “reason for the season.” God loved us so much that He gave us the ultimate gift. Jesus willingly left Heaven—a glorious place beyond our comprehension—to enter a dark world. He did not come as a triumphant king, as was expected, but as a baby, born in a manger. He became like us while still being fully divine. Steven Cole beautifully reminds us:

“There can be no greater example of lowering oneself than what Jesus did on our behalf. If your heart is cold toward the things of God, think on who Jesus is and on what He did in leaving the splendor and purity of heaven and coming to this wicked world to be made sin on your behalf. It should fill our hearts with love and devotion and make us realize that no personal sacrifice we make, no humiliation we go through, can ever match what our glorious Savior did for us!”

Paul notes that Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (v. 6b). The King James translation reads that Jesus “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (v. 6b). The Greek translation of the word “robbery” means to “grasp, cling to, clutch, or retain at all costs.” Jesus was (and is) God. He had every right to assert that privilege while here on Earth. However, He laid down that right (while still being fully God and fully man), choosing not to cling to the treasure of Heaven or clutch the prize of being in the form of God.

Paul reminds his readers how far Jesus went on their behalf. Jesus “emptied himself,” “taking the form of a servant” (v. 7a). When Jesus emptied Himself, He did not give up His possession of deity but rather His expression of deity. He did not relinquish His glory but veiled it for a time. He took on the form of humanity, notably coming to Earth in the form of a servant (v. 7b). Ponder that dichotomy: Jesus, the Son of God, coequal with God, came to Earth as a lowly servant. Remember, in those days, servants (bondservants or slaves in various translations) were the lowest of the low. They had no rights or privileges. Jesus loved us enough to “serve, and not be served” (cf. Mark 10:45).

Christmas is called the “season of giving,” but often that sentiment is overlooked. Let us take a moment during this busy time of year to ponder all that Jesus gave up for us. He never once asked, “What’s in it for me?” He did not take selfies or promote Himself on TikTok or Facebook (though He was the ultimate social influencer long before the age of social media).

As you reflect, consider following Jesus’ example: empty yourself of whatever status you see yourself possessing. Serve others out of love for them and love for God. Do this in remembrance of the precious gift He gave!

 

Diggin Deeper (er):

John 1:14; 2 Cor 4:6; Heb 1:3

 

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

Digging Deeper: Who/ What Defines You?

Avatar photo Phil Meade on December 17, 2024

 

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB)

 


WHO/ WHAT DEFINES YOU

 

Henry Morris writes:

“A modern psychological ploy is to attribute many personal and social problems to individual lack of self-esteem. The Scriptures, however, urge each of us to have other-esteem, not self-esteem. Our real problem is self-centeredness and too much self-esteem. However, Paul urges us to be lowly-minded, not high-minded, seeking the good of others, not concerned with ourselves.”

I have led DivorceCare at NorthStar for many years. One of the topics for discussion is “self-worth.” Quite often, the attendees struggle with basing their self-worth and identity on the failure of their marriage. They see themselves as “divorced people.” I try to stress to them that their worth as God’s creation is not in self, but in Him.

If you are a Christian, your identity is in Jesus. As Paul told the church in Corinth:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17, ESV).

I have been guilty of basing my identity on my job title. That mistaken “self-esteem” became readily apparent when I retired in January. Now, I am just me. I know in my mind that my worth is based on how Jesus sees me, but as a fallen creation, I sometimes struggle with seeing that as “enough.” I ask you today: What (or whom) is your identity based on?

If our old identity has truly passed away, then humility and servitude should naturally follow. Humility was a foreign concept in the ancient Greek and Roman cultures; it was seen as a sign of weakness. Jesus came preaching humility and servitude, turning the culture completely upside down. The great theologian and pastor Jonathan Edwards writes:

“True humility is not putting ourselves down but rather lifting up others. If we concentrate on lifting up others, putting down ourselves will take care of itself. As we go through life exalting Christ and others, then genuine humility will be inevitable. If we exalt ourselves, then God will take care of our humiliation, for He promises to humble the proud. It is much less painful to do it the first way.”

Let that last sentence sink in.

Paul reminds us to humbly consider others more important than ourselves (v. 3b) and to look out for the interests of others (v. 4b). I have always found it interesting how Paul begins verse 4 by mentioning our own interests. That always seemed antithetical to humility. However, if you look closely, you will see the word “merely” (or “only” in some translations) at the beginning of the passage. Our own basic needs are important to us, and Paul is not discouraging us from satisfying those needs. What he is saying is that we must put away selfish ambition, conceit, and pride.

David Guzik summarizes:

“If I consider you above me and you consider me above you, then a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on.”

Tomorrow—Jesus steps out of Heaven.

 

Diggin Deeper (er):

James 4:6; Luke 14:11; Mark 9:35

 

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

 

Digging Deeper: Mine!

Avatar photo Phil Meade on December 16, 2024

 

2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Philippians 2:2-4 (NASB)

 


MINE!

 

Paul is writing this letter to the church at Philippi while imprisoned in Rome under the emperor Nero. The church at Philippi is dear to Paul and has been a major financial contributor to his mission. He writes to remind the church to continue living in harmony (v. 2) and warns them of stumbling blocks to maintaining that unity (vv. 3-4).

The first issue Paul addresses is selfishness. I have heard it said numerous times that a child does not need to be taught to be selfish. I am sure one of the first words my children learned (other than “Dada,” of course) was “mine.” I did not have to teach them that word—it just came naturally. When push comes to shove, we all tend to look out for our own interests. Paul distinctly reminds his readers to “do nothing” out of self-interest. That is about as black-and-white as it gets! Hard to read? Perhaps. Harder to practice? I will let you answer that one.

Next, Paul addresses empty conceit (from the Greek kenodoxia: kenos = empty, vain, hollow, groundless; doxa = glory, praise, or opinion). Webster’s defines conceit as “excessive appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue.” By adding the word “empty,” Paul emphasizes that a person’s conceit is groundless—not based on actual accomplishments—and a mere façade. James notes:

“For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits” (James 1:11, ESV).

James gives a stern reminder not to live a life of selfish ambition and empty conceit. In the end, it all withers, falls, perishes, and fades away!

John MacArthur observes:

“Whereas selfish ambition pursues personal goals, empty conceit seeks personal glory and acclaim. The former pertains to personal accomplishments; the latter to an overinflated self-image. Understandably, a person with such conceit considers himself always to be right and expects others to agree with him. The only unity he seeks or values is centered on himself.”

Tomorrow, we will discuss Paul’s solution to our “self” problem.

 

Diggin Deeper (er):

Rom 12:16; Gal 5:26; Gal 6:3

 

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.