No sign—except the sign of Jonah

“And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas [Jonah] was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve [Nineveh] shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here” (Luke 11:29-32).

Jesus will soon come in the clouds to judge the nations. He will come to judge you and me, and we will all stand before Him. But though He came so many years ago to show mercy by dying on the cross, suffering the wrath of God for sinners, yet as the great Prophet, He powerfully denounced His generation and threatened fearful judgment. They had received so much, but had proven so unworthy of their blessings!

What is Jesus’ verdict on our generation? Will He acquit? Or will Jesus call witnesses against us?

Join us for our afternoon service at 4:00 p.m. this Lord’s day (Sunday) at the Presbyterian Reformed Church, located at 1870 Route 50, in Tuckahoe. And please feel free to stay after for a shared supper around 5:30 p.m. We would love to have you there!

Could the Shroud of Turin be authentic?

I had long written this off. But now I’m not so sure—could this indeed be authentic? I’m not at present aware of what biblical or theological reasons would rule it out. If it is fraudulent, it would be a 2nd Commandment violation, since we must not make images of God or any of His three persons. But if it’s real, it is no less a violation of the ban on images than the Ark of the Covenant, or for that matter, the sacramental bread and wine.

Peter, put your sword away!

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 

“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.  As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.  Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 

“Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”

* * * *

Why didn’t Jesus defend himself? The next step was the horrific and shameful death on the cross. Didn’t he see it? Of course he did. Was he in the right? O yes! If ever there was an innocent man, Jesus was that man!

Continue reading “Peter, put your sword away!”

Glorious anticlimax

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-10).

We’ve all felt the letdown. There is expectation, there is buildup, there is excitement, and then … it all falls flat. The climax we expected disappoints; or really, a quite unexpected anticlimax comes in its place, leaving us deflated and depressed.

Continue reading “Glorious anticlimax”

Of Nativity and naïvete

 

“You will hear people say, ‘The early Christians believed that Christ was the son of a virgin, but we know that this is a scientific impossibility’. Such people seem to have an idea that belief in miracles arose at a period when men were so ignorant of the course of nature that they did not perceive a miracle to be contrary to it. A moment’s thought shows this to be nonsense: and the story of the Virgin Birth is a particularly striking example. When St Joseph discovered that his fiancée was going to have a baby, he not unnaturally decided to repudiate her. Why? Because he knew just as well as any modern gynaecologist that in the ordinary course of nature women do not have babies unless they have lain with men. No doubt the modern gynaecologist knows several things about birth and begetting which St Joseph did not know. But those things do not concern the main point–that a virgin birth is contrary to the course of nature. And St Joseph obviously knew that. In any sense in which it is true to say now, ‘The thing is scientifically impossible’, he would have said the same: the thing always was, and was always known to be, impossible unless the regular processes of nature were, in this particular case, being over-ruled or supplemented by something from beyond nature. When St Joseph finally accepted the view that his fiancée’s pregnancy was due not to unchastity but to a miracle, he accepted the miracle as something contrary to the known order of nature. All records of miracles teach the same thing.”

-C. S. Lewis, On Miracles